CHAPTER XV
FIGHT WITH A GORILLA
"The man-eaters," said Venning, blankly. "I had forgotten aboutthem."
"And there is another thing you have forgotten," said Mr. Hume,sternly, "you and Compton. You have forgotten to obey orders. Myorders were to descend from the tree. You both kept on, and by sodoing ran a very great risk. Understand now, that you will doexactly what I wish."
Compton looked rebellious, and opened his lips.
"Not a word!" said the hunter, in a roar, with a hard look in hiseyes, that gave a fierce expression to his face.
The two boys stared at him dumfounded.
"You understand?" he said.
"I do, sir," replied Compton, gravely; for, high-spirited as he was,he was in the wrong, and had the courage to admit it.
That night they saw the fires of the man-eaters, who had encamped ona knoll comparatively free from trees and entirely bare ofunderwood. Beyond the knoll was the gleam of water, and at the sametime they heard the familiar trumpeting of the mosquito hosts, whoseattentions they had been free from ever since they left the river.They anointed their faces and hands with an ointment that containedeucalyptus oil, while Muata and the river-man went off to scout.Then they stood in the shadow of a great tree and watched the weirdscene in the thick of the forest. There were several fires, andabout each squatted a ring of wild black men. Their skins glistenedlike ebony from the fat they had liberally rubbed in, and theirteeth and eyes gleamed in the reflection of the fires. Their hair,fizzled out in mops, had the appearance of fantastic Scotch bonnets;but apparently all their vanity had been lavished on their heads,for of dress they wore nothing but anklets and a strip of hide roundthe waist. They talked unceasingly, cracking their fingers andmaking play with their hands, while all the time one or another ofthe different groups was on his feet, stamping the ground, swinginga club, and shouting at the top of his voice.
"Ah men," said Mr. Hume. "Not a woman or a boy among them."
"What have they done with their prisoners, if these are the same weare after?"
What, indeed! Their eyes searched the shadows at the foot of theknoll for trace of the unfortunate people who had been captured, butthey could neither see nor hear anything.
"Ugh, the brutes!" muttered Venning, with a shudder, as he broughthis rifle to the "ready."
Mr. Hume pressed the barrel down. "We'll have no night attack," hewhispered. "At the first note of danger they'd scatter like shadows,when they would have the eyes and the ears of us. Well hear whatMuata has to say, and then wait for the morning."
"There are thirty-six of them," muttered Compton. A bull crocodileroared from the water near at hand, and one of the black menimitated the cry, drawing a yell of wild laughter from his comrades.It was the wildest of scenes. The little circle of red fire threwinto light against an impenetrable wall of black the trunks of a fewtrees, the trailing vines, and the forms of the savage men. That wasthe one bit of the world visible, a space on which appeared some ofthe lowest forms of the human race; but, though they could see notan inch beyond the furthest reflection of the fires, they knew howwell the setting fitted the picture. It seemed only natural that inthat gloomy wilderness of wood these savage types should prevail,for if man had to live there, he could only hold his own by acunning and ferocity greater than the beasts possessed. Every itemof the scene stamped itself on the minds of the boys as they stoodfor a long time watching the antics of the savages.
It was a relief when Muata made his presence known by a cricket-likechirrup.
"Are these the men we are after, chief?" asked Mr. Hume, when thetwo scouts silently crept up. "They are the same, but the trail isdifferent." "Then they are already on another hunt, and have leftthe women and children they captured elsewhere? Is that so?"
"As you have seen, they are warriors only. Such of the women andchildren who yet live are hidden. These await the coming of theother wolves."
"Oh oh! Then there is to be a great war-party?" "A great killing! Iwent near, round by the riverside, where also there is a fire as asignal. I heard their talk. Others will join them in the night orthe morning, and together they will go in the war-canoes."
"And who are they that are expected?"
"I said we had not done with the thief-of-the-wood and the river,the man-robber, the slayer of babes."
"Hassan! Do you mean that the Arabs are coming?"
"Even so, O great one. They are well matched, the man-eaters and theman-stealers."
"And whom do they go against?"
"What should bring Hassan here but one thing, and that the fear ofMuata?"
