Part 12

Oriel Porphyry began to feel a little excited, and took more interest in the hunt than he had previously experienced.

"Oh!" exclaimed Fortyfolios, as loud as he could scream; and, upon looking round to observe what was the matter, the hunters beheld a large monkey, as the professor was passing underneath the branch of a tree, swinging by his tail, dart down, and snatch the straw hat that Fortyfolios wore to shield his head from the sun's rays, with which he made an immediate retreat, grinning and chattering among his companions as if congratulating himself on the cleverness by which he had acquired the prize. The whole troop were immediately in commotion, scrambling with one another for possession of the spoil; till the thief, finding he was likely to lose the result of his dexterity, placed the hat on his own head, and darted off, from branch to branch, with inconceivable rapidity, pursued by the other monkeys with a chorus of yells absolutely deafening.

Fortyfolios looked the very picture of mute despair when he found his bald head exposed to the attacks of the relentless mosquitoes, and was obliged to bind it with a handkerchief. His disquietude did not decrease, when, a few paces farther on, his eyes fell upon the form of a monstrous snake, twined round the stem of an immense tree, which, with arched head, glaring eyes, and protruded sting, seemed about to spring upon the unhappy professor.

"Plenty of game here, gentlemen; capital preserve," observed Sir Curry very coolly.

"Heaven preserve me!" emphatically exclaimed Fortyfolios, trembling in every joint.

Tourniquet fired at the monster, and he immediately glided away into the deepest recesses of the jungle.

"A tiger!" shouted Sir Curry, as one made its appearance within a few yards of his elephant. Oriel fired, and hit him. Sir Curry fired at the same time, and lodged a bullet in his shoulder. The animal, smarting with the pain and howling with rage, made a spring at Sir Curry, which brought him within reach of his "tiger-slayer," as he called it; and a ferocious blow, well directed, sent him with another howl to the feet of the elephant, who kept him between her hind legs and her fore legs till she had kicked him to death.

"Fine beast!" said Sir Curry Rajah, noticing its size; "but this place is famous for such game. By the bye, this is the identical spot in which I lost poor Lord Muligatawny. He was sitting on his elephant just where sits our friend the professor----"

"Oh!" groaned Fortyfolios.

"When he fell into the jaws of the tiger."

The professor shuddered and looked very pale.

"A tiger!" shouted Sir Curry.

"Murder!" screamed Fortyfolios; and if Tourniquet had not laid hold of him he would have tumbled off his seat.

"I'm surprised a man of your sense should show so much fear, don't you see," observed the doctor.

"It is not fear, Doctor Tourniquet," replied the professor, endeavouring to conceal his alarm with all the philosophy he possessed. "I do not care about death, but I have a reasonable objection to being devoured. As for the quality, impression, or emotion, which is usually called fear, in a philosophical sense, I deny that in me it has ever had existence."

"A tiger!" again shouted Sir Curry.

"Murder!" again screamed the professor; and he trembled so violently that he caught hold of the framework of the seat to secure his position on the elephant. The game now became very plentiful; and the hunt was followed from one jungle through open vistas into another. Oriel entered into the pursuit with ardour, but Zabra did not appear to join in it with the least interest. He seemed to entertain the same objection to being devoured as Fortyfolios, or else his anxiety for the safety of his companion destroyed all pleasure in the chase. He became restless and uneasy; but Oriel was so actively engaged in looking for and despatching the game, that he did not notice the disquietude of his friend. They had killed several tigers; and, having pursued a very large one out of the jungle into an open valley, he there made a stand before a large banyan tree. The hunters surrounded him, and he was crouching, lashing himself with his tail, and preparing for a spring, as they approached. As soon as they came within shooting distance, Oriel, Sir Curry, and Dr. Tourniquet, fired; instantly, with a low half-stifled growl, the tiger gave two or three prodigious bounds, and leaped upon the elephant upon which Zabra was sitting; and immediately afterwards both were rolling together among the long grass. The elephant, as soon as she observed Zabra's danger, as if in gratitude for the attentions she had received from him before starting for the hunt, turned round and ran at the tiger as if with the intention of trampling him down. The young merchant, in the anguish of the moment, at seeing his friend in the power of the ferocious beast, had at first lost his presence of mind, but observing that the elephant had succeeded in drawing the attention of the tiger from his victim, he slipped off her back, and, with no other weapon than his hunting sword, advanced to the place where the animal stood. The elephant had made two or three rushes at the tiger, but had not succeeded in getting him under her feet, and he was still crouching beside the prostrate body of Zabra, when he observed the approach of Oriel.

"Let me have a shot at him, Master Porphyry," exclaimed his host.

