CHAPTER XIX--STRUGGLING ONWARDS UP-STREAM
"But," said Roland, "it would be a pity to let even Peter die, as we mayhave need of him. Let us send for Charlie at once. Perhaps he can tellus of an antidote."
The Indian was not far off.
"Fire-water", was his reply to Dick's question, "and dis."
"Dis" was the contents of a tiny bottle, which he speedily rubbed intothe wound in Peter's hand.
The steward, as one of the men was called, quickly brought a wholebottle of rum, the poisoned man's jaws were forced open, and he wasliterally drenched with the hot and fiery spirit.
But spasm after spasm took place after this, and while the body wasdrawn up with cramp, and the muscles knotted and hard, the features werefearfully contorted.
By Roland's directions chloroform was now poured on a handkerchief, andafter this was breathed by the sufferer for a few minutes the musclesbecame relaxed, and the face, though still pale as death, became moresightly.
More rum and more rubbing with the antidote, and Mr. Peter slept inpeace.
About sunrise he awoke, cold and shivering, but sensible.
After a little more stimulant he began to talk.
"Bitten by a snake, have I not been?"
"Mr. Peter," said Roland sternly, "you have narrowly escaped the deathyou would have meted out to poor Brawn with your cruel and accursedarrow.
"You may not love the dog. He certainly does not love you, and dogs aregood judges of character. He tree'd you, and you sought revenge. Youdoubtless have other reasons to hate Brawn, but his life is far more tous than yours. Now confess you meant to do for him, and then to makeyour way down-stream by stealing a canoe."
"I do not, will not confess," cried Peter. "It is a lie. I am hereagainst my will. I am kidnapped. I am a prisoner. The laws of eventhis country--and sorry I am ever I saw it--will and shall protect me."
Roland was very calm, even to seeming carelessness.
"We are on the war-path at present, my friend," he said very quietly."You are suspected of one of the most horrible crimes that felon everperpetrated, that of procuring the abduction of Miss St. Clair andhanding her over to savages."
"As Heaven is above us," cried Peter, "I am guiltless of that!"
"Hush!" roared Roland, "why take the sacred name of Heaven within yourvile lips. Were you not about to die, I would strike you where youstand."
"To die, Mr. Roland? You--you--you surely don't mean--"
Roland placed a whistle to his lips, and its sound brought six stern mento his side.
"Bind that man's hands behind his back and hang him to yonder tree," wasthe order.
In two minutes' time the man was pinioned and the noose dangling overhis head.
As he stood there, arrayed but in shirt and trousers, pale andtrembling, with the cold sweat on his brow, it would have been difficulteven to imagine a more distressing and pitiable sight.
His teeth chattered in his head, and he swayed about as if every momentabout to fall.
A man advanced, and was about to place the noose around his neck when:
"A moment, one little moment!" cried Peter. "Sir--Mr. St. Clair--I didmean to take your favourite dog's life."
"And Miss St. Clair?"
"I am innocent. If--I am to be lynched--for--that--you have the bloodof a guiltless man on your head."
Dick Temple had seen enough. He advanced now to Peter's side.
"Your crime deserves lynching," he said, "but I will intercede for youif you promise me sacredly you will never attempt revenge again. If youdo, as sure as fate you shall swing."
"I promise--Oh--I promise!"
Dick retired, and after a few minutes' conversation with Roland, thewretched man was set free.
_Entre nous_, reader, Roland had never really meant to lynch the man.But so utterly nerveless and broken-down was Mr. Peter now, that as soonas he was released he threw himself on the ground, crying like a child.
Even Brawn pitied him, and ran forward and actually licked the hands ofthe man who would have cruelly done him to death.
So noble is the nature of our friend the dog.
----
The voyage up-stream was now continued. But the progress of so manyboats and men was necessarily slow, for all had to be provided for, andthis meant spending about every alternate day in shooting, fishing, andcollecting fruit and nuts.
The farther up-stream they got, however, the more lightsome and cheerfulbecame the hearts of our heroes.
They began to look upon Peggy as already safe in their camp.
