the yellow god-第24章

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the　thought　that　it　might　well　be　the　last　which　would　ever　reach　her
from　him；　even　if　the　boatmen　got　safely　back　to　Calabar　and
remembered　to　put　it　in　the　post。　The　enterprise　had　been　begun　and
must　be　carried　through；　until　it　ended　in　successor　death。

An　hour　later　they　started。　First　walked　Alan　as　leader　of　the
expedition；　carrying　a　double…barrelled　gun　that　could　be　used　either
for　ball　or　shot；　about　fifty　cartridges　with　brass　cases　to　protect
them　from　the　damp；　a　revolver；　a　hunting…knife；　a　cloth　mackintosh；
and　lastly；　strapped　upon　his　back　like　a　knapsack；　a　tin　box
containing　the　fetish；　Little　Bonsa；　which　was　too　precious　to　be
trusted　to　anyone　else。　It　was　quite　a　sufficient　load　for　any　white
man　in　that　climate；　but　being　very　wiry；　Alan　did　not　feel　its
weight；　at　any　rate　at　first。

After　him　in　single　file　came　the　four　porters；　laden　with　a　small
tent；　some　tinned　provisions　and　brandy；　ammunition；　a　box　containing
beads；　watches；　etc。　for　presents；　blankets；　spare　clothing　and　so
forth。　These　were　stalwart　fellows　enough；　who　knew　the　forest；　but
their　dejected　air　showed　that　now　they　had　come　face　to　face　with　its
dangers；　they　heartily　wished　themselves　anywhere　else。　Indeed；
notwithstanding　their　terror　of　Jeekie's　medicine；　at　the　last　moment
they　threw　down　their　loads　intending　to　make　a　wild　rush　for　the
departing　boat；　only　to　be　met　by　Jeekie　himself　who；　anticipating
some　such　move；　was　waiting　for　them　on　the　bank　with　a　shotgun。　Here
he　remained　until　the　canoe　was　too　far　out　in　the　stream　for　them　to
reach　it　by　swimming。　Then　he　asked　them　if　they　wished　to　sit　and
starve　there　with　the　devils　he　would　leave　them　for　company；　of　if
they　would　carry　out　their　bargain　like　honest　men？

The　end　of　it　was　they　took　up　their　loads　again　and　marched；　while
behind　them　walked　the　terrible　and　gigantic　Jeekie；　the　barrels　of
the　shotgun　which　he　carried　at　full　cock　and　occasionally　used　to
prod　them；　pointing　directly　at　their　backs。　A　strange　object　he
looked　truly；　for　in　addition　to　the　weapons　with　which　he　bristled；
several　cooking…pots　were　slung　about　him；　to　say　nothing　of　a　cork
mattress　and　a　mackintosh　sheet　tied　in　a　flat　bundle　to　his
shoulders；　a　box　containing　medicines　and　food　which　he　carried　on　his
head；　and　fastened　to　the　top　of　it　with　string　like　a　helmet　on　a
coffin；　an　enormous　solar…tope　stuffed　full　of　mosquito　netting；　of
which　the　ends　fell　about　him　like　a　green　veil。　When　Alan
remonstrated　with　him　as　to　the　cork　mattress；　suggesting　that　it
should　be　thrown　away　as　too　hot　to　wear；　Jeekie　replied　that　he　had
been　cold　for　thirty　years；　and　wished　to　get　warm　again。　Guessing
that　his　real　reason　for　declining　to　part　with　the　article；　was　that
his　master　should　have　something　to　lie　on；　other　than　the　damp
ground；　Alan　said　no　more　at　the　time；　which；　as　will　be　seen；　was
fortunate　enough　for　Jeekie。

For　a　mile　or　more　their　road　ran　through　fantastic…looking　mangrove
trees　rooted　in　the　mud；　that　in　the　mist　resembled；　Alan　thought；
many…legged　arboreal　octopi　feeling　for　their　food；　and　tall　reeds　on
the　tops　of　which　sat　crowds　of　chattering　finches。　Then　just　as　the
sun　broke　out；　strongly；　cheering　them　with　its　warmth　and　sucking　up
the　vapours；　they　entered　sparse　bush　with　palms　and　great　cotton
trees　growing　here　and　there；　and　so　at　length　came　to　the　borders　of
the　mighty　forest。

Oh！　dark；　dark　was　that　forest；　he　who　entered　it　from　the　cheerful
sunshine　felt　as　though　suddenly　and　without　preparation　he　had
wandered　out　of　the　light　we　know　into　some　dim　Hades　such　as　the　old
Greek　fancy　painted；　where　strengthless　ghosts　flit　aimlessly；
mourning　the　lost　light。　Everywhere　the　giant　boles　of　trees　shooting
the　height　of　a　church　tower　into　the　air　without　a　branch；　great　rib…
rooted　trees；　and　beneath　them　a　fierce　and　hungry　growth　of　creepers。
Where　a　tree　had　fallen　within　the　last　century　or　so；　these　creepers
ramped　upwards　in　luxuriance；　their　stems　thick　as　the　body　of　a　man；
drinking　the　shaft　of　light　that　pierced　downwards；　drinking　it　with
eagerness　ere　the　boughs　above　met　again　and　starved　them。　Where　no
tree　had　fallen　the　creepers　were　thin　and　weak；　from　year　to　year
they　lived　on　feebly；　biding　their　time；　but　still　they　lived；　knowing
that　some　day　it　would　come。　And　always　it　was　coming　to　those
expectant　parasites；　since　from　minute　to　minute；　somewhere　in　the
vast　depths；　miles　and　miles　away　perhaps；　a　great　crash　echoed　in　the
stillness；　the　crash　of　a　tree　that；　sown　when　the　Saxons　ruled　in
England；　or　perhaps　before　Cleopatra　bewitched　Anthony；　came　to　its
end　at　last。

