Chapter XV:
Oliver Leaves on Prospecting Tour
Soon after the heavy rains were over, Oliver said to Eva: "Eva, my dear, I found some iron pyrites while hunting, and I am sure that we are near the gold regions. I shall take Fahn and a few of the carriers and go a little distance, prospecting. You are safe and comfortable in the camp and I feel that you should remain here with Lucretia, because we have had too many adventures already to take further risks."
"But, Oliver—you promised never to leave me behind. I don't see how I can let you go, even for a short distance. When you are away hunting, I think of the flying snake, the crocodiles and the numerous other things in these jungles that might harm you. Oh, Oliver! we had better listen to old Mulley and go back home," Eva replied sobbingly.
Oliver managed to soothe her and assured her that he would not go more than a day's journey and would return in less than a week.
The next morning Oliver kissed Eva and Lucretia goodbye after committing them to Varnee, Tobey and the five original carriers for protection. He mounted his horse and started away with Fahn and five carriers, when he rode back and kissed Eva and Lucretia again.
"Oh, Mister Oliver," Yanga cried, "It is bad luck to turn back. Don't let him go away, Miss Eva."
"Do not start any of that stuff, Yanga. Eva is already upset and must not be bothered with absurd superstitions," Oliver commanded as he kissed Eva and Lucretia again.
Proceeding on his way once more, he waved as long as he was visible.
They took the river trail and surprised a large hippopotamus grazing in some wild cane beside the river bank. Oliver was close upon it before he was aware of its presence, when it plunged into the river just as he fired.
After missing such a prize, they watched along the way and killed a large red river hog (potamocholrus porais), and halted and camped. After a feast of wild pork and the long day's journey, they soon fell into a sound sleep.
A war party was scouting along this route and came upon the camp at midnight. They were of a tribe never before met by Oliver. Dressed in grass petticoats and feathers, with heavy iron anklets and carrying long spears and bow and arrows, they made a frightful appearance. Creeping around the tent they sought one of the guards while five rushed in and seized Oliver before he was able to pull out his 44 Colt revolver. They tied him as the others pillaged and destroyed the camp supplies. Fahn and another of the boys made their escape.
They bound Oliver hand and foot and strapped him to his horse's back, which they led as they continued the river trail. The next morning the party separated, one division continued the river trail while Oliver was sent in care of five into the open prairie upon the forest trail.
When the sun was at its zenith Oliver was nearly dead with thirst, fatigue and the heat which beat down upon his upturned face.
They suddenly came upon a wild buffalo which immediately charged upon the party. The horse, taking fright, galloped toward the river and arrived at the bank just as the other division was about to embark in canoes.
They unbound Oliver, who was unconscious, gave him water and bathed his head until he recovered. Then binding his hands and feet again, they placed him in a canoe and paddled down the stream.
They arrived at a large town of bamboo huts, not as clean and well made as the towns formerly visited.
The warriors took Oliver and the three other prisoners before the king, who sat in his grass, feathered and beaded dress in an open kitchen in the center of the town.
By his side stood two rival priests, one Alpha, an Arabian of light complexion and white gown and sandalled feet. He was of a light figure, medium height and wore a goatee. He possessed a very crafty appearance.
The other, Zodopanga, was a tall, black African with a plaited beard and clean shaven head, with a gray band around. He wore only a grass petticoat, charms and fe tich over his besmired body. His frowning countenance betrayed his open antagonism to the Arabic priest.
As soon as Alpha saw Oliver he thought of the gun which he naturally supposed Oliver would have had, so while the party approached the King, he left and walked down toward the canoes. He met one of the warriors bearing the spoils and looking hastily over them he selected the 44 revolver, which contained only four cartridges and was the only piece of ammunition saved. Alpha secured the same and returned to witness the reception awarded Oliver.
King Wango nor any of his people had ever before seen a white man nor had they heard of firearms.
When Oliver was brought before him he was very much surprised at his color. But Zodopanga, who had disapproved of the war, stepped forth and, speaking in the African tongue, said: "Oh King and fellowmen, when the war party set out upon the path, I told it would be of no use and we would only lose our men. But you people listened to Alpha, who said there would be many slaves to take word to the other world for us and we would find plenty of rich spoils; but what has the party brought back? Only three slaves and one white man, who must be a moon man and not much good.
