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TALES OF DARING AND DANGER
TALES OF DARING AND DANGER G. A. HENTY CONTENTS
BEARS AND DACOITS
THE PATERNOSTERS
A PIPE OF MYSTERY
WHITE-FACED DICK
A BRUSH WITH THE CHINESE
BEARS AND DACOITS.
A TALE OF THE GHAUTS
CHAPTER I.
A merry party were sitting in the verandah of one of the largest and
handsomest bungalows of Poonah. It belonged to Colonel Hastings colonel
of a native regiment stationed there and at present in virtue of
seniority commanding a brigade. Tiffin was on and three or four
officers and four ladies had taken their seats in the comfortable cane
lounging chairs which form the invariable furniture of the verandah of a
well-ordered bungalow. Permission had been duly asked and granted by
Mrs. Hastings and the cheroots had just begun to draw when Miss
Hastings a niece of the colonel who had only arrived the previous week
from England said--
"Uncle I am quite disappointed. Mrs. Lyons showed me the bear she has
got tied up in their compound and it is the most wretched little thing
not bigger than Rover papa's retriever and it's full-grown. I thought
bears were great fierce creatures and this poor little thing seemed so
restless and unhappy that I thought it quite a shame not to let it go."
Colonel Hastings smiled rather grimly.
"And yet small and insignificant as that bear is my dear it is a
question whether he is not as dangerous an animal to meddle with as a
man-eating tiger."
"What that wretched little bear Uncle?"
"Yes that wretched little bear. Any experienced sportsman will tell you
that hunting those little bears is as dangerous a sport as tiger-hunting
on foot to say nothing of tiger-hunting from an elephant's back in
which there is scarcely any danger whatever. I can speak feelingly about
it for my career was pretty nearly brought to an end by a bear just
after I entered the army some thirty years ago at a spot within a few
miles from here. I have got the scars on my shoulder and arm still."
"Oh do tell me all about it" Miss Hastings said and the request being
seconded by the rest of the party none of whom with the exception of
Mrs. Hastings had ever heard the story before--for the colonel was
somewhat chary of relating this special experience--he waited till they
had all drawn up their chairs as close as possible and then giving two
or three vigorous puffs at his cheroot began as follows--
"Thirty years ago in 1855 things were not so settled in the Deccan as
they are now. There was no idea of insurrection on a large scale but we
were going through one of those outbreaks of Dacoity which have several
times proved so troublesome. Bands of marauders kept the country in
confusion pouring down on a village now carrying off three or four of
the Bombay money-lenders who were then as now the curse of the
country; sometimes making an onslaught upon a body of traders; and
occasionally venturing to attack small detachments of troops or isolated
parties of police. They were not very formidable but they were very
troublesome and most difficult to catch for the peasantry regarded
them as patriots and aided and shielded them in every way. The
head-quarters of these gangs of Dacoits were the Ghauts. In the thick
bush and deep valleys and gorges there they could always take refuge
while sometimes the more daring chiefs converted these detached peaks
and masses of rock numbers of which you can see as you come up the
Ghaut by railway into almost impregnable fortresses. Many of these
masses of rock rise as sheer up from the hillside as walls of masonry
and look at a short distance like ruined castles. Some are absolutely
inaccessible others can only be scaled by experienced climbers and
although possible for the natives with their bare feet are
impracticable to European troops. Many of these rock fortresses were at
various times the headquarters of famous Dacoit leaders and unless the
summits happened to be commanded from some higher ground within gunshot
range they were all but impregnable except by starvation. When driven to
bay these fellows would fight well.
"Well about the time I joined the Dacoits were unusually troublesome;
the police had a hard time of it and almost lived in the saddle and
the cavalry were constantly called up to help them while detachments of
infantry from the station were under canvas at several places along the
top of the Ghauts to cut the bands off from their strongholds and to
aid if necessary in turning them out of their rock fortresses. The
natives in the valleys at the foot of the Ghauts who have always been a
semi-independent race ready to rob whenever they saw a chance were
great friends with the Dacoits and supplied them with provisions
whenever the hunt on the Deccan was too hot for them to make raids in
that direction.
