The Ruined Cities of Zululand Part 25

"A difference for the better. Will you oblige me by explaining to our captain," continued the old gentleman, "that my daughter, Donna Isabel, begs to be excused from joining the party? She is still suffering from the shock of late emotions."

A ceremonious bow followed the interpretation, on the part of the Portuguese, the Englishman replying with his mouth full.

"Ay, ay, signor, and small blame to her. It is not every day the fishes get the picking of so tight a lad and thorough-bred a sailor as poor Blount."

"How long do you propose lying here, Captain Weber?"

"A couple of days will set us all a-tanto again, and give us time to overhaul the standing and running gear."

"I suppose there is not any danger here?" asked Hughes.

"Danger!--how can there be? Let it blow as hard as it likes, and from what quarter it chooses, we are protected," replied Weber, thinking only of the weather.

"I meant from the natives, not from the elements," remarked Hughes.

"I know no more of Madagascar than you do," replied the captain. "It is the first time my anchor ever had hold of the island."

"Then let me tell you, I do," e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Wyzinski. "The same circ.u.mstance which brought this bay to my knowledge, taught me that the natives here are treacherous and wily. You will have them round you before sunset."

"Let them come," replied the sailor; "we have small arms, besides two guns."

"Do you think we can land with prudence, Wyzinski?"

"I should strongly advise putting the brig in a state to resist if attacked, and the arms handy if wanted. As for landing, we might pitch our tent under the trees yonder; but I should deprecate any straggling away."

"Very well, gentlemen. I hear the boats being lowered; I am going to carry out an anchor astern, so as to moor the s.h.i.+p safely. The arm-chest shall be hoisted out, and placed at the foot of the mainmast.

The two guns, and the small arms I will place in your charge, if you will honour me by serving as a marine, Captain Hughes."

"In which capacity the Light Infantry drill will be useless," remarked Wyzinski, laughing.

"The boats are alongside, and the men on deck, Captain Weber," said Mr Lowe, who at that moment appeared at the cabin-door.

"Very well. Get the stream-anchor into the pinnace, and rouse out a few fathoms of cable," replied the captain.

"Ay, ay, sir," was the mate's reply.

"And, Mr Lowe," called out the captain, "send the arm-chest on deck.

Is there any one who understands an armourer's business?"

"Well, sir, there's Jackson, who was a blacksmith's apprentice before he ran away and joined the brig at Liverpool."

"He'll do; place him at the disposal of Captain Hughes."

"Ay, ay, sir," again replied the mate as he went up the hatchway.

"And now, gentlemen, I must look after the brig. So soon as I have moored her head and stern, you can have one of the boats, only I can't spare you any other hand except Jackson."

There were plenty of muskets to arm the whole crew, but they had need of much overhauling. The two guns were of respectable size, carrying a nine-pound ball; and what with the necessary cleaning, the making cartridge, and swinging the guns with their carnages, one on to the quarter-deck the other on to the forecastle, the day wore on. The man Jackson turned out a willing, handy fellow, and, understanding his business, was of great use. Neither Dom Maxara nor his daughter appeared on deck.

In the meantime the stream-anchor had been dropped astern, and the cable hove upon until quite taut; the shears had been got on deck; the carpenter was busy with his axe. The remains of the fore-topmast had been removed, for it had broken off short, leaving the head of the foremast uninjured, and already the spare topmast had been swayed aloft and pointed through. The men worked cheerfully and well. Not a sign of life had been seen on sh.o.r.e, and with the exception of the gulls, which were wheeling and circling round the brig, and the Mother Carey's chickens which were dipping over the boats now veered astern, all outside the vessel was perfectly still. The sound of the breaking surf came with a hollow dull thud at intervals on the breeze, which was gradually dying out, and nothing could present a greater contrast than the quiet, peaceful sheet of water, with its fringes of cocoa-palms, and beach of white s.h.i.+ning sand, with the still waters of the bay, to the noise, bustle, and labour going on all day long on board the brig.

