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In the Wilds of Africa

by William Henry Giles Kingston · English · Gutenberg #23503 · 849,195 chars · public domain (US)

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Title: In the Wilds of Africa

Author: William Henry Giles Kingston

Illustrator: Alfred Pearse


        
Release date: November 15, 2007 [eBook #23503]

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23503

Credits: Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN THE WILDS OF AFRICA ***




Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England




In the Wilds of Africa, by W.H.G. Kingston.

________________________________________________________________________
The hero of the book gets himself a job on board of a vessel, which has
a number of misfortunes.  She loses several officers, then her captain
dies, leaving a totally unsuitable officer, Kydd, in charge.  Finally
she runs aground near the shore, where the natives slay some of the
crew.  They leave the ship on a raft, Kydd being on one, and our hero
and many other passengers on a second.  The latter is picked up by a
fine-looking vessel, that proves to be a Portuguese slaver.  They are
attacked by a British man-of-war on slaver-patrol, but manage to get
away from her.  They go up a river to a village where, it appears, the
vessel is to pick up a fresh supply of slaves.  Our heroes ask if they
can be put ashore here, which is agreed to.  From here on the
story runs fast, as our hero and the others travel through "The Wilds
of Africa".

It is quite a long book, and it makes a good audiobook.

________________________________________________________________________
IN THE WILDS OF AFRICA, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON.



CHAPTER ONE.

ON BOARD THE "OSPREY"--OFF THE COAST OF AFRICA.

A dense mist hung over the ocean; the sky above our heads was of a grey
tint; the water below our feet of the colour of lead.  Not a ripple
disturbed its mirror-like surface, except when now and then a covey of
flying fish leaped forth to escape from their pursuers, or it was clove
by the fin of a marauding shark.  We knew that we were not far off the
coast of Africa, some few degrees to the south of the Equator; but how
near we were we could not tell, for the calm had continued for several
days, and a strong current, setting to the eastward, had been rapidly
drifting us toward the shore.

Notwithstanding that the sun was obscured, his rays found means of
heating the atmosphere, so that we felt much as if we were surrounded by
a hot damp blanket.

I had already made a trip to the West Indies, and two to this terrible
coast; and as I had escaped without an attack of yellow fever, or
cholera, when the Liverpool owners of the brig _Osprey_--commanded by
Captain Page, an old African trader--offered me a berth as supercargo, I
willingly accepted it.  We were bound out to the Cape of Good Hope, but
had arranged to touch at two or three places on the coast, to trade and
land passengers.  Among other places we were to call at Saint Paul de
Loando, to land a Portuguese gentleman, Senhor Silva, and his black
servant Ramaon.  Our object in trading was to obtain palm-oil,
bees'-wax, gold dust, and ivory, in exchange for Manchester and
Birmingham goods; and for this purpose we had already visited several
places on the coast, picking up such quantities as could be obtained at
each of them.  We had not, however, escaped without the usual penalty
African traders have to pay--two of our men having died of fever, and
two others, besides the captain, being sick of it.  The first mate,
Giles Gritton, and another man, had been washed overboard in a heavy
gale we encountered on the other side of the Equator, and we were now,
therefore, somewhat short-handed.  The first mate was a great loss, for
he was an excellent seaman and a first-rate fellow, which is more than
could be said of the second mate, Simon Kydd.  How he came to be
appointed mate seemed unaccountable; unless, as he was related to the
owners, interest might have obtained for him what his own merits
certainly would not.  Taking him at his own value, he had few superiors,
if any equals.

I felt much for Captain Page.  He took the loss of his first mate
greatly to heart, and thus the incapacity of the second contributed
considerably to increase his malady.  Day after day he grew worse, and I
began to fear much that his illness would end fatally.  He was as good
and kind a man as ever lived, and an excellent sailor.

I had not been knocking about the ocean altogether with my eyes shut,
and had managed to pick up a fair amount of nautical knowledge.  I did
not intrude it unnecessarily; I had a notion that I was regarded with a
somewhat jealous eye by those who considered me a mere landsman.  I
certainly understood more about navigation than Mr Kydd, but that is
not saying much.  There were few things which I could not do, from
handing, reefing, and steering, to turning in a dead-eye, and setting up
the rigging; and few situations in which the fickle winds and waves were
likely to place a ship with which I was not prepared to contend.  Blow
high or blow low, I felt myself at home on the ocean.  My father had
objected to my becoming a sailor, and had placed me in his
counting-house.  The sedentary life of a clerk was, however, not to my
taste, and I was very glad to abdicate my seat on the high stool on
every decent pretext.  Still I had done my duty when there, and my
conscience was at rest on that score.  Misfortunes overtook my father's
house; speculations were entered into which proved unsuccessful; and his
long-established and highly-esteemed firm got into inextricable
difficulties.  In vain he and his partners struggled to maintain their
credit.  The final crash came, and although my mother's marriage
settlement saved the family from penury, he had no capital with which to
recommence business.  I was too young to take his place.  One of his
partners died broken-hearted, and he had not the energy left to
undertake the onerous duties he would have been called upon to perform.
He and my mother and sisters retired to a modest cottage in Cheshire;
while his boys, of whom I was the third, had to seek their fortunes in
the world.  He had done his duty by us.  He had given us a good
education, and ever striven to instil into our minds the principles of
true religion and honour.  I shall never forget his parting advice when
I started on my first expedition.  "Ever trust in God, Andrew," he said.
"Recollect that you were `bought with a price,' and `are not your own.'
You have no business to follow your own fancies, or to gratify any of
the propensities fallen nature possesses, even though we do possess
them, notwithstanding what the devil and the world may say to the
contrary.  God has given you a body, but ever remember that he has given
you a mind to regulate that body.  To the animals he has given bodies,
and indued them with instincts which we may say are unerring; whereas
man's mind, in consequence of sin, is prone to err; but then again, in
his mercy, he has enabled man to seek for strength from above to
counteract the effects of sin, and so to regulate his mind that it may
properly guide the body.  I have no faith in high principles, unless
those high principles are kept in order by a higher influence.
Therefore, Andrew, read your Bible daily for guidance; go daily to the
throne of grace for enlightenment and direction, that you may keep your
high principles bright and ever fit for action.  Do not trust your
feelings; they may mislead you.  Do not trust the world or your
companions; they may prove faithless monitors or guides.  Do not trust,
as people say, `manfully to yourself.'  Self often proves treacherous."
More to the same effect my father said.  I have given briefly his
observations.  I did my best to carry out his counsel; and through it
gained the calmness and courage with which I encountered difficulties
and dangers which would otherwise have appalled and overwhelmed me.  I
was never addicted to talking to my companions of myself, or my
principles and feelings; and I sometimes blame myself for not
endeavouring more perseveringly to inculcate on others those principles
which I knew to be so true and valuable.  I now mention the subject,
because I can say on paper what my lips have often refused to utter.
But I have said enough about myself.

We had several other passengers on board, who, notwithstanding the risks
which they knew must be encountered on the African coast, had, for the
sake of seeing the country, come on board with the intention of
proceeding on to Cape Town, to which, as I said, we were ultimately
bound.  I will mention first Captain Stanley Hyslop, a near relation of
mine, a nephew of my mother's.  He was a military officer, and having
sold out of the service, was going to settle in the Cape Colony, where
his parents already were.  He was accompanied by two younger brothers.
David was one of the nicest fellows I ever met.  He had been educated as
a surgeon, and purposed practising in the country.  The youngest,
Leonard, or Leo, as we always called him, was an amusing little chap,
always thinking funny things and saying them, and yet there was a
simplicity about him which was very attractive.  He had been sent to
school in England, but being considered somewhat delicate--not,
certainly, that he looked so--it was recommended that he should return
to breathe his native air at the Cape.  David was also, I should say, an
enthusiastic naturalist, and the hope of increasing his knowledge at the
places we might visit, had, besides his regard for me, induced him to
take his passage on board the _Osprey_, just as his brother expected to
get a few days sporting while the brig remained at anchor.  I had seen
but little of Stanley, but for David I had always felt a warm regard.

There were, however, two other members of the family, in one of whom, at
all events, I must own I felt still more interested, although I knew
that it would not do for me in my present situation to exhibit my
feelings.  My cousin, Kate Hyslop, was a very pretty, engaging girl, who
had a short time before left school.  She was also full of spirit, while
she was right-minded and sweet-tempered.  Her younger sister, Isabella,
or Bella as she was called, was quite a little girl.  She also had been
at school; but her parents naturally could not bear to have her left
behind, and so Kate had undertaken to complete her education; and from
the time we sailed she was most assiduous in her attempts to do so.
Sometimes I fancied she gave her almost too much teaching.  When her
brother, however, made a remark to that effect, she answered that it was
important not to lose time, as opportunities might be wanting by-and-by;
and when once they arrived in the colony, she knew that there would be
so many interruptions and hindrances, and she might have so many other
duties to perform, that Bella might not get the due amount of knowledge
she wished her to possess.  Blow high or blow low, Kate always made
Bella learn her lessons.  Sometimes holding on by the leg of a table in
the cabin during a gale, there the two sisters would be found with their
books.  Both were capital sailors, as people say--that is, they were
never ill at sea; so that they were not inconvenienced as most other
people would have been by the tossing and tumbling of the stout brig.

They were attended by an old negro, Peter Timbo by name, who was the
most watchful of guardians.  He was the captain's servant, and had
always accompanied him in his shooting expeditions when he was before
staying at the Cape.  Timbo, also, from what I heard him say, knew more
about his native country than any one on board.  He was born at some
distance from the sea, not far from the Equator.  When he was just
growing into manhood, his village had been attacked by another tribe,
and he, with several companions in misfortune, had been carried off to
the coast.  He was there shipped on board a Portuguese slaver, which,
venturing to the north of the line, was chased and captured by a British
man-of-war.  Timbo, having a fancy for a sea life, and being an active,
intelligent fellow, had been allowed to enter on board her.  After
serving for some years, he had been discharged at the Cape; where, after
following several pursuits, he had become a servant to my uncle and
aunt, Mr and Mrs Hyslop.  Peter was loquacious and ever merry, and it
was pleasant to hear him give way to one of his hearty laughs.  He had
thick lips, a huge flattish nose, and somewhat high head, covered with
thick curling wool, now beginning to show signs of turning grey.
Although he understood English perfectly, he still spoke it in a
somewhat negro fashion, which often gave piquancy to his expressions;
but from the way his master treated him, and from the affectionate care
he seemed to take of the younger members of the family, it was evident
that he must be a worthy man, notwithstanding his want of personal
attractions.

"Ah, Massa Andrew, we nebber know as kind God does what is good for us,"
he remarked to me one day.  "I bery sorryful when slaver people carry me
off from my home in Pongo country.  I t'ink I go to die, dat dere was no
God to look after poor black fellow.  I know only of Fetish, and I
afraid of Fetish.  Den I get among white men, and I see and hear much
dat is bad, and still I t'ink dere is no God.  Den years pass by, and I
hear of de merciful Saviour, who die for me; and I say, `Dat is just
what I want,' and I learn to be Christian.  But I will tell you anoder
day more about myself; I now go to get ready de cabin dinner."

I told Timbo that I should keep him to his promise, as I was much
interested in the short account he had given of himself.

We had four other passengers--Mr John and Mr Charles Rowley, and Miss
Julia Rowley their sister, who seemed very nice people, but they kept
themselves rather aloof from me, as well as from the mate, though they
were friendly enough with the passengers, whom they considered their
equals.  The last person I need name was a young Irishman, Mr Terence
O'Brien, who was of no profession that I could find out, but proposed
settling as a colonist at the Cape.  I have thus at once run off a brief
description of my companions, of the last mentioned of whom, at that
time, I knew comparatively little.  Having said thus much of them, I
will continue the thread of my narrative.

"How is the weather, Andrew?" said Captain Page as I went into his
cabin.  We had the skylight off, to let in as much air as possible, but
yet it felt hot and stifling.  He was very pale.  His lips were of a
bluish tinge, and his eyes were sunken and dim.  On a locker close by
him sat a young boy with a book before him, from which he was in vain
endeavouring to read.  I saw that Natty had been crying, for tears
bedewed the page.  He was the captain's only son.  His mother was dead,
and rather than leave him on shore to the care of strangers, his father
had brought him on this African voyage.  "It was a choice of two evils,"
he said to me one day.  "The boy's constitution is good, and we must not
let him be exposed to the night air or hot suns up the rivers, and he
will probably stand the climate better than most of us."  Such indeed
had been the case, and Natty had been well, and had until now been full
of life and spirits--the favourite of all on board.  He and my young
cousin Leonard soon struck up a friendship, and were of course always
together.  For once Natty had left his friend to remain by the side of
his father.  The captain had been speaking to him, for his voice ceased
as I appeared.

I replied to the captain's question, "No signs of a change, Captain
Page.  We hove the lead, but found no bottom.  We must still be some
distance off the coast."

"I trust so," was the answer.  "Heave the lead every quarter of an hour,
and let me know when we are in soundings.  Take another cast at once,
and then come back."

I told the mate.  "Why, I did so not twenty minutes ago," he answered.
"What does the old man want us to do it again for?"

"The captain knows this coast well, Mr Kydd," I answered.  "We may be
thankful to get an anchor to hold as soon as we get into shallow water."

Seeing the mate did not seem disposed to obey, I took the lead, and
calling to two of the hands, prepared to heave it.

"No, no," observed Kydd, "that is my work;" and taking the lead from me,
hove it carelessly.  "No bottom," he answered; "I should think not,
indeed, out here."

It appeared to me that as the line ran out the whole length, he could
not be mistaken.  Returning to the cabin, I made my report to the
captain.  "Andrew," he said, "sit down; I want to have a few words with
you.  I am going to that haven whence I shall never come back.  I feel
that I shall not hold on much longer to life.  I have not been a
successful man, and leave my boy but ill-provided for.  As to my
friends, there are none that I can think of who are able to help him;
and the few acquaintances I have who could do so, I cannot trust.  The
thought of what will become of my orphan boy weighs heavily on me.
Andrew, you are young and healthy, and may Heaven preserve your life for
many years!  I have no great claim on you, but Andrew, as you hope
Heaven will watch over you, do you keep an eye on my boy.  Do for him
the best you can.  I have seen enough of you to know that you will act
wisely and kindly.  I do not desire to have him pampered and spoiled by
riches, if I could give them, but I cannot bear the thought of his being
left friendless and in poverty to fight his way through this often hard
and cruel world.  You will see to this, Andrew?  I am sure you will."

"I will, Captain Page; I promise you," I answered, and I took his cold
clammy hand.

Poor Natty was all this time sobbing violently.  The truth that he was
going to lose his father burst upon him, and that father had ever been
kind and indulgent.

"That is well, that is well," murmured Captain Page.  "I trust to you to
be his human protector, and to One"--and he turned his eyes upward--"who
will ever be a Friend of the fatherless."

The captain said a good deal more, and made various arrangements about
Natty.  Desiring me to get some papers from his desk, he showed me how I
could obtain the little property he was likely to leave.

"I wish I could see the brig safely brought to an anchor," he observed
after a long silence.  "It is a nasty coast at best.  With a breeze we
could work off it, but while this calm lasts we cannot help ourselves
from being carried wherever the current takes us, till we get into water
shoal enough for anchoring.  I shall be happier when once we can bring
up, for if we do not, we may, when we little expect it, be driven on
shore; and let me tell you, Andrew, what with the surf and the sharks,
few of us are likely to escape with our lives.  I know this coast well,
and a sandy beach, exposed to the whole sweep of the Atlantic, is even
more dangerous than a rocky shore.  It must be time again to heave the
lead.  Go on deck, Andrew, and see how things are."

I found the passengers seated under an awning, which the mate had rigged
at their request.  He himself was walking up and down the deck, coming
the officer in fine style, and endeavouring to make himself agreeable to
the young ladies.  He evidently anticipated the moment when he should
have the command; indeed, he seemed to fancy himself the master already.
When I told him that the captain desired me again to heave the lead, he
appeared not to hear me, but continued talking to Miss Rowley with the
insinuating air he knew so well how to assume.  Miss Hyslop took but
little notice of him when he addressed her, and turned away, giving her
attention to Bella's lessons, or going on with any work she might have
in hand, for she never was a moment idle.  She was admirably fitted for
colonial life; indeed, I may say, for any position in which she might be
placed.  If she had become a duchess, she would not have been an idle
one.--I again addressed Mr Kydd.  I told him that the captain wished to
have the lead hove.

"The old man is always issuing his orders through you, Mr Crawford," he
answered at length, in a scornful tone.  "I know, I should think, what
ought to be done, and I will do it.  And I beg you will not interrupt me
when I am talking to ladies."  He added the last sentence in a whisper,
sufficiently loud, however, for Miss Rowley to hear him.

"As the captain has been too ill to take an observation for some time, I
suppose that you know our correct longitude, Mr Kydd.  He, at all
events, considers that we are close in with the African coast; and, as
you are aware, it would be a terrible thing to have the brig cast on one
of the sandbanks which lie off it," I remarked.

"No fear of that," he answered scornfully.  "We shall have a breeze
soon, probably, and then we will stand to the westward, and run down to
the latitude of Loando.  We are not many degrees from that, at all
events."

"The captain is a good seaman, and he has his reasons for ordering the
lead to be hove," I answered.  "If the calm continues, he wishes us to
anchor as soon as the water shoals sufficiently."

"Shoals sufficiently!" repeated the mate, in the same scornful tone; "we
have no line on board to reach the bottom, I'll warrant."  The mate
unintentionally spoke loud enough for the gentlemen to hear him.

"Come, Mr Kydd, I suppose you intend to obey the captain's orders,"
said Captain Hyslop, coming up to where we were standing.  "It seems to
me that he has good reason for giving them."

"I believe, sir, that I am chief officer of the _Osprey_, and that I
know my duty," said the mate.  "It is not customary for passengers to
interfere with the navigation of the ship."

"Certainly not, sir," answered Stanley; "but I trust all on board will
obey the captain's orders while he is able to give them."

"That will not be for long," muttered the mate in an undertone.  "I
intend to do what is necessary, and I do not see that there is any use
to keep heaving the lead out here almost in mid-ocean."

"But are we in mid-ocean, Mr Kydd?  The captain considers that we are
close in with the coast," remarked Stanley.

"Faith, there is going to be a row," I heard Terence O'Brien exclaim to
young Mr Rowley.  "See!  I would like to be after giving them a poke.
It would be rare fun."

"It would not be rare fun if the captain is right," was the answer.

"Am I to report to Captain Page that you decline heaving the lead, Mr
Kydd?"  I said at length, seeing that he made no movement to obey the
order.

"Do as you like, Mr Crawford.  I am not going to be dictated to by any
man on board," replied the mate in an obstinate tone.

"The captain is _very_ ill, as you know, and I fear your conduct will
greatly vex him and tend to aggravate his disease," I said, still
unwilling to return below.  "I hope you will let me heave the lead if
you will not do it yourself."

"Are you hired to navigate this ship, or am I?" he said in an angry
tone, turning round to me.  "I am chief officer, and unless the captain
comes on deck to give his commands, I intend to do as I think fit.  If
you touch the lead, I shall consider it an act of mutiny, and order the
crew to put you in irons."

I did not wish to bring things to extremities, and yet I could not bring
myself to tell the captain how the mate was behaving.  I waited, but
waited in vain, to see whether he would change his mind.  He still stood
with his hands in his pockets, casting defiant looks around.  I was in
hopes that Stanley and the other gentlemen would interfere; but they
remained silent, though somewhat astonished at the mate's behaviour.  At
last, finding there was no help for it, I went back to the cabin.

"I am sorry to say, Captain Page, that Mr Kydd seems to consider that
there is no necessity for heaving the lead, and refuses to do so at
present," I said on entering.  "I will do anything you wish, and again
carry your orders if you desire me."

"I must go on deck myself then," said the captain, attempting to rise.
"Help me on with my clothes, Andrew.  I feel very weak, but if he forces
me to it, I must go."  I assisted the captain to dress, with the help of
Natty.  "Here, give me your arm, Andrew; it is a stronger one than poor
Natty's.  I must do it, though it kills me."

I felt the poor captain tremble all over as I helped him along to the
companion-ladder.  He climbed up with the greatest difficulty; indeed,
without my assistance he could not have got along.  He at length reached
the deck.  He could scarcely stand, and was obliged to hold on by the
companion-hatch.  His face was pale as death.  His white hair hung down
on each side of his forehead, over which the skin seemed stretched like
thin parchment.  His lips had lost all colour, and his blue eyes, as he
gazed around, had an unnatural brightness.

