Jones of the 64th: A Tale of the Battles of Assaye and Laswaree

by F. S. Brereton

  CHAPTER V

  The East Indiaman Attacked

  "A strange position to find ourselves in, sahib! We are cut off from ourfriends."

  "As surely as if they were a hundred miles away, Mulha," answered Owenwith a laugh, as he looked down at the animals sniffing the air beneaththem. "It really is too funny. I can laugh now, you know, for we havecome out of it all right. But it was a ticklish business, and my friendhad a very narrow shave."

  "And you too, sahib. I trembled when I saw you run to pick him up; andwhen you dared to stand below, and the beast charged, I shut my eyes,for I thought that he would run round the tree and catch you. They arecunning beasts, I have heard. I would rather fight a tiger. The squealof rage which these animals give upsets one's nerves."

  It was, indeed, a curious position in which to find themselves, andOwen, as he stared down at the beasts, and then at his friend, laughedagain, a careless, jolly laugh. For, now that the danger was lessened, ahuge feeling of relief had come over him. He was sincerely attached toJack Simpson and to Mulha, and the sight of the former exposed to thecharge of the rhinoceros had filled him with terrible misgivings. Andnow they were safe, while he felt, as he reviewed the events of the pastfew minutes, that he had behaved as the sergeant would have had him do.

  "Always try to keep your head, my lad," he had said over and over again,and had done all in his power to train his young charge to decideswiftly in emergencies. As Owen thought of this he remembered the manyoccasions when the faithful fellow had created sudden difficulties, allwith this object in view.

  "I wouldn't do it again, I think," said Owen aloud, as Mulha remarked onhis action. "It was all so sudden, you see. There was Jack Sahib lyinghelpless, and the beast had got caught in the root of that tree. It wasa piece of sheer, unexpected good fortune, and I made the most of it. Ifelt awfully inclined to bolt up here though, I admit. But I am thankfulI didn't. Ah, he's coming round. Let us look at his head."

  "There is a large swelling and a small wound," said Mulha, who all thiswhile had had one arm about the unconscious figure of Jack Simpson. "Hewill be well within a week, and this bruise will soon disappear. If thesahib will help me I will bind up the head."

  Owen happened to have a spirit-flask with him, and he dragged this outof his pocket. Then, having forced a few drops between the pallid lipsof his friend, he helped the native to bandage up the wound in the head.And very soon afterwards Jack opened his eyes, shivered violently, andclosed them once again. When he looked about him once more it was withthe utmost amazement, while his lips framed the questions which as yethe was too weak to ask.

  "It's all right, old fellow," said Owen quietly. "You're up atree--literally up a tree, I can tell you; but there is absolutely nomore to fear. The beast that charged at you is dead, and has made a fineaddition to our bag."

  That brought his friend into a sitting position, but as he looked downat the ground some yards beneath, and at the animals which stillremained at the foot of the tree, the height perhaps, the sight of thesefierce beasts and the memory of their attack, and more than all, theblow which he had received, turned him dizzy and sick, and for a time hesuffered from horrible nausea. However, within a quarter of an hour hewas better and taking an intelligent interest in his surroundings.

  "My word, my head does ache!" he groaned. "It feels like a pumpkinand--hullo! what's this?"

  "My handkerchief. You bumped your head against that stone over there andthe blow knocked you silly. And a good thing too, Jack, or else I fancyyou would not be here. Had you tried to rise, and lifted yourself fromthe ground at all, that ugly beast would have had you. As it was youwent down so suddenly and completely that he missed you, and went with arush clear over your body."

  It was news to Jack, and now that the nausea had left him, and he couldlook down without feeling giddy, he stared at the unwieldy carcass ofthe rhinoceros thoughtfully, and then at the others, now engaged insniffing about their fallen comrade.

  "A fine mess he would have made of me," he said at length. "I suppose abrute like that would kill you if he trampled over you. And look at hiswicked horns! He has two, and either would be sufficient to gore one todeath. How did it happen, Owen? I mean, what kept the beast fromreturning in time? You see, I was down there. I'm up here now, and thebrute is dead. How did you manage it all?"

  "I will answer, if the sahib will permit," said Mulha. "This is whatoccurred, for I watched all that happened. You owe your life to thesahib here."

