Mary Liddiard Part 4

We continued to attend to our usual duties. Though the younger girls and boys a.s.sembled for school, the older people were too much agitated and alarmed to attend to their studies; they were also chiefly employed during the day in repairing the damages caused by the storm.

In the evening, however, they all a.s.sembled in the chapel for public prayer. Nanari was addressing them, when the noise of feet was heard without, and directly afterwards Tofa appeared, followed by a young white man. The latter took off his hat when he saw how we were engaged, and stood reverentially at the door for a moment, as if unwilling to interrupt us, though evidently in a state of great agitation.

Tofa, however, influenced by no such feelings, exclaimed loudly, "Fly!

fly! and hide yourselves. Your enemies are approaching, and will be here anon. Mafoa tried to prevent them, but he could not prevail."

"My friends!" exclaimed Nanari, "the warning has been sent that you all may seek for safety. For myself, I will remain with the aged and wounded people, who cannot fly; but you, my daughters," turning to Maud and me, "who have been committed to my charge, I must see that you are placed in a secure hiding-place, where the heathens cannot find you."

"We will place ourselves under your guidance," I answered, "but you must also take care that this stranger does not again fall into the hands of the heathens," I added, turning to the young man who was standing at the door, and who appeared to be above the rank of a common sailor. "Tell me," I asked, "are you the only person who has escaped from the vessel, which we heard was burned the other day along the coast?"

"I fear that such is the case, and why my life was spared I cannot tell you," he answered. "I jumped overboard, and was swimming towards the sh.o.r.e, when I was taken up by a canoe, in which was a young chief, who made signs that he would protect me, and faithfully kept his word. I should have remained with him had I not received a note sent, I presume, by you."

This was said in a hurried tone, while Nanari was arranging a plan for our safety.

I told the stranger of the warning we had just received from Tofa of the threatened attack by the heathens, supposing that he might not have understood what the lad might have said to him.

While some of our friends ran off to the huts to obtain provisions, Abela and Lisele taking our hands, told us that we must set off at once to the mountains, till the fury of the heathens had ceased. Three or four of our other friends also prepared to accompany us.

"But what will this stranger do?" I asked. "Surely if the heathens find him when no longer under the protection of Mafoa, they will put him to death."

"He is under my care," exclaimed Tofa. "I promised Mafoa that I would protect him, and I will show them that I am clever enough to hide him away even although the whole tribe come to look for him."

I explained this to the young stranger, and advised him to put himself under Tofa's guidance. Nanari having commended us to the care of Jehovah, we and our friends, not stopping even to obtain anything at the house, hurried off towards the mountains, while Tofa led the stranger by a more direct way up a precipice, which was too steep for us to climb.

As we were quitting the chapel, turning my eyes seaward for a moment, I caught sight of several sails dotting the ocean in the far distance. I pointed them out to Lisele.

"They may be my father's canoes," she exclaimed, "and he might arrive in time to protect us."

"Alas! even should they be Masaugu's fleet, they may be too late for that," said Abela. "We must not delay on such a chance; perhaps, too, they may prove more deadly foes than those from whom we fly. Let us hasten on, and we may be able to learn what they are when our charge is in safety."

Thus urged, Lisele no longer hesitated. Night was coming on, but provided we could make our way, the darkness would a.s.sist us in eluding our savage foes should they pursue us. The path towards the mountains, at all times difficult, was rendered doubly so by the number of fallen trees across it, thrown down by the hurricane. Sometimes we had to climb over the trunks, at others to creep under the branches.

"The heathens will be less able to discover our tracks," observed Lisele, "than if the path had been open."

"Ah yes! my child," said Abela, "all is ordered for the best."

Now we went on and on, now clambering over wild rocks, now proceeding along a narrow valley, now climbing its steep sides till we reached a height whence we could look back upon our settlement. "Hark!" said Lisele, "what cries are those?" We listened; the Indian girl's quick ear had detected sounds which neither Maud nor I had till then perceived.

"Alas! alas!" she exclaimed, "they are the shouts of the savage heathens as they rush in among those we have left behind, and rage at finding that we have escaped them."

That she was right in her conjecture we had too soon painful evidence.

Several bright lights appeared, and presently fierce flames burst forth from amid the trees. The savages had set the houses on fire to revenge themselves on the inhabitants who had for the present escaped their fury. Our friends, not stopping to watch the progress of the flames, hurried us on. Proceeding along a narrow ridge, we once more descended down a ravine thickly covered with trees. The natives knew their way, but so dense was the foliage that to my eyes all appeared dark around.

We could hear the roar of a torrent close to us. Now they led us along slippery rocks, tightly holding our hands; now we found ourselves ascending, now descending, steep precipices. At length they stopped, and drawing aside the thick foliage, Abela led us into a small cavern, the front of which appeared to be completely concealed by underwood and numberless creepers with which it was entwined. A portion of the provisions, and some water which had been brought, were placed by our sides.

"Here, my daughters, you will remain safe till the heathens, having searched for you in vain, take their departure," said Abela. "I know this spot well, for before Masaugu's father conquered the territory he now holds, I and my family dwelt in the neighbourhood. I discovered it as a girl when rambling about the mountains with my brothers, who are dead, and no one else is acquainted with it. We ourselves propose to find concealment in different directions, for should the heathens search for us, some may thus have a better prospect of escaping, and the faith of Jehovah will still remain in the land."