"Humph!" muttered Mr. Hume.
"They go against my people, so that when Muata returns there willnot be one left--man, woman, child, or dog--to greet him, not onehut left to shelter him, not a single manioc-root for him to eat.Hassan will let in the waters upon the Garden of Rest."
"Eh?"
"That is his word. He has sworn it in his beard, and these jackalshowl it out. They talk of new fish that are to come to their nets."
"New fish?"
"Oh aye. When the water is let in, they will stand on the slopingbanks of the Garden of Rest and net the drowned."
"These are strange words, Muata. What are you talking about?"
"I talk of the plan that is made by Hassan to destroy utterly mypeople in the Garden of Rest," said the chief, gloomily--"the secrethiding whence I went forth against the man-stealers. Hassan comeshither in the morning, and with these eaters of men, these jackalsof the wood, he will go on his way."
"I see," said Mr. Hume, slowly. "They are not on our trail."
"Let us go for them now," said Compton, who had been eagerlylistening.
Muata paid no heed to the words.
"There must be a new plan, chief," said Mr. Hume.
"And what says the great one?"
"There is only one good plan, Muata, but you have yourself opposedit."
"What is the plan, my father?"
"We should get to the Garden of Rest in advance of the enemy, and beready to beat them off. That would be the best way, but you havesaid you would not lead us to your secret hiding."
"It is the plan," said Muata.
"What!" cried Compton, "would you run away from these swabs withoutfiring a shot? What do you say, Venning?"
"I am willing to listen to all sides," said Venning, judiciously.
"We must not fire a shot,"' said the hunter, with decision; "we mustwithdraw without Hassan knowing of our presence. If they learnt wewere hereabouts, they would be on their guard, and, having the'legs' of us by reason of their canoes, and the advantage by reasonof their numbers, they would push on, and arrive at the hiding-placebefore us. If they do not suspect our presence, they will takematters easy, and give us time."
"But what of Muata's mother?"
"That is the chief's matter," said Muata.
"And what of the Okapi?" asked Venning. "This is my word. You willgo back in the morning," said the chief, "marching quickly; and whenyou have found the shining canoe, you will move fast up the river tothe place where the first little river from the forest joins it onthe right bank. There you will find me."
"And if we don't find you?"
"Haw! What Muata says, that he will do."
"And how are we to find our way back through the woods?"
Muata drummed his fingers against the stretched skin of his cheek,making a hollow noise.
"Behold," he said, "there is your guide."
They looked around in the dark, but could see no one.
"Do not look hard, for he is afraid of the white man's eyes."
"If we knew what we were expected to look at," said Compton, "we'dknow where we were; but--oh----"
He broke off, and stared at a little figure that barely reached upto Muata's waist.
"A pigmy, by Jenkins!"
"By Jove! yes."
Mr. Hume unhooked a steel chain from his belt, with a knifeattached, and offered it to the little man, w
ho, at a word fromMuata, grabbed at it, and, after a minute inspection, hung it roundhis neck. Muata said a few more words to the new guide, then,lifting his hand, gave the farewell salutation to his friends, anddisappeared with the silent river-man. The little man, taking oneend of the rope, led them away from the camp of the cannibals, andafter a brief rest, without the comfort of a fire, they were earlyon the march; but it was not until the sun was well out that theysaw what manner of man their new guide was. A strange monkey-figure--very black, with wrinkled skin about the elbows, thin arms, knobbyknees, a bulging stomach, and round bright eyes! He carried a littlebow, a sheaf of tiny arrows, and wore the glittering chain and kniferound his neck. He took the "upper road," and was very like a monkeyin the ease and agility with which he manoeuvred the branches.Presently he was joined by two companions, who appeared apparentlyfrom the tree-tops--one was black, the other lighter in colour, andof vast pigmy stature, reaching a height of quite 4 ft. 6 in. It wasfound advisable to give these two some badge of office, for whenthey had become accustomed to the white men, they stopped the marchfor a violent discussion about the glittering jewel worn with suchoutrageous pride by the first man. The present of a red silkhandkerchief to one, and of a tin box that had held meat tabloids tothe other, restored peace. The handkerchief was converted into aturban, the box into a decoration for the breast, and then, chattinglike a treeful of monkeys, the three guides went on at a quick pace.There was no midday rest, no halt for coffee-making; they hadevidently been told by Muata to hurry, and whenever their white menshowed a tendency to slacken, they frowned, cracked their fingers,and capered about. Towards night, however, they descended from theupper road.
