CHAPTER FOUR.
I am obliged to run quickly through my early unadventurous days,skipping, as it were, from memory to memory of things which happenedbefore life became serious and terrible for us all at the plantation,and storms and peril followed rapidly after the first pleasant calm.For it seems to me now, as I sit and think, that nothing could have beenhappier than the life on the river during the first days of thesettlement. Of course, everybody had to work hard, but it was in a landof constant sunshine, of endless spring and summer days--cold weatherwas hardly known--and when a storm came, though the thunder andlightning were terrible and the rain tremendous, everything afterwardsseemed to bound into renewed life, and the scent of the virgin forestwas delightful. All worked hard, but there was the certain repayment,and in what must have been a very short time, the settlers had raised adelightful home in the wilderness, where all was so dreamy and peacefulthat their weapons and military stores seemed an encumbrance, and manyfelt that they would have done more wisely if they had broughtagricultural implements instead.
Before we left England, as I have told you, the adventurers who met atmy father's rooms talked of the ruthless savage--the lurking Indian ofthe forest and prairie, and also of our neighbours the Spaniards; but assoon as we reached the place, it seemed to all that the Indians did notexist; and as to the Spaniards, they were far south, separated by longstretches of open land, forests, river, and swamp, and might, for aughtwe knew, be at the other side of the world.
I was sitting indoors one bright sunny day, and I had just reachedfinishing distance with a Latin translation my father had left me to do,when I heard a quick "Hist!" Looking up, I saw Morgan at the window.
"'Most done?" he said.
"Yes."
"Then come along, I'll show you something."
I bounded out, to find him armed with a stick about six feet long,provided with a little fork at the end made by driving in a couple ofnails and bending them out.
"What is it?" I cried, excitedly.
"Enemy. Get yourself a good stout stick."
"Rake-handle do?"
"Yes, capital."
I ran to the tool-shed and came back directly, panting.
"Now," I said, "what enemy is it--an alligator?"
"No. You said you didn't believe there were any snakes here. I've gotone to show you now."
"Yes; but where?"
"Never you mind where. All you've got to do is to creep after me silentlike; and when you see me pin him down with this fork, you can killhim."
"But what a cowardly way," I cried; "it isn't fair."
"Well, look you, I never did see such a boy as you are, Master George.Do you know what sort of a snake it is?"
"How should I? You wouldn't tell me."
"Well, you talk as if it was a little adder, foot and half long, or asnake at home that you might pick up in your hand. Why, it's a realrattlesnake."
"Oh!" I exclaimed, excitedly.
"Over six foot long, and as thick as my wrist."
"Pooh!" I said, with my imagination full of boa-constrictors big enoughto entwine and crush us up. "That's nothing!"
"Nothing! Do you know one bite from a fellow like this will kill a man?And you talk about fighting fair. Nice lot of fairness in the way theyfight. You come along, and promise to be very careful, or I shan't go."
"Oh, I'll be careful," I said.
"But if you feel afraid, say so, and I'll go alone."
"I don't feel afraid," I replied; "and if I did," I added with a laugh,"I wouldn't say I was."
"Not you," he muttered, and he held up a finger, and led the way down bythe garden, and from thence into the uncleared forest, where a fainttrack wandered in and out among the great, tall, pillar-like trunkswhose tops shut out the light of day, all but where at intervals whatseemed to us like rays of golden dust, or there were silvery-lookinglines of finest cobweb stretching from far on high, but which proved tobe only delicate threads of sunshine which had pierced the great canopyof leaves.
Beyond this I knew that there was an opening where all was warm andglowing that was subdued and gloomy now, and it was not long before Isaw, without a doubt, that Morgan was making for this clearing, and inall probability for one of the patches of stony ground that lay full inthe sunshine, baked and hot.
It was very cool and silent in among the trees, whose great trunkstowered up so high, and though we could hear a chirp now and then farabove us in the leaves, all was as still as possible, not so much as abeetle or fly breaking the silence with its hum.
There was the opening at last, and as we neared it, the tree-trunksstood out like great black columns against the warm golden light.
Morgan held up his hand, and for the moment I felt as if we were goingto do something very treacherous, till I recalled reading about some onehaving died twenty minutes after the bite of one of these snakes, andthat made me feel more merciless, as I followed my leader, who keptpicking his way, so that his feet should not light upon some dead twigwhich would give forth a snap.
The next minute we were out in the sunshine, and here Morgan stopped forme to overtake him, when he placed his lips close to my ear, andwhispered--
"I'd been over to the bathing-pool to get some o' that white sand out ofthe bottom, when as I come back, I see my gentleman coiled up fastasleep. He's over yonder, just this side of the pine-trees, left ofthat big sugar-loaf--the light-green one."
He pointed to a tall cone-like cypress, and I felt that I knew therough, bare, stony place exactly.
"Ready?" he whispered again.
I nodded.
"Then you must walk this time like a cat. Perhaps he's gone, but he maybe fast asleep still."
