CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.
WAR.
Tomati soon showed the reason for his elevation to the position of chiefamong the Maoris, for, in addition to being a man of commanding presenceand great strength, his adventurous life had given him quickness anddecision in his actions, which told with a savage race none too ready todiscriminate.
He rushed out of the _pah_, and caught the man by the shoulder,questioned him, turned him over to a couple of his friends to bedoctored, and then in a loud voice informed the excited crowd that thedanger was not imminent, following up this announcement with orders togo on strengthening the stockade.
He was instantly obeyed, his cool manner giving his followersconfidence; and they went on working hard at securing certain spots andstrengthening the entrance, but always with their spears close at hand.
There was another shout from a sentry, and again the whole tribe waselectrified, women and children huddling under shelter, and the warriorsseizing their weapons.
This time a scout came running in uninjured and with his spear toannounce the nearer approach of the enemy.
Tomati received his news coolly enough, and then, after a word or twowith Ngati, signed to the man to join the defenders, while two freshscouts were sent out to spy the neighbourhood, and keep the chiefs wellinformed of the coming danger.
Ngati's eyes seemed to flash, and there was a savage rigidity in hiscountenance that suggested hard times for the man who attacked him; buthe seemed to place the most implicit confidence in Tomati, obeying hisslightest suggestion, and evidently settling himself into the place oflieutenant to the white captain.
After the first wailing and tears, the women and children settled downin their shelter quite as a matter of course, and as if such an event asthis were no novelty in their social history. Once within the _pah_,and surrounded by stout fighting men on whom they could depend, theyseemed quite satisfied, and full of confidence in the result of anattack, and this took Jem's notice.
"Can't be much danger," he said, half contemptuously, "or these herewouldn't take it so coolly."
"But it looks as if there was going to be a desperate fight."
"Tchah! Not that, Mas' Don."
"But look at that scout who ran in. He was hurt."
"So is a boy who has had his head punched, and whose nose bleeds. Therewon't be no real fighting, my lad. I mean men being killed, and thatsort o' thing."
"Think not, Jem?"
"Sure of it, my lad. T'other side 'll come up and dance a war-dance,and shake their spears at our lot. Then our lot 'll dance up and downlike jack-jumpers, and make faces, and put out their tongues at 'em, andcall 'em names. I know their ways; and then they'll all yell out, andshout; and then the others 'll dance another war-dance, and shout in NooZealandee that they'll kill and eat us all, and our lot'll say they'dlike to see 'em do it, and that'll be all."
Don shook his head. The preparations looked too genuine.
"Ah, you'll see," continued Jem. "Then one lot 'll laugh, and sayyou're obliged to go, and t'other lot 'll come back again, and they'llcall one another more names, and finish off with killing pigs, andeating till they can't eat no more."
"You seem to know all about it, Jem."
"Well, anybody could know as much as that," said Jem, going to the sideand taking up a bundle formed with one of the native blankets, which hebegan to undo.
"What have you got there?"
"You just wait a minute," said Jem, with a dry look. "There! Didn'tknow that was the arm chest, did you?"
He unrolled and took out a cutlass and two pistols, with the ammunition,and looked up smilingly at Don.
"There!" he said, "what do you think o' them?"
"I'd forgotten all about them, Jem."
"I hadn't, my lad. There you are. Buckle on that cutlash."
"No; you had better have that, Jem. I should never use it."
"Oh, yes, you would, my lad, if it was wanted. On with it."
Don reluctantly buckled on the weapon, and Jem solemnly charged thepistols, giving Don one, and taking the other to stick in his ownwaistbelt.
"There," he said, retaking the spear given to him. "Don't you feel likefighting now?"
"No, Jem; not a bit."
"You don't?"
"No. Do you?"
"Well, if you put it in that way," said Jem, rubbing his ear, "I can'tsay as I do. You can't feel to want to do much in that way till someone hurts you. Then it's different."
"It's horrible, Jem!"
"Well, I suppose it is; but don't you get looking like that. There'llbe no fighting here. I say, Mas' Don, it would be a bit of a game,though, to stick the pynte of this here spear a little way into one ofthe savages. Wonder what he'd say."
