This was very unwelcome news for the lads. Once removed farther from the sea the tribe might, not improbably, take up their abode2 there, as they would fear to return to the neighborhood of their enemies. This would be fatal to any chance of the lads being taken off by a passing ship. After a few words together, they determined5 to oppose the movement. Will, in a loud voice and with threatening gestures, intimated that he disapproved6 of the plan, and that he and his companion would assist them in defending their village.
The Malays paused in their preparations. Their faith in their white visitors was very great and, after a few minutes' talk among themselves, they intimated to the boys that they would obey their orders. Will at once signed to a few men to stand as guards round the village, to warn them of the approaching enemy; and then set the whole of the rest of the population to work cutting sharp-pointed poles, boughs7, and thorny8 bushes. With these a circle was made around the trees upon which the village was built. Fortunately the hostile Malays had halted in the forest, two or three miles away, intending to make their attack by night and, as the news of their coming had arrived at noon, the villagers had, before they ceased work late in the evening, erected9 a formidable hedge round the village.
Some of the women had been set to work manufacturing a number of torches, similar to those used by them for lighting10 their dwellings11, but much larger. They were formed of the stringy bark of a tree, dipped in the resinous12 juice obtained from another. Will had one of these fastened to each of the trees nearest to the hedge. They were fixed13 to the trunks on the outside, so that their flame would throw a light on the whole circle beyond the hedge while, within, all would be shadow and darkness.
It was very late before all preparations were completed. Will then placed a few men as outposts, some hundred yards in the forest, in the direction from which the enemy were likely to approach. They were ordered to give the alarm, the moment they heard a noise; and were then to run in and enter the circle by a small gap, which had been left in the abbatis for the purpose. Many of the men then took their posts, with their bows and arrows, in the trees near the hedge. The others remained on the ground, ready to rush to any point assailed14.
For several hours no sound save the calls of the night birds, and the occasional distant howls of beasts of prey15, were heard in the forest; and it was not until within an hour of morning--the hour generally selected by Malays for an attack, as men sleep at that time the heaviest--that a loud yell, at one of the outposts, told that the enemy were close at hand.
Two or three minutes later the scouts16 ran in, and the gap through which they had entered was at once filled up with bushes, which had been piled close at hand for the purpose. Aware that their approach was discovered, the enemy abandoned all further concealment17; and advanced with wild yells, intending to strike terror into the defenders18 of the village. As they advanced the torches were all lighted and, as the assailants came within their circle of light, a shower of arrows from the Malays on the ground, and in the trees above, was poured into them.
Yells and screams told that the volley had been a successful one but, discharging their arrows in turn, the Malays, with demoniac yells, rushed against the village. The advance, however, was arrested suddenly when they arrived at the abbatis. From behind its shelter, so deadly a rain of arrows was poured in that they soon shrank back, and bounded away beyond the circle of light, while taunting19 shouts rose from its defenders.
For a time they contented20 themselves by distant shouting; and then, with a wild yell, charged forward again. Several dropped from the fire of arrows, from those in the trees and behind the abbatis but, discharging their arrows in return, the assailants kept on until they again reached the impediment. Here they strove furiously to break through--hacking with their krisses, and endeavoring to pull up the stakes with their hands--but the defenders, in the shade behind, sent their arrows so fast and thick that the assailants again shrank back, and darted21 away to shelter.
Throughout the night there was no renewal22 of the attack and, in the morning, not a foe23 was visible. Two or three scouts went out to reconnoiter; but no sooner did they enter the forest than one of them was shot down, and the rest sent flying back.
"I believe the scoundrels are going to try to starve us out," Will said. "Let us speak to the chief, and ask how much provisions they have got."
After much pantomime, Will succeeded in conveying his meaning to the chief; and the latter at once ordered all the inhabitants to produce their stock of food. This was unexpectedly large, and Will thought that there was sufficient for a fortnight's consumption. He now made signs of drinking, but the reply to this was disheartening in the extreme. A few gourds25 full of water were brought forward, and two or three of the close-woven baskets in which water is often carried, in this country. There was, in fact, scarce enough to last the defenders for a day. The stream from which the village drew its supply of water was about a couple of hundred yards away; consequently the villagers fetched up their water as they needed it, and no one thought of keeping a store.
