Flynn’s Weekly Detective Fiction. Vol. 18, No. 3, September 18, 1926
- Автор: Bailey H. C., Bechdolt Jack
- Год: 1926
- Язык: английский
- Год: The Red Star News Company
- Жанр: Другие детективы
Электронная книга - «Flynn’s Weekly Detective Fiction. Vol. 18, No. 3, September 18, 1926». Краткое содержание книги:
He then called a meeting of the whole colony. He proposed that regardless of race, color or nationality the whole colony be divided into groups of ten. Each group was to elect a representative to an assembly which would meet and make laws for their republic.
As usual Misson’s vision had its way. The whole colony fell to enthusiastically and built a state house for their legislature, every man and woman in the colony having some share in the labor, regarding that share a privilege.
When the assembly met, Caraccioli, presiding, made a handsome oration, proposing that Misson be elected as “Conservator” or chief of the colony. The thunder of unanimous assent overflowed the house of legislature and was taken up by the enthusiastic crowd outside.
Misson accepted the post and appointed Tew admiral of the republic, and Caraccioli secretary of state. Caraccioli selected from among the colonists a council of the ablest who were designated as the cabinet.
Then the legislature proceeded to pass laws. From one of the ships captured by Misson had been brought ashore a printing press and type. This enabled the legislature to have their laws printed, and thus attain the dignity of a — written constitution.
Wives for the Colonists
To take in fully the thrill that lies in this perhaps staid chapter, which I have just recorded, I must remind my readers that these proceedings were, after all, those of, what most people would consider, only a band of pirates building a lair on the coast of a savage continent in an age more than two centuries removed from ours.
Freebooters and pillagers of the sea though they were, here was the founding and the making of a state; and many a proud state to-day had as humble and less picturesque an origin.
Tew, as admiral, urged the building of an arsenal and the augmenting of the fleet. He succeeded to the extent that Misson did build several small sloops, mounting them with eight guns each from the various ships the colony had captured. These proved to be “not only shapely vessels, but excellent sailers.”
But, like most war department heads, Tew was opposed by those who felt that he was taking away too much from the peaceful energies of the republic. A compromise was agreed upon; and the impatient admiral was more than satisfied when Misson consented to a cruise with himself in command of one ship, the Liberty, and Tew in charge of another, Childhood.
The latter would seem a surprising name for a ship in such a setting. But there was much meaning behind it. The colonists realized that if Libertatia was not to die out in a few years, children must soon make their appearance there. So it was largely to answer the colony’s elemental need for wives that the cruise was undertaken.
The two ships set out for Arabia Felix, where they expected to meet and did meet one of many Mogul ships filled with sixteen hundred men and women bound on a pilgrimage to Mecca. The vessel bearing this huge human cargo was little better than a vast ark.
It was carrying one hundred and ten guns for protection. But so poor was the fighting ability on board that when the Liberty and the Childhood bore down on the ship the pilgrims fired one volley of small arms and abandoned the decks.
Misson and Tew landed on the ship without the loss of a single man. It was resolved to put all the males and married women ashore. One hundred girls were then taken on board the two captor ships as a human levy. Scenes of heartrending lamentation ensued as they were torn from their families. Misson’s kindness of heart pleaded for them. But the other dreamers with more granite will prevailed.
Then the two ships with their precious prizes turned back and soon entered the harbor of Libertatia. I am strongly tempted to dilate on the scenes that ensued at the distribution of the hundred wives among the colonists. But it would take genius and more space than I have at my disposal to do justice to the theme.
Rumors in the Jungles
Meanwhile through the dim jungles of the continent a disturbing rumor was spreading. White people had landed. They had come not for a raid for slaves, not to hunt for ivory and gold, and for once their greed was not to be sated with a handful of riches after which they would sail away.
No, these whites had come to plant an empire. They had magic weapons that spoke with thunder and lightning and carried devastation invisibly over a range far beyond the hardest thrown javelin, swifter than the truest arrow.
They had leaders of wisdom, whose words carried magic. Under their banner even men and women of their own continent changed their gods and instead of being stricken for it they flourished. They learned the ways of white men and fought side by side with them. Women had come to join the colony. Their offspring was appearing. Every month the strength and boundaries of that colony increased.
Would not one day this colony arise and invade and overwhelm the rest of the continent? This was not a question these primitives asked themselves so much as a doom they visioned. Or it would be, unless the thousands of tribes now warring among themselves realized their danger in common, and arising in mighty numbers overwhelmed the new colony before it was too late.
While Tew Was Away
So while Libertatia began to hear the prattle of children within its borders, throughout the eastern continent there spread the sound of “dim drums throbbing in the hills half heard.” Painted black couriers hurried from village to village, from tribe to tribe.
War-parties came to parley with other war-parties between whom only recently there had been savage war. Like some thundercloud forming below the horizon, but with a gathering storm behind it, events were developing in the jungle, of which the colonists in Libertatia little dreamed.
So little aware were they of all this that when Tew proposed another cruise with a considerable number of men and several ships, Misson consented. Away sailed Tew with the pick of the colony, while Misson and the rest settled down to the peaceful tasks of civilization.
From heights along the coast hidden spies marked the departure of Tew and his ships. Through the jungle they slipped bearing the tidings. Tom-toms began their ominous mutter.
Harvest time had come — the easy harvesting time of the tropics — and yielded such a golden plenty to the colony that upon the plateau with its ring of altars to the various gods the smokes of worship went up in thank offerings. Peace was in the hearts of the worshipers.
Then from the jungle, which closed in like a dense wall on three sides of Libertatia, arose a vast rumor, mounting to a roar. The jungle began to crackle, and from the dense greenery there came a rain of arrows and javelins. Piercing savage yells from thousands of throats broke the Sabbath peace of the colony and sent its members leaping from their altars to their firearms.
Then the jungle opened and out burst from all sides wave upon wave of hideously painted savages. From behind rhinoceros skin shields they hurled darts of death at the colonists, and with sheer numbers threatened to overwhelm them.
Misson had theoretically considered such a disaster; and like the good commander that he was, had rehearsed his troops for such an eventuality. But it must be remembered that Tew was off on a cruise with the pick of the colony’s fighters.
Nevertheless Misson got every man behind his gun and let loose a barrage of fire and death at the oncoming hordes. But it was like trying to stop a tide by shooting at the waves. Row upon row of savages were mowed down by gunfire. And wave upon wave of blacks swept over them and on to slaughter, as if a whole continent were debouching on the scene.
Dreamers to the End