"I pray you hasten to send the white man on to old Chief Popowa and have him beg Popowa to head us in our next battle."
Alpha stood forth and said: "Oh great and wise King Wango, the war has brought to you the greatest capture you have ever had. To you the god of lightning has sent his son to save you from your great enemy, the leopard, which destroys your people and keeps you from farming.
"His father the lightning has given him a piece of iron that can kill the leopard and the elephant. Give to me the white man and I shall keep him until he destroys your enemies."
The king listened in doubtful amazement, while Zodopanga pressed his suit and argued that if the prisoner was really the son of the lightning, the God would send a bolt and secure him from the Bofimah (or Bouform) priests.
They placed Oliver's right leg in stocks and carried him into a dark circular hut. He was glad for a place to rest and soon fell into slumber. When he awoke his eyes could not distinguish in the darkness; so that as he looked around he was surprised when he was addressed in English: "Daddie." A young brown-skin fellow about 20 years, very thin from fasting, crawled near Oliver and continued: "I am Twe, a mission boy, who was caught by a war party. I have been starving so as to try and slip through the rope when they tie me for the Borfimah Society. I am so thin they say I cannot walk fast enough to go as messenger."
"Messenger to whom?" Oliver asked.
"They tie the prisoners and leave them near the river bank for the crocodile man to come and kill. The crocodile men are the Burfimah priests who meet in the woods near the river and hold their meetings where they take the prisoner's heart and make medicine, which they say sends the spirit of the dead body on to the other world to take messages, wait upon some king, or keep the company of some big person who has just died.
"The crocodile men come under the bottom of a canoe. They have a small canoe turned upside down under the large one (a kind of diving bell), so that the priest remains under the water and is not seen by any one passing."
Oliver unconsciously felt for his revolver as Twe told of the Borfimah Society, but he discovered that he was not left with even a pocket knife.
"I suppose they will dispatch me soon," Oliver remarked.
"I don't know. I heard the people talking about you outside and they said that Zopodanga wants to give you to the Borfimah, but Alpha is trying to save you. They never agree and they will do all in their power to have their way. If Alpha is in favor with the King he will save you," Twe replied.
Oliver remained in prison tortured with suspense for three months, during which time Twe became very much attached to him.
One day the news came that the King's head warrior, Kryneseh, had died on the battle field. The town was very much aroused as to who would bear Kryneseh company upon his long journey into the unknown world.
Zododanga soon relieved the situation when, standing before the King, he said: "Oh King and people, we need a fast messenger to overtake Kryneseh. We have in prison the son of the lightning god, so says Alpha; he must be very fleet-footed to keep up with his father, so we must give him to the Borfimah this afternoon, so that to-night he will be sent to join our beloved warrior. He should overtake Kryneseh at the foot of the first mountain and bear him company through the dark forest."
This was readily accepted, since it saved the voluntary offering of the town people for the sacrifice.
Two stalwart warriors went into the hut of Oliver's confinement; lifting both him and the log, they started out when Twe leaped toward them. One of the men turned with a grin and gave him a light back-handed strike, when he fell upon the floor.
Oliver's hands were bound and his other foot tied to the log which held the right foot.
He was then taken through a bit of woods and laid face upwards upon a steep bank overlooking the river. Zodopanga took a piece of brown chalk and marked a heart which he enclosed in a circle, upon Oliver's forehead, and the whole party returned, leaving Oliver to meet his fate alone.
Alpha realized that it was useless to oppose the sacrifice and would only cause the triumph of his rival over him, so he decided to use the occasion to show that he had championed the son of the lightning and thus humble his rival.
He had witnessed the loyalty of Twe and as soon as the crowd gathered around Oliver, he slipped by the prison, opened the door and beckoned to Twe.
"Go to my house," he fairly hissed as he strolled back to the path. When they left for the bank with Oliver he went into his house, pushed something into Twe's hands and whispered instructions, and on leaving imitated an owl, shook his finger and went to the King's court.
