The Adventures of Captain Mago

As I drew near to Hannibal, he advanced rapidly to greet me. He seemed in high spirits, and although he was evidently affected by the intelligence we gave him about Hanno, he endeavoured to disguise his feelings by saying that we must all submit to the chances of war.

"But what's to be done next?" he added, quickly.

I told him that I was determined at all hazards to go in pursuit of Bodmilcar, who must not be suffered to escape.

"Easier said than done," replied Hannibal. "Bodmilcar not only had a large force of Phœnician criminals and deserters, but when he attacked us he had a regular swarm of savages, all armed either with clubs or javelins. At any rate, he can keep his distance. I know not whether he is alive or dead; but I know this, that the fellows have found out that it is not to their advantage to tackle us in close quarters. However, we are too few to surround them, and to pursue them is only to expose ourselves to another ambush."

"What is to be done, then?" I asked, gnashing my teeth with vexation.

"You must get to the top of the hill before night," he answered, decidedly; "you must reach the open plain; you must not run the risk of another surprise. Once on the plateau you are secure; you can rest your men and give them food; they are knocked up. And you will have time to interrogate your prisoners."

Chagrined as I was, I could not resist the conviction that Hannibal's advice was judicious, and, however reluctantly, gave up all thought of immediate pursuit. I directed that the prisoners should be fastened together by a rope passed round their necks, and that forty men should be told off under Himilco for a guard, with orders to kill the first man that showed the least sign of resistance.

"You may trust me for that," said the pilot, with a vindictive grin; "they have only left me one eye, but that is a sharp one."

When the captives had been securely bound, I had all the packages and silver collected that had been left strewn about by the runaway porters.

"There will be a double load for each of these scoundrels to carry," I remarked; "I shall take good care not to trust Iberians with my property again till I have seen them well fettered."

The baggage was gathered without the occurrence of any renewed attack, and Gisgo returned from the wood brandishing a stout cudgel that he had cut from the bough of an oak.

"Here's something to make them stir their legs a bit!" he said, as he saw the men loaded with their burdens.

"Now then, get on, you brutes!" Himilco screamed in Iberian; "and the first rogue that shirks his work is a dead man!"

Placing the prisoners in the middle, we proceeded cautiously to continue our ascent; and while we were prosecuting our toilsome march, I asked Bichri to give me full particulars about the encounter with Bodmilcar.

"As accurately as I can," he said, "I will. On leaving you we advanced without obstruction some hundred paces into the wood, when in a moment we found ourselves with a host of Iberians in our front, and as many in our rear, pelting us with stones and darts. We ran full speed to a spot where the trees were not so thick, and planting our backs against a projecting rock, we stood on our defence; but almost directly afterwards we espied a troop of soldiers dashing down towards us. They were Bodmilcar and his miscreants. There seemed no hope for us: in a few minutes we must have been overpowered; but, happily, Hannibal and Chamai made their appearance, and a desperate fray ensued. I saw Bodmilcar fall to the ground; Chamai had all but secured him, when he was cut down by a cutlass, and the Tyrians seized their opportunity to carry off their chief, the barbarians covering their retreat, and hurling an incessant shower of missiles. But we were rescued."

I had listened with eager attention to Bichri's story, and as he came to a pause, I asked:

"But how about Hazael, and the woman and the child?"

"Patience, and you shall hear," he said. "We resolved to go in pursuit of our foe, who, we had no doubt, was seriously wounded, and we had got into the thick of the forest, when we came upon a pile of wood with a child lying bound on the top of it. Fourteen or fifteen soldiers were standing round, and Hazael, with a long knife in his hand was on the very point of slaying the child, while two men were forcibly dragging off a woman, who had evidently thrown herself across its body. The very instant that Aminocles caught sight of the victim, he shrieked aloud 'My son, my son!' and dashed like a madman into the group; we all rushed after him, and Hazael, seeing that he was in danger, made a lunge at the child with his knife and took to his heels. However, I was too quick for him, and soon had him back again. Meanwhile Aminocles and my archers had made short work with the other men, and the boy, who had fainted, was set free by cutting the cords that fastened him, and was found to have sustained no very serious injury. The woman, too, who had been endeavouring to ward off the blow of the knife, was recognised by one of the Phocians as the wife whom he had lost. Altogether, considering we have captured the eunuch, saved the child, and restored a man his wife, I do not know that we have done a bad day's work."