Will looked in dismay at the smallness of the supply.
"If they really intend to starve us out, Hans, we are done for. No doubt they reckon on our water falling short. They would know that it was not likely that there would be a supply here."
The natives were not slow to recognize the weak point of their defense26 One or two of the men, taking water baskets, were about to go to the stream; but Will made signs to the chief that they must not do this. The only hope was that the enemies would draw off; but if they saw that water was already short, they would be encouraged to continue to beleaguer27 the place. Will was unable to explain his reasons to the chief; but the latter, seeing how great was the advantage that they had already gained, by following the counsel of their white visitors in the matter of the hedge, acquiesced28 at once in their wishes.
Will then ascended29 to one of the huts, and carefully reconnoitered the whole ground. There was, he saw, at the end farthest from the stream, a slight dip in the land extending into the forest. Beckoning30 the chief to join him, he made signs that, at night, the warriors31 should issue silently from the village at this point, and make noiselessly through the wood. They would then take a wide circuit, till they came upon the stream; and would then, working up it, fall upon the enemy in the rear.
The chief was dubious32; but Will made an imperative33 gesture and the chief, in a humble34 manner, agreed to do as he was ordered. The day passed slowly and, before nightfall, the supply of water was entirely35 finished. Once or twice scouts had gone out, to see if the enemy were still round the village; but returned, each time, with the news that they were there.
The last time, just before nightfall, Will directed two or three of them to take water buckets, and to go in the direction of the stream; signing to them, however, to return the moment they saw signs of the enemy. They were soon back and, as Will had expected, the sight of the water buckets showed the enemy that the garrison36 of the village were badly supplied, in that respect; and taunting shouts arose from the woods, asking them why they did not go down to drink.
Will felt certain that the Malays would now draw the greater part of their number down to the side of the stream; and that there would therefore be the more chance of the garrison making their way out, at the other end of the village. Three hours after it was dark, the chief mustered37 all his men. They were about five-and-forty, in all. Will signed that each should take with him a water basket or large gourd24 so that, in case they failed in defeating the enemy, and breaking up the blockade, they might at least be able to bring a supply of water into the village. Will then, with much difficulty, explained to the chief that the old men, boys, and women remaining in the village were, the moment they heard the sound of the attack upon the enemy's rear, to shout and yell their loudest, and to shoot arrows in the direction of the enemy.
A few sticks had already been pulled up at the point of the hedge through which Will intended to make a sally, and the band now passed noiselessly out. The chief himself led the way, the white boys following behind him. Lying upon their stomachs, they crawled noiselessly along down the little depression and, in ten minutes, were well in the wood; without having met with an enemy, although they had several times heard voices among the trees, near them.
They now rose to their feet and, making a wide detour38, came down, after a quarter of an hour's walk, upon the stream. Here the gourds and baskets were filled; and then, keeping along by the waterside, they continued their march. Presently they saw a number of fires, round which many Malays were sitting. They crept noiselessly up until within a few yards and then, with a yell, burst upon the enemy. Numbers were cut down at once; and the rest, appalled39 by this attack on their rear, and supposing that the inhabitants of some other village must have arrived to the assistance of those they were besieging40, at once fled in all directions. Those remaining in the village had seconded the attack by wild shouts, so loud and continuous that their besiegers had no reason to suppose that their number had been weakened.
For a few minutes the pursuit was kept up; then the chief recalled his followers41, with a shout. The water baskets--many of which had been thrown down in the attack--were refilled, and the party made their way up to the village, where they were received with shouts of triumph.
The panic of the Malays had been, in no slight degree, caused by the appearance of the two boys; who had purposely stripped to the waist, and had shouted at the top of their voices as, waving the krisses which they had borrowed, they fell upon the foe. The idea that white devils were leagued with the enemies against them had excited the superstitious42 fear of the Malays to the utmost; and when, in the morning, scouts again sallied from the village, they found that the enemy had entirely gone--the fact that they had not even returned to carry off the effects which had been abandoned, in the first panic, showing that they had continued their flight, without stopping, to their distant villages.
