Adventure Magazine, April 10, 1924 — page 132: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

130 For several years the Boubous had been accumulating arms and ammunition. Un- scrupulous traders supplied them with these in exchange for elephant tusks. Finding themselves strongly armed, they had de- cided to turn their newly obtained power to profit. Evidently, they did not want to antagonize the French who controlled their land, but raiding-parties often moved across the river. Not long ago, one of these bands had surprized the women and children of a village by the water-side and carried off many. In the resulting skirmish with the watriors of the settlement, the chief, who was one of Tari’s sons, had been hit in the shoulder by a poisoned arrow, and had died. Peller, listening carefully, saw an oppor- tunity to help his new friend. “Your course is all indicated, captain,” he suggested. ‘‘You come down to the vil- lage with me. Old Tari will assuredly be willing to help you against his son’s mur- derers. You can pick up a band of auxili- aries. And, by the way, is the village a fishermen’s center?”’ ¢ ‘VYes,” “Then you can obtain canoes. After I get my rifles, I’ll proceed up-river, near the French bank. You keep near the Belgian shore. If you meet with the Boubous, I’ll prevent them from landing on the French side, give you enough time to inflict punish- ment upon them that’ll keep them quiet for atime. If they should be on the French side, I’ll land and turn them with my #érail- leurs, drive them into sight at the bank. Though you are prevented from landing on Ubangi territory, there’s nothing preventing you and your men to fire from the canoes.” Carlotti thought the proposition over for a time. “That’s true,” he concluded. “I could make faster time by canoe than through the bush.” The Italian’s servants brought out food, a variety of tinned goods that bewildered Peller, used for the last few weeks to the scanty diet of the far outposts. “Vou travel like a prince!’’ he remarked, indicating with a gesture the pile of iron boxes near by, which all bore the captain’s name, and appeared to be personal baggage. Carlotti seemed somewhat annoyed at the remark, mumbled a vague answer, and changed the subject. With good food, good wine, Peller’s spirits Adventure rose. His delay of two of three days occa- sioned by the theft of the rifles would be easily explained away. The captain, accus- tomed to the improbable yarns of his subordinates, would smile unbelievingly and drop the matter. His record would be clear, his commission would come. And all through the curtesy of this amiable captain. Men of his sort were not met with every day. Another might have insisted upon carrying the matter as far as it would go. There would have been endless discus- sion, every one would have been disturbed, and Peller, the unwilling cause, might have been court-martialed. “A night-cap?” Carlotti suggested. “Your health, captain!” Peller replied. Then he sought his blanket, his mind at peace, his body delightfully satisfied with the splendid dinner. As he lay down, he saw Carlotti, still seated by the fire, with the light dancing on his face, the face of a Calabrian bandit. “Bah, if one were to judge by appear- ances!”” Peller murmured. ‘‘Carlotti cer- tainly is a gentleman.” Then he went to sleep. # TARI’S village was situated on a <4 rocky promontory jutting out into " the Ubangi from a curve of the river- bank. The trees had been cleared away, up to the very edge of the dense forest, and the approach to the stockade was bare save for huge reddish boulders showing above the coarse grass. From the bush limit it was possible to see the entire village, the surface of the Ubangi and, a thousand yards beyond, the French shore. The two white men and their followers approached. It was evident their arrival had been announced by runners. The streets were crowded with blacks. The Zertba, a large hut the size of ten ordinary dwellings, loomed above the many conical huts. A red rag, doubtless an emblem, ‘hung to the pole before the building. “Looks populous,” Peller remarked. “Large town, Tari’s,’’ Carlotti said, smil- ing. “‘‘A sort of calling port for every canoe on the river. Supply center for the fisher folk.” Carlotti, experienced Colonial that he was, knew the value of an impressive demonstration. He decided to march his men into the town in good order, in step. Among his baggage, the Italian found 2 GCOMIGDOOKSEEO 5}