Whispering to Janstins, I bade
him remember that in courage and caution alone lay our hope of escape,
and he presently recovered his presence of mind sufficiently to follow
me when we ran, bent double, under cover of the luxuriant foliage, to
the beach, where we arrived only just in time to scramble into the
second boat that was being shoved off by the terrified sailors, before
the mother-bird, now joined by her mate of even larger proportion, came
in pursuit of us, and so carried away were these monsters by rage at
our escape that they advanced into the sea, stretching their necks at
us while uttering a loud, drumming noise which we could hear repeated
when we were on board the ship, and even after we were out at sea.
Next morning, at daybreak, we again made the coast, and toward evening
we found ourselves opposite a sandy beach upon which a number of
natives appeared to be engaged in some tribal ceremony. Fires were
lighted along the sea shore, and, upon drawing nearer, we were able to
distinguish groups of men, apparently captives, with their hands bound
behind them, standing together while their captors performed an
extravagant dance round them.
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