CHAPTER SEVEN.
DESCRIBES A MEEK MOTHER AND CROCODILE-SON. JOURNEY RESUMED AND STRANGETREATMENT OF THE KING OF THE WATERS.
Dawn was still struggling to assert itself in the far east and thedepths of the forest were still shrouded in almost midnight gloom, whenthe strange band of outlaws emerged from their cave, and, led byRavonino, went forth to search for a safer dwelling-place in the stillmore inaccessible fastnesses of the wilderness.
They had not much difficulty in finding a suitable spot, for theparticular region to which they had fled from persecution wasexceedingly wild and broken in form, and abounded with concealed cavernshaving outlets in several directions, so that pursuit and discovery werealike difficult.
We may not delay here, however, to tell of their wanderings. Like theChristians of other lands and, more ancient times, they were hunted likewild beasts, though their only crime was a desire to serve and worshipGod according to the dictates of their consciences. It is the oldfamiliar story, and comment is needless to those who understand it--
"Man's inhumanity to man Makes countless thousands mourn."
There is only one other member of the party of whom we will make mentionjust now, because she appears again somewhat prominently in our tale.This was a little elderly female who seemed utterly destitute of thevery common human attribute of self-assertion, and in whose amiable,almost comical, countenance, one expression seemed to overbear andobliterate all others, namely that of gushing good-will to man andbeast! Those who did not know Reni-Mamba thought her an amiableimbecile. Those who knew her well loved her with peculiar tenderness.Her modesty and self-abnegation were not, so far as any one knew, theresult of principle. She was too unassertive to lay claim to principle!We are not sure that she understood the meaning of principle.
Before Christianity in its doctrinal form reached her she had only onesource of discomfort in life, and that was, that in _everything_ shefailed! Failed to do as much as she wanted to do for other people;failed to express herself always as affectionately as she felt; failedto avoid giving slight occasions of offence, although she "never,_never_ meant to do it!" In short she was, strange to say, a victim toself-condemnation. When the Gospel of Jesus came to her, telling, as itdoes, that "God is Love," that Christ came to sweep away for ever thevery sins that troubled her, and that His Holy Spirit would fight forand _in_ her, so as to make her "more than conqueror," she caught it toher heart as the very thing she needed.
She did not indeed condemn herself less--nay, she rather condemnedherself more than formerly--but the joy of being on the winning side, ofknowing that all sin was pardoned for His sake, of feeling assured ofprogressive victory now and complete victory in the end, thoroughlyscattered her old troubles to the winds.
Her very name was characteristic. It is a common and curious custom inMadagascar for parents sometimes to drop their own names and take thename of their eldest child with the word _raini_, "father of," or_reni_, "mother of," prefixed. Now this amiable little elderly womanhad been married young, and it so happened that her husband was away onan expedition to the coast when the first and only son was born. One ofthe first things that the child did after opening its black eyes on thislife was to open its uncommonly large mouth, with the intention, nodoubt, of howling. But circumstances apparently induced it to changeits mind, for it shut its mouth without howling.
The effect of the gape on the mother was to remind her of one class ofinhabitants of her native rivers--the crocodile--and cause herlaughingly to style the child her "young crocodile." The Malagasy wordfor crocodile is _mamba_, and thus the child came by his name, with theusual prefix, Ra-Mamba. After a time his mother became so proud of heryoung crocodile that she dropped her own name entirely--congenially, asit were, obliterated herself--and ever after was known as Reni-Mamba,"mother of the crocodile."
At the time we write of, Mamba, (we will drop the "Ra"), was a stalwarthandsome youth of over twenty, with no resemblance whatever to hisnamesake except a goodly-sized mouth and an amazing strength ofappetite.
Need we say that his mother's gushing powers were expended upon him withthe force of a Norwegian mill-race? It is gratifying to be able to addthat the crocodile was keenly responsive!