  Very quietly and accurately he described all that had occurred, showinghow Owen had fired at the beast, and had then given orders to Mulha tocarry his friend to safety. And afterwards how he had stood and killedthe rhinoceros. Jack listened to the tale thoughtfully, and looked downat the beasts below. He was a youth possessed of fine spirit, and a mostunselfish fellow, and it was clear that his gratitude was too great forwords. He turned his head away and felt for Owen's hand. Then he gave ita squeeze.

  "Some day, old chap," he said very solemnly, "I shall hope to dosomething for you, for I do most undoubtedly owe you my life. But itseems quite natural that I should do so. I don't know when it was that Ifirst began to watch you--I expect from the first hour we cameaboard--but I remember thinking that you looked like a fellow well ableto take care of himself, and of others. There was such a quiet way aboutyou. You were so jolly with the others, and yet something seemed to showthat you had gone through a little more, and had had experiences whichfew of the subalterns or clerks could boast of. Then came your swattingat Hindustani, the remarks made about it, and the fight. Yes, it allseems quite natural. You have a knack of finding a way out ofdifficulties, and you've brought us through this one well."

  "That's all right, then," said Owen with a smile, blushing furiously redat the compliments paid him. "Now to decide how to get clear of thisplace. It is early in the day yet, but we shall have to get down to theshore before very long."

  "And while these gentlemen are down below, why, it is a littledifficult," answered Jack with a laugh, for Owen's light-heartedness wasinfectious. "They won't move on, I suppose, for the mere asking?"

  "Hardly. But we might speak to them in a manner which would beunderstood. Supposing we try a shot or two."

  Owen unslung his gun and calmly loaded the weapon, perching himselfsecurely in the tree meanwhile, for to have tumbled out would have beento have courted a speedy death. For the two-horned rhinoceros of Sumatrais not a beast to trifle with, and when his anger is aroused, as on thisoccasion, he is, indeed, a terrible foe to have anything to do with.More than that, a fact which surprised all three, and caused them toalter their opinions, was the unexpected agility of these ponderousanimals. They had only to recollect the rapidity of the charge which thedead beast had made to know that a rhinoceros, however unwieldy he mightappear, was in fact capable of extremely rapid action. And in addition,as many a hunter has learned ere now, the rhinoceros is an animalpossessed of an irascible temper, which makes him an extremely difficultand dangerous enemy to attack. However, the tree in which they had foundrefuge, though it had been blasted by lightning, was still sufficientlystrong to protect them from the beasts below, and Owen made the most ofthe position.

  "Take him at the point of the shoulder, sahib," said Mulha, as Owen putthe weapon to his shoulder and aimed at one of them. "They are so closethat you should have every chance of killing them."

  "And they stand conveniently quiet. I will do my best with them."

  Owen had secured his position in the tree by straddling a bough andpassing an arm round the trunk. It was not of great girth, so that hewas still able to grasp his weapon with that hand, and by bending out alittle was able to take aim. He selected the nearest beast and waitedtill it dropped its head to sniff at its dead comrade. Then he pressedthe trigger gently. The shot was followed by a most unearthly squeal,and when the smoke blew aside there was the beast down on his side,kicking and squealing violently. The others lifted their heads, for thesudden shot had startled them. Then as Owen moved, preparat
ory toloading his weapon again, they took fright and galloped away into thepatch of grass from which they had come.

  "Watch them, sahib," shouted Mulha, starting to clamber still higher."Watch the top of the grass, and you will be able to follow the coursethey are taking. It would never do to descend and meet them again in theopen."

  "Rather not," chimed in Jack, with unusual feeling. "We--that is to say,I, personally, have had enough of these meetings with such beasts. Butit was a fine shot, Owen. A thundering good shot!"

  Following the native to the very top of the tree our hero watched thecourse taken by the beasts. The waving grass told where they wereclearly, and very soon they had galloped through it. Then they took tothe open for a while, finally disappearing in some low-lying grass andundergrowth, from which, in all probability, they had first emerged thatmorning. It was a huge relief to see them go, and the three promptlyslid to the ground, Owen with the agility of a cat, and Jack somewhatstiffly, and with unusual care, for he still felt the effects of hisfall and the stunning blow on his head. However, he declared that he wasperfectly fit for the march down to the shore.

