CHAPTER XVII
THE MIDNIGHT BATTLE
That hour went by very slowly. Again and again I consulted my watch bythe light of the moon, which was now rising high in the heavens, andthought that it would never come to an end. Listen as I would, there wasnothing to be heard, and as the mist still prevailed the only thingI could see except the heavens, was the twinkling of the fires lit byGoroko and his party.
At length it was done and there was no sign of Hans. Another half hourpassed and still no sign of Hans.
"I think that Light-in-Darkness is dead or taken prisoner," saidUmslopogaas.
I answered that I feared so, but that I would give him another fifteenminutes and then, if he did not appear, I proposed to order an advance,hoping to find the enemy where we had last seen them from the top of themountain.
The fifteen minutes went by also, and as I could see that the Amahaggercaptains who sat at a little distance were getting very nervous, Ipicked up my double-barrelled rifle and turned round so that I facedup hill with a view of firing it as had been agreed with Goroko, but insuch a fashion that the flashes perhaps would not be seen from the plainbelow. For this purpose I moved a few yards to the left to get behindthe trunk of a tree that grew there, and was already lifting the rifleto my shoulder, when a yellow hand clasped the barrel and a husky voicesaid,
"Don't fire yet, Baas, as I want to tell you my story first."
I looked down and there was the ugly face of Hans wearing a grin thatmight have frightened the man in the moon.
"Well," I said with cold indifference, assumed I admit to hide myexcessive joy at his safe return, "tell on, and be quick about it. Isuppose you lost your way and never found them."
"Yes, Baas, I lost my way for the fog was very thick down there. But inthe end I found them all right, by my nose, Baas, for those man-eatingpeople smell strong and I got the wind of one of their sentries. It waseasy to pass him in the mist, Baas, so easy that I was tempted to cuthis throat as I went, but I didn't for fear lest he should make a noise.No, I walked on right into the middle of them, which was easy too, forthey were all asleep, wrapped up in blankets. They hadn't any firesperhaps because they didn't want them to be seen, or perhaps because itis so hot down in that low land, I don't know which.
"So I crept on taking note of all I saw, till at last I came to a littlehill of which the top rose above the level of the mist, so that I couldsee on it a long hut built of green boughs with the leaves still freshupon them. Now I thought that I would crawl up to the hut since it cameinto my mind that Rezu himself must be sleeping there and that I mightkill him. But while I stood hesitating I heard a noise like to that madeby an old woman whose husband had thrown a blanket over her head to keepher quiet, or to that of a bee in a bottle, a sort of droning noise thatreminded me of something.
"I thought a while and remembered that when Red Beard was on his kneespraying to Heaven, as is his habit when he has nothing else to do, Baas,he makes a noise just like that. I crept towards the sound and presentlythere I found Red Beard himself tied upon a stone and looking as mad asa buffalo bull stuck in a swamp, for he shook his head and rolled hiseyes about, just as though he had had two bottles of bad gin, Baas, andall the while he kept saying prayers. Now I thought that I would cut himloose, and bent over him to do so, when by ill-luck he saw my face andbegan to shout, saying,
"'Go away, you yellow devil. I know you have come to take me to hell,but you are too soon, and if my hands were loose I would twist your headoff your shoulders.'
"He said this in English, Baas, which as you know I can understand quitewell, after which I was sure that I had better leave him alone. WhilstI was thinking, there came out of the hut above two old men dressed innight-shirts, such as you white people wear, with yellow things upontheir heads that had a metal picture of the sun in front of them."
"Medicine-men," I suggested.
"Yes, Baas, or Predikants of some sort, for they were rather likeyour reverend father when he dressed himself up and went into a box topreach. Seeing them I slipped back a little way to where the mist began,lay down and listened. They looked at Red Beard, for his shouts at mehad brought them out, but he took no notice of them, only went on makinga noise like a beetle in a tin can.
"'It is nothing,' said one of the Predikants to the other in the sametongue that these Amahagger use. 'But when is he to be sacrificed? Soon,I hope, for I cannot sleep because of the noise he makes.'
"'When the edge of the sun appears, not before,' answered the otherPredikant. 'Then the new queen will be brought out of the hut and thiswhite man will be sacrificed to her.'
"'I think it is a pity to wait so long,' said the first Predikant, 'fornever shall we sleep in peace until the red-hot pot is on his head.'
"'First the victory, then the feast,' answered the second Predikant,'though he will not be so good to eat as that fat young woman who waswith the new queen.'