Abela and her companions, having carefully allowed the shrubs to regain their natural position, left Maud and me alone, and we soon lost the sound of their footsteps. The cavern was perfectly dry, and sufficient air found its way through the boughs to prevent the atmosphere from feeling close. Some mats had also been left for us, on which we could recline; but, as may be supposed, the fearful events that had occurred, and the grief and anxiety which weighed on our hearts, prevented us for many hours from sleeping. No sound except that of the ceaseless roar and splash of the neighbouring waterfall, reached our ears. While we sat, shrouded in darkness, it was difficult to avoid giving way to despondency. We did not, I need scarcely say, forget to pray, while we had cause to be thankful at having received sufficient warning to escape from the cruel fate which would have overtaken us had we been at the settlement.

At last we slept, and the light of day was making its way through the dense foliage when we awoke. Our cavern, we now found, was even smaller than we had supposed. There was no room to walk about; indeed, it afforded us just s.p.a.ce sufficient to lie down at full length. As we peered out between the bushes, we could see the opposite sides of the ravine rising up in a perpendicular precipice directly before us. This gave us an a.s.surance that there was little probability of our being discovered by the savages, even though they might search diligently for us through the mountains. Our friends had left us an ample supply of provisions so that if necessary we might remain many days there without fear of starvation. But what was to be our future lot it was impossible to say.

"It is a great comfort to know that G.o.d will decide it for us," said Maud, putting her arms round my neck. "He knows what is best, and He will find a way of escape for those who trust Him, out of all difficulties. See," she added, "I have brought His word to comfort us,"

and she produced a small Bible from her pocket, which she had thoughtfully put there when leaving the chapel.

What consolation did that book give us! We read and prayed, and then read again in a low voice, and strange as it may seem to some, the time did not appear to drag heavily along; but calmness came ever our minds-- our hearts were at peace, we no longer feared what man could do to us.

We had been reading together, when suddenly we both started. A wild cry readied our ears; it was echoed by others in different directions, some coming up the ravine, others sounding, it seemed, overhead. I felt Maud tremble as she clung to me.

"Can those cries come from the heathens, who have discovered our footsteps?" she whispered. "If so, we are lost."

"Not lost, dear Maud," I answered. "They can but take our lives, and I trust that though they may be near they will not find us. Our friends felt sure of our safety in this concealment, so let us not despair, but it will be prudent not to speak."

We remained silent, clinging to each other. Again the wild shrieks and cries echoed around us, some of the voices appeared to be quite close.

We sat listening anxiously--now the sounds appeared to proceed from a greater distance. Yes, we trusted that the savages were at length pa.s.sing by us, their shrieks grew fainter and fainter, and ultimately altogether ceased.

We had been again preserved from a threatened danger. We could scarcely believe that it was over when darkness once more crept up the ravine.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

WE REMAIN CONCEALED, NONE OF OUR FRIENDS APPEARING.--MAUD SEES A PERSON ON THE HILL.--OUR ALARM.--WE AGAIN HEAR VOICES AND FOOTSTEPS.--OUR NATIVE FRIENDS RETURN AND BRING US SAD TIDINGS; YET WE HAVE CAUSE TO BE THANKFUL THAT SOME HAVE ESCAPED.--WE ARE MAKING OUR WAY TO A CANOE, WHEN THE HEATHENS PURSUE US.--ESCAPE.--CHARLES NORTON GIVES ME HIS HISTORY.

Two more days pa.s.sed away, and none of our friends had come near us. We began to fear that they had been seized by the heathens. Should such be the case, what must be our fate!

"We will wait where we are till our provisions are exhausted, and then we must make our way down to the sea-sh.o.r.e, and perhaps we may be seen by some pa.s.sing s.h.i.+p and taken off," said Maud. "Anything will be better than trusting ourselves to the savage heathens."

I agreed with her that this was the only plan we could follow, that, indeed, was almost a hopeless one.

"But suppose papa has been detained longer than he expected with Mr Hilton, and returns to the settlement. If so, we may see him and reach his canoe," said Maud. She always called my father papa.

This idea of Maud's gave me new hope, and then I thought how sad must be our meeting when I should have to tell him of our mother's death.

Our chief want in our cavern was water; but Maud managed, by creeping under the bushes, where she was sure she could not be seen, to reach a pool filled by the never ceasing spray from the cascade. I entreated her, however, not to go out often, for I was afraid of her foot slipping, or, notwithstanding her a.s.sertion, that some native pa.s.sing over the mountain above us might catch a glimpse of her. She agreed, therefore, to wait till just after dawn, when no one was likely to be at so great a distance from any habitation. She went out one morning to fill the gourd, which held our store of water, and when she came back she told me that she had seen a person looking down towards her from a point a long way up above the top of the waterfall.

"I did not stop to look a second time," she said, "but, crouching down, crept back, in the hopes that he might not have discovered me."

This circ.u.mstance caused us great alarm; still we hoped that even had any one seen her, he might not be able to discover the entrance to our cavern.

"Perhaps the person I saw may have been Tofa, or the young Englishman,"

exclaimed Maud, as if the thought had suddenly struck her. "They would naturally come to look for us, especially should they know that any of our friends had been discovered by the heathens, and they might a.s.sist us greatly."

"I trust that our friends have escaped," I said. "Though it seems strange that they should be so long in returning to us, and as Tofa and the young Englishman are strangers, I would rather trust myself to those whose fidelity has been well tried."

"Oh, but I am sure that the Englishman would defend us with his life,"

said Maud. "I was struck by the good expression of his countenance, and the way he behaved during the few moments we saw him. I do trust that he has escaped, and I long to know who he is, for I am sure that he is not a common sailor."

In this I agreed with Maud: indeed, had I not known that it is imprudent to trust strangers, I should have been _very_ thankful to obtain his a.s.sistance. Although he might be the person Maud had soon, we knew that it would be very unwise to venture out of our concealment.

"Still I should like to try and look out through the brushwood, and then should we see him approaching, and be sure that it is him, we might make ourselves known," said Maud.