"You will be killed, don't you see, if you attack him with such a useless weapon?" shouted Tourniquet. Oriel still advanced with his sword firmly grasped, his arm raised, and his gaze fixed upon that of the tiger. The savage beast curved his back and lashed his tail; his fur became erect, and his eyes seemed flashing with an expression of the most terrible ferocity. Oriel Porphyry still moved forward; and as the tiger, with a low sharp growl, made a bound towards him, he leaped on one side, and turning quickly round dealt a blow with all his force, that severed the tendons of the animal's leg, as he reached the ground. The brute howled with pain, and rushed with open mouth upon his antagonist. The wound he had received prevented him from making a spring, but he dashed furiously forward upon three legs, with looks intent upon mischief.

At this instant, the elephant made a rush at the tiger, and tumbled him over to a considerable distance. Oriel again advanced towards him; and lashing himself into a fiercer rage, the wounded beast prepared to dig his claws and teeth into the body of his pursuer; but the young merchant avoided all the desperate attempts the savage creature made to fasten upon him, and inflicted upon his head and legs several severe wounds; then, watching his opportunity, he brought down the sword with all his strength upon his skull, and the tiger fell dead at his feet.

When he turned round to hasten to Zabra's assistance, he found the elephant trying to raise him from the ground with her trunk: and she seemed as much concerned at the accident as any person there, and moved him as gently, and looked in his face as anxiously, as the tenderest nurse could have done.

"Bravely fought, Master Porphyry!" exclaimed Sir Curry. "I never saw finer sport; and you have shown yourself one of the best hunters I ever met with. You shall have the skin, for you've well deserved it."

"Are you much hurt, my dear Zabra?" he anxiously inquired, without attending to his host's commendations, as he bent over the prostrate body of his friend. A low groan was all the reply he received. "Dr. Tourniquet!" shouted Oriel: but the doctor was standing at his side, having hastened to the spot when he saw that his services were likely to be required.

"See what can be done immediately," added the young merchant earnestly. "I'm almost afraid the brute has killed him."

"It's not so bad as that, don't you see, for he breathes," observed the surgeon.

"But his dress is all over blood; therefore he must have received some dangerous wounds," added Oriel. "Here; I'll undo his vest; and then we can see the extent of the injury he has received."

"Oh, no!" said the doctor, unceremoniously pushing him away.

"Doctor Tourniquet, you behave very strangely, I think," said the other, seemingly much offended.

"I beg pardon, Master Porphyry," responded the doctor, apparently with much confusion; "but it would be very dangerous to meddle with the wounds now, don't you see."

"They surely ought to be dressed without loss of time," remarked the young merchant.

"The patient has received a severe shock; and the state of the atmosphere, and--and not having with me things necessary to dress the wound, and--and many other things, make it advisable that the patient should be put to bed before his hurts are examined," said the doctor, attempting to hide his perplexity as well as he could.

"I must say, I think it very strange," observed Oriel, not being able to account for the embarrassment under which the doctor was evidently labouring.

"No harm done, I hope?" inquired Sir Curry, as he approached upon his elephant. "I should be sorry to have another Lord Muligatawny affair."

"There's no knowing what harm has been done; for I really cannot get my surgeon to ascertain," replied the young merchant.

"No! ah! that's strange," responded his host: "I always like to know the worst. It's a great consolation."

"Let us get out of this horrid place, or we shall all be eaten up by wild beasts," exclaimed Fortyfolios, who was sitting, disconsolate and uneasy on the top of his elephant.

"Such a thing might be. I've known several persons whose ardour in pursuit of game has made them food for tigers," remarked Sir Curry. "Poor Lord Muligatawny was only one instance out of many."

"Oh!" groaned the professor.

"See, he revives!" exclaimed the doctor, directing attention to his patient, whose eyes were gently unclosing.

"Zabra! my dear Zabra! are you better?" asked Oriel, as he supported his young friend's head on his shoulder.

Zabra looked about him with a wild stare, till his eyes fell upon the elephant, who had all the time been an attentive spectator of the scene, and then, as if remembering what he had suffered, he gave a slight convulsive shudder, and sunk back into the arms of his patron.

"The tiger is dead, Zabra!" exclaimed Oriel.

"I wish all tigers were dead," muttered Fortyfolios.

"I think we had better place the patient on yonder elephant, and I will accompany him till we return from whence we set out, when he can have his wounds dressed, don't you see," said Dr. Tourniquet, who had recovered from his confusion.

"Yes, send him forward with some of my people," added Sir Curry Rajah; "and you come with me, Master Porphyry, and I'll show you a preserve where the tigers are as thick as monkeys on a cocoanut tree."

"I've had quite enough of tiger hunting, I thank you," replied Oriel Porphyry, very seriously; then directing his attention to his young friend, he exclaimed--"Zabra! are you better now?"

The youth opened his long eye-lashes, and gazed upon his patron, as if recognising his voice, and then in a low whisper said, "Yes, I am better, Oriel."

