adventure-第36节

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f　the　interior　around　the　flanks　of　the　Lion's　Head；　the　bush…　sores　and　the　fevers　of　the　white　men；　and　their　madness　in　trusting　the　bushmen。

〃Allee　time　I　talk　along　white　fella　marster；〃　he　said。　　〃Me　talk；　'That　fella　bushman　he　look　'm　eye　belong　him。　　He　savvee　too　much。　S'pose　musket　he　stop　along　you；　that　fella　bushman　he　too　much　good　friend　along　you。　　Allee　time　he　look　sharp　eye　belong　him。　S'pose　musket　he　no　stop　along　you；　my　word；　that　fella　bushman　he　chop　'm　off　head　belong　you。　　He　kai…kai　you　altogether。'〃

But　the　patience　of　the　bushmen　had　exceeded　that　of　the　white　men。　The　weeks　had　gone　by；　and　no　overt　acts　had　been　attempted。　　The　bushmen　swarmed　in　the　camp　in　increasing　numbers；　and　they　were　always　making　presents　of　yams　and　taro；　of　pig　and　fowl；　and　of　wild　fruits　and　vegetables。　　Whenever　the　gold…hunters　moved　their　camp；　the　bushmen　volunteered　to　carry　the　luggage。　　And　the　white　men　waxed　ever　more　careless。　　They　grew　weary　prospecting；　and　at　the　same　time　carrying　their　rifles　and　the　heavy　cartridge…belts；　and　the　practice　began　of　leaving　their　weapons　behind　them　in　camp。

〃I　tell　'm　plenty　fella　white　marster　look　sharp　eye　belong　him。　And　plenty　fella　white　marster　make　'm　big　laugh　along　me；　say　Binu　Charley　allee　same　pickaninnymy　word；　they　speak　along　me　allee　same　pickaninny。〃

Came　the　morning　when　Binu　Charley　noticed　that　the　women　and　children　had　disappeared。　　Tudor；　at　the　time；　was　lying　in　a　stupor　with　fever　in　a　late　camp　five　miles　away；　the　main　camp　having　moved　on　those　five　miles　in　order　to　prospect　an　outcrop　of　likely　quartz。　　Binu　Charley　was　midway　between　the　two　camps　when　the　absence　of　the　women　and　children　struck　him　as　suspicious。

〃My　word；〃　he　said；　〃me　t'ink　like　hell。　　Him　black　Mary；　him　pickaninny；　walk　about　long　way　big　bit。　　What　name？　　Me　savvee　too　much　trouble　close　up。　　Me　fright　like　hell。　　Me　run。　　My　word；　me　run。〃

Tudor；　quite　unconscious；　was　slung　across　his　shoulder；　and　carried　a　mile　down　the　trail。　　Here；　hiding　new　trail；　Binu　Charley　had　carried　him　for　a　quarter　of　a　mile　into　the　heart　of　the　deepest　jungle；　and　hidden　him　in　a　big　banyan　tree。　　Returning　to　try　to　save　the　rifles　and　personal　outfit；　Binu　Charley　had　seen　a　party　of　bushmen　trotting　down　the　trail；　and　had　hidden　in　the　bush。　　Here；　and　from　the　direction　of　the　main　camp；　he　had　heard　two　rifle　shots。　　And　that　was　all。　　He　had　never　seen　the　white　men　again；　nor　had　he　ventured　near　their　old　camp。　　He　had　gone　back　to　Tudor；　and　hidden　with　him　for　a　week；　living　on　wild　fruits　and　the　few　pigeons　and　cockatoos　he　had　been　able　to　shoot　with　bow　and　arrow。　　Then　he　had　journeyed　down　to　Berande　to　bring　the　news。　　Tudor；　he　said；　was　very　sick；　lying　unconscious　for　days　at　a　time；　and；　when　in　his　right　mind；　too　weak　to　help　himself。

〃What　name　you　no　kill　'm　that　big　fella　marster？〃　Joan　demanded。　〃He　have　'm　good　fella　musket；　plenty　calico；　plenty　tobacco；　plenty　knife…fee；　and　two　fella　pickaninny　musket　shoot　quick；　bang…bang…bangjust　like　that。〃

