CHAPTER XVIII
Terrors of the Mongolian Desert
Never in all his existence had David had need for such rapid movement ason the occasion when the wolf suddenly sprang over the barrier at him,for the brute's flight was like that of lightning, giving but littletime for preparation. And if the matter had, in fact, been left entirelyto our hero, he would most certainly have been badly mauled. As it was,he drew his magazine pistol swiftly, and fired almost the moment it hadleft his belt. But the ball did not stop the animal, though it piercedhis body. Nothing could arrest his attack, save death, and that Chu-Librought to him swiftly. As the beast struck David on the chest his fangsclosed on his coat sleeve, fortunately missing the arm, and clung therefor a minute. By then Chu-Li had drawn his knife, and with a quick stabhe ended the struggle.
'Did I not say that they can be dangerous, Excellency?' he said. 'Whenthey are hungry they are as mad people, knowing no fear. Let us all takethe brands in our hands. I will cast this animal out to his fellows.Perhaps that will appease them for a while.'
He stooped over the beast, and lifting him with an effort--for he wasvery large--cast him out at the side of the tent flap. And at once therearose such a snarling that all of the party within the hollow held theirbreath.
'It would be like that were we to be taken,' said Chu-Li grimly.'Perhaps it is as well for us to know; for then we shall fight the morefiercely. I say that there are many who imagine, never having seen awolf, that such beasts cannot be so very dangerous. One has to meet themto understand. Now, we will take the brands and stand ready.
Giving a kick to the fire so that it burned more brightly the four menstood behind their barricade, flaming brands gripped in their hands. Norwas it long before they had need for them; for the wolves had by nowdevoured their dead comrade, and still scenting food within the hollow,and having as it were got their courage and their blood up, camesqueezing in twos and threes beneath the tents. Their ferocity wasextraordinary. Time and again David shot one of the brutes through thebody with no apparent result, for it still came forward, leaping at thebarrier and endeavouring to get at those behind it. The brands, however,were far and away the best weapon. When one was dashed into the face ofa wolf it turned tail promptly and retreated; but it was back againwithin a minute, back with its comrades till the crush beneath the tentsthreatened to level them, and till the defenders were hard set to it topreserve their lives.
'This kind of thing can't last much longer,' declared David at last,when the wolves drew off after some fifteen minutes. 'They are gettingbolder and bolder, and I am inclined to think that the tents help them.They sneak beneath them till quite close, when it is an easy matter tospring upon us. I am for firing the tents, and so having a clear view.'
'And I agree, Excellency,' said Chu-Li readily. 'Let us destroy thetents, when we shall be able to see the brutes coming. Moreover, we canfire at them in the open, and reserve the brands till they are close athand.'
There was a quick nod of acquiescence from Jong and the other Chinaman,showing that they were in agreement. Jong, in fact, stepped forward toapply his brand to the canvas. But David stopped him quickly.
'Not yet,' he said. 'Wait till they come on again; perhaps having ablazing roof over them will give them such a scare that they will clearoff. Besides, it occurs to me that once our tents are destroyed we shallfind ourselves in sad need of them. Let us contrive to save one atleast. Wait while I see what the pack is doing.'
His appearance at the opening was the signal for a chorus of howls andcries from the wolves, for all the world as if they were human beings.David watched them for a minute as they sat for the most part collectedabout the hollow in a wide circle, watching the place with sharp eyeswhich never strayed from it. Once one of the brutes, seeing him in theopen, made a rush forward, but a quick shot caused it to halt and slinkback amongst its fellows. Then our hero unhitched the rope outside fromthe peg to which it was attached, and signalled to those within to pullthe canvas towards them.
'I'll watch the beasts while you do it,' he called. 'Pile it up on thebarricade so as to make it higher. Hurry up. They've all got on to theirlegs and are moving.'
They had barely time to drag the tent within the cave when the pack ofhungry and maddened beasts outside dashed forward, snarling and yelping,causing David to retreat at once to the shelter of the barricade.
'Wait till they are well in the opening before you fire the secondtent,' he called to Jong, 'and take care that they don't catch sight ofyou. Once down there would be an end to any one.'
For a few anxious moments the defenders of the cave wondered whetherthey had been right in clearing the entrance, for now that there wasample room the wolves swarmed in in a mass, crushing one another,yelping and snapping viciously, madly struggling to come at those behindthe barricade. Bullets made not the smallest impression. Even thered-hot brands failed to stop them. It looked, indeed, as if they wouldflood the place and kill the whole party. Then Jong set his brand to thesecond tent, and almost at once a sheet of flame flared across theopening. The result was wonderful. The pack of wolves struggled andfought to get away, and, finally freeing themselves, bolted into theopen, where they sat themselves down again in a ring, their eyesreflecting the glare of the flames cast by the blazing tent. And therethey continued to squat when the canvas was consumed, their tongueslolling from their mouths, their cruel white teeth showing.