"Mr Kydd," he said, "you have compelled me at a severe cost to come up
on deck.  I order you to heave the lead.  And, men," he cried out,
"assist the mate to carry out my orders."

Kydd was now obliged to obey.  Going to the chains, he hove the lead.  I
looked over the side to watch him, and saw by the way the line slackened
that bottom was found.  Just at that moment I heard some one cry out,
"See! see!  What is the matter with the captain?"  I ran aft.  He had
fallen to the deck.  "Oh, father, father! speak to me!" cried Natty, who
was by his side.  I lifted up the old man's head.  David Hyslop had
hastened to him, and was kneeling on the deck holding his hand.  "He has
swooned," he said.  "He should not have left his bed."

"Can you do anything for him?"

"We will carry him below, but I fear the worst," he whispered.

Just then the sails of the brig gave a loud, thundering flap, and yet
there was no wind; but I felt that a huge wave coming along the ocean
had passed under her.  The passengers looked at each other with an
expression of dismay in their countenances, not knowing what was next
going to happen; while David and I, with the assistance of Stanley and
Mr Rowley, began to carry the captain down below.  Not without
difficulty, as he was somewhat heavy, we placed him on his bed.  David
again felt his pulse.

"It is all over, I fear," he said in a low voice, so that Natty could
not hear.  "Bring a glass!  I cannot feel his heart beating."  His
brother brought a small glass from their sisters' cabin, and David held
it over Captain Page's mouth, and again felt his heart.  "He is gone,"
he said.  "No human skill can restore him."

Natty, who had been standing outside, now sprang into the cabin.  "Oh,
tell me!" he said, looking imploringly up at David, "tell me!--is my
father likely to get better?  Why will he not speak to me?"

David did not reply, but made a sign to me to lead him out of the cabin.
I saw my cousin close the old man's eyes as I took Natty by the hand
and led him to the main cabin.  I thought I would tell him at once what
had happened; but a choking sensation came into my throat, and I could
not utter a word.

"Is father not getting better," he asked, after a time.  "Why did he not
speak to me just now?"

"I am afraid he is not getting better," I replied; "but come on deck."
The idea struck me that I would get one of the young ladies to speak to
him, as they would tell him of his loss with more gentleness than any
one else.  When we reached the deck he saw Leo, who ran up to him, and
took him aft to show him a large shark he had been watching swimming
about close astern.  I seized the opportunity of speaking to Miss
Rowley, and told her what had happened.

"Oh, no, no; I am sure I cannot speak to the child.  I should not know
what to say," she answered.  "Just tell him yourself.  I do not suppose
boys are likely to be much affected by such an occurrence."

I could not help giving her a look expressive of the surprise and pain I
felt.  Could that elegant young lady be so heartless and indifferent to
the sorrow of others?  My cousin Kate was sitting a little further off,
out of hearing of her brother and Natty.

"The captain is dead," I said, in a low voice; "but his poor boy does
not know it."

"Is the kind old man really gone?" she exclaimed, looking up into my
face, and a tear starting into her eye.  "Oh, how sad for poor Natty!
But he must be told; and yet he will feel it dreadfully."

"Will you tell him then, Kate?"  I asked.  "It is necessary to do so at
once, and yet it is hard to wound his feelings."

"Yes," she said; "I will try, even though it would greatly pain me.  Yes
yes!" she continued.  "Come here, Natty, and sit down by me.--You need
not be afraid, Andrew, I will speak gently to him."

I was sure she would.  Her sweet countenance showed me how much she felt
for the boy.  I did not hear what she said, but she took his hand, and
looked kindly into his face.  He saw the tears in her eyes as she went
on talking, and then, at length, he seemed to comprehend the truth, and
began to sob violently.  I saw her take both his hands, and cast on him
a look of sympathy, of more avail just then than any words she could
have uttered.  Directly after he started up, as if to run to the cabin
where his dead father lay; but she held him back by gentle force; and
then he sat quiet, and sobbed and sobbed as if his young heart would
break; and she again began to speak so soothingly to him, looking so
kindly into his face, her tears falling fast, that I knew he was gaining
the comfort he needed.

The mate meantime, hearing what had happened, went into the cabin, as if
to satisfy himself.  When he returned on deck, I saw that he could
scarcely conceal his satisfaction as he looked about with an air of
authority.

"Men," he said--for the crew had come up, a rumour having reached them
of what had occurred--"I am now captain of this brig, and you will have
to obey my orders.  You understand me.  I am not going to have any of
the nonsense we had before; what I say I'll have done, and if there's
any slackness, look out for squalls."

Captain Page, I should have said, had been accustomed to have prayers
every morning and service on Sunday--a practice not common, I am sorry
to say, in those days aboard merchantmen.  The good old customs of our
forefathers had long been given up, when, rough as seamen might have
been, there were far more God-fearing men among them than at present; so
I have read.  I am afraid Kydd alluded to this practice of the
captain's, as well as to the kind and gentle way in which he ruled his
crew.  The men touched their hats in recognition of his authority, but I
saw from the looks they cast at him, that they held him in very
different estimation to their late master.  A stricter captain, perhaps,
might have kept them in better order.  Many of them were somewhat rough
hands; but still his kindness had won their hearts, and, rough as they
were, they now showed unmistakable signs of sorrow for his death.

When the mate ceased speaking, and turned aft with a conceited air, I
saw them talking together, and casting no very complimentary looks
towards him.  The old boatswain, indeed, Jeremiah Barker, took but
little pains to conceal his indignation.  No sooner was the mate's back
turned than he lifted up his fist with a threatening gesture, which made
me fear greatly for the future discipline of the ship.  As to
expostulating with a fellow like Kydd, I knew it would be utterly
useless; and I was afraid that even if Stanley or the other gentlemen
spoke to him, he would be as little likely to attend to them as to me.

I must confess that the captain's death and this conduct of Kydd made me
forget altogether the almost dying injunctions of the former to anchor
as soon as we got into shallow water.  The latter also seemed entirely
to have forgotten that we were already in soundings.

"Well, sir," he said, coming up to Stanley, "I suppose we must see about
getting the old man buried.  I am no hand at preaching or praying, and
so I will ask you to read the funeral service.  We will do all things
ship-shape and right."

"Why, sir," exclaimed Stanley, in a tone of indignation, "the poor man's
breath is scarcely out of his body!  You would not throw him overboard
at once surely!"

"We have to manage that sort of thing pretty sharply out in these
latitudes," answered Kydd.  "I shall be wanting his cabin, too; and as
it may be two or three days before we reach Loando, we cannot have him
buried on shore.  We are not far off that place, and I hope we shall be
able to get an observation in a short time, and see exactly where we
are."

"You are now master of the vessel, and I shall not interfere with your
authority," said Stanley; "but I think it would be more decent to wait
as long as we can for the sake of the poor little boy there.  When his
feelings are more calm he would like to see his dead father."

"Oh, certainly, sir, as you please, as you please," said the mate,
turning away.  "I will give you another hour to indulge your fancy, but
I have no maudlin feelings of that sort."

If the look of unutterable disgust which passed over my cousin's
countenance could have made Kydd ashamed of himself, he would have hid
his face; but he continued pacing the deck and turning his head about as
if considering which order he should next issue.  I saw Kate at length
take Natty down into the captain's cabin, and I thought it best to allow
her and the boy to be alone there together at that sad moment.  The
boatswain then came aft and said that he and the crew wished to see
their late captain.

"What is that for?" asked Kydd, and I thought he was going to refuse the
request.

"He was our friend, and we would like to have a last look at his kind
face," answered the boatswain.

"Well, if the passengers do not mind your going into the cabin, I do
not," said the mate, turning aside.

Perhaps he did not quite like the expression of old Barker's
countenance.  I led the way into the cabin, and the crew came, one by
one, following the boatswain.  "Well, you was an honest, kind man as
ever lived, and that's more than can be said of him who has stepped into
your shoes," said old Barker, apostrophising the captain.  "He is less
of a sailor than your little finger was; and as to sense, he has not as
much as was in your thumb-nail."  The remarks of the other men, as they
passed by, were still less complimentary to the new master; and had he
heard them, he might well have doubted his power of keeping his crew in
order.  I felt, indeed, very anxious, for though I had thought very
little of Kydd, I was not aware how he was despised and detested by the
men.

I more than ever wished that a breeze would spring up, that they might
have something to do, and that we might get away from this dangerous
part of the coast.  The calm, however, still continued, and at length
the time came for lowering our late captain into his ocean grave.  The
sailmaker came aft with the boatswain to superintend the operation of
enclosing him in a hammock, into which they fastened a pig of iron
ballast.

"Them sharks shan't have him, nohow," observed the sailmaker; "for
though the bottom may be a long way off, he will reach it pretty
quickly, and lie quiet there till the day when we all come up from the
land or sea--it will not then matter where we have lain in the
meantime--to answer for ourselves.  I only wish I was as sure to give as
good an account of myself as he is."

"Be quick there!" cried the mate from the deck.  "There is a breeze
coming up, I have a notion, and we shall have to trim sails.  I wish to
get this business over first."

Kate had been keeping Natty by her side while this was going forward.
Two of the other men now came below and assisted to carry the captain's
body on deck, where my cousin Stanley had got his prayer-book, and stood
ready.  The old boatswain had thrown a flag over the body, now placed on
a plank, one end of which projected out of a port.  While the funeral
service of the Church of England was read, not a sound was heard except
the unrepressed sobs which burst from poor Natty's bosom, and the
creaking of the yards and blocks as the brig moved imperceptibly from
side to side.  Then came the dull, sullen sound of a plunge, as, old
Barker lifting up the end of the plank, the body slid off into the
water.  As I looked over the side I could see the white shrouded figure
descending into the depths of ocean.  Just as it disappeared, I caught
sight of the dark form of a huge shark gliding towards it; but I had
hopes that it had sunk far below the creature's reach before he could
seize it.

"Stow away that plank," said the mate, the instant the captain's body
had been launched overboard.  "I wish this breeze would come, though,"
he added, glancing round.

Still he gave no orders to heave the lead, as the late captain had
advised.  I knew well enough that to remind him would only make him less
likely to do it, so I said nothing, though I kept looking over into the
water to see if there was any change of colour which might be produced
by our getting nearer the land.  Now again came one of those sullen
flaps of the sails, showing that though we might seem to be at rest, the
vessel was occasionally moved by no gentle force; and I could
distinguish, as I looked eastward, a smooth undulation which seemed
rolling away in that direction.  Still the sky remained obscured as
before, and a gauze-like mist hung over the ocean.  The atmosphere felt
hotter and more oppressive than ever.  The passengers remained on deck,
for the cabins were almost unbearable.  The ladies were trying to read
or work, but Kate alone continued to ply her active fingers.  Miss
Rowley scarcely turned a page, while little Bella kept looking with her
large blue eyes at poor Natty, who sat with his head resting on his
hands, utterly unable to recover himself.  As I looked over the side I
observed that the undulations I have spoken of became more and more
frequent, on each occasion, as they passed, giving the brig a slow
shake, and making the sails flap loudly as before.  The crew were
talking together, and, led by old Barker, were ranging the cable for
anchoring, Mr Kydd having disappeared below.  Suddenly he returned on
deck.

"Who ordered you to do that?" he exclaimed in an angry tone.  "Did I
tell you I was going to bring the ship to an anchor?"

"No, sir," answered the boatswain; "but any one who is acquainted with
these parts must know that it is the only thing to be done to save the
brig and our lives.  For who can tell that we may not be ashore any
moment!"

"You are a mutinous rascal," exclaimed Kydd.  "I will not allow the brig
to be brought to an anchor till I see fit.  We are fifty miles off the
coast, and more than that, perhaps."

"What, with fifty fathom only under our keel!" exclaimed the boatswain.
"What is the meaning, too, of these breakers away in the south-east?
Mr Kydd, we must anchor, and you ought to know it."

I looked out in the direction towards which the boatswain pointed.  The
sun was already sinking into the ocean, and his rays lighted up a line
of foam, or what looked like it, in the south-east.

Kydd, on the boatswain's remark, broke out into a furious passion, and,
hurrying into his cabin, appeared again with a brace of pistols in his
hand.  Placing them in his belt, he walked the deck, muttering
incoherently to himself.  No one interfered.  I felt unwilling to go
below, though the steward called me to supper.  The sun had long
disappeared--the moon rose, and shed a bright silvery light upon the
ocean.  It was perfectly calm; and as, on looking round, I could see no
breakers, nor hear their sound, I at length turned in.  I was too
anxious, however, to sleep long.  On going on deck and again looking
out, there I saw, not a quarter of a mile off a black ledge of rocks
rising some feet out of the water.  The brig was drifting by them at a
rate which showed how strong a current was running.  What was my
surprise to see a boat coming off from the rock.  "What is that?"  I
asked.

"Why, I have treated one mutinous rascal as I intend to treat you if you
follow his example," answered Kydd, who heard my question.

I was too much astonished to speak.  After pacing the deck for a few
minutes I went below to consult with Stanley.

"We must put him under arrest," he said at length.  "But go on deck and
learn how the men take the proceeding."

On my return I found the boat alongside.  The crew climbed on board.
Could they really have executed so barbarous an order!  Great was my
relief to find the boatswain among them.

"You rascals, I ordered you to land him on these rocks!" exclaimed Kydd,
when he caught sight of the old man.

"So we did; and he ordered us to take him off again," answered one of
the crew.  "We have as good a right to obey him as you, Mr Kydd.  If
you was to die, like the captain and first mate, he's the only officer
left to take charge of the brig."

Kydd was a coward.  This answer silenced him, and without uttering a
word he went below.

The passengers assembled at breakfast the next morning with anxious
faces.  They knew that something was very wrong, but could not exactly
tell what.  The calm continued.  A thick mist hung over the ocean as on
the previous day, the rocks were no longer in sight, the vessel floated
tranquilly on the treacherous waters.  Kydd had completely recovered
himself.  He had the awning spread, and with a smiling countenance
invited the passengers to come on deck, and tried to make himself
agreeable to Miss Rowley.  Some time thus passed.  At last I saw the
boatswain and several of the men coming up.

"Mr Kydd," said the former, "I have to ask you whether you intend to
anchor, and try to keep the ship out of danger or not?"

"Not till the land is in sight, and I see the necessity," answered Kydd
quite calmly.  He said nothing more for a minute or so.  Then suddenly
he exclaimed in a furious tone, "But I am not going to be dictated to by
a set of mutinous scoundrels."  I need not repeat all his words.

Just at that moment I heard that peculiar low, suppressed roar which a
seaman knows so well to indicate breakers I begged the mate to listen,
telling him what I had heard, but he was deaf to reason, and declared he
would only anchor when he saw fit.  He seemed to have gone out of his
mind, and I felt that I should be justified in assisting the crew in
putting him under restraint; but he was in reality as much in his senses
as ever, though under the influence of his passion and obstinacy.  Just
at that moment another roller came in toward the brig from the westward,
and the next instant all on deck were almost thrown off their feet.  A
blow was felt which made her shake fore and aft, and the water, which
had hitherto not even rippled against her side, now broke over her in a
shower of spray.  The passengers started up.  Kate clasped her little
sister round the neck, and seized the arm of her brother David, who was
standing near her.  "What is the matter? what has happened?" shrieked
out Miss Rowley in an attitude expressive of her terror.

"We are on shore," cried some of the men; "that is what has happened."

Such was too truly the case.  The old captain's warnings had been
neglected, and his prognostications were thus terribly fulfilled.



CHAPTER TWO.

WRECK OF THE "OSPREY," AND OUR ESCAPE.

Boastful as the mate had been, he turned deadly pale as he saw the
dangerous position in which the brig was placed.  When, however, she lay
quiet--the sea not again breaking over her--he recovered himself.  The
crew meantime, led by Barker, had gone aloft, without his orders, to
furl sails, the first thing under the circumstances to be done.

"Get the boats out," he said at length.  His voice had lost its usual
authoritative tone.  "We must warp the vessel off."

"No easy matter to do that," observed the boatswain.  "I know what these
banks are made of, and it will be a hard job to find holding ground.
Which way will you haul her off, sir?"

"The way she came on," answered the mate.  "That was sideways, I have a
notion," observed old Barker.  "You will not get her off so."

I soon saw, by the manner the brig lay over, that Barker was right; but
without sounding round her, it was impossible to judge properly what to
do.  I suggested that this was the first thing to be done.  "Give your
advice when it is asked, Mr Crawford," said Kydd, walking up and down
the deck.  "Be smart there with the boats!"

While he was speaking, another wave came rolling in and struck the
vessel with greater force than the former one, breaking over the fore
part of the deck.

"We must get the boats over to the starboard side," said Barker (the
vessel's head was to the north).  "They will be stove in if we attempt
to lower them on the outer side."

"What are you afraid of, man?" exclaimed Kydd.  "Why, the sea is as
smooth as a mill-pond between these rollers.  Am I to be obeyed, or am I
not?  Here, lower this boat first.  We will have her round on the other
side before the next roller comes in."

Several of the men hastened to obey him.  The boat was cleared, and two
of the crew jumping into her, she was lowered.  Just, however, as she
reached the water, before the others could follow, another far heavier
roller came gliding towards us.  "In board for your lives, lads!"  I
cried out, but the men either did not hear me or despised the warning.
The wave struck the boat and dashed it with tremendous force against the
counter, sweeping them off towards the shore.  They held out their hands
imploring assistance.

"If we get the starboard-quarter boat lowered we shall be in time to
save them, Mr Kydd," I said; and without waiting for his reply, Barker
and I, with Jack Handspike, assisted by some of the gentlemen, lowered
the boat.  Scarcely, however, had we seized the oars, when we heard a
loud shriek, and one of the poor fellows disappeared beneath the
surface.  A shark had taken him.  The other, who was at a little
distance, saw his companion's fate, and cried out to us to make haste.
We pulled away as hard as we could lay our backs to the oars, old Barker
steering.  But just before we reached the man, his arms were thrown up,
and down he sank.  He, too, had become the prey of one of the rapacious
monsters of the deep.  We now returned on board, the boat remaining
perfectly quit on the starboard side.  No attempt had been made in the
meantime to sound round the vessel.  I offered to do it.

"I have made up my mind to haul her off astern," answered Kydd.  "We
will carry a kedge out in that direction."

"As you please," I said.  "It may be right, but it may be the wrong
way."

"It is my way, at all events," was the petulant reply.

It was necessary to get the long-boat into the water to carry out the
kedge.  Before this could be done, she had to be cleared of all sorts of
articles stowed in her.  It took us some time.  The fate of their
companions had thrown a damp over the spirits of the men, and they did
not work with their ordinary activity.  I could not help looking out
seaward now and then, thinking that heavier rollers might be coming in,
when our position would be truly dangerous.  Where we were all this time
we could not ascertain,--whether we were on a sandbank at a distance
from the coast, or on the coast itself.  In either case the danger was
great.  At last we got a kedge out right astern, and the crew manned the
capstan.  They worked away for some time.  It seemed to me that the
anchor was coming home.  I was sure of it indeed, for not an inch did
the vessel move.  I meantime had got hold of the hand-lead, and hove it
ahead.  There was ample water there, at all events, for the brig to
float.  I then ran with it aft and dropped it over the taffrail.  The
water was evidently much shallower at that end of the ship.  We had been
working away all that time, therefore, to haul her still faster on to
the bank.  I was determined not to stand this any longer.

"Perhaps, Mr Kydd, you will try the depth of the water astern as well
as ahead," I said; "and it strikes me that if we were to attempt to haul
her off the other way, we might have a better chance of success."

"Leave that to me," he answered in the same tone as before.

"Round with the pauls, my lads," he sung out.  "We will soon have her
afloat."

"I am not going to step another foot round the capstan without I know
that we are trying to haul off the right way," said Barker, who
overheard what I had said.

This remark made the mate furious.  The men followed Barker's example.
Mr Kydd swore and stamped about the deck, declaring that there was a
mutiny.

"No mutiny, sir," answered old Barker; "but our lives are worth as much
to us as yours is to you."

"Take that then!" cried the mate, rushing forward toward the old man and
striking him a blow which brought him to the deck.  "Who is going to
oppose me now?"

I thought the boatswain was killed, for he lay motionless.  The crew,
indignant at the way one they looked upon as their friend was treated,
threw down the pauls, and refused to work any longer.  Jack Handspike
alone remained firm in entreating them to obey orders.  "Mr Kydd is now
master of the ship, and if we do not obey him, whom are we to obey?" he
said.

