by Frank Aubrey
CHAPTER VIII.
ALONE ON RORAIMA'S SUMMIT.
When Monella returned about two hours later, the two young men had muchto tell him of the wonderful flowers and plants they had found, ofstrange fish in the water, and curious _perfumed_ butterflies that theyhad mistaken for flowers.
There were many of these extraordinary insects flying about. Incolouring and shape they resembled some of the flowers; when restingupon a spray or twig they looked exactly like blossoms, and uponnearing them, one became conscious of a most exquisite scent. But justwhen one leaned a little nearer to smell the supposed flower, it wouldflutter quickly away, and insect and perfume disappeared altogether.Many of the flowers that were scattered about the rocks were shapedlike exquisitely moulded wax bells of all sorts and kinds of coloursand patterns, white, red, yellow, blue, etc., striped, spotted,speckled. So distinct were they from anything the explorers had beforeseen, that they had picked some and brought them into the cavern toshow Monella; but he could not give them a name.
The stream from the waterfall, they found, disappeared into the groundjust before it reached the cavern. No doubt this was the stream theyhad seen issuing from the rock upon the other side.
At the further end the valley began to rise, following the stream,which came down in a series of small falls or cataracts. About thispart they had found some other caves; but had not entered them.
"And most remarkable of all," said Templemore, "we have not seen asingle snake, lizard, or reptile of any sort or kind. Yet this is justthe sort of place one would have expected to be full of them. Nor havewe seen either animals or birds."
Monella told them the Indians still refused to enter the cave. Theyall three, therefore, went to the 'window,' and assisted to get theircamp equipage inside, the Indians bringing the things to the top ofthe ladder and handing them through the opening. They preferred,themselves, to camp outside, and had already made a fire to cook somemonkeys they had killed with bows and arrows.
When all their things were safe inside, Leonard and Jack took somefishing nets and soon caught some fish in the pools of the stream inthe canyon. They then made a fire just outside the cavern entrance, andcooked them for their evening meal. The fish seemed to be a kind oftrout, but of a species they had never seen before.
Monella expressed his regret that all attempts to persuade the Indiansout of their fear of 'the demon-haunted mountain' had failed.
"They will neither come inside nor remain outside by themselves;that is, if we go away from here to explore farther. It seems to me,therefore, that we ought to have all our stores brought here before westart, and then let the Indians go back by themselves. We may be herefor months, so had better get them to fetch everything we can possiblyrequire from 'Monella Lodge.'"
Such was Monella's advice.
"It will take two or three days at least--possibly more," he continued,"to transport all our stores here. During that time we must be contentto attend to nothing else, and postpone any further exploration of themountain. Besides, when we once start, none can tell how far we may beled on. Better have our 'base of operations' settled and secure first.How far away are those other caves that you saw?"
"About a quarter of a mile," Jack answered.
"We will have a look at them in the morning," Monella saidthoughtfully. "It may be wiser to hide some of our stores andbelongings in different places, so that, if any accident should happento one lot, the others may be all right. Eh, Templemore?"
"Just the very idea I had in my head when I spoke to you of those othercaves," Jack responded. "We can take half an hour or so to explore themin the morning."
"Better take longer," observed Monella. "Better take the day, and do itthoroughly. Much may depend upon it hereafter. Suppose, therefore, thatyou remain here while Elwood and I return to 'Monella Lodge' and seeabout packing and bringing some of the 'belongings'? Then, if we findanother journey necessary, you can go next time, and Elwood and I willremain here on guard. But we cannot get back to-morrow night. Do youmind staying here alone?"
"Not I!" said Jack, laughing.
"Very well then; we will arrange it so. We shall load up our twoanimals, and perhaps one journey will suffice after all. Any way, youhunt for the best and most secret hiding-places you can find. See thatthey are dry, you know. There are the three casks of powder----"
"What! Will you bring them too?"
"Certainly. We may have blasting to do before we have done with whatwe have in hand. The extra arms, too, we will divide, and secrete indifferent places."