The father of little Mamba--Andrianivo--had returned to the capital soonafter his son's birth. He was a man in good position among thearistocracy of the land, and occupied a post of trust in the Queen'sservice. At that time the first great persecution of the Christians hadbegun. It was known that Andrianivo favoured the Christians. On thequestion being put to him, he frankly admitted that he was one of them.He was therefore despoiled of all he possessed, and banished intoperpetual exile and slavery. He was sent in chains to a pestilentialpart of the island, with the intention that toil and disease should endhis life. So secretly and promptly was he spirited away that no onecould tell the precise locality to which he had been banished. Hisheart-broken wife and child were also sold, but were taken to a morehealthy region, where the child grew and became a stout boy; his littlemother, meanwhile, acting the part of a meek and faithful slave. Shewould probably have lived and died in this condition had not her stoutson, when he grew up, resolved to become free. His mother had taughthim what she knew of the Christian religion. From Ravonino he learnedmore, and heard of the escaped Christians who found a refuge in forestsand mountains. Finally he persuaded his mother to run away with him,and thus it came about that we find them with the band of which Ravoninowas leader--Laihova being lieutenant of the band.
An occasion for the display of his affectionate nature was afforded toMamba on the morning we write of. Active as a kitten, thoughmiddle-aged, Reni-Mamba was skipping from rock to rock in a very ruggedpart of their route, when, her foot slipping, she fell and sprained herankle badly.
Mamba was close to her.
"Mother!" he exclaimed, hurrying forward and raising her carefully, "whyjump about like the squirrel? Are you hurt?"
"My son, help me to rise."
Gently the youth lifted her, and set her on her feet, whereupon she sankdown again with a little shriek, and looked up with an expression ofmingled humour and pain.
"My leg, I think, is broken!" said Reni. For the sake of brevity wewill drop the "Mamba."
"Surely not, mother; it has been too tough and strong to break eversince I knew it."
Mamba spoke encouragingly; nevertheless, he examined the limb withanxious care. Being ignorant of surgery his examination was not of muchuse, but, fortunately, just then Mark Breezy, who had lingered behind togather some plants, arrived on the scene. He found the injury to be abad sprain, and did the best he could for the poor woman in thecircumstances.
"Now, we must carry her," he said to the guide, "for she won't be ableto walk for many days."
On this being translated, Mamba gathered his mother up as if she hadbeen a bundle of clothes, or a baby, and marched away with her.
"Stop, stop!" cried Ravonino, "you can't carry her more than a few mileson such ground as I shall soon lead you over. We must arrange for her a_filanzana_."
The guide here referred to the sort of palanquin used by travellers in acountry where there were no roads. It consisted of a shallow, oblongbasket, with light wooden framework, filled in with plaited strips ofsheepskin, and hung between two light poles or bamboos. As several suchmachines were used by some of the party to carry their few householdnecessaries, one of them was at once emptied and Reni put therein by heraffectionate son. Four stout young men put the ends of the poles ontheir shoulders, and the party once more advanced, Mamba walking by theside of the _filanzana_ to be ready to assist in cases of difficulty ordanger, and to relieve the bearers occasionally.
That afternoon they arrived at their new abode--a large, dry cavern--theentrance to which was not only well concealed on the face of a cliff inthe heart of a dense jungle, but so difficult of access that a merehandful of men might easily have maintained it against a host.
Here Ravonino made no further
delay than was necessary to see the partyfairly settled. Then he left them, but not before receiving many anearnest and affectionate message to friends and kindred of the fugitivesstill at the capital, but who had, as yet, managed to elude thevigilance and escape the malignity of Queen Ranavalona and her spies.Some of the women even wept as they bade the guide farewell, saying thatthey felt sure he would at last fall a victim to the relentless fury ofthe Queen, and that they should see his face no more.
With these the guide gently remonstrated.
"Think you not," he said, "that God is as able to protect me inAntananarivo as here in the wilderness? I go because I think that dutycalls me. I expect no miracle in my behalf. I will take all possibleprecautions. Farewell."
Once more our three travellers found themselves advancing rapidly insingle file through the forest, with the guide in advance. Before thesinking sun compelled them to encamp under the trees that night they hadput many miles between them and the hiding-place of the outlawedChristians.
Next day, as they were about to resume their journey, Ravonino told themthat about noon they would come to a large river, on the other side ofwhich there was a village where they could spend the night, for thepeople and their chief were friendly.
"Are they Christians?" asked Mark.