'I think we might as well begin to fire at them,' said David. 'We haveample ammunition, but may as well carry out the work methodically, sothat no two men will fire at the same animal. I will take those to theleft. Chu-Li, you fire at those seated on the right. Jong and his friendwill take the left and right of the centre of the circles. Aimcarefully, and make every shot count.'
There was a huge commotion amongst the brutes seated outside as a volleyburst from the cave. They started to their feet and dashed here andthere yelping loudly. Then, led by one huge animal, they headed straightfor the hollow, as if determined to gain an entrance.
'Fire quickly,' shouted David. 'Empty your magazines into them and thentake up the brands.'
It was a fortunate thing for the party that the Chinese soldiers werearmed with modern weapons, and trained to use them, and also that Jonghad been provided with a magazine pistol. Otherwise the rush of the packof wolves could not have been stopped. But as it was the storm ofbullets pelting into their ranks, as well perhaps as the flashes offlame from the dark opening, caused the line to halt. Then those who hadnot been hit fell with terrible ferocity on their wounded comrades,tearing them to pieces.
'It's not a nice thing to look at,' said David, as he re-loaded, 'and Irather think a fellow will be inclined to dream the whole thing over oneof these nights and have the jumps in consequence. But it will help uswonderfully by easing their hunger. Now, we will fire again. The more weknock over the better.'
Little by little the wolves drew away from the hollow as the bulletsswished amongst them. At first they had contented themselves withchanging their respective positions. But finding that their comradeswere still falling, the bulk at length crept away till they were hiddenin the darkness. But they were still within easy distance for a rush.Occasionally a slinking form crept into view against the whitebackground, only to slide away into the shadow. And then, after hoursand hours of toilsome and anxious waiting, the dawn came, causing thewhole pack to turn tail and seek cover in the distance.
'May we never see or hear them again is what I fervently hope,' declaredDavid, seating himself for the first time since the animals had put inan appearance. 'I fancy we have had as narrow an escape as is possible,and am devoutly thankful. Now, Jong, food and drink, and then we'll getaway from the hollow.'
'And ride direct for the nearest village, Excellency,' advised Chu-Li.'For one cannot say that the wolves have gone far. There may be a forestclose at hand, and were they in hiding there, and to catch us in theopen, then indeed all our struggling would have been in vain. With nohollow to help us we should quickly
be torn to pieces.'
'Then before we go far we had better have a good look round. I shallclimb to the top of the hill now. It is quite clear, and the sun looksas if it would appear. No doubt I shall be able to see a long way, andif there is a wood anywhere near I shall catch sight of it.'
David left Jong squatted over the fire, preparing a much-needed morningmeal, and issued from the cave. The snow outside was a couple of feetdeep, while here and there, where the wind had swept it into drifts, itwas as much as twenty feet from top to base. Everywhere adjacent to thecave were the foot-marks of the wolves, with a distinctly outlinedcircle where they had squatted between their attacks. As for the beaststhemselves, there was not a living one in sight. Only numeroushalf-knawed bones could be seen, for the ravenous beasts who had escapedthe bullets of the defenders had eaten everything else.
'I couldn't have believed it possible unless I had actually seen such aresult with my own eyes,' said David to himself. 'People in Old Englandwould probably smile incredulously if I told them the yarn how a packhad simply devoured twenty or more of their fellows when knocked over byour weapons. But here's the evidence, as clear as one can wish it. Nowfor the hill top.'
It was hard work scrambling up, and many a time he slid down many yardson the surface of the hard-frozen snow. But by sticking to the task heat length reached the top. It presented in ordinary times, no doubt, asharp ridge, that was now smoothly rounded by the snow, and which rannorth and south for some four hundred yards. It was the only high groundto be seen, so that David and his little party were peculiarly lucky tohave come upon it. And its elevation gave one a wonderful view over thesnow-clad landscape, that glistened and shone now under a wintery sun.As far as the eye could see the white expanse was unbroken, save in onedirection where there was a smear of black across it, from theneighbourhood of which smoke was rising.
'A village,' he thought. 'Not a sign of a forest, so I presume thatthose beasts have quitted this part of the country, only they must havegone precious quickly, for there is not one to be seen anywhere. I thinkwe can safely set out.'
