William Murray Graydon

“ For one second the Portuguese trembled like a leaf, then he turned and bolted through the residency door, shoving Colonel Gordon roughly aside in his mad haste.
“Stop him! Stop him!” roared the stranger. “A thousand pounds to the man who takes him alive. He’s the ringleader of the insurrection!”
Colonel Gordon hurried down the steps in bewildered amazement.
“What does this mean?” he demanded. “Who are you?”
“Who am I?” shouted he of the sandy whiskers. “Why, blast your impudence, I’m Sir Arthur Ashby, the governor of Zaila. Who the deuce are you?” ”

“ The Arabs had quietly closed round Guy and Melton, forming with their camels a protective circle, and this alone saved the Englishmen from death. But every instant the situation was becoming more critical. The mob grew bolder, and even tried to force the group apart in spite of the protestations of the Arabs, who had begun to point their rifles threateningly. Hundreds of savage faces glared unutterable hatred at the two strangers, hundreds of wretches were thirsting for their blood, and, finally roused to uncontrollable fury, the crowd swept impetuously against the caravan from all sides. ”

“ The frightened camels pranced and reared, and the cordon of defense suddenly broken, a dozen savages rushed on Guy and Melton. A long spear pierced Forbes under the arm and down he went beneath the camels.
A burly wretch dashed at Guy with a dagger, but the Arab brought down the butt of his rifle on the fellow’s head just in time, as he dropped like a log.
A man behind hurled his spear, but his aim was poor, and, instead of striking Guy, it entered the poor camel’s neck; the beast, plunging madly forward, hurled Guy and the Arab to the ground. ”

“ Over the crest of a ridge some thirty yards distant came a large body of men. It was very evident that they would pass close to the rock, and the three fugitives, crouching on its flat surface in the gloom, may well be pardoned for believing that the enemy were on their track.
As the advance guard drew still closer, Canaris thrust his face against the stone. Melton did the same; but Guy, whose curiosity fairly mastered his fear, ventured to raise his head slightly, and a single glance showed him that the strange foe had no intention of halting. ”

“ Half a dozen of his powerful strokes brought the canoe within a yard of the shore. A terrific splashing in his rear, as well as the loud shouts of his friends, warned Guy of the imminence of danger.
Fairly pushing Sir Arthur out of the canoe into the water, waist deep, he tossed the provisions far out on the island, caught up the guns, and made a frantic leap. He landed on the edge of the sand, and was instantly caught by eager arms, and pulled far up the beach. He turned, to realize with a shudder the narrowness of his escape. ”

“ But off to the south lay the fortifications, and here a sharp conflict was waging.
Through the darkness of the night the flash of every shot was seen, and all along the line blazed out three continuous sheets of flame as the beleaguered garrison poured their fire into the attacking parties that advanced from both sides.
“They can’t hold out an hour,” said Melton. “The foe are too strong for them.”
A sharp cry from Captain Waller turned all eyes on the harbor, where the water was illumined by twinkling lights and the flash of rifles. ”

“ Two more lions were now in plain view, stalking slowly out of the shadows.
“The pistol is useless,” said Guy. “We dare not resist. We must get away as silently as possible.”
The raft had been tossed but lightly upon the beach, and with but little effort it was pushed free of the shore and trembled on the water.
A loud roar close at hand caused them to fall on board in frantic haste, and as the swift current whirled them away the three lions trotted down to the water’s edge and howled in concert.
“We may be thankful we got away with whole skins,” said Chutney. ”

“ The terrible scene just enacted had terrorized the people. Many Arabs came flocking across the streets and exchanged greetings with the newcomers, but very few Somalis or Gallas were to be seen. The sight of the Emir’s guard seemed to have stricken the town like a palsy. The shops and booths were closed and deserted. The curtains of the houses were closely drawn; here and there at the doors lay goods that had been dropped in the sudden panic, and at one place a man lay dead across the threshold, still clutching in his stiffened fingers a bunch of brightly colored rugs. ”

“ It was Manuel Torres. The crafty Portuguese was well pleased to see the hated Englishmen speeding away to their doom.
He was a cunning knave, and had laid his plans well. Perhaps he feared the stability of the new government. If the English came into possession of Zaila again, he could invent some clever tale to disprove his connection with the Arab revolt; and who could bear witness against him? None, indeed, for the lips of those who alone knew his guilt would be hopelessly sealed. Africa never gives up her slaves. ”

“ It seemed to his excited imagination as though an hour had passed by, when suddenly sounds were heard in the corridor, and in an instant more Canaris stood before them, his leather case at his side, a lamp in his hand. He closed the door, opened, the case, and drew out two wide linen tunics and two long jackets such as the Emir’s troops wore.
“Put these on,” he whispered. “You can wear your helmets; there are many of them in Harar.”
As he spoke he drew an Arab burnous over his head, shading entirely his light hair and mustache. ”

“ The minutes passed on, but still no signs of any shore.
“It’s a pretty fair-sized lake after all,” said Guy.
“And we are the first white men to navigate its waters,” remarked the colonel solemnly. “This is a wonderful discovery. Our fame as great explorers will be assured if we ever get back to England.”
“Land ahead!” shouted Guy suddenly, and snatching the torch from Sir Arthur, he stood erect as the canoe shot gently toward a dim object that rose from the gloom twenty yards distant. Amid breathless silence the keel nicked the sandy beach and Guy sprang out. ”

