Blown to Bits: The Lonely Man of Rakata, the Malay Archipelago

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

  A TRYING ORDEAL--DANGER THREATENS AND FLIGHT AGAIN RESOLVED ON.

  When the early birds are singing, and the early mists are scattering,and the early sun is rising to gladden, as with the smile of God, allthings with life in earth and sea and sky--then it is that early-risingman goes forth to reap the blessings which his lazy fellow-man fails toappreciate or enjoy.

  Among the early risers that morning was our friend Moses. Gifted withan inquiring mind, the negro had proceeded to gratify his propensitiesby making inquiries of a general nature, and thus had acquired, amongother things, the particular information that the river on the banks ofwhich the village stood was full of fish. Now, Moses was an ardentangler.

  "I lub fishing," he said one day to Nigel when in a confidential mood;"I can't tell you how much I lub it. Seems to me dat der's nuffin' likeit for proggin' a man!"

  When Nigel demanded an explanation of what proggin' meant, Moses said hewasn't quite sure. He could "understand t'ings easy enough though hecouldn't allers 'splain 'em." On the whole he thought that prog had acompound meaning--it was a combination of poke and pull "wid a flavourob ticklin' about it," and was rather pleasant.

  "You see," he continued, "when a leetle fish plays wid your hook, itprogs your intellec' an' tickles up your fancy a leetle. When he grabsyou, dat progs your hopes a good deal. When a big fish do de same, datprogs you deeper. An' when a real walloper almost pulls you into deribber, dat progs your heart up into your t'roat, where it stick tillyou land him."

  With surroundings and capacities such as we have attempted to describe,it is no wonder that Moses sat down on the river-bank and enjoyedhimself, in company with a little Malay boy, who lent him his bamboo rodand volunteered to show him the pools.

  But there were no particular pools in that river. It was a successionof pools, and fish swarmed in all of them. There were at least fifteendifferent species which nothing short of an ichthyologist couldenumerate correctly. The line used by Moses was a single fibre of barkalmost as strong as gut; the hook was a white tinned weapon like a smallanchor, supplied by traders, and meant originally for service in thedeep sea. The bait was nothing in particular, but, as the fish were notparticular, that was of no consequence. The reader will not besurprised, then, when we state that in an hour or so Moses had had hisheart progged considerably and had filled a large bag with superb fish,with which he returned, perspiring, beaming, and triumphant tobreakfast.

  After breakfast the whole party went forth for what Verkimier styled"zee business of zee day," armed with guns, spears, botanical boxes,bags, wallets, and butterfly-nets.

  In the immediate neighbourhood of the village large clearings in theforest were planted as coffee gardens, each separated from the other forthe purpose of isolation, for it seems that coffee, like the potato, issubject to disease. Being covered with scarlet flowers these gardenshad a fine effect on the landscape when seen from the heights behind thevillage. Passing through the coffee grounds the party was soon in thetangled thickets of underwood through which many narrow paths had beencut.

  We do not intend to drag our readers through bog and brake during thewhole of this day's expedition; suffice it to say that the collection ofspecimens made, of all kinds, far surpassed the professor's mostsanguine expectations, and, as for the others, those who could more orless intelligently sympathise did so, while those who could not werecontent with the reflected joy of the man of science.

  At luncheon--which they partook of on the river-bank, under amagnificently umbrageous tree--plans for the afternoon were fixed.

  "We have kept together long enough, I think," said Van der Kemp. "Thoseof us who have guns must shoot something to contribute to the nationalfeast on our return."

  "Vell, let us divide," assented the amiable naturalist. Indeed he wasso happy that he would have assented to anything--except giving up thehunt. "Von party can go von vay, anoder can go anoder vay. I villcontinue mine business. Zee place is more of a paradise zan zee last.Ve must remain two or tree veeks."

  The hermit glanced at Nigel.

  "I fear it is impossible for me to do so," said the latter. "I ampledged to return to Batavia within a specified time, and from thenature of the country I perceive it will take all the time at mydisposal to reach that place so as to redeem my pledge."

  "Ha! Zat is a peety. Vell, nevair mind. Let us enchoy to-day. Com',ve must not vaste more of it in zee mere gratification of our animalnatures."

  Acting on this broad hint they all rose and scattered in differentgroups--the professor going off ahead of his party in his eager haste,armed only with a butterfly-net.

  Now, as the party of natives,--including Baso, who carried theprofessor's biggest box, and Grogo, who bore his gun,--did not overtaketheir leader, they concluded that he must have joined one of the otherparties, and, as it was impossible to ascertain which of them, theycalmly went hunting on their own account! Thus it came to pass that theman of science was soon lost in the depths of that primeval forest! Butlittle cared the enthusiast for that--or, rather, little did he realiseit. With perspiration streaming from every pore--except where the poreswere stopped by mud--he dashed after "bootterflies" with the wisdom ofSolomon and the eagerness of a school-boy, and not until the shades ofevening began to descend did his true position flash upon him. Then,with all the vigour of a powerful intellect and an enlightened mind, hetook it in at a glance--and came to a sudden halt.