While the dispute was going on, the passengers taking no part in it, the
mist which had hitherto hung over the sea slowly lifted, and looking to
the eastward I saw a line of coast, fringed with mangrove bushes, and
blue mountains rising in the distance.  "The land! the land! we are all
right!" cried some of the crew.  "I for one am not going to stop here
and be bullied by an ignorant greenhorn!" cried one.  "Nor I," exclaimed
another.  "Well, mates, let us take the old boatswain, who was our
friend at all times, and see what is to be got on shore.  Would any of
you ladies and gentlemen like to come with us?"

Captain Hyslop now stepped forward.  "My men," he said, "I know what you
are likely to find on yonder coast, and I entreat you to remain on board
till we see if we can get the brig off.  The probabilities are that the
boat will be upset in the surf as you attempt to land, and if not, when
you get on shore there are savage people, who are as likely as not to
murder you immediately."

"Oh, that's all humbug!" cried one of the men, "just to make us remain.
Mates, are we to go, or are we to stop and get abused by this ignorant
fellow?"

The crew, one and all, with the exception of Handspike, were in a state
of mutiny.  I spoke to them, but they would not listen to me.  "Well,
you may go with us," they said, "but go we will.  We do not want to
leave anybody behind."  Without attempting even to bring the anchor on
board, they lifted the still insensible boatswain into the boat, and in
spite of the entreaties of the ladies and Stanley's warnings, shoved
off.  Kydd not till then seemed to recollect that he had pistols in his
belt.  Drawing one, he senselessly fired, but the men were too far off
to be injured.  They answered with loud laughs and gestures of derision,
and away they pulled.  We had now only one boat left, and she was too
small to weigh the anchor.  I begged Stanley and David and one of the
Mr Rowleys to come with me in her, however, to sound round the vessel.
Kydd by this time was almost beside himself with rage, and did not
interfere with us.  We found, as I suspected, that the brig had driven
broadside on to a long sandbank, an eighth of a mile in width, but how
long we could not tell, for the water was deep on the outer or port side
of the vessel; ahead it was also sufficiently deep to float her; and
should the wind come off shore, I was in great hopes that we might yet
forge her off.  Astern, however, the water was far more shallow; and,
indeed, the senseless efforts which Kydd had made had contributed to
drag her still further on.  It all depended, however, upon the wind
coming from the eastward.  A westerly wind must inevitably prove our
destruction, as with the sea which broke against her in that perfect
calm, it was clear that the breeze would have the effect of driving her
further on, and sending the sea completely over her.  Our position was a
truly fearful one.  Stanley, however, who was no seaman, did not seem to
dread it so much, but Handspike and Timbo fully agreed with me that we
should be prepared for the worst.  Deserted by the crew, even should the
wind come off the shore, we could with difficulty make sail, and then it
would be a hard matter to navigate the vessel.  We only, hoped, however,
that they would return on finding the unattractive appearance of the
coast.  The mist clearing away to the west, the rays of the sun glanced
almost horizontally across the waters, over which they cast a ruddy
glow, showing us the boat just as she reached the shore, I went aloft
with a spy-glass to watch her, and could make out a number of dark
figures hurrying down to the beach.  She stopped for some time when at
no great distance, and the people in her seemed to be holding a
conversation with those on shore.  She then pulled on, and directly
afterwards I saw her surrounded by the dark figures, who seemed to be
running her up the beach.  Presently, to my horror, I perceived some of
the crew running, and the blacks apparently pursuing them.  Now one was
struck down, now another.  It was too evident that the infatuated men
were being murdered by the savages.  Soon all pursuit ceased; and here
and there I could see figures stretched their length and motionless on
the sand.  Then I made out a crowd of blacks dancing and leaping, so it
seemed to me, round the boat.  A new alarm seized me.  I was afraid that
they might attempt to come off, and treat us as they had done the crew.
Anxious to watch them, I did not descend till the shades of night, which
rapidly came on, hid them from my sight.  I then returned on deck, and
taking Stanley and David aside, told them what had occurred.

"We must defend ourselves to the last," he answered, "if they do come.
It will be better to die fighting than let them get on board.  What do
you advise?"

"We have nearly a dozen muskets," I said, "and with our two guns we may
make a stout defence.  I do not think they would wish to encounter our
firearms, even though they possibly have some themselves."

"I am afraid that fellow Kydd will be of no use to us," observed
Stanley.  "He seems beside himself.  We will hear what Timbo says,
however.  He knows more of these people than any of us."

Timbo was standing at no great distance, and Stanley called him up.  I
told him what I had seen.

"Not surprised," he observed.  "De white men make dem slave, and so when
dey catch de white men dey kill dem.  Dat's it; but dey no come off at
night.  No fear of dat.  Dey t'ink we one slaver; and if we fired a gun,
dey no come off at all."

This information was cheering, as we thought we could rely on Timbo's
knowledge.

"Would you consent to go on shore and gain their friendship?"  I asked.
"If they know that we are not their enemies, they may possibly be
disposed to help us; for as to getting off the brig, I fear greatly it
is not to be done."

He hesitated.  "Yes," he said at length; "I go to-morrow morning.  I
talk deir lingo; and if dey come from up de country, as I t'ink, I make
friends wid dem."

I agreed to accompany him, with David and the younger Mr Rowley.
Darkness at length came on; and as the mist settled once more over the
ocean we were unable to see many fathoms on either side of the vessel.
We made these arrangements without consulting Kydd, for his conduct had
been such that we felt it would be useless: indeed, when I looked round
I could not distinguish him on deck.  All this time the brig lay
tolerably quiet, for though the sea every now and then struck her, and I
feared sent her even more on to the bank, yet it did not break over
sufficiently to wash anybody off the deck; the after part, indeed,
remained perfectly dry.  Here the ladies had collected, with the two
boys, while the five gentlemen passengers, Jack Handspike, Timbo, and I,
busied ourselves in getting up the muskets and ammunition for them and
the guns.  "We are going to fire," I heard Stanley say, and soon
afterwards Timbo appeared with a hot poker from the galley fire, and our
guns were discharged in succession.  "Dat keep de niggers away," he
observed, returning to the galley.  I was surprised that Kydd made no
inquiry when the guns were fired.  As I was going aft I saw a figure
come up the companion-hatch.  I could make out that he had a number of
packages under his arm.  I was sure it was the mate, and my suspicions
were aroused, though I could scarcely tell what he was going to do.  I
pointed him out to Stanley, who was standing near the mainmast.  "We
will follow him, at all events," he answered.  As we got aft we saw him
leaning over the quarter, and evidently engaged in hauling up the boat.

"Mr Kydd, what are you about?" exclaimed Stanley, seizing him by the
arm.  "Are you going to leave the brig?"

"I am captain, and who dares question me?" was the answer.

"You shall not deprive us of our only boat, at all events," said
Stanley.  "If you leave the vessel, it must be on a raft, or swim for
it."

Kydd made no answer, but continued leaning over the side.  We saw that
he was dropping something into the boat.  It seemed that he was about at
that instant to throw himself over, when Stanley seized him and dragged
him back.  As he did so Kydd let go the painter, and before I could
spring forward and seize it, the boat had drifted away from the vessel I
would have jumped overboard and swam to her--I was on the point of doing
so--when David, who had followed us, stopped me.

"Stay, Andrew!" he exclaimed.  "We are surrounded by sharks.  I saw
three just before dark.  You would be their prey in an instant."

Meantime Kydd was struggling with Stanley, who however quickly
overpowered him.

"I was not going to take the boat," said Kydd, "whatever you may fancy.
I am captain of this vessel, and I have a right to do what I like.  It
was through your fault that the boat got away, and you are answerable
for that.  Let me go, I say!"

Stanley released Kydd, who slunk away without uttering another word.

"This is not a time for disputes," said my cousin.  "We must be ready
for resistance should the blacks come off to us; though I hope that
Timbo is right in supposing that they will not venture from the shore
till daylight."

So short a time did the occurrence I have described take, that the
ladies were scarcely aware of what was happening till it was over.

"What is the matter, Stanley?" asked Kate.

"Nothing to alarm you, my dear sister.  I trust all will yet be well.
There is every sign of the calm continuing; and perhaps in the morning,
when the wind comes off the land, we may get the brig afloat.  What do
you say, Andrew?"

"I hope we may," I answered, "as she has not struck very hard."

"Had not you and Bella better go below, Kate, with Miss Rowley, and Leo
and Natty will attend on you!  We men must remain on deck to do what is
necessary should any fresh emergency arise."

Kate begged to remain also, but David, and the Rowleys joining him,
persuaded the young ladies at length to retire to the cabin.  Timbo
followed them to light the cabin lamp, and I saw them, as I looked
through the skylight, seated at the table, Kate having a large book
before her, which I recognised as the old captain's Bible.  She was
reading from it to her companions, the two boys and Bella listening with
earnest looks, though Miss Rowley seemed to be too much alarmed to pay
any attention.  The young Irishman and the two Rowleys now exerted
themselves as much as the rest of us in making preparations to defend
the vessel.

"If there were boarding-nettings, we should find them useful," said
Stanley.  "Mr Kydd, have you any on board?"

"No, sir," was the answer.  "We do not carry such things; and, for my
part, I think all this preparation is useless.  The blacks are not
likely to come off to attack us, and if they do, we could very soon
drive them back again."

"If we are properly prepared we may," said my cousin; and we all
continued the work we had in hand.

Besides the firearms we had a few ship's cutlasses; and at Timbo's
suggestion we fastened all the knives and axes we could find to some
long spars, to use them as boarding-pikes.  We ran lines also along the
sides between the rigging to answer in a measure the purpose of
boarding-nettings; and before the morning broke, we were as well
prepared as we could expect to be to resist an attack.  We were looking
out for the rising sun, when I felt a light wind fan my cheek.  I said
nothing, but again I felt it blow stronger.

"We shall have the wind off the shore soon," I cried out, "and we must
be ready to trim sails to make the most of it."

"Who is issuing orders on board this vessel?"  I heard Kydd exclaim.
"Mr Crawford, I am the man to say what is to be done."

"If you will tell us what to do, we will take good care to do it,"
Stanley said to me, in a low voice.  "There is little use in listening
to that fellow."

The breeze came stronger and stronger; and by the time the first streaks
of early dawn appeared over the land, there was a strongish breeze
blowing, hot, and smelling of the arid sand and damp mangrove marshes.

"Faith, there is but little of the spices of Araby," I heard Terence
O'Brien observe to one of his friends.

"Those who know how to handle ropes, come and help me to trim the
sails," exclaimed Kydd.  "Handspike, you are the only man under my
orders.  You go to the helm."

We all set to work to trim the sails.  Senhor Silva and his servant, who
had hitherto not done much, now joined with a will.  The canvas blew
out, and the yards creaked and strained, but not an inch was the vessel
moved.  Kydd then ordered us to run fore and aft; but the light weight
of a few people on board the stout brig produced no perceptible effect.

"Had we the boat, and could we carry an anchor out, we might get the
brig off," I observed to Stanley.  "But, I fear, now it is hopeless,
unless, indeed, we were to build a raft.  With that we may do something,
though there will be no slight risk in the undertaking."

"If you think it can be done, _we_ will do it," said Stanley.

"Certainly," I said, "it is our only chance."

"Then it shall be done," he exclaimed.  "Mr Kydd, we wish to build a
raft to carry out the anchor."

Kydd was about to reply, but the captain's look silenced him.  All hands
now set to work to collect all the spare spars and planks to be found.
We got up also a number of small casks from below, in which palm-oil was
to be stowed; and this assisted us greatly.

"Massa," said Timbo, coming up to Stanley, "me t'ink it better to have
two raft.  Suppose no get de brig off, den we want dem _to get away_.
Suppose de niggers come off, den what we do?  We not stay here for
eber."

"A wise suggestion, Timbo," said his master.  "Crawford, will you
undertake to build another raft?  Mr Kydd seems busy with the one
forward."

Senhor Silva and his servant had, they told us, once assisted in
building a raft to escape from a wreck, and were well able to lend a
hand.  While the rest of the party were collecting materials, I went
aloft, anxious to see what the negroes on shore were about.  The mist
which usually hangs over the land at early dawn had by this time
disappeared.  With my glass I could distinguish the boat on the beach,
and a number of people moving about.  As, however, they did not seem
preparing to launch her, I hoped that we might have time, at all events,
to get our rafts ready; and quickly again descended with the
satisfactory intelligence.  Believing that there was but little prospect
of getting the vessel off, we did not scruple to use the hatches and
bulkheads, and, indeed, to rip off the inner planking.  It would
require, we saw, two rafts of considerable size to carry so many people
with any degree of safety even in smooth water.  Still, what other
prospect had we of saving our lives?  I had not for a moment allowed my
mind to dwell more than I could help on our too possible fate; indeed,
it would almost have unmanned me to contemplate the hardships to which
the young ladies must inevitably be exposed even at the best.  However,
we were doing all that men could do under the circumstances, and that
kept up our spirits.  Kydd had become somewhat humbled by this time, and
worked away like the rest of us, without taking any leading part;
indeed, several of the rest of the party were far more expert in
constructing the rafts than he was.

The water, as I said, remained smooth inside of us.  We now set to work
to launch our rafts.  Kydd took charge of the one forward; I of the
after one, at the construction of which I had assisted.  Having cut away
the bulwarks, we worked them over the side with the capstan bars, and
then lowered them as gently as we could with ropes.  Mine, I found, was
somewhat the largest, and floated higher than the other out of the
water.  We had now to fit masts and sails to them.  Fortunately there
was a number of spare oars on board, so that our time was not occupied
in making fresh ones.  I however thought it well to have one long one to
serve as a mast.  The important business of provisioning our rafts had
next to be attended to.  We first got up four water-casks, which we
secured in the centre of the raft.  Round them we formed a strong
railing, with a raised platform, on which a few of the party could sit
well out of the water, which I feared, as soon as there was any sea,
would wash over the main part.

I saw Kydd hurrying on with his preparations.  "Now, Miss Rowley," he
said, "I hope you will entrust yourself to my charge.  I ought to know
better how to manage a raft than those landsmen," and he cast a glance
at me; "and I promise to take good care of you and your brothers."

I did not hear what the young lady said, but directly afterwards I saw
her being lowered down on to Kydd's raft.  Her brothers and the young
Irishman followed.

"Come, Handspike; we want you," sung out Kydd, standing up on the raft.

"No, no," answered Handspike.  "The landsmen, as you say, will want my
help, and I must go aboard the other."

While this was going on, I saw that Timbo had gone aloft.  Presently he
came gliding down by a backstay on deck.  "Quick! quick!  Massa Andrew,"
he exclaimed.  "No time to lose!  De niggers coming off in de boat!  If
we stop and fight, dey take away de rafts.  If we sail off, dey come
aboard vessel, and stop and steal and get drunk, and we get away."

Kydd overheard him.  "Shove off!" he cried out to his companions.  They
obeyed him; and immediately the raft was clear of the vessel, he began
to hoist his sail.

"Stop! stop!"  I cried out.  "Take more of our party on board!  Senhor
Silva and his servant will go with you!"

He paid no attention to my shouts, but continued hoisting his sail,
though I saw the gentlemen on board were expostulating with him.

"We must all go, then, on the one raft," I said.  "I trust it will hold
us, although it was treacherous of the mate to go away, leaving the
party thus unequally divided."

"I am sorry our friends are under no better charge," said Stanley.
"But, Andrew, we are ready to place ourselves under your and Handspike's
guidance.  Timbo, too, will be of no slight service; so that we need not
complain of what has occurred.  We have no time to lose, though."

Jack and Timbo now going on to the raft, assisted the rest of the party
to descend.  I was the last to leave the unfortunate brig.  As I looked
round I did not see Natty.  "Where can he be?"  I exclaimed.  I sprang
up the side.  My young charge had fallen on the deck, and lay concealed
from those on the raft by the bulwarks in the fore part of the vessel.
"Hold on for a moment," I cried out; "I will bring him down to you."  I
lifted the poor boy up in my arms.  A falling block or spar, I
conjectured, had struck his head and stunned him.  Had I not discovered
his absence, how dreadful would have been his fate left alone on board
the brig.  To my great joy he soon recovered.  Jack Handspike received
him in his arms as I lowered him down, and I following, without delay we
shoved off, and passed under the brig's stern.  The blacks could not see
what was occurring, and would therefore, I hoped, not hurry themselves
in coming off, so that we might have a considerable start of them should
they pursue us.  The raft was, as may be supposed, deeper in the water
than I could have wished; at the same time, in that smooth sea, it was
well capable of supporting us all.  My hope was that we should be picked
up by some cruiser or passing merchant vessel, and that we might not
have long to remain on it.  Still, the risk was a fearful one, but it
seemed better than venturing to the shore after we had discovered the
savage disposition of the natives.  If they had murdered the seamen,
there was no reason to suppose that we should escape the same treatment.

The mate's raft, being lighter, had already got a considerable distance
ahead.  Our sail, however, was larger than his; and as we had hands
enough to lower it quickly, we could venture to carry it longer in the
increasing breeze.  We got out the oars also, which contributed to urge
the raft through the water.  We thus, in a short time, had nearly
overtaken the mate and his companions.  Few of us spoke much.  We were
all too anxious for talking.  Senhor Silva advised that we should alter
our course, as soon as we had got out of sight of the brig, to the
southward, hoping that we might be picked up by some vessel bound to
Loando, the nearest European settlement on the coast.  One thing was
certain, that should the wind shift to the eastward we should have no
choice, but should be compelled to run back for the land.

We had placed Kate and Bella on the most secure part of the raft, with
the two boys, while we spread a piece of awning, which projected a
little way over their heads, thus affording them some shelter from the
hot rays of the sun.  The water remained smooth, and was bright and
clear; and could we have forgotten that it might at any moment be tossed
into huge waves, there was little to give us a sense of danger.  Jack
Handspike was at the helm, and tended the sheets while the rest of us
pulled; I kept an eye on the halliards, ready to let go should the
breeze increase too much for our sail.  We had brought a telescope,
through which, every now and then, I took a glance astern to ascertain
whether the negroes had reached the brig.  We were gradually getting to
a distance from her, so that our white sails would have looked almost
like specks on the ocean, unless seen through a spy-glass, and those
that remained on board we hoped the savages would not know how to use.
Presently I saw the bright flash of a gun, and, a few seconds after, the
sound came booming across the water; then, once more looking through the
glass, I caught sight of several dark objects moving above the bulwarks.
There was no doubt that the blacks must have reached the vessel; but
whether or not they had discovered us remained uncertain.  All we could
do was to use our best exertions in getting away from them, by rowing as
hard as we could and keeping our sails spread to the breeze.  By this
time we had come abreast of the other raft.  I hailed her and told what
I had seen.

"Never fear," cried out Kydd.  "We will drive them back if they do
come."

He exhibited several muskets which he had placed on his raft.  We also
had taken a couple, and a small quantity of ammunition.

We had got some little way ahead of the other raft, when I proposed
hauling down the sail, not to run away from her.  I was about to do so,
when the wind, which had hitherto been getting somewhat lighter, fell
altogether, and we were left on a perfect sea of glass, the other raft
being about a quarter of a mile away from us.  The heat was very great;
and as we had been rowing all day, we felt scarcely capable of further
exertion.  We had also, we hoped, got beyond the reach of the negroes,
as it was not likely they would follow us so far out to sea.  Timbo
asserted that they were black fellows from the interior, as he did not
think the coast natives would have murdered the crew.  As we had brought
an ample supply of provisions, we took our meals regularly.  Timbo had
provided a small charcoal stove, with which we could boil water, and
make our tea and coffee--a great luxury under the circumstances.  We
had, however, to economise our fuel, of which there was but a small
quantity.  Considering all things, our spirits rose wonderfully; and I
believe every one of us hoped before long to fall in with a vessel and
be taken on board.

"Our friends on the other raft seem to be making themselves merry,"
observed Stanley.  "Listen.  They are singing!"

So indeed they were.  The sound of their voices, though so far off,
reached us across the smooth water.  We had brought some cloaks, with
which we wrapped the young ladies up; and they lay down on the platform
I have described, under the awning, to sleep, the remainder of us
dividing ourselves into watches.  The watch below, as we called it,
placed themselves on the other side of the platform, to seek such rest
as could be found.  I know, when it was my turn to lie down, I slept as
soundly as I had ever done in my life.  The two boys lay down close
together; but during the night I heard poor Natty sobbing.  He had
awoke, it seemed, and recollected his loss.  It was sad to hear him in
the still silence of the night out there on the ocean.  Poor fellow! he
at length sobbed himself to sleep again.