“ I was sold to the Arabs and came ultimately to Harar. I was useful to Rao Khan in many ways, and my life was spared. I have been here two years, two long years. I shall never see Greece again,” he added gloomily. “I am a slave to the Emir for life.”
“Is escape then impossible?” asked Guy.
“Absolutely. Between here and the coast is the desert. To the south are the bloodthirsty Gallas. No, no; one can never escape from Harar.”
The tramp of the guard was heard in the corridor, and a sudden change passed over the Greek’s face. ”

“ The first sensation was one of uncontrollable fear, and they hung with all their might to the logs, expecting every instant to be tossed into the water. Round and round spun the raft in dizzy revolutions, until their heads were dizzy and aching. Then the harsh roar subsided, and in a little while the raft became quiet and rested on the surface of the water with hardly a quiver. ”

“ Standing guard over their wares were natives from all parts of Africa, Arabs from the Zambesi, savage-looking Abyssinians, crafty Somalis with greasy, dangling locks, and brawny, half-naked fellows from the interior, the like of whom Guy had never seen or heard. ”

“ The struggle was a severe one, for the ground is strewn with dead, both Gallas and Abyssinians. I could find no food, and what we are to do I cannot tell. To attempt a rescue would be madness, and yet our sufferings would only end the sooner. Without food we can make no use of the river, and escape in any other way is equally impossible.”
Canaris threw himself on the ground and buried his face in his hands. Guy stood in silence, his face stern and set, a silence that remained unbroken for five minutes. ”

“ Has the river become wide or is this another lake?”
“There is still a strong current,” said Guy. “The channel has suddenly become broad. That is all.”
A cheerful fire was soon blazing, and the ruddy reflection stained the water far and near, as the raft drifted on with the current. Sir Arthur fell asleep again, and Bildad lay among the rugs as one dead, glutted with his savage feast, and his lips and hands still red with clotted blood. ”

“ There is an entrance, but we can no more force our way back through that entrance than we could swim up through the Falls of Niagara or ride the Nile Cataracts in a Rob Roy canoe. As long as our provisions last we shall live. When we no longer have anything to eat we shall die, and the next explorer who enters this lake will find our bones mingled with those lying behind us.”
“And what will he do?” asked Guy.
“Perish like those before him,” said the colonel. “This death trap caught many a victim and will catch many more. The light of day will never pierce this gloom.” ”

“ Shaking the blood-stained spear, he shouted two or three times in a frenzied manner, and then tottering to the raft, flung himself among the rugs.
“We are saved,” cried Forbes with sudden inspiration. “There lies meat in plenty.”
Melton’s words caused a speedy revulsion of feeling. The colonel shouted for very joy, and Canaris sprang toward the dead lion with drawn knife.
“Cut off as much of the meat as you can,” said Guy. “Here, give me my saber. Let me help.” ”

“ Arabs from Aden and Suakim, Egyptians from Cairo, traders from Zanzibar, and a sprinkling of Portuguese and Spaniards.
Some of them bore their goods on camels, others had hired native carriers, who staggered under the heavy bales and cases, and the uproar was deafening and incessant as they wrangled over their bartering and dazzled the eyes of their customers with rolls of English and French silks, pigs of iron, copper, and brass, sacks of rice and sugar, glittering Manchester cutlery, American beads, and cans of gunpowder. ”

“ The raft was dancing on the bosom of a vast and mighty stream that rolled in the blessed sunlight between shores of sparkling green. He saw sloping hillsides and mangrove jungles, wind-tossed patches of reeds and waving palm trees, mountains shooting their rugged peaks heavenward, and billows of forest land rolling off into the distant horizon, while overhead was the deep blue vault of the sky, that perfect sky that had haunted his memory in many a dream—the sky that he had never hoped to see again. ”

“ It struck the spear from the rascal’s hand, and, before he could recover himself, Guy and Canaris had dragged Melton to the top of the wall by a prodigious effort.
“Down, down!” cried Canaris, and as they crouched low three or four spears went over their heads and a hoarse shout of rage went up from the baffled Somalis that was caught up and repeated far back into the town.
“Keep cool,” cautioned Canaris; “the ropes are up; they can’t reach us. ”

“ Canaris halted his little party in the shadow of a building and pointed straight up the street.
“Yonder lies the main avenue,” he said. “We must cross it to reach our destination. Keep yourselves well under control, don’t show any fear, and if any people are about don’t look at them. If they address you make no reply.”
Guy marveled at the Greek’s coolness under such terrible circumstances. Every moment was a torture to him as long as they remained in the midst of these bloodthirsty fiends. ”

“ They must lie at anchor till morning.
Most of the night Guy paced up and down the deck sleeping at brief intervals, and listening with eager curiosity to the strange sounds that floated out on the air from the shore, where the flickering glare of many torches could be seen.
Stretched on a mattress, the Portuguese slept like a log, without once awakening.
Before dawn the anchors were lifted, and at the captain’s suggestion Guy hastened down to his cabin to gather up his scanty luggage, for most of his traps had gone on to Calcutta in the Cleopatra. ”

“ In five minutes they reached the main street. From the slight ridge on which they stood they could see stretching afar on either hand the moonlit roadway, spectered with the dark shadows of the houses. They had been traveling on three sides of a square. Fifty yards down the street the tower of the Emir’s palace was visible, outlined faintly against the pale-gray sky.
As they stepped from the shadows upon the open roadway, an Arab stalked from a doorway opposite, 95and without troubling himself to come nearer addressed Canaris in a strange tongue. ”

“ They grasped the sides of the canoe in anxious suspense—for it was useless to paddle—and the angry waters were almost in sight, when Sir Arthur dropped his torch, and instantly they were plunged in total darkness. ”