By Sheer Pluck: A Tale of the Ashanti WarHenty, G. A. (George Alfred)
General
By Sheer Pluck: A Tale of the Ashanti War
Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
Ashanti war, 1873-1874 -- Juvenile fiction
It was impossible to do anything that night, and the next morning Mr.
Goodenough, accompanied by five of the Houssas, one only remaining to
keep guard over the camp, had gone to the place where Frank had last
been seen. Then they scattered in various directions, shouting and
firing their guns. The search had been continued all day without
success, and at nightfall, disheartened and worn out, they had returned
to the camp. The next day the search had been continued with an equal
want of success, and the fears that a leopard had attacked and killed
Frank became stronger and stronger. On the third day the whole of the
carriers were sent out with instructions to search the woods for native
paths, to follow these to villages, and to enlist the natives in the
search. One of these men had met one of the villagers on the search for
the party of the white man.
It was another ten days before Frank was sufficiently recovered from his
fever and wounds to march back to the camp. After a stay there of two
or three more days, to enable him completely to regain his strength, the
party started again on their journey.
In another three weeks they had descended the hills, and the Fans
announced their unwillingness to travel farther. Mr. Goodenough,
however, told them quietly that they had promised to go on until he
could obtain other carriers, and that if they deserted him he should pay
them nothing. They might now expect every day to meet people of another
tribe, and as soon as they should do so they would be allowed to depart.
Finding that he was firm, and having no desire to forfeit the wages they
had earned, the Fans agreed to go forward, although they were now in a
country entirely unknown to them, where the people would presumably be
hostile. They had, however, such faith in the arms carried by the white
men and Houssas, that they felt comparatively easy as to the result of
any attack which might be made upon them.
The very day after this little mutiny, smoke was seen curling up from
the woods. Mr. Goodenough deemed it inexpedient to show himself at once
with so large a number of men. He, therefore, sent forward Ostik with
two of the Fans, each of whom could speak several native dialects, to
announce his coming. They returned in an hour saying that the village
was a very large one, and that the news of the coming of two white men
had created great excitement. The people spoke of sending at once to
their king, whom they called Malembe, whose place, it seemed, was a
day's march off.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account