I woke up, feeling a gentle moving of the raft, and, rising to my feet,
found that the night wind had again come off the shore, though it seemed
rather more to the northward than before.  We again hoisted the sail, as
we were not far enough out to be in the track of any traders.

The night at length came to an end; and when the dawn once more broke,
we found the same mist as on the two previous mornings hanging over the
ocean.  The young ladies and the boy were still sleeping.  We looked
round, but could nowhere discover our companions.  That was, however,
what might be expected, as the mist greatly circumscribed our view.  I
was standing by Timbo's side.

"I fear dis calm weader not last much longer," he observed to me.  "I
hope we soon get aboard ship; for if it come on to blow, den we in bad
way."

"We must pray to Heaven to protect us," I said.

"Yes, Massa Andrew.  If Heaben no protect us, den it be bery, bery bad
indeed."

"We must not, however, alarm the young ladies," I observed; "so do not
express your fears, but let us pray that a vessel may be sent to relieve
us.  Now, I think we had better prepare breakfast.  It will cheer our
spirits."

Soon after this Kate and little Bella appeared from under their awning.

"My father would have had prayers, I think," said Natty to me, in a low
voice.

"He would, I am sure; and so will we," I answered; and before going to
our meal, we offered up a prayer to Heaven for our protection, and Kate
read a chapter from her Bible, which she had not forgotten to bring.

The hours after this sped slowly on.  Once more the mist lifted.  We
looked round for the raft.  It was nowhere to be seen.

"I trust no accident has happened to it," said Stanley.  "It would be a
sad fate for the Rowleys and that pretty girl."

I could not suppose this, and yet I could not account for its
disappearance should Kydd have continued steering the course we had
agreed on.  On sweeping the horizon with my glass, I made out a small
sail in the distance to the southward.  It was, however, so far off,
that, in consequence of the slight mist which still remained, I could
not be certain whether it was the topgallant sail of some ship rising
above the water or the bow-sail of the raft.  I gave the glass to Jack
Handspike.

"To my mind it is the raft," he said.  "The lighter sails of a large
vessel would not look so clear as that does."

If Jack was right, there could be no doubt that the mate had purposely
altered his course for the sake of getting away from us.  I could not
help thinking that he was fully capable of such treachery.  Soon after
this, again sweeping the horizon with the glass, my eye fell on the
topsails of a vessel far away to the north-west.  I pointed it out to
Jack, and both he and Timbo were of opinion that she was standing toward
us on a wind, and that if we continued running as we were doing, she
would before long be up with us.



CHAPTER THREE.

ON BOARD THE SCHOONER.

Our spirits, which had naturally been at a low ebb, were greatly cheered
by the sight of the strange sail.  She had evidently a strong breeze
with her, stronger than we should like when it reached us, as it
probably would do before long.  Already, indeed, it had freshened, and
the sea had got up considerably.  This made us more than ever anxious to
be seen and taken on board.  Gradually her topsails rose above the
horizon.  We watched her anxiously.  Although we were not seen, Timbo
and Leo could not resist an impulse to stand up and wave towards the
stranger.  She was standing steadily to the southward, gradually edging
in towards the land.  Our hopes increased of cutting her off.  We made
her out to be a large topsail schooner--a rakish-looking craft.  Nearer
and nearer she drew.  Still she came on so fast that we began to fear
that we should not get sufficiently to the westward to be seen, for
though we could make her out clearly, and could now see her hull, we
were so low in the water, that unless those on board were keeping a
bright look-out, they might easily pass us.

"What do you think, Timbo?  Shall we get up with her?" asked Stanley.

"Not quite sure, massa.  If dey look dis way, den dey see us; but if dey
not look dis way, den dey pass to westward one mile or perhaps two
mile."

At length Jack Handspike gave a loud shout.  The schooner was coming up
to the wind.  Her foretopsail was thrown aback, and she lay hove-to.
"We are seen!  We are seen!" we exclaimed, one after the other.
Presently a boat was lowered; she came gliding over the water towards
us.  As she approached we saw that she had a crew of dark, swarthy men,
evidently not English.  They hailed us in a foreign language.  Senhor
Silva replied, and a short conversation ensued.

"They are my countrymen," he said, for he spoke English well.  "The
schooner is, I understand, a Portuguese man-of-war, and you will be
kindly treated on board."

"We are indeed fortunate," said Stanley.

"Oh! say rather that God has been very merciful to us," said Kate,
looking out towards the beautiful vessel which rose and fell on the fast
increasing seas at no great distance from us.

"The officer desires to know whether you would like to be towed on board
or would prefer getting into the boat," said Senhor Silva.

I was naturally anxious to preserve the raft, and begged that we might
be towed; but Stanley requested that his sisters and the boys, at all
events, should be taken into the boat.  Senhor Silva joined them.  We
now proceeded rapidly towards the vessel.  I saw Timbo and Jack eyeing
her narrowly.

"She seems to be a fine man-of-war schooner," I observed, "and a craft
of which the slavers must have no little dread.  We thought the _Osprey_
a clipper, but yonder schooner, I suspect, could easily have walked
round her."

"Not know 'xactly," observed Timbo.  "She may be man-of-war schooner,
but she very like some slavers I have seen."

"Senhor Silva surely must know," I observed, "and he told us positively
that she was a man-of-war."

When we got near the schooner the boat cast-off, Senhor Silva saying
that he would go on board, and send her back for us.

"I wish I had gone with them," observed Stanley on hearing this.  "I do
not like their appearing on board a strange vessel without David or me
to protect them."

"Oh, but Leo will do that," said David.  "He is quite escort enough for
them till we can get alongside."

As we approached still nearer the schooner we hauled down our sail.  In
a short time the boat returned and towed us alongside.  The crew of the
stranger were looking out eagerly at us over the bulwarks, and ropes
were now thrown to assist us in getting on deck.  An officer stood at
the gangway and politely welcomed Stanley, Senhor Silva who stood by
interpreting for him.  Kate was seated on a chair, with Bella by her
side.

"Oh, they are very kind and polite," she said to her brother as soon as
he went up to her.  "This is indeed a fine man-of-war."

She was certainly a remarkably fine vessel, and I saw that she mounted
six broadside guns and a long gun forward; but as I had not been on
board many English men-of-war, and never any foreigners, I was not well
able to judge of her.  She had a numerous crew, of every colour and
shade, from the fair European down to the dark tint of the darkest
African.  Our stores and the various articles we brought on the raft
were now hoisted on board, and the structure which had cost us so much
pains to build was cast adrift.  The officers, I observed, all wore
jackets and straw caps, which I fancied was not usual for officers of
men-of-war; but probably on account of the heat of the climate the usual
custom was departed from.  Senhor Silva and the captain of the schooner
were walking up and down the deck conversing eagerly.  At length Senhor
Silva stopped as he was passing me, and said, "I have found an old
friend in the captain of the _Andorinha_ (the _Sea Swallow_), and we are
happy to meet each other again.  He begs that you and our other friends
will consider yourselves as welcome and honoured guests on board.  I
have told him that we have lost sight of the other raft, and he promises
to keep a look-out for her.  He has already given directions to have
cabins prepared for you, and begs that you will make yourself as
thoroughly at home as possible."

This was indeed satisfactory news.  Timbo, Jack, and Ramaon were sent
forward, where they were well received by the crew; for although Jack
could not make himself understood, nor understand what was said, Ramaon
was always ready to interpret for him.  The wind, which had been for
some time increasing, now blew half a gale, and we had great reason to
be thankful that we had got on board so fine a craft.  The captain
insisted on giving up his cabin to Kate and Bella, and Stanley and David
had another prepared close to them, while a third was devoted to the
accommodation of Senhor Silva and I, the two boys being placed in
another rather more forward.  Not only were we comfortably accommodated,
but a handsome dinner was, soon after we got on board, placed on the
table.  The captain announced himself as Senhor Marques da Costa.  He
was very polite, and a good-looking man, though somewhat dark even for a
Portuguese.  This, I concluded, arose from having been a long time on
the coast.  He understood but little English, so we had to carry on our
conversation chiefly through our friend Senhor Silva.  He, however,
never seemed tired of interpreting for us.  When the captain heard that
we wished to proceed to the Cape, he expressed his regret that his
duties required him to remain on the coast.  He could not, he said,
indeed promise to land us, for some little time, at Loando, but he
begged to assure us that we were heartily welcome on board.  Several of
the officers sang very well, and after dinner guitars were produced, and
they sang numbers of their national songs: somewhat die-away sort of
melodies I thought them, but Kate said they were very pretty, and
expressed a wish to learn the guitar.  Directly one of the officers
undertook to instruct her, and presented her with a handsome instrument,
which he said he hoped she would keep in remembrance of her visit to the
_Andorinha_.  The time thus passed very pleasantly on board.  Still
having some doubts from what Timbo had said about the vessel, I asked
Jack, whom I met the next morning, what he thought of her.

"Well, sir," he answered, "the people seem a free-and-easy set, rather
fond of gambling--but that's the way with these foreigners; and most of
them wear long ugly knives stuck in their belts, which is not the
fashion with English seamen; but these Portuguese are odd fellows, and
that is how I accounts for it."

With Timbo I had no opportunity for some time of speaking.  Next morning
I saw that the Portuguese flag was flying from the schooner's peak,
while a pennant waved from her mast-head.  Certainly the officers did
their best to amuse their fair guests and us.  Next day, after dinner,
some of the men were called aft to dance their national dances, but I
can't say much for them.  I saw that one or two of the men were always
aloft on the look-out, and while the crew were engaged as I have before
described, one of the look-outs gave a shout from aloft, and presently
two of the officers went up the rigging with glasses at their backs.  I
saw them looking eagerly to the southward.  Presently they returned on
deck and reported their observations to the captain.  The breeze, which
had before been fresh, had by degrees been falling, and now failing us
altogether, the schooner lay becalmed with her sails flapping against
the masts.  From this I concluded that a sail had been sighted--a slaver
possibly.  The officers continued talking together, while one of them,
who had gone aloft, remained there, his eye constantly fixed in the
direction in which I supposed he had seen the stranger.  I was about to
go aloft with my spy-glass, when Senhor Silva came on deck.

"The captain says that passengers going up the rigging will interfere
with the duty of the ship," he observed; "you must remain on deck."

I thought this was very odd, but of course obeyed.  The schooner lay
without moving on the calm ocean.  Some time passed.  The officers
continued pacing the deck, looking even more anxious, I fancied, than
before.  At length, as I swept the horizon with my telescope, I observed
a white sail rising above it.  I looked again, and made out the royals
and part of the topgallant-sails of a square-rigged vessel.  I shut up
my glass quickly, however, as I saw the captain looking somewhat angrily
towards me.

"You had better go below," said Senhor Silva, coming up to me.  "Ask no
questions, and do not say what you have seen.  It will be better for you
to do as I advise, and before long I will explain matters to you."

As I had no inclination to go below, I begged to be excused doing so;
indeed, I was anxious to learn the character of the stranger, and to
observe what was going forward.

"Well, do as you like," said Senhor Silva; "but I tell you your presence
on deck may possibly annoy our friends."

The stranger approached rapidly, bringing up the breeze with her.
Presently the captain issued some orders to his crew, and a number of
them went aloft with buckets of water, with which they drenched the
upper sails.  In a short time some cat's-paws began to play over the
ocean, our royals swelled out to the breeze, and the helm being put up,
we stood away to the northward.  Still the vessel in the south-west,
having far more wind, quickly overhauled us.  Our lower sails were now
wetted, and every inch of canvas the schooner could carry was packed on
her.  I soon discovered that, instead of pursuing, we were pursued by
the stranger.  This, if the schooner we were aboard was a man-of-war,
seemed unaccountable.  Portugal was at peace, so I fancied, with all the
world; besides which, the stranger did not appear very much larger than
the schooner--a craft which, if she was of the character Senhor Silva
had asserted, was not likely to run away.  In a short time I made out
the stranger to be a brig with taunt masts and square yards--remarkably
like a man-of-war.  As she drew nearer I saw, to my astonishment, the
glorious old flag of England waving from her peak.  I looked and looked
again.  I could not be mistaken.  The schooner, now beginning to feel
the wind, made rapid way through the water; which, stirred up into
wavelets, hissed and bubbled under her bows as her stem clove a passage
through it.  Faster and faster we went, as the breeze, which had now
overtaken us, increased, and, filling our sails, made the yards and
masts crack and crack again.  The countenances of the officers, as they
saw the speed at which we were going, brightened considerably, and I saw
them smiling as they gazed astern at our pursuer.  Presently a puff of
smoke issued from the bows of the brig, and the sound of a gun was heard
across the ocean.  Another and another followed.  The Portuguese only
laughed, and made mocking gestures towards the brig.  I was glad that
Kate and her brothers were below, for they naturally would have been
anxious at seeing what was going forward.  The _Andorinha_ was
undoubtedly a fast craft, and there seemed little probability, if the
breeze continued, of the brig overhauling us.  That she was a British
man-of-war, I had no longer any doubt.  What then could be the schooner?
It was now late in the day, and I saw that there was every probability
of her escaping.  Still, unless she was a slaver, I could not account
for the anxiety of her crew to avoid communication with the British
man-of-war.  The Portuguese crew made every effort to keep ahead, by
throwing water on the sails as soon as they dried.  Sails were also
rigged close down to the water on either side, and several of the crew
went below with shot, which they slung in hammocks in the hold, under
the idea, I believe, that their weight, as the vessel pitched into the
seas, would urge her forward.  Two of the officers were at the helm
steering her, every now and then exchanging remarks as to the best
course to be pursued.  The brig, I saw, was also doing her utmost to
come up with us, and had also rigged out studdingsails on either side,
with lighter sails above the royals, often called sky-scrapers, as well
as sails hanging from the lower studding-sail booms.  The Portuguese
colours were flying at the peak of the schooner, but I observed that the
pennants had been hauled down.  Again the brig fired, but without any
other effect than making the captain utter a low scornful laugh, and
drawing from the crew gestures of contempt.  When I first saw the brig I
had hopes that we should be able to get aboard her; for, polite as
Senhor Silva and the Portuguese captain were, I could not help wishing,
for my fair cousins' sakes at all events, that we were in better
company.

Night was drawing on.  It threatened to be dark, for there was no moon,
and I saw the mist rising which so often hangs over the water in those
latitudes, near the coast.  Still, astern I could distinguish the brig
standing on in our wake with all the sail she had hitherto carried, in
spite of the still increasing breeze.  The Portuguese captain and his
officers stood carefully watching their spars strained to the utmost by
the almost cracking canvas, every now and then glancing astern at their
pursuer.  I kept my eye fixed on her.  Now it seemed to _me_ that she
was again coming up with us.  My hopes revived that she would bring the
schooner to, and settle the doubts as to her character.  As I was
looking at her, I saw what looked like a vast cloud floating away from
her mast-head.  Some of the Portuguese saw it too, and cheered loudly.
Her topgallant-sails, if not her topsails, had been blown away, probably
with their respective masts; but the thickening gloom prevented us
seeing the exact nature of the damage she had received.  The Portuguese
no longer feared being overtaken, but still they continued standing on
as before.  A few minutes afterwards we altogether lost sight of the
brig.  The mist, as I expected, came on, and at length the steward
announcing supper, being very hungry, I went below to partake of it.
The Portuguese captain and Senhor Silva were in very good spirits, and
courteous as usual.  I had said nothing about the brig, and was about to
mention her appearance when Senhor Silva stopped me.

"There is no use talking about that matter, Mr Crawford," he observed.
"The young ladies will not be interested by it, and--you understand me--
I will explain matters by-and-by."

Of course after this I said nothing, and we all parted, when we retired
to our berths, very good friends.  The next day no sail was in sight.
My cousins were on deck, and the officers treated them with the same
attention as at first.  With Timbo I had not exchanged words, but I got
an opportunity at last of speaking to Jack Handspike without being
observed.  I asked him if he had seen the man-of-war brig, and what he
thought of the matter.

"Yes, I did see her, and a rum thing I thought it for another man-of-war
of a friendly nation to run away from her.  To tell you the truth, Mr
Crawford, I have a notion that this here craft--"

What he was going to say I could not tell, for at that moment one of the
Portuguese officers passing, took my arm, and led me to where Senhor
Silva was standing.

"Our friends do not like to see you talking to your people," he observed
in an undertone.  "Remember they do not know who we are, and they have
some suspicion as to our character."

I thought the excuse a poor one, but yet was unwilling to give any
offence, and therefore refrained from again addressing either Jack or
the black.

For two days the schooner continued out of sight of land; but the third
morning when I came on deck I found that she had been headed in towards
it, and as soon as the sea-breeze commenced she ran in under all sail
towards the mouth of a river which opened out ahead of us.  On either
side were dense woods of mangroves, appearing to grow directly out of
the water, while on our starboard hand was a glittering sandbank, and
stretching across the river appeared a line of white breakers, which I
fancied must completely bar our ingress.  David came on deck at that
moment.  I pointed them out to him.  "Surely we cannot be going in
there?" he said.  Just then Senhor Silva came up to us and said the
captain begged that we and all idlers would go below, as we were about
to cross the bar, and that as occasionally the seas broke on board in so
doing, it might be dangerous to remain on deck.  We could but obey.
What could take us into the river?  I wondered.  Presently I felt the
vessel rise to a sea, then she pitched into it, then rose again, and in
a few minutes she was gliding on in smooth water.  I thought we must be
inside the river, but again I felt her rise and once more pitch two or
three times, then again she glided on as before.  From this I knew that
we must have passed over two bars, such as are frequently found at the
mouths of the rivers on the west coast of Africa.  "What can the vessel
be about?" said David.  I could not enlighten him; and at length,
wishing to satisfy our curiosity, we made our way on deck.  We were
running up the river, with thick woods on either side.  It had the
appearance of a long lake, for we had already lost sight of the sea,
though I knew by the current in which direction it was.  In a short time
we caught sight of a number of low cottages and sheds standing in a
cleared space at a little distance from the banks.  The crew sprang
aloft and furled sails, and in a few minutes the schooner was brought to
an anchor.  Several canoes now came alongside, and in one of them was a
fat black fellow with a cocked hat and red jacket, and a piece of stuff
which looked very like an old flannel petticoat fastened round his
waist.  The captain bowed very politely to him, as did his officers, and
he returned the salute in the same fashion.  I asked Senhor Silva who he
was?

"Oh, he is King Mungo," he said; "a very important person in these
regions.  The schooner has come here on a diplomatic mission, and though
he is an ugly-looking savage, we must treat him with every respect."

After the first greetings were over the captain ushered King Mungo and
three of his sable attendants, dressed in old nankeen jackets and tarry
trousers, into the cabin.  Kate's astonishment was naturally very great
when she saw them.  His majesty bowed to her with profound respect; and
I saw him afterwards, whenever he had the opportunity, casting glances
of admiration at her.  Senhor Silva accounted to Captain Hyslop, as he
had done to me, for our entering the river.

"If we are to wait any time, I should like to go ashore and see the
nature of the country," said Stanley.  "We shall probably be able to get
a little sport."

Senhor Silva hesitated, and then addressed the Portuguese captain.
"King Mungo declines to guarantee your safety, and without that it would
be madness to go into the interior," he answered.

"But we can keep along the banks of the river, and we may find some
sport there," said Stanley.

Again Senhor Silva brought forward many reasons for this being
inadvisable.  "To say the truth," he added, "as I before explained to
our young friend here, my countrymen do not altogether trust us, and it
would not be wise to offend them."

This answer did not satisfy Stanley, but he made no remark.  Wine and
spirits were now placed on the table.  His majesty, I observed, after
taking a glass or two of the former, applied himself with warm interest
to the latter beverage, which soon produced a visible effect.  His eyes
rolled, and he began to talk away in a thick, husky voice.  Senhor Silva
again whispered a few words to Stanley, who thereon recommended Kate and
Bella to retire to their cabin.  It now appeared to me that the captain
and King Mungo were warmly engaged in bargaining, judging by their
gestures and way of speaking.  The captain pressed more spirits on his
guest.  He would, it seemed, have continued drinking till he was unable
to move, had not one of his attendants whispered in his ear, and at
length snatched the glass out of his hand.  The bargaining now once more
went on, and seemed to be concluded to the satisfaction of both parties.
At length his majesty rose, and supported by his attendants, made his
way on deck, whence he was lowered in no very dignified state into his
canoe.  He was followed on shore by the captain and two of his officers,
and a boat's crew well-armed.  I observed that the schooner's guns were
run over to the side nearest the village, which they thus completely
commanded.  As he was shoving off Stanley begged that he and I might be
allowed to accompany him.  David evidently wished to go, but told me
that he would remain for the protection of his sisters.

