The River of Darkness; Or, Under Africa
Page 8
CHAPTER VII.
SOLD INTO SLAVERY.
The party were taken to a rear apartment of the residency and placedunder strong guard. During the remainder of that night no one slept, ofcourse, nor did they hold much conversation, for all instinctivelyavoided a subject which could only add to their wretchedness.
Slavery among the Somalis was a fate worse than death. It was a livingdeath indeed, for hope of escape there was none. Far better if Makar hadordered them to be shot at daybreak.
Guy spoke hopefully to Melton of the situation, counting somewhat on theclaim he had on Makar; but Melton seemed to think that the Arab hadignored the affair, and would not interfere with Guy's fate.
All too soon gray dawn came stealing into the residency, revealing thehaggard faces of the captives, and with it came a summons from Makar toprepare for the journey. Food was brought and partaken of with somerelish, for, under even the most distressing circumstances, men seemable to eat. Closely watched, they were led into the open air, andhalted for a brief space in the court.
The sun was not up yet, and the blue waters of the gulf stretched afaruntil lost in the pale mist. In the harbor lay the two steamers, but theBritish flag no longer floated over their decks.
Finally they were led through a curious rabble of Arabs and Somalis tothe outskirts of the town, where the caravan was in process offormation. It was no ordinary caravan. There were no bales of goodslying about, no camels laden down with burdens, but surrounded by manyof the population drawn hither by curiosity were about fifty camels withsimple trappings, and a group of Somalis and Arabs all heavily armed,the Arabs with rifles, the natives with long spears.
Simultaneously with the arrival of the captives, Makar made hisappearance with an armed escort and proceeded to hold a closeconversation with the two Arabs who seemed to be the leaders of thecaravan. He spoke earnestly for quite a while, making many gestures, andpointing from time to time at the prisoners. Then he turned away, andinstantly all was excitement.
The Arabs and Somalis quickly pulled themselves upon their camels, andwith the aid of the guards the Englishmen were mounted in the same way,each man being hoisted up beside an Arab or a Somali.
No resistance was made. The Hindoo soldiers were in a state of deepdejection, and poor Sir Arthur seemed hardly to realize his position.
The caravan was now ready to start. At the last filed at a slow trotover the sandy plain in a southerly minute Makar Makalo passedcarelessly by Guy and whispered, "Keep good heart. Makar no forget."Then he vanished in the crowd, and, with a loud cheer to speed them ontheir way, the line of camels direction.
Guy turned his head for a last look at Zaila and the harbor, nowbeginning to glimmer in the first rays of the sun, and then a stretch ofsand-hills hid the town from view.
Little did he realize that which he must pass through before he saw thecoast again.
From the ruined fortifications of the town an unseen observer watchedthe departure of the caravan. It was Manuel Torres. The craftyPortuguese was well pleased to see the hated Englishmen speeding away totheir doom.
He was a cunning knave, and had laid his plans well. Perhaps he fearedthe stability of the new government. If the English came into possessionof Zaila again, he could invent some clever tale to disprove hisconnection with the Arab revolt; and who could bear witness against him?None, indeed, for the lips of those who alone knew his guilt would behopelessly sealed. Africa never gives up her slaves.
To the wretched captives that day's journey over the scorching desertwas a fearful experience. Nothing is more painful to the novice thanriding camel-back, and when at last a halt was made at sunset every manwas aching from head to foot.
The heat, too, had been fearful, though the Arabs had provided them withbig sun helmets before starting. No intercourse was permitted. Thecaptives were kept rigorously apart. But little sleep was allowed. Thecaravan started again before dawn, and, as before, traveled rapidly andsteadily until sundown.
At the end of the second day they had become in a measure accustomed tothe motion of the camels, and no longer suffered so much. Yet in allthis time no words had been exchanged. Each man was kept apart. The Arabwith whom Guy rode could speak some English, and from him he learnedthat the chief object of the caravan was to carry to Rao Khan the newsof the capture of Zaila. Further information the Arab refused to give.
The caravan comprised a dozen Arabs and thirty or forty Somalis of theGalla country. It was to these crafty savages that the captivesbelonged. The Somalis had assisted Makar in the revolt, and these slaveswere their reward. Their chief, who accompanied the caravan, was noneother than Guy's vindictive enemy, Oko Sam.
Late in the afternoon of the fifth day the caravan came to a suddenhalt. In the distance were visible green hills and rolling plainscovered with verdure. The desert seemed to have ended. It was evidentthat something of importance was about to happen.
All dismounted, and while the Arabs and Somalis entered into an excitedconversation, the captives were for the first time allowed to converse.
Their hopeless situation was too well understood for discussion. Strangeto say, Sir Arthur was the only one who had not abandoned hope.
"The government will save us," he repeated gloomily. "They will send anarmy into the interior."
No one ventured to dispute this assertion. They talked in low tones oftheir probable destination, and regarded with some uneasiness theconference going on among the Arabs, which had now assumed a moreexcitable phase.
"They are quarreling over something," said Guy. "Why do you suppose theyhave stopped here?"
"I don't know," replied Melton, "unless they intend to separate, theArabs going on to Harar, the Somalis to their own country, which lies tothe south of Harar."
Melton's theory was very plausible, but before anyone could reply theconference terminated suddenly, and the Arabs, drawing apart, camequickly up to the captives, and, laying hold of Sir Arthur and thecolonel, led them over to the Somalis.
This was repeated with Momba, Captain Waller, and the Hindoo soldiers,but, to their surprise, Guy and Melton were ordered to remain where theywere.
Foremost among the Somalis stood Oko Sam, his leopard skin danglingabout his loins, and a fiendish expression on his face.
He advanced a step or two, talking fiercely, and pointing with his spearto Guy and Melton. The Arab leader strode out toward him, and cried in aloud voice, "Makar has ordered it. The two white men must go to Harar."
Scarce had the words left his lips when the Somali chief poised hisspear and hurled it forward with such force and accuracy of aim that itpassed through the Arab's body and the point came out at the back. Witha cry he dropped on the sand.
A second of terrible suspense followed, and then snatching another spearfrom one of his followers, the maddened Somali leaped furiously at Guy,who unfortunately was standing directly in his path.
Suddenly Guy drew his revolver and sprang forward.]