"I say, you know," said Dick one day, "our passage up is all toil andtrouble, but won't it be delightful coming back."
"Yes, indeed," said Roland, smiling.
"We sha'n't hurry, shall we?"
"Oh, no! poor Peggy's health must need renovating, and we must let hersee all that is to be seen."
"Ye--es, of course! Certainly, Roll, and it will be all just too lovelyfor anything, all one deliciously delicious picnic."
"I hope so."
"Don't look quite so gloomy, Roland, old man. I tell you it is allplain sailing now. We have only to meet Benee when we get as far as therendezvous, then strike across country, and off and away to the land ofthe cannibals and give them fits."
"Oh, I'm not gloomy, you know, Dick, though not quite so hopeful as you!We have many difficulties to encounter, and there may be a lot offighting after we get there; and, mind you, that game of giving fits isone that two can play at."
"Choorka! Choorka!" shouted the captain of the leading boat, a swarthyson of the river.
As he spoke, he pointed towards the western bank, and thither as quicklyas paddles could send him his boat was hurried. For they had been wellout in the centre of the river, and had reached a place where thecurrent was strong and swift.
But closer to the bank it was more easy to row.
Nevertheless, two of the canoes ran foul of a snag. One was capsized atonce, and the other stuck on top.
The 'gators here were in dozens apparently, and before the canoe couldbe righted two men had been dragged below, the brown stream being tingedwith their gushing blood.
Both were Indians, but nevertheless their sad death cast a gloom overthe hearts of everyone, which was not easily dispelled.
On again once more, still hugging the shore; but after dinner it wasdetermined to stay where they were for the night.
They luckily found a fine open back-water, and this they entered andwere soon snug enough.
They could not be idle, however. Food must be collected, andeverything--Roland determined--must go on like clock-work, without hurryor bustle.
Soon, therefore, after the canoes were made fast, both Indians andwhites were scattered far and near in the forest, on the rocks andhills, and on the rivers.
I believe that all loved the "boys", as Roland and Dick were called bythe white men, and so all worked right cheerfully, laughing and singingas they did so.
Ten men besides our heroes and Burly Bill had remained behind to get thetents up and to prepare the evening meal, for everybody would return ashungry as alligators, and these gentry seem to have a most insatiableappetite.
Just before sunset on this particular evening Roland and Dick hadanother interview with Mr. Peter.
"I should be a fool and a fraud, Mr. Peter," said the former, "were I tomince matters. Besides, it is not my way. I tell you, then, thatduring our journey you will have yonder little tent to yourself to eatand to sleep in. I tell you, too, that despite your declarations ofinnocence I still suspect you, that nevertheless no one will be morehappy than Mr. Temple here and myself if you are found not guilty. Butyou must face the music now. You must be guarded, strictly guarded, andI wish you to know that you are. I wish to impress upon you also thatyour sentries have strict orders to shoot you if you are found makingany insane attempt to escape. In all other respects you are a free man,and I should be very sorry indeed to rop
e or tie you. Now you may go."
"My time will come," said Mr. Peter meaningly.
His face was set and determined.
"Is this a threat?" cried Roland, fingering his revolver.
But Peter's dark countenance relaxed at once.
"A threat!" he said. "No, no, Mr. Roland. I am an unarmed man, you arearmed, and everyone is on your side. But I repeat, my time will come toclear my character; that is all.
"So be it, Mr. Peter."
And the man retired to his tent breathing black curses deep though notaloud.
"I've had enough of this," he told himself. "And escape that youngcub's tyranny I must and shall, even should I die in my tracks. Cursethem all!"
----
Next day a deal of towing was required, for the river was running fierceand strong, and swirling in angry eddies and dangerous maelstroms evenclose to the bank.
This towing was tiresome work, and although all hands bent to it, half amile an hour was their highest record.
But now they neared the terrible rapids of Antonio, and once more a haltwas called for the night, in order that all might be fresh and strong tonegotiate these torrents.
Next day they set to work.
All the cargo had to be got on shore, and a few armed men were left toguard it. Then the empty boats were towed up.
