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Middy and Ensign, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 52. How The Steamer Went Up The Right Arm Of The River |
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_ CHAPTER FIFTY TWO. HOW THE STEAMER WENT UP THE RIGHT ARM OF THE RIVER A night journey on a river, when the stars give but little light, and the banks are dense jungle overhanging the water's edge, is one of no little difficulty. Certainly the crew of the steamer had upon their side the fact, that the stream, though swift, was deep, and its bottom mud. There were no rocks and cataracts to encounter in its lower course; and even if they did run aground, there was but little risk to the vessel. But all the same the most constant watchfulness was needed, and Lieutenant Johnson himself joined the look-out at the bows, communicating by a chain of his men with the engine-room and man at the wheel. For some distance after leaving the island they proceeded very slowly, little more than mastering the stream; but as soon as they felt that they were beyond hearing the speed was increased, and for some miles-- through which the course of the river was well-known--the "Startler" proceeded at a pretty good rate, so that by morning half the journey was accomplished, and they were abreast of the stockade they had attacked and destroyed. About a couple of miles past this the course of the right river opened out, one that a navigator strange to the river would have hesitated to take, for it was narrow at the mouth, overgrown with trees, and seemed to form a chain of lakes, that were one blaze of colour with the blossom of the lotus. On the other hand, what seemed the regular course of the river ran broad and clear, and apparently without obstruction of any kind. The Malay, who was leaning over the bulwark with his mouth distended with betel, pointed one brown arm towards the narrow branch, and the steamer's engines were slackened and nearly stopped while a boat was lowered, and the crew rowed some little distance along the winding, sluggish stream, sounding every few yards, to find the river extremely deep with muddy bottom; and as it seemed to wind right on precisely the same in character, they returned and reported the result to the lieutenant, who at once gave orders, and the steamer entered the narrow, winding way. To all appearance they might have been the first visitors to those regions, so haunted was the strangely beautiful scene by wild creatures. Birds in abundance fled at their approach. Now it was a white eagle, then a vividly plumaged kingfisher, or a kind of black, racket-tailed daw with glossy plumage. Parrots of a diminutive size and dazzling green plumage flitted before them; and from time to time the lotus leaves were agitated by a shoal of fish, that alarmed by the wash of the steamer rushed away. Every now and then, too, Bob Roberts, who was feasting on what passed like a glorious panorama before him, had his adventure with Ali in the shooting-trip brought vividly to mind, for some huge reptile or another shuffled into the slow stream, while others lay sluggishly basking, and ill-disposed to move. Their progress was slow, for the screw-propeller was more than once fouled by the thick weed, through which they ploughed their way. So dense was it that at times it gathered in large cables, stretching from bank to bank, and literally barring further progress, till the steamer was backed and driven at full speed against the obstruction, which divided and swept off in hillocks to starboard and to port. Then a more open stretch of water would be gained, widening quite into a lake, and framed in glorious tropical verdure; large pools would be quite free from vegetable growth, and so clear that the bright scales of the fish could be seen flashing far below. Then the river seemed to wind its way through dense growths of lily and other water plants, amidst which water-fowl in endless numbers disported themselves, but fled away at the sight of the steamer, panting onward through this wilderness of beauty. For in spite of the anxiety felt by all, and their eagerness to reach the spot where their friends were in peril, it was impossible to help gazing with wonder and admiration at the loveliness of all around. Where the stream narrowed, the great trees growing to the water's edge formed huge walls of verdure, in parts a hundred--two hundred feet high; and over and amidst these wreathed and twined the beautiful creepers, filling up every gap with leaves of the most delicious, tender green. Then a tree would be passed one mass of white and tinted blossoms, another of scarlet, and again another of rich crimson, while in every damp, sun-flecked opening wondrous orchids could be seen carpeting the earth with their strange forms and glowing colours. Pitcher-plants too, some of huge size, dotted the ground every here and there where the steamer passed close to the shore--so close at times that the ends of the yards brushed the trees; and yet the vessel took no harm, for the deep water ran in places to the banks, and though often half covered with weedy growth, the river was canal-like in its deeper parts, where the sluggish stream steadily flowed along to join its more rapid brother miles below. For some time now Lieutenant Johnson had been bitterly regretting that he had not insisted upon bringing Private Gray, so as to have an interpreter, for his own knowledge of the Malay tongue was almost _nil_. And yet he was obliged to own that it would have been unjust to rob them at the station of part of their strength, when at any moment they might want it all. Bob Roberts was the better Malay scholar of the two, but his vocabulary only extended to asking for a durian, Good morning! How are you? and the favourite Malay proverbial saying,--"_Apa boleh booat_"--It was to be, or It couldn't be helped. They had been progressing now for hours, and the heat was insufferable-- a heavy, moist heat, in that narrow way, shut in between two walls of verdure, and yet there seemed to be no signs of their journey being nearly ended. Under the circumstances Bob Roberts was set to try and get some information out of their guide, whom he tried with "Good morning," in the Malay tongue; and then, after a civil answer to his remark, plunged at once into plain English with,-- "How much farther is it?" The Malay looked hard in his eyes, and Bob repeated the question. The Malay seemed to divine what he meant, for he raised one bare brown arm and pointed forward along the course of the river. It was a mute but conclusive reply, telling the middy plainly enough that they had farther to go, and once more the attention of all was taken up by the navigation of the narrow winding