The Fugitives: The Tyrant Queen of Madagascar

  CHAPTER THREE.

  DESCRIBES THE DEED OF AN AMATEUR MATADOR AND THE WORK OF AROUGH-AND-READY SHOEMAKER.

  When the day began to break Hockins awoke, and his first impulse was toshout "hold on!" Ebony's first action was to let go, thereby bringinghimself to the ground with an awful thud, which would have told severelyon any one less akin to india-rubber.

  For a few minutes Mark Breezy, holding tight to his particular branch,looked down at his companions, yawned heavily, and smiled a little.Then a sudden impulse of memory caused him to look grave.

  "Come," he said, dropping lightly from his perch, "these natives mayhave been searching for us all night, and are perhaps nearer than wesuppose. I vote that we push on at once."

  "Agreed," said Hockins, stretching himself.

  "No fear, Massa," remarked the negro. "If it wur moonlight dey might'ave search, but whar de nights am dark dey knows better. De niggahs indis yer island hab got skins an' eyes an' noses. If dey was to go troosuch woods in de dark, dey hab no skins or eyes or noses in de mornin'--leas'wise nuffin' wuth mentionin'. Cause why? Dey'd all git knockedinto a sorter mush. Plenty ob time for breakfast 'fore we start."

  "That's true, boy," said Hockins, "but where's the breakfast to comefrom?"

  "What! you no bringed nuffin' in your pockits?" asked the negro with alook of visible anxiety on his expressive face.

  Hockins turned his various pockets inside out by way of reply.

  "I am equally destitute," said Mark.

  The negro groaned as he slowly drew from his breeches pockets twosea-biscuits and a cold sausage.

  "I meant dat," he said, "as a light lunch for _one_ yisterday."

  "It'll have to do dooty, then, as a heavy breakfast for three thismorning, Ebony. Come, divide, and let's have fair play."

  "Here, massa," said Ebony, handing the food to Mark, "you divide, Iain't got de moral courage to do it fair. Number one is too strong inme when I's hungry!"

  With a laugh at this candid admission the youth did his best at a fairdivision. In a few minutes the scanty meal was finished, and thefugitives proceeded straight into the interior of the country at theutmost speed which was compatible with sustained exertion.

  They could see the faint outlines of a mountain range in the fardistance, and towards that they directed their steps, knowing that inthe event of sustained pursuit they had a much better chance of escapingamong the rugged fastnesses of a mountain region than in the forests oron the plains. But they saw plainly that there was many a weary mile totraverse before the sheltering mountains could be reached.

  At first they walked rapidly and in silence, one behind the other--Markleading--but as time passed, and the danger of being overtakendecreased, they fell more into line and began to talk of their plans andprospects.

  Of course they thought about the _Eastern Star_, and the possibility ofher hanging about the coast in the hope of picking them up; but as therewas no certainty upon that point, and a return to the coast would belike rushing into the very jaws of the lion, from which they werefleeing, they soon dismissed the idea as untenable.

  "Now then, the question is, sir, Wot are we a-goin' for to do?" saidHockins.

  "Ay, dat's de question," added Ebony with much force, and more thanShakespearean brevity.

  "Well now, lads," said Mark, "I've been thinking over that, and it seemsto me that there's not much to choose between. Unfortunately, I knowuncommonly little about this island--not that my geographical educationhas been neglected, but the class-books I have used did not give muchinformation about Madagascar. I know, however, that the MozambiqueChannel, which divides us from Africa, is a little too wide to swim. Ialso know that there is a capital somewhere near the middle of theisland, the name of which begins with an `Ant,' and ends with a `rivo.'There are some syllables between, I believe, but how many, is more thanI can tell. There's a government in it, however, and a queen, and someChristian missionaries. Now, it strikes me that where there's agovernment, a queen, and Christian missionaries, there must be more orless of civilisation and safety, so I would advise that we make straightfor the capital."

  "Right you are, sir," said Hockins. "As I know nothin' whotsomeverabout the place, I'll take my sailin' orders from you, captain, an'steer a straight course for Anty--whatever-she-is--arivo, where I hopewe'll arrive O!--`all alive O!' in the course o' time. What say you,Ebony?"

