The men had now fallen into line, none of them riding, for only the pack animals were to be taken. In a column of tens they started on their march over the bad lands toward the crevice. There were fully five thousand of these, and they made a most imposing sight as they marched in perfect order, each man having slung over his shoulder, his cross-bow, and in his belt, his dagger and ax. These equipments had been brought along for two reasons; they might have to fight off the negroes, and then they had to make hunting tours to get meat for the camp. In perfect step, this army of giants moved toward the cliffs. They had gone several miles, when, looming up before them, they saw an immense body of negroes, speared and hatcheted, and ready for the fray.
CHAPTER XLI.
THE SLAUGHTER.
The leader of the large body stopped short and those in the rear craned their necks to see what had caused the sudden halt; but they could see nothing, for it was only the leaders, who had just reached the top of a slight eminence, who could see the large body of negroes, standing with shields in place and spears in hand as if expecting the Onians. The men looked again and could hardly believe their eyes. No, they could not be mistaken; there they were; an array of black, grinning devils, brandishing their spears, or pounding their shields with them.
Onrai and his friends, who had been riding in the rear, hurried forward when the column stopped, to see what was the matter. It took them sometime to do this, but when they arrived at the head of the column and saw from their high position on the elephants’ backs, the great body of negroes facing them and only half a mile distant, their surprise knew no bounds. The Onians looked at the King and his white companions, as if wondering if they had been led to this point by a lie, to fight these black animals, for none of them realized that these black, shiny-skinned and nude beings were human. But why should the King lie to them? They were perfectly willing to come here on any mission for the King, and it was not necessary to get them here by a ruse.
Again that superstitious fear of the whites took possession of them, and their faces began to assume that startled look as if afraid that some unknown calamity was about to overtake them. They kept their eyes on the whites as they advanced and consulted with the King. Why were they talking in such low tones? Why did they not address the men and explain this new mystery? Not a word had passed between the Onians, but the same fear seemed to take possession of them at the same time, and they looked from one to the other and knew that the same thoughts had come to all.
Mr. Bruce looked over the men and noticed that hunted look in their faces, and he knew that immediate action must be taken or they would be lost; that these men, crazed for the moment by a superstitious fear, might turn on them first and, getting them out of the way, turn and flee from the strange enemy.
“Onrai,” said Mr. Bruce, as he rode up hastily beside the King, “Quick, don’t lose a moment, but order the pack animals to the rear. The men are becoming demoralized and need immediate action or all is lost. The old suspicion in regard to us has again taken possession of them and they may turn on us at any moment. It matters little about us, but the negroes must be driven back. Give your orders.”
Onrai turned to the men and he too, saw that dread look on their faces.
“Men,” said he, almost beside himself with fear of the consequences if he should lose control of them; “men, yonder horde of black demons are here to take your country, to take your lives, but worse, to take your wives, mothers, brothers and sisters. They are here to destroy our land, to devastate our fields of grain and fruit, to steal and kill our animals, to destroy our beautiful city and the many villas throughout our land. They know no law, they have no religion, they care nothing for the lives of others. They will kill us or drive us from our own land, into a distant world where we will starve and die. Will you not fight for country, home, loved ones and for the right? These demons have come through the crevice which we were this day to commence closing, and they must be driven back. If we do not drive them back, killing as many as is in our power in doing so, then will they force us to travel that path which leads from our old Land of On, and which, when once followed, can never be retraced. Come, Onians, quickly; shall it be those black beasts who shall leave On, or ourselves?”
The men looked at each other in astonishment. They could not realize at first that such a state of affairs could possibly exist, as there being the remotest possibility of their being driven from this land, which was theirs by right of inheritage and possession. The truth began to dawn on them, though, as Onrai continued speaking, and when he had finished, a low rumbling sound was heard, like the first faint sound of the approaching earthquake, but like this it grew in volume, until it broke in a mighty shout, and the men were Onrai’s, to do with as he wished. Only let them drive from the beautiful land of On the hated beasts which faced them, waiting the end of the parley.