in search of the castaways-第101章

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lings　with　reddish　carmeles；　flew　away　at　the　approach　of　the　natives。　After　a　rather　circuitous　walk；　Glenarvan　and　his　party　arrived　at　the　〃pah。〃　The　fortress　was　defended　by　an　outer　inclosure　of　strong　palisades；　fifteen　feet　high；　a　second　line　of　stakes；　then　a　fence　composed　of　osiers；　with　loop…holes；　inclosed　V。　IV。　　Verne　the　inner　space；　that　is　the　plateau　of　the　〃pah；〃　on　which　were　erected　the　Maori　buildings；　and　about　forty　huts　arranged　symmetrically。　When　the　captives　approached　they　were　horror…struck　at　the　sight　of　the　heads　which　adorned　the　posts　of　the　inner　circle。　Lady　Helena　and　Mary　Grant　turned　away　their　eyes　more　with　disgust　than　with　terror。　　These　heads　were　those　of　hostile　chiefs　who　had　fallen　in　battle；　and　whose　bodies　had　served　to　feed　the　conquerors。　The　geographer　recognized　that　it　was　so；　from　their　eye　sockets　being　hollow　and　deprived　of　eye…balls。　Glenarvan　and　his　companions　had　taken　in　all　this　scene　at　a　glance。　They　stood　near　an　empty　house；　waiting　the　pleasure　of　the　chief；　and　exposed　to　the　abuse　of　a　crowd　of　old　crones。　　This　troop　of　harpies　surrounded　them；　shaking　their　fists；　howling　and　vociferating。　Some　English　words　that　escaped　their　coarse　mouths　left　no　doubt　that　they　were　clamoring　for　immediate　vengeance。　In　the　midst　of　all　these　cries　and　threats；　Lady　Helena；　tranquil　to　all　outward　seeming；　affected　an　indifference　she　was　far　from　feeling。　　This　courageous　woman　made　heroic　efforts　to　restrain　herself；　lest　she　should　disturb　Glenarvan's　coolness。　Poor　Mary　Grant　felt　her　heart　sink　within　her；　and　John　Mangles　stood　by　ready　to　die　in　her　behalf。　　His　companions　bore　the　deluge　of　invectives　each　according　to　his　disposition；　the　Major　with　utter　indifference；　Paganel　with　exasperation　that　increased　every　moment。　Glenarvan；　to　spare　Lady　Helena　the　attacks　of　these　witches；　walked　straight　up　to　Kai…Koumou；　and　pointing　to　the　hideous　group：　〃Send　them　away；〃　said　he。　The　Maori　chief　stared　fixedly　at　his　prisoner　without　speaking；　and　then；　with　a　nod；　he　silenced　the　noisy　horde。　　Glenarvan　bowed；　as　a　sign　of　thanks；　and　went　slowly　back　to　his　place。　At　this　moment　a　hundred　Maories　were　assembled　in　the　〃pah；〃　old　men；　full　grown　men；　youths；　the　former　were　calm；　but　gloomy；　awaiting　the　orders　of　Kai…Koumou；　the　others　gave　themselves　up　to　the　most　violent　sorrow；　bewailing　their　parents　and　friends　who　had　fallen　in　the　late　engagements。　Kai…Koumou　was　the　only　one　of　all　the　chiefs　that　obeyed　the　call　of　William　Thompson；　who　had　returned　to　the　lake　district；　and　he　was　the　first　to　announce　to　his　tribe　the　defeat　of　the　national　insurrection；　beaten　on　the　plains　of　the　lower　Waikato。　　Of　the　two　hundred　warriors　who；　under　his　orders；　hastened　to　the　defence　of　the　soil；　one　hundred　and　fifty　were　missing　on　his　return。　Allowing　for　a　number　being　made　prisoners　by　the　invaders；　how　many　must　be　lying　on　the　field　of　battle；　never　to　return　to　the　country　of　their　ancestors！　This　was　the　secret　of　the　outburst　of　grief　with　which　the　tribe　saluted　the　arrival　of　Kai…Koumou。　Up　to　that　moment　nothing　had　been　known　of　the　last　defeat；　and　the　fatal　news　fell　on　them　like　a　thunder　clap。　Among　the　savages；　sorrow　is　always　manifested　by　physical　signs；　the　parents　and　friends　of　deceased　warriors；　the　women　especially；　lacerated　their　faces　and　shoulders　with　sharpened　shells。　The　blood　spurted　out　and　blended　with　their　tears。　Deep　wounds　denoted　great　despair。　　The　unhappy　Maories；　bleeding　and　excited；　were　hideous　to　look　upon。　