  "But what about our bag," he said with a laugh, as he stood over the twohuge carcasses, inspecting the horns and the scaly hide which coveredthe animals. "Supposing we get aboard and tell our tale, who is going tobelieve us? A precious joke there would be at our expense. They'd saythat I had dreamed it all after getting a crack over the head. No, wemust do something to convince them."

  "We cannot possibly manage to take the beasts with us," laughed Owen;"and I suppose if we leave them here they will have disappeared byto-morrow morning. Besides, the ship sails to-night, I believe. But I'dlike very much to take something just to remind me of my firstexperience of big-game shooting."

  "And of the narrow escape which you and I had. Let's ask Mulha."

  They gathered round the two huge animals and discussed the question. Forthough none had ever set foot in Sumatra before, and all were veryignorant of the animals to be found there, yet they rightly guessed thatthere would be many carnivorous beasts sheltering in the forests whoseinstinct or sense of smell would bring them to the food so easily to beobtained, and which ere the morning came would tear the carcasses topieces. Owen scratched his head, Jack placed his foot on one of thebeasts and then clambered on to the massive ribs, while Mulha looked atthe rhinos thoughtfully.

  "If we were elsewhere, and had others to help us, sahibs, we would skinthe beasts and remove the skulls. As it is, we can take the ears andtails, and the feet too if my masters wish it."

  "And what about the head and horns?" asked Owen quickly. "That is what Ishould like. Have you a knife, Mulha?"

  The native, who was wearing a rough pair of trousers, shirt and coat,felt for the sheath in his belt, and produced a heavy knife such as iscarried by sailors.

  "We could sever the head," he said, "and then perhaps the sahib and Icould carry it. But it will be very heavy."

  "Let us try it. The trophy would be a fine one, and once we get it onboard, no doubt we could have it properly preserved. Give me the knife,Mulha."

  However, the native would not agree to this, and at once set to work tosever the head of one of the beasts. It was not such an easy task as onemight have expected, for the skin was wonderfully tough. However, hefinally decapitated the animal. Then he gathered a bundle of the grass,and having found some creeper amongst the forest trees near at hand, hetied the trophy up, suspending it from a straight length of bough whichhe cut down from the tree in which they had taken refuge. A stroke ofthe blade of his knife then divested both carcasses of the tails, whichhe pushed into his pockets.

  "Then we are ready," said Owen, who was delighted with their work. "Itis high time that we were on our way back. Lead us to the glade, Mulha,and we will see what we can do with the other beasts. We might even beable to drag one of the pigs away, or take the head of the deer. Now, upwith your end of the stick."

  He grasped the other end, and lifting the stick each placed one end onhis shoulder. Jack carried one of the guns, declaring that he was nowperfectly well again, while Owen had already slung the second over hisshoulder. Then they set out through the forest, Jack bringing up therear, till they reached the glade in which their first shots had beenmade. And here a few minutes sufficed to sling a portion of the deer totheir stick.

  "I hate to have to leave the pigs," said Owen, as they prepared to moveoff again. "But it cannot be helped. Still, it seems so cruel to killanimals when one does not even intend to carry them away. We will seewhat the captain says. Perhaps he will allow us to return with some ofthe men, for fresh meat is always wanted."

  The additional burden told heavily upon Owen and Mulha, for the head ofa full-grown rhinoceros is no light weight. But the quarters of the deerhappened to be of small proportions, so that they were able to staggeralong, streaming with perspiration as they went, for the heat was great,even beneath the shadow cast by the trees of the forest. Indeed, soclose was the atmosphere that they were forced to rest after a while,and came to a halt beside a stream which gushed out from theundergrowth, and trickled away between the grass and stones at theirfeet.

  "I am thirsty, sahibs," said Mulha. "Shall we rest here for a time?"

  He lowered his end of the pole as Owen did the same, and then went downon hands and knees beside a pool of the clear running water. Then,having satisfied his thirst, he strode off into the forest, returningwith a huge bunch of bananas, which he offered to his companions.

  "I had forgotten food," he said. "There has been so much to do and somuch excitement that I did not desire any. But the work we have beendoing has made me hungry. Will the sahibs eat?"

  Owen and his friend Jack Simpson were growing lads, and had had nothingsince breakfast. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that theyeagerly agreed to such a proposal, and having slaked their thirst tookthe fruit and ate it with the utmost pleasure.