"Thank goodness, they'll have to stop when it grows dark," sighedVenning.
The little men gave a long rolling call by moving the hand beforethe mouth; then two of them slipped away, and presently an answeringcall came out of the wood. A little later the travellers stood onthe edge of a small clearing, surrounded by little round huts madeof leaves, and in the centre stood the gigantic warrior with the tinbox, and his proud companion with the flame-coloured head. They weregrinning from ear to ear as they beckoned their "white men" toadvance within the circle of that forest city! Stepping over one ofthe leafy buildings, and just avoiding knocking down the pillars ofan edifice that was probably the town hall, they entered theopening, piled their outfit, and started a fire to prepare theevening meal. The town had appeared deserted, except for the threelittle guides; but as the giants sipped from their pannikins littleforms flitted nearer, and quaint little faces peered at them fromevery point.
"Take no notice of them," whispered Mr. Hume, as he handed apannikin to the first guide.
As that sooty imp sipped, with a loud indrawing of his breath indread of scalding, and a loud outward blowing in token ofsatisfaction at the comforting taste, the other two guides took theproffered pannikins from the boys, and the entire population creptcloser and closer, with many a timid jump. When, however, thesestrange visitors from the strange outer world, where there was noroof of trees to keep off the shooting stars and other dangers--whenthese queer people began to massage each other in turn, to rub andto thump, to slap and knead the limbs and muscles, then, in theirintense curiosity, even the children forgot their timidity andcrowded round. A pickaninny--the queerest little mite--even venturedto poke a tiny finger into the ribs of one of the three. After thatthere was a great pow-wow. Mr. Hume, with a man in the palm of eachhand, a boy on each shoulder, and a couple hanging from each brawnyarm, sent the spectators into shrieks of amusement, and they thereand then christened him "The Gorilla," in token of esteem--a pieceof flattery which was to have a startling sequel. As night fell thelittle people lamented the disappearance of the sun with a long,melancholy, dirge-like wail; but when darkness was upon them theybuilt up the fire and prepared their evening meal from the body of ared pig they had killed. When the three travellers wrappedthemselves up in their blankets, their hosts were still busilyengaged in eating and talking, and long into the night, wheneverthey glanced up through half-closed lids, there were the littleforms still about the fires. But in the morning, behold, they werealone with the three guides! The huts remained, and the town house,with its posts, at least six feet high; but the little doors wereopen, and the huts were empty.
"They've gone," said Venning, much disappointed. "And they havestolen nothing," said Mr. Hume, after a careful inspection of thekit.
The guides pointed to the trees, and once more they were travelingthe upper road through the moist leaves, glistening under the sunfrom the myriad drops of condensed mist. It was more than they coulddo to keep pace with the agile leaders, and time and again thelittle men had to wait for the big-limbed, awkward-footed strangersto come up. As on the previous day, they stuck to the work,grudging even a few minutes' rest in the heat of the burning noon,and they only relaxed their efforts to introduce a peculiar sportingevent, which nearly put an end to the party. The quick eye of thelight-coloured guide saw some object in the tree-tops, and mimingout lightly to the end of the branch, he gave a peculiar bark. Inresponse there came the familiar barking roar of a gorilla, followedby the appearance of the black face at a little distance.Immediately the three little men grossly insulted the great monarchof the woods, whose undisputed sway no denizen of the forest caredto dispute, who had been known to break the back of a leopard, andto outstare some chance lion prowling on the outskirts. They made"monkey faces" at him, and no monkey can stand that. They raisedtheir eyebrows, grinned, shot out their jaws, made little gruntingnoises; and when the great ape imitated them unconsciously in hisrage, they broke into unseemly laughter. The gorilla took up thegage of battle and advanced, snapping the branches as a sign of whathe would do when he laid a hand or a foot on his enemies. The littlemen doubled back and put themselves under the sheltering bulk of thehunter's powerful frame, while the two boys sat astride of a bigbranch, the better to handle their carbines. The gorilla, however,did not push his attack home. They heard his surly grunt as hestopped to take stock of them, and as he did not venture closer,they had to resume the march, not, however, without a very distinctfeeling of uneasiness. For when they had got into the swing oncemore, the gorilla dogged them. Like a hungry shark about an openboat at sea he came and went, now following steadily behind, nowranging up on the starboard quarter, now forging ahead, again comingup mysteriously from the depths below, and now breaking cover on theport side, but never giving a chance for a shot, and alwaysreappearing at a new point after a long interval of silence.
