A Queer Race: The Story of a Strange People — page 167: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

161 A QUEER RACE. sumably shallow. ‘The banks on the hither side are low, marshy, and covered with reeds; on the side over against us, high and steep, and, for a space of several hundred yards, destitute of cover. | ' On coming to the water’s edge we pause for a brief colloquy. The tide, though not at its lowest, is ebbing fast. Shall we wait until itebbs further? My advice is, decidedly not. The Cariberoes may be on our trail—al- most certainly are on our trail; tne low reeds afford hardly any protection, and even while we stand here whispering we may be shot down by unseen foemen. ‘There is no fear of our drowning,” says Mab; ‘“‘ we ean all swim.” ‘But if we swim we shall wet our ammunition, and that might be fatal. We are all tall, too, and I hope we shall be able to do it wading. Come! There is ne time to lose. I shall fasten the cartridges round my neck, and hold my rifleand revolver overmyhead. You two go first, and as you cannot well wade one way and look another I will stay here and protect your passage.” ‘‘And when we are on the other side we will do the same service for you. Come, Marian!” And with that they plunged boldly into the stream, the queen (who had fastened a few cartridges in her hair) holding her rifle above her heac; the tide ran very strong, and I watched their movements with considerable anx- lety; but these women were strong, active, and courage- ous, and though more than once up to the neck, they showed no sign of wavering, and in a few minutes had gained the opposite bank. Mab raised her rifle to show that she had kept her pow- der dry, and, standing on guard, motioned me to join them. ‘‘So far so good,” I said, when I was safely across. ‘*Now mount that bank as quickly as you can, and wait for me among the trees.” ‘‘And what will you do?” ‘‘Stay here until you are safe up there. You will be very much exposed while you are climbing that bluff and walking up the slope.” “And you?” | ‘Don’t trouble about me. I shall be all right. I ean mount the bluff in a few minutes, and I shall make (E(O) mm Cc ooo) KS (ee)