But changing his tone, Bichri added, mournfully:

"And yet how it saddens all to think about poor Hanno and our big friend Jonah. I loved them both, poor fellows! I wonder what has become of old Gebal. Is he gone too?"

I said that I had very little doubt the monkey had been on his usual perch upon the trumpeter's shoulder, and so most probably had shared his fate. Bichri drew a long sigh, which seemed to convey the impression that he was almost as much concerned at the loss of the monkey as he was moved by the fate of his comrades.

We had now reached the plateau. It was a dreary plain, dotted at rare intervals with a few trees and tufts of thistles, and as far as I could estimate, about twelve stadia from the Bœtis. Our supply of fresh water being nearly exhausted, we were obliged to be very frugal with it at our evening meal; but as soon as this was finished, and Hannibal had posted his sentinels and had all lights extinguished, I summoned Hazael before me. I took my seat, supported on either side by my officers and pilots, making Bichri, Aminocles and his son, and the Phocian with his wife, likewise be present.

The prisoner was brought forward, pale and trembling; his hands were tied behind his back, and his embroidered robe was torn and soiled with dust and blood.

"You know me?" I roared out to him as he approached.

"Yes, my lord," he faltered out in a quivering voice, without lifting his eyes from the ground.

"And you know your conduct towards me?" I roared again.

The culprit made no answer.

"Do you suppose I took you with me that you should plot against me in Egypt, at Utica, at Gades?"

He still gave no reply.

"What made you dare to try and kill that child?" I said.

"I was under orders," he whined out; "Bodmilcar made me. He wanted to sacrifice to Moloch to secure his favour. I dared not disobey him; he has had me in his power all along. It is not I, it is Bodmilcar that has wronged you."

"O, that matters not," I answered. "Curses on Bodmilcar! Would you save your life? One way, one only way is open to you still."

The despicable Syrian prostrated himself till his face was on the earth, and groaned out:

"Spare me! spare my life! ask what you will! trample on my neck! make me your slave for ever! but spare my life!"

Chamai, who was standing beside me with a bandage on his forehead, turned his head away in disgust.

"Spare your life!" I repealed; "why, if I did my duty I should make your life a sacrifice this very minute to the souls of the brave heroes who have lost their lives through you!" And after a pause, I said: "But, listen to me! do what I require, and I will give you more than your life; when we are back at Gades, I will give you your liberty."

"O, I will do anything; but swear, swear that you will spare my life!" implored the abject wretch, still grovelling with his forehead in the dust.

"Yes, hearken!" I ejaculated. "By Ashtoreth! goddess of heaven, I swear it!"

Relieved of his immediate terror, the pusillanimous craven started to his feet, and in a tone quite brisk in contrast with his previous whinings began to ask what it was that I required him to do.

"You must first inform us of the strength of Bodmilcar's force."

"One hundred and sixty Phœnicians. Six hundred or perhaps seven hundred Iberians."

"You must next tell us the place of rendezvous he had appointed, in case his attack should fail."

Hazael hesitated. Chamai said that if he revealed this, he would deserve a score of hangings for his treachery. Without noticing the interruption, I said again:

"You must tell us his place of rendezvous."

Again no answer.

"Except you tell, you shall be hanged this very minute."

And to show him that I was in earnest I called for a rope. Himilco produced a strong cable-end that he always wore round his waist under his kitonet. Hazael quivered and turned pale.

"Stop, stop! don't hang me! I will tell!"

"Out with it, then; quick!"

"At the Wolf's knoll."

"So far, so good. But where is that?"

"In the wood, two stadia off."

"But which way?"

"Behind us; over there; there to the right."

"Well then, come and show us the way."

And weary as I was, almost worn out by fatigue, I could not resist the desire to go upon the simplest chance of meeting the adversary that I hated so bitterly. I called out to my men that I wanted fifty volunteers to go with me and hunt out Bodmilcar from his lurking place. Many more than I had called answered to my appeal, eager to offer their services, and I could only request Hannibal to select those best fitted for the expedition, and bid the others take good care of the women and the baggage, and see that the captives were well secured.