"Ah! My pakeha!" cried a voice just behind them; and they turnedsharply, to find themselves face to face with Ngati, who patted Don onthe shoulder, and then pointed to his cutlass and pistol.
"Hah!" he ejaculated, with a deep breath; and then, without warning,snatched Don's spear from his hand, threw himself into a series of wildattitudes, and went through the action of one engaged in an encounterwith an enemy, stabbing, parrying, dodging, and darting here and therein a way that suggested instant immolation for the unfortunate heencountered.
"Look at him, Mas' Don," whispered Jem. "Look at him pretending.That's the way they fight. By-an'-by, you'll see lots o' that, but youmark my words, none on 'em won't go nigh enough to hurt one another."
Ngati ceased as suddenly as he had begun, returned the spear to Don, andseemed to intimate that he should go through the same performance.
"You wait a bit, old chap!" cried Jem. "We don't fight that way."
"Hah!" ejaculated Ngati, and he ran across to a portion of the _pah_where several of his warriors were busily binding some of the posts moresecurely.
"It do make me laugh," said Jem; "but I s'pose all that bouncing helps'em. Poor things. Mas' Don, you and I ought to be werry thankful as wewas born in Bristol, and that Bristol's in old England. Say, shall yougive any one a chop if it does come to a fight?"
Don shook his head.
Jem laughed.
"If it warn't for wasting the powder, I tell you what we'd do. Get upa-top yonder where we could lean over the palings, wait till the otherchaps comes up, and then shoot over their heads with the pistols.That'd make some of 'em run."
There was another shout here, for two of the scouts came running in, andevery man seized his spear, and darted to the spot he was expected todefend.
"Why, Mas' Don, how they can run! Look at 'em. An Englishman wouldn'trun like that from a dozen men. Here, let's chuck these spears away.We sha'n't want 'em. An Englishman as has got fists don't want nospears. Look! Look!"
The two scouts had come running in very swiftly till they were about ahundred yards from the gateway of the _pah_, when they stopped short andfaced about as two of the enemy, who were in chase, dashed at them,spear in hand.
Then, to Jem's astonishment, a sharp passage of arms occurred; thespears clashed together, there was a wonderful display of thrusting andparrying, and the two enemies fell back, and the scouts continued theirretreat to the shelter of the fort.
"What do you think of that, Jem?" said Don excitedly. "That was realfighting."
"Real?" cried Jem; "it was wonderful!" and he spoke huskily. "Why, boththose chaps was wounded, and these here's got it, too."
The two scouts were both gashed about the arms by their enemies' spears,but they came bravely in, without making any display, and were receivedby cheers, Tomati going up to each in turn, and gripping his hand.
Just then the Englishman caught sight of his compatriots, and cameacross to them quickly.
"Hullo!" he said, with a grim smile, "cleared for action, and guns runout?"
"Yes, we're ready," said Jem.
"Going to fight on our side?"
"Well, I don't know," said Jem, in a dubious kind of way. "Fightingarn't much in my line."
"N
ot in yours neither, youngster. There, I daresay we shall soon beatthem off. You two keep under shelter, and if things go against us, youboth get away, and make for the mountain. Go right into that cave, andwait till I join you."
"But there will not be much fighting, will there--I mean real fighting?"said Jem.
"I don't know what you mean by real fighting, squire; but I suppose weshall keep on till half of us on both sides are killed and wounded."
"So bad as that?"
"P'r'aps worse," said the man grimly. "Here, shake hands young un, incase we don't have another chance. If you have to run for it, keepalong the east coast for about a hundred miles; there's white mensettled down yonder. Good-bye."
Tomati shook hands heartily, and went off to his righting men, who wereexcitedly watching the level below the _pah_, to which part it wasexpected the enemy would first come.
Don joined them, eager to see how matters were going, and hopeful still,in spite of Tomati's words, that matters would not assume so serious anaspect; but just then a hand was laid upon his arm.
"I was out of it, Mas' Don," whispered Jem. "They do bounce a deal.But there's going to be real fighting on. One of those poor fellows whocame running in, and stood up as if nothing was wrong, is dead."
"Dead?"
"Yes, my lad. Spear went right through his chest. Hark at 'em!"
There was a low wailing noise from the corner of the _pah_, where thetwo men were sheltered, and Don felt a chill of horror run through him.
