15
CHAPTER III.—Rescued.
When my comrades returned, at an earlier hour than usual, they found the place deserted, and everything left in disorder. They had missed Dowling and Price a few hours after starling in the morning, and were wondering what had become of them. Now that I, too, was missing, they "became very much alarmed. "What was the meaning of it? Had the two newcomers anything to do with it? Had they taken Stansbury's life?" These were questions put to each other. Hastily calling "Jimmy," the native, they decided to go at once in search. Briefly they told him the facts of the case. A few minutes later he was on their tracks. He said " One horse come along this way; two horses go 'long other way." Following these up for nearly seven miles, they were led to the mouth of the "Big Cave," and from there the tracks of three horses led off in another direction. Dismounting rapidly, they decided to search the cave before pursuing, for they felt sure some fatality had happened. At the entrance leading down into the cave there were recent footprints of two men only coming out, though there were no signs of a struggle. One of the bootmarks was that of Dowling, whose left foot was turned in a little. Jimmy examined the marks, and said—"Master no bin there." (This was true, because I had entered the cave at another and a smaller entrance.) But they felt sure that I had been in the vicinity, because my horse was one of the three whose tracks they saw, and yet only two men went with them.
Picking up two pieces of candle, which had evidently been dropped by Dowling and Price, they told "Jimmy" they were going in. He said, "Me know big one cave. Long time ago blackfellow kill'em nother blackfellow; then him brother come along, and spear first blackfellow. Him crawl in this one cave, lie down, and 'crackaback,' (die)."
At first he was unwilling to go in with them, but after promises of good things, and that they would go first, he consented.
They entered single file, the native going second. When they had gone about two hundred yards " Jimmy" gave a frightful yell, and rushed to the left-hand side of the leader. Pointing with his long, black, bony hand, he said, "Me see blackfellow; him dead." They lifted their candles, and in the crevice of the rock, crouched up in a lying position, was the form of a man. It startled them, for at the moment they thought it was my body. Looking closer, they saw it was the rigid form of a native. Whilst gazing and wondering, they were startled by hearing a faint "Cooee." Hark! there it is again. The tone was that of one in deep distress. Giving a "cooee" in reply, and knowing now they were on the right track, they hastened on. Coming to a small opening they crawled through and found themselves in a great vaulted chamber. Now they heard a louder call from me, in response to theirs. Pushing on with as much haste as the dangerous floor would allow, and repeating the signal cry, in five minutes they were within speaking distance of me. "Is that you, Stansbury?' " Yes," was faintly given. "Are you safe?" "Yes." "We are coming." In reply they heard my faint, but joyous, "Thank God."