"Will you let Dr. Tourniquet examine your wounds, Zabra? We want to know how much you are hurt."

"Oh no! oh no!" he replied hastily, "Not now, not now, Oriel. Not now."

"This is very strange," observed the young merchant, unable to find a reason for an objection to a thing that seemed so requisite. "Very strange--but you can let us know what injury you have received."

"My back and arms are lacerated," responded Zabra. "But they do not pain me so much as they did. Dr. Tourniquet shall see to them when I return, and perhaps you can allow him to remain with me in case I should want his assistance before. You can then return with the professor."

Oriel Porphyry appeared surprised, but he gave orders to the attendants, who had been unconcerned spectators of the scene; and, having lifted Zabra upon the elephant, who seemed delighted to regain his burthen, the whole party returned to the country house of Sir Curry Rajah.

CHAP. X.

ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE DANGER OF GOOD INTENTIONS.

"I tell you what it is, Boggle," said Climberkin to his friend, as they were pacing the quarter-deck together, "You're al'ays getting yourself into scrapes. You've got a notion as you can do things in the most tip top manner, and you make a reg'lar mommock of every thin' you sets about."

"All I knows o' the matter is, that I likes to ha' 'ticular notions o' things in general, as every man as is a man, and thinks like a man, should," replied the other. "But I arn't such a stoop as to allow every body to come his handy dandy sugarcandy over me. I knows a marlin spike from a gun carriage."

"But there was no 'casion for you to 'noy the cap'ain by comin' the high and mighty over his nevey," observed Climberkin.

"Well, I did it for the best," responded his companion. "You see the young chap arn't quite up to his dooty; so I thought, as I was his superior officer, it was the most properest thing in natur for me to tell him what's what. But I recomembered as young people has feelings, and that it would be best to make my 'munication as pleasant as possible; so the next time I comed alongside Mr. Midshipman Loop, I says, quite delicately, says I, you're a lubberly young son of a sea cow, as arn't fit to do nuffin but to count your fingers, or cut your toe-nails. You're al'ays a skylarking arter some precious mischief or another. No matter whether you're aloft among the reefers, or down below, right-fol-de-dolin' at the mess, you're up to no sort o' good whatsomdever. I arn't no patience wi' sich varmint; and if you don't do your dooty in a less 'jectionable sort o' fashion, I'm pretty considerably spiflicated if I don't make sich a report o' your wagabondisings as shall make you catch more toko than you'll be able to digest in a month. Well, instead of the fellow being grateful for the handsome way in which I'd tried not to hurt none o' his feelins, he looks at me w' as much water in his eyes as 'ould do to wash his face in; and in a short time arterwards up comes the cap'ain, and gives me sich a sittin' down as didn't leave me a leg to stand on."

"You'd been too hard upon the young un," observed Climberkin: "there was no necessity for speaking so sharp."

"It's always the way I gets served out whenever I attempts to do a good action," replied Boggle. "Nobody has better intentions nor I have; but, somehow or another, whenever I've 'tempted to do a fellow a good turn, the end on it is the treatment I meets wi' gives me sich a turn as puts me into a perfect 'stonishment."

"You don't go the right way to work, Boggle--that's it, depend on't," replied his companion.

"The right way!" exclaimed Boggle. "Why, I've been this way, and that way, and t'other way--backards and forards--right and left--upside down and round the corners; and I should like to know what other way there is in this here univarsal world? No; the thing is this: there's a plank started some where. Natur don't go right wi' me. I've had a deal o' 'sperience in my time, and every 'dividual thing has been sarved up to me wi' the same sauce."

"I should like to hear the long and the short o' your goin's on," said Climberkin.

"Why, as to that, I've a notion the whole circumbendibus o' my history is as good as a sermon," replied the other.

"Well, let's hear it then, Boggle, if you've no objection," added his companion.

"Then here goes, if you'll sit down on this gun; for, though I've heard o' a standin' joke, I should think a standin' story would be rather a tiresome sort o' thing. It's no matter when or where I was launched," continued Boggle; "and about my parentage, its only necessary to say, I had a father and a mother, like other folks. Well, in due time I was bound a 'prentice to a ship's carpenter. I very early entertained a desire to set people to rights as was goin' wrong. I thought there was nuffin so pleasant as tryin' to do good, and I took hold of every 'portunity to benefit my fellow-creturs. Master was a punch-your-head sort o' character, wi' one eye and a leg-o'-mutton fist; and missus was a spirited little ooman, mighty famous in her way; but if you did get in her way, she pretty soon made you get out of it. Well, when master wasn't a punchin' my head, missus was a boxin' my ears; and when missus wasn't a boxin' my ears, master was a punchin' my head; and when they were tired o' sarvin' me out, they turned to and sarved each other out. I led a lovely life, as you may suppose."

"A dog would ha' been better off, I should think," observed Climberkin.