"Then it is going to be quite a savage battle, Jem?"
"'Fraid so, my lad--no, I don't mean 'fraid--think so. Now, look here,Mas' Don, it won't be long first, so you'd better go and lie down behindthem high palings, where you'll be safe."
"And what are you going to do?"
"Stop here and see what there is to see."
"But you may be hurt."
"Well, Mas' Don," said Jem bitterly; "it don't much matter if I am. Runalong, my lad."
"I'm going to stop with you, Jem."
"And suppose you're hurt; what am I to say to your mother? Why, she'dnever forgive me."
"Nor me either, Jem, if I were to go and hide, while you stood outhere."
"But it's going to be real dangerous, Mas' Don."
"It will be just as dangerous for you, Jem. What should I say to yourwife if you were hurt?"
"Don't know, Mas' Don," said Jem sadly. "I don't think she'd mind adeal."
"You don't mean it, Jem!" cried Don sharply. "Now, are you coming intoshelter?"
"No," said Jem, with a peculiarly hard, stern look in his face. "I'mgoing to fight."
"Then I shall stay too, Jem."
"Won't you feel frightened, Mas' Don?"
"Yes, I suppose so. It seems very horrible."
"Yes, so it is, but it's them others as makes it horrible. I'm going togive one on 'em something for spearing that poor chap. Look out, Mas'Don; here they come!"
There was a fierce shout of defiance as the scouts came running in nowas hard as they could, followed by a body of about two hundred nakedwarriors, whose bronzed bodies glistened in the sunshine. They came onin a regular body, running swiftly, and not keeping step, but withwonderful regularity, till they were about fifty yards from the _pah_,when, after opening out into a solid oblong mass to show a broaderfront, they stopped suddenly as one man, dropped into a half-kneelingposition, and remained perfectly motionless, every savage with his headbent round, as if he were looking over his left shoulder, and thenturning his eyes to the ground, and holding his weapon diagonally acrosshis body.
The whole business was as correctly gone through as if it was amanoeuvre of some well-drilled European regiment, and then there was anutter silence for a few minutes.
Not a sound arose from either side; enemies and friends resembledstatues, and it was as if the earth had some great attraction for them,for every eye looked down instead of at a foe. Don's heart beatheavily. As the band of heavy warriors came on, the air seemed tothrob, and the earth resound. It was exciting enough then; but thiswas, in its utter stillness, horribly intense, and with breathlessinterest the two adventurers scanned the fierce-looking band.
All at once Jem placed his lips close to Don's ear, and whispered,--
"Dunno what to say to it all, Mas' Don. P'r'aps it's flam after all."
"No, Jem; they look too fierce," whispered back Don.
"Ay, my lad, that's it; they look so fierce. If they didn't look soprecious ugly, I should believe in 'em a bit more. Looks to me as ifthey were going to pretend to bite, and then run off."
A sudden yell rose from the attacking party just then, and three of theenemy rushed forward to the front, armed with short-handled stonetomahawks. They seemed to be chiefs, and were men of great height andbulk, but none the less active; and as they advanced, a low murmur ofdismay was started by such of the women as could command a view of whatwas going on outside. This seemed to be communicated to all the rest,women and children taking up the murmur, which rose to a piteous wail.This started the pigs and dogs which had been driven into the protectionof the _pah_, and the discord was terrible.
But meanwhile, partly to encourage their followers, partly to dismaythose they had come to attack, the three leaders rushed wildly to andfro before the opening to the fort, brandishing their stone axes,grimacing horribly, putting out their tongues, and turning up theireyes, till only the whites were visible.
"It's that 'ere which makes me think they won't fight," said Jem, as heand Don watched the scene intently.
"Don't talk, Jem. See what they are going to do. Are we to shoot ifthey do attack?"
"If you don't they'll give it to us," replied Jem. "Oh, what a row!"
For at that moment there was a terrible and peculiar cry given fromsomewhere behind the little army, and the three men gave place to onewho rushed from behind. The cry was given out three times as the manindulged in a similar set of wild evolutions to those which had beendisplayed by the three leaders, and with his eyes showing only thewhites, he too thrust out his tongue derisively.
"If I was only near enough to give you a chop under the chin!" grumbledJem.
