<h2><SPAN name="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII. <br/><span class="cheaderfont">BY THE LAGOON.</span></SPAN></h2>
<p>They had been more than a month away from
Yanda, and Edgar began to wonder where their<span class="pagenum">[120]</span>
march would lead them. Yacka did not vouchsafe
much information, but kept steadily on his way at a
pace that astonished them. Mile after mile was
traversed, and their guide showed no sign of weariness
or flagging.</p>
<p>One beautiful moonlight night they camped by
the shore of a large lagoon, which reminded them
of a small lake in their own country. It was a magnificent
sight, this sheet of still water glistening
in the moonlight, the trees which overhung it reflecting
weird shadows on the surface.</p>
<p>‘I had no idea there were such lakes as these,’ said
Edgar. ‘There must be a lot of good shooting about
here.’</p>
<p>‘Plenty of ducks and herons,’ said Yacka. ‘I will
get you some ducks without firing a shot.’</p>
<p>They were interested in watching Yacka catch wild
ducks. The black crept cautiously into the water,
and then sat down amongst a lot of cover, which hid
his head from view. Presently they heard a call
such as the wild duck makes.</p>
<p>‘That’s Yacka,’ said Edgar. ‘He can imitate the
cries of all kinds of birds and animals. Look!
there’s a flock of wild ducks coming over.’</p>
<p>The birds flew right into the lagoon, and settled
down on the water not far from Yacka. In a few
minutes there was a flutter in the water, and the
flock rose quickly and flew rapidly away, leaving
three of their number struggling entangled in a fine-meshed
net Yacka had thrown dexterously over them.<span class="pagenum">[121]</span>
Yacka stood up, and, seizing the ducks one by one,
quickly killed them, and brought them to the shore
where Edgar and Will were sitting.</p>
<p>‘Cleverly done,’ said Edgar. ‘If we run short of
ammunition there is little fear of starving when Yacka
can effect such captures.’</p>
<p>The ducks were spitted and roasted, Yacka as
usual acting as cook, and they were thoroughly
enjoyed. Wild bees seemed plentiful, and Yacka
went in search of honey, which he soon found in the
hollow of a tree.</p>
<p>So pleasant was it by the lagoon that they rested
there for several days, enjoying bathing in the lukewarm
water, and finding plenty of birds to supply
their daily wants. Yacka captured a native bear, a
curious little fellow with a woolly skin, and a sharp,
inquiring face. When tucked up he looked for all
the world like a big ball. Huge lizards were
occasionally seen gliding about, and the shrill cries
of parrots were heard overhead. At night the
peculiar cry of the laughing jackass was heard. A
flock of black swan passed by, but did not settle on
the lagoon. They also saw pigeons, wild geese,
plover, and quail, and a couple of pelicans.</p>
<p>So interesting was the wild life of this lagoon that
Edgar was loath to move on into less hospitable
country, but he saw signs that Yacka was becoming
impatient, so decided to resume their march. They
left the camp by the lagoon with much regret, and
cast many a wistful glance behind.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum">[122]</span></p>
<p>‘It will be a long time before we strike such a
good camping-ground again,’ said Edgar.</p>
<p>‘Wait until you reach Yacka’s country,’ said the
black; ‘find plenty sport there. My tribe help you
hunt and fish in big lakes and rivers.’</p>
<p>‘To which tribe do you belong?’ asked Edgar.</p>
<p>‘MacDonnell Ranges,’ said Yacka; ‘but we have
gone miles and miles further north to the land of
Enooma, the White Spirit, across sandy desert. My
tribe very old and warlike. Their country goes far
into the Northern Territory.’</p>
<p>‘So your tribe is known as the MacDonnell
Ranges blacks,’ said Edgar; ‘but you have a native
name, I expect. What is it?’</p>
<p>‘The Enooma,’ said Yacka. ‘We are the favoured
tribe of the great White Spirit.’</p>
<p>‘And you are the son of Enooma,’ said Edgar.
‘Then we are safe with you.’</p>
<p>‘No one will harm the friends of the son of
Enooma,’ said Yacka.</p>
<p>‘Why did you leave your own country?’ asked
Edgar.</p>
<p>‘To wander far and learn much. It was the wish
of Enooma, and she must be obeyed. I have been
in big cities—Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and
Brisbane, and have learned many things and seen
much evil,’ said Yacka.</p>
<p>‘And how did you get on to Yanda Station?’ said
Edgar.</p>
<p>‘From Queensland. I went to Adelaide first, and<span class="pagenum">[123]</span>
then walked to the other big cities. From Brisbane
I went on until I came to Yanda, and there I
camped.’</p>
<p>Yacka went on ahead, and Edgar said to Will:</p>
<p>‘It will be worth all our travels if we can clear up
this mystery about Yacka’s birth. He must have
been taught by white people, or he would not speak
as he does. It is getting more and more interesting.