The　black　smiled　cunningly。

〃Me　savvee　too　much。　　S'pose　me　kill　'm　big　fella　marster；　bimeby　plenty　white　fella　marster　walk　about　Binu　cross　like　hell。　　'What　name　this　fellow　musket？'　those　plenty　fella　white　marster　talk　'm　along　me。　　My　word；　Binu　Charley　finish　altogether。　　S'pose　me　kill　'm　him；　no　good　along　me。　　Plenty　white　fella　marster　cross　along　me。　　S'pose　me　no　kill　'm　him；　bimeby　he　give　me　plenty　tobacco；　plenty　calico；　plenty　everything　too　much。〃

〃There　is　only　the　one　thing　to　do；〃　Sheldon　said　to　Joan。

She　drummed　with　her　hand　and　waited；　while　Binu　Charley　gazed　wearily　at　her　with　unblinking　eyes。

〃I'll　start　the　first　thing　in　the　morning；〃　Sheldon　said。

〃We'll　start；〃　she　corrected。　　〃I　can　get　twice　as　much　out　of　my　Tahitians　as　you　can；　and；　besides；　one　white　should　never　be　alone　under　such　circumstances。〃

He　shrugged　his　shoulders　in　token；　not　of　consent；　but　of　surrender；　knowing　the　uselessness　of　attempting　to　argue　the　question　with　her；　and　consoling　himself　with　the　reflection　that　heaven　alone　knew　what　adventures　she　was　liable　to　engage　in　if　left　alone　on　Berande　for　a　week。　　He　clapped　his　hands；　and　for　the　next　quarter　of　an　hour　the　house…boys　were　kept　busy　carrying　messages　to　the　barracks。　　A　man　was　sent　to　Balesuna　village　to　command　old　Seelee's　immediate　presence。　　A　boat's…crew　was　started　in　a　whale…boat　with　word　for　Boucher　to　come　down。　　Ammunition　was　issued　to　the　Tahitians；　and　the　storeroom　overhauled　for　a　few　days'　tinned　provisions。　　Viaburi　turned　yellow　when　told　that　he　was　to　accompany　the　expedition；　and；　to　everybody's　surprise；　Lalaperu　volunteered　to　take　his　place。

Seelee　arrived；　proud　in　his　importance　that　the　great　master　of　Berande　should　summon　him　in　the　night…time　for　council；　and　firm　in　his　refusal　to　step　one　inch　within　the　dread　domain　of　the　bushmen。　　As　he　said；　if　his　opinion　had　been　asked　when　the　gold…　hunters　started；　he　would　have　foretold　their　disastrous　end。　There　was　only　one　thing　that　happened　to　any　one　who　ventured　into　the　bushmen's　territory；　and　that　was　that　he　was　eaten。　　And　he　would　further　say；　without　being　asked；　that　if　Sheldon　went　up　into　the　bush　he　would　be　eaten　too。

Sheldon　sent　for　a　gang…boss　and　told　him　to　bring　ten　of　the　biggest；　best；　and　strongest　Poonga…Poonga　men。

〃Not　salt…water　boys；〃　Sheldon　cautioned；　〃but　bush　boysleg　belong　him　strong　fella　leg。　　Boy　no　savvee　musket；　no　good。　　You　bring　'm　boy　shoot　musket　strong　fella。〃

They　were　ten　picked　men　that　filed　up　on　the　veranda　and　stood　in　the　glare　of　the　lanterns。　　Their　heavy；　muscular　legs　advertised　that　they　were　bushmen。　　Each　claimed　long　experience　in　bush…　fighting；　most　of　them　showed　scars　of　bullet　or　spear…thrust　in　proof；　and　all　were　wild　for　a　chance　to　break　the　humdrum　monotony　of　plantation　labour　by　going　on　a　killing　expedition。　　Killing　was　their　natural　vocation；　not　wood…cutting；　and　while　they　would　not　have　ventured　the　Guadalcanar　bush　alone；　with　a　white　man　like　Sheldon　behind　them；　and　a　white　Mary　such　as　they　knew　Joan　to　be；　they　could　expect　a　safe　and　delightful　time。　　Besides；　the　great