Then he grasped and cocked the pistol he held, for the chief in frontsuddenly began to stamp on the ground, and shouted forth the beginningof his war-song.
Up leaped the whole of the enemy, to shake their spears as they yelledout the chorus, leaping and stamping with regular movement, till theearth seemed to quiver. The acts of the chief were imitated, every manseeming to strive to outdo his fellows in the contortions of theircountenances, the protrusion of their tongues, and the way in which theyrolled and displayed the whites of their eyes.
There was quite a military precision in the stamping and bounding, whilethe rhythm of the wild war-song was kept with wonderful accuracy.
"Feel scared, Mas' Don?" whispered Jem.
"I did at first, Jem," replied Don; "but they seem such a set ofridiculous idiots, that I am more disposed to laugh at them."
"That's just how I feel, my lad, only aggrawated like, too. I shouldlike to go among 'em with a big stick. I never see such faces as theymake. It is all flam; they won't fight."
The war-song went on as if the enemy were exciting themselves for theaffray, and all the time the men of Tomati and Ngati stood firm, and aswatchful as could be of their foes, who leaped, and stamped, and sangtill Jem turned to Don, and said in a low voice,--
"Look here, Mas' Don, it's my opinion that these here chaps never grewinside their heads after they was six or seven. They've got bodies bigenough, but no more brains than a little child. Look at thatsix-foot-four chap making faces at us; why, it's like a little boy.They won't fight."
It seemed so to Don, and that it was all going to be an attempt tofrighten the tribe he was with. But all the same, the enemy came bydegrees nearer and nearer, as they yelled and leaped; and a suspicionsuddenly crossed Don's mind that there might be a motive in all this.
"Jem, they mean to make
a rush."
"Think so, Mas' Don?"
"Yes, and our people know it. Look out!"
The followers of Tomati had thoroughly grasped the meaning of theindirect approach, just as a man who has practised a certain manoeuvreis prepared for the same on the part of his enemy, and they hadgradually edged towards the entrance to the _pah_, which was closed, butwhich naturally presented the most accessible way to the interior.
The howling chorus and the dancing continued, till, at a signal, therush was made, and the fight began.
Jem Wimble's doubts disappeared in an instant; for, childish as theactions of the enemy had been previously, they were now those ofdesperate savage men, who made no account of their lives in carrying outthe attack upon the weaker tribe.
With a daring that would have done credit to the best disciplinedforces, they darted up to the stout fence, some of them attacking thedefenders, by thrusting through their spears, while others strove toclimb up and cut the lashings of the _toro-toro_, the stout fibrouscreeper with which the palings were bound together.
One minute the enemy were dancing and singing, the next wildly engagedin the fight; while hard above the din, in a mournful booming bleat,rang out the notes of a long wooden horn.
The tumult increased, and was made more terrible by the screaming of thewomen and the crying of the children, which were increased as someunfortunate defender of the _pah_ went down before the spear-thrusts ofthe enemy.
The attack was as daring and brave as could be; but the defence was noless gallant, and was supplemented by a desperate valour, which seemedto be roused to the pitch of madness as the women's cries arose oversome fallen warrior. A spear was thrust through at the defenders;answering thrusts were given, but with the disadvantage that the enemywere about two to one. Tomati fought with the solid energy of his race,always on the look-out to lead half-a-dozen men to points which weremost fiercely assailed; and his efforts in this way were so successfulthat over and over again the enemy were driven back in spots where theyhad made the most energetic efforts to break through.
As Don and Jem looked on they saw Tomati's spear darted through thegreat fence at some savage who had climbed up, and was hacking thelashings; and so sure as that thrust was made, the stone tomahawk ceasedto hack, and its user fell back with a yell of pain or despair.
Ngati, too, made no grotesque contortions of his face; there was nololling out of the tongue, or turning up of the eyes, for hiscountenance was set in one fixed stare, and his white teeth clenched ashe fought with the valour of some knight of old.
"I would not ha' thought it, Mas' Don," said Jem excitedly. "Look athim; and I say--oh, poor chap!"
This last was as Jem saw a fine-looking young Maori, who was defending arather open portion of the stockade, deliver a thrust, and then drawback, drop his spear, throw up his arms, and then reel and staggerforward, to fall upon his face--dead.
"They'll be through there directly, Mas' Don!" cried Jem, hoarsely, asDon stooped upon one knee to raise the poor fellow's head, and lay itgently down again, for there was a look upon it that even he couldunderstand.
"Through there, Jem?" said Don, rising slowly, and looking half stunnedwith horror.
"Yes, my lad; and Tomati's busy over the other side, and can't come.Arn't it time us two did something?"
"Yes," said Don, with his face flushing, as he gave a final look at thedead Maori. "Ah!"
Both he and Jem stopped short then, for there was a yell of dismay asNgati was seen now to stagger away from the fence, and fall headlong,bleeding from half-a-dozen wounds.
An answering yell came from outside, and the clatter of spear andtomahawk seemed to increase, while the posts were beginning to yield inthe weak spot near where the two companions stood.
"Come on, Jem!" cried Don, who seemed to be moved by a spirit ofexcitement, which made him forget to feel afraid; and together they ranto where two men, supported by their companions outside, were hacking atthe _toro-toro_, while others were fiercely thrusting their spearsthrough whenever the defenders tried to force the axe-men down.
"Pistols, Jem, and together, before those two fellows cut the lashings."
"That's your sort!" cried Jem; and there was a sharp _click, click_, asthey cocked their pistols.
"Now, Jem, we mustn't miss," said Don. "Do as I do."
He walked to within three or four yards of the great fence, and restedthe butt of the spear he carried on the ground. Then, holding thepistol-barrel against the spear-shaft with his left hand, thus turningthe spear into a support, he took a long and careful aim at a greatbulky savage, holding on the top of the fence.
Jem followed his example, and covered the other; while the enemy yelled,and thrust at them with their spears, yelling the more excitedly as itwas found impossible to reach them.
"Let me give the word, Mas' Don!" cried Jem, whose voice shook withexcitement. "Mind and don't miss, dear lad, or they'll be down upon us.Ready?"
"Yes," said Don.
"Here goes, then," cried Jem. "Fire! Stop your vents."
The two pistols went off simultaneously, and for a few moments the smokeconcealed the results. Then there was a tremendous yelling outside, onethat was answered from within by the defenders, who seemed to havebecome inspirited by the shots; for either from fright, or from theeffects of the bullets, the two great Maoris who were cutting thelashings were down, and the defenders were once more at the fence,keeping the enemy back.
"Load quickly, Jem," said Don.
"That's just what I was a-going to say to you, Mas' Don."
"Well done, my lads! That's good!" cried a hoarse voice; and Tomati wasclose to them. "Keep that up; but hold your fire till you see themtrying to get over, and wherever you see that, run there and give 'em acouple of shots. Ha, ha! Ha, ha!" he roared, as he rushed away toencourage his followers, just as Jem had rammed home his charge, andexamined the priming in the pistol pan.
"That's just what we will do," said Jem; "only I should like to keep atit while my blood's warm. If I cool down I can't fight. Say, Mas' Don,I hope we didn't kill those two chaps."
"I hope they're wounded, Jem, so that they can't fight," replied Don, ashe finished his priming. "Quick! They're getting up yonder."
They ran across to the other side of the _pah_, and repeated theirprevious act of defence with equally good result; while the defenders,who had seemed to be flagging, yelled with delight at the two youngEnglishmen, and began fighting with renewed vigour.
"Load away, Mas' Don!" cried Jem; "make your ramrod hop. Never mind thepistol kicking; it kicks much harder with the other end. Four men down.What would my Sally say?"
"Hi! Quick, my lads!" shouted Tomati; and as Don looked up he saw thetattooed Englishman, who looked a very savage now, pointing with hisspear at one corner of the place.
Don nodded, and ran with Jem in the required direction, finishing theloading as they went.
It was none too soon, for three of the enemy were on the top of thefence, and, spear in hand, were about to drop down among the defenders.
_Bang_! Went Jem's pistol, and one of the savages fell back.
_Bang_! Don's shot followed, and the man at whom he aimed fell too, butright among the spears of the defenders; while the third leaped into the_pah_, and the next moment lay transfixed by half-a-dozen weapons.
"I don't like this, Jem," muttered Don, as he loaded again.
"More don't I, my lad; but it's shoot them or spear us; so load away."
