"I run up to the mountains, and then I cross to Nossi Ibrahim. There they are a very brave people, and hate the whites. They steal on the water, not on the land, and make no slaves. When I tell them the white men came and killed my old father, who was a good friend to them, they all say they are glad of it, 'for my father was wrong to have white friends. But when I tell them they took my mother and my sisters, and made them slaves, they say that was very bad. Then they call a war-talk, and say they would speak with these white men. And then an old man who was a friend to my father, says, "No! it is not good to speak with them. Their words are white as morning, but their deeds are black as night. It is not good to speak with them. It is good to kill them all." And after much more talk, they agree with the wise old man. "They get many great war-canoes. They all sail over in the night. There was no moon, and the night was dark. The old man likes the black night. "For the white man," he says, "is afraid, and likes not to fight in the dark. A black man is the owl that sees them in the night; but they the wild turkey that sees nothing, Their thunders strike not." "The white men made a feast; for it was the great day of their good spirit; and in the poor black man's country they are all drunk. And when we hear they sing no more, we know they sleep; and we come down the hills and kill them every one. "My friends take all they can find, and go away. I like not to stay there, now that my father is dead. I take my mother and sisters, and go to the other side, where my father first lived. Our father gone, my brother seems very sorry; so we are all good friends, and I work for them all. My brother goes many times away, we know not whither; and stays many days. "Four moons after, I go to Nossi Ibrahim, to see the old man; for he was a good friend, and more moons older than I can tell. When I come back, I go to my house, and find no one there, though it is night. I go to my brother; and he nearly dies with grief. He tells me that, when I went away, the Maratti came in their war-canoes, took my mother and sisters, and because his old mother talked to them, and she not being good for much, they killed her. Now," he says, "I want to make fire to burn her." In grief we go, and build a pile, and the body is burnt. "Then my brother says to me, "It is not good to weep. Thy tears will not bring back the women." "And I say, "Why did they not take thee?" Oh," he says, "I ran up the mountain, and they saw me not." "I was going back to the old man at Nossi Ibrahim, to ask counsel. But my brother says, "No; that people is few and poor, and they sell not slaves. The Maratti are a very great people, and they make many slaves. They hate each other like bad brothers. In the Maratti there are some good men; let us go to them; one of them is my uncle; he will get back what you have lost, for he loves me; let us go and talk with him." TH CHAPTER XLVII. The ghastly spectres, which were doomed at last To tell as true a tale of dangers past, As ever the dark annals of the deep Disclosed for man to dread, or woman weep. BYRON. The boat was one curved shell of hollow pearl SHELLEY. 'HE conclusion," continued De Ruyter, "you may surmise. The simple fool, Torra, was kidnapped and sold by his crafty brother. He being the eldest, inherited paternal rights over the youngest; and had, by their laws, the power, of which he took advantage, to sell them all. His old mother, having less of the devil in her, or through fear, opposed him; upon which he himself killed her. Torra was sent in slavery to Rodriguez; and the women to the Isle of France. You already know the rest of Torra's tragic history, and his summary code of laws. There is no more to remark on but this yesterday morning, when we had landed, he swam on shore, with his knives; and it seems he joined your party." When we To this I replied, "Torra indeed surprised me. were stumbling about in the dark, seeking to cross the ravine, it was he that led us forward to a place lower down. He was afterwards of infinite use in directing us to the walls and the gate. Indeed I had a suspicion, from his extraordinary officiousness, that he intended some stratagem, and therefore I kept an eye on him. But on our entering, when the signal was made in the morning, all doubt vanished; for the fellow was by far the most active of us all. Though he puzzled me then, you have now made me understand his feelings of revenge against the Maratti. While I was losing time in holding a fellow by the throat, to prevent his giving an alarm to those within, Torra had most expeditiously, as well as more effectually, silenced the three others-I verily believe, before they were awake. He then burst open the other entrance, which led to the interior. After which I lost sight of him, till I caught his figure, crimsoned from head to foot, rushing from hut to hut. Wherever he was, the air was rent with piercing shrieks and screams, till all was silent. I thought the fellow mad, and at last fired a shot across his bow, for it was useless to talk to him; and thus I stopped his triumphant war-yells." But," said Aston, "you have told us nothing regarding his meeting with his brother." "Oh," said De Ruyter, "it was truly fraternal. But I had forgot, he is a dreamer, and has visions. Never remembering my own dreams, no wonder I should forget friend Torra's. By Jove, it is most miraculous, and deserves to be recorded. Thus saith Torra: "In the town of the Maratti I seek, in every place, to find my bad brother; but I find him not. So I feel my head and blood like fire. I kill all I find. I too wish to die, but no one fights with me. All run away from Torra, one man with nothing but a knife; while they have swords, and darts, and guns. Iron strikes me and hurts me not; guns wound not Torra. "When I come on board I am sick and hot, and lie down |