Who would have thought when we were at Redbank
we should in so short a time be tramping over the
wilds of Australia with only a black for our companion?’</p>
<p>‘I wonder what they are up to at Redbank now?’
said Will.</p>
<p>‘The usual routine work,’ replied Edgar. ‘We
had some jolly times there.’</p>
<p>‘I wish I could make a fortune!’ said Will suddenly.</p>
<p>Edgar laughed as he replied:</p>
<p>‘It does not look much like it at present, but there
is no telling what may happen. Yacka says he can
make me rich, and if so you will have a share in the
plunder. Why do you wish to make a fortune?
You were not always such a mercenary fellow.’</p>
<p>‘Because I love your sister, and I want to be in a
position some day to ask her to be my wife. Now do
you understand?’</p>
<p>‘Yes,’ said Edgar, ‘and I wish you luck. Doris
is a lovable girl, and I know you will try and make
her happy. It is a long time to look ahead, but<span class="pagenum">[124]</span>
there is nothing like having an object in life to make
a man successful.’</p>
<p>‘You know my object,’ said Will. ‘What is
yours?’</p>
<p>‘To earn a good name, and to make my father
proud of his son,’ said Edgar.</p>
<p>‘Then you will certainly succeed,’ said Will, ‘even
if you have not done so already.’</p>
<p>Edgar laughed as he said:</p>
<p>‘I have not done much at present to earn a name
for myself. If ever I become a rich man, I will try
and do good with my money. I have always found
there is a lot of pleasure in helping other people.’</p>
<p>‘You always manage to get on with people,’ said
Will. ‘You have even made a staunch friend of
Yacka. How did you manage it?’</p>
<p>‘By treating him more like a human being than a
dog,’ said Edgar. ‘Of course, Yacka is not like
most of the natives. They are a dull, stupid lot,
what I have seen of them so far, and it would be
almost impossible to teach them anything. I believe
Yacka could be taught just the same as a white man.’</p>
<p>One night, as they were camping under the shade
of some bushes, Edgar was awakened by something
cool touching his face. He put out his hand and felt
a cold, smooth substance, which he at once knew must
be a snake. He sprang to his feet, clutching the
snake and flinging it from him. The noise roused
Will, and Yacka was quickly on the alert. It was
too dark to see anything, but Yacka shifted their<span class="pagenum">[125]</span>
camping-ground. In the morning Yacka came
across a venomous yellow snake, which he killed and
brought to Edgar.</p>
<p>‘Yellow snake,’ he said; ‘dangerous! Deadly
poison! Almost as bad as a death adder! Yacka
skin him,’ which he at once proceeded to do.</p>
<p>Edgar congratulated himself upon a lucky escape,
for had the snake bitten him there would have been
but little chance of his continuing the journey. For
breakfast Yacka was busily engaged in roasting strips
of flesh, but neither Edgar nor Will could think what
animal he had killed to provide their meal.</p>
<p>‘What have you got there?’ asked Will. ‘I hope
you’re not toasting that snake.’</p>
<p>Yacka shook his head and said:</p>
<p>‘You try it first, then I will tell you what it is.
Very good indeed!’ and he smacked his lips.</p>
<p>They enjoyed the tasty morsels, and Yacka informed
them it was the flesh of a species of iguana,
one of the lizard tribe.</p>
<p>Will shuddered as he said:</p>
<p>‘I confess it tasted all right, but I do not think
I should have eaten it had I known what it
was.’</p>
<p>They were about to resume their journey, when
they heard someone ‘cooeying’ loudly, and the
sound proclaimed the person was some distance
away.</p>
<p>Yacka had carefully avoided meeting wanderers in
the country they had come through, and when he<span class="pagenum">[126]</span>
heard the ‘cooey’ he held up his hand, and they
stopped.</p>
<p>‘Let us see who it is,’ said Edgar. ‘It will be a
change to meet a stranger.’</p>
<p>‘All right,’ said Yacka; ‘I know where that comes
from. We are near the telegraph route. Send news
from Adelaide right across the country to Port
Darwin. It is men, perhaps, looking after the line.’</p>
<p>‘Bravo!’ said Will. ‘We shall at least be able to
hear some fresh news.’</p>
<p>They proceeded in the direction of the sound, and
in the course of a quarter of an hour came upon a
camp, where four white men were sitting down smoking
and chatting.</p>
<p>‘Hallo! what have we got here?’ said one of the
men, as he saw Yacka advancing in front of Edgar
and Will.</p>
<p>‘Glad to see you,’ said Edgar, stepping forward.