"This is a long introduction you will say and does not seem to have
much to do with bears; but it is really necessary as you will see. I
had joined about six months when three companies of the regiment were
ordered to relieve a wing of the 15th who had been under canvas at a
village some four miles to the north of the point where the line crosses
the top of the Ghauts. There were three white officers and little
enough to do except when a party was sent off to assist the police. We
had one or two brushes with the Dacoits but I was not out on either
occasion. However there was plenty of shooting and a good many pigs
about so we had very good fun. Of course as a raw hand I was very
hot for it and as the others had both passed the enthusiastic age
except for pig-sticking and big game I could always get away. I was
supposed not to go far from camp because in the first place I might
be wanted; and in the second because of the Dacoits; and Norworthy
who was in command used to impress upon me that I ought not to go
beyond the sound of a bugle. Of course we both knew that if I intended
to get any sport I must go further afoot than this; but I merely used to
say 'All right sir I will keep an ear to the camp' and he on his part
never considered it necessary to ask where the game which appeared on
the table came from. But in point of fact I never went very far and my
servant always had instructions which way to send for me if I was
wanted; while as to the Dacoits I did not believe in their having the
impudence to come in broad daylight within a mile or two of our camp. I
did not often go down the face of the Ghauts. The shooting was good and
there were plenty of bears in those days but it needed a long day for
such an expedition and in view of the Dacoits who might be scattered
about was not the sort of thing to be undertaken except with a strong
party. Norworthy had not given any precise orders about it but I must
admit that he said one day:--
"'Of course you won't be fool enough to think of going down the Ghauts
Hastings?' But I did not look at that as equivalent to a direct
order--whatever I should do now" the colonel put in on seeing a
furtive smile on the faces of his male listeners.
"However I never meant to go down though I used to stand on the edge
and look longingly down into the bush and fancy I saw bears moving about
in scores. But I don't think I should have gone into their country if
they had not come into mine. One day the fellow who always carried my
spare gun or flask and who was a sort of shekarry in a small way told
me he had heard that a farmer whose house stood near the edge of the
Ghauts some two miles away had been seriously annoyed by his fruit and
corn being stolen by bears.
"'I'll go and have a look at the place tomorrow' I said 'there is no
parade and I can start early. You may as well tell the mess cook to put
up a basket with some tiffin and a bottle of claret and get a boy to
carry it over.'
"'The bears not come in day' Rahman said.
"'Of course not' I replied 'still I may like to find out which way
they come. Just do as you are told.'
"The next morning at seven o'clock I was at the farmer's spoken of
and there was no mistake as to the bears. A patch of Indian corn had
been ruined by them and two dogs had been killed. The native was in a
terrible state of rage and alarm. He said that on moonlight nights he
had seen eight of them and they came and sniffed around the door of the
cottage.
"'Why don't you fire through the window at them?' I asked scornfully
for I had seen a score of tame bears in captivity and like you Mary
was inclined to despise them though there was far less excuse for me
for I had heard stories which should have convinced me that small as he
is the Indian bear is not a beast to be attacked with impunity. Upon
walking to the edge of the Ghauts there was no difficulty in discovering
the route by which the bears came up to the farm. For a mile to the
right and left the ground fell away as if cut with a knife leaving a
precipice of over a hundred feet sheer down; but close by where I was
standing was the head of a water-course which in time had gradually
worn a sort of cleft in the wall up or down which it was not difficult
to make one's way. Further down this little gorge widened out and became
a deep ravine and further still a wide valley where it opened upon the
flats far below us. About half a mile down where the ravine was deepest
and darkest was a thick clump of trees and jungle.
"'That's where the bears are?' I asked Rahman. He nodded. It seemed no
distance. I could get down and back in time for tiffin and perhaps bag
a couple of bears. For a young sportsman the temptation was great. 'How
long would it take us to go down and have a shot or two at them?'