Oliver opened his eyes and looked down the stream where he saw that silent messenger of death, the empty canoe, slowly drifting toward him.
His first thought was a fight for freedom, but twisting or turning could not free his hand, and even if the hands were freed, how would it be possible to remove the iron band which bound his leg to the log.
He finally saw the hopelessness of his position, and lay thinking of his Eva and Lucretia, of the old Earl of Dubley, as he watched the silent messenger coming still nearer every minute.
"What a wretched death, thought out by fends alone!" he exclaimed aloud.
"Mr. Oliver, thank God I am here before the crocodile man." Oliver turned his head and saw Twe's half nude body crawling upon his stomach.
Two pulled a knife out and cut loose the rope on Oliver's hand, and then handed him the revolver which had been looted from Oliver, as he whispered: "There is only one cartridge, you must wait and be still until he comes near."
"But where are the other cartridges?" Oliver asked, before he had finished. Two then slipped the knife into his hand and disappeared.
Oliver looked into the river when he saw the canoe nearing the landing. He gripped his revolver tightly and lay very quietly as a large black man, clean shaven and wearing only a loin cloth, emerged from the canoe, holding a long bowie knife in his right hand.
He leaped upon the landing, took several deep breaths, then danced a weird cake walk.
He then proceeded toward his victim. Just as he is about to spring upon him, holding the knife to plunge it into his victim's breast, Oliver pulled the trigger and the crocodile man threw up his hands and fell backwards near the edge of the embankment.
Twe sprang toward Oliver and grasping his hand for a second, said:
"Mr. Oliver, give me the knife and gun and let me tie you quickly before the people come."
"But I must try and escape, Twe. You may take the gun since it contains no more cartridges, but from the knife I shall never part," Oliver stubbornly repeated.
Twe managed to persuade him to allow himself to be retied.
Slipping away with the gun Twe hid behind some banana trees near the King's kitchen and hooted three times like an owl, according to the signal agreed upon.
As soon as the report of the revolver had sounded, the king and townspeople were all frightened. Zodopanda volunteered to go and find the cause when Alpha stepped forward and said: "Oh mighty king, to-day the great lightning god is defending his son, let no one interfere, or venture near until his anger has calmed, for which I will offer prayer before you."
Turning around and swaying himself, Alpha performed mystic pantomime rites until he heard the signal hoots.
Bowing before the king, he invited them all to follow him. When they reached the spot they were amazed at the sight of Oliver remaining still tied and unharmed, while the "crocodile" priest, for the first time visible to the layman, lay dead upon his back.
All might have gone well if Oliver had given up the knife.
After the shock was over, even Zodopanda was inclined to believe that it was a miracle, but when the king ordered Oliver to be unbound and carried to town in triumph, Zodopanda stood watching the carrying out of the orders, when he noticed the knife which Oliver still clasped in his hand.
He at once denounced the whole as a scheme of Alpha's and claimed that Oliver had had assistance and had killed the priest with a knife.
This caused a great commotion and divided the townspeople. Oliver was again returned to prison.
Alpha was very angry at Oliver and Twe's blunder, but was obliged to stand by them in order to protect himself.
On the next day the king heard both sides of the argument and ended the matter by saying: "Oh Alpha! Oh Zodopanda! hear me, I pray. This matter is easily settled. If the lightning god defends his son, we will see if he can defend him from the wild bull, as we all look on. Now make ready for the test."
Oliver was more amenable to suggestions, since he discovered his blunder, so when Twe returned him his revolver and three cartridges, he listened attentively when he was told to be as calm as possible, and try to kill the wild bull which he was to face with one cartridge, so as to save the other two for some future use.
He realized that to attempt to escape would only mean to kill three men and eventually to be recaptured. He decided, therefore, to be guided by Twe's and Alpha's advice.
In the meantime, Zodopanda was busily overseeing the digging out of a pit arena. After a space of about 20 ft. diameter was leveled, they built a stout fence around the edge of the same, leaving an opening with a gate, as a slanting means of descent into the pit.