"I see the idea," Jack assented. "Rely on me to do the best that can bedone."
The three went back, after their meal, to where the Indians werecamping just outside the 'window.' Matava looked grave, and shook hishead dubiously, when Leonard told him of the arrangements come to.
"My heart is heavy, my master," he said in his own language, "at thethought of leaving you to fight the demons of the mountain. It isnot good this thing that you are about to undertake. Doubtless thedemons have left this place open as a trap to tempt you to enter theircountry. When you are well inside they will close it and have yousecurely captured and we shall never see you more. Alas! that my mothershould ever have said aught to lead you on to this terrible enterprise.Better had she died first. I feel sure, if you go inside there, weshall never see you again!"
Elwood only smiled, and bid him be of good cheer.
"We shall return," he replied, "and, I trust, not empty-handed. And, ifso, you and my old nurse shall share in my good fortune. But, if youthink there is danger, why do you not come with us to help? It is notlike a brave Indian to be afraid!"
The Indian shook his head and sighed.
"Matava is no coward," he responded. "His master knows that well.Against all earthly dangers Matava will help him to his last breath,but to battle with the demons of Roraima is but madness--and it isuseless. No mortal man may brave them and live. _Some_ one must takethe tale to those left behind. It is not good that they should neverknow."
"That is a nice way of getting out of it, Matava," said Templemore,who had just come up and heard the last sentence. "But please don'ttake intelligence of our fate till you have learned it. Above all," hecontinued seriously, "do not alarm our friends in Georgetown by anywild, preposterous----"
"Oh, don't trouble as to that," Elwood interrupted. "Our friends knowMatava and his superstitions about the mountain too well by this time.Besides, we will leave letters with him, to deliver, in case he returnsbefore we get back."
It was now getting dark, and the three white men went back into thecavern to prepare their sleeping arrangements. First, it was determinedto make a more thorough examination of the side-galleries, and this wassoon done, for they were found to be of very limited extent. In passingthe archway that led into the canyon, however, Leonard happened toglance out, and uttered an exclamation which called the others to hisside. They also looked out into the valley, and were as much astonishedas at their first sight of it that morning. It seemed to be lighted up!
On all sides, high and low, small lights were seen. They were ofvarious colours, and hung, some singly, some in groups or clusters.Many drooped over the water, and were reflected in the pools below. Theeffect was extraordinary. The place seemed a veritable fairy land; andexclamations of astonishment and admiration burst from each of themwhile he stood and gazed upon the scene.
Then they went out to the nearest lights, and the marvel was explained.The bell-shaped flowers that had excited their curiosity during theafternoon all glowed with radiance. Inside each was a small projectionapparently of a fungoid character, that was phosphorescent. It sentforth a light nearly as brilliant as that of a firefly; and thisillumined the bell-shaped blossom, which then appeared of differenthues according to its colouring by daylight. Even those that Elwoodhad picked, and thrown down at the entrance of the cavern, glowed withappreciable glimmer.
"I've heard of some kinds of toadstools and fungi beingphosphorescent," Templemore remarked, "but
never of such a thing inflowers."
"Yet," observed Monella, "if you come to consider the matter, there isnothing more remarkable in the one case than in the other."
The night passed without incident, and all were astir before dawn,making preparations for the day's work. After a light meal, allexcept Templemore set out on their way to 'Monella Lodge,' while Jackwent out into the canyon to seek for caves and likely hiding-placesfor their stores, and to look about generally. He took with him hisusual two-barrelled gun, a supply of cartridges, and some biscuitsand other provisions. Water he knew he could get in plenty. He alsotook a lantern to enable him to explore the caves. Before leaving the'window,' as he now always called the entrance by which they had foundtheir way into the first cavern, he drew up the ladder, and then, withsome difficulty, rolled the stone that had closed it into its placeagain. Most likely he could not have given any reason for this actionif he had been asked; but probably a vague hatred of the gloomy forest,and satisfaction in shutting it out of view, were what chiefly promptedhim.