"'No good go down. Master come here at night shoot bears when they come
up.'
"I had thought of that; but in the first place it did not seem much
sport to shoot the beasts from cover when they were quietly eating and
in the next place I knew that Norworthy could not even if he were
willing give me leave to go out of camp at night. I waited hesitating
for a few minutes and then I said to myself 'It is of no use
waiting. I could go down and get a bear and be back again while I am
thinking of it;' then to Rahman 'No come along; we will have a look
through that wood anyhow.'
"Rahman evidently did not like it.
"'Not easy find bear sahib. He very cunning.'
"'Well very likely we sha'n't find them' I said 'but we can try
anyhow. Bring that bottle with you; the tiffin basket can wait here till
we come back.' In another five minutes I had begun to climb down the
watercourse--the shekarry following me. I took the double-barrelled
rifle and handed him the shot-gun having first dropped a bullet down
each barrel over the charge. The ravine was steep but there were bushes
to hold on by and although it was hot work and took a good deal longer
than I expected we at last got down to the place which I had fixed upon
as likely to be the bears' home.
"'Sahib climb up top' Rahman said; 'come down through wood; no good
fire at bear when he above.'
"I had heard that before; but I was hot the sun was pouring down there
was not a breath of wind and it looked a long way up to the top of the
wood.
"'Give me the claret. It would take too long to search the wood
regularly. We will sit down here for a bit and if we can see anything
moving up in the wood well and good; if not we will come back again
another day with some beaters and dogs.' So saying I sat down with my
back against a rock at a spot where I could look up among the trees for
a long way through a natural vista. I had a drink of claret and then I
sat and watched till gradually I dropped off to sleep. I don't know how
long I slept but it was some time and I woke up with a sudden
start. Rahman who had I fancy been asleep too also started up.
"The noise which had aroused us was made by a rolling stone striking a
rock; and looking up I saw some fifty yards away not in the wood but
on the rocky hillside on our side of the ravine a bear standing as
though unconscious of our presence snuffing the air. As was natural I
seized my rifle cocked it and took aim unheeding a cry of 'No no
sahib' from Rahman. However I was not going to miss such a chance as
this and I let fly. The beast had been standing sideways to me and as
I saw him fall I felt sure I had hit him in the heart. I gave a shout of
triumph and was about to climb up when from behind the rock on which
the bear had stood appeared another growling fiercely; on seeing me it
at once prepared to come down. Stupidly being taken by surprise and
being new at it I fired at once at its head. The bear gave a spring
and then--it seemed instantaneous--down it came at me. Whether it rolled
down or slipped down or ran down I don't know but it came almost as
if it had jumped straight at me.
[Illustration: "My Gun Rahman" I Shouted.]
"'My gun Rahman' I shouted holding out my hand. There was no
answer. I glanced round and found that the scoundrel had bolted. I had
time and only just time to take a step backwards and to club my
rifle when the brute was upon me. I got one fair blow at the side of
its head a blow that would have smashed the skull of any civilized
beast into pieces and which did fortunately break the brute's jaw then
in an instant he was upon me and I was fighting for life. My
hunting-knife was out and with my left hand I had the beast by the
throat; while with my right I tried to drive my knife into its ribs. My
bullet had gone through his chest. The impetus of his charge had
knocked me over and we rolled on the ground he tearing with his claws
at my shoulder and arm I stabbing and struggling my great effort being
to keep my knees up so as to protect my body with them from his hind
claws. After the first blow with his paw which laid my shoulder open I
do not think I felt any special pain whatever. There was a strange faint
sensation and my whole energy seemed centered in the two ideas--to
strike and to keep my knees up. I knew that I was getting faint but I
was dimly conscious that his efforts too were relaxing. His weight on
me seemed to increase enormously and the last idea that flashed across
me was that it was a drawn fight.