After this was completed, a number of stout warriors entered a small enclosure and drove a large, long horned wild steer, which they goaded with the ends of their spears until it entered the pit. They beat drums and threw missiles at the beast until it was mad and furious.
Oliver was then brought forth and taken out of the stock. He could hardly use his limbs at first, but soon overcame the stiffness as he walked.
He was led to the gate of the pit and bidden to descend. Some of the men threw a cloth over the bull's head just as Oliver began the descent.
The mad bull, succeeded in extricating himself, rushed at Oliver, who dodged his attack. This tactic continued until Oliver got a good aim at the back of his ear, when he fired and sent the ball straight to the brain.
The spectators were so frightened at the report, that they held their hands to their ears and ran in every direction, so that when Alpha called the king to witness the end of the bull, Wangi and Zodopanda returned to see the bull stretched upon the ground and Oliver standing with one foot upon it.
The warriors descended into the pit and bore Oliver upon their shoulders. He was finally seated in the audience court and asked to show the iron which could carry thunder and lightning, but taking a cue from Alpha, who had warned him against the same, he told them that it was within the steer's brains, and that his father gave him only one at a time because of its danger. To this they listened credulously and held him in awe. But Zodopanda, seeing the advantage Alpha was gaining, stepped forth and asked how it was possible for Oliver to have been captured and held in captivity with such power at his command.
Alpha explained by saying that the gods had sent Oliver to defend his people from the great leopard and that he should not be harmed but carefully guarded and that he should be fed and housed and made his assistant.
Oliver was given a hut for his own use and offered a slave when he begged to be given Twe. He was virtually Alpha's prisoner, and his hut was continually guarded. While Alpha jealously kept away all visitors, he was permitted to walk around the town at certain hours under an escort of five.
At these times he usually pointed out to Twe such things as tobacco leaves, the small stems of wild cane and corn cob.
When he returned and prepared himself for the luxury of a smoke, he would in this way improve his condition as he continually planned his escape.
One day Twe handed him a large pearl, saying: "Master, this is what Alpha is doing in this town, buying pearls with beads from these silly people."
"Where did you get this?" Oliver asked.
"One of the men gave it to me for a small piece of your tobacco. I followed them and saw Alpha let them into his house, and when they came out they were laughing over some beads.
Oliver lighted his corncob and stretched out in his bamboo easy chair, manufactured by himself and Twe, before the fire in the center of the hut and built upon the floor.
He thought of the happy hours spent in their Sierra Leone home kitchen, when with an apron tied around his neck and shirt sleeves rolled back, he assisted Eva as she carved and molded wax beads for Lucretia's amusement.
An idea came into his mind. Why not try some of the Kaolin clay and the native dyes. Perhaps he could bribe Alpha to assist in his escape as the price of the secret, he thought.
Calling Twe to his side, he ordered him to bring in some of the gray clay, some small cane reeds and to beg some of the colored dyes from the women, especially the red and yellow.
When Twe returned with the articles as directed, Oliver mixed the clay with some of the bright red dyes, until he obtained the desired color. He directed Twe as to the length he wished the hollow reeds, then rolling the dough over the reeds, he continued doing so until they were molded into oblong, slender and other shaped beads. After this he cut the ends off with a knife and placed them in an earthen pot over the fire until they hardened and finally polished to a bright glazing appearance.
His first attempt was a great success. He called Twe to him, and tying them in a banana leaf, instructed Twe to take them to Alpha with his compliments.
"Oh, master, you do a bad thing for send dose beads to Alpha. He go make you stay for make plenty more for him. You better make plenty more and lemme buy you plenty of pearls. If no be Alpha is jealous of Zodopanda, he no for save your life."
But Oliver's sense of gratitude and honor prompted him to disregard such advice and to send Twe on to Alpha.
Alpha naturally was very much surprised, and his cupidity aroused his cunning. He called upon Oliver immediately and was all smiles, and pretended friendship. He was also cautious because he suspected that his secret was out, and that Oliver would either become a rival or betray his secret by enlightening the oyster diver whom he had taught to search for pearls.
In the meantime his beads were nearly exhausted and in Oliver he saw the promise of a rich harvest.