‘We have not had any company but our own for such
a long time that we are thankful to have fallen in
with you.’</p>
<p>‘You’re welcome,’ said the man. ‘Where do you
hail from?’</p>
<p>‘We have come from Yanda station, in the west of
New South Wales.’</p>
<p>The man stared at them in amazement.</p>
<p>‘What, just as you are? You two youngsters,
with this blackfellow!’</p>
<p>‘Yes,’ said Will. ‘My friend was going alone
with Yacka, but as I wanted to be in it if there were<span class="pagenum">[127]</span>
any adventures, they decided to take me along with
them.’</p>
<p>‘Well, upon my word,’ said the man, ‘you’re a
couple of good plucked ’uns! Do you know where
you are?’</p>
<p>‘I have not the faintest idea,’ said Edgar, ‘but
Yacka has.’</p>
<p>‘You seem to have a good deal of confidence in
this blackfellow,’ said the man, eyeing Yacka closely.</p>
<p>‘We have,’ said Edgar. ‘He’s a fine fellow.’</p>
<p>‘That’s more than I can say for some of his kind,’
said the man. ‘It was only the other week one of
our fellows was murdered beyond the Ranges by
some of these blacks.’</p>
<p>‘Revenge!’ said Yacka quietly. ‘How many of
the black men had he killed?’</p>
<p>‘Blest if the fellow can’t speak English as well as I
can!’ said the man in astonishment. ‘Maybe it was
revenge, but we don’t allow black men to kill white
men without making an example of them.’ Turning
to Edgar he said: ‘I like the look of you, young
fellow, and your mate. My name’s Walter Hepburn,
and I’m in the Government service, and
stationed at Alice Springs, where the telegraph office
is. We’ve been repairing on the line, and are on our
way back to the Springs. If you care to come on
with us, I have no doubt we can show you some fun.’</p>
<p>‘How far are we from Alice Springs?’ asked
Edgar.</p>
<p>‘A couple of days will take us there.’</p>
<p><span class="pagenum">[128]</span></p>
<p>‘Then we shall be very pleased to go with you, and
thank you heartily for your invitation. My name is
Edgar Foster.’</p>
<p>‘What! the young fellow who saved the skipper’s
baby from the wreck of the <em>Distant Shore</em>?’ exclaimed
Walter Hepburn.</p>
<p>‘Yes,’ said Edgar sadly; ‘we were the only two
saved.’</p>
<p>‘Give me your hand, lad,’ said Walter Hepburn;
‘I’m proud to shake it. Here, lads, give three cheers
for Edgar Foster!’</p>
<p>The men gave three ringing cheers, that echoed
far and wide.</p>
<p>It made Edgar’s heart beat fast to hear them in
this wild country.</p>
<p>Good deeds make themselves known and felt the
wide world over, and their influence can make men
better even in a wilderness.</p>
<p>Yacka was pleased at the reception given to Edgar,
and his black face was all smiling.</p>
<p>‘That blackfellow’s uncommon fond of you, I
reckon?’ said Walter Hepburn.</p>
<p>‘He is,’ said Edgar. ‘Yacka planned this expedition
for us, and we are in search of adventures, and
want to see the country.’</p>
<p>That night Edgar and Will enjoyed a hearty
supper with their newly-made acquaintances; and
Edgar had to relate how he was rescued, and how he
saved Eva from the wreck of the <em>Distant Shore</em>.</p>
<p>When Edgar mentioned to Walter Hepburn that<span class="pagenum">[129]</span>
they were going far beyond the Ranges with Yacka,
he looked serious.</p>
<p>‘If you’ll take my advice, you will make for
Adelaide from Alice Springs. It is over a thousand
miles from there to Adelaide. If you go on north,
to Port Darwin, that is over nine hundred miles.
Where does Yacka, as you call him, want to take you
on the other side of the Ranges?’</p>
<p>‘That is his secret,’ said Edgar, ‘and I cannot tell
you what he has told me. Before we started from
Yanda I meant to go through with this business, and
I’ll do it if I live.’</p>
<p>‘I admire your pluck,’ said Walter Hepburn; ‘but
what is the use of risking your life when there is no
object to be gained?’</p>
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