There　was　another　serious　element　in　their　grief。　Not　only　had　they　lost　the　relative　or　friend　they　mourned；　but　his　bones　would　be　missing　in　the　family　mausoleum。　In　the　Maori　religion　the　possession　of　these　relics　is　regarded　as　indispensable　to　the　destinies　of　the　future　life；　not　the　perishable　flesh；　but　the　bones；　which　are　collected　with　the　greatest　care；　cleaned；　scraped；　polished；　even　varnished；　and　then　deposited　in　the　〃oudoupa；〃　that　is　the　〃house　of　glory。〃　These　tombs　are　adorned　with　wooden　statues；　representing　with　perfect　exactness　the　tattoo　of　the　deceased。　　But　now　their　tombs　would　be　left　empty；　the　religious　rites　would　be　unsolemnized；　and　the　bones　that　escaped　the　teeth　of　the　wild　dog　would　whiten　without　burial　on　the　field　of　battle。　Then　the　sorrowful　chorus　redoubled。　　The　menaces　of　the　women　were　intensified　by　the　imprecations　of　the　men　against　the　Europeans。　　Abusive　epithets　were　lavished；　the　accompanying　gestures　became　more　violent。　　The　howl　was　about　to　end　in　brutal　action。　Kai…Koumou；　fearing　that　he　might　be　overpowered　by　the　fanatics　of　his　tribe；　conducted　his　prisoners　to　a　sacred　place；　on　an　abruptly　raised　plateau　at　the　other　end　of　the　〃pah。〃　This　hut　rested　against　a　mound　elevated　a　hundred　feet　above　it；　which　formed　the　steep　outer　buttress　of　the　entrenchment。　In　this　〃Ware…Atoua；〃　sacred　house；　the　priests　or　arikis　taught　the　Maories　about　a　Triune　God；　father；　son；　and　bird；　or　spirit。　The　large；　well　constructed　hut；　contained　the　sacred　and　choice　food　which　Maoui…Ranga…Rangui　eats　by　the　mouths　of　his　priests。　In　this　place；　and　safe　for　the　moment　from　the　frenzied　natives；　the　captives　lay　down　on　the　flax　mats。　　Lady　Helena　was　quite　exhausted；　her　moral　energies　prostrate；　and　she　fell　helpless　into　her　husband's　arms。　Glenarvan　pressed　her　to　his　bosom　and　said：　〃Courage；　my　dear　Helena；　Heaven　will　not　forsake　us！〃　Robert　was　scarcely　in　when　he　jumped　on　Wilson's　shoulders；　and　squeezed　his　head　through　a　crevice　left　between　the　roof　and　the　walls；　from　which　chaplets　of　amulets　were　hung。　From　that　elevation　he　could　see　the　whole　extent　of　the　〃pah；〃　and　as　far　as　Kai…Koumou's　house。　〃They　are　all　crowding　round　the　chief；〃　said　he　softly。　〃They　are　throwing　their　arms　about。　。　。　。　They　are　howling。　。　。　。　。　Kai…Koumou　is　trying　to　speak。〃　Then　he　was　silent　for　a　few　minutes。　〃Kai…Koumou　is　speaking。　。　。　。　The　savages　are　quieter。　。　。　。　。　They　are　listening。　。　。　。　。〃　〃Evidently；〃　said　the　Major；　〃this　chief　has　a　personal　interest　in　protecting　us。　　He　wants　to　exchange　his　prisoners　for　some　chiefs　of　his　tribe！　　But　will　his　warriors　consent？〃　〃Yes！　。　。　。　They　are　listening。　。　。　。　。　They　have　dispersed；　some　are　gone　into　their　huts。　。　。　。　The　others　have　left　the　intrenchment。〃　〃Are　you　sure？〃　said　the　Major。　〃Yes；　Mr。　McNabbs；〃　replied　Robert；　〃Kai…Koumou　is　left　alone　with　the　warriors　of　his　canoe。　。　。　。　。　Oh！　one　of　them　is　coming　up　here。　。　。　。　。〃　〃Come　down；　Robert；〃　said　Glenarvan。　At　this　moment；　Lady　Helena　who　had　risen；　seized　her　husband's　arm。　〃Edward；〃　she　said　in　a　resolute　tone；　〃neither　Mary　Grant　nor　I　must　fall　into　the　hands　of　these　savages　alive！〃　And　so　saying；　she　handed　Glenarvan　a　loaded　revolver。　〃Fire…arm！〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan；　with　flashing　eyes。　〃Yes！　the　Maories　do　not　search　their　prisoners。　　But；　Edward；　this　is　for　us；　not　for　them。〃　Glenarvan　slipped　the　revolver　under　his　coat；　at　the　same　moment　the　mat　at　the　entrance　was　raised；　and　a　native　entered。　He　motioned　to　the　prisoners　to　follow　him。　　Glenarvan　and　the　rest　walked　across　the　〃pah〃　and　stopped　before　Kai…Koumou。　He　was　surrounded