On　the　second　day　of　their　march　in　the　forest　Alan　chanced　to　see
such　a　tree　fall；　and　the　sight　was　one　that　he　never　could　forget。　As
it　happened；　owing　to　the　vast　spread　of　its　branches　which　had　killed
out　all　rivals　beneath；　for　in　its　day　it　had　been　a　very　successful
tree　embued　with　an　excellent　constitution　by　its　parent；　it　stood
somewhat　alone；　so　that　from　several　hundred　yards　away　as　these　six
human　beings　crept　towards　it　like　ants　towards　a　sapling　in　a
cornfield；　its　mighty　girth　and　bulk　set　upon　a　little　mound　and　the
luxuriant　greenness　of　its　far…reaching　boughs　made　a　kind　of
landmark。　Then　in　the　hot　noon　when　no　breath　of　wind　stirred；
suddenly　the　end　came。　Suddenly　that　mighty　bole　seemed　to　crumble；
suddenly　those　far…reaching　arms　were　thrown　together　as　their　support
failed；　gripping　at　each　other　like　living　things；　flogging　the　air；
screaming　in　their　last　agony；　and　with　an　awful　wailing　groan
sinking；　a　tumbled　ruin；　to　the　earth。

Silence　again；　and　in　the　midst　of　the　silence　Jeekie's　cheerful
voice。

〃Old　tree　go　flop！　Glad　he　no　flop　on　us；　thanks　be　to　Little　Bonsa。
Get　on；　you　lazy　nigger　dog。　Who　pay　you　stand　there　and　snivel？　Get
on　or　I　blow　out　your　stupid　skull；〃　and　he　brought　the　muzzle　of　the
full…cocked；　double…barrelled　gun　into　sharp　contact　with　that　part　of
the　terrified　porter's　anatomy。

Such　was　the　forest。　Of　their　march　through　it　for　the　first　four
days；　there　is　nothing　to　tell。　Its　depths　seemed　to　be　devoid　of
life；　although　occasionally　they　heard　the　screaming　of　parrots　in　the
treetops　a　couple　of　hundred　feet　above；　or　caught　sight　of　the　dim
shapes　of　monkeys　swinging　themselves　from　bough　to　bough。　That　was　in
the　daytime；　when；　although　they　could　not　see　it；　they　knew　that　the
sun　was　shining　somewhere。　But　at　night　they　heard　nothing；　since
beasts　of　prey　do　not　come　where　there　is　no　food。　What　puzzled　Alan
was　that　all　through　these　impenetrable　recesses　there　ran　a　distinct
road　which　they　followed。　To　the　right　and　left　rose　a　wall　of
creepers；　but　between　them　ran　this　road；　an　ancient　road；　for　nothing
grew　on　it；　and　it　only　turned　aside　to　avoid　the　biggest　of　the　trees
which　must　have　stood　there　from　time　immemorial；　such　a　tree　as　that
which　he　had　seen　fall；　indeed　it　was　one　of　those　round　which　the
road　ran。

He　asked　Jeekie　who　made　the　road。

〃People　who　come　out　Noah's　Ark；〃　answered　Jeekie；　〃I　think　they　run
up　here　to　get　out　of　way　of　water；　and　sent　them　two　elephants　ahead
to　make　path。　Or　perhaps　dwarf　people　make　it。　Or　perhaps　those　who　go
up　to　Asiki…land　to　do　sacrifice　like　old　Jews。〃

〃You　mean　you　don't　know；〃　said　Alan。

〃No；　of　course　don't　know。　Who　know　about　forest　path　made　before
beginning　of　world。　You　ask　question；　Major；　I　answer。　More　lively
answer　than　to　shake　head　and　roll　eyes　like　them　silly　fool　porters。〃

It　was　on　the　fourth　night　that　the　trouble　began。　As　usual　they　had
lit　a　huge　fire　made　of　the　fallen　boughs　and　rotting　tree　trunks　that
lay　about　in　plenty。　There　was　no　reason　why　the　fire　should　be　so
large；　since　they　had　little　to　cook　and　the　air　was　hot；　but　they
made　it　so　for　the　same　reason　that　Jeekie　answered　questions；　for　the
sake　of　cheerfulness。　At　least　it　gave　light　in　the　darkness；　leaping
up　in　red　tongues　of　flame　twenty　or　thirty　feet　high；　and　its　roar
and　crackle　were　welcome　in　the　primeval　silence。

Alan　lay　upon　the　cork　mattress　in　the　open；　for　here　there　was　no
need