Aminocles begged for permission to remain behind with his little son, and asked that his countryman Demaretes might likewise be allowed to stay with his newly-rescued wife; he acknowledged that they were indebted to me for the recovery of their dear ones, promised that they would fight doubly hard another time, but pleaded that they might be excused now. Of course I had no hesitation in yielding to his request.

Before setting out I said, incidentally, that we might perchance be fortunate enough to recover the bodies either of Hanno or Jonah, or both. Chryseis rose instantly to her feet, and, pale with agitation, placed herself at my side. To my inquiry whither she was going, she replied in a steady voice:

"To seek the body of my betrothed. If it be the will of the gods, I will consign it to a tomb."

"Come, then, you shall," I said, deeply affected by her sorrow, her resignation, and her courage; "and may Ashtoreth protect us all!"

Hannibal gave the order to march. Bichri, ever indefatigable, went to the head of the column, leading Hazael by the cord which bound his wrists; Gisgo, with his hatchet on his shoulder, kept close to the eunuch on the other side; and Himilco, with his sword drawn, followed on behind. We advanced in silence towards the woods, choosing such hollows in the ground as the moonlight left in shadow, and in a short time were within sight of the dark masses of foliage that bounded the moonlit plain. Making our way as stealthily as we could through the thickets, we came to a mound near the edge of the steep that we had scaled in the morning. It was an abrupt elevation of the soil, and was described to us by Hazael as being the place known as the Wolf's knoll, and which Bodmilcar had fixed as the rally-point of his people. When we halted there was not a light to be seen, not a sound to be heard, nothing to break the gloom or the stillness of the forest.

"Before we give the signal for attack," said Hannibal, under his breath, "we ought to know what they are doing."

"I know my way," said the eunuch; "let me go and look, that I may bring you word."

"Thanks," said Himilco; "you are very good – we will not trouble you."

After this sarcastic rebuff to his very transparent pretext for eluding us, Hazael was relapsing into his former silence, when Bichri suggested that he should himself take the eunuch and go and ascertain the actual position of affairs, adding that if he made a movement to escape, he would plunge his knife hilt-deep into his body.

Hannibal gave his consent, and the two disappeared in the thicket, Bichri pushing on his prisoner before him. In less than half an hour there was a crushing of the brushwood, and they were before us again.

"What news?" we asked.

"The rascal has deceived us," said Bichri; "we went all round the mound, not a man, however, was to be seen."

"No, no, no!" sobbed the eunuch; "I have not deceived you. I swear I heard Bodmilcar say, 'Wolf's knoll.' Cut out my tongue if I lie! I swear it."

"Stop your oaths, liar!" I exclaimed impatiently. "Lucky for you I pledged you your life; but be on your guard, or, by Ashtoreth, another time – "

"It may be," said Hannibal, "the villains have been lurking about, and, having discovered your approach, have decamped. The eunuch may have told the truth. Anyhow, nothing can be done. I am dead-beat."

Himilco and Hamilcar both declared that they, too, were quite knocked up, so that I determined to make our way back, and seek the repose of which we were so much in need.

CHAPTER XV

JUDGE GEBAL DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF

On arriving within a comparatively few paces of our encampment, we were challenged by the sentinels, who were keeping a sharp look-out. As soon as we had entered the lines, Aminocles came running towards us with excited gestures, and, hardly allowing me time to inquire what had occurred, told me in broken Phœnician that during our absence "the little man" had been and gone, and was now in a clump of trees hard by.

For the moment I was puzzled; but Bichri, comprehending more quickly what the man meant, exclaimed, "Gebal! Judge Gebal!" and dashing off in the direction indicated, began to whistle his accustomed call-note. In a few minutes he returned, his countenance beaming with glee. The monkey was seated on his shoulder, and greeted us with hideous yells and grimaces. Ugly as the creature was, I confess I was glad to have it again amongst us; nearly every one came to look at it, and although it pulled Hannibal's beard, scratched Himilco's face, and bit Gisgo's nose, nothing was set down to spitefulness, but all was taken in good part, until the beast tried to claw Chamai's hand, upon which Chamai, never very patient either with man or brute, struck it a violent blow which sent it howling back to Bichri. As it sprang away it dropped something that looked like the strap of a sandal. After picking it up and examining it by the light of a torch, Chamai exclaimed:

"By all that's good, there is something written here! it is written in Phœnician."