master　had　told　them　that　the　eight　gigantic　Tahitians　were　going　along。

The　Poonga…Poonga　volunteers　stood　with　glistening　eyes　and　grinning　faces；　naked　save　for　their　loin…cloths；　and　barbarously　ornamented。　　Each　wore　a　flat；　turtle…shell　ring　suspended　through　his　nose；　and　each　carried　a　clay　pipe　in　an　ear…hole　or　thrust　inside　a　beaded　biceps　armlet。　　A　pair　of　magnificent　boar　tusks　graced　the　chest　of　one。　　On　the　chest　of　another　hung　a　huge　disc　of　polished　fossil　clam…shell。

〃Plenty　strong　fella　fight；〃　Sheldon　warned　them　in　conclusion。

They　grinned　and　shifted　delightedly。

〃S'pose　bushmen　kai…kai　along　you？〃　he　queried。

〃No　fear；〃　answered　their　spokesman；　one　Koogoo；　a　strapping；　thick…lipped　Ethiopian…looking　man。　　〃S'pose　Poonga…Poonga　boy　kai…　kai　bush…boy？〃

Sheldon　shook　his　head；　laughing；　and　dismissed　them；　and　went　to　overhaul　the　dunnage…room　for　a　small　shelter　tent　for　Joan's　use。



CHAPTER　XXIVIN　THE　BUSH



It　was　quite　a　formidable　expedition　that　departed　from　Berande　at　break　of　day　next　morning　in　a　fleet　of　canoes　and　dinghies。　　There　were　Joan　and　Sheldon；　with　Binu　Charley　and　Lalaperu；　the　eight　Tahitians；　and　the　ten　Poonga…Poonga　men；　each　proud　in　the　possession　of　a　bright　and　shining　modern　rifle。　　In　addition；　there　were　two　of　the　plantation　boat's…crews　of　six　men　each。　These；　however；　were　to　go　no　farther　than　Carli；　where　water　transportation　ceased　and　where　they　were　to　wait　with　the　boats。　Boucher　remained　behind　in　charge　of　Berande。

By　eleven　in　the　morning　the　expedition　arrived　at　Binu；　a　cluster　of　twenty　houses　on　the　river　bank。　　And　from　here　thirty　odd　Binu　men　accompanied　them；　armed　with　spears　and　arrows；　chattering　and　grimacing　with　delight　at　the　warlike　array。　　The　long　quiet　stretches　of　river　gave　way　to　swifter　water；　and　progress　was　slower　and　more　dogged。　　The　Balesuna　grew　shallow　as　well；　and　oftener　were　the　loaded　boats　bumped　along　and　half…lifted　over　the　bottom。　　In　places　timber…falls　blocked　the　passage　of　the　narrow　stream；　and　the　boats　and　canoes　were　portaged　around。　　Night　brought　them　to　Carli；　and　they　had　the　satisfaction　of　knowing　that　they　had　accomplished　in　one　day　what　had　required　two　days　for　Tudor's　expedition。

Here　at　Carli；　next　morning；　half…way　through　the　grass…lands；　the　boat's…crews　were　left；　and　with　them　the　horde　of　Binu　men；　the　boldest　of　which　held　on　for　a　bare　mile　and　then　ran　scampering　back。　　Binu　Charley；　however；　was　at　the　fore；　and　led　the　way　onward　into　the　rolling　foot…hills；　following　the　trail　made　by　Tudor　and　his　men　weeks　before。　　That　night　they　camped　well　into　the　hills　and　deep　in　the　tropic　jungle。　　The　third　day　found　them　on　the　run…ways　of　the　bushmennarrow　paths　that　compelled　single　file　and　that　turned　and　twisted　with　endless　convolutions　through　the　dense　undergrowth。　　For　the　most　part　it　was　a　silent　forest；　lush　and　dank；　where　only　occasionally　a　wood…pigeon　cooed　or　snow…　white　co