He made a point with his fork to show me how he meant to fix the reptileto the ground, and I took a good grip of my rake-handle, intending totry and disable the monster by one blow.
This part of our journey was much more tedious than the other, for wewere now getting close to the spot, and we knew that though sometimes itwas possible to walk close by a snake without disturbing it, at othertimes the slightest sound would send it gliding rapidly out of sight.
We approached then in the most stealthy way, Morgan holding his fork thewhile as if it were a gun, and we were advancing upon the enemy.
Low growth had sprung apace about the clearing, so that we could not geta sight of the spot till we were close by, when Morgan softly parted thebush-like growth, peered out, drew back, and signed to me to advance,moving aside the while, so that I could pass him, and peer out in turn.
I was not long in availing myself of the opportunity; and there, not adozen feet from me, lay twisted about, something like a double S, alarge specimen of the serpent I had so often heard about; and a curiousshrinking sensation came over me, as I noticed its broad flat head,shaped something like an old-fashioned pointed shovel, with the neckquite small behind, but rapidly increasing till the reptile was fully,as Morgan said, thick as his wrist; and then slowly tapering away for atime before rapidly running down to where I could see fivecurious-looking rings at the end of the dull grey tail.
"A rattlesnake," I said to myself, as with a kind of fascination Ieagerly looked at the line which marked the gaping mouth showing plainlyin an ugly smile; then at the dull creamy-brown and grey markings, andthe scales which covered the skin, here and there looking worn andcrumpled, and as if it was a trifle too big for the creature that woreit as if it were a shirt of mail.
I should have stood there staring at the repellent-looking creature forlong enough, had not Morgan softly drawn me back, and then led the wayround to our left, so that we could have the sun behind us, and approachthe dangerous reptile without having to rustle through the bushes closeat hand.
"Mind you keep back, my lad, till I've got him safe," whispered Morgan,"then hit him hard."
"Is it as dangerous as they say?" I asked.
"Worse, look you; that's why I want to pin him first. I might hit him agood crack, but snakes are hard to k
ill, and he might throw his headabout and bite even then, though I arn't quite sure even now that theydon't sting with their tails."
"I'm sure they don't," I whispered back.
"Ah, that's all very well, Master George, but I don't see as you canknow much better than me. Anyhow, I'm going to risk it; so here goes,and when I say `now,' bring down that rake-handle as big a whop as youcan with both hands, right on his back."
I nodded, and we stood out now on the barren, stony patch close to thefir-trees, with the sun casting our shadows in a curious dumpy way onthe earth, and our enemy about thirty feet away.
Morgan signed to me to stand still, and I obeyed trembling withexcitement, and eagerly watching as he cautiously approached with hispole extended before him, ready to make a dart at the snake, whose headlay half turned for him, and its neck temptingly exposed, ready for thefork which should hold it down.
On went Morgan, inch by inch, his shadow just before him, and in spiteof his injunction, I could not refrain from following, so as to get agood view of the encounter; and besides, I argued with myself, how couldI be ready to help unless I was close at hand?
Consequently I stepped on nearer too, till I could see the reptile quiteclearly, distinguishing every scale and noting the dull, fixed look ofits eyes, which did not seem to be closed, for I was not familiar thenwith the organisation of snakes.
As Morgan went on the stillness of the clearing seemed terrible, andonce more I could not help thinking of what a treacherous act it was tosteal upon the creature like that in its sleep.
But directly after, the killing instinct toward a dangerous enemy grewstrong within me, and I drew in my breath, my teeth were set fast, andmy fingers tightened about the rake-handle, ready to deliver a blow.
All this took very few minutes, but it seemed to me to last a long time,and thought after thought ran through my mind, each one suggestive ofdanger.
"Suppose Morgan misses it," I said to myself; "it will be frightened andvicious, and strike at him, and if he is bitten I shall be obliged toattack it then, and I shall not have such a chance as he has, for thehead will be darting about in all directions."
Then I began to wish I had gone first, and hit at it as it lay, with allmy might.
Too late now, I knew; and as I saw in imagination Morgan lying helplessthere, and myself striking hard at the snake, never taking intoconsideration the fact that after a deadly stroke the animal wouldrapidly try to escape, and glide away.
Morgan was now so near that I saw the shadow of his head begin to creepover the snake, and it loomed so black and heavy that I wondered why thereptile did not feel it and wake up.
Then I stood fast as if turned to stone, as I watched my companionsoftly extend the pole he carried, with the fork nearer and nearer thecreature's neck, to remain perfectly motionless for a moment or two.There was a darting motion, and Morgan stood pressing the staff down asthe serpent leaped into life, writhing, twining, and snapping its bodyin waves which ran from head to the tail which quivered in the air,sending forth a peculiar low, dull, rattling noise, and seeming to seekfor something about which to curl.
"I've got him, Master George. Come along now; it's your turn."
I sprang forward to see that the evil-looking head was held down closeto the ground, and that the jaws were gaping, and the eyes bright with avindictive light, literally glittering in the sun.