"The next idea of which I was conscious was that I was being carried. I
seemed to be swinging about and I thought I was at sea. Then there was
a little jolt and a sense of pain. 'A collision' I muttered and opened
my eyes. Beyond the fact that I seemed in a yellow world--a bright
orange-yellow--my eyes did not help me and I lay vaguely wondering
about it all till the rocking ceased. There was another bump and then
the yellow world seemed to come to an end; and as the daylight streamed
in upon me I fainted again. This time when I awoke to consciousness
things were clearer. I was stretched by a little stream. A native woman
was sprinkling my face and washing the blood from my wounds; while
another who had with my own knife cut off my coat and shirt was
tearing the latter into strips to bandage my wounds. The yellow world
was explained. I was lying on the yellow robe of one of the women. They
had tied the ends together placed a long stick through them and
carried me in the bag-like hammock. They nodded to me when they saw I
was conscious and brought water in a large leaf and poured it into my
mouth. Then one went away for some time and came back with some leaves
and bark. These they chewed and put on my wounds bound them up with
strips of my shirt and then again knotted the ends of the cloth and
lifting me up went on as before.
"I was sure that we were much lower down the Ghaut than we had been when
I was watching for the bears and we were now going still
lower. However I knew very little Hindustani nothing of the language
the women spoke. I was too weak to stand too weak even to think much
and I dozed and woke and dozed again until after what seemed to me
many hours of travel we stopped again this time before a tent. Two or
three old women and four or five men came out and there was great
talking between them and the young women--for they were young--who had
carried me down. Some of the party appeared angry but at last things
quieted down and I was carried into the tent. I had fever and was I
suppose delirious for days. I afterwards found that for fully a
fortnight I had lost all consciousness but a good constitution and the
nursing of the women pulled me round. When once the fever had gone I
began to mend rapidly. I tried to explain to the women that if they
would go up to the camp and tell them where I was they would be well
rewarded but although I was sure they understood they shook then
heads and by the fact that as I became stronger two or three armed men
always hung about the tent I came to the conclusion that I was a sort
of prisoner. This was annoying but did not seem serious. If these
people were Dacoits or as was more likely allies of the Dacoits I
could be kept only for ransom or exchange. Moreover I felt sure of my
ability to escape when I got strong especially as I believed that in
the young women who had saved my life both by bringing me down and by
their careful nursing I should find friends."
"Were they pretty uncle?" Mary Hastings broke in.
"Never mind whether they were pretty Mary; they were better than
pretty."
"No; but we like to know uncle."
"Well except for the soft dark eyes common to the race and the good
temper and lightheartedness also so general among Hindu girls and the
tenderness which women feel towards a creature whose life they have
saved whether it is a wounded bird or a drowning puppy I suppose they
were nothing remarkable in the way of beauty but at the time I know
that I thought them charming."
CHAPTER II.
"Just as I was getting strong enough to walk and was beginning to think
of making my escape a band of five or six fellows armed to the teeth
came in and made signs that I was to go with them. It was evidently an
arranged thing the girls only were surprised but they were at once
turned out and as we started I could see two crouching figures in the
shade with their cloths over their heads. I had a native garment thrown
over my shoulders and in five minutes after the arrival of the fellows
found myself on my way. It took us some six hours before we reached our
destination which was one of those natural rock citadels. Had I been in
my usual health I could have done the distance in an hour and a half
but I had to rest constantly and was finally carried rather than helped
up. I had gone not unwillingly for the men were clearly by their
dress Dacoits of the Deccan and I had no doubt that it was intended
either to ransom or exchange me.
"At the foot of this natural castle were some twenty or thirty more
robbers and I was led to a rough sort of arbour in which was lying on
a pile of maize straw a man who was evidently their chief. He rose and
we exchanged salaams.
"'What is your name sahib?' he asked in Mahratta.
"'Hastings--Lieutenant Hastings' I said. 'And yours?'
"'Sivajee Punt!' he said.