"I do not quite like the look of things," he said; "and take care that
you and my brother do not go far from the shore."

I said I would be cautious, and persuade Stanley to follow his advice.
Scarcely had we landed when there appeared, coming through the woods, a
long line of men, women, and children, walking one behind the other.  As
they drew nearer I saw that they were bound together with rough ropes
fastened tightly to their necks by collars.  At intervals at their sides
walked several savage-looking blacks, with muskets on their shoulders
and thick whips in their hands.  There were a dozen or more huts built
of bamboo, the walls and roofs covered with the leaves of the palm-tree.
Some were of good size, from twenty to fifty feet in length, and of
considerable breadth.  At the further end of the village was another,
three or four times the size of the largest.  Stanley and I made our way
towards it, but the disagreeable odour which proceeded from it as we
approached almost drove us back.  We persevered, however, and on looking
through the door our indignation was excited to find that it was full of
human beings--a dense mass, packed almost as closely as they could
exist.  They were sitting down in rows, and on a nearer examination we
discovered, to our horror, that they were secured to long bars which ran
across the building.  Below were rough benches on which they might sit,
but they could only move a foot or two to the right hand or the left.
There were men, women, and children.  Many of the poor little creatures
were crying bitterly, while their mothers were moaning and weeping, as
they tried to comfort them.  Some of the men were trying to sing, as if
to show indifference to their sufferings, but the greater number sat
supporting their heads on their knees, with looks expressive of despair.
Outside were several savage-looking negroes armed with muskets, who
every now and then took glances through openings in the side into the
interior, to observe, apparently, if any of the prisoners were trying to
escape.

"Why, these poor beings must be slaves; and, Andrew, the schooner must
be a slaver," exclaimed my cousin.

"There is no doubt about the matter," I answered.  "I have for some time
suspected it; nay, I was almost certain of the fact when she ran away
from the English man-of-war.  What do you advise, Stanley?"

"That we leave her immediately," he answered.

"But where are we to go?"  I asked.

"Anywhere, rather than remain on board so abominable a craft," he
replied.

"That may be very difficult, if not impossible," I remarked.  "We cannot
leave her in this place, and I am afraid that the captain would not
venture near any English settlement to land us."

"We must try him, however," he said.  "We must bribe him.  I would pay
any amount I can command to be quit of her."

We agreed to keep Kate in ignorance as long as possible.  Just then two
white men appeared on horseback, swarthy, ill-looking fellows, one tall
and thin, and the other short and paunchy, both dressed alike in
wide-brimmed straw hats and nankeen jackets and trousers.  We found that
they were the principal slave-dealers on the coast, having, as we
afterwards discovered, several barracoons at numerous other stations,
and parties constantly engaged in capturing and purchasing slaves.  The
party of slaves who had just arrived were made to halt, and sit down on
the ground under the shade of the barracoons.  After this several men
opened the front of the building, and led out the slaves, linking them
together as the others had been.  In this state they were marched down
to the water's edge, where two dozen or more large canoes had collected.
As soon as these were filled they pulled away towards the schooner.  I
counted the blacks as they passed, and at least two hundred human
beings, including several small children, were carried on board the
vessel.  The captain of the slaver touched me on the shoulder and
pointed to the boat, signifying that we were to return on board.  We of
course obeyed--indeed, what else could we do!--though we intended to beg
Senhor Silva to request him to land us at the nearest European
settlement, either Portuguese or French, if he would not take us to an
English one, which, of course, we could scarcely expect him to do.

As soon as we reached the vessel the anchor was hove up, and, towed by
several boats and canoes, she proceeded down towards the bar.  We found
our friends in great agitation on board on discovering the character of
the vessel.  Kate was almost in tears.

"Poor creatures!  Where are they going to carry them to in that dark
hold?  Why, there is scarcely room I should think for one hundred,
instead of the number who have been placed below."

"They are but a small portion, I fear, of his intended cargo," I
answered.  "From what I have heard, many more than those who have
already been brought on board will be stowed away.  A large vessel like
this will carry between five and six hundred human beings.  I trust,
however, that the captain is more humane, and will be content with those
he has already obtained."

"I wish we could manage to let them go again," said Leo.  "What right
have people to carry off their fellow-creatures, even though they are
blacks.  I am sure they did not come willingly, for I saw many of them
crying, and refusing, till they were beaten, to go down into the hold."

"If you could think of a plan, I would help you," said Natty.  "I wish
we could manage to restore them to their friends and to their native
villages."

I was pleased to see this feeling in the boys, although it was hopeless;
for, unless captured by a cruiser, the poor blacks were not likely ever
again to visit their native land, or to set foot on shore until they had
reached the coast of Brazil.  I had seen something of the slave-trade on
my former visits to Africa, and was well acquainted with the whole
system.

When crossing the bar, we were all as before ordered below.  The wind
was blowing off the land, and with a strong breeze we dashed through the
breakers.  I felt by the way the vessel pitched that they were of some
height, and I confess I was glad when at length I found that she was
well outside, and once more gliding through the waters of the Atlantic.
Stanley now addressed Senhor Silva, and begged him to urge the captain
to land us at the nearest European settlement.

"I will do what I can," was the answer; "but I am sorry to tell you
that, as we have all now been let into too many of his secrets, he
purposes carrying us across to the Brazils."

This information made Stanley _very_ indignant.

"My friend," said Senhor Silva, "there is no use exhibiting any anger;
but if you will leave matters in my hands I will do the best I can for
you."

I can scarcely describe the horror and annoyance we all felt on finding
out the character of the vessel we were on board.  During all hours of
the day and night, but especially at night, the cries and groans of the
unfortunate slaves reached our ears.  Once my curiosity induced me to
look into the hold, but the horrible odour which proceeded from it, and
the sight of those upturned faces, expressive of suffering and despair,
prevented me ever again desiring to witness the sight.

Once more we were close in with the land.  Senhor Silva came to us in
the cabin.  "I am glad to say that I have made arrangements with the
captain to land you," he said.  "There is another barracoon near this,
from whence more slaves are to be brought off, and if you wish at once
to go on shore you can be conveyed there.  A heavy surf is however
setting on the beach, and I am afraid that there is some risk.  It is a
wild place, too, and you will probably have many hardships to endure
before you can reach any European settlement."

"Oh, we would go through anything, so as to get out of this vessel!"
exclaimed Kate.  The same sentiment was echoed by the rest of us.

"I fully sympathise with you," said Senhor Silva, "and will inform the
captain of your determination.  I will lose no time, lest he should
change his mind.  He knows that I hate this traffic in which he is
engaged as much as you do."

We at once prepared to quit the slaver, and on going on deck found the
boat alongside.  The captain and his officers were collected at the
gangway to bid us farewell, but we could with difficulty restrain our
feelings of abhorrence in spite of the politeness with which they
treated us.  Notwithstanding the unprepossessing appearance of the
shore, we thankfully hurried into the boat.  Timbo and Jack followed us.
Ramaon stood on the deck.  His master called to him.  He replied in
Portuguese.

"The scoundrel!" said Senhor Silva.  "He has been tempted to turn
slaver, and tells me he has entered aboard the vessel as a seaman.  I am
well rid of him then."

I was glad to hear these expressions from our friend, because I was
afraid, from his intimacy with the slave captain, that he himself was
engaged in the traffic.  The slaver remained hove-to while we pulled
towards the shore.  As I saw the heavy surf breaking ahead of us, I felt
great anxiety for what might occur.  The boat, however, was a large one,
and the coxswain was an old seaman, who seemed calm and collected as he
stood up and surveyed the breakers through which we had to pass.  The
crew kept their eyes fixed on him as they pulled on.  Now we rose to the
summit of a sea; now they stopped rowing; now again they urged the boat
forward, bending to their oars with might and main.  On we dashed.  The
waters foamed on either side.  A huge sea came rolling up astern.  Once
more we stopped and allowed it to break ahead of us.  Again the helmsman
urged the crew to pull away.  We dashed on, and the next instant rushed
up on the sandy shore.  Some twenty or more blacks were there to receive
us, and dashing into the water, they seized the boat and dragged her up,
and before another sea broke we were high up on the beach.  The crew
assisted us to run forward, Stanley helping Kate, while David took
little Bella in his arms, and sprang over the bows on to the sand.  The
rest of us followed, Jack catching hold of Natty and Timbo of Leo, and
carrying them up out of reach of the water.  I saw Senhor Silva putting
some money into the hands of the coxswain.  "Now," he said, "we are on
shore, we must consult what is next to be done."  Our clothing, and the
small amount of articles we had saved from the wreck, together with
numerous packages brought by Senhor Silva, were next handed out and
piled together high up on the beach.  A little way off we saw a few huts
and a large barracoon, similar to those on the banks of the river from
which the slaves had been embarked.  On the shore were hauled up a
number of canoes.  Scarcely had we landed when a troop of slaves were
seen issuing from the barracoon, and led by their captors down to the
beach.  Several were put on board the boat, which at once shoved off and
pulled for the schooner.  The canoes were now launched, and in each a
dozen or more negroes were embarked.  The boat passed through the surf
in safety; then one canoe followed, then another.  The third had
scarcely left the shore when a huge sea came rolling in.  We trembled
for the unhappy beings on board.  Those who were paddling her must have
seen their danger; but their only hope of escape was to paddle on.  It
was vain, however.  The sea struck her, and in an instant over she went,
and all those on board were thrown into the raging surf.  The crew,
accustomed to the water, struck out for their lives, swimming to the
nearest canoe ahead; but the unfortunate slaves, unable to swim, were
quickly engulfed.  Some cried out for help; but others sank without a
struggle, perhaps glad thus to terminate their miseries.  Out of all
those on board the canoe, which must have contained some twenty human
beings, only three or four escaped.  One reached the shore; the others
were taken on board by the canoes ahead.  Notwithstanding this the
remainder shoved off, and passing through the surf, put their cargoes on
board.  They then returned, and the schooner, letting draw her head
sheets, stood out to sea.



CHAPTER FOUR.

OUR JOURNEY INLAND.

We sat on the shore under the shade of some tall trees on the outskirts
of the forest, which came down in an apparently impenetrable mass nearly
to the coast.  Our eyes were turned towards the slave-schooner, which
now, under all sail, was standing on, with her freight of living
merchandise, at a distance from the shore.  We were thankful to be out
of her; yet our position was a trying one.  We could not tell what
dangers and difficulties were before us.  In front was the dark rolling
sea, which broke in masses of foam at our feet; behind us was the thick
forest, through which on one hand a creek had forced its way into the
ocean, though its mouth was impassable for boats on account of a
sandbank which ran across it; while on the other side was a clear space,
in which stood the barracoons and huts of the native slave-dealers.  The
blacks had taken little notice of us, leaving us to our own devices,
probably, till we might be compelled to appeal to them for assistance.
Close to us were piled up the articles we had saved from the wreck, as
well as others which Senhor Silva had purchased from the captain for his
own and our use.

We had been silent for some minutes.  "What is to be done, Stanley?"
said David at length.  "Are we to proceed to the north, or south; and
how are we to travel?  We cannot carry all those things, that is
certain."

"It must depend on whereabouts we are, the direction in which we
proceed," answered Stanley.  "The slave captain took good care to keep
us in the dark as to that point; but perhaps Senhor Silva can inform
us."

"Indeed, my friend, I am sorry to say I cannot," said the Portuguese.
"It is only now that I breathe freely, and can assure you that although
I appeared on friendly terms with the captain of yonder vessel, I hate
the work in which he is engaged as much as you do; and though by a heavy
bribe I induced him to land us, he would not tell me where he purposed
putting us on shore, lest we might reach some settlement, and give
notice of his being on the coast before he can leave it altogether for
South America.  Though he has already four hundred slaves on board, he
will probably, if he can find them, take two or three hundred more
before he considers he has his full cargo."

"Dreadful!" exclaimed Kate.  "I would rather go through any dangers on
shore than have remained longer on board that terrible vessel."

"So would I," said Bella.  "I fancy I still hear the cries of those poor
little black children."  Timbo and Jack shook their fists at the vessel.

"Oh yes; Natty and I often talked of how we could set them free!"
exclaimed Leo; "and only wished that the English man-of-war would come
and catch them.  If I become a sailor, I would rather be engaged in
hunting slavers and liberating the poor blacks than in fighting
Frenchmen, or any other enemies."

"One thing I would advise is, that we leave this coast and proceed to
the highlands in the interior," observed Senhor Silva.  "You saw that
range of blue mountains as we approached the shore, though they are now
hidden by the trees?  They form the Serra do Crystal.  They are but
thinly inhabited, and though travelling along them will be rougher work
than on the plains, yet we shall enjoy fresh breezes and a more healthy
climate than down below."

"To the mountains, then, in the first place let us proceed," said
Stanley, springing to his feet.  "After that we can decide which way to
take; but, for my own part, I should prefer moving towards the south.
We shall be going homewards, and may be better able to send a message to
our friends at the Cape.  It is a long distance, but we shall, no doubt,
hear from them if we have patience, and, in the meantime, maintain
ourselves in the most healthy region we can find.  There is, at all
events, no lack of game, and we shall probably be able to obtain fruit
and vegetables sufficient for our wants."

"An excellent plan!" exclaimed David.  "We shall thus be able to add
largely to our knowledge of natural history; and if Kate and Bella do
not object to live a savage life for so many months, I think we can make
our stay not only satisfactory, but in many respects delightful."

"I am glad to do whatever you wish, my brothers," said Kate; "and I
think I shall enjoy the life you propose very much.  I wish I had a few
more books to teach Bella from; but we must make the most of those we
have: and I will undertake to cook for you and tend the house, for I
suppose you do not intend living out in the woods all the time?"

"Oh no, no," said David.  "Wherever we settle to remain we must at once
build a house, where you and Bella can live in comfort, and where we can
stow our stores and collections of natural history."

Of course I agreed to my cousin's plan; and, indeed, I thought it, under
all circumstances, the most advisable.  Even should we reach one of the
Portuguese settlements, we might not be able to find a vessel to carry
us to the Cape; besides which, they are mostly unhealthy, and it would
be far better travelling along the mountains than having to spend any
length of time at one of them.  I was afraid, however, that Senhor Silva
would not so readily agree to this plan, as he might be anxious to reach
Loando.  I was relieved when I heard him say--

"Well, my friends, I approve of your proposal; but we must not wait here
an hour longer than is necessary.  At night we shall find unhealthy
vapours rise from yonder river, and the sooner, therefore, we get away
from its banks the better."

"But we have no horses or waggons to carry our goods," I observed,
looking at the pile of property before me.  "Even if each of us were to
take a heavy package, we could not carry it."

"I will see to that," said Senhor Silva.  "I think I can secure the
services of some of those negroes, although they may not be willing to
venture far into the country.  Mr Crawford, will you come with me, and
we will see what can be done?"

I started up with my gun in my hand, for I did not like the appearance
of the black savages.  I remembered the way the poor crew of the
_Osprey_ had been treated, and thought it possible, if we were taken
unawares, that we might meet the same fate.

"The case is very different here," said Senhor Silva in reply to my
remark as we walked along.  "Those poor men fell victims to the
treachery not so much of the blacks, as of some of the white slavers who
had but a short time before curried off a number of their kindred and
friends.  I heard the story on board the schooner.  They had enticed
them down to the coast on pretence of trading, and then surrounding
them, had captured some forty or fifty of their number, and carried them
off on board their ship.  Those who had escaped, very naturally vowed
vengeance against the first white men they might meet, of course not
distinguishing between English and Portuguese.  Thus the unfortunate
crew of the brig became their victims.  They would, had we landed before
they had had time to ask questions, very probably have put us all to
death.  We have had, indeed, a providential escape."

We found that the slave-dealers and most of their followers had already
taken their departure--probably to avoid rendering us any assistance.
They had only come down to the coast to embark their captives, and had
gone back again, my companion supposed, to obtain a fresh supply.  We
found, however, about a dozen men, who came out when Senhor Silva called
them in their own language.  When he assured them that we were friends,
and that we would treat them honestly, they agreed, without hesitation,
to act as our bearers as far as the Crystal Mountains.  Beyond them they
declined going, saying that they had enemies on the other side who would
certainly, if they found them, kill them, or carry them off as slaves,
or, they added, "very likely eat us, for they are terrible cannibals."
As soon as the arrangement was made, they all came leaping and hooting
and rushing against each other, like a set of school-boys unexpectedly
let loose for a half holiday, or a party of sailors on shore after a
long cruise.

While the blacks were arranging our property into fit packages for
carrying, the two boys and I accompanied David to the mouth of the
river, which, as I said, was lined with mangrove bushes, a ledge of
rocks which ran out some way enabling us to get a view up the stream.
We had thus an opportunity of examining those curious trees.
Innumerable roots rose out of the water, lifting the trunk far above it,
and from its upper part shot off numerous branches with bright green
foliage, which grew in radiated tufts at their ends.  Many of them were
bespangled with large gaily-coloured flowers, giving them a far more
attractive appearance than could be supposed, considering the dark,
slimy mud out of which they grew.  From the branches and trunk, again,
hung down numberless pendulous roots, which had struck into the ground,
of all thicknesses--some mere thin ropes, others the size of a man's
leg--thus appearing as if the tree was supported by artificial poles
stuck into the ground.  David told me that the seeds germinate on the
branches, when, having gained a considerable length, they fall down into
the soft mud, burying themselves by means of their sharp points, and
soon taking root, spring upwards again towards the parent tree.  Thus
the mangrove forms an almost impenetrable barrier along the banks of the
rivers.  On the other side of the stream, indeed, we saw that they had
advanced a considerable distance into the ocean, their mighty roots
being able to stem even the waves of the Atlantic.  Near where we stood
the ground was rather more open, and we saw the black mud covered with
numberless marine animals, sea-urchins, _holothuria_, or sea-slugs,
crabs, and several other creatures, many of brilliant hues, which
contrasted curiously with the dark mud over which they were crawling.
The roots of the trees were also covered with mussels, oysters, and
other Crustacea.  But the most curious creature was a small fish which I
had before seen, called by sailors Jumping Johnny.  David called him a
close-eyed gudgeon (_periophthalmus_).  He was of the oddest shape, and
went jumping about sometimes like a frog, and sometimes gliding in an
awkward manner over the mud.  We were watching one of them when Leo
cried out, "Why, the fish is climbing the tree--see, see!"  And so in
reality he was, working his way up by means of his pectoral fins, David
supposed in search of some of the minute Crustacea which clung to the
roots.  Jumping Johnny, having eaten as much as he could swallow, or
slipping off by accident, fell back into the mud, when we saw issuing
sideways from under the roots a huge crab.  David said he was of the
_Grapsus_ family.  Suddenly he gave a spring, and seized the unfortunate
Johnny in his vice-like gripe, and instantly began to make his dinner
off the incautious fish, who, as Leo said, would have been wiser if he
had kept in the water, and not attempted to imitate the habits of a
terrestrial animal.

As we looked up the stream we saw numerous birds feeding along the
banks.  Among them were tall flamingoes, rose-coloured spoonbills,
snow-white egrets, and countless other water-fowl.

"I am glad we have been able to witness this scene here," said David,
"where we can benefit by the sea-breeze; for such deadly miasmas rise
from these mangrove swamps, that the further we keep off from them the
better."

While we were watching we saw a canoe, paddled by half a dozen blacks,
dart out from the mouth of a creek which had been concealed by the thick
trees.  We drew back, not knowing whether the people in the canoes might
prove friends or foes.  Another followed at a little distance, and
proceeded up the stream.  They were impelled by paddles with broad
blades; and the sound of voices reached our ears as if they were
singing.

"I do not think they can be enemies, or they would not be so merry,"
said Natty.

"I hope not," I observed.

"If we could stop them we might hire their canoes to convey us up the
river."

"It might be dangerous to do so," said David, "on two accounts: they
might prove treacherous, and the miasmas rising from the stream might
also possibly give some of us fever.  I think we had better let them go
on their way, and proceed as Senhor Silva proposed."

Returning, we found the party ready to start.  We told Senhor Silva
about the canoes.

"I think you did wisely to let them go," he remarked.  "Unless we were
under the protection of their chief man, or king, as he is called, we
could not tell how they might behave.  We must use great caution in our
intercourse with these people.  When we have shown them that we are
friends, and desire to do them all the good in our power, we, I hope,
shall find them faithful; but they have become so debased by their
intercourse with the white people, and especially, I am sorry to say,
with my countrymen, who often deal treacherously with them, that they
cannot be depended on.  They in return, as might naturally be supposed,
cheat and deceive the whites in every way."