channel. Still there was no fault to be found with Ali's message, for the water was deep, and though the steamer seemed at times to be running right into the bank, there was always room to turn what looked to be an ugly curve, and onward they went through the dense jungle. On either side the primeval forest seemed to stretch away, and where there were changes of a more park-like character, so rare was the sight of a human being there that the shy pea-fowl, all metallic plumage and glorious eyes, could be seen gazing at the steamer before taking flight. There were deer too seen occasionally, and had this been a pleasure-trip the sportsman would have had ample use for rifle or gun. But this was no pleasure-trip, for the deck was cleared for action, and the men were at their quarters, ready to send shot or shell hurtling through the jungle whenever there should be a reason for such a step. Another hour, and another, and still the Malay guide pointed before him, gesticulating a little sometimes, as if bidding them hasten onwards. The speed was increased at such times, though it was risky, for the narrowness of the course, and the size of the steamer, rendered the greatest care necessary to avoid running her bows in among the trees. Lieutenant Johnson stamped impatiently at last as the sun was descending behind the trees, and still the Malay pointed onwards. "It is enough to make one think it a wild goose chase!" he exclaimed. "We have made a grievous mistake in not having an interpreter. Roberts, you ought to be able to speak the Malay tongue." "Yes, sir," said Bob, "I ought!" And then to himself, "So ought you!" Another hour and they were passing through a denser part than ever; so close were they that the large drooping boughs of some of the trees cracked and rustled and snapped as they passed by, to get to what seemed to be quite a lagoon shining clear and silvery, as seen by those on board the steamer through quite a tunnel of overhanging branches. "We ought to be able to hear firing by this time if it is going on at the stockade," said the lieutenant. "What a place to bring Her Majesty's ship into! If I did not know that those poor fellows were anxiously expecting help, not a fathom further would I take the steamer than into yon open water to-night! Here! fetch that Malay fellow here, and let's see if we cannot get something out of him!" Bob Roberts went forward to where the Malay stood, leaning over the bulwarks gazing at the trees on either side--at least he went to where the Malay did stand gazing at the trees, but now to Bob's astonishment the man was not there! "Where's the Malay guide?" he said sharply to Dick, who was nearest to him. "Well, sir, if you call that there chap a guide," said Dick, "I've done." "I say where's the Malay guide?" said Bob, angrily. "Haven't seen him, sir," said Dick, touching his cap. "But he was standing here not ten minutes ago, just before we brushed against those trees!" exclaimed the young officer. "Well yes, sir, I remember as he was," said old Dick, and several of the sailors were ready to affirm that they saw him not five minutes before. A look round the deck showed that he was not there, and Bob stood looking puzzled; for the man had evidently looked upon himself almost as a prisoner, and not free to go about; he had consequently stood leaning against the port bulwark all the time, except when he had squatted on the deck to partake of the food supplied to him. "Couldn't have been knocked overboard by the boughs, could he, sir?" said Dick. "Impossible!" exclaimed the middy; and he hurried off to report the fact that the Malay was missing. "Are you sure?" exclaimed the lieutenant sharply. "Certain, sir! He's nowhere on deck!" "I thought as much!" cried the lieutenant angrily. "Good heavens, Roberts! that we could have been such idiots! Gray was right!" "I do not understand you, sir." "Understand? It's plain enough! That man, Private Gray, said he suspected the fellow, and yet we allowed him to gull us with his plausible story. Here, look sharp there!" he cried, as the steamer stood out now free of the tunnel-like canal, through which she had passed, and was now approaching the centre of a tolerably broad lagoon. The lieutenant gave his command in short, sharp, decisive tones, and a minute later a little anchor fell with a splash into the water, and the steamer swung in the just perceptible stream. "I dare not attempt the journey back to-night, Roberts," he said. "We should be aground in the thick darkness before we had gone a mile." "But won't you go forward, sir? We must be near the stockade!" exclaimed Bob. "If we go on till the river becomes a ditch, we shall find no stockade here, Roberts!" cried the lieutenant. "Why should there be one? There is neither campong nor sampan upon the river, and it is evident that there is no trade. No, Roberts, we have been tricked--cheated, and we must get back at full speed as soon as day begins to break. I have been uncomfortable for hours now, as I felt that our poor friends could never have come through such a forest as this. It is only passable for beasts!" "But the Malay and his message?" "The Malay is as great a cheat as the old fruit-seller; and that message was never written by young Ali, unless he, too, is an enemy!" "My life upon it, he is not," cried Bob. "Then either he has been killed, or our plans were overheard, or betrayed, or something or another! That fellow--I see it all now it is too late--has quietly led us up here, awaiting his chance, and it came when those big boughs swept the side. He swung himself into one of the trees, and is by this time on his way back to his friends." "But the jungle is not passable!" said Bob. "Then he will make a bamboo raft and get down the river. Oh, that we could be such fools!" Bob Roberts stood in the gathering darkness staring at his superior officer, and trying hard to believe that the Malay might have been swept over by accident; but by degrees he felt his mind veering round to the lieutenant's ideas. The next minute orders were being given respecting the watch on deck, every light was extinguished, and extra care taken lest they should have been led into a trap and attempts be made to board the steamer during the night. But as the hours glided on, all they heard was the distant roar of some beast of prey, or an occasional splash in the water--sounds that had a strange attraction for Bob Roberts, as, with no thought of going to his cot, he leaned against the bulwark watching the fire-flies amid the trees, and mournfully wondered how they were getting on at the station, and what had become of Ali, shuddering again and again as the lieutenant's ominous words recurred to his mind. _ |
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