Bulger whined piteously as he saw them swarming on the banks.
In another moment they began leaping from one bank to another, passing over our heads in perfect clouds.
I knew full well that they would not dare to leap into my boat but I feared that they might overwhelm us with showers of their little spears. However I determined to try the effect of one of my pistols on them if their spears annoyed me.
King Gâ-roo, beside himself with spiteful anger, now arrived upon the scene, and took command of his assembled troops and serving men.
First he tried entreaty upon me, offering me princely sums and royal honors if I would only turn back.
But I was deaf to his honeyed words. Whereupon he fell into a towering passion. He ordered his soldiers to recapture me dead or alive.
A shower of spears now whistled through the air.
Most of them fell far short of their mark, for the river had now widened so that I was at least thirty feet from the shore whereon they were standing.
But a few of these spearlets fell dangerously near me.
Fearing that their points might be poisoned, I determined to try the effect of a pistol shot in the air.