Our path first led through the forest near the banks of the river, of
which we occasionally got glimpses.  It was here of considerable width,
bordered by mangrove bushes.  In one or two places there were wide flats
covered with reeds.  Suddenly, as we passed a point of the river, I saw
drawn up what had much the appearance, at the first glance, of a
regiment of soldiers, with red coats and white trousers.

"Why, where can those men have come from?"  I cried out.

David, who was near me, burst into a laugh, in which his sisters and the
boys joined.  "Why, Andrew, those are birds," he answered.  "A regiment,
true enough, but of flamingoes; and see! they are in line, and will
quickly march away as we approach."

A second glance showed me that he was right; and a very curious
appearance they had.

"See! there is the sentinel."

As he spoke, one of the birds nearest to us issued a sound like that of
a trumpet, which was taken up by the remainder; and the whole troop,
expanding their flaming wings, rose with loud clamours into the air,
flying up the stream.  We went on, and cutting off a bend in the river,
again met it; and here our bearers declared that they must stop and
rest.  We accordingly encamped, though Senhor Silva warned us that we
must remain but a short time, as we wished to reach some higher ground
before dark.  A fire was lighted for cooking; and while our meal was
preparing, David and I, with the two boys, went down nearer the banks to
see what was to be seen.  We observed on the marshy ground a little way
off a high mound, and creeping along, that we might not disturb the
numerous birds which covered the banks or sat on the trees around, we
caught sight of another mound, with a flamingo seated on the top of it,
her long legs, instead of being tucked up as those of most birds would
have been, literally astraddle on it.

"That is one of their nests," whispered David.  "The bird is a hen
sitting on her eggs.  Depend upon it, the troop is not far off.  See,
see! there are many others along the banks.  What a funny appearance
they have."

Presently a flash of red appeared in the blue sky, and looking up, we
saw what might be described as a great fiery triangle in the air
sweeping down towards us.  On it came, greatly diminishing its rate, and
we then saw that it was composed of flamingoes.  They hovered for a
moment, then flew round and round, following one another, and gradually
approached the marsh, on which they alighted.  Immediately they arranged
themselves as we had before seen them, in long lines, when several
marched off on either side to act as sentinels, while the rest commenced
fishing.  We could see them arching their necks and digging their long
bills into the ground, while they stirred up the mud with their webbed
feet, in order to procure, as David told us, the water-insects on which
they subsist.  They, however, were not the only visitors to the river.
The tide was low, and on every mud-bank or exposed spot countless
numbers of birds were collected--numerous kinds of gulls, herons, and
long-legged cranes--besides which, on the trees were perched thousands
of white birds, looking at a distance like shining white flowers.  They
were the _egretta flavirostris_.  Vast flocks of huge pelicans were
swimming along the stream, dipping their enormous bills into the water,
and each time bringing up a fish.  They have enormous pouches, capable
of containing many pounds of their finny prey.

"Could we kill one or two we should get a good supply of fish for
supper," said David; "for the pelican stows them away in his pouch,
where they remain not only undigested, but perfectly fresh, and not till
it is full does he commence his meal.  However, as we have no canoe,
even were we to kill one we could not get him."

While we were looking on, a huge bird, descending from the sky, it
seemed, pounced down into the water, quickly rising again with a large
fish in his mouth.

"Ah, that fellow is the fishing-eagle of Africa--the _Halicetus
vocifer_" said David.  "His piercing eye observed his prey when he was
yet far up in the air.  See how like a meteor he descended on it!  Now
he flies away to yonder rock; and there, see! he has begun to tear his
fish to pieces.  How quickly he has finished it--and listen to that
curious shriek he is uttering, and how oddly he moves his head and neck.
It is answered from those other rocks.  The birds are calling to each
other, and from this the fishing-eagle has gained his name of _vocifer_"
Leo was for shouting and making them fly off.  "No, no; let them feed,"
said David.  "We have frightened the flamingo once; and how would you
like to be disturbed in your dinner?  We must get Kate to come and look
at them."

While we were watching the birds, an enormous head emerged from the
water at a short distance from us.  Leo and Natty, who were a little in
front, started back, Leo exclaiming, "What can it be?  What a terrific
monster!"  A huge body rising after the head, the creature swam slowly
up the stream.

"Why, that must be a hippopotamus," observed David, watching the
creature in his usual calm way.

"It looks to me the size of an elephant," exclaimed Leo.  "Run, run,
run!  If he were to attack us he would swallow us up in a mouthful."

"I do not think it has even noticed us," said David.  "It will be time
enough to run when the creature lands.  See! there is another."

As he spoke, a second and then a third hippopotamus appeared, following
the first.  The creatures, indeed, had truly terrific countenances;
their backs in the water looking, as Leo had declared, nearly as large
as those of elephants.

"But see, there are some other creatures nearer!" cried Natty.  "Oh,
what are they?  What fearful jaws!"

He pointed to the bank close below us, and there we saw, just scrambling
out of the water, three huge crocodiles.  There was no mistaking them.
We knew at once by their long snouts and terrific jaws, their scaly
backs and lizard-like tails, their short legs and savage eyes.  They
seemed in no way afraid of the hippopotami, which they kept watching as
they swam by.

"I little expected to get a sight of these monsters," said David.  "But
see! they take no notice of us, and we need not be afraid of them."

I had my gun, and instinctively levelled at the head of the nearest
hippopotamus.

"Do not fire," said David.  "Even if you were to kill the beast we could
not get him, and it would be cruel to slaughter him without any object
in view.  He intends us no harm; we ought to allow him to enjoy the
existence the Creator has given him."

The hippopotami swam by and dived, and presently we saw them rise to the
surface with a quantity of weeds in their mouths, which they chewed
leisurely as they swam on.  The crocodiles meantime crawled up on the
bank and lay basking in the sun, enjoying its warmth, and looking at
that time, at all events, as if they had no evil intentions.  It was a
curious scene, and gave us an idea of the vast amount of animal life to
be met with in that region.

"I think it would frighten Kate, brave as she is, to see those huge
monsters," said Leo.

"Oh, no," answered David.  "Bella might be somewhat alarmed; but I am
sure Kate would be as much interested as we are in witnessing this
curious sight.  We will get her to come, but warn her beforehand what
she is to expect."

We accordingly hastened back to the camp, but found we had been so long
absent that it was now time to proceed; and the bearers taking up their
loads, we continued our march.  Senhor Silva assured Kate and Bella they
need not be disappointed at missing a sight of the flamingoes, as they
would have many opportunities of seeing troops of those magnificent
birds, which are found in vast numbers throughout that region.

The woods as we proceeded appeared full of life.  Birds flitted among
the boughs, and monkeys of all sorts sprang here and there, chattering
and hooting as we passed.  Soon after this we emerged from the wood and
entered a beautiful prairie--a natural clearing covered with grass or
low shrubs and flowers.  As yet we had fallen in with no inhabitants.
"Oh, but see!" exclaimed Leo.  "There are some huts ahead.  Shall we go
and pay the people a visit?"  The boys ran on.  I thought Senhor Silva
would have called them back, but he allowed them to proceed.  At all
events, he knew that if the huts were inhabited, the people were likely
to prove friendly.  The boys stopped before the seeming huts, and began
to examine them.  We saw them walking round and round, and they then
finally climbed to the top of one of them.  After apparently satisfying
their curiosity, they came back towards us.

"They are not huts," exclaimed Natty, "but curious mounds, three or four
times as high as we are."

"What do you say to those mounds or clay-built domes being the houses of
ants, and built entirely by themselves?" said Senhor Silva.

As we approached we saw a dozen or more such mounds, scattered about at
short distances from each other.  Having got to a secure distance from
the last, two of our bearers put down their loads, and advancing towards
it with the poles they carried, began to attack it with heavy blows,
knocking off one of the small turrets on the side.  Instantly a white
ant was seen to appear through the opening thus made, apparently
surveying the damage done.  Immediately afterwards, hundreds of other
ants came to the spot, each carrying a small lump of clay, with which
they began to repair the damage; and even for the short time we
remained, they had made some progress.  We could discover, however, no
outlet or opening in the mound; nor, except at the hole made by our
bearers, were any ants seen.  We, however, could not remain to watch the
progress of the work.  Just as we were going, one of our bearers, much
to my regret, commenced a still more furious attack on the citadel,
exposing the whole centre to view, when it appeared crowded with
thousands and tens of thousands--so it seemed--of ants, who issued forth
with pincers stretched out, evidently intending to attack us.  David
caught up one of the ants to examine it; but we were all too glad
hurriedly to make our escape.  We found the creature, on examining it,
to be a quarter of an inch in length, with a flat hard head, terminating
in a pair of sharp horizontal pincers, something like the claws of a
crab.

Several, who, in spite of our flight, caught hold of us, bit very hard,
and did not fail to draw blood.  Senhor Silva, as we marched on, gave us
a very interesting account of these white ants, with the habits of which
he was well acquainted, as he told us he had had one of the mounds cut
completely in two, so as to examine the interior.  The under part alone
of the mound is inhabited by the ants; the upper portion serving as a
roof to keep the lower warm and moist for hatching the eggs.  His
description put me somewhat in mind of the Pyramids of Egypt.  The
larger portion is solid.  In the centre, just above the ground, is the
chief cell, the residence of the queen and her husband.  Round this
royal chamber is found a whole labyrinth of small rooms, inhabited by
the soldiers and workmen.  The space between them and the outer wall of
the building is used partly for store-rooms and partly for the purpose
of nurseries.  A subterranean passage leads from a distance to the very
centre of the building.  It is cylindrical, and lined with cement.  On
reaching under the bottom of the fortress, it branches out in numerous
small passages, ascending the outer shell in a spiral manner, winding
round the whole of the building to the summit, and intersecting numerous
galleries one above the other, full of cells.  The outer end of the
great gallery, by which the mound is approached, also branches off into
numerous small ones, so as to allow a passage into it from various
directions.  As the ants cannot climb a perpendicular wall without
difficulty, all their ascents are gradual.  It is through this great
passage that they convey the clay, wood, water, and provisions to their
colony.

To give you a correct idea of the way these curious mounds are built and
stocked with inhabitants, I should tell you that the perfect termites
are seen at certain seasons in vast quantities covering the earth, each
having four narrow wings folded on each other.  They are instantly set
upon by their enemies--reptiles of all sorts, and numerous birds--who
eat such quantities, that out of many thousands but few pairs escape
destruction.  There are besides them in their fortress vast numbers of
labourers, who only issue forth with caution to obtain provisions and
materials for their abodes.  When these discover a couple of the perfect
termites who have escaped destruction, they elect them as their
sovereigns, and escorting them to a hollow in the earth which they at
once form, they establish a new community.  Here they commence building,
forming a central chamber in which the royal pair are ensconced; while
they go on with their work, building the galleries and passages which
have been described, till the mound has reached the dimensions of those
we have seen.  The king in a short time dies, but his consort goes on
increasing in bulk till she attains the enormous length of three inches,
and a width in proportion.  She now commences laying her eggs, at the
rate, it is said, of nearly sixty in a minute.  This often continues
night and day for two years, in which time fifty million eggs have been
laid.  These are conveyed by the indefatigable labourers to the
nurseries, which are thus all filled.  When hatched, they are provided
with food by the labourers.  There is another class, the soldiers.
These are distinguished by the size of their heads, and their long and
sharp jaws, with which they bravely attack any intruders.  When any
unwary creature appears to attack their abode, first one comes out to
see what is the matter.  He summons others, and directly afterwards vast
numbers issue forth, doing battle with the greatest courage.  When any
of them are knocked over, instantly recovering themselves, they return
to the assault with a bravery and courage surpassed by no other creature
in creation.  The labourers meantime are exerting themselves to the
utmost to repair the damages which have been effected in their fortress.
Those who have watched their proceedings state that in a single night
they will repair a gallery, which has been injured, of three or four
yards in length.  We were thankful that in our attack on the termites'
fortress we had escaped with only a few bites; but probably had we
remained longer in their neighbourhood we should have received far more
severe injuries.

Travelling on for several days, we emerged into some open ground, where
we prepared to encamp.  We selected a spot somewhat above the plain, and
our bearers at once set to work to cut down poles.  These they planted
in circles, and interwove them with branches of palm-trees, forming
walls which afforded sufficient shelter from the night wind; then
bringing the tops close together, they thatched them over with leaves of
the same tree.  We of course all assisted, and in a short time a number
of small circular huts were formed sufficient to accommodate the whole
of the party.  A quantity of wood was collected, to keep up blazing
fires to preserve us from the attacks of wild beasts.  We were at a
sufficient distance, however, from the skirts of the forest, not to be
taken totally unawares.  Still, it was considered necessary to place
guards round the camp, two of our party and two of the blacks remaining
on the watch all night.  Before darkness closed in, we saw numbers of
monkeys in the trees, watching us with curious looks, leaping from bough
to bough, and chattering and grinning, wondering apparently who the
strangers could be who had thus ventured into their domain.  The two
girls had a hut to themselves.  We had formed a second wall of sticks
round it, so that should any wild beast approach unseen, it could not
force an entrance, which Senhor Silva told us had sometimes occurred.
The moon rose in an unclouded sky, and cast a mild light over the scene.
In the distance were the lofty mountains, on either side the dark
woods, and far away to the west was the ocean we had left behind.  It
was a beautiful scene, such as I had not expected to witness in that
region, and we were all more than ever thankful that we had escaped from
the slaver.  Still, I could not banish from my mind the spectacle I had
witnessed on board, and my thoughts went back to the unhappy beings
crowded on the slave-deck of that fearful craft.  I was reminded that we
were in Africa by the cries which proceeded ever and anon from the
surrounding forest.  Now there was a loud roar, with a suppressed
muttering, which it would be hard to describe, and which I afterwards
learned to distinguish as the voice of the monarch of the woods; not
that he often ventures here, for his rule is disputed by the tremendous
gorilla, the creature who had only a short time before been discovered
in this region.  We were, however, we concluded, on the most southern
verge of his territory, and we therefore scarcely expected to encounter
one.  We kept our fires blazing through the night, and thus avoided any
attacks from lions or panthers, or any other wild beasts.

The morning broke brightly, though we could see the mist hanging over
the far distant coast.  Birds flew about among the trees and across the
prairie in all directions, uttering their varied notes; and the monkeys
came forth, skipping from bough to bough, muttering and shrieking at us
as on the previous evening, as if they had not as yet satisfied their
curiosity.  While Kate, assisted by Timbo and Jack, prepared breakfast,
I accompanied Stanley and David, with the two boys, to shoot some birds
for our next meal.  I had heard so much of serpents and wild beasts,
that I expected every instant to see a snake wriggling its way through
the grass, and about to fasten its fangs in our legs, or to twine its
fearful coils round our bodies.  I could not help also looking anxiously
at every bush, expecting to have a lion or a panther spring out on us,
David acknowledged that he had a similar feeling.  Stanley, however,
laughed at our apprehensions, assuring us that snakes were not nearly so
common as were supposed, or how could the almost naked blacks make their
way through the country, though he acknowledged that lions and panthers
were in some places justly dreaded; "But then," he observed, "we can the
more easily defend ourselves against them.  A well-aimed bullet will
settle the fiercest lion we have to encounter."

We had good sport, and shot several varieties of birds.  Among them was
a partridge, of a grey colour; and David said that they were its loud
calls we had heard in the forest the evening before, summoning its mate.
He had observed them sleeping side by side on a branch of a tree where
they have their home, and the bird which was first there did not cease
calling till its mate arrived.  We also shot several parrots, of a
species known as the African damask parrot.  They are pretty birds, and
their habits are very interesting.  Had we not positively required them
for food, I should have been unwilling to kill them.  We had seen
numbers flying towards a stream which ran into the river we had passed
on the previous evening.  They there assembled, making a great deal of
noise, and huddled and rolled over each other, frolicking together, and
dipping their feet into the water, so as to sprinkle it over the whole
of their bodies.  Having enjoyed an ample bath and amused themselves for
a time, they flew off to the forest whence they came.  There we saw them
sitting on the branches, cleaning their feathers.  The operation over,
they flew off in pairs, each pair seeking its own nest or
roosting-place, separate from the others.  David said that this species
is noted for conjugal affection, for they never separate till one or the
other dies, and the survivor then pines to death for its mate.  The boys
were very anxious to catch one alive for Bella, but we could not succeed
in so doing.  Coming near a dead tree, we saw several hollows, evidently
formed by art.  Leo climbed up to one of them, and putting in his hand,
drew out a beautiful little bird, with a throat and breast of a glossy
blue-black, having a scarlet head and a line of canary-yellow running
from above the eyes along the neck.  The back also, which was black, was
covered with yellow spots.  Here David brought his knowledge to bear;
and said, from its habits, he should call it the carpenter bird.  When
the birds pair, they fix on a tree, the wood of which has been
sufficiently softened by age to enable them to work upon it with their
bills.  They then take out a circular opening, about two inches in
diameter and about two deep.  Next they dig perpendicularly down for
about four inches, the last hollow made serving as their nest.  They
line it softly, and the female, laying her eggs, is able to hatch them
without much risk of an attack from birds of prey.

"I suppose monkeys do not eat birds," observed Leo; "or I suspect our
little friend would very soon be pulled out of its nest."

"Just as you have done, Leo," observed Stanley; "and probably the poor
little bird took you for a chimpanzee, or perhaps even for a gorilla."

"But neither chimpanzees nor gorillas eat animal food," observed David.
"They live upon roots, fruits, and leaves; and do not amuse themselves
by bird-nesting."

I need not mention the other birds we shot, but, pretty well loaded, we
returned with our prizes to the camp.  Breakfast over, we packed up and
proceeded on our journey, leaving our huts for the occupation of the
next comers.



CHAPTER FIVE.

THE DOMAINS OF THE GORILLA.

We travelled on for two days, and still the mountains were not reached;
but they grew higher and clearer as we advanced, and we had hopes of
getting to them at last.  My young cousins bore the journey wonderfully
well.  When we came to difficult places, her brothers and I helped Kate
along, making a seat for her with our joined hands.  We could thus make
but slow progress, and she entreated us to allow her to walk, declaring
that she was not at all fatigued; while Timbo or Jack carried Bella on
their back, and with long sticks in their hands trudged on merrily.  We
caught sight of several wild animals.  On two or three occasions
buffaloes crossed our path, but at too great a distance for a shot.  We
killed, however, a wild boar, which afforded a fine meal for our party.
Natty and I were a little in advance, when we came to a large village of
white ants, such as I have before described.  We were examining them,
when I saw a troop of gazelles come bounding across the prairie towards
us.  The wind blew from them to us, and as we were behind the hill, they
did not observe us.  Our larder at the time was ill-supplied, and so I
was anxious to kill one.  I rested my gun on one of the turrets of the
hill.  I was not much of a shot, but I was improving.  The herd came by
within thirty yards of us.  Just then the leader caught sight of the
rest of the party, who were coming up.  I saw that I must now fire, or
lose my chance.  I took aim at the nearest--a doe, with her young one by
her side.  The mother escaped, but the little creature fell to the
ground.  In spite of my hunger I felt almost sorry for what I had done,
when, running forward, the dying animal turned up its large languishing
eyes towards me as it stretched out its limbs quite dead.  I am afraid
it was but a clumsy shot at best, as I ought to have killed the larger
animal.  Natty and I, placing it on my pole between our shoulders, bore
it in triumph to our friends, who received us with shouts of
satisfaction.  Stanley also shot a beautiful little squirrel and a
number of birds--indeed, a good sportsman in health, with a supply of
ammunition, need never, in that part of Africa, be without abundance of
animal food; but some of the natives, who have no firearms and are very
improvident, often suffer from famine even in that land of abundance.

The buffalo of Tropical Africa--_Bos brachicheros_--is about the size of
an English ox.  His hair is thin and red, and he has sharp and long
hoofs, his ears being fringed with soft silky hair.  His chief ornaments
are his horns, which gracefully bend backwards.  In shape he is somewhat
between a cow and an antelope.  A herd feeding at a distance had very
much the appearance of English cattle grazing in a meadow.  They differ
greatly from the Cape buffalo, to be met with further south.