"Then, Baas, they both smacked their lips and one of them went backtowards the hut. But the other did not go back. No, he sat down on theground and glowered at Baas Red-Beard upon the stone. More, he struckhim on the face to make him quiet.
"Now, Baas, when I saw this and remembered that they had said that theyhad eaten Janee whom I liked although she was such a fool, the spirit inme grew so very angry and I thought that I would give this old _skellum_(i.e. rascal) of a Predikant a taste of sacrifice himself, after which Ipurposed to creep to the hut and see if I could get speech with the LadySad-Eyes, if she was there.
"So I wriggled up behind the Predikant as he sat glowering overRed-Beard, and stuck my knife into his back where I thought it wouldkill him at once. But it didn't, Baas, for he fell on to his face andbegan to make a noise like a wounded hyena before I could finish him.Then I heard a sound of shouts, and to save my life was obliged to runaway into the mist, without loosing Red-Beard or seeing Lady Sad-Eyes.I ran very hard, Baas, making a wide circle to the left, and so at lastgot back here. That's all, Baas."
"And quite enough, too," I answered, "though if they did not see you,the death of the Medicine-man may frighten them. Poor Janee! Well, Ihope to come even with those devils before they are three hours older."
Then I called up Umslopogaas and the Amahagger captains and told themthe substance of the story, also that Hans had located the army, or partof it.
The end of it was that we made up our minds to attack at once; indeedI insisted on this, as I was determined if I could to save thatunfortunate man, Robertson, who, from Hans' account, evidently was nowquite mad and raving. So I fired the two shots as had been arrangedand presently heard the sound of distant shoutings on the slope ofthe opposing ridge. A few minutes later we started, Umslopogaas and Ileading the vanguard and the Amahagger captains following with the threeremaining companies.
Now the reader, presuming the existence of such a person, will thinkthat everything is sure to go right; that this cunning old fellow, AllanQuatermain, is going to surprise and wipe the floor with those Rezuites,who were already beguiled by the trick he had instructed Goroko to play.That after this he will rescue Robertson who doubtless shortly recovershis mind, also Inez with the greatest ease, in fact that everything willhappen as it ought to do if this were a romance instead of a mere recordof remarkable facts. But being the latter, as it happened, matters didnot work out quite in this convenient way.
To begin with, when those Amahagger told me that the Rezuites neverfought in the dark or before the sun was well up, either they lied orthey were much mistaken, for at any rate on this occasion they did theexact contrary. All the while that we thought we were stalking them,they were stalking us. The Goroko manoeuvre had not deceived them in theleast, since from their spies they knew its exact significance.
Here, I may add that those spies were in our own ranks, traitors, inshort, who were really in the pay of Rezu and possibly belonged to hisabominable faith, some of whom slipped away from time to time to theenemy to report our progress and plans, so far as they knew them.
Further, what Hans had stumbled on was a mere rear guard left around theplace of sacrifice and the hut where Inez was confined. The real army henever found at all. That was divided into two bodies and hidden in bushto the right and left of the ridge which we were descending just at thespot where it joined the plain beneath, and into the jaws of these twoarmies we marched gaily.
Now that hypothetical reader will say, "Why didn't that silly old fool,Allan, think of all these things? Why didn't he remember that he wascommanding a pack of savages with whom he had no real acquaintance,among whom there were sure to be traitors, especially as they were ofthe same blood as the Rezuites, and take precautions?"
Ah! my dear reader, I will only answer that I wish you had handled thejob yourself, and enjoyed the opportunity of seeing what _you_ could doin the circumstances. Do you suppose I didn't think of all these points?Of course I did. But have you ever heard of the difficulty of makingsilk purses out of sows' ears, or of turning a lot of gloomy anddisagreeable barbarians whom you had never even drilled, intotrustworthy and efficient soldiers ready to fight three times their ownnumber and beat them?
Also I beg to observe that I did get through somehow, as you shalllearn, which is more than you might have done, Mr. Wisdom, though Iadmit, not without help from another quarter. It is all very well foryou to sit in your armchair and be sapient and turn up your learnednose, like the gentlemen who criticise plays and poems, an easy jobcompared to the writing of them. From all of which, however, youwill understand that I am, to tell the truth, rather ashamed of whatfollowed, since _qui s'excuse, s'accuse_.
