Several men ran back and opened the packages containing their equipment, and others followed to see the prisoners. Uraso was one of the first to come up, and he was soon followed by John, all in excitement over the news. George was the first one to get a hatchet. He soon chopped a way through, and Uraso was the first to crawl into the enclosure, followed by George.
The latter staggered back, as he saw the scene before him. The enclosure was fully fifteen feet high, and occupied a space, probably, twenty feet each way. It was constructed of a species of bamboo, exceedingly hard, two rows of these paling being driven into the ground close together, so that it was impossible to see through the stockade at any point.
Within there was absolutely nothing but the bare ground, and a mass of indescribable filth, as may be imagined. Here, lying on the earth, were five men, with little or no clothing, covered with dirt and vermin. Two of them were in fairly good con[p. 59]dition, an evidence that they had not long been prisoners.
The other three were emaciated, and what surprised the boys most was the long, matted and tangled beard of one of the three. The moment John saw that form he turned to the boys and fairly shrieked: "This is a white man. Cut down that fence, so the men can be taken out, and the moment they are removed set fire to this place."
The boys could not understand John's vehement expression.
"Shall we burn the village?" asked Harry.
"Oh, no! Burn only this enclosure, and don't let a vestige of it remain."