"Can you hold him?" I said, hoarsely.
"Oh, yes; I've got him pretty tight. My! See that? He is strong."
For at that moment the snake's tail struck him, and twined about hisleft leg; untwined, and seemed to flog at him, quivering in the air thewhile, but only after writhing horribly, twisting round the pole whichpressed it down, and forming itself into a curious moving knot.
"I can't hit at it now," I said, hoarsely; "it will strike away thepole."
"Yes; don't hit yet. Wait a bit till he untwissens himself; then giveit him sharp, look you."
"You won't let it go?" I said.
"Not a bit of it, my lad. Too fond of Morgan Johns to let him stick hisfangs into me. Now you've got a chance. No, you haven't; he's twistedup tighter than ever. Never mind, wait a bit; there's no hurry."
"But you are torturing it so," I cried.
"Can't help it, Master George. If I didn't, he'd torture me and youtoo. Well, he does twissen about. Welsh eel's nothing to him."
For the snake in its rage and pain kept twining about the pole, treatingthat as the cause of all its suffering. Morgan stood there full ofexcitement, but though longing to deliver a blow that should paralyse ifit did not kill our enemy, I could not get the slightest chance.
"Ah, we ought to have had a cut at him before he twined about my pole,"said Morgan, after this had been going on for some minutes; "but itwasn't your fault; there wasn't time."
"No," I said, gloomily, "there was no time. Now then, hold tight."
I made a rapid stroke at the long, lithe body which suddenly untwistedto its full length, but my rake-handle only struck the ground, for theserpent was quicker than I, and it threw itself once more in a series ofquivering folds about Morgan's pole.
"Well, he is strong," cried the latter. "But I have it. I'm getting abit 'fraid he'll work quite a hole, and get out, and I'm not at all surethat the nails arn't giving. Look here, Master George; put your hand inmy pocket, and pull out and open my big knife ready for me. Then youshall hold the pole, and I'll go down and try and cut his head off."
"But will that be safe?" I said. "Hadn't we better leave go and runaway?"
"What, and leave a customer like this free to hunt about our place? Nowyou wouldn't like to do that, I know."
"No; I shouldn't like to do that," I said; "but it would be terrible ifhe got away."
"Well then, out with my knife--quick! I'm beginning to wish we'd lefthim alone, for it'll be chizzle for both of us if he do get loose."
I hastily took his knife from his pocket, and opened it.
"That's your style, Master George. Now then, stick it across my mouth,and then take hold just under my hands. You must press it down hard, orhe'll heave himself out, for he's mighty strong, I can tell you. Gothold?"
"Yes," I said, as I took hold of the pole, keeping my feet as far awayas I could from the writhing knot, for fear it should suddenly untwineand embrace my legs.
"That's right, press down hard. Think you can hold him?"
"I don't know; I think so."
"Now, look ye here, my lad, thinking won't do; you've got to hold him,and if you feel as you can't you must say so. Rattlesnakes arn't gardenwums."
"I'll try, and I will hold it," I said.
"There you have it, then," he said, releasing the pole, and leaving itquivering and vibrating in my hands. "Now then, I'm going to wait tillhe untwines again, and then I'm going to have off his head, if he don'twork it out before. If he do, you've got to run as hard as you can:jump right away, my lad, never mind me."
I nodded; I could not speak, and I stood holding down the pole, seeingthe snake striving to draw its head back between the little prongs ofthe fork, and knowing that if it did our position would be terrible.
"Now then, hold him tight," cried Morgan; "I'm going to lay hold anddraw him out a bit, so as to get a cut through somewhere."
I did not speak, but pressed down with all my might, feeling my eyesstrained as, with a shudder of dread, I saw Morgan stoop and boldlyseize hold of the snake.
But the touch only seemed to make the great living knot tighten, andafter a try Morgan ceased.
"No," he said, "it won't do. I shall only drag him out, for I'm not atall sure about those nails. I say, my lad, I really do wish we had lethim alone, or had a go at him with a gun."
I tried to answer, but no words would come, and I wanted to lookhopelessly at Morgan, but I could not take my eyes off the great, grey,writhing knot which was always in motion, heaving and working, nowloosening, now tightening up.
"Hah!" cried Morgan, suddenly, as o
nce more the horrible creature threwitself out to full length, and he sprang forward to seize the neck justas a wave ran along the body from tail to head; and as I pressed thepole down hard, the head rose like lightning, struck Morgan right in theface, and I saw him fall backward, rolling over and over; while, afterwrithing on the ground a moment or two, the snake raised its bleedinghead, and I saw that it was drawing back to strike.
I don't know how it happened exactly; I only can tell that I felthorribly frightened, starting back as Morgan fell over, and that then,as the snake was preparing to strike, being naturally slow and weak fromits efforts, the pole I held in both hands came down heavily, and thenagain and again, till our enemy lay broken and twisting weakly, its backbroken in two places, and the blood flowing from its mouth.