  "Vat _shall_ I do?" he asked.

  Not even an echo answered, and the animal kingdom was indifferent.

  "Lat me see. I have been vandering avay all dis time. Now, I havenot'ing to do but right-about-face and vander back."

  Could reasoning be clearer or more conclusive? He acted on it at once,but, after wandering back a long time, he did not arrive at any place orobject that he had recognised on the outward journey.

  Meanwhile, as had been appointed, the rest of the party met a short timebefore dark at the rendezvous where they had lunched.

  "Where is the professor, Baso?" asked Van der Kemp as he came up.

  Baso did not know, and looked at Grogo, who also professed ignorance,but both said they thought the professor had gone with Nigel.

  "I thought he was with _you_," said the latter, looking anxiously at thehermit.

  "He's hoed an' lost his-self!" cried Moses with a look of concern.

  Van der Kemp was a man of action. "Not a moment to lose," he said, andorganised the band into several smaller parties, each led by a nativefamiliar with the jungle.

  "Let this be our meeting-place," he said, as they were on the point ofstarting off together; "and let those of us who have fire-arms dischargethem occasionally."

  Meanwhile, the professor was walking at full speed in what he supposedto be--and in truth was--"back."

  He was not alone, however. In the jungle close beside him a tigerprowled along with the stealthy, lithe, sneaking activity of a cat. Bythat time it was not absolutely dark, but the forest had assumed a verysombre appearance. Suddenly the tiger made a tremendous bound on to thetrack right in front of the man. Whether it had miscalculated theposition of its intended victim or not we cannot say, but it crouchedfor another spring. The professor, almost instinctively, crouched also,and, being a brave man, stared the animal straight in the face withoutwinking! and so the two crouched there, absolutely motionless and with afixed glare, such as we have often seen in a couple of tom-cats who weremutually afraid to attack each other.

  What the tiger thought at that critical and crucial moment we cannottell, but the professor's thoughts were swift, varied, tremendous--almost sublime, and once or twice even ridiculous!

  "Vat shall I do? Deaf stares me in zee face! No veapons! only a net,ant he is _not_ a bootterfly! Science, adieu! Home of my chilthood,farevell! My moder--Hah! zee fusees!"

  Such were a few of the thoughts that burned but found no utterance. Thelast thought however led to action. Verkimier, foolish man! w
as asmoker. He carried fusees. Slowly, with no more apparent motion thanthe hour-hand on the face of a watch, he let his hand glide into hiscoat-pocket and took out the box of fusees. The tiger seemed uneasy,but the bold man never for one instant ceased to glare, and no disturbedexpression or hasty movement gave the tiger the slightest excuse for aspring. Bringing the box up by painfully slow degrees in front of hisnose the man opened it, took out a fusee, struck it, and revealed theblue binoculars!

  The effect on the tiger was instantaneous and astounding. With ademi-volt or backward somersault it hurled itself into the jungle whenceit had come with a terrific roar of alarm, and its tail--undoubtedlythough not evidently--between its legs!

  Heaving a deep, long-drawn sigh, the professor stood up and wiped hisforehead. Then he listened intently.

  "A shote, if mine ears deceive me not!" he said, and listened again.

  He was right. Another shot, much nearer, was heard, and he replied witha shout to which joy as much as strength of lung gave fervour. Hurryingalong the track--not without occasional side-glances at the jungle--thehero was soon again in the midst of his friends; and it was not untilhis eyes refused to remain open any longer that he ceased to entertainan admiring circle that night with the details of his face-to-facemeeting with a tiger.

  But Verkimier's anticipations in regard to that paradise were not to berealised. The evil passions of a wicked man, with whom he hadpersonally nothing whatever to do, interfered with his plans. In themiddle of the night a native Malay youth named Babu arrived at thevillage and demanded an interview with the chief. That worthy, afterthe interview, conducted the youth to the hut where his visitors lived,and, rousing Van der Kemp without disturbing the others, bade him listento what the young man had to say. An expression of great anxietyoverspread the hermit's usually placid countenance while Babu wasspeaking.

  "It is fate!" he murmured, as if communing with himself--then, after apause--"no, there is no such thing as fate. It is, it must be, the willof God. Go, young man, mention this to no one. I thank you for thekindness which made you take so long a journey for my sake."

  "It is not kindness, it is love that makes me serve you," returned thelad earnestly. "Every one loves you, Van der Kemp, because that curseof mankind, _revenge_, has no place in your breast."