As we slunk down that hill in the moonlight, a queer-looking crowd, Iadmit also that I felt very uncomfortable. To begin with I did not likethat remark of the Medicine-man which Hans reported, to the effect thatthe feast must come after the victory, especially as he had said justbefore that Robertson was to be sacrificed as the sun rose, which wouldseem to suggest that the "victory" was planned to take place before thatevent.
While I was ruminating upon this subject, I looked round for Hans tocross-examine him as to the priest's exact words, only to find that hehad slunk off somewhere. A few minutes later he reappeared running backtowards us swiftly and, I noticed, taking shelter behind tree trunks androcks as he came.
"Baas," he gasped, for he was out of breath, "be careful, those Rezu menare on either side ahead. I went forward and ran into them. They threwmany spears at me. Look!" and he showed a slight cut on his arm fromwhich blood was flowing.
Instantly I understood that we were ambushed and began to think veryhard indeed. As it chanced we were passing across a large flat spaceupon the ridge, say seven or eight acres in extent, where the bush grewlightly, though owing to the soil being better, the trees were tall.
On the steep slope below this little plain it seemed to be denser andthere it was, according to Hans, that the ambush was set. I halted myregiment and sent back messengers to the others that they were to haltalso as they came up, on the pretext of giving them a rest before theywere marshalled and we advanced to the battle.
Then I told Umslopogaas what Hans said and asked him to send out hisZulu soldier whom he could trust, to see if he could obtain confirmationof the report. This he did at once. Also I asked him what he thoughtshould be done, supposing that it was true.
"Form the Amahagger into a ring or a square and await attack," heanswered.
I nodded, for that was my own opinion, but replied,
"If they were Zulus, the plan would be good. But how do we know thatthese men will stand?"
"We know nothing, Macumazahn, and therefore can only try. If they run itmust be up-hill."
Then I called the captains and told them what was toward, which seemedto alarm them very much. Indeed one or two of them wanted to retreat atonce, but I said I would shoot the first man who tried to do so. Inthe end they agreed to my plan and said that they would post their bestsoldiers above, at the top of the square, with the orders to stop anyattempt at a flight up the mountain.
After this we formed up the square as best we could, arranging it ina rather rough, four-fold line. While we were doing this we heard someshouts below and presently the Zulu returned, who reported that allwas as Hans had said and that Rezu's men were moving round us, havingdiscovered, as he thought, that we had halted and escaped their ambush.
Still the attack did not develop at once, for the reason that the Rezuarmy was crawling up the steep flanks of the spur on either side of thelevel piece of ground, with a view of encircling us altogether, so asto make a clean sweep of our force. As a matter of fact, considered fromour point of view, this was a most fortunate move, since thereby theystopped any attempt at a retreat on the part of our Amahagger, whosebolt-hole was now blocked.
When we had done all we could, we sat down, or at least I did, andwaited. The night, I remember, was strangely still, only from the slopeson either side of our plateau came a kind of rustling sound whichin fact was caused by the feet of Rezu's people, as they marched tosurround us.
It ceased at last and the silence grew complete, so much so that I couldhear the teeth of some of our tall Amahagger chattering with fear, asound that gave me little confidence and caused Umslopogaas to remarkthat the hearts of these big men had never grown; they remained "asthose of babies." I told the captains to pass the word down the ranksthat those who stood might live, but those who fled would certainly die.Therefore if they wished to see their homes again they had better standand fight like men. Otherwise most of them would be killed and the resteaten by Rezu. This was done, and I observed that the message seemed toproduce a steadying effect upon our ranks.
Suddenly all around us, from below, from above and on either side therebroke a most awful roar which seemed to shape itself into the word,_Rezu_, and next minute also from above, below and either side, some tenthousand men poured forth upon our square.
In the moonlight they looked very terrible with their flowing whiterobes and great gleaming spears. Hans and I fired some shots, thoughfor all the effect they produced, we might as well have pelted a breakerwith pebbles. Then, as I thought that I should be more useful alive thandead, I retreated within the square, Umslopogaas, his Zulu, and Hanscoming with me.
On the whole our Amahagger stood the attack better than I expected. Theybeat back the first rush with considerable loss to the enemy, also thesecond after a longer struggle. Then there was a pause during which were-formed our ranks, dragging the wounded men into the square.
Scarcely had we done this when with another mighty shout of "Rezu!" theenemy attacked again--that was about an hour after the battle had begun.But now they had changed their tactics, for instead of trying to rushall sides of the square at once, they concentrated their efforts on thewestern front, that which faced towards the plain below.
