"
"Because they have guns, and can use them," was the appalling answer
given by Suarez. "They secured the rifles belonging to my party, and
one of them, who had often seen ship's officers shooting wild geese,
understood the method of loading and aiming. They will not waste the
cartridges on game, but keep them for tribal warfare, and they think a
gun cannot shoot in the dark. To-night they only attempted a surprise,
and made off the moment they were discovered. To-morrow, or next day,
they will swarm round the ship in hundreds, and fire at us with rifles,
bows, and slings. They do most harm with the slings and arrows, as
they hold the gun away from the shoulder, but they can cast a heavy
pebble from a sling quite as far and almost as straight as a revolver
can shoot."
"How do they know the ship will not sail at once?" demanded Courtenay.
Suarez laughed hysterically, with the mirth which is akin to tears,
when the query was explained to him. He looked bizarre enough under
ordinary conditions, but laughter converted him into a fair semblance
of one of those blood-curdling demons which a Japanese artist loves to
depict.
Pages:
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183