  Then Owen and Mulha took up their burden again, and the party moved offthrough the trees, their road leading them all the time downhill towardsthe low-lying coast. Occasionally as they went through the forest atroop of monkeys would cross their path, just as one had done when theywere in the glade, and would disappear amidst the trees, chattering andscreaming, and hurling defiance in their own tongue at the heads of theintruders. Another wild pig scampered across the path, and once, to theastonishment and dismay of the party, they suddenly sighted the flank ofan enormous animal, apparently almost asleep beneath the shade cast bythe trees.

  "Rhino again!" exclaimed Owen, as he lowered the stick. "Get your gunready, Jack, and what about a tree?"

  He rapidly selected a likely one, and at his order the whole party rantowards it. They were in the act of climbing into the lower brancheswhen the beast, hearing their movements, strode from beneath the shade,and disclosed the gigantic proportions of an elephant. He stared at themwith suspicious eyes, while he swayed slowly from side to side. Then, asOwen lifted his weapon, the huge beast turned and went off at a trot,smashing the boughs and smaller trees which lay in his path, andcrashing through the underwood and tenacious creepers as if they weremerely dried sticks which would break at a touch. It was with a feelingof relief that the three hunters listened as he plunged on his way.

  "One would prefer his room to his company," laughed Owen, as he turned asomewhat scared face to his comrades. "A rhino was bad enough, but anelephant might be worse. You see, if he had chosen to turn nasty and wehad clambered into the tree he might have rammed it down with his head.I have heard of such things happening. Then, where should we have been?"

  "It would have been better to have given in to the rhinos," smiled Jack."We've had an escape and are lucky. Let's push on again. I shall be gladwhen we are aboard."

  There was no doubt that all had had enough of adventures and wouldwelcome the sight of the ship. And for this reason Owen and Mulha pickedup their burden with eagerness, and strode on through the forest, Jackfollowing, gun in hand, while he searched on every side for signs of
thebeast or of others which might happen to be in the vicinity. Once hegave vent to a shout, which brought them all to a halt. But it was afalse alarm, and no doubt the condition of his nerves was responsiblefor it.

  "The narrow escape I have had and that crack over the head have put meout," he said, by way of excuse. "I'll be honest. I have got the jumpsthis afternoon, and imagine I see a rhino or an elephant in everyshadow. Push on. Take no notice of me. I am a regular girl to be soscared."

  "Hark! That was a gun surely!" suddenly remarked Mulha, lifting his headin a listening attitude. "I even fancied I heard one an hour ago, as wewere clambering out of the tree. Why should they fire from the ship?"

  "Perhaps they have completed their preparations for sailing and want toget away," Owen ventured. "Or a favourable breeze has sprung up, and thecaptain wants to make the most of it. Listen! You can hear the wind asit strikes the tops of the trees."

  "And there goes another gun!"

  Jack Simpson looked at his comrades, who stared back at him doubtfully.All had heard the gun, and had wondered what it could mean. Nor weretheir difficulties lessened, for as they gathered up their trophy againand pressed downhill towards the shore, a salvo of artillery burst fromthe ship, while firing seemed to come occasionally from another pointaway to their left. Worse than that; as they decreased the distancebetween themselves and the shore, and came to a part where the forestwas not quite so thick, they imagined that they caught the far-offsounds of shouting, while Owen declared that he could hear musketryfiring, as though men were engaged in warfare.

  "I feel sure of it," he said doggedly, as his companions argued thatthis could not be the case. "I have heard it so often before at home,and it sounded just like that. I tell you we are not the only ones whohave met with trouble. Those on the ship have been attacked."

  "Then supposing they are forced to sail away?"

  Jack asked the question and looked at his companions in dismay, whilethe faces of Owen and Mulha showed that the same fear had occurred tothem and that they were uneasy.

  "We should be in a hole, that is all," said Owen quietly, after a longsilence, during which the firing continued. "But I am sure the captainwould never desert us. He would lie off the land, hoping to pick us uplater. But what is the use of wondering, when by pushing on we can seewhat is actually happening. My advice is that we get to the shore assoon as possible, and that we take good care as we get to the edge ofthe forest that we are not seen, and that we do not expose ourselves. Itmight, and probably would, make all the difference to our safety and toour escape, supposing the ship has been attacked. Pick up the stick,Mulha, and be careful not to let that gun go off, Jack, or we too mightbe attacked."

