WeirdSpace Digital Library - Culture without borders

The Land of the Hibiscus Blossom




(1888)
Country of origin: Australia Australia
Available texts by the same author here Dokument


XVIII. On Board the "Sunflower."

   THE Sunflower flew before that east blast like a bird on the wing, while Niggeree, who both knew his boat and the ocean before him, took the wheel, as he always did in moments of emergency, while his men stood ready to work at the ropes.
   He passed the shoals and islands on the way, and by night had brought to anchor near a hilly and rocky island which afforded a good shelter, and where he knew of a good sand-bank near to him; here he lay to, and waited, looking out for his consort.
   It was with great anxiety he watched, for he had no intention of losing sight of his friends. Hector knew where the gold was to be found, and he wanted Collins to join him in a little pearl-fishing expedition; Collins had both divers and dresses, &c., with him, which Niggeree was not in a position at present to purchase, but he knew the ground, and so the partnership was one of capital and experience, like that contract entered into once between the Jew and the Scotchman, only in this instance it was reversed, the Greek had the experience, and the Scotchman the capital.
   After waiting till about midday on the look-out, he once more put to sea, and before sunset brought up safely at Brampton Island.
   From here he made for Mibu, and finally resolved to wait at Kiwai till they should join him.
   Here he fell upon his old master, Professor Killmann, with whom he had previously explored the eastern coast, and who now hailed the chance of aid, in recovering his vessel which he had been forced to abandon to the natives, and take to the woods.
   Professor Killmann had just come from Alligator Island, where he was forced from his vessel, and compelled to walk overland about a hundred and fifty miles through jungle and swamps, living as best he could on the way and fighting as he went along; he presented a deplorable sight, with his legs and feet swollen and covered with sores, his clothes in rags, and his stalwart frame almost reduced to a skeleton, but with spirit unsubdued, and the flames of revenge burning in those deep-sunken dark eyes; here was the man of all men whom Niggeree respected most, for he never spared an enemy, holding men's lives as lightly as the lives of the insects he slaughtered and preserved.
   This time, as usual, he entered Kiwai alone, his followers had been slaughtered by the natives, while he himself was wounded in several places.
   There were dark tales afloat concerning his actions, and it was said that his name, coupled with that of Niggeree, was enough to send the natives flying in a panic of fear into the jungle; they told how he pitched dynamite charges wantonly into approaching canoes, without waiting to learn their intentions, how he had shot down natives for the sake of their beads, and once when his Chinese cook had asked permission to go ashore to hunt for eggs, he had merely replied, "Go if you like," but that as soon as the poor fellow had been landed, he had given orders to steam away, and leave him behind. They tell how when the cook saw the intention of being abandoned, that he rushed down the shore, and held up his hands, imploring to be taken with them, and that the Professor replied, "Oh, you do want that, do you? hand me my gun, boy," and when the trembling islander handed it, he coolly aimed at his cook and shot him dead, going ashore and bringing the murdered body back again: they say the Custom-house officers at Cooktown wondered where he had got that Chinaman which he carried in a stone jar of spirits amongst his other specimens, and what he was going to do with it when he got home, but he explained the matter to their satisfaction, and as on that return voyage he had a fresh crew, his explanation had to be taken.
   It is astonishing how stories are carried about and exaggerated in New Guinea; for instance, an action done at Port Moresby will be related to the actor when he lands at East Cape, the news having gone much quicker than his steamer or schooner can sail, even before a fair wind.
   So the reputed actions of Professor Killmann and his trader friend, were whispered in every native village throughout the land, and terror had invested them with the superhuman qualities of devils; most improbable tales were told of their demoniac powers, how the thunder and lightning obeyed them; this was the native version of the dynamite--traps laid for them by the Professor; when he slept on shore, they said, he laid traps in a circle of about half a mile in extent, so that he could not be surprised, dropped lumps of the explosive material amongst groups of natives as they sat on the shore watching his vessel pass by, and laughed when he saw the pieces of humanity shoot up amongst the trees.
   But he wrote very nice accounts, for all that, of the natives, and how little trouble they were to him; he related how he wept over the death of a bird of paradise which he had heedlessly shot one morning: they say he was writing this pathetic passage in his diary when he suddenly observed a fine-looking boy pass along the bank with a magnificent headdress on; "Quick, my gun," he cried, starting up and laying down his pen in the hurry thoughtlessly across that pathetic passage.
   The next instant the native youth was lying shot through the head, his Malay boy rowing ashore to get the magnificent specimen to add to his other curios. They say the Professor swore very much in his own language when he saw that his pen had made a blot on this beautiful and pathetic passage, for he was very neat and cleanly in his habits when he could be so, and liked to keep his MS. free of dirt.
   "The parting was touching, and the regret mutual when I bade adieu to this simple-minded people," so they say the Professor wrote in his notes, and there was regret, the natives say, for they had sworn to roast him alive, and did not like to see him sail away as he had sailed, all alive.
   "Will you go with me up the river?" asked Killmann, fixing his glowing eyes on the Greek's dark face, while his own tightly-drawn sallow skin flushed the colour of an amber lamp when lighted.
   "Where have you left your crew?"
   "I was surprised in the night, when ashore, and five of my boys who held the ship killed before I knew anything about it."
   "I suppose they knew too much to come to where you were sleeping?"
   "They lay in ambush all night, till I had taken up the traps, and fell upon me as I was getting into my dingey, but, aha! they found that they had made a leetle mistake."
   "You blew the batch up?"
   "The first batch--yes, they went up like sky-rockets; I waited until they were in a compact mass, and about thirty yards distant, and then threw my charge amongst them; those who were not broken into pieces ran back again to the woods, which enabled us to get into the stream; but, alas! they had some pretty ornaments upon them which I was forced to abandon."