An hour later, after a hearty breakfast, the ponies were loaded with thestores accompanying the party, and David and his men set out. Though thegoing was not as easy as it had been when there was no snow, it was notparticularly difficult; for there had been a severe frost, and the hoofsof the animals sank only a little way below the surface.
'I think we'd better keep well together, and have the pack poniesbetween us,' said David, once they were clear of the hill. 'To tell youthe truth, now that we are in the open I'm beginning to wonder whether Ican have made a mistake about those brutes. If they have gone right off,then they must have got away at their fastest pace, else I should haveseen them. It makes me a little anxious.'
'It is one of those matters which one cannot well help, Excellency,'Chu-Li reassured him. 'It may be that the brutes have found some hollowwhich was not visible from the top of the hill, and have taken shelterin it. I mean some dip in the ground. There is this to be said in ourfavour. The animals have had a fine feed during the night, and willtherefore not be so ravenous, while it is well-known that wolves do notattack so fiercely during the day time. But I have known of a partybeing torn to pieces, and for that reason we had best hasten.'
They urged their willing animals forward after that, and were soon morethan half-way to the village, which could now be distinctly seen. It wasthen that Jong announced that there was something following the party,causing David to call a halt. At once he, too, caught sight of aslinking object, while Chu-Li declared that he had seen several.
'They are wolves without doubt, Excellency,' he said, 'and keepthemselves as low down on the snow as possible, so as to come nearwithout being seen. I had rather fight twenty men than the same numberof those fierce brutes.'
'And I too,' agreed David. 'However, we have got to face the matter out.Jong, do you go on, leading the pack-ponies as fast as possible. Hu-Tycan take my mount as well as Chu-Li's, while we two will walk, firing atthe wolves whenever we see them. A few good shots should make them keeptheir distance. If not, we will mount and ride as fast as the beastswill take us. In less than an hour at any rate we shall be at thevillage.'
Slipping out of his saddle he handed the reins to Hu-Ty, and took hisrifle from him, together with a handful of ammunition. Chu-Li at oncejoined him, while Jong took the leads of the other animals and sent themtowards the village at a smart rate. Indeed, the ponies were only toowilling. For though they may not have seen the prowling enemy in rear,they shivered visibly and fretted greatly, showing that they hadprobably scented the wolves.
'Now, we will take it in turns, Chu,' said David. 'One good shot isbetter than twenty misses, and besides, if we knock one wolf over, heprovides food for his comrades.'
Catching a clear view of a slinking form at that moment he dropped on toone knee, levelled his rifle and took careful aim. The snap of theweapon was followed by a distant howl, while the animal he had fired atleaped into the air and fell backward into the snow.
'Showing that a bullet at a fair range is more deadly than one firedpoint blank,' he remarked, remembering that when in the cave many of thewolves though perforated had still dashed forward.
'It was a fine shot, Excellency,' exclaimed Chu, with enthusiasm. 'As toa bullet being more deadly, I am sure of it. I have seen men dashforward with mad impetuosity. Nothing could stop them, unless the bulletstruck them in the head or heart. Such fanatics seemed to feel nothingtill they had given a blow, and then many a man fell never to moveagain. I know, for I was one of the few who helped my masters, theEnglish, when the legations at Pekin were besieged during the revolt ofthe Boxers. Those were fierce times, Excellency.'
He drew himself up proudly, while David looked at the soldier in a newlight. It was clear that Chu was something like his leader, the astuteand travelled Twang Chun, Governor of the province. He at least was notone of the masses who saw in a European a foreign devil meant only to bekilled.
'You have much to be proud of, Chu,' he said warmly. 'That must havebeen a fine experience.'
'It was, Excellency; we fought against huge odds, and the attackers wereeven as fierce as these beasts. But see: the others have fallen upon theone you shot. I will send a bullet amongst them.'
It was an easy shot, and the Chinaman laid a second wolf low. Then heand David leaped into their saddles, while the whole party went on at asgreat a pace as the ponies could accomplish, leaving the wolves, of whomthere seemed to be a great number, huddled around their fallen comrades.It gave David and his men a breathing space, and for ten minutes theywere able to press on without halting. Then the wolves, having devouredthe two which had been shot, came after them again, slinking over thesnow, and showing themselves as little as possible.
'We'll do as we did before,' cried David, looking over his shoulder,'only this time, as there seem to be so many, we had better kill four atleast if possible. Come along, Chu. No need to stop Jong and the packponies. We shall easily catch them up.'
Two minutes later when they were again in their saddles and had drawnlevel with Jong, the latter reported that he had seen some of the dark,slinking forms to his left, while within a few minutes Chu announcedthat others were coming up on the right. It was a very serious position,and though David discussed the matter quickly, no one could devise anyother plan than that of hurrying forward.