"This was bad. I had fallen into the hands of the most troublesome most
ruthless and most famous of the Dacoit leaders. Over and over again he
had been hotly chased but had always managed to get away; and when I
last heard anything of what was going on four or five troops of native
police were scouring the country after him. He gave an order which I did
not understand and a wretched Bombay writer I suppose a clerk of some
money-lender was dragged forward. Sivajee Punt spoke to him for some
time and the fellow then told me in English that I was to write at once
to the officer commanding the troops telling him that I was in his
hands and should be put to death directly he was attacked.
"'Ask him' I said 'if he will take any sum of money to let me go?'
"Sivajee shook his head very decidedly.
"A piece of paper was put before me and a pen and ink and I wrote as I
had been ordered adding however in French that I had brought myself
into my present position by my own folly and would take my chance for
I well knew the importance which Government attached to Sivajee's
capture. I read out loud all that I had written in English and the
interpreter translated it. Then the paper was folded and I addressed it
'The Officer Commanding' and I was given some chupattis and a drink of
water and allowed to sleep. The Dacoits had apparently no fear of any
immediate attack.
"It was still dark although morning was just breaking when I was
awakened and was got up to the citadel. I was hoisted rather than
climbed two men standing above with a rope tied round my body so that
I was half-hauled half-pushed up the difficult places which would have
taxed all my climbing powers had I been in health.
"The height of this mass of rock was about a hundred feet; the top was
fairly flat with some depressions and risings and about eighty feet
long by fifty wide. It had evidently been used as a fortress in ages
past. Along the side facing the hill were the remains of a rough
wall. In the centre of a depression was a cistern some four feet
square lined with stone-work and in another depression a gallery had
been cut leading to a subterranean store-room or chamber. This natural
fortress rose from the face of the hill at a distance of a thousand
yards or so from the edge of the plateau which was fully two hundred
feet higher than the top of the rock. In the old days it would have
been impregnable and even at that time it was an awkward place to take
for the troops were armed only with Brown Bess and rifled cannon were
not thought of. Looking round I could see that I was some four miles
from the point where I had descended. The camp was gone; but running my
eye along the edge of the plateau I could see the tops of tents a mile
to my right and again two miles to my left; turning round and looking
down into the wide valley I saw a regimental camp.
"It was evident that a vigorous effort was being made to surround and
capture the Dacoits since troops had been brought up from Bombay. In
addition to the troops above and below there would probably be a strong
police force acting on the face of the hill. I did not see all these
things at the time for I was as soon as I got to the top ordered to
sit down behind the parapet a fellow armed to the teeth squatting down
by me and signifying that if I showed my head above the stones he would
cut my throat without hesitation. There were however sufficient gaps
between the stones to allow me to have a view of the crest of the Ghaut
while below my view extended down to the hills behind Bombay. It was
evident to me now why the Dacoits did not climb up into the
fortress. There were dozens of similar crags on the face of the Ghauts
and the troops did not as yet know their whereabouts. It was a sort of
blockade of the whole face of the hills which was being kept up and
there were probably enough several other bands of Dacoits lurking in
the jungle.
"There were only two guards and myself on the rock plateau. I discussed
with myself the chances of my overpowering them and holding the top of
the rock till help came but I was greatly weakened and was not a match
for a boy much less for the two stalwart Mahrattas; besides I was by
no means sure that the way I had been brought up was the only possible
path to the top. The day passed off quietly. The heat on the bare rock
was frightful but one of the men seeing how weak and ill I really was
fetched a thick rug from the storehouse and with the aid of a stick
made a sort of lean-to against the wall under which I lay sheltered
from the sun.
"Once or twice during the day I heard a few distant musket-shots and
once a sharp heavy outburst of firing. It must have been three or four
miles away but it was on the side of the Ghaut and showed that the
troops or police were at work. My guards looked anxiously in that
direction and uttered sundry curses. When it was dusk Sivajee and
eight of the Dacoits came up. From what they said I gathered that the
rest of the band had dispersed trusting either to get through the line
of their pursuers or if caught to escape with slight punishment the
men who remained being too deeply concerned in murderous outrages to
hope for mercy. Sivajee himself handed me a letter which the man who
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