  "I's agreeable; don't care much for nuffin' when it don't trouble me.But I's gettin' awful hungry, an' I don't see nuffin' to eat in dis yerforest--not even fruit--dough it's pritty enough to look at."

  The scenery through which they were passing at the time was indeed morethan pretty. It was gorgeous, and would certainly have claimed moreattention from the travellers had they been less anxious to advance,and, perhaps, less hungry.

  By that time--near mid-day--they had got through the densest part of thewoods, and were come to a part where occasional openings in the foliagelighted them up. They had also discovered a narrow track or footpath,which they gladly followed; for although by so doing they ran the riskof coming suddenly upon natives, who might be foes just as well asfriends, the comparative ease of travelling was too great to beneglected. This path struck over hill and down dale in a somewhatdogged and straightforward manner, scorning to go round hillocks, savewhen too precipitous for unwinged animals. At times it wound in and outamong trees of great beauty and variety, and of tropical aspect.Elsewhere it plunged into denser stretches of forest, where theprofusion of vegetable life was extraordinary--here, a dense undergrowthof shrubs, tree-ferns, and dwarf-palms; there, trees of higher growth,and, shooting high above them all, the slender trunks of many varietiesof palms, whose graceful crowns and feathery leaves were picturedvividly on the blue sky. Elsewhere, innumerable creeping plantsinterlaced the branches, producing a wild and beautiful net-work, theirtendrils crossing in all directions, and producing a green twilight inplaces. The whole was enriched by orchids, the abundant pink and whitewax-like flowers of which contrasted well with other wild-flowersinnumerable, and with many large and gorgeous flowering trees.

  Different species of bamboos gave quite a peculiar aspect to the sceneryin some places, and still greater variety was secured by long pendantmasses of feathery grey moss and lichens. Some of the trees were ofenormous height; one palm, with a straight stem, in particular, beingestimated as not less than a hundred feet high to the spot where theleaves sprouted.

  "'Tis a perfect paradise!" exclaimed Mark, stopping suddenly and lookingaround with admiration.

  "Yes, massa," murmured Ebony, with solemn looks, "if dere was on'y a fewwegibles--cooked! Flowers is all bery well to look at, but we can'theat him."

  "Well, if we can't eat, we can, at all events, sleep," returned Mark."I believe it is usually thought wise in tropical countries to ceasework and rest about noon, so, as I feel rather tired, I'll have asnooze. What say you?"

  No objection being made, the party again climbed into the branches of alow spreading tree, in order to avoid snakes, scorpions, or any othernoxious creatures, though they knew not at the time whether such existedon the island. In less than five minutes they were sound asleep.

  Awaking after about two hours' repose, they descended, wished forsomething to eat, sighed, put a bold heart on it, tightened their beltsto suit diminishing waists, and continued their journey.

  Perseverance is sure to be rewarded. If that is not a proverb, it oughtto be! At all events the perseverance of our travellers was rewarded atthis time by their coming suddenly out of the woods into a wide grassyplain, on which was browsing a herd of wild cattle--at least they judgedthem to be wild from the fact of their being discovered in such a wildplace, and resolved to treat them as wild because of the "wolves" insideof them, which clamoured so wildly for food.

  "Beef!" exclaimed Hockins in some excitement, as he pointed to theanimal nearest to them, which happened to be a black, sleek, fat youngbull, with slender limbs and fierce eyes.

  "N
eber mind the wegibles, massa; shot 'un!" exclaimed Ebony in anexcited whisper, as he turned his glaring eyeballs on his leader.

  "Hush! don't speak," returned Mark, drawing quietly back into cover--forthe animal had not observed them. "We must consult what is to be done,because, you know, we have lost our powder-flask, the two charges in mygun are all I have got, and these are only small shot--I have nobullets!"

  Grave concern overspread the face of the sturdy seaman--blank dismaythat of the sea-cook!

  "Might as well blaze at the beast wi' sand," said Hockins.

