The Professor instructed the warriors under his command to divide into three parties, one to remain with him, and the others to go to the right and to the left, so that the Kurabus would thus be entrapped.
The party marched forward unsuspectingly, di[p. 43]rectly toward the position occupied by the Professor, and he instructed Oma to show himself and inform them that they were surrounded and that resistance would be useless.
Some, more venturesome than others, started to retreat, but the unexpected appearance of the Professor's warriors drove them back, and without firing a shot or loosing an arrow they submitted. When the Professor appeared they were the more surprised. The whole were marched back to the village, and, although the women tried to escape, all were soon rounded up and brought back.
The captured Kurabus warriors were taken to the Brabos' village, and the women informed that they would not be injured, as the white man did not believe in making war.
The Professor at once sent a runner to Blakely and also to John. Two days afterwards the runner appeared at the Cataract with the following message from the Professor:
"We captured the Kurabus' village to-day, and all the warriors left there, as they were about to leave to join the forces now before Blakely. We have taken all of them to the Brabos' village, where they will be held. Make the utmost speed with the weapons. In the meantime, I have sent a force to the north to intercept any reinforcements that the Tuolos may forward."
The message from Blakely was as follows: "We arrested the movement of the allies yesterday, and asked why they were determined to attack us. They refused to give an answer, and they are, probably, awaiting reinforcements. My forces are be[p. 44]tween them and the Cataract, and they will give their answer in two days."
All this news was imparted to the people, and the knowledge was received with enthusiasm. It gave the warriors the first glimpse of the value of cooperation, and the benefits of a directing hand in their affairs.
At the Cataract matters were progressing favorably. Reports from Blakely and the Professor assured them that they would have no difficulty, in a few days, in getting at least thirty of the guns ready. Stut proved himself to be the most apt pupil, and nothing interested him as much as the forge and anvil, and John, noticing this, set him to work on the small anvil to forge out arrow heads.
The arrows used by the natives were uniformly of stone, but the metal ones were perfect, and so arranged that, with the ramie fiber, could be readily attached to the shaft. The most deft workers in the making of the native arrows were selected, and together they made up a large quantity of arrows, and Stut seemed to be indefatigable in turning out the heads for the workers.