The Tapu Of Banderah

by Louis Becke

  IV ~ "DEATH TO THEM BOTH!"

  Early on the following morning Messrs. de Vere and Morcombe-Lycett--thelatter being now quite recovered--informed Mr. and Mrs. Deighton that,having heard from the two traders there was good shooting at the bigswamp, they were going there under the guidance of Banderah and a partyof natives; and shortly after breakfast the chief, accompanied by anumber of his people, appeared.

  "I will send with you two of my best men," said Mr. Deighton, indicatinga couple of his pet converts, who stood by dressed for the occasionin white starched shirts and black coats, but minus trousers, of whichgarments the pet converts had divested themselves, knowing that theyshould have to wade through the swamp.

  But suddenly, to the missionary's astonishment, Banderah, with a savagelook, bade them stay where they were. He had, he said, plenty of men,and did not need Mr. Deighton's servants.

  Presently the two yachting gentlemen, arrayed in a very stylish sportingget-up, appeared with their breach-loaders and cartridge-belts,and waving their hands gracefully to the missionary and his wife,disappeared with Banderah and his dark-skinned companions into the densetropical jungle, the edge of which was within a very short distance ofthe mission station.

  For about an hour the Honourable Morcombe-Lycett and Mr. de Vere, withBanderah leading the way, walked steadily onward through the jungle. Nota word was spoken among the natives who followed close at their heels,and Banderah himself, in answer to their frequent questions, repliedonly by monosyllables..

  At last they came out of the stifling heat of the thick jungle, and sawbefore them a great reedy swamp, the margin fringed by a scanty growthof cocoanut and pandanus palms. Out upon the open patches of water, hereand there showing upon the broad expanse of the swamp, they saw largeflocks of wild duck feeding and swimming about, betraying not theslightest fear at their approach.

  "By Jove, Baxter," said Mr. de Vere to his friend, "looks good enough,doesn't it? I wonder if these blasted niggers will go in for us."

  "Of course they will. But let us have a drink first. Here, you, bringus that basket. I wonder what sort of tucker old Godliness has given us.He's not a bad sort of an ass. His wife, too, isn't bad."

  "Bah," and Mr. de Vere twirled his long, yellow moustache, "you'realways finding out something nice in the face of every woman you comeacross. Wait until we get up to Japan; then you can amuse yourself witha new type of woman. Be a bit of a change for you after the Melbourneand Sydney peroxided-hair beauties. Here, nigger, give me thatcorkscrew."

  "I say, Dalton," suddenly remarked his friend, "'pon my soul I believewe are making a mistake in going to Japan. You may be sure that we'llhave a lot of trouble awaiting us there."

  "Not a bit of it Before we get there every one will have read the cablenews that we have been seen in Callao, and no one in Yokohama willever think of associating Mr. Herbert de Vere and the HonourableMorcombe-Lycett--just arrived from Manila _via_ Singapore in the Spanishmail-steamer--with--er--hum--the two gentlemen who arrived at Callaofrom Tahiti, after successfully diddling the Australian financial publicof thirty thousand quid."

  "But what are we going to do with the schooner at Manila?"

  "Sell her, my innocent! Sell her to our esteemed friend, Mr.Moses Steinberg, who has assisted me in previous financialtransactions--before I had the pleasure of meeting my present valuedcolleague, the Honourable Mr. Morcombe-Lycett--and who is now takingcare to inform the world that we are living in South America."

  "And how are we going to account for our boxes of sovereigns? Two miningspeculators don't usually carry about heavy sums in gold."

  "All managed, my boy. My friend, Mr. Moses Steinberg, will see tothat. The ten thousand sovereigns will be valuable gold specimens fromQueensland, and will be placed on board the North German Lloyd's steamerat Singapore for safe conveyance to London, where you and I, my dearboy, will follow it And there also we shall find, I trust, an additionalsum of fifteen thousand lying to our credit--the proceeds of our honesttoil."

  "What are you going to do with Sykes?"

  "Give him L500 and tell him to hold his tongue. He's a thunderingrascal, and we must pay to shut his mouth."

  Then the two proceeded to discuss their lunch, and as they ate and drankand talked and laughed, Banderah and three or four of his men whisperedtogether.

  "Seize them from behind and bind them tightly," said the chief, "butkill them not, for that I have promised to Challi."

  The Honourable Morcombe-Lycett had just finished his last glass ofbottled beer and wanted to smoke. He had taken out his cigar-case,and, wondering at the sudden silence which had fallen upon their nativeguides, turned round to see where they were, and saw swiftly advancingupon himself and his companion some half a dozen stalwart natives. Inthat momentary glance he read danger, and quick as lightning--for hewas no coward--he seized his loaded gun, which lay beside him, and firedboth barrels one after another, at not ten yards' range.

  A chorus of savage yells answered the shots, as two of the natives fell,but ere he could reload or Dalton could fire there came a fierce rushof all the dark-skinned men upon them, and, struggling madly for theirlives, they were borne down.

  And then the lust of slaughter overcame their fierce assailants, anddespite Banderah and two or three of his most trusted men, a club wasraised and fell swiftly upon the white, fair forehead of "Mr. de Vere"as he sought to tear away his hands from the vice-like grasp of two hugenatives who held them.

  "Death to them both!" cried a thin-faced, wrinkled old man named Toka;"_hutu_:{*} for the lives of the thirty and one." Then springing outfrom the rest, he swung a short-handled, keen-bladed hatchet over hishead, and sank it into the brain of the wretched Baxter.

  * Synonymous with Maori _utu_--revenge.

  "Stand thou aside, Banderah, son of Paylap," screamed the old man,waving the bloody hatchet fiercely at him. "I, old Toka, the priest,will to-day again show the men of Mayou how to drink the blood and eatthe flesh of the long pigs the gods have given into our hands," andagain he buried the weapon in Baxter's breathless body. And as Banderahlooked at the old man's working face, and saw the savage mouth, fleckedwith foam, writhing and twisting in horrible contortions, and then sawthe almost equally dreadful visages of the rest of his men, he knew thatthe old, old lust for human flesh had come upon them.

  So, with the one idea of saving Blount and the missionary and his wife,he turned and fled through the forest towards the beach.