"I had a heart overflowin' wi' the buttermilk o' human kindness," continued the lieutenant; "and I didn't like sich a state o' things, no how. I entertained a notion that the only way to change this here strife was to endeavour to create feelin's o' love betwixt the parties; but how to get 'em to like each other, instead of to lick each other, was the difficulty. 'If I can make 'em believe each other's affection, I shall make a reg'lar Cupid and physic business of it,' thought I. But how could I make 'em believe? Where was the proof? I had always heard as jealousy was a proof o' love; so I determined to make 'em as jealous as was possible. Well, I took a 'casion to hint to master as missus was unkimmonly amiable to Brisket, the butcher over the way; and, although Brisket, the butcher over the way, warn't no more a object o' love nor a rhinoceros, I could see master's one eye flashin' about like a bundle o' crackers in a kitchen fire; and he told me to watch their canouvres and 'municate to him any thing as was likely to interfere wi' his conjugalities; and, as a more nor ordinary mark o' his 'preciation o' my regard for his matrimonial blessedness, he took me a punch o' the head twice as hard as ever he'd given me afore."

"You had the luck of it!" remarked his companion.

"Then I went to missus, and, in the most delicatest manner as could be, I gave her to suppose that there was a monstrous deal o' improperiety going forard betwixt master and Mrs. Brisket, the butcher's wife over the way; and, although Mrs. Brisket, the butcher's wife over the way, was about as good looking as a toad-fish, missus seemed quite done brown o' both sides; and, tellin' me to gi' her due notice o' their clandasterous proceedin's, she fetched me a box o' the ear, as made the inside o' my head seem turned into curds and whey. Well, I continued this sort o' game till, if jealousy be a proof o' love, they ought to ha' been convinced beyond a doubt, and, as a matter o' course, should have been as lovin' as turtle-doves: but, 'straordinary to relate, he punched her head, and she boxed his ears, more earnestly than ever, all the time throwing out 'sinuations that stirred each other up into the most tarnationest fury. One unfortunit day, when I was workin' away in the shop, and they were workin' away in the same place, they suddenly stopped their hands to make use o' their tongues.

"'I knows your goin's on over the way, you wretch,' squeaked missus.

"'And I knows _your_ goin's on over the way, you trollope,' bawled master.

"'I'll kill that woman,' cried one.

"'And I'll murder Brisket!' said the other.

"'It's false, you villain! I defy you to prove your words. But you know my suspicions are well founded,' exclaimed the wife.

"'It's false, you hussy! and you know it,' shouted the husband.

"'I had the intelligence from the best authority, sir.'

"'I had mine from a source that dared not deceive me, madam.'

"'Who told you?' was simultaneously asked by both; and 'Boggle!' was the reply in almost the same breath. Immediately they turned upon me. I could see master's eye lookin' at me as if he was about to walk down my throat; and missus--but it's only necessary to say that I made a sudden bolt between master's legs, managed to tumble him over her; and while they were sprawlin' together, I was crossin' all manner o' streets, at a pace that sent every body out o' my way. That was the end o' my 'prenticeship; and thus my good intentions were so 'bominably frusterated."

"And what did you do then?" inquired Climberkin.

"I went to live wi' an uncle," replied Boggle. "He kept a knife-and-forkery. Meat of all kinds, ready cooked, was waiting for the hungry at any hour, with vegetables in season and out o' season; soups of all sorts, and some of very strange sorts; with mustard, bread, pepper, and salt. I continued at this business a considerable time, and liked it much better nor the ship carpenterin'; and I gained a good many 'ticular notions o' things in general: indeed, I may say, without any sinnivation against the sort o' meat we sold, as how I became a slap bang judge o' horse-flesh. I still continued 'deavourin' to set things right as was goin' t'other way; but the same sort o' fun al'ays happened as when I 'tempted to make jealousy become a proof o' love: I got no more gratitude nor would serve a flea to lie down upon. Well, it so happened as our customers was frequently in the habit o' complainin' o' dyspepsia. Every body had dyspepsia: long or short, little or big, fat or lean, every mortal cretur talked o' nothin' else but his dyspepsia. Some said it was all acause o' their diet, and they detarmined to make a reg'lar change in their eatables; so havin' been used to nothin' else but mutton and beef, they directly began to eat nothin' else but beef and mutton. And some said it was one thing, and some said it was another; and some said it was just exactly neither. Now, I knowed about as much o' dyspepsia as I did o' the top o' the moon; but I seed as there was a screw loose somewhere, and I was nat'rally anxious to put it in proper order. So I got hold of a book as gived explanations in the most popular incomprehensible manner about diet and regimen, and what you should eat and what you shouldn't eat; and how much you might put in your bread-room, and how much you might let alone; and there I met with the whole complete circumbendibus about dyspepsia."

"And what was it?" inquired his companion.