Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 3).djvu/39

 them I had shortened the watches to two hours, and promised rewards if they kept awake, and dire punishments if they went to sleep. Sending Isaac, a big, hulking Fantee, 6 ft. 2 in., and broad in proportion, up to the sun-deck, I stationed Salacco by the anchor, and lay wearily down under the mosquito net to try and snatch a little sleep.

"Isaac being on the sun-deck overhead, was, of course, out of my sight. I could only judge that he was awake by the uneasy shuffling of his feet, and the low grinding of his gunstock on the deck. Some twenty minutes passed, and then I suddenly started out of a restless doze, and looked through the mosquito curtain at Salacco. As I gazed he slowly folded his arms round his gun and sank into a squatting position, the rifle standing upright between his arms and knees. Instantly I jumped ashore, and, as he had not had time to get into a sound sleep, I soon roused him up.

What for you go sleep? I demanded, angrily; 'you want Manyema come chop you one time?'

Master, me no sleep.'

You no sleep! You no see me come till I catch you.'

Master, ear no sleep. Manyema come, me hear him, me shoot one time.'

Shoot one time be hanged! I no want you shoot, you keep awake; if you see Manyema, you tell me.'

"The moