Tarzan and the Castaways
( Tarzan - 23 )
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Tarzan and the Castaways
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Chapter I
IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT to know just where to begin a story. I recall an acquaintance of mine who, in telling of an accident wherein a neighbor had fallen down the cellar stairs and broken her leg, would recount all the marriages and deaths in the family for a generation or two back before getting to the point of the story.
In the present instance, I might go back to Ah Cuitok Tutul Xiu, the Mayan, who founded Uxmal in Yucatan in 1004 A .D.; and from him on to Chab Xib Chac, the Red Man, who destroyed Mayapan in 1451 and murdered the entire Cocom family of tyrants; but I shall not. I shall simply mention that Chac Tutul Xiu, a descendant of Ah Cuitok Tutul Xiu, motivated by that strange migratory urge of the Maya and by the advice of the Ah Kin Mai, or chief priest, left Uxmal with many of his followers, nobles, warriors, women, and slaves, and went to the coast where he constructed several large double dugout canoes and embarked therein upon the broad Pacific, never again to be heard of in his homeland.
That was in 1452 or 1453. From there I might make a broad calendric jump of some four hundred eighty-five or six years to modern times and to the island of Uxmal in the South Pacific, where Cit Coh Xiu is king; but I shall not do that either, since it would be anticipating my story.
Instead, I take you to the deck of the Saigon, a battered old tramp steamer awaiting at Mombasa to load wild animals for shipment to the United States . From below and from cages on deck come the plaints and threats of captured beasts; the deep-throated rumblings of lions, the trumpeting of elephants, the obscene "laugh" of hyenas, the chattering of monkeys.
At the rail two men are deep in argument: "But I tell you, Abdullah," one was saying, "we are practically ready to sail; the last consignment should be here within the week, and every day my expenses are mounting. It might take you a month to bring him in; you might not get him at all."
"I cannot fail, Sahib Krause," replied Abdullah Abu Nejm; "he has received an injury; that I know from Ndalo, in whose country he now is; and so he may be taken easily. Think of it, Sahib! A real wildman, raised by apes from infancy, the play fellow of elephants, the killer of lions. Wellah? he would be worth more than all your shipload of wild beasts in the land of the Nasara; he would make you a rich man, Sahib Krause."
"As I understand it, the fellow speaks English as well as the damned British themselves; I have heard of him for years. How long do you suppose I could exhibit in a cage in the United States a white man who can speak English? Abdullah, you are always saying that we Nasara are mad; I think it is you who are mad."
"You do not understand," replied the Arab. "This injury which he has suffered had deprived him of speech and the knowledge of speech; in that respect, he would be as your other beasts. They cannot complain, so that anyone can understand them; neither could he."
"Aphasia," muttered Krause.
"What did you say, Sahib?"
"That is the name of the affliction which has resulted in your man's loss of speech," explained Krause; "It is caused by a brain lesion. It puts a different aspect on the matter; the thing might be done-and very profitably; but yet—" , He hesitated.
"You do not like the English, Sahib?" inquired Abdullah.
"I do not," snapped Krause. "Why do you ask?"
"This man is an Englishman," replied the Arab in his oiliest tones.
"What would you want for bringing him in?"
"The expenses of my safari, which would be very little, and the price of one lion."
"You do not ask much for so great a catch," commented Krause; "why is that? I expected you to rob me-as usual."
The Arab's eyes narrowed, and his sinister face seemed a mask of hate. "He is my enemy," he said.
"How long will it take?"
"Less than a month," replied Abdullah.
"I shall wait thirty days," said Krause; "then I shall sail, whether you are back or not."
***
"I am bored," said the girl. " Mombasa ! I hate it."
"You are always complaining," growled Krause; "I don't know why the devil I brought you along; anyway, we sail in three days, whether that Arab dog is back or not; then I suppose you'll find something else to grouse about."
"It must be a very valuable specimen Abdullah is bringing you," said the girl.
"It is."
"What is it, Fritz-a pink elephant or a crimson lion?"
"It is a wild man, but keep it to yourself-the English pigs would never let me take him aboard, if they knew."
"A wild man! One of those whose heads come up to a little point on top, like a cone? He should have a little tuft of hair right on the tip top of the cone, and his nose should spread all across his face, and he shouldn't have any chin. Is he like that, Fritz?"
"I have never seen him, but I suppose he is just like that—that has been orthodox ever since Barnum's What-is-it."
"Look, Fritz! Here comes Abdullah now."
The swart Arab came over the side and approached them; his face betokened nothing of either the success or failure of his mission.
"Marhaba!" Krause greeted him. "Ey khabar."
"The best of tidings, Sahib," replied Abdullah. "I have him, just outside of town, in a wooden cage covered with matting, so that none may see what is within; but billah! what a time we had in capturing him! We took him in a net, but he killed three of Ndalo's warriors before they could tie his hands behind him. He is strong as el-m. We have had to keep his hands tied ever since we got him: he would have torn that wooden cage to pieces in an instant, had we not."
"I have an iron cage that he cannot tear to pieces," said Krause.
"I would not be too sure of that," cautioned the Arab. "If your cage could not withstand the strength of el-m, you had still better keep his hands tied."
"My cage would not hold an elephant," said Krause, "but if it could, it would be strong enough."
"I would still keep his hands tied," persisted Abdullah.
"Has he spoken?" asked Krause.
"No; not a word-he just sits and looks. There is neither hate nor fear in his eyes-he reminds me of el adrea; I am always expecting to hear him roar. We have to feed him by hand, and when he eats his meat, he growls like el adrea."
"Wonderful!" exclaimed Krause. "He will be a sensation. I can just see those fool Americans begging to pay good money to see him. Now listen-I shall clear this afternoon and stand up the coast, returning after dark. Load the cage on a dhow below the town and stand straight out until you pick up my signal-I'll blink my running light three times in rapid succession at intervals; then you show a light. Do you understand?"
"It is already done," said Abdullah Abu Nejm.
* * *
The wind had risen and a sea was running when Abdullah picked up the Saigon 's signal. Maneuvering the dhow into position along the lee side of the steamer was finally accomplished. Tackle was lowered and made fast to the cage containing the wild man. Abdullah was guiding the cage as it was hoisted from the dhow, when suddenly the Saigon rolled over away from the smaller craft; the cage was jerked suddenly upward; and Abdullah, fearing that he would be hurled into the sea, clung to it. The cage crashed against the side of the steamer; the men above continued to hoist; then the Saigon rolled back and crashed down upon the dhow, swamping it.
All of the crew of the dhow were lost, and Abdullah was aboard the steamer bound for America . He filled the air with "billahs!" and "Wullah-bullahs!" and called upon Allah to preserve him.
"You're damn lucky to be alive," Krause told him. "You'll make a lot of money in Ameri
ca . I'll exhibit you, too, as the shiek who captured the wild man; they'll pay plenty to see a real shiek straight from the desert. I'll buy a camel for you, and you can ride through the streets with a banner advertising the show."
"I, Abdullah Abu Nejm, exhibited like a wild beast!" screamed the Arab. "Never!"
Krause shrugged. "Have it your own way," he said; "but don't forget, you got to eat, and you won't find many free date trees in America . I'll feed you until we get there, but after that you're on your own."
"Dog of a Nasrany!" muttered the Arab.
Chapter II
The following morning was fair, with a brisk wind, as the Saigon steamed northeastward across the Indian Ocean . The animals on deck were quiet. A wooden cage, entirely covered with matting, was lashed down amidships. No sound came from it, either.
Janette Laon followed Krause on deck; her black hair was blowing in the wind, which pressed her light dress against her, revealing a figure of exceptional allure. Wilhelm Schmidt, the 2nd mate of the Saigon , leaning with his back against the rail, watched her through half-closed eyes.
"Now may I see your wild man, Fritz?" asked the girl.
"I hope he's still alive," said the man; "he must have got an awful beating when we hauled him aboard last night."
"Haven't you tried to find out?" she demanded.
"Couldn't have done anything for him, anyway," replied Krause. "From what Abdullah told me, he'd be a mean customer to handle. Come on; we'll have a look at him. Hey, you!" he called to a Lascar sailor; "take the matting off that cage."
As they watched the man at work, Schmidt came over and joined them. "What you got in there, Mr. Krause?" he asked.
"A wild man; ever see one?"
"I saw a Frenchie once, whose wife had run off with the chauffeur," said Schmidt; "he sure was a wild man."
The sailor had removed the lashings, and now he dragged away the matting. Inside the cage, a giant figure squatted on his haunches, appraising them with level gaze.
"Why, he's a white man!" exclaimed the girl.
"So he is," said Krause.
"You going to keep a man penned up in a cage like a beast?" asked Schmidt.
"He's only white on the outside," said Krause-"he's an Englishman."
Schmidt spat into the cage. The girl stamped her foot angrily. "Don't ever do that again," she said.
"What's he to you?" demanded Krause. "Didn't you hear me say he's nothing but a dirty English pig."
"He's a human being and a white man," replied the girl.
"He's a dummy," retorted Krause; "can't speak a word nor understand one. It's an honor for him to be spit on by a German."
"Nevertheless, don't let Schmidt do it again."
The ship's bell sounded, and Schmidt went to relieve the 1st mate on the bridge.
"He's the pig," said the girl, looking after Schmidt.
The two stood looking at the wild man as Hans de Groote came down from the bridge and joined them. The Dutchman was a good looking young fellow in his early twenties; he had been signed on as 1st mate at Batavia on the trip out, after his predecessor had mysteriously "fallen overboard." Schmidt, who thought that he should have had the assignment, hated him and made no effort to conceal the fact. That there was bad blood between them was nothing to cause comment aboard the Saigon , for bad blood was the rule rather than the exception.
Larsen, the captain, who was now confined to his cabin with a bad attack of fever, was not on speaking terms with Krause, who had chartered the ship; while the crew, made up principally of Lascars and Chinese, were always on the verge of knifing one another. On the whole, the captive beasts were the most admirable creatures aboard.
De Groote stood looking at the man in the cage for several seconds before he spoke. His reaction was almost identical with that of the girl and Schmidt. "He's a white man!" he exclaimed. "You're certainly not going to keep him in a cage like a wild beast!"
"That's exactly what I'm going to do," snapped Krause, "and it's none of your damned business, nor anyone else's," and he shot a scowling glance at the girl.
"He's your wild man," said de Groote, "but at least free his hands; it's unnecessary cruelty to keep him tied up like that."
"I'm going to free his hands," said Krause, grudgingly, "as soon as I can get an iron cage up from below; it would be too much of a job feeding him this way."
"He's had nothing to eat or drink since yesterday," said the girl. "I don't care what he is, Fritz; I wouldn't treat a dog the way you're treating this poor man."
"Neither would I," retorted Krause.
"He is less than a dog," said a voice behind them. It was the voice of Abdullah Abu Nejm. He came close to the cage and spat on the man within, and the girl slapped Abdullah Abu Nejm across the face with all her strength. The Arab's hand flew to his dagger, but de Groote stepped between the two and seized the man's wrist.
"You shouldn't have done that, Janette," said Krause.
The girl's eyes were flashing fire, and the blood had left her face. "I'll not stand by and see him insult that man," she said; "and that goes for the rest of you, too," and she looked straight into Krause's eyes.
"And I'll back her up," said de Groote. "Maybe it's none of my business if you keep him in a cage, but I'll make it some of my business if you don't treat him decently. Have you ordered the iron cage up yet?"
"I'll treat him as I please," said Krause; "and what are you going to do about it?"
"I'll beat hell out of you," replied de Groote, "and then , turn you in to the authorities at the first port of call."
"Here comes the iron cage now," said Janette. "Get him into it and take those cords off his wrists."
Krause was frightened at de Groote's threat to notify the authorities; that made him squirm. "Oh, come," he said in mollifying tones, "I'm going to treat him all right. I got a lot of money tied up in him and I expect to make a lot out of him; I'd be a fool not to treat him well."
"See that you do," said de Groote.
A big iron cage was swung up from below and placed close to the wooden cage, the two doors close together. Krause drew a revolver; then both doors were raised. The man in the wooden cage did not move.
"Get in there, you dumb idiot!" yelled Krause, pointing the revolver at the man. He did not even look at Krause. "Get a capstan bar, one of you men," directed Krause, "and poke him from behind."
"Wait," said the girl; "let me try." She walked to the opposite side of the iron cage and beckoned to the captive. He just looked at her. "Come here a minute," she said to de Groote; "let me take your knife; now place your wrists together, as though they were bound; yes, that's it." She took the knife and pretended to sever imaginary cords about de Groote's wrists; then she beckoned again to the man in the wooden cage. He arose, but still stooped, as he could not stand erect in the small wooden cage, and walked into the larger cage.
The girl was standing close to the bars, the knife in her hand; a sailor dropped the door of the iron cage; the captive approached the girl and, turning his back toward her, pressed his wrists against the bars.
"You said he was stupid," Janette said to Krause; "he's not stupid; I could tell that by just looking at him." She cut the bonds from his wrists, which were discolored and swollen. The man turned and looked at her. He said nothing, but his eyes seemed to thank her.
De Groote was standing beside Janette. "He's a fine-looking specimen, isn't he?" he said.
"And handsome," said the girl. She turned to Krause. "Have some water and food brought," she directed.
"You going to be his nurse maid?" inquired Krause with a sneer.
"I'm going to see that he's treated decently," she replied. "What does he eat?"
"I don't know," replied Krause. "What does he eat, Abdullah?"
"The dog has not eaten for two days," replied the Arab; "so I guess he will eat almost anything. In the jungle he eats raw meat from his kills, like a beast."
"We'll try him on some," said Krause; "it will be a good w
ay of getting rid of any of the animals that die." He sent a sailor to the galley for meat and water.
The man in the iron cage looked long at Abdullah Abu Nejm; so long that the Arab spat on the deck and turned away.
"I wouldn't want to be in your shoes if he ever got out of that cage," said Krause.
"You should not have freed his hands," said Abdullah; "he is more dangerous than the lion."
When the sailor returned with the meat and water, Janette took them from him and passed them in to the wild man. He took a small swallow of water; then he went into a far corner of his cage, squatted on his haunches, and tore at the meat with his strong, white teeth; and as he ate, he growled.
The girl shuddered, and the men moved about uneasily. "El adrea of the broad head eats thus," said Abdullah.
"He sounds like a lion," said Krause. "By what name do the natives know him, Abdullah?"
"He is called Tarzan of the Apes," replied the Arab.
Chapter III
The Saigon crossed the Indian Ocean to Sumatra , where Krause took on two elephants, a rhinoceros, three orangutans, two tigers, a panther, and a tapir. Fearing that de Groote would make good his threat to report the human captive to the authorities at Batavia, Krause did not put in there as he had intended; but continued on to Singapore for monkeys, another tiger, and several boa constrictors; then the Saigon steamed across the South China Sea toward Manila, its last port of call on the long drag to the Panama Canal.
Krause was delighted; so far all his plans had worked out splendidly; and if he got his cargo to New York , he stood to clean up an excellent profit. Perhaps he would not have been so delighted had he known of all that went on aboard the Saigon . Larsen was still confined to his cabin, and while de Groote was a good officer, he was young, and new aboard the ship. Like Krause, he did not know all that was talked of in the forecastle and on deck at night when it was Schmidt's watch. At such times, the 2nd mate spoke long and earnestly with Jabu Singh, the Lascar; and he spoke in whispers. Afterward, Jabu Singh spoke long and earnestly with the other Lascars in the forecastle.
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