The chief, like an able politician, took advantage of the impression which his white visitors had created and, the same day, sent off messengers to the villages which had combined in the attack against them, saying that the white men--his guests--were very angry; and that, unless peace was made, and a solemn promise given that there should be no renewal of the late attempts, they were going to lay a dreadful spell upon the villages. Women and children would be seized by disease, and the right arms of the warriors wither44 up.
This terrible threat carried consternation45 into the Malay villages. The women burst into prolonged wailings, and the bravest of the men trembled. The messenger said that the white men had consented to abstain46 from using their magical powers until the following day; and that the only chance to propitiate47 them was for deputations from the villages to come in, early the next morning, with promises of peace and offerings for the offended white men.
It was not for some time afterwards that the lads learned enough of the language to understand what had been done; but they guessed, from the exultation48 of the chief, and the signs which he made that their late enemies would shortly come in, in an attitude of humiliation49, that he had in some way succeeded in establishing a scare among them.
On the following morning deputations--consisting of six warriors, and women bearing trays with fruit, birds, and other offerings--arrived at the village. The men were unarmed. At their approach, the chief made signs to the boys to take a seat at the foot of the principal tree; and then, accompanied by his leading warriors, led the deputation--with much ceremony--before them. The women placed their trays at their feet, and the men addressed them in long speeches, and with many signs of submission50.
The boys played their part well. As soon as they saw what was required of them they signified, with an air of much dignity, that they accepted the offerings; and then went through the ceremony of shaking hands, solemnly, with each of the warriors. Then they made a speech in which, with much gesticulation, they signified to the visitors that a terrible fate would befall them, should they again venture to meddle51 with the village.
Much awed52 and impressed, the Malays withdrew. The boys made a selection, from the baskets of fruit, for their own eating; and then signified, to the chief, that he should divide the rest among the inhabitants of the village. When this was done, the boys ascended to their tree and passed the day there quietly; the villagers indulging in feasting, singing, and rejoicing over their victory.
"The worst of all this is," Will said to Hans, "that the more they reverence53 us, and the more useful they find us, the more anxious they will be to keep us always with them. However, there is one comfort: we are safe, as long as we choose to remain here; and that is more than we could have hoped for, when we first landed from the wreck54. It is curious that the Malays, who have no hesitation55 in attacking English ships, and murdering their crews, have yet a sort of superstitious dread43 of us. But I suppose it is something the same way as it was in England, in the days of the persecution56 of old women as witches: they believed that, if left to themselves, they could cast deadly spells, and yet they had no hesitation in putting them to death. I suppose that it is something of the same feeling, here."
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1
hubbub
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| n.嘈杂；骚乱 | |
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2
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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3
abodes
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| 住所( abode的名词复数 )； 公寓； （在某地的）暂住； 逗留 | |
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4
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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5
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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disapproved
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| v.不赞成( disapprove的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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8
thorny
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| adj.多刺的，棘手的 | |
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9
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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10
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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11
dwellings
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| n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
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12
resinous
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| adj.树脂的，树脂质的，树脂制的 | |
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13
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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14
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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15
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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16
scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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17
concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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defenders
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| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
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19
taunting
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| 嘲讽( taunt的现在分词 )； 嘲弄； 辱骂； 奚落 | |
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20
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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21
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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22
renewal
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| adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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gourd
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| n.葫芦 | |
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gourds
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| n.葫芦( gourd的名词复数 ) | |
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26
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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beleaguer
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| v.使困扰，使烦恼，围攻 | |
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28
acquiesced
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| v.默认，默许( acquiesce的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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31
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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32
dubious
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| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
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33
imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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34
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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35
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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36
garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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37
mustered
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| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的过去式和过去分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
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38
detour
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| n.绕行的路，迂回路；v.迂回，绕道 | |
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39
appalled
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| v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的 | |
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40
besieging
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的现在分词 ) | |
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41
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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42
superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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43
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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44
wither
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| vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡 | |
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45
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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46
abstain
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| v.自制，戒绝，弃权，避免 | |
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47
propitiate
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| v.慰解，劝解 | |
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48
exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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49
humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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50
submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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51
meddle
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| v.干预，干涉，插手 | |
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52
awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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54
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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55
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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56
persecution
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| n. 迫害,烦扰 | |
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