For three or four miles the river dashed onward here over its rocky bed,with a noise like distant thunder, a chafing, boiling, angry stream,which but to look at caused the eyes to swim and the senses to reel.
There are stretches of comparatively calm water between the rapids, andglad indeed were Roland's brave fellows to reach these for abreathing-spell.
In the afternoon, before they were half-way through these torrents, ahalt was called for the night in a little bay, and the baggage wasbrought up.
They fell asleep that night with the roar of the rapids in their ears,and the dreams of many of them were far indeed from pleasant.
Morning brought renewal of toil and struggle. But "stout hearts to steybraes" is an excellent old Scottish motto. It was acted on by thisgallant expedition, and so in a day or two they found themselves in afresh turmoil of water beneath the splendid waterfalls of Theotonia.
The river was low, and in consequence the cataract was seen at its best,though not its maddest. Fancy, if you can, paddling to keep yourway--not to advance--face to face with a waterfall a mile at least inbreadth, and probably forty feet in height, divided into three by rockylittle islands, pouring in white-brown sheets sheer down over the rock,and falling with a steady roar into the awful cauldrons beneath. It islike a small Niagara, but, with the hills and rocks and stately woods,and the knowledge that one is in an uncivilized land, among wild beastsand wilder men, far more impressive.
Our young heroes were astonished to note the multitudes of fish ofvarious kinds on all sides of them. The pools were full.
The larger could be easily speared, but bait of any kind they did notseem to fancy. They were troubled and excited, for up the great streamand through the wild rapids they had made their way in order to spawn inthe head-waters of the Madeira and its tributaries. But Nature here haderected a barrier.
Yet wild were their attempts to fling themselves over. Many succeeded.The fittest would survive. Others missed, or, gaining but the rim of thecataract, were hurled back, many being killed.
Another halt, another night of dreaming of all kinds of wild adventures.The Indians had told the whites, the evening before, strange legendsabout the deep, almost bottomless, pools beneath the falls.
Down there, according to them, devils dwell, and hold high revelry everytime the moon is full. Dark? No it is not dark at the bottom, forIndians who have been dragged down there and afterwards escaped, haverelated their adventures, and spoken of the splendid caverns lit up bycrimson fire, whose mouths open into the water. Caverns more gorgeousand beautiful than eyes of men ever alight upon above-ground. Caverns ofcrystal, of jasper, onyx, and ruby; caverns around whose stalactitesdemons, in the form of six-legged snakes, writhe and crawl, but arenevertheless possessed of the power to change their shapes in thetwinkling of an eye from the horrible and grotesque to the beautiful.
Prisoners from the upper world are tortured here, whether men, women, orchildren, and the awful rites performed are too fearful--so say theIndians--to be even hinted at.
The cargo first and the empty canoes next had to be portaged half a mileon shore and above the lovely linn. This was extremely hard work, butit was safely accomplished at last.
Roland was not only a born general, but a kind-hearted and excellentmaster. He never lost his temper, nor uttered a bad or impatient word,and thus there was not an Indian there who would not have died for himand his companion Dick.
Moreover, the officer-Indians found that kind words were more effectualthan cuts with the bark whips they carried, or blows with the hand onnaked shoulders.
And so the march and voyage was one of peace and comfort.
Accidents, however, were by no means rare, for there were snags andsunken rocks to be guarded against, and more than one of the smallcanoes were stove and sunk, with the loss of precious lives.
----
Roland determined not to overwork his crew. This might spoileverything, for many of the swamps in the neighbourhood of which theybivouacked are pestilential in the extreme.
Mosquitoes were found rather a plague at first, but our boys had comeprepared.
They carried sheets of fine muslin--the ordinary mosquito-nets areuseless--for if a "squeeter" gets one leg through, his body very soonwriggles after, and then he begins to sing a song of thanksgiving beforepiercing the skin of the sleeper with his poison-laden proboscis. Butmosquitoes cannot get through the muslin, and have to sing to themselveson the other side.
After a time, however, the muslin was not thought about, for all handshad received their baptism of blood, and bites were hardly felt.