I snatched the strap away from him in my eagerness, and discerned in a moment that it was covered with characters apparently traced in blood. Without waiting to read it all, I cried out:

"Hanno is alive! old Gebal has brought us the news. Hanno has written to us himself."

After I had deciphered the writing carefully, I said:

"Now, listen, my friends – this is what he says: 'We are prisoners, alive and well: Jonah's trumpet saved us; savages would not give us up to Bodmilcar; their chief wanted a Phœnician trumpeter. Another chief wants a trumpeter before he will give his daughter in marriage to this chief. I am spared as well. We are to be sent off at once to the northern chief. Keep up your spirits. We will soon escape. Beware of Bodmilcar; he is laying an ambush. He means to cut you off from the river.' There, my men, that's what he says. We will hope to see him yet."

As I ceased to read, Chryseis threw herself into Abigail's arms, and wept for joy; Gisgo flung his cap into the air; Himilco took a liberal draught from his goat-skin; and Hannibal manifested his emotion by sneezing seven times in succession. As for Bichri, he took the monkey in his arms, and fairly hugged it, a piece of attention which Gebal acknowledged by plucking out a handful of his hair.

"O, Gebal, shame upon you! would you be pulling out my hair when you know how much I love you? Brave old Gebal! I was only congratulating you on distinguishing yourself so well."

The others were all equally anxious to pet the creature, and gave it quantities of almonds and raisins, which it took without leaving its perch upon Bichri's shoulder.

"Come, come!" I said, "no time for this trifling. Our water is gone; we must get to the river; we must be beforehand with Bodmilcar. But there is one piece of business that we must settle first. Bring Hazael here."

The eunuch was brought before me, and addressing him very sternly, I said:

"Hazael, you have heard this letter. It proves you a liar and a traitor. Your villainy has cost us much trouble; there is no reprieve this time; you must be sent forthwith to another tribunal. Menath, Hokk, and Rhadamath must be your judges. You must die."

Flinging himself prostrate at my feet, the abject wretch broke out into the most piteous supplications; he implored for mercy, but I was inexorable. Two sailors raised him to his feet, and Himilco having made a running noose in his rope, slipped it round the Syrian's neck.

"Choose your own tree, my good man," said Himilco; "for my part I should recommend a sturdy holm."

Hazael made no reply, but struggled so violently that he had to be dragged forcibly along.

"Don't be a fool!" cried Gisgo. "What objection can you have to be hanged? it will save your shoe-leather."

"Now then," said Himilco, as soon as they had placed the eunuch under the tree, "haul away, tackle him up to the standing-rigging; there! his navigation has come to an end!"

And almost as he spoke, Hazael was dangling in the moonlight.

"One traitor gone to his last account," I said.

"And the other, I hope, soon to follow," Hannibal replied.

Brief and scanty was our rest that night; and when in the morning the sun rose in a cloudless sky, so unrefreshed were we after our fighting and toiling, that it was with the utmost difficulty that we could drag ourselves across the hot and dusty plain. My own throat was parched, and my stomach cramped with those terrible sensations known only too well by those who have suffered the tortures of excessive thirst. Himilco had drained his last drop of wine, and went feebly along through lack of stimulant; Hannibal removed his helmet, and carried it slung from his girdle; and all were too worn and weary to utter a syllable as we marched. Bichri was the only one of us who exhibited no symptom of fatigue, his wiry frame being capable of unlimited endurance.