"I don't like the game of hide-and-seek," said Mr. Hume, stopping.
"It's the fault of those little beggars," said Compton. "They appearto enjoy the joke."
The guides pointed to the ground and started to descend, pausing,however, to see if they were followed.
"I suppose we may as well go down?"
The little men laughed when they saw the others descending, and,sliding to the ground down slender vine-ropes, they immediately setto work insulting the gorilla again by a series of rapidly emittedcries. This brought the brute up with a charge, just as the threewhite men had their attention occupied, and their hands engaged, bythe descent. From the branches above there dropped a huge blackhairy object, with apparently four pairs of hands.
"By the Lord," cried Mr. Hume, who was the first to see the enemy,"drop!"
He shinned down on top of Compton, who in turn descended on Venning,and the whole three of them reached the ground together in a jumble.The gorilla lighted on all fours a few feet away, then, instead ofspringing on his helpless victims, he slowly raised himself to anerect position, and so standing on short bow-legs, emitted atremendous roar, beginning with low mutterings, increasing to thedeep-throated bark, and then dying away in hoarse grumblings. Aterrible object he was truly, with his fierce grey eyes, formidabledog-teeth projecting from his powerful jaws, which rested withoutthe interval of anything like a neck on the curve of a chest thatswept out vast on the well-founded ribs, wrought in strength tosu
pport the weight of the protruding stomach.
One arm was raised with the palm of the hand on the chest, the otherhung down, a truly fearful weapon, reaching to the crooked knee, andending in great flattened fingers, that were bent inwards. After theroar the fierce creature lowered itself on to the knuckles of itsarms, and seemed as if in another instant it would spring on itsfoes, still scrambling for a footing, when a piece of mould struckit on the cheek. It made a side-spring at the sooty guide, whonimbly jumped out of reach, and, when it turned, Mr. Hume was on hisfeet swinging his rifle-strap over his head. Quick as a trainedboxer the long black arm shot out and sent the rifle flying throughthe air, but as its fierce eyes followed the whirling flight of theweapon, the hunter, putting forth all his great strength, smote theanimal full on the ear, a blow that would have felled the strongestman. Then he leapt back, just in time to escape a terrific sweep ofa hooked hand that would have disembowelled him, as the monster,after a shake of the head, delivered its favourite blow at theabdomen of its adversary. Going down on its knuckles again, it leapthigh into the air, and as it descended thrust a long black arm rounda tree to seize Mr. Hume, who all the time was calling out for aweapon. The flat fingers hooked under the leather belt, and with afierce grunt the gorilla put forth its strength to draw the whiteman closer, while the latter, with his feet braced against the tree,resisted. Then Compton and Venning, who had unslung their rifles,but who had been confused by the rapid movements of the great ape,found their opportunity and fired. Both bullets took effect, and thegorilla, loosening his hold, turned with a roar upon his new foes.His aspect as he faced them was truly ferocious, and his strengthwas apparently unimpaired, for the thin pencil-like bullets hadmerely bored two little holes through a fleshy part. A moment histerrible eyes glared at them, and then with a mighty bound he leapttowards them. They fired hastily, and then in stepping back the onestumbled against the other, so that they both fell. They were at thegorilla's mercy! One step forward and he would have struck the lifeout of them with a couple of blows, but fortunately habit was toostrong for him, and he raised himself erect to give out his defiantchallenge. A little man tugged at Mr. Hume, who stood transfixedwith horror. Looking down, the hunter saw the haft of his Ghoorkaknife. He acted at once. Seizing it, he ran forward, and raisinghimself up, brought the heavy blade down on the monster's skull justas the last guttural bark was emitted. The boys, with their handslifted in a despairing effort to ward off the danger, saw the gleamof metal, heard the rushing swish and the dull sound as the keenblade bit through skin and bone; and then they saw the monstrousblack form suddenly sink to the ground. The next second they weresnatched up and tossed aside out of reach, and as they regainedtheir feet they heard the report of a rifle as Mr. Hume fired into'' the hairy body. With its last effort the dying ape seized thehunter by the leg and hurled him to the ground, his fall beingluckily broken by a decaying branch, which was crushed under hisweight. Bruised and shaken, the three travellers stood by thecarcase, over which the little men were singing a song of triumph,as if they had been the chief actors instead of intensely interestedspectators. One of them was tugging at the knife to free it from theskull, and as he could not move it, the second, and then the third,had a try, all laughing with much merriment.