Evening was approaching, when the head man of our bearers spoke to
Senhor Silva, who instantly called a halt.  The black's quick ears had
detected sounds in the distance.  "He thinks there are elephants out
there," said Senhor Silva, pointing ahead.  We were then in a
thinly-wooded country, and a charge from those monsters would have been
dangerous.  We saw, however, a clump of trees on one side, behind which
Senhor Silva advised that we should take post till we had ascertained
the state of the case.  The blacks were eager for us to attack them,
hoping to enjoy a feast off the huge bodies of any we might kill.  As it
might expose the young ladies to danger should we do so, even Stanley
resolved to let them pass by unmolested.  I have not yet mentioned the
leader or head man of the bearers.  His name, he told Senhor Silva, was
Chickango; but Jack and Timbo called him the Chicken.  He was an
enormous fellow, and ugly even for an African; but there was a
good-humoured, contented expression in his countenance, which won our
confidence.  His costume was a striped shirt, and a pair of almost
legless trousers; while on the top of his high head he wore a little
battered straw hat, such as seamen manufacture for themselves on board
ship--indeed, his whole costume had evidently been that of a seaman,
exchanged, probably, for some articles which he had to dispose of.
Chickango, signing to us to remain behind the clump of trees, advanced
towards the spot where he expected to find the elephants.  Suddenly he
threw up his arms, and began shouting at the top of his voice.  His
cries were answered by similar shouts from a distance; and presently,
beckoning to us to come on, he hurried towards the spot whence they
proceeded.  Passing through a belt of wood, we came in sight of an
encampment of blacks seated round their fires.  There were upwards of
one hundred human beings--men, women, and children.  A few of the men
were dressed in cast-off European garments, with rings round their arms
and legs, their woolly heads being mostly uncovered.  Chickango
advancing, explained, we concluded, who we were; and we received a
hearty welcome from the party.  The chief, an old man, sat in their
centre, attended by his wives.  He was distinguished from his companions
by an old battered cocked hat, ornamented with beads.  He wore, besides,
a checked shirt and a regular Scotch kilt, which had somehow or other
found its way into his territory.  Senhor Silva then explained to us,
through Chickango, that he and his party had come from a considerable
distance up the country, where they had gone to collect _caoutchouc_, or
india-rubber, the packages of which lay piled up near the centre of the
camp.  They had collected it some distance up the country, where the
vines which produce it grow in considerable quantities.  In South
America it is obtained from a tree; but in Africa from a creeper of
great length, with very few leaves growing on it, and those only at its
extremity.  They are broad, dark green, and lance shaped.  The larger
vines are often five inches in diameter at the base, with a rough brown
bark.  The mode of obtaining it is to make an incision in the bark, but
not in the wood, and through it the milky sap exudes.  A small peg Is
then fixed in each hole to prevent its closing, and a cup or calabash
secured underneath.  When this is full, a number of them are carried to
the camp, where the substance is spread in thin coatings upon moulds of
clay, and dried layer after layer over a fire.  When perfectly dry, the
clay mould is broken and the clay extracted from the interior.  The
_caoutchouc_, though originally white, becomes black from the smoke to
which it is exposed while drying.  It is in this state brought down to
the coast and sold to the traders.

"Oh yes," said David.  "This is the material with which Mr Mackintosh
makes his waterproof coats.  He found that it could be re-dissolved in
petroleum; and by covering two pieces of woollen or cotton stuff with
the liquid, and uniting them by a strong pressure, he formed a material
through which no water can penetrate.  Some time afterwards, Messrs.
Handcock and Broding discovered that, by the addition of a small
quantity of sulphur to the _caoutchouc_, it acquired the property of
retaining the same consistency in every temperature without losing its
elasticity.  A further discovery was made by Mr Goodyear, who, by
adding about twenty per cent of sulphur, converted it into so hard a
substance that all sorts of articles can be manufactured from it for
which tortoise-shell had hitherto been chiefly used--indeed, it is
difficult to say what cannot be made out of it."

Besides india-rubber, the blacks had several huge lumps of ebony and a
small number of elephants' tusks, which they had either purchased from
other natives further in the interior, or were carrying down to the
coast to sell for the original owners on commission.  The ebony was
brought from the hilly country, where alone the ebony-tree grows.  It is
one of the finest and most graceful of African trees.  The trunk, five
or six feet in diameter at the base, rises to the height of fifty or
sixty feet, when fine heavy boughs branch forth, with large dark green
and long and pointed leaves hanging in clusters.  Next to the bark is a
white sap wood, and within that the black wood.  This does not appear
till the tree has reached a growth of two or three feet in diameter, so
that young trees are not cut down.  The trunk and even the branches of
the mature tree become hollow.  It generally grows in clumps of three or
four together, scattered about the forest.

Nearly all the negro tribes on this part of the coast have the spirit of
trade strongly implanted in them; and I cannot help thinking that it is
so for the purpose of ultimately bringing about their civilisation,
which the nefarious slave-trade has so long retarded.  That trade is one
of the sins which lies at England's door, and she should endeavour to
make amends for the crime, by using every means in her power for the
spread of Christianity and civilisation among the long benighted
Africans.  We observed that the men, women, and children were very busy
in the camp--the women cooking and making arrangements for the night,
while the children were collecting firewood from the neighbouring
thickets.  Poor little creatures, I was afraid that some of them might
be carried off by panthers or other beasts of prey who might be prowling
about in the neighbourhood; but their parents seemed to have no such
fear.  We were anxious to obtain some more bearers to carry Kate and
Bella, as also to assist us in conveying our goods up the mountain.
Chickango undertook to make the arrangements, and after a good deal of
talking with the chief and then with the people, he pointed out four
young men who expressed themselves ready to accompany us.  These
arrangements being made, we encamped on a somewhat higher spot a short
distance from our friends, and soon had huts built such as I have before
described.  Though we heard the cries of wild beasts in the forest, none
ventured near us, as we kept up blazing fires all night.

Next morning, even before our party were stirring, the old chief and his
followers were on foot, preparing to continue their march towards the
sea-coast.  The men, however, sat still, with their bows in their hands,
talking to each other while the women were employed in packing up their
goods in baskets, which they suspended at their backs, with their
children in many instances on the top of them.  All the elder children
also had burdens, but the men walked along with a haughty air, carrying
nothing but their arms in their hands.  Saluting us with loud cries,
they proceeded towards the west.

We meantime had been employed in packing up, but instead of making Kate
and Bella carry burdens, we prepared a litter to carry them.  Passing
through a dense forest, we saw before us the mountain range we hoped
soon to gain.  Near the banks of the stream we passed a grove of curious
trees with short stems, on either side of which projected huge long
leaves with feather-like branches on the top.  Amid them was an immense
number of clusters of nuts, each larger than a pigeon's egg.  Chickango
ordered one of the men to climb up and bring down a cluster when he saw
us looking at them.  On pressing the nuts even with our fingers, a
quantity of oil exuded; and Senhor Silva told us that the tree was the
_Cocos butyracea_, the oil extracted from which is exported in large
quantities from the neighbouring rivers, chiefly to Liverpool.  We
calculated that the tree had fully eight hundred nuts on it; and as each
contains a considerable quantity of oil, it may be supposed how large an
amount a single tree produces.  I had seen something of the trade on my
former visit to the coast, when I was at the Bonny river.  We took
chiefly English manufactures to exchange for the oil, and a few bales of
glass beads from Germany.  On entering the river we covered in the deck
with a mat roofing, to protect us from the sun and the tropical showers;
but before we could begin trading we had to pay a heavy duty to the old
king of the territory, of muskets, powder, tobacco, calicoes, woollen
caps, and, what he valued still more, several dozens of rum.  The
dealers then made their appearance, and received advances of goods to
purchase oil in the interior, for the Bonny itself does not produce the
oil.  Our next business was to erect a cask-house on shore, in which to
prepare the puncheons for the reception of the oil.  This was brought
down in small quantities by the traders; and it took us nearly four
months to obtain about eight hundred puncheons, which our vessel
carried.  The palm-oil or _pulla_, when brought to us, was of a rich
orange colour, and of the consistency of honey.  To my surprise, the
morning after the first quantity arrived I found a basin full of it on
the breakfast-table, and learned that it was the custom to eat it
instead of butter; and very delicious it was.  By the time it reaches
England, it has, however, obtained a disagreeable taste, totally
different from what it possesses when fresh.  The palm-oil is about the
most valuable production of this part of Africa; and the natives are
beginning to discover that its collection is far more profitable to them
than the slave-trade.

To return to my narrative: we encamped at a short distance from the
thick wood, by the side of the stream I spoke of, hoping early next
morning to begin our ascent of the mountains.  We might have proceeded
further, but the spot was so tempting, that, although we had a couple of
hours of daylight, we agreed to stop where we were.  The blacks soon had
the huts erected and fires lighted--an operation they would not have
undertaken had their wives been present to do it for them.  As we were
all very hungry, we immediately commenced our evening meal, some birds
we had shot not taking long to cook; while we had a good supply of
biscuits, which we had brought, with tea as our beverage.

"This is just such a pic-nic as we had in our last holidays," said
Bella, looking round with a smiling countenance.  "You remember, Leo, it
was by the side of a stream; and you went and caught some fish, and we
had them cooked before the fire."

"Oh yes; and I will try and get some fish now," said Leo.  "Natty, you
will come and fish with me as soon as supper is over."

To this, of course, Natty agreed; and Jack produced a ball of twine,
while I fortunately had some fish-hooks in my pocket, which I brought
from the wreck.  While we were laughing and talking, suddenly a loud
roar reached our ears, which made Kate start and little Bella turn pale,
while a loud hollow sound, as if a drum had been beaten, followed the
roar.  Leo declared it was more like distant thunder.  Our blacks
started to their feet, many of them with looks of terror, uttering the
word--Ngula.  Stanley seized his gun.  "That must be a gorilla!" he
exclaimed, examining the lock.

"I hope so," cried David.  "It would be worth coming here to see the
monster."

"No doubt about its being a gorilla," said Senhor Silva, "but you must
be cautious how you approach him.  Chickango says he will go with you.
He is a good hunter; and, I judge by his looks, a brave fellow."

The ugly black nodded his head, and pointing to the forest, advanced
towards it.  David and I also took our guns.

"Now be steady," said Stanley.  "I will fire first, and if I fail to
kill him, David, do you fire; and, Senhor Silva, tell our black friend
that he must make the third shot; and Andrew, you must act as a reserve
in case of accidents,--but I hope not to miss him."

Stanley and David kept together, while the black and I advanced a little
on one side.  Turning my head for an instant, I saw Leo and Natty
following us.  I signed to them to go back, but they seemed resolved to
take a share in the expected fight.  Each was armed with a long pike,
which I knew would have been of about as much use as a tooth-pick should
they be attacked by the creature.  We made our way between large
boulders to the edge of the forest, which seemed almost too thick to be
penetrated.  I had never felt so excited.  My sensations were something
like those, I fancy, of a soldier going into his first battle; but from
what I had heard of the gorilla, I knew him to be almost as formidable
an antagonist as the best armed man.  For some time as we advanced into
the forest there was a perfect silence, yet we were certain that the
monster could not be far off.  The trees grew closer and closer
together; and as the edge of the forest was turned towards the east, we
soon found ourselves shrouded in a thick gloom.  Still, so eager were we
to meet the beast, that, instead of halting, as might have been wiser,
we continued to push onwards.  Suddenly a terrific roar was heard
proceeding from a spot not many paces ahead.  Had it not been uttered,
we might have gone close up to the creature without perceiving him.
Just then we saw the branches waving to and fro, and a huge monster
moving on all fours appeared amidst them.  Suddenly he rose up on his
hind-legs, holding on to a bough with one hand, and then striking his
breast, from which a loud hollow sound came forth.  He uttered another
terrific roar, and grinned fiercely at us.  "Oh, what a terrible giant!"
I heard Leo exclaim behind me.  I dared not turn my head or speak to
urge the boys to run back.  My attention was rivetted on the huge
gorilla, for I now saw before me that monster of the African woods.
Again he uttered a fearful roar, and beating his breast and gnashing his
teeth, he began to move towards us.  He was not many paces from Stanley,
who was a little in advance.  "Steady, friends!" cried our leader.  I
held my breath with anxiety; for should my cousin's gun miss fire, it
seemed impossible for him to escape being seized by the tremendous
creature.  Then I saw his rifle raised to his shoulder.  There was a
flash, which lighted up the monster's face and the surrounding branches,
and then with a terrific roar I saw it spring forward.  Just as I
dreaded that Stanley was about to be seized by its sharp claws it
stopped, and, with a groan almost human, fell forwards on its face,
crashing amidst the bushes, and rolled over on the ground.  Even then I
expected to see it rise again and attack us, but the bullet had gone
through its huge chest; and though it made several convulsive struggles,
by the time we reached it it lay perfectly quiet.  Chickango struck it
with his spear, but it did not move, and then he plunged it into its
breast.

"Have you really killed him?" cried Natty and Leo, running up to us.
"We would have fought him, that we would!" exclaimed Leo, jumping on the
gorilla's body.

Chickango at the same time seized one of its huge paws, and pulled and
shook it violently, and then set up a triumphant shout as a compliment
to Stanley on his victory.

"I wish we could carry him to the camp," said Leo.  "It would show Kate
and Bella that they need no longer be afraid of the monster."

"I expect a sight of it would not much tend to allay their fears," said
David, "for it would rather show them what sort of fierce beasts we may
expect to find in our neighbourhood."

"What! do you mean to say there are any more of them?" exclaimed Natty.
"When Senhor Silva was talking about him the other day, he called him
the king of the forest; and so I fancied, of course, that he had no
rivals."

"Where he exists we shall probably find others," said David; "though
their habitation does not reach further south than we now are: indeed, I
did not expect to meet them in this latitude.  They chiefly inhabit the
country about the Gaboon and other rivers to the north of us."

We found, on measuring the gorilla, that it was within a few inches of
six feet in height, while the muscular development of its arms and
breast showed that it could have seized the whole of us in its claws,
and torn us to pieces without difficulty; but the art of man and the
death-dealing rifle were more than a match for it.  Still, as it lay
extended on the ground, I could not help feeling as if we had killed
some human being--a wild man of the woods, who might, under proper
treatment, have been tamed and civilised.  David laughed when I made
some remark to that effect.

"I suspect, if we were to catch a baby gorilla, and feed it on milk, and
bring it up in a nursery, it would prove almost as savage and fierce as
this creature," he answered.  "He can feed himself and fight in defence
of his liberty, but he could never make a coat to cover his bade, or
light a fire to warm himself, though he might have seen it done a
hundred times.  There is no real relationship between a man and an ape,
however much similarity there maybe between the outer form and the
skeleton.  In man there is the mind, which, even in the most debased and
savage, is capable of improvement, and the soul, which nothing can
destroy.  In the ape there is instinct, and a certain power of imitation
which looks like mind, but which, even in the tamest, goes no further.
The most enlightened mode of instruction and the utmost patience will
never teach an ape to read or talk; while we know that human beings who
have been born deaf and blind and dumb have, by a wonderful process,
been instructed in many of the glorious truths which can give joy and
satisfaction to the soul of man."

As it was already late, and it would delay us greatly should we attempt
to carry it to the camp, we agreed to leave the gorilla where it lay and
return for it the next morning.  We saw Chickango cautiously looking
behind him as we turned our backs on the forest; and he gave us to
understand by his gestures that he was afraid a lion or leopard, or some
other wild beast, might be following us.

My cousins came out to meet us on our return.  The roars of the gorilla
had aroused unusual fears in their hearts, and our absence had been so
prolonged that they had become anxious for our safety.  We kept a strict
watch all night; for although we did not again hear the gorilla--indeed,
had there been one in the neighbourhood, he would by that time have gone
to rest--the sounds of other wild animals frequently reached our ears.

We were up early next morning--the instant there was light--for Kate had
made us promise to show her the gorilla.  "I may never have an
opportunity of seeing another," she said.  "I should like to be able to
say when we get to the Cape that I have actually beheld one in his
native wilds."

As neither Jack nor Timbo exhibited such curiosity, we left them in
charge of the camp with the black men, to pack up, while we proceeded
towards the forest.  We advanced cautiously, Stanley and I going ahead,
with David and Senhor Silva on either side of the young ladies, and the
boys bringing up the rear, Chickango acting as scout, a little in
advance on one side of us.  Every now and then we halted, whenever we
observed the branches disturbed.  Now a huge ape of the ordinary species
might be seen grinning down upon us, and then scampering off among the
boughs; or a troop of monkeys would come chattering above our heads, not
so easily put to flight.  Birds of gay plumage flitted before us from
bough to bough; and a huge snake, which had been coiled round a branch,
giving a hiss at us, went off among the underwood into the depths of the
forest.

"And now, girls, be prepared for a sight of Leo's giant of the woods,"
said Stanley, turning round when we approached the spot where he had
killed the gorilla.  "But, hillo! the ground looks alive."

The trunk of a tree lay near.  By climbing on it we got a view of the
spot where the gorilla had fallen; but, as we looked towards it,
scarcely a particle of the monster could be seen.  The skin was there
and the huge bones and monstrous skull, but nearly all the flesh had
been eaten away by myriads of ants, which swarmed about it.  So engaged
were they in their work of destruction, that they did not attack us.

"Why, they must be drivers," said David, "the _bashikouay_, as the
natives call them.  They have gained their English name by driving every
other species of the animal creation out of their way."

They were not much larger than the common English ant, of a dark brown
colour.  David, jumping down, caught one, and showed us that he had a
sharp head, terminating in a pair of horizontal nippers--very like those
of the warrior ants.  In taking one up another had caught hold of his
little finger, and gave it a nip which drew blood.  Senhor Silva told us
that they usually traverse the country by day and night, in trains
nearly half a mile long, though only a few inches wide, and, as it
passes under the grass, presents the appearance of a huge snake.  They
also, like the warrior ants, have soldiers who march by the side of the
regular column, and the instant any danger appears hurry forward, when
the column is either halted or turned backward.  Should the difficulty
be removed, it again advances.  One of their most curious proceedings is
the formation by the soldiers of a perfect arch, into which thousands of
them weave their bodies, expanding across the whole width of a path
where danger is apprehended.  Under the arch the females and the
labourers who bear the larva; then pass in comparative safety.  It is
formed in the following manner.  One ant stands upright, and then
another climbs up and interlocks its feet with the fore-feet of the
first, and then another climbs up, somewhat in the fashion of acrobats.
Another couple form the base of the arch on the opposite side, and then
others, stretching themselves longways, form what may be called
transverse beams, to keep the two sides connected.  When thus formed,
the creatures hold together so tenaciously, that the whole could be
lifted off the ground without breaking.  If attacked, they spread
themselves on the ground over a space of thirty or more feet, across
which neither man nor beast can pass with impunity.  It is difficult to
force a horse through them; and a dog will never venture, unless the
space is sufficiently narrow to enable him to cross by a bound.  He
knows well that, should he fall, they would set upon him; and, before
many hours were over, in spite of his strength, entirely consume him.
They have been known to attack horses and cattle shut up in a confined
space, and to reduce them to skeletons in less than a couple of days.
They sometimes enter a dwelling-house through a small hole, and
literally take possession, proceeding across the floor, over the walls
and ceilings.  "When I resided in the Brazils," said Senhor Silva, as we
stood surveying the ants at work, "I was one morning seated at breakfast
with my wife and little boy, when I heard outside the house a great
commotion, and in rushed a black servant carrying the cage of our
favourite parrot in one hand and grasping a number of pet fowls in the
other; while our negro girl, hurrying in from another direction, and
catching up the lapdog, cried out, `See! they come--they come!  Fly,
senhor.  Fly, my dear mistress--fly, or you will all be eaten up.'
Looking down to the ground, towards which she was directing her alarmed
gaze, I saw that it was covered by countless numbers of white ants,
which came swarming in through a small hole in the wall.  I can only
liken the appearance of the insects to a stream of water suddenly
bursting into the house, so rapidly did they make their way through the
opening.  It was too late to think of stopping it, for the room was in a
few seconds full of them.  My wife, taking the advice of the girl,
seized our boy by the hand and fled into the garden.  I followed
quickly, for already I felt the ants biting at my feet.  Not for some
hours were we able to return, when we found that our invaders had
devoured every particle of food in the house.  They did us, however, an
essential service, by destroying all the mice and cockroaches, as well
as other insects which they encountered, so that on that account we were
much obliged to them; but there are many instances on record of their
destroying human beings unable to move on account of sickness, and with
no one to assist them.  Formerly, it is said that criminals secured by
shackles were laid in their way; happily, however, this terrible custom
no longer exists, even among the most savage tribes.  They, in most
cases, as in ours, effectually rid a house of mice, and take but few
minutes to devour one, leaving only its bones and hair."

We were glad to leave the wonderful insects to their repast on the dead
gorilla, and, returning to our camp, found out bearers ready for
starting.

