Chapter 61 - The Boy Slaves by Mayne Reid
GOLAH FULFILS HIS DESTINY
Taking the Krooman by one arm, the Arab sheik led him up to the old man-o'-war's-man, who, sailor-like having finished his watch, had gone to sleep.
After being awakened by the sheik, the Krooman was told to ask the white man why he fired his pistol.
"Why, to kill Golah,—the big nager!" answered Bill; "an' I'm mighty desaved if I 'ave not done it."
This answer was communicated to the sheik, who had the art of expressing unbelief with a peculiar smile, which he now practised.
Bill was asked if he had seen the black sheik.
"Seen him! sartinly I did," answered the sailor. "He was not more nor four paces from me at the time I peppered 'im. I tell you he is gone and done for."
The sheik shook his head, and again smiled incredulously.
Further inquiries were interrupted by the discovery of the body of the Arab sentinel whom Golah had killed, and all clustered around it.
The man's head was nearly severed from his body; and the blow—which must have caused instant death—had evidently been given by the black sheik. Near the corpse, tracks were observed in the sand such as no other human being but Golah could have made.
It was now broad daylight; and the Arabs, glancing along the shore to southward, made another discovery.
Two camels with a horse were seen upon the beach about half a mile off; and, leaving one of their number to guard the douar, the old sheik with his followers started off in the hope of recovering some of the property they had lost.
They were followed by most of the slaves; who, by the misfortunes of their master, were under less restraint.
On arriving near the place where the camels were, the young man we have described as Golah's brother-in-law, was found to be in charge of them. He was lying on the ground; but on the approach of the Arabs, he sprang to his feet, at the same time holding up both his hands.
He carried no weapon; and the gesture signified, "It is peace."
The two women, surrounded by their children, were near by, sitting silent and sorrowful on the sea-beach. They took no heed of the approach of the Arabs; and did not even look up as the latter drew near.
The muskets and other weapons were lying about. One of the camels was down upon the sand. It was dead; and the young negro was in the act of eating a large piece of raw flesh he had severed from its hump.
The Arab sheik inquired after Golah. He to whom the inquiry was directed pointed to the sea, where two dark bodies were seen tumbling about in the surf as it broke against the shingle of the beach.
The three midshipmen, at the command of the sheik, waded in, and dragged the bodies out of the water.
They were recognized as those of Golah and his son, Muley.
Golah's face appeared to have been frightfully lacerated; and his once large fierce eyes were altogether gone.
The brother-in-law was called on to explain the mysterious death of the black sheik and his son.
His explanation was as follows:—
"I heard Golah calling for Muley after hearing the report of a gun. From that I knew that he was wounded. Muley ran to assist him, while I stayed behind with the horse and camels. I am starving! Very soon Muley came running back, followed by his father, who seemed possessed of an evil spirit. He ran this way and that way, swinging his scimitar about, and trying to kill us both as well as the camels. He could not see, and we managed to keep out of his way. I am starving!"
The young negro here paused, and, once more picking up the piece of camel's flesh, proceeded to devour it with an alacrity that proved the truth of his assertion.
"Pig!" exclaimed the sheik, "tell your story first, and eat afterwards."
"Praise be to Allah!" said the youth, as he resumed his narrative, "Golah ran against one of the camels and killed it."
His listeners looked towards the dead camel. They saw that the body bore the marks of Golah's great scimitar.
"After killing the camel," continued the young man, "the sheik became quiet. The evil spirit had passed out of him; and he sat down upon the sand. Then his wives came up to him; and he talked to them kindly, and put his hands on each of the children, and called them by name. They screamed when they looked at him, and Golah told them not to be frightened; that he would wash his face and frighten them no more. The little boy led him to the water and he rushed into the sea as far as he could wade. He went there to die. Muley ran after to bring him out, and they were both drowned. I could not help them, for I was starving!"
The emaciated appearance of the narrator gave strong evidence of the truth of the concluding words of his story. For nearly a week he had been travelling night and day, and the want of sleep and food could not have been much longer endured.
At the command of the Arab chief, the slaves now buried the bodies of Golah and his son.
Gratified at his good fortune, in being relieved from all further trouble with his implacable foeman, the sheik determined to have a day of rest, which to his slaves was very welcome, as was also the flesh of the dead camel, now given them to eat.
About the death of Golah there was still a mystery the Arabs could not comprehend; and the services of the Krooman as interpreter were again called into requisition.
When the sheik learnt what the sailor had done,—how the pistol had been made an effective weapon by filling the barrel with sand,—he expressed much satisfaction at the manner in which the old man-o'-war's-man had performed his duty.
Full of gratitude for the service thus rendered him, he promised that not only the sailor himself, but the boy slaves, his companions, should be taken to Mogador, and restored to their friends.