'We've given those in rear reason to halt for a while at any rate,' hetold his men. 'We must wait and see what these others are going to do,and if they look as if they were coming close in we shall have to haltand fire at them. I admit I don't like the business at all. How longwill it take us to get to the village at this rate, Chu?'
'Half an hour, Excellency. By then if the wolves mean to attack, therewill be little left of us.'
There was a deep line across the soldier's brow, while his eyes weredrawn and anxious; but of his pluck there could be no two opinions.Chu-Li was a fine soldier and feared nothing, nothing perhaps that washuman.
But wolves were different altogether. However, the situation wasone that had to be faced, and for that reason the party went on as fastas possible, taking no notice of the brutes which were attempting tooutflank them. But at length the latter had drawn in perceptibly, whilehalf-a-dozen were in front of the party between them and the village.
'Then there's nothing for it but to dismount and fire as we go,' saidDavid, as he set an example by dropping from his saddle. 'Hu-Ty musthelp. The ponies are not likely to stray with these beasts so near them,and will more likely huddle closely together. Come, let us do our utmostto drive the wolves off.'
Walking rapidly beside their ponies David and the two Chinamen stoppedevery few seconds to fire at the wolves, knocking several over. But asfast as one fell, others seemed to leap into his place, as if they camefrom the snow itself. And a bad sign for the fortunes of the party,--thebeasts were now ignoring their fallen comrades.
'Looks as if they preferred humans,' thought David, grimly. 'I begin tosee that we shall have to halt and make a stand. Chu,' he called loudly.'They look as if they were about to make a rush. They have come in a lotcloser and are all round us now. If they run in make a dash for theponies, and take up your posts in the very centre. It's hard luck forour mounts, but we must put them between us and our enemies. Ah! they'removing. That big one out there seems to be a leader.'
Up went his rifle, and the beast he aimed at howled as he pulled thetrigger. But he did not fall as had the others. Glaring at David's partyfor a moment, he suddenly sank his head, and with his limbs bent beneathhim came dashing forward over the snow. And as he came his matesfollowed, howling and yapping.
'Into the centre!' shouted David. 'Put the ponies outside. Begin to fireat once.'
Bunched in a little group, the forlorn little party made the utmost ofthe situation. The four stood close together with the ponies immediatelyoutside them. And the poor animals seemed to have guessed that they wereto act as a bulwark, for they cowered, shivering and stamping theirhoofs, and pressing in upon the men who were to defend them. It was justbefore a volley belched from the rifles of his party that David heard adistant gong, and then a loud report. Looking round in the direction ofthe village he was overjoyed to see a number of men running towards him,many of whom carried flaming brands, while the weapons they bore were asmany and as various as the garments of the strangers.
'Fire as hard as you can!' he shouted. 'The villagers are running out tohelp us, so that if we can keep the wolves at bay for a couple ofminutes we shall be safe.'
Those two minutes were perhaps the most strenuous he had ever spent inall his life. Even Chu-Li admitted that the defence of the legations atPekin was hardly equal to that last attack. For the wolves had heard thegong and the shout of the villagers, and as if determined that theirprey should not escape them, they dashed in madly, their eyes flaming,their teeth parted in a snarl. More than one managed to leap on to thebacks of the ponies, only to be at once shot or struck down by theknives the Chinese carried. One even fixed its fangs in the neck of apony, till the poor beast, driven frantic with pain and fear, dashedaway from the circle. Twenty wolves were on it immediately, and wouldhave had it down and torn to pieces in little time had not a crumb ofsense returned to the pony. It kicked madly in all directions, and thengalloped back to its comrades, where Chu and Jong slashed at the wolvesstill holding to it. By then the villagers were close at hand, runningforward in a compact body, and at once, with many a snarl of rage, thewolves took themselves off.
'Who are you?' demanded one of the strangers, who was muffled to theeyes, and dressed in padded clothing which made him of enormous size.'You come from the north or the south? Answer immediately. If from thenorth, then in spite of the wolves you must go on your journey.'
'We come from the south. This Excellency is a friend of Twang Chun, thenoble Governor of this province,' answered Chu, putting himself forwardas spokesman. 'The Excellency bears letters to all whom it may concern.He is a noble Englishman.'
'Then follow; a friend of the noble Twang Chun is our friend. You willbe welcome.'
David bowed as the Chinese headman kow-towed before him, looking as ifhe found it hard to bend, so many garments had he on him. Then our herothanked him warmly, and asked why, if he had come from the north, hewould not be welcome.