  "Or wid nuffin'," sighed Ebony.

  "Nevertheless, I will try," said Mark, quickly. "We shall be starved todeath at this rate. Yonder is a line of bushes that runs close out tothe brute. I'll stalk it. When close I will make a dash at it, get asnear as I can, clap the muzzle against its ribs if possible, and--well,we shall see! You two had better stop here and look on."

  "No, massa," said the negro, firmly, "I go wid you. If you _is_ to die,we die togidder!"

  "What are you thinking of, Hockins?" asked the youth, observing that theseaman stood staring at the ground with knitted brows, as if in deepthought.

  "I'll go with you too," he replied, drawing his cutlass and feeling itspoint with his finger. "You may need help. Heave ahead, sir."

  Mark could not avoid smiling at the way in which this was said, althoughhe was sufficiently impressed with the hopelessness, it might even bethe danger, of the attempt he was about to make.

  They found no difficulty in approaching to within about thirty yards ofthe animal, being well concealed by the line of bushes before mentioned,but beyond that point there was no cover. Here therefore Mark cockedhis gun and gathered himself up for a rush, and Hockins drew hiscutlass. So agile was our young doctor that he actually reduced thethirty yards to ten before the astonished bull turned to fly. Anothermoment and the contents of both barrels were lodged in its flank. Theeffect was to produce a bellow of rage, a toss-up of the hindquarters,and a wild flourish of the tail, as the animal scurried away after therest of the herd, which was in full flight.

  Poor Breezy stopped at once, with a feeling of mingled disgust anddespair. Ebony also stopped, and looked with wide sympathetic eyes inhis leader's face, as though to say, "Well, massa, you's done yourbest."

  But Hockins ran on with persistent vigour, although the creature wasleaving him further behind at every stride.

  "Absurd!" murmured Mark, as he gazed at him.

  "No use wassomiver," said Ebony.

  It did indeed seem as if the seaman's exertions would prove abortive,but something in the spirit of the wounded bull suddenly changed theaspect of affairs. Whether it was the stinging pain of the small shotin its flank, or the indignation in its breast that influenced it wecannot tell, but in a moment it wheeled round with a furious roar andcharged its pursuer.

  Hockins stopped at once, and his comrades fully expected to see him turnand run; but our seaman was made of better stuff than they gave himcredit for, and the situation was not so new to him as they imagined.In the course of his voyaging to many lands, Hockins had been to abull-fight in South America. He had seen with fascination and somesurprise the risks run by the footmen in the arena; he had beheld withmingled anger and disgust the action of the picadors, who allowed theirpoor horses to be gored to death by the infuriated bulls; and he hadwatched with thrilling anxiety, not unmingled with admiration, the coolcourage of the matadors, as they calmly stood up to the maddened andcharging bulls and received them on the points of their swords, steppinglightly aside at the same moment so as to avoid the dangerous horns.

  The seaman's purpose now was to act the part of a matador. He knew thathe possessed coolness and nerve sufficient for the deed; he hoped thathe had the skill; he felt that hunger could no longer remainunsatisfied; he feared that death by starvation might be the lot ofhimself and his companions, and he preferred to meet death in action--ifmeet it he must. All things considered, he resolved to face the bovinethunderbolt with unflinching front, like a true-blue British tar!

  His coolness in the circumstances was evinced by the remarks muttered tohimself in a growly tone as the bull approached.

  "Three futt--that'll be enough. I don't rightly remember how near themmattydoors let him come before they putt their helms hard down an' lethim go by, but I think three futt'll do."

  This decision was barely reached when the bull was upon him with loweredhead and erect tail. It was an awful rush, but Hockins stood like arock with the cutlass pointed. At the pre-arranged moment he stepped toone side, but instead of letting the momentum of the animal do the work,he could not resist the impulse to drive the cutlass deeper into thebull's neck. The result was that, though he escaped the creature's hornby a very narrow shave, the cutlass was wrenched violently from hisgrasp, and he was sent head over heels upon the plain!