The missionary's fears had not been realised, and night came on quietly and serenely after a day of toil. The wind had quite died away, and the stars were s.h.i.+ning brilliantly; indeed, so still was the air that the noise of the river could be heard as it fell into the sea, about the centre of the bay.

The night was warm and oppressive, and on sh.o.r.e the woods seemed filled with enormous fireflies, floating here and there. They were in great quant.i.ties, and would settle on the trees, lighting them with myriads of tiny lights, and making them look like pyramids of sparkling diamonds.

Some would come floating off towards the brig, the little lights dancing over her decks and settling on her rigging. The scream of the parrots among the trees had ceased, and save occasionally the quack of the ducks feeding in the river, all was still. Silence now reigned on the brig's decks, for the day had been one of toil. The night was hot, and the men lay thrown about carelessly, wrapped in cloaks, sails, or anything they could find, among the loose spars. On her forecastle two men alone kept watch, one of whom was the mate, Mr Lowe. Aft a small awning had been rigged, and the pa.s.sengers were enjoying the beautiful tropical night.

Cus.h.i.+ons had been brought up from the cabin, the smell of the Portuguese tobacco floated on the air, and the coffee-cups lay here and there. The sound of the bell forward, as a seaman rising struck four bells, came ringing over the waters. Drawing her mantilla over her, and speaking languidly and slowly, as if the dreamy influence of the tropical night affected her, Isabel broke the silence, just as the last tone of the bell quivered over the sea.

"We hear none of the noises of the African plain here; all seems still and calm."

"There are no lions or noxious animals in the island," replied the missionary. "Oxen of great size are plentiful, wild a.s.ses, and sheep with enormous tails; goats, and wild boar, too, are numerous. The sloth exists here, and I have made many a good meal on a species of bat, of which there are plenty and very good. Hedgehogs, too, and locusts are a usual dish."

"I pity the Queen of Madagascar if that's her only food," said Hughes, rolling a cigarette.

"Oh, there is plenty other. If you choose to take a shot-gun to-morrow you will find pintado, pigeons, parrots, ducks and geese abundant, only beware of the caiman, for the rivers literally swarm with them. There are plenty of fowls, and singularly enough one of the objects of veneration is a white c.o.c.k. In the mythology of the country there exists a great giant powerful for evil, called 'Denafil,' and all white c.o.c.ks are sacred to him."

"You seem to know the country, senhor?" asked the n.o.ble.

"I pa.s.sed nearly twelve months there," replied the missionary.

"And promised to give us a history of your life among the Hovas. What better time than the present? That cabin is stifling, and I am sure none of us wish to go below," said Isabel, in her silvery and persuasive tones, Dom Maxara being engaged with his cigarette, and Hughes in wis.h.i.+ng the starlight was even brighter than it actually was, for the folds of the mantilla looked dim and indistinct under the feeble light.

The missionary was silent for a few minutes as if recalling his recollections.

"I cannot say I will fulfil my promise with pleasure, but I will fulfil it," he replied. "I have already mentioned whence we sailed and how we reached this bay. The first night we landed we encamped on the banks of this very river, which is called the 'Onglaki,' the vessel that brought us sailing for Tamatave. We were four missionaries under the guidance of one of our brethren, who had lately come from England, and who was named Willis.

"He had been in the island before, and, as we afterwards found, his object was partly political. The queen, by her terrible cruelties, had alienated the love of her subjects, and her son, Prince Rakolo, had allied himself with a Frenchman named Lambert, who had gone to France to solicit protection and a.s.sistance in his efforts to dethrone the queen.

"The Christian religion was once spread throughout the land; but now it is almost extinct, and the few Europeans left lead a life nearly, if not quite, as dissolute as the natives. Our chief's object was to divulge and counteract the policy of the French and of Prince Rakolo; ours was to establish a mission among the Hovas at Tamanarivo. The country is rich, abounding with game of many kinds, and free from noxious animals; we journeyed along good roads towards the capital, sojourning in many villages, and carrying out our work as best we could. It is a beautiful country," continued the Missionary; "the low lands produce a tree called by the Malgache Bavinala, with bunches of long leaves looking like a lady's fan. This tree is very useful, for of its wood houses, plates, spoons are made; of its fibres, cloth, and a kind of linen; while its seeds give oil, and its sap when the tree is tapped produces a pleasant drink. The sagontin, or sago-tree, abounds on the plains; sandal wood and ebony are plentiful; but the tree which struck me most was the ravensara, the nuts and leaves of which perfume the air around, and from which a delicious scent is distilled. Oxen, fowls, and sheep abound; rice is cultivated, and the sugar-cane grows wild."