"It's fun for them," said Venning, rubbing a bruised arm.
"I believe," said Mr. Hume, sourly, "they contrived the whole thingas a gladiatorial spectacle for their amusement. I don't think I wasever so near death;" and he shook hands gravely. "If you had notfired when you did, he would have had me."
"And what about us?" said Compton. "I never saw anything so awful,and never felt so helpless, as when it stood over us."
"A good job for us he did stand," said Venning, taking out his tape."I should like to have his measurements. Just straighten him out."He passed the tape over. "Length, 6 ft. 2 in.; round the chest, 55in.; round the abdomen, 60 in.; length of arm, 44 in.; biceps, 14in.--not so very huge; forearm, 15 in.; calf, 13 in. His power is inthe muscles of the shoulders, chest, and back."
"And jaw," said Compton. "Look at the sweep of the jaw-bone. Hewould crack a man's thigh with ease."
"And just think," said Venning, "that he has practically four hands,that he can spring like a lion, climb like a leopard, walk like aman, swing like a monkey, bite like a hyaena, and strike like abattering-ram. I guess I've had enough of gorillas."
When Mr. Hume signalled to the guides to continue, they expressed bysigns their astonishment that the white men did not sit down to makea meal off the gorilla; and when they really did gather that thefeast was to be abandoned, one remained behind, and anotherdisappeared into the trees, while the third resumed the journey withbackward looks of regret. About an hour later they met the entirepigmy tribe on the way to the feast, and as they swarmed over thetree in passing, the little people greeted Mr. Hume with much honouras the "father of all the gorillas."
The next day the travellers reached the opening whence they hadstarted on the trail of the cannibals a few days before. Theyparted with the sooty guide, giving him a handful of sugar, a stickof tobacco, a small tin of salt, and a cartridge-case. The latterhe placed proudly in a hole in the lobe of his ear; the other thingshe stowed away in his little sack, made from the skin of a smallmonkey.
When he had gone, the three plunged into the wood to follow theriver down to the spot where the Okapi had been docked. Afterleaving many shreds and patches of clothing on the thorns, Mr. Humeand Venning discovered the spot by the "blaze" on the treesadjoining made by the axe. If it had not been for those signs, theywould not have recognized the place, for they had expected to find aclearing, and, instead, there was already a thicket of young shoots,which had sprouted from the buried saplings. Cutting away thisgrowth, they soon removed the soft mould and the covering ofbranches. Then they cut a way down to the river, and ran the Okapiout into the water. The chains were greased, the deck riveted inposition, the mast fixed, and the boat washed down. That done,Venning put into effect a scheme he had been turning over in hismind for a regular hot-air bath that would steam all the ague,rheumatism, and fever out of them.
"What we must do," Mr. Hume was always insisting, "is to keep thecirculation active."
"We're going to have a Turkish bath," said Venning, firmly--"a realone--one that will clear all the germs put at a run, and remove thiscontinual singing in the ears."
"Does your head sing?" asked Compton, pressing his forehead. "Mybrain seems to be on the shake as if it were jelly."