'Because, Excellency, there is plague there, and in spite of the coldweather people are flying from it. Mobs have passed us, but we have keptthem at a distance. Elsewhere the frantic people have burst intodefenceless villages, and have murdered every one so as to take theirfood supplies. We had rather welcome wolves than these maddenedindividuals. But tell me about the beasts who attacked you. You have hada very narrow escape without doubt. I myself have never seen the brutesattack so fiercely, and I am accustomed to them.'
Nowhere else had our hero been made so welcome as in the village towhich they had now come, and he and his party spent three days there,resting after their adventures, and waiting till the snow had cleared.For a thaw had set in, and the wet made the ground almost impossiblefor horses. But on the fourth day they were able to start, and set outfrom the village, having made arrangements that supplies of rice and ofchickens should be forwarded to the ruins weekly.
'Unless, of course, something occurs to prevent our despatching thefood, 'said the headman.' We have abundance here, and shall be glad tosell it. But this trouble in Manchuria is very pressing, and it may bethat we shall not be able to spare men to go to you. Everywhere reportssay that mobs are parading the country, and when a Chinaman is homelessand hungry no law is sufficient to stop his thieving and killing. A finejourney, Excellency. It has been a pleasure to meet you.'
Three days later David reached the ruins where his comrades wereworking, and was hailed with delight by the Professor.
'I began to get really nervous about you,' he declared, 'especially whenthe snowstorm broke over the country. Come and tell me all that hashappened to you.'
'And now let me hear something about the work here, Professor,' askedDavid when he had told him about the discovery of the hollow during thesnowstorm, and the attack of the wolves. 'How are you progressing?'
'Splendidly; couldn't be better,' exclaimed the Professor, rubbing hishands together with energy. 'We seem to have dropped upon the very partwhich your poor father excavated. Of course, he did not go very far;that we know, for Chang and his ruffians so soon interrupted him.However, he removed a mass of debris, which has made our work all thelighter. We have already made discoveries. We have opened up somewonderful inscriptions, and Dick hit upon a buried bronze bowl which isunique I should say, and will find a place in the British Museum. Theonly contretemps we have experienced was two days after the snowstorm. Aband of most villainous-looking fellows came this way and demandedprovisions. They were from Manchuria, from the plague-infested area,and, of course, my workers would have nothing to do with them. Theymoved off soon afterwards, though there is little doubt that had theybeen in greater strength they would hardly have let us off so lightly.Come in, and see what we have been doing.'
For three weeks David worked with the excavators, finding the task ofthe greatest interest. For the diggers had come upon a covered way,built in stone, and absolutely perfect, and from this, as the debris wascleared away, it was possible to enter houses, the roofs of which werejust visible above the all-pervading sand, while the interiors wereoften almost free of that material. And in them was found abundance offood for reflection--domestic articles in great numbers left by thoseancient residents, tiled ways which could not be improved upon by thelater Romans; and bronze vases and receptacles of every shape anddesign, some so elegant, in fact, that the Professor, who was aconnoisseur in such matters, declared that the form was similar to thatfound in ancient Grecian vases, and that this old Mongolian civilizationhad undoubtedly sent its artistic wares broadcast, till they reachedthe far west, and were copied by a race less ancient than theseMongolians, but ancient for all that.
'Believe it or not as you will,' he said, i
mpressively, 'but there isreason in my statement. Here are vases similar to those made by theancient Greeks. But Greece was probably only rising in power and to thesummit of her artistic attainments when this city had ceased to exist,for the civilisation of these parts is extremely ancient. Yet the workof the two nations has a decided similarity. What more natural than toconclude that here in China was laid down the model for future designersin bronze? One sees the same elsewhere. Japan, famed for long now forher art in bronze, is merely a copyist. Her designers took their curvesand angles from the modellers of the Celestial Empire.'
It was all extremely fascinating, and David threw his heart into thework. Often and often, too, he wondered whether some day he and thediggers would come upon a part where there could be no doubt that hisfather had worked. And then, why should he not discover the will forwhich he had come to the country?
'It's not the money,' he said, many and many a time, when discussing thematter with the Professor. 'I don't really care a pin about it just now,though I daresay it will prove very useful. But I said I would come outto China to search for it. Here I am. I mean to discover it, if the willis actually in existence.'
'All of which proves you to be what your respected stepmotherproclaimed,' smiled the Professor. 'David, I'm afraid you are anexceedingly stubborn customer.'
Stubborn or not, the lad had set his heart on the undertaking, and thefurther the excavations progressed the more eagerly did he move aboutthe ruins. Then the course of his search was interrupted, for peace andtranquility are never to be long expected in such a country as China.