The Land of Mystery Read online

  CHAPTER II.

  A TRIO OF ENEMIES.

  At last, when the full moon was shining, the two men stood at the headof the rapids and surveyed their surroundings before setting out ontheir return to camp.

  Both sides of the Xingu were lined by the dense forest, in which thevegetation is so luxuriant that it must be a source of never endingwonder to those who look upon it for the first time. The river abovemade a sharp bend, shutting off the view so fully that from theirposition, it was impossible to tell how far they would be able to usethe canoe without making another portage.

  "We haven't seen a person on our way here," remarked the Professor,calmly surveying the river and shores; "and I hope Ashman will bringback a similar report, for we all need a full night's rest."

  "How is _that_?"

  Long touched the arm of his companion, as he asked the question, andpointed down stream in the direction of camp.

  To the amazement of the Professor, three natives were seen standing onthe very spot where they themselves had stood a brief while before,evidently scrutinizing the white strangers with profound wonder andcuriosity.

  They were dressed similarly to Bippo, Pedros and Quincal--that is, withonly a piece of cloth around the loins--but they displayed a markedcontrast in other respects. They were taller, more athletic, withimmense bushy heads of hair, enormous rings in their ears, while thehue of their skins was almost as dark as that of the native African.

  One carried a long-bow and a bundle of arrows strapped behind hisshoulders, while the others were armed simply with javelins or spears.

  "Those fellows mean fight," added Long.

  "No doubt of it," replied the Professor.

  "But a Winchester will reach further than their arrows and spears, evenif they are tipped with poison."

  "Possibly they may be friendly, if they can be convinced that we intendthem no harm, and you know what an advantage it will be to us if ableto trust all the natives on our return."

  Long could not share the confidence of his companion and favored adirect advance down the bank toward the savages. If the latterpreserved their armed neutrality, all would be well enough, but at thefirst sign of hostility he advocated opening fire on them.

  Perhaps he was right in the declaration that anything like timidity indealing with savages is the worst possible course. While the rights ofevery barbarian should be respected, it is all important that he shouldknow that such concession is made not through fear, but because thesuperior party wishes to be just and merciful.

  The natives stood as motionless as statues for several minutes, duringwhich the white men scrutinized them with an interest that may beimagined.

  The first and most natural thought of our friends was that an encountercould be avoided by entering the forest on the right and passing roundthe savages, who, it was quite apparent, intended to dispute theirreturn; but if such was really their purpose, they would have littletrouble in heading off the whites in the dense wood, beside which, forthe weighty reasons already named, it would have been exceedinglyunwise to act as though afraid of the dusky natives.

  Despite Long's protest, the Professor decided to make a friendlyadvance, being vigilantly on his guard at the same time for the firstoffensive move of the savages. He carried his Winchester in one hand,while he rested the other on his revolver. He was determined, whilehoping for comity, to be prepared for hostility or treachery.

  Long was so dissatisfied with the looks of things, that he followed hisfriend a few paces, then halting with his Winchester ready for anyemergency, and certain in his own mind that a sharp fight wasinevitable.

  The approach of the white man was evidently a surprise to the savages.The middle one, who held the long-bow and arrows, fell back severalpaces, as if about to break into flight or dart among the trees soinvitingly near, but something must have been said by his companions tocheck him, for he stopped abruptly, and not only came back to his firstposition, but advanced a couple of paces beyond. The noise from therapids prevented the Professor hearing their voices, though theunusually clear moonlight told him that some utterance had passedbetween them.

  The first ominous act on the part of the natives was by this archer,who deliberately drew an arrow from over his shoulder and fitted itagainst the string of his bow. The fact that the missile wasundoubtedly coated at the end with a virus more deadly than that of therattlesnake or cobra was enough to render the would-be frienduncomfortable and to increase his alertness.

  At the same time that the archer went through this significantpreliminary, his companions shifted their grasp upon their javelins ina manner that was equally suggestive.

  While carrying these primitive weapons, the fingers closed around thecentre of gravity, that naturally being more convenient, but when aboutto hurl them, the hand was shoved further toward the head. Bothnatives thus shifted their right hands, though, they still held themhorizontal at their thighs, from which position they could be broughtaloft in the twinkling of an eye.

  The white man walked slowly. The left hand, which supported his rifle,remained motionless, but removing the right from his revolver, hecontinued making signs, whose friendly meaning was so obvious that itwas impossible for the natives to mistake it.

  While approaching in this guarded manner, he Studied them with theclosest scrutiny. Interesting under any circumstances, they werevastly more so at this time. What struck him in addition to thecharacteristics already named, were their frowsy eyebrows andglittering coal-black eyes. These were unusually large and protruding.The noses, instead of being broad and flat, like those of the nativeAfricans, were Roman in shape. The mouths were wide, and, when theyspoke, he observed that the teeth which were displayed were black,showing that a fashion prevailed among this unknown tribe similar tothat in vogue among many of the natives in the East Indies.