  "Strange! how little man does know or guess the secret thoughts of hisfellow!" said the hermit with one of his pitiful smiles. "_Revenge_ noplace in me!--but I thank you, boy, for the kind thought as well as theeffort to save me. My life is not worth much to any one. It will notmatter, I think, if my enemy should succeed. Go now, Babu, and God bewith you!"

  "He will surely succeed if you do not leave this place at once,"rejoined the youth, in a tone of decision. "Baderoon is furious at alltimes. He is worse than ever just now, because you have thwarted hisplans--so it is said--very often. If he knew that _I_ am now thwartingthem also, he would hunt me to death. I will not leave you till you aresafe beyond his reach."

  The hermit looked at the lad with kindly surprise.

  "How comes it," he said, "that you are so much interested in me? Iremember seeing you two years ago, but have no recollection of havingdone you any service."

  "Do you not remember that my mother was ill when you spent a night inour hut, and my little sister was dying? You nursed her, and tried yourbest to save her, and when you could not save her, and she died, youwept as if the child had been your own. I do not forget that, Van derKemp. Sympathy is of more value than service."

  "Strangely mistaken again!" murmured the hermit. "Who can know theworkings of the human mind! Self was mixed with my feelings--profoundly--yet my sympathy with you and your mother was sincere."

  "We never doubted that," returned Babu with a touch of surprise in histone.

  "Well now, what do you propose to do, as you refuse to leave me?" askedthe hermit with some curiosity.

  "I will go on with you to the next village. It is a large one. Thechief man there is my uncle, who will aid me, I know, in any way I wish.I will tell him what I know and have heard of the pirate's intention,of which I have proof. He will order Baderoon to be arrested onsuspicion when he arrives. Then we will detain him till you are beyondhis reach. That is not unjust."

  "True--and I am glad to know by your last words that you are sensitiveabout the justice of what you propose to do. Indifference to pure andsimple justice is the great curse of mankind. It is not indeed theroot, but it is the fruit of our sins. The suspicion that detainsBaderoon is more than justified, for I could bring many witnesses toprove that he has vowed to take my life, and I _know_ him to be amurderer."

  At breakfast-time Van der Kemp announced to his friends his intention ofquitting the village at once, and gave an account of his interview withthe Malay lad during the night. This, of course, reconciled them toimmediate departure,--though, in truth, the professor was the only onewho required to be reconciled.

  "It is _very_ misfortunate," he remarked with a sigh, which haddifficulty in escaping through a huge mass of fish and rice. "You seezee vonderful variety of ornizological specimens I could find here, antzee herbareum, not to mention zee magnificent _Amblypodia eumolpus_ antozer bootterflies--ach!--a leetle mor' feesh if you please. Zanks. Myfrond, it is a great sacrifice, but I vill go avay viz you, for I couldnot joostify myself if I forzook you, ant I cannot ask you to remainvile your life is in dancher."

  "I appreciate your sentiments and sacrifice thoroughly," said thehermit.

  "So does I," said Moses, helping himself to coffee; "but ob course if Ididn't it would be all de same. Pass de venison, Massa Nadgel, an'don't look as if you was goin' to gib in a'ready. It spoils myappetite."

  "You will have opportunities," continued Van der Kemp, addressing theprofessor, "to gather a good many specimens as we go along. Besides, ifyou will consent to honour my cave in Krakatoa with a visit, I promiseyou a hearty welcome and an interesting field of research. You have noidea what a variety of species in all the branches of natural history mylittle island contains."

  Hereupon the hermit proceeded to enter into details of the flora, fauna,and geology of his island-home, and to expatiate in such glowinglanguage on its arboreal and herbal wealth and beauty, that theprofessor became quite reconciled to immediate departure.

  "But how," he asked, "am I to get zere ven ve reach zee sea-coast? foryour canoe holds only t'ree, as you have told me."

  "There are plenty of boats to be had. Besides, I can send over my ownboat for you to the mainland. The distance is not great."

  "Goot. Zat vill do. I am happay now."

  "So," remarked Nigel as he went off with Moses to pack up, "his`paradise regained' is rather speedily to be changed into paradiseforsaken! `Off wi' the old love and on wi' the new.' `The expulsivepower of a new affection!'"

  "Das true, Massa Nadgel," observed Moses, who entertained profoundadmiration for anything that sounded like proverbial philosophy. "Depurfesser am an affectionit creeter. 'Pears to me dat he lubs de wholecreation. He kills an' tenderly stuffs 'most eberyt'ing he kin layhands on. If he could only lay hold ob Baderoon an' stuff an' stick himin a moozeum, he'd do good service to my massa an' also to de whole obmankind."