"And the people?" asked Isabel.

"Are steeped in idleness, dissolute, and licentious. Under King Badama's reign the English had missions in Madagascar; but these disappeared in 1830, and the country now governed by Queen Banavola is fast falling into misery and ruin. To cut a long tale short, we arrived at Tamanarivo, and were received by the queen. Her majesty's taste is for blood, and it is said that fifteen thousand men perished in building her palace, and that thousands of people are put to death yearly by her orders. Our reception was an unfavourable one, and we were as yet in ignorance of the political nature of our leader's mission.

"The town of Tamanarivo is situated on a height; it has one long straggling street, where the houses of the richer cla.s.s are situated.

Here is the queen's palace, surrounded by enormous columns in wood, brought with great labour from fabulous distances. Five thousand men were employed in transporting one single pillar, and the greater part of them died from fever and disease, caught in the low-lying forest land, where the mighty tree grew. Near the palace is the tomb of King Radama, whose intelligence was the means by which the Hovas race emerged from darkness; and near it stands a second palace, richly ornamented with silver, which sparkles in the sun, and belongs to the queen's heir. On three sides the mountain is scarped, forming awful precipices; on the fourth it slopes gently down to the plain, and on these slopes the little houses of the poorer people are erected, and here we were a.s.signed a hut.

"Among our number was a missionary named Maurice. Young, ardent and enthusiastic, he would make no allowance for the prejudices of others, and seemed to brave death, and even court martyrdom, in his incessant endeavours to make proselytes. Strict orders had been given by the queen that we were not to prosecute our religious rites, but Maurice could not be restrained. Whilst we waited, hoping that the queen's mood might change, our brother went forth among the people, boldly preaching the Gospel, and openly defying the queen.

"He planted the cross on the heights of the mountains, he a.s.sembled the people under the forest trees, and there with the sweet odour of the ravensara floating around, he told them that cheating and lying, though taught as virtues, were in reality crimes. He told them that the souls of their chiefs were not migratory, that the crocodiles were not once men, that the good genius of the world was not Zanhahar, and the evil one Angetch, and what was a still worse crime, that the ombioche or priests were only pretended sorcerers.

"He made many converts, but he raised up a host of enemies."

"You speak of him ever in the past," remarked Hughes; "he must have been a n.o.ble fellow. Did he pay the penalty of his zeal?"

"You shall hear," continued the missionary. "One morning our hut was surrounded with soldiers, our chief, Willis, was seized, and at once sent under escort to Tamatave. Rice, manioc, and a kind of potato peculiar to Madagascar, were supplied us, and for nearly a month we remained close prisoners. Of what was pa.s.sing around us we knew nothing, but during this time the 'ombioches,' against whose pretensions Maurice had preached, were employed finding out all those who had attended his meetings or received him.

"At the end of the thirtieth day we were led forth, as we thought, to death. In a large, empty piece of ground, near the palace, about twenty men were huddled. They were quite naked, and many of them cruelly maimed. These were the Christians, and they were surrounded by soldiers. We were placed on a height near where we could see what pa.s.sed. Armed with sticks and knives, the soldiers were loosed upon the prisoners. The scene was a heart-rending one. Driven gradually towards the brink of the precipice, the screams of the terrified victims became fearful, as goaded on by the sharp knives, and the cruel thongs, one after another took the fatal leap, and the next moment lay mangled, shapeless ma.s.ses on the sharp rocks below."

"Santa Maria, how terrible!" exclaimed Isabel. "I wish we were away from this horrible but beautiful island; and you, how did you escape?"