"I will take all I want round to the other side," he said to himself."I like that side best. It's a more cheerful outlook."
He thoroughly explored the caves, and decided that they were fairlysuitable for the purpose they had in view. Then, quite accidentally,he came upon another that was so hidden by a tangled mass of creepersthat its existence would never have been suspected. He fancied he hadseen a small animal disappear behind a bush, and trying with a stickto see whether he could rout it out, he found what at first he thoughtwas a large hole; but, on pushing back the creepers, which hung like acurtain across it, he found a large opening about eight or nine feethigh. Inside was a roomy cavern with many recesses here and there, likehigh shelves in the rock, and many short side-galleries. Just the veryplace they wanted, he decided. Neither here nor elsewhere did he meetwith any signs of his pet aversion--the serpent tribe.
He now began the ascent of the canyon, following always the courseof the stream that came down it. In some places the way was easy anddirect; indeed, as he could not but remark, there was every appearancethat a well-defined, wide pathway, with steps here and there, had atone time existed. But in places it was broken away; the steps cut inthe rock had crumbled, or trees growing in the fissures had rent themasunder. In other places masses of rock, fallen from heights above,blocked the road; and, occasionally, the trunk of a fallen tree. Thenhe came to a wayside cave, and was glad to rest in its shade fromthe heat of the sun, which began to pour down into the canyon withintolerable fierceness. He had proceeded so far that he imagined hemust be half way to the top; and he looked up the canyon still beyondhim and at the overhanging cliffs with curiosity, wondering how muchfarther he would have to go to reach its head, and what he would seewhen he arrived there.
While he sat quietly pondering this question, and enjoying a smokefollowing upon a light lunch, the idea grew upon him to completethe ascent that afternoon. He knew that, if he did so, it would beimpossible to return that night, and this meant passing it in the openair. But that he did not at all mind; he was accustomed to it; and,since he saw no signs of serpents anywhere, there was an absence of theonly thing that troubled him in such case. Monella and the others wouldnot return till the following evening; he had plenty of time to do itin, and nothing else to occupy his time.
But would Monella like it? Why, however, should he object? He could dono harm in going to the top and back. It was not as though the placewere inhabited and he might get involved in any adventures with the'natives.'
The more he thus thought about it, the more strongly did the feelinggrow upon him to make the venture. True, he had not much with him inthe way of provisions; but he had enough for supper and breakfast if heput himself upon short rations. In the end he resolved to risk it.
Accordingly, so soon as the sun had gone across sufficiently to shadethe path, he started off once more, and made his way still upwards. Heencountered many obstacles that delayed his journey, but eventually,just when night was falling, he arrived at what he calculated must bethe top of the ascent. It was a grassy plateau of a few hundred yardsin extent, facing cliffs that rose still higher and shut out the viewand were inaccessible. Down these the stream still flowed, though muchsmaller in volume than was the case below. What, however, caused himdismay, was to find that he was shut in on the other side by a beltof forest that seemed to be almost as dense and impenetrable as thehated wood below. It was too late to think of going back; there he muststay and pass the night. It was cold, too, up there, and he had norug in which to roll himself. In fact, he began to wish himself backin the cavern, where he could have cooked himself a good supper andthen rested comfortably. There was not even a view; he had hoped tohave a glorious prospect and, having brought his field-glass, even thathe might be able to look across the forest and savanna and make out'Monella Lodge'; possibly see his friends, who would now be nearing it.Instead of that, he was shut in upon a narrow ledge beside an unknownforest that might be full of wild animals of a dangerous kind.
Altogether Jack felt he had not acted wisely. He went a little way intothe wood; but, finding it very dense, and fearful of losing his way inits dark recesses, he soon returned to the clearing. Finally, as itgrew dark, being tired and drowsy after his exertions in climbing thecanyon, he fell asleep.