About the middle of the afternoon a light mist, indicating the course of the river, revived our flagging energies by making us aware that fresh water was not far off. I took Bichri and a number of men carrying gourds and goat-skins, and hurried on to obtain, without loss of time, some drink for my thirsty host; but when I had got within half a stadium of the river-bank I was seized with such violent pain and nausea that I could hardly stand. I persevered, however, till we were hardly more than twenty paces from the water's edge, when suddenly there was a rustling in the bushes, and a score or more of lances came whizzing about us, and we were startled by the shrill war-cry of the Iberians. Surprised, but not intimidated by the attack, we kept steadily on our way, and were close upon the river-bank, when some thirty or forty savages emerged from the rushes and confronted us with their lances, whilst as many again, with hideous yells, ran to assail the flank of our main body. Hannibal and Chamai soon dispersed their adversaries, but I with my party in advance did not fare so well, for notwithstanding that Bichri struck down more than one of the foremost of the barbarians, they succeeded in entirely surrounding us. One of the sailors had his arm pierced by a javelin. Bichri had a cut in the calf of his leg, and my own movements were completely paralysed by a lance having got tightly fixed in my shield and shoulder-belt. I confess I thought it was all up with us, but at the critical moment the well-known sound of the Phœnician trumpet broke upon us, followed by the animating cry, "Courage, courage, we are here!" and a change passed upon the scene. Like a flock of startled birds the savages were off in scared retreat; an advancing troop, doubtless Bodmilcar's own, wheeled rapidly about and took to flight; they had descried Hasdrubal who, from the river-bank, was bringing up a company to our rescue. Never did a friend receive a warmer welcome. To my inquiry how it was that he had arrived so opportunely, he told me he had been watching the enemy's movements all the morning; they had been too engrossed with their own schemes to observe him, but he was so convinced they were designing mischief that he lowered the mast of the Cabiros and brought her up to the side-arm of the river, whence he had led his men forward just in time to render us good service.

Thus happily relieved from the threatened peril, our force hastened onwards to slake their thirst, and I think it was for the first time in my life that I saw Himilco gulp down (and that with evident satisfaction) a draught of pure water. Another hour and we were descending the Bœtis, and joyously recounting our adventures.

That night, which was spent on board the Cabiros, was a night of well-earned rest. Next morning we started early for the spot where the Dagon and the Ashtoreth had been moored.

I gave my sailors five shekels apiece, and a triple ration of wine, and conscious that they had been overworked, I granted them twenty-four hours' release from labour before finally recommencing our voyage. They spent their holiday according to their own taste; they drank, they shouted, they sang, they danced, and occasionally they diversified their amusement by a little fighting; yet, notwithstanding the obstreperousness of their proceedings, when evening came they calmed down quietly enough to their ordinary discipline.

The next day found us once more on the open sea, and for myself I felt an indescribable satisfaction in again looking upon its green and restless face, and in hearing its waves plash against the sides of my ship.

In two days we had reached Gades, and I settled all the business I had to transact with Ziba.

And now the time had come for me to announce to my officers and crew a purpose that I had long been contemplating. Accordingly I invited them all to an entertainment in a tent at some public gardens beyond the town, and when the repast was over I rose and told them why I had gathered them together.

"My friends," I began, "our mission is accomplished. King David's demands are met; King Hiram's orders are fulfilled. King David's subjects are at liberty to return to Palestine, and I have brought them here to bid them all farewell."

Chamai started to his feet impatiently, and looking at me with a keen and earnest scrutiny, asked what I meant.

"What I mean," I continued, "is soon told. I propose to put all my silver on board the Dagon, and to place her under the command of Hasdrubal. In the Dagon you, too, can return. Hasdrubal shall have orders to land you and Abigail and Hannibal, and whoever else may choose to accompany you, at Joppa."

Upon hearing this, Hannibal, in a voice agitated with emotion, called out:

"And you? What about yourself? And are not Himilco, Hamilcar, and Gisgo to go back with us?"

"Not one of them," I answered; "we have other work to do."

A blank silence fell upon them all. Hannibal gazed at me in bewilderment, big tears gathering in his eyes; Chamai broke his reverie by bringing his fist down so violently upon a chair that it broke under the blow; and after a space, Bichri began softly to whistle one of the melodies of his tribe, his usual way of trying to exhibit a contemptuous indifference.

Chamai was the first to speak.

"By our holy God! captain, I could never have believed you capable of this," he blurted out.

"Yes, indeed, by all that's holy!" said Hannibal, finding his voice, "what have we done that merits treatment of this kind?"