Oliver soon made his proposition known, i.e., to sell the process of making the beads in exchange for his freedom. But this did not suit the ease-loving Arabian, when so competent a worker was already in his power.
He pretended to agree while he urged Oliver to make a large quantity at the time of instructions. Oliver soon realized that he was Alpha's dupe, and several times awoke just in time to discover Alpha crawling upon his knees, searching for the revolver in Oliver's hut.
Twe took a chance in the matter and bundled up quite a number of beads that he had securely hidden. He approached Oliver and asked for a day off for hunting. Upon his return he brought a small grass bag full of the most lustrous and perfect pearls.
Oliver gasped in amazement when Twe told him how he had visited the oyster beds and traded for the pearls, after obtaining a promise of secrecy. Twe continued his pearl trading.
One day Oliver ran to the door of his hut at the cries of some women who, running and beating their heads with their hands, ran to the king's court and fell upon their faces.
A leopard had entered a half town two nights successively, and taken away a child and a grown man. The bravest huntsmen were selected and Oliver was assigned the leadership.
Oliver was glad of the opportunity because he planned to attempt his escape. He informed Twe of his intention so that Twe bundled up their small stove and they started upon the hunt, after receiving Alpha's blessing.
As they were walking single file through the woods, Oliver had just time to raise his gun as he, Twe and the huntsmen scattered in the woods.
He saw the fiery eyes and extended claws, when he pulled the trigger and sent the bullet to the heart of the animal. But the great cat had been very accurate in her measurement of distance, for Oliver just had time to dodge, but not before one of her great forepaws landed upon his shoulders, as she fell on top of him, sinking her claws in further. Twe was the first to recover from the shock and run to Oliver's assistance.
The men returned and lifted the paw of the beast from Oliver's shoulder, while Twe tore the sleeve of his shirt and bound his arm, during the unconsciousness of the suffering man.
Twe then unwound a grass hammock which he had folded in the bundle, and instructed the men to cut a pole to which he tied it, and then placed Oliver in the hammock, while the other party secured the man-eating leopard to another pole, and proceeded to the village.
Thus when Oliver recovered consciousness, he was very much surprised and disappointed to find himself back to his old surroundings.
But it was a gala day for the town. Oliver was borne in triumph to the king by the warriors. Around the kitchen young men and women dressed in grass petticoats, danced the Gombey, a very wild but graceful cakewalk. The king presented Oliver the hide and claws of the huge leopard. These being considered only the property of the king, with the teeth, owing to their rare value among all African tribes, Oliver was aware of the honor, and selecting one of the claws, he bade the king accept it as a remembrance of the occasion. He also presented one to Alpha. Something prompted him to offer one to Zodopanda, but knowing that Alpha would not like such a proceeding, he did not take advantage of the opportunity of winning a true friend who might have spared him some of the sad experiences he was to suffer through Alpha's treachery.
After the presentation of the claws, the king whispered into the ear of one of the couriers, who left his royal side immediately.
Oliver was soon given an unpleasant surprise, when he was finally made to understand that the blushing black maiden attired in a grass petticoat, and numerous beads and leopard teeth around the neck and waist, bore the title of a young princess and was given to him as wife.
The king watched Oliver closely, and was disappointed at the lack of appreciation shown by the latter. When he finally understood that the great honor was rejected, he at once demanded the reason.
Oliver then related the separation from his wife and child, and begged to be permitted to return to his family.
"Oh," said King Wanga, "that makes no difference. I have many wives. The lightning god sent you to live with us, so you must forget the other wife and take wives from among us."
Zodopanda whispered something into his ear, his face contracted into a frown, then turning to Oliver again he said, "Do you, oh moon man, refuse my daughter?"
Oliver protested again and told him that his religion permitted only one wife.
The conference finally closed, but the rejection of the royal bride had caused a perceptible coolness. It was only the hope of having permanent protection from the wild beast and the fear of the destruction of the iron which Oliver possessed that saved his life.
When the week had ended, and Oliver had not returned as promised, Eva was nearly distracted with grief. Every morning and evening she could be seen at the edge of the hill overlooking the direction of Oliver's departure, kneeling with Lucretia as they prayed for the father's safe return.