We toiled on all day, ascending the sides of the mountain range.  Now we
had to plunge into a valley thickly covered with trees, and then to
ascend the opposite side, now to proceed along the edge of lofty
precipices.  Sometimes the ascent was so steep that we were obliged to
use our hands as well as our long poles to make our way up it.  I was
thankful that bearers had been provided for the young ladies; for
although they had spirit enough to attempt whatever we did, yet they
must inevitably have been much fatigued had they been compelled to walk.
Leo and Natty, however, trudged on bravely in our midst; and often
indeed, when ascending steep places, took the lead.  Chickango, who knew
the way, having often before traversed it, was of great use.  He also
kept a watchful eye on either side of the path, especially when we were
crossing valleys, lest a leopard or lion might spring out on us, or any
huge serpent might lie across our path.  At length we reached a lofty
plateau, or table-land, which Chickango informed Senhor Silva extended a
long way to the south.  Over this, therefore, we resolved to travel,
till we could find a suitable spot in which to fix our abode.  We
purposed remaining there till we could send a messenger towards the Cape
Colony, hoping that he might fall in with either traders or explorers or
missionaries, several of whom were settled in Damara or Namaqua land.
The further we travelled south, the cooler and more healthy we should
find the climate.  We had no wish, either, to remain longer than
necessary in the gorilla region.



CHAPTER SIX.

THE CRYSTAL MOUNTAINS.

Several days had passed away.  Our progress had, of necessity, been
slow; but it was a satisfaction to feel that we were going towards the
south, and getting nearer to where we might hope to meet with
assistance.  We had all kept our health, and even my young cousins
seemed in no way to have suffered; indeed, they looked stronger and
better than they were when they landed.  Our bearers, however, had for
some time shown a disinclination to proceed.  They told Senhor Silva
that they had come further than they had bargained for, and evidently
began to doubt our intentions.  They knew very well that their
countrymen were carried off in great numbers by the whites; and stories
had been told them about the cruelties practised by those white men, and
that they even collect people merely to slaughter and eat them.
Although they did not perhaps suspect us of such intentions, yet
altogether, in spite of the bribes we had to offer them, they thought it
wiser to return to their own people.  Senhor Silva promised them that as
soon as we could find a spot on which to settle, if they did not wish to
remain with us, they should be paid and allowed to depart.

Chickango and Timbo had by this time become great friends.  They were
able to converse freely together; and Timbo told me that he was doing
his utmost to instruct his countryman.

"Timbo tell de Chicken all about England and Cape Town, and de oder
countries of de world, and de big ships, and de rich white men; and,
more dan dat, I tell him dat he got soul, and dat white man and black
man hab de same God; and if he stay wid us, we treat him like one
broder.  You see, I no t'ink he go away now."

Not without the greatest difficulty, however, could Chickango persuade
his countrymen to proceed further with us.  The hills over which we were
travelling were covered thickly with wood, so that often we could see
but a short distance either on one side or the other.  Now and then we
came to openings, whence we looked down on the wide-spreading country on
either side, partly hilly or undulating, and then stretching away in an
even plain, intersected by rivers, till lost to sight.  Stanley and
Senhor Silva, with their guns, were ranging the country on either side.

"Listen!" cried David, who was walking by my side.  "What noise is
that?"

I listened.

"It sounds like the roar of breakers on a rocky shore," I observed.

"No," he said; "it must be a waterfall."

Hurrying on, we saw before us a wide lake-like expanse on one side, and
on the other a cloud of spray floating in the air.  As we drew nearer, a
broad stream appeared, rushing over a ledge of rocks and falling into a
deep chasm below, after which it ran towards the south and east.

"This would be a grand place to settle on," said David.  "Where there is
water in this region we are sure to find abundance of game; and it will
assist us in defending ourselves against any attacks of the natives,
should they prove hostile."

I agreed with David, and we anxiously looked out for the appearance of
Stanley and Senhor Silva, to learn whether they were of the same
opinion.  When Kate and Bella overtook us, they were delighted with the
scene, and agreed that it was just the place where they should like to
settle.

In a short time Stanley arrived.  He was as well pleased as we were with
the appearance of the country around.  Senhor Silva had no objection to
fixing our abode there, though he would have preferred moving on, in the
hope before long of reaching Portuguese territory.  Chickango, however,
assured us that the country to the south was more difficult to pass over
than that we had traversed, and that without men to carry our provisions
and goods we could not perform the journey.  The matter was settled by
our bearers refusing to proceed further.  Senhor Silva asked Chickango
whether he intended to return with his people or to remain with us.  He
hesitated; then he seized Senhor Silva's hands, and gave rapid utterance
to an harangue.

"He say we good people, he stop.  He my broder now.  Hurrah!" exclaimed
Timbo.

Although Chickango had resolved to remain with us, he could only induce
his countrymen to delay their departure for a few days, in order to
assist us in putting up our huts.  They at once set to work to construct
our usual shelter for the night, which would serve until we could erect
a more permanent abode.  We fixed upon a spot considerably raised above
the head waters of the stream, which would defend us on one side from
wild beasts, while the ground sloping downwards on the other would
enable us to fortify it against either human beings, or lions or
leopards.  Those creatures will, without difficulty, leap over the
highest fences; and if erected on level ground, no ordinary means are
capable of keeping them out.  I should observe that there are no tigers
in Africa; their absence, however, as Leo remarked, being more agreeable
than their company.  Stanley and Senhor Silva had been very successful
in their hunt, and had brought back a good supply of birds and young
deer, besides three or four smaller animals.

By Chickango's advice, we built our huts in the fashion of his people--
that is to say, facing each other, so as to form a street, with their
backs to the outside of our little fortress.  As the river side was
altogether enclosed, one strong door at the other end was sufficient for
all the houses.  For the sake of air, however, we built our huts
separate from each other, and we thus had windows on all sides.  The
poles were of bamboo, and the walls strong pieces of bark, secured by
ropes composed of creepers.  The framework roofing was also formed of
bamboos, with thick palm-leaves at the top, kept down by ropes.  At the
inner end was a shed for cooking; and our street was sufficiently wide
to enable us to light a fire at night in the centre, to prevent the
unwelcome intrusion of wild beasts.  Our habitation, though not very
imposing, was sufficiently strong to keep out the wet and rain, and, at
the same time, was tolerably cool.

The two young ladies had one house to themselves; Stanley, David, and
Senhor Silva another; the boys and I a third; Timbo and Chickango had
one to themselves; and Jack was left alone in his glory, he taking a
small one at the entrance, and having charge of the gate.

"You may depend upon me," he said.  "I will always sleep with one eye
open; and if any strange black fellows come near us, or any savage
beasts, I will be up and have a crack at them before they know where
they are."

The bearers, having performed their contract very much to our
satisfaction, received from Senhor Silva a piece of calico, a knife, and
some tobacco, as their payment, with a few beads for their wives, either
present or prospective, with which they seemed highly pleased.  When
they were about to take their departure, Chickango addressed them.  What
he said we did not understand, but the result was that they agreed to
stop two or three days longer and assist us in hunting, whereby they
themselves were to benefit by a share of the spoil.  They remained at
night in the huts they had previously occupied, while we took possession
of our new abode.  Besides our sleeping houses, there was a large one
intended for what Leo called our banqueting-hall.  In the centre we
constructed a long table, at which we could all sit, with two chairs at
the end for the ladies, Stanley, as our chief, having his seat between
them, somewhat in the fashion of ancient days, Jack and the two blacks
taking their places at the further one.  Our bed-places were formed of
bamboos raised from the ground.  Senhor Silva politely devoted some of
his calico to making curtains for those of the young ladies.  He had
also brought some mosquito-curtains, which he presented to them; for we
found that even in that higher region we were not free from those pests
of a hot climate.

As I gazed round our new location, I could not help wishing that it was
the permanent abode of civilised men.  Far as the eye could reach,
forest and prairie stretched away into the interior, capable of
supporting a dense population; and from the health we had hitherto
enjoyed, I saw no reason why even whites should not inhabit it; or, at
all events, a civilised black community might there, I hoped, be some
day established.

As soon as our black friends had agreed to remain, they set off, headed
by Chickango, for the purpose of exploring the banks of the stream, to
ascertain in what direction we should commence our hunt the following
day.  They had not been long absent, when Chickango came hurrying back
in a state of excitement, and called to Senhor Silva.

"They have discovered an hippopotamus higher up the stream, and beg that
we will go out at once and assist in killing it."

"What! can they wish to eat one of those ugly brutes?" said Leo.  "If
they are like those we saw the other day, it will be a hard matter to
kill them."

"Nothing comes amiss to them," said Senhor Silva; "and we must not
disappoint them."

Senhor Silva, with Stanley and Chickango, accordingly started off, the
two boys and I accompanying them to see the sport.  Chickango led us
some way up the stream, where, on a rock among the trees which lined the
island in the centre, we saw a huge monster.  He turned his eyes towards
us; but from the indifference with which he regarded our approach, it
was evident that he was unaccustomed to the sight of man Chickango
shouted out.

"What does he say?" asked Stanley.

"It is an hippopotamus.  You must fire, and hit him under the ear, and
you are sure to kill him," said Senhor Silva.  "The blacks want the
creature for food, and you must not disappoint them."

The water by the side of the banks above the fall was shallow, flowing
amongst numerous rocks.  Stanley carried a long pistol in his belt.

"Here, take my gun," he said.  "I can hit the creature with this; and if
I fall, it will not be of so much consequence."

Springing forward, he levelled his pistol, and the huge beast rolled
over into the water and was carried down the stream.  The report,
however, brought out several others from among the trees on the river's
bank.  They came swimming down towards the fall.  I was surprised they
did not make towards us, and could not help feeling anxious for
Stanley's safety.  He stood his ground, however.  Two or three had
passed before he had again loaded.  He then took aim at a third.  He
missed!  The whole, herd now made for the falls.  The body of the first
rolled over and over, but the others plunged downwards in a way which
showed that they were well accustomed to the feat; and we saw them
swimming down the centre to the lower part of the stream.  As the last
was passing, Stanley took steady aim, and by the way the creature moved,
it was evident that it was severely wounded.

The blacks now shouted out again, and led the way down to the lower part
of the waterfall.  We all followed.  How they proposed getting the
bodies of the hippopotami out of the river I could not tell, and fully
expected that they would soon be lost to sight.  There was, however, an
eddy, which probably the blacks had observed, and into this both the
huge animals were drawn.  Still they were at a considerable distance
from the land.  The blacks, as soon as they reached the banks, began
cutting away at a grove of reeds, a species of palmyra.  As soon as they
were cut, a layer was thrown on the surface of the water.  Another layer
was placed crossways on this; and so on, till the raft was of sufficient
thickness to bear the party.  No binding was required, as the reeds were
thus sufficiently united for the purpose.  With some long poles and some
rattan vines cut from the forest, three hunters embarked.  Throwing
their ropes round the head of the first animal they got up to, they soon
towed it ashore, where their companions secured it, while they shoved
off for the other.  The second was scarcely dead, though unable to
defend itself.  They secured it to the raft, when it gave a convulsive
struggle, and then opened its enormous jaws, which were certainly big
enough to swallow one of the men at a mouthful.  It was its last effort,
however, for it merely grasped the edge of the raft, and the blacks,
shoving on, soon brought it to land.

I had now, for the first time, an opportunity of examining an
hippopotamus thoroughly.  It is a most singular looking animal, which
may be described as intermediate between an overgrown hog and a high-fed
bull, without horns and with cropped ears.  It has an enormous head.
Each of its jaws is armed with two formidable tusks, and those in the
lower, which are the largest, are nearly two feet in length.  The
nostrils, ears, and huge eyes are placed on nearly the same plane, thus
allowing the animal to make use of its three senses and of respiration,
at the same time exposing but a very small part of its body.  It is but
little inferior in size to the elephant, though its legs are very much
shorter; indeed, the belly in the full-grown one almost touches the
ground.  The hoofs are divided into four parts, unconnected by
membranes.  By this means it is able to spread out its clumsy-looking
toes, and to walk at a quick pace even through mud or in very deep
water.  The skin is from one to two inches thick, and completely
bullet-proof, except behind the ear and near the eye, where it is
thinner; and it has a few hairs only on the muzzle, the edge of the
ears, and tail.  When out of the water it is of a purple-brown hue.  In
the young animal it is somewhat of a clay yellow, and under the belly of
almost a roseate hue; but seen in a clear pool it is a sort of dark
blue, or light Indian-ink hue.  As we looked at its head we agreed that
few animals have more hideous or terrific countenances.

"Why, he would swallow Natty and me up at a mouthful," said Leo, as he
tried to lift up the jaws of one of the huge animals.

"Take care! he will bite!" cried out Natty; and Leo, letting his stick
drop, sprang back with an expression of horror in his countenance which
made us all laugh.

We left the blacks cutting up their prizes, for which, through
Chickango, they expressed themselves duly grateful to Stanley.

We found that the young ladies, aided by Timbo, had prepared a sumptuous
repast of wild-fowl and venison, to which we now added some hippopotamus
steaks.  The meat was somewhat coarse-grained, but tasted not unlike
beef.  Our black friends consumed it eagerly.  During supper we
discussed our plans for the future.  Chickango assured Senhor Silva that
he hoped to obtain a messenger to proceed to the south, although he
himself would not venture to go alone.  He took his meals with us;
indeed he was, in many respects, a civilised black.  He knew perfectly
well how to behave at table; and used his knife and one of the wooden
forks Jack and Timbo had manufactured with perfect ease.

At length our black friends, loaded with as much hippopotamus-meat as
they could carry, in addition to the various articles they had received
as payment, took their departure.  We should have been better pleased
had they continued with us, as we might then have proceeded further
south without the assistance of strangers.

I have hitherto said very little about Natty Page.  He had greatly
recovered his spirits after the loss of his father, and now showed that
there was a great deal in him.  He and Leo and little Bella were the
life of our party.  They, happily, were not troubled with thoughts of
the difficulties and dangers before us, and enjoyed the present to the
utmost.

"Do you not think, Andrew," said Natty to me, "that if we were to build
a canoe we could explore the river and make our way to the south far
more easily than by land?  Meantime, it would assist us in our hunting
expeditions; and we should be able to go fishing or shooting birds,
although I should not much like to meet with any of those fierce
monsters the captain killed the other day."

"An excellent idea, Natty," I answered.  "I will propose it to Captain
Hyslop, and I am sure he will agree with you."

Stanley was well pleased with the suggestion, and it was at once agreed
that we should carry it into execution.

"I, however, never built a canoe, and should scarcely know how to set
about it, although I understand the management of one thoroughly," said
Stanley.  "I must trust, therefore, to others."

"No fear, captain," observed Timbo.  "Jack, Chickango, and I soon do de
work.  First t'ing find big tree; and Senhor Silva got axes, so we soon
cut it down."

Before the day was over we found a large tree, not more than three
hundred yards from the bank of the river, which was likely to answer our
purpose.  The trunk was perfectly straight, the wood soft, and about
twelve feet in circumference.  The axes our Portuguese friend had among
his stores were, however, rather small for the purpose; but yet, if
carefully used, we hoped, with perseverance, to have the tree felled in
the course of a day.  Jack Handspike undertook to act as chief
architect, although Chickango and Timbo, I suspect, knew more about the
actual work than he did.

"Now, boys," he sung out, "the first thing we have got to do is to place
the craft in the right position for launching, so just see that the tree
falls towards the river."

Senhor Silva interpreted Jack's remark to Chickango.  He nodded, and
forthwith cut from the surrounding trees a number of vines, as creepers
of all sorts are called.  These, with my aid and that of the two boys,
he formed into a strong rope.  He then mounted the tree by throwing a
band round it and his waist, till he reached the branches, carrying the
end of the rope with him.  This he secured to the top.  Descending, he
made signs to us to carry it to a distance towards the river, where he
secured the opposite end to another tree.

Jack and Timbo, who were expert axe-men, then began cutting away near
the ground.  First they made a deep notch on the river side, scoring the
tree all round.  David and I stood by ready to take their places, while
Stanley and Senhor Silva went in search of game.

"But what are we to do?" exclaimed Leo.  "We do not want to be idle!"

"No, young masters, nor need you," said Jack.  "We shall want spars and
oars, so do you go and look out for some small trees fit to make them
out of, and cut them down."

"That will be capital," cried Natty.  "We will soon have a mast and yard
ready for you, and as many paddles as we can pull."

The young ladies, meantime, remained in the house, that Kate might teach
Bella, and, when the lessons were over, get dinner ready for us.  We
worked away with a will, the sound of the axes never ceasing, for as
soon as Jack and Timbo were tired, David and I stepped into their
places.

"See, we shall soon have the trunk through!" cried Jack.  "Run and help
Chickango, and haul away as hard as you can.  We will have the tree down
in a jiffy in that clear space."

We gave a loud cheer as we saw the tall tree bending towards us, and
hauling with all our might as we ran from it, down it came with a crash.
Then, as if it had been some huge creature with long feelers ready to
seize hold of us, we lashed at the branches with our axes, and began
hacking away at them.  We had now to cut off a piece of the trunk of
sufficient length for the canoe.  Jack wanted to make it thirty feet
long; but Timbo advised that it should not be more than twenty feet,
that it might be the more easily managed in the stream.  As we had no
saw, this had to be done with our axes, and, of course, occupied more
than half as much time as getting down the trunk.  The boughs, also, had
to be cut up and cleared away, that we might have an open road to the
river.  By the time this was done night had come on, while hunger made
us all ready to return to the house.

The boys were very proud of the tree they had cut down for a mast.  They
had barked it completely, and shaped it partially, and now came towards
us bearing it on their shoulders in triumph.

"Do you not think we might saw the thick end off?" cried Leo, after he
had gone a little way with us.  "It is wonderfully heavy, I can assure
you, and I do not think so long a mast can be required."

"Better cut it in half at once and make two masts," said Natty.  "It is
somewhat heavy to carry up to the top of the hill."

"Come, young masters, I see what it is you want," said Jack.  "You have
cut down the spar, and done it well, and you think that stronger men
ought to carry it.  Timbo and I will relieve you of it, and you may run
on ahead and say we are coming."

However, the boys, after all, were not very willing to give up the spar
of which they were so proud, and carried it on a little way further in
spite of their friends' offers.  At length Jack quietly put his shoulder
under one end, and Timbo took the other, and fairly lifted it off their
backs.  It was high time, for their knees were beginning to shake, and
their faces looked very red with their exertions.  The mast was indeed a
great deal too long for the canoe, and required more than a third cut
off.

We found that the young ladies had, as usual, made ample preparation for
our supper, and Kate had found time to give Bella her usual lessons.
Her instruction was imparted certainly under difficulties.  Her only
books were a Bible, a small History of England, a Johnson's Dictionary,
and a work on natural history.  The latter was especially useful to all
of us, as it gave a very fair account of many of the animals we were
likely to meet with.  Senhor Silva had laid in a good stock of paper,
pens, and ink.  Kate herself was so well acquainted with geography, that
she was able to draw maps, and teach her sister without difficulty.
History, too, she seemed to have at her fingers' ends, so that Bella not
only learned about England, but most other countries in the world.

Next day we all went back to our work.  We began first to shape the
outside of the canoe--a task we performed with our axes, and at this
four could work at once.  By Jack's advice we planed off the upper side
of the tree, so that the plan of the canoe could be drawn off on it by
exact measurements.  We first drew a straight line down the centre, and
from this measured off the two sides with the greatest care.  In the
game way the stem and stern were measured with a plumb-line.  We then
turned the log over, and having levelled that side, marked off the keel,
thus having it truly in the centre.  Natty and Leo had remained to
assist in turning over the log.

"Why, that is exactly how I should cut out a model-boat!" exclaimed Leo.
"If we had a saw we could shape the bows and stern much more easily,
just as I always used to do."

"But you see, young gentleman, we must make use of what tools we have,"
observed Jack.  "By sticking at it, I dare say we shall not be as long
cutting out this here canoe as you would have been making a little
model."

"Let me see," said Leo.  "No; I remember it took me a good month before
I got it ready for painting, and even then, I own, from some
unaccountable cause, it was somewhat lopsided."

"Maybe you did not use the plumb-line, Master Leo," observed Jack.  "You
see there is nothing like that for getting things perpendicular, though
I cannot say exactly the reason why."

"There I have you, Jack, then," said Leo.  "It is on account of the
centre of gravitation, and a weight let down on the earth always falls
perpendicularly to the plane of the earth."

"That may be philosophy, as you call it, Master Leo, but I cannot say as
how I am much wiser than I was; only you will see we will get our canoe
to sit fairly on the water--neither heeling over to one side nor
t'other."

Having got all our measurements cor

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