Jem words were so much to the point, that they swept away Don'scompunction, and they hastily reloaded.
All around were the yelling and clashing of spears; and how many of theattacking party fell could not be seen, but there was constantly thedepressing sight of some brave defender of the women and childrenstaggering away from the fence, to fall dead, or to creep away out ofthe struggle to where the weeping women eagerly sought to staunch hiswounds and give him water.
"That's splendid, my lads! That's splendid! Ten
times better thanusing a spear," cried Tomati, coming up to them again. "Plenty ofpowder and ball?"
"Not a very great deal," said Don.
"Be careful, then, and don't waste a shot. They can't stand that."
"Shall we beat them off?" said Don, after seeing that his pistol wascharged.
"Beat them off? Why, of course. There you are again. Look sharp!"
Once more the two pistols cleared the attacking Maoris from the top ofthe fence, where they were vainly trying to cut through the lashings;and, cheered on by these successes, the defenders yelled with delight,and used their spears with terrible effect. But the attacking party,after a recoil, came on again as stubbornly as ever, and it was plainenough to those who handled the firearms that it was only a question oftime before the besieged would be beaten by numbers; and Don shudderedas he thought of the massacre that must ensue.
He had been looking round, and then found that Jem was eyeing himfixedly.
"Just what I was a-thinking, Mas' Don. We've fought like men; but wecan't do impossibles, as I says to your uncle, when he wanted me to movea molasses barrel. Sooner we cuts and runs, the better."
"I was not thinking of running, Jem."
"Then you ought to have been, my lad; for there's them at home aswouldn't like us two to be killed."
"Don't! Don't! Jem!" cried Don. "Come on. There's a man over! Two--three--four! Look!"
He ran toward the side, where a desperate attack was being made, and, ashe said, four men were over, and others following, when once more thepistols sent down a couple who had mounted the fence, one of them beingshot through the chest, the other dropping on seeing his companion fall,but with no further hurt than the fright caused by a bullet whistling byhis ear.
The four who were over made a desperate stand, but Tomati joined in theattack, and the daring fellows soon lay weltering in their blood; while,as Don rapidly loaded once more, he saw that Tomati was leaning on hisspear, and rocking himself slowly to and fro.
"Are you hurt?" said Don, running up, and loading as he went.
"Hurt, my lad? Yes: got it horrid. Look here, if you and him see achance make for the mountain, and then go south'ard."
"But shall we be beaten?"
"We are beaten, my lad, only we can't show it. I'm about done."
"Oh!"
"Hush! Don't show the white feather, boy. Keep on firing, and thebeggars outside may get tired first. If not--There, fire away!"
He made a brave effort to seem unhurt, and went to assist his men; whileonce more Don and Jem ran to the side, and fired just in time to savethe lashings of the fence; but Jem's pistol went off with quite a roar,and he flung the stock away, and stood shaking his bleeding fingers.
"Are you hurt, Jem?"
"Hurt! He says, `Am I hurt?' Why, the precious thing bursted all toshivers; and, oh, crumpets, don't it sting!"
"Let me bind it up."
"You go on and load; never mind me. Pretty sort o' soldier you'd make.D'yer hear? Load, I say; load!"
"Can't, Jem," said Don sadly; "that was my last charge."
"So it was mine, and I rammed in half-a-dozen stones as well to give 'eman extra dose. Think that's what made her burst?"
"Of course it was, Jem."
"Bad job; but it's done, and we've got the cutlash and spears. Whichare you going to use?"
"The spear. No; the cutlass, Jem."
"Bravo, my lad! Phew! How my hand bleeds."
"I'm afraid we shall be beaten, Jem."
"I'm sure of it, my lad. My right hand, too; I can't hit with it. Wishwe was all going to run away now."
"Do you, Jem?"
"Ay, that I do; only we couldn't run away and leave the women andchildren, even if they are beaten."
A terrible yelling and shrieking arose at that moment from behind wherethey stood, and as they turned, it was to see the whole of thedefenders, headed by Tomati, making a rush for one portion of the fencewhere some of the stout poles had given way. A breach had been made,and yelling like furies, the enemy were pouring through in a crowd.
Adventures of Don Lavington: Nolens Volens Page 39