  Seeing this, Mark and the negro ran to the rescue, the one howling likea maniac, the other clubbing his gun; but their aid was not required,for the work of the amateur matador had been effectively done. Afterreceiving the deadly thrust the bull plunged forward a few paces, andthen fell dying upon the ground, while Hockins got up and began to feelhimself all over to make sure that no bones were broken.

  It need scarcely be told that they rejoiced greatly over their success,and that they cut off some of the flesh immediately, with which theyreturned to the forest to enjoy a much-needed meal.

  "We must kindle a fire now," said Mark, stopping at an open space in themidst of a very secluded spot at the foot of a magnificent palm-tree."You see I'm not prepared to act like a cannibal or Eskimo, and eat themeat raw."

  "There won't be much fear now," said Hockins, "especially if we make thefire of dry wood an' keep it small. Just look at that, Doctor."

  He held out his cutlass for inspection. It had been seriously bent inthe recent encounter.

  "Ain't that a cryin' shame to the owners, now, to send us poor fellowsto the eastern seas, where we may meet pirates any day, with tincutlashes like that."

  "You kin put him straight de next bull you kills," said Ebony, as heprepared some touchwood; "you've on'y got to stick 'im on the _left_side an' he'll twis' it all right. Now, massa, I's ready, bring de gunan' snap de flints ober dat."

  Hockins straightened his weapon between the branches of a tree, hiscomrades managed to capture a spark in a mass of dry combustibles, whichsoon burst into a flame. As the seaman had recommended, only the driestwood was used, and just enough of that to enable them to half-roast whatfood they required. Then they returned to the carcass of the bull, andcut off a large quantity of meat, using the cutlass as well as theirclasp-knives in the operation.

  "Cut the meat in thin slices," said Mark Breezy, when they began thiswork.

  "Why you so 'ticklar, massa?" asked Ebony. "I's fond o' t'ick slices--w'en him's not too tough."

  "Because then we can dry the meat in the sun or over a slow fire, and sobe able to keep it longer without spoiling. We must spend the nighthere for the purpose, and perhaps part of to-morrow.--Why, Hockins, whatare you about?"

  "Makin' a pair o' shoes, sir; you see them old dancin' pumps as I leftthe ship with wouldn't hold out another day o' this rough travellin', soI'm makin' a noo pair of shoes when I've got the chance."

  "They will be a primitive pair," observed Mark.

  "If that means a good pair, you're right, sir. They are after thepattern first made by Adam for Eve--leas'wise it's supposed her firstpair o' dancin' pumps was made this fashion. I'll make a sim'lar pairfor you, sir, w'en your boots give out."

  In case the reader should ever be reduced to extremities in the matterof foot-gear we may explain the seaman's method.

  Selecting what he believed to be the thickest part of the bull's hide,he cut off a small portion about eighteen inches square. Spreading thison the ground with the hair upwards, he planted his naked foot on it andmarked the shape thereon. Then with his knife he cut away the hide allround the foot-mark at four
inches or so from the outline of the foot.Next, he bored little holes all round the margin, through which he ran aline, or lace, also made of raw hide. Then, planting his foot again inthe middle of the hide, he drew the line tight, causing the edges torise all round the foot and almost cover it.

  "There you are, sir," he said, stretching out his limb and admiring thecontrivance; "rough-an'-ready, you see, but soon finished. It ain'trecorded in ancient history what Eve said when Adam presented her wi'the little testimonial of his affection, but if I might ventur' a guessI should opine that she said `puckery.'"

  "H'm! Dey ain't a tight fit," observed Ebony. "I's ob opinion dat yourcorns are quite safe in 'em."

  Having completed his shoe-making work, the ingenious seaman assisted hiscompanions to prepare the dried meat, which they afterwards tied up inthree convenient little parcels to be slung on their backs.

  That night they found a more commodious tree to sleep in. Under thepleasant influence of a good supper they enjoyed unbroken rest, andawoke the following morning greatly refreshed. They were thus, bothphysically and mentally, prepared for the events of that day, to which,as they afterwards had a most important bearing on their fortunes in theisland, we will devote a separate chapter.