"That's the feeling," said Venning; "and I've got a notion. See thewell? Good; that's to be our hot-air bath. We'll rig the oil-sheetsover it by means of a couple of bent saplings. We'll put the lampinside, bank loam around it, moisten the loam with water, leave ituntil it steams, then pack one of us in. I'll be the first, to showthat it is safe."
"Good," said the hunter, gravely. "And when you have been steamed,we'll knead you, wash you down with warm water, and shave yourhead."
They did it. Venning went under the sheet; he went in nearly black,and very heavy in the head. He came out brown and white, with afeeling of lightness; and when he had been shaved, shampooed,thumped, whacked, and kneaded, he felt "pounds better." Compton andMr. Hume each underwent the hot-air cure, with the same goodresults; and then, clothed in clean underwear, and protected by adose of quinine, they manned the levers, and went skimming along theriver, glad to be back in their good boat.
"We must call for the old Arab," said Compton, "now that we arebound for the Place of Rest."
"He'll be in the way," growled Venning; "and we have no time tolose."
"We will call for him," said Mr. Hume. "If we miss Muata, the oldchap could act as guide."
So they put in where the tall palm grew, and while Venning guardedthe boat, the other two went up the path to find the village. Theyfound it in ruins, and on a post was the head of the old Arab with alot of Arab writing.
Compton read it out. "Hassan has been. Those who are silent whenthey could talk remain silent f
or ever."
"So," muttered Mr. Hume, staring around under frowning brows,"Hassan has been."
"Poor old harmless chap," said Compton; "and he knew my father. Ishould like," he added sternly, "to meet that Hassan, Mr. Hume." "Soshould I, my boy."
"He certainly tried to get some news of us from the old Arab, andfailing, lolled him."
"Ay, ay. That's the whole story, lad." They took the head of the oldman, who, they believed, had been faithful to them at the cost ofhis life, and gave it reverent burial. Then they returned to theboat, and pushed off.
"Not there?" asked Venning.
"Ay, he was there, but Hassan has been before us, and the old manwas dead."
"He must hate us very much to pursue us so relentlessly," saidVenning, when he had heard the story.
"He is not bothering about us," said Mr. Hume. "I take it that hehas heard of Muata's hiding-place, this Garden of Rest, and wants itfor his own use. Now, lads, is this to be our quarrel? There is nocall upon us to interfere, and we should escape a lot of trouble ifwe did not interfere. I put the matter to you. Shall we 'bout ship,and go down past the Stanley Falls towards the Zambesi and thesouth, where there is good hunting."
"We'll keep on, sir, if you don't mind."
"Oh, it's all the same to me," said the hunter.
"Don't tell me," said Compton. "You are not indifferent about it,for you said you would like to meet Hassan."
"So I would, lad. I would rather shoot a man like that than a lion.The animal kills for food, the man slays for the savage lust ofpower."
"Then we keep on," said Compton, "and no more speeches from thecaptain to the crew on the score of turning back."
"There's one thing," said Mr. Hume; "this Garden of Rest, if we findit, may turn out to be a complete naturalist's preserve."
"Hurrah!" cried Venning. "Give me the beetles, and you can have thegorillas. Let's hope we shall have a real rest in this wonderfulplace."
"Won't be much rest while Hassan is around," said Compton; "butwe'll have the pull of him if we can get there first."
"Without his knowledge," added the hunter. "The advantage of asurprise is everything in native warfare, as you have gathered inlistening to Muata's yams."
"We'll have to lie up to-night, I suppose, or else we shall overrunthe spot where we are to meet Muata."
"It cannot be very far. I take it we are now travelling on the shortleg of a triangle, the long leg being the track we made through theforest, and the other leg the tributary stream down which Hassanwent to pick up his cannibal allies."
"All we want, then," said Compton, "is a few hours' start, for wecan show a clean pair of heels to any canoe afloat."
"That is right enough; but you have to reckon with a cunning foe,and it is more than probable that Hassan has left some of his menahead to keep watch. We'll hug the shore, and keep on as long aspossible."
The levers clanked merrily, the little screw lashed up the darkwaters. One reach of the river was very much like another, but thesilence and the absence of life which at first had depressed themnow gave them comfort, for in this gloomy waterway a strange humanbeing meant a possible enemy.