"No--at least the most of them are not, though there may be a few secretconverts among them; for this hot persecution at the capital hasscattered the Christians far and wide through the land, so that theknowledge of the blessed Gospel spreads. Thus our God makes the wrathof man to praise Him. The remainder of wrath He has promised torestrain. If He wills it otherwise, are we not prepared to die at Hisbidding? Many of our people have died already under the bloody reign ofRanavalona the usurper. How many more shall perish, who can tell?"
"But how do it come about," asked Hockins, "that this here chief isfriendly?"
"Because I had occasion to render him good service at one time, and heis grateful."
"Good! Das allers de right way," remarked Ebony, with an approving nod."W'en a man's grateful he's safe--you's sure ob 'im. Is dat de ribberyou refur to jes' now?"
He pointed to an opening among the trees ahead, through which the sheenof water glittering in the sunlight could be seen.
Before the guide could reply a loud shout startled them, and next momentthey were surrounded by half-naked savages, who brandished their spearsthreateningly.
Quick as lightning, according to a pre-arranged plan in case of suddenattack, Mark, Hockins, and the negro stood back-to-back, facing in alldirections--the first with his gun advanced, the seaman pointing hiscutlass at the foe, and Ebony levelling a spear with which he hadprovided himself, little would their courage have availed them, however,if Ravonino had not been there, for a flight of spears would have endedtheir resistance in a moment.
"Voalavo, your chief, is my friend," said the guide, calmly, withoutputting himself in an attitude of defence, or showing the slightestsymptom of alarm. "Is Voalavo with you?"
"Voalavo comes," they replied, at once lowering their weapons andpointing in the direction of the river, whence proceeded sounds as ofthe lowing of cattle.
"We have been to visit our enemies," said one of the party, who, fromhis tones and bearing, appeared to be a leader. "We have smitten them,and we have brought away their cattle."
As he spoke another native was seen approaching. He was a large burlyjovial-looking man, somewhere about forty years of age, armed with aspear and enveloped in the native _lamba_, a garment used much in thesame way as the Scottish plaid, which it resembled in form, though ofmuch lighter material. The ornamentation of this garment proclaimed thewearer a person of distinction, and the evident satisfaction that beamedon his broad jovial countenance when he recognised and greeted Ravoninoshowed that it was Voalavo himself--the chief of the village they wereapproaching.
"I'm sorry to see," said the guide, after the first few words ofsalutation, "that my friend still delights in war and robbery."
"Don't be sorry, friend, don't be sorry," returned the chief with ahearty laugh, as he gave the other a slap on the shoulder. "Sorrow doesno good. It only puts water in the eyes and makes them red. Look atme--just returned from `war and robbery,' and as happy as a squirrel.If a man does not delight in war and robbery, what is there in the worldto delight in? If _I_ am not sorry why should _you_ be? If you can'thelp it--then laugh at it and try to enjoy your sorrow. That's the way_I_ do. It suits me. I grow fat on it!"
He certainly did grow fat--if not on laughing at sorrow, certainly onsomething else--and his followers, although respectfully silent, showedby their smiling faces that they sympathised with their chief'shilarious mood.
"But where did you fall in with the white men?" asked Voalavo, turningsuddenly towards Mark and Hockins, who stood listening with interest andcuriosity to the rapid flow of his unintelligible talk. "Such paleflowers do not grow in _our_ forests!"
In a few words Ravonino explained the history of our adventurers as faras he knew it, and the chief, on learning that they were his friend'sfriends, bade them welcome, and shook hands heartily in the Europeanfashion--a mode of expressing friendship which had probably been learnedfrom the missionaries, who, after spending many years in Madagascar,had, about the time we write of, been all banished from the island.
"Come now," cried the chief, "the rice will soon be ready--that won'tmake you sorry, Ravonino, will it?--and we have yet to cross the riverwith the cattle in the face of the hungry crocodiles--which won't make_them_ sorry! Come."
Turning impulsively, in the brusque careless manner which characterisedhim, Voalavo led the way to the banks of the river--a considerablestream--where the cattle were assembled and guarded by a band of over ahundred warriors.
"Cattle seem to be plentiful in these parts," said Mark to the guide asthey walked along.
