The Young Briton: Sam Sawbones — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

Then the smoke parted slowly so as to form a kind of passage with a wall on each side, Down this passage stalked a hideous creature, half human, half gorilla. This terrible creature adyanced to the cirele and raised his foot as if to cross it. But he could not, and with a roar of rage he marched slowly round the charm:d circlesesking for some break in it so that he might enter. All this timo the witch was chanting the terrible | spells, aud in spite of the awful sights around, Jack wondered however she could keep up the fearful dance so long. The perspiration rolled from her body foam flew in white flecks from her li blood-shot eyes seemed: starting from The monster finding no first gave vent to his “rage in bounds nearly resembling those of the witch, but at last he utteréd another yell, and thon the discordant noises began to cease, the witch’s bounds grew less and les: furious, and her seng died away upon her lips until at last sho sank exhausted on = —. en the terrible spirit rose itself up to its full height, and cried— ~ > ‘Thou hast called me from the spirit-world. I have come at thy bidding, What wouldst thou with me? ”’ would know if the arch- , the ; and her “Great._spirit, I wizard, Hassan al Ferez, still lives.”’ “‘He lives, and always will live until the Diamond Mount is found.’’ | will happen?” _ “And if if be found, what 1nquired the Black Witch. ‘* Then the Lake of Light shall seize its own. Life and light are nearly the same ; life is light, death is dispersing of darkness. Wouldet thou know more? ”’ “I would know if Beppo bears a charmed life? ”’ ets “No man can killhim, The hand that brings en saath mana love him. When that hand tries O shield him it shall bring him deaths? men “ido not understand you,” said the witch ; ‘* speak plainer.’’ “Tcannot, We spirits but read the future as through a mist.” “ Will he be killed ?’’ demanded tho witch, ‘*T see the shadow of death now over him, A slight thing will bring it over him.” ‘* Whose hand shall work the deed ?” demanded the witch, - “I know not. D»E not tell you that we look through a miet? All I can see fs that no man Shall strike the blow to bring him to the grave.’’ ‘‘ No man !”’ exclaimed Jack, in surprise. ‘ The monster uttered a roar, and glared at our ero. “Silence!’’ hissed the witch; * have you 8) charm to guard you against evil that you dare speak to this fearful spirit? Silence, and let me ask the questions,”’ Jack bowed to the Black Witch's mandate, and was silent. ‘Then the hand*of a Beppo!” she cried. “It must be so. spirit. “Go!’* rejoined the witch. a A brilliant flach of light, and the terrible phantom had gone. : Jack made a movément as if ho would have left the circle, but the witch stopped him. “ Ono step over that and youdie,’’ she exclaimed, pointing to the skulls. Know you not that the spirits are still here? They are invisible, but all powerful. I will call the other spirit—one of good. Oh! it is terrible, . Evil spirits are things foshudder at, but the spirit of true goodness ik re awfal to us, because we are so distant from it. woman must slay this Dismiss me!’ replied the The witch once more began her iacantations, but this time they were of a far more quiet | Nature. 2 She began in alow voice to hum a kind of tune, which seemed to call all the creatures to her. Hideous snakes crept into the magic circle, and made their way to the witch. | The bats dropped from the roof andclung round os — and a scorpion crept to her, and lay at or iéet, ay in the cirele at | A YOUN@ GENTLEMAN'S: JOURNAL, Then the witch, in a loud voice, sung the fol- lowing chant :— ‘* Whon the world was young and the flowers’ first birth Came with a fragrance—the breath of the earth When the aun firat shone o’er fields and o’er One <goitit bat reigned—’twas the Spirit of But man in his pride waxed strong, and his | beeat! Created the spirits of Evil and Death. Base thoughts in his mind, false thoughts in his heart, Made the Spirit_.of Good from mankind depart. Bat a time came at last, in Evil’s great reign, When the Spirit of Good, ’midst sicknoss and pain, Came down to the wozld, bringing blessings again. Sweet Spirit of Good, come now, I implore! — show us the book of the great hidden ore. The Spirits of Evil, which we did create, Know little of man’s great ultimate fate. With Spirits of Evil we still haye our way— To the Spirit of Good we only can pray. No one can bind thee, No one can blind thee, : Greatest of powers—giver of bligs. Oome like a light— Kies as the sun the sweet flowes kisa,”’ A3,she finished the chant, a sweet gush of melody filled the hut, and immediately a cloud of golden light stood before the witch, who shaded her eyes asif unable to bear the glare of the light. As the music ceased there came a sweet low voice which appeared to proceed from the clond., ‘‘T have heard your prayer and have answered it. What would Pe tt “@ We would know ifthe Diamond Mount in the — of Light will ever be found ? ’’ said the witch. “It will be found,’’ raplied the spirit. “A bold heart and a firm hand shall guide the way ; but only the truly pure will ever cross the lake and reach the mount.” | °® Shall Lever reach the Lake of Light ?”’ cried Jack, forgetting the witch’s command. ‘“You may. Bat hasten back to your friends. Take not the same track by which you came ; but pass through the forest you will see on your right. Ba bold, be resolute, and all may yet be well. Farewell ! farewell! farewell !’’ Slowly the bright cloud faded away, and when if was gone our hero perceived that the Biack Witeh Was stretched on the groundina fit. Here limbswere twisted, hex hands clenshed, | her face convulsed, and foam flew from her lips. : "He knelt by her side, and raising her head upon his arm wiped the froth from her lips. * You can go,” croaked a voice by his side, “I will take care of her,” Jack looked up and beheld the deformed slave | Nombate standing byhim, -—— **Ts she subject to these fils ?’’ inqui~ed. Jack, as he resigned his charge to the dwarf, **Oaly when she has been converging with the most powerful spirits. Now, go.’ “Can I not be of some further help to you?’’ inquired Jack, ‘*No. You will fidd your mule at the door, Now go, Or harm may befall thee,’’ Jack saw that the little monster wished to be left-alone with his mistress, and, wisely conjec- turing that doubtless Nombate kaew how to treat her much better than any oneelse would, our. hero took his departure ; but before doing eo he offered the dwarf some gold. “Put up thy gold,’’ erled the little man, abt “We sell not our charms or spells. 0! ' Finding it useless to press the money, Jack left the hut, and: finding his mulo ready for him, as Nombate had said, he mounted the boast, and rode down to meet his guides: He found the fellows stretched by the side of their mules, fast asleep. | alone,” me or E£ shali blow out insure. = 167 oes: — Shaking them roughly, he bade them mount at Once, and placing himeelf at their head, rode quickly down the narrow path until he came to a plain, on the right of which he perceived a thick forest. Reining in his mule, he demanded of his fol- lowers whether there was not a way through the “* Cospstto !”’ growled one, “there is a path, but it is not a safe way.”’ “And why is it not a safe way?’’ demanded our hero, sharply. ‘“* Because of the wild animals and the still © wilder men.” } “Tut!” laughed our here, as he touched his pistols ; ‘‘ these are not the things to frighten us.’’ * Aye, but there is a band of fiereé men in that forest who spare No one em whom they once lay hands. Oh, they are terriblé monsters! They do say—with what truth ] know not—that Beppo was friendly to them. Certaim it is that they would permit him to pass through the forest un- armed, but no one else ever passed that way.” ** Then if is time some one else did pass that way; laughed daek; “so cOme on my brave fellows, and I will lead you through this forestin spite ef these terrible marauders.”’ * Surely you would not be so rash,’’ cr‘ed the two fellows, drawing back. “T tell you that I have good reasons for going through that wood,” said Jack. | ‘Then by the body of Bacchus youmay go cried ome. | “Pardon me,’’ replicd Jack, gontly, producing @ plato}, ‘‘ I shall not go slone. You will go with our brains. Do not attempt fo play me false. Iam your captain for the time being, and I wil? have obedience. Come, lead the way to the foreat path,’’ =<The men looked at each other and then at Jack Ball. * «hey saw by his face that they had not the slightest hops of moving him from his resolution, aad that. to attempt Gpsn Cisobedience would but Muttering many curses upon our hero, the two fellows rode slowly to the forest, keeping about one mule’s length in advance of Jack. © . It was indeed a dark and gloomy placa, The grey light of the morning, which was nov breaking, could not penetrate through the thiek foliage of the treee. The tree frogs kept up a continuous croaking, aud Dow and then the rustle amongst the uncerwood told the lurking of some deadly snake. ‘They had ridden on in this way for some time when suddenly the men paused and made a sign — for our lero to do the same. Jack dismounted from his mule them. | “What is it?’’ demanded Jack, in a low whisper. n3es The men made no answer, but pomted downimto a hollow. : At the bottom of this hollow somes men were seated round a fire, drinking and emoking. They were rongh-looking follows, clad in the skins of wild animals, and armed with long hunt- ing-knives and rifles. ‘“ They are the wild» huntsmen,’’ whispered Jack’s terrified attendants: “ If they see ua we ars lost. We had better retrace our steps as soon as wecan. Come, senor, let us_go.’’ ‘‘ Cowardly dogs,”’ replied Jack; ‘' make one attemps to fly and I will shoot you myself.’’ _ ‘* What would you have us do, senor?’”’ de- manded the men, ‘ Dismount from your mules and fasten them to a tree,” . Grumblingly the msn obeyed this.order. - “* Now,” said Jack, ‘* follow me, and do as I tell you. Obey mo in everything, and these rascals shall find thatit is tot so casy to havo it all their Own way.’’ : | Cautiously Jack and his followers crept from trea to tree down the hollow, until they were within twenty paces of the wild huontsmen, who were. perfectly ignorant of their presence. Here Jack signed for them to halt, and to watch what passed. = Bound to a tree so that he could not move was @ naked man, his head beaut down upoa_ his breast. , | So motionless was he that at first Jack believed him to be dead, but he seon knew better. (E() GOMIEDOCKS and crept up to Lf)