On they came, and among them in the forefront of the battle, now andagain I caught sight of a gigantic man, a huge creature who seemed to meto be seven feet high and big in proportion. I could not see him clearlybecause of the uncertain moonlight, but I noted his fierce aspect, alsothat he had an enormous beard, black streaked with grey, that floweddown to his middle, and that his hair hung in masses upon his shoulders.
"Rezu himself!" I shouted to Umslopogaas.
"Aye, Macumazahn, Rezu himself without doubt, and I rejoice to see himfor he will be a worthy foe to fight. Look! he carries an axe as I do.Now I must save my strength for when we come face to face I shall needit all."
I thought that I would spare Umslopogaas this exertion and watched myopportunity to put a bullet through this giant. But I could never getone. Once when I had covered him an Amahagger rushed in front of my gunso that I could not shoot, and when a second chance came a little cloudfloated over the face of the moon and made him invisible. After that Ihad other things to which to attend, since, as I expected would happen,the western face of our square gave, and yelling like devils, the enemybegan to pour in through the gap.
A cold thrill went through me for I saw that the game was up. To r
e-formthese undisciplined Amahagger was impossible; nothing was to be expectedexcept panic, rout and slaughter. I cursed my folly for ever having hadanything to do with the business, while Hans screamed to me in a thinvoice that the only chance was for us three and the Zulu to bolt andhide in the bush.
I did not answer him because, apart from any nasty pride, the thing wasimpossible, for how could we get through those struggling masses of menwhich surrounded us on every side? No, my clock had struck, so I went onmaking a kind of mental sandwich of prayers and curses; prayers formy soul and forgiveness for my sins, and curses on the Amahagger andeverything to do with them, especially Zikali and the woman calledAyesha, who, between them, had led me into this affair.
"Perhaps the Great Medicine of Zikali," piped Hans again as he fired arifle at the advancing foe.
"Hang the Great Medicine," I shouted back, "and Ayesha with it. Nowonder she declined to take a hand in this business."
As I spoke the words I saw old Billali, who not being a man of war waskeeping as close to us as he could, go flat onto his venerable face, andreflected that he must have got a thrown spear through him. Casting ahurried glance at him to see if he were done for or only wounded, outof the corner of my eye I caught sight of something diaphanous whichgleamed in the moonlight and reminded me of I knew not what at themoment.
I looked round quickly to see what it might be and lo! there, almost atmy side was the veiled Ayesha herself, holding in her hand a little rodmade of black wood inlaid with ivory not unlike a field marshal's baton,or a sceptre.
I never saw her come and to this day I do not know how she did so; shewas just there and what is more she must have put luminous paint orsomething else on her robes, for they gleamed with a sort of faint,phosphorescent fire, which in the moonlight made her conspicuous allover the field of battle. Nor did she speak a single word, she onlywaved the rod, pointed with it towards the fierce hordes who weredrawing near to us, killing as they came, and began to move forward witha gliding motion.
Now from every side there went up a roar of "_She-who-commands!She-who-commands!_" while the people of Rezu in front shouted "_Lulala!Lulala!_ Fly, Lulala is upon us with the witchcrafts of the moon!"
She moved forward and by some strange impulse, for no order was given,we all began to move after her. Yes, the ranks that a minute before werebeginning to give way to wild panic, became filled with a marvellouscourage and moved after her.
The men of Rezu also, and I suppose with them Rezu himself, for I saw nomore of him at that time, began to move uncommonly fast over the edgeof the plateau towards the plain beneath. In fact they broke into flightand leaping over dead and dying, we rushed after them, always followingthe gleaming robe of Ayesha, who must have been an extremely agileperson, since without any apparent exertion she held her place a fewsteps ahead of us.
There was another curious circumstance about this affair, namely, thatterrified though they were, those Rezuites, after the first break, soonseemed to find it impossible to depart with speed. They kept turninground to look behind them at that following vision, as though they wereso many of Lot's wives. Moreover, the same fate overtook many of themwhich fell upon that scriptural lady, since they appeared to becomepetrified and stood there quite still, like rabbits fascinated by asnake, until our people came up and killed them.
This slaying went on all down the last steep slope of the ridge, onwhich I suppose at least two-thirds of the army of Rezu must haveperished, since our Amahagger showed themselves very handy men when itcame to exterminating foes who were too terror-struck to fight, and,exhilarated by the occupation, gained courage every moment.