"They are numerous everywhere in Madagascar. In truth a large part ofour exports to the Mauritius and elsewhere consists of cattle.--Look!the chief was right when he said the crocodiles would not be sorry tosee the cattle crossing."
He pointed to a ripple on the water caused by the ugly snout of one ofthe creatures referred to. It seemed by the activity of its movementsto be already anticipating a feast.
"Crocodiles," continued the guide, "are numerous in many of our lakesand rivers, and dangerous too, though they are naturally timid, and canbe easily frightened away. I remember a curious instance of this kindhappening on the east coast, where a European trader was cleverlyimposed on--deceived, or, what you call--"
"Humbugged," suggested Hockins.
"Well, yes--humbugged! He was a big ignorant fellow, this trader;strong and energetic enough, but full of conceit--thought he knew almosteverything, but in reality knew next to nothing, yet self-willed andobstinate enough to--to--You know the sort of man?"
"Yes, yes; a stoopid cockscomb," said Hockins. "I know the breed well--lots of 'em everywhere."
"Jus' so--a born idjit; go on, massa," said Ebony, who was alwayscharmed at the prospect of a story or anecdote.
"Well, this trader," continued the guide, "was on his way fromAntananarivo to the coast with cattle for exportation, and one day theycame to a place where they had to cross a narrow part of a lake. Thenatives of that place advised him not to venture without trying theeffect of their _ody_, or charms, on the crocodiles. These they said,and believed, would protect the cattle in crossing. But the traderscouted the idea, and, laughing at their superstitions, gave orders todrive the bullocks into the water. He quickly repented his obstinacy,for no sooner were they in than the crocodiles seized nine of them anddragged them down. `Oh! bring the ody--work the ody--quick!' cried theanxious man, fearing lest all the cattle should be seized. The _ody_was worked instantly, and to his astonishment, as well as the triumph ofthe natives, the rest of the cattle crossed in safety. Even those thathad been nearly drowned escaped and passed over."
"But how was dat?" asked Ebony, with a perplexed air. "If de _ody_ w
asnuffin', how could it do suffin'?"
"Simply enough," returned the guide. "The charm consisted merely innoise. The natives, in canoes and on both sides of the lake, shoutedfuriously and beat the water with branches of trees, so that the poorcrocodiles were scared away. See--there is something of the same sortgoing to be performed just now."
Previous to this process, however, the chief Voalavo went through asingular ceremony to propitiate the crocodiles. The Malagasy, like theancient Egyptians, regard the crocodile with superstitious veneration.They esteem him the king of the waters, and to dispute his right toreign would, they believe, expose them to his vengeance. Hence theyseldom kill crocodiles, and rather avoid whatever is likely to provokethem. It is their custom, also, sometimes to make solemn speeches andvows to the crocodiles when about to cross rivers.
Voalavo, who was unusually reckless, free-and-easy, and regardless inordinary affairs, was nevertheless remarkably superstitious. Beforegiving orders to cross the river, therefore, he advanced to the water'sedge and mumbled incantations or made vows in a low tone for nearlyhalf-an-hour. Then, elevating his voice, so as to be heard across theriver, he continued, addressing the crocodiles:--
"Now, I pray you, good mamba, to do me no injury, and particularly tospare my cattle, for you do not know what trouble I have had to getthem. No doubt you know how anxious I and my people are to eat them,for you have much of the same desire; but I beseech you to exerciseself-denial. You don't know how pleasant that will make you feel!Remember that I have never done your royal race any injury--never wagedwar with you or killed you. On the contrary I have always held you inthe highest veneration. If you do not remember this, but forget it, Iand my whole race and all my relatives will declare war and fightagainst you for ever more! So be good and do what I tell you!"
"Now, my men," he cried, turning round, "drive in the cattle, work the_ody_, and make all the dogs bark!"
In the midst of an indescribable hubbub the herds were then driven intothe river, and the men--some in canoes and some on both banks--enactedthe very scene which Ravonino had described. In a few minutes the wholeherd was got over in safety.
Half-an-hour later and our travellers were seated in the chief's houseregaling themselves with beef-steaks and marrow-bones, chickens andrice.