  Now, Professor Grimcke was too experienced an explorer to walk directlyinto danger, where there was no prospect of avoiding a desperateencounter. While eager to make friends with all the people whom hemet, he did not intend to assume any unnecessary risks. The demeanorof the natives tendered it certain they were hostile. They made noresponsive signs to those of the white man, and the latter would havechecked himself half way, but for his suspicion that they weremystified by his conduct and were undecided as to the precise thing todo.

  He not only heard their peculiar rumbling voices, but saw from themovements of their lips and their glances in each other's faces, thatthey were consulting as to what they should do. The white man wasalready so close that he could easily be reached by the bowman, andthere was little doubt that either of the others could hurl hispoisoned javelin the intervening distance.

  The only way of defeating such a movement was for the white man tosecure "the drop" on them, but, in one sense that was impossible.Unable to understand the words spoken, they were equally unacquaintedwith the weapons of the pale face, and would, doubtless pay no heed tothe most threatening demonstration on his part.

  "Take my advice and come back," called Jared Long; "keep your facetoward them and blaze away, and I'll do my part!"

  Instead of adopting the suggestion of his friend, the Professor slowedhis pace, still making his gestures of good will. However, when fiftysteps away, he came to a dead halt.

  He had advanced three-fourths the distance, and, if the others werewilling to accept his offers, they should signify it by coming forwardand meeting him where he had stopped.

  While moving forward in this guarded manner, Grimcke was prudent enoughto edge over toward the woods, which were now so close to his rightside as to be instantly available. When he came to a stop also it wasnear the trunk of a large tree, no more than a yard distant.

  "The Professor is cunning," reflected Jared Long, watching everymovement; "he'll whisk behind the tree the instant one of them makes amove. Helloa! what's up now?"

  To the astonishment of both white men the native with the bow shiftedit at this moment to his right hand, holding the arrow in
place againstthe string with the same hand, while the weapon was at his side. Thenhe moved a step or two, as if to meet the stranger.

  "Look out!" called the vigilant New Englander, "that chap is up to somedeviltry."

  He did not refer to him with the bow and arrow, but to one of theothers, who stealthily turned aside and vanished among the trees.Being in the Professor's line of vision the latter observed thesuspicious movement, and it cannot be said that it added to his comfort.

  Meanwhile the archer advanced, but with such tardy step that it wasevident he was timing his pace to that of his comrade who had sostealthily entered the wood. Convinced that his real peril lay amongthose trees, Grimcke began a backward movement with such caution thathe hoped it would not be noticed by the native who was approaching witha sluggish pace.

  The forest, like all those in South America, was so dense that greatcare was necessary for one to pick his way through it. The Professor'stheory was that the savage with the spear would regulate his movementson the theory that the white man would not stir from the place where hehad first halted. He would thus aim to secure a position from which hecould hurl his javelin at him without detection. Grimcke conceivedthis was certain to take place, and, if he remained where he was,nothing could save him from the treacherous assault. It was a matter,therefore, of self preservation that dictated the brief retreat withthe hope of thus disconcerting the savage.

  The task which Grimcke had given himself was difficult indeed. Theground was unfavorable for the peculiar twitching movement which hehoped would carry him out of danger. He had gone barely a couple ofyards when the bowman evidently suspected something of the kind, for hestopped short and stared inquiringly at the white man.

  The latter extended his right hand as if to shake that of the savage,who stood motionless, making no sign of pleasure or displeasure.Indeed, he remained so fixed in his position that Grimcke was convincedhe was listening for the sound of the other miscreant stealing throughthe wood. He plainly saw the black eyes cast a single inquiring glancein that direction.

  "This is getting a little too threatening," reflected the Professor,satisfied that the three natives were as venomous as so many serpents;"at the first move war is declared."

  His situation was so critical that he did not dare turn his head tolook behind him, but never was there a more welcome sound to him thanthat made by the footsteps of the lank New Englander.

  "Keep moving hack!" called Long, "but don't try to hide what you'redoing."

  The Professor saw the sense of this advice and he followed it, liftinghis feet so high that the action was plainly seen, but doing so with acertain dignity that was not lacking in impressiveness. His aim was togive the act the appearance of a strategic movement, as it may becalled. It was not that he was afraid of the natives, but he wasseeking a better place from which to open hostilities against them.

  This was the impression which he sought to give the fierce savages, andwhether he succeeded, or not was certain to become apparent within thefollowing five minutes. He himself believed, the chances were againstthe success of his plan.