  At his words the native seized his end of the stick and they liftedtheir trophies. Then, with Owen in advance and Jack in rear, they walkedon towards the shore, till the forest became far less dense, and theycaught a glimpse of the ocean.

  "Halt!" cried Owen, who took command for the simple reason that Jack didnot venture to do so. "Now wait here while I push on a little and seewhat is happening. There is a bit of high ground just in front, andfrom there I shall be able to see the ship. There go more guns,and--hark!"

  "An enemy without doubt," exclaimed Mulha with assurance. "Sahib, I knowwhat is happening. I have not sailed so often across the seas betweenthis and England without learning who are to be avoided. In these parts,within sail of the Malaccan Straits, there are pirates, recruited fromIndia and the Malay States, who waylay the biggest ships. They haveattacked East Indiamen very often, and have even matched their strengthagainst war vessels. They must have gained information of the arrival ofour ship, and have sailed here hoping to capture her while she wasrefitting. But push on, sahib. If these pirates are indeed within sightour plight is very serious."

  Owen nodded curtly to him, and strode on at once. Little by little, asthey had plunged on through the forest toward the sea, and the sound ofheavy firing had continued, he had gathered the fact that the ship wasbeing attacked. Then he remembered a warning which Mr. Halbut had givenhim, and felt sure after Mulha's words that the attackers must indeed bepirates.

  "And of the worst sort," he said to himself as he ran forward. "They arethe worst lot of cut-throats in existence, so Mr. Halbut said, and are aperfect pest. In fact, something will have to be done soon, for theyprey upon the shipping in these parts, and are so bold that they evenrun up into the path of the Indiamen and make some their victims. Here Iam."

  He threw himself on hands and knees as he came nearly to the top of therising ground, and slowly crawled to the very summit. Then, selecting alow bush he wedged his way into it, and struggling on, regardless of thethorns, finally obtained a clear view through the leaves which clothedthe farther side. What he saw brought a low cry of astonishment fromhim, for the East Indiaman was under sail, and was firing rapidly at anumber of large native craft which hovered about her. Then he turned,and backing from the bush waved to his companions. And very soon they,too, were gathered on the rising ground, and were watching from thesecurity offered by the bush.

  "It is as you said, Mulha," said Owen at length. "Those ruffians musthave discovered the ship by accident, or, seeing their strength, musthave gained information of our coming and set out with the fixedintention of making an attack. In either case, they are here, and we arein a pretty plight. As for the ship, she seems to be holding her own.Probably she caught sight of them the instant they appeared, and madepreparations."

  "And did her best to bring us off, sahibs," added Mulha, pushing hislong arm through the bush and pointing to the shore below. "Watch there,sahibs."

  All eyes were turned to the point he indicated, and another soundescaped Owen's lips. For he caught sight of the ship's boat, by whichthey were to have returned, dragged some few feet up on to the sand;while pushing away from the spot, and just then free of the surf, was ahuge native boat, filled with men who were shouting excitedly andbrandishing their weapons.

  "Poor fellows! They must have been too late, and unable either to returnto the ship or escape the enemy," exclaimed Owen, as he caught sight ofthree limp figures stretched on the sand. "These ruffians must havecrept along the coast and come upon them unawares. And now they are offto help the main attack."

  "Leaving the boat for our use, perhaps, sahibs," whispered Mulha. "Allis not lost for us yet. We might put off as the night comes."

  Whether this would be possible it was hopeless to decide at that moment.For the ship upon which they had sailed from England might not make goodher own escape. But it looked as if she would; for as the three staredout to sea they saw her, with sails fully set, steering out of the bay.And as she went smoke belched from her sides, for she carried a dozenguns, the shot sometimes striking the water and ricochetting, while somefew crashed into the four native craft which hovered about her, drawingexcited cries of approval from Owen and his friends. It looked, indeed,as if she would make good her escape, for within half an hour she haddrawn away from the enemy, while one of the native craft lay well inrear, her mast having been knocked down by one of the shots.

  "She will stand out till she has shaken them off," said Owen at length,"then she will make all ready for a renewal of the battle, and will waiton the chance of our returning. It's getting dusk, Jack. We shall haveto make the most of the evening."