   "They had possession of the ship, of course."
   "That is so, exactly; we were hailed from the decks by a shower of arrows, one entered my thigh, and the other stuck in my left shoulder, while two of the boys were struck to the heart, still there was more danger in retreating than in advancing, so we held on, and, springing up the side, got amongst them, and then our revolvers did the rest."
   "What! you recaptured the ship?"
   "On that occasion--ah, yes; but with a sacrifice: my engineer and both firemen were slain, also all but one boy, who, being very badly wounded, I thought it wiser to despatch without more ado, so that I was alone amidst the enemy."
   "What did you do next?"
   "Exactly what you would have done, my friend. I waited till night, setting up some of the dead men with caps and shirts upon them, and guns in their hands, so that those watching from the bank might think I had my crew.
   "I went backwards and forwards, locking up my boxes of specimens as best I could until it grew dusk. I knew they would not come before midnight, so I made all ready. Over the hatchway I placed some small machines which would not do much damage to the vessel, but a good deal to the boarders; then I planted a chain of charges where I thought them likely to step, after which, lashing the helm fairly on, so that the ship would be more likely to keep to the centre of the stream, where the current ran strongest, I cut through the cables, and, letting her drift as best she might, I very gently slipped into the stream, and swam over to the shore where last I saw them."
   "Why there?"
   "Because they would not expect to see me at that point. I went softly to the thicket, and lay down to watch and listen.
   "After a little time I could see the ship moving slowly down the current. I knew they were on the alert, and would before long perceive the change of position; and I was right, for soon they came from a part not far from where I lay, and began to consult. I heard them say we were escaping, so that it would be best to attack at once, and as this was what I expected, and waited for, I was not disappointed. They did not make any noise or blow the conch-shells, so from that I felt sure there were not more than the one tribe implicated, and they did not desire to share their plunder with any neighbours, so I watched them all depart, one canoe after the other, until I could count eight canoes, each loaded with about twenty men. I felt sure that all had departed with the exception of the women, children, and any old men, and that by stealing up to the village I might take my revenge; but, alas! to do so would betray my presence on shore too soon, which I did not wish to do, so I put aside the strong temptation, and proceeded, instead, to follow the course of the river, keeping the canoes and ship in sight.
   "I could see them hang off for a while, not understanding the dead silence on board, for they had some experience of me before that morning, and feared a trap being laid for them; however, at last they determined to make a dash for it, for they all raised a loud yell together, and next moment were swarming up the sides.
   "It came to pass just as I had planned--the first advancing line trod upon the traps I had laid, for I heard the sharp detonations and the flashing from different points of the vessel, as those coming behind the first line fell backward in their fright into the canoes and water with dull thuds or loud splashes, while the echoes of the woods rang again with the shrill shrieks of those left writhing on board; and so, partly satisfied, I took my departure.
   "I kept as much as possible along the banks of the river, walking cautiously till I had got a few miles from the village, then I lay down to await the coming of light, so that I could dry my weapons; my cartridges and dynamite charges were safe enough, as they were all inside indiarubber bags.
   "Well, my friend, there is no use going over the details of my lonely march. You know what the land is like--in parts marshy, where the alligators bask themselves--in parts dense and scarcely penetrable, filled with prickly creepers, and ants which drop by myriads as you crawl under the branches, and sting you in a thousand places. My clothes were soon reduced to what you see them; my food the leaves and herbs, as I could find them, with the sun blazing down upon me during the day, and a hundred dangers to be encountered by night, the damps which chill one to the bone and bring on the fever. A fortnight ago I weighed fourteen stone, now I hardly carry eight; but that is nothing, if I can have my revenge, and rescue my specimens."
   "Did you pass many villages?"
   "A great number; but mostly all deserted and going to ruin; they have been fighting with one another much lately, so that the ground is pretty clear. Sometimes I heard the conches sounding, and at these times I made a détour, keeping well out of sight. Once I saw a furious battle, in which about two hundred lost their lives; the victors walked past my place of concealment, in a line, carrying home the bloody heads on long poles, with portions of the bodies in baskets to cook. At one time I nearly walked into the midst of a great feast before I was aware; the sun was going down and dazzled my eyes so that I could not see, while the wind blowing from me prevented me from smelling the smoke, so that I ran right into the back of the outpost before I knew where I was; but before he could turn round my hand was on his throat and my knife in his heart; I dare not use my gun, as I did not know who might hear me at any time, so I drew the body into the thicket and covered it with leaves, and went on.
   "I only once caught a pig, and that I also killed with my knife, and devoured what I wanted raw. However, I have done the journey, and feel well enough to return with you."
   "But what of the native teachers, are they not up that length?"
   "Yes, they were; but I fear they will be slaughtered and devoured by this time in my stead; yet, if they are not, it does not matter,--they are my friends, and will not speak ill of my actions; besides, they admit the necessity of making an example. You will come with me?"
   "Yes, I think I will," murmured Niggeree thoughtfully. "I left a woman up there who will help us; but what will you give me for the job?"
   "Fifty pounds when we return, as much loot as you can take from the natives we kill, what females you wish to spare for yourself, the friendship of the missionaries, and a general permit, as soon as we reach Moresby; nay, I will use my influence to get you a good post with the government."
   "The money and permit will do; I shall also want forgiveness for some little scrapes in the past. You know the war-sloop is looking out for me at present, and mad with me for that last trick I played upon them."
   "Ha! ha! that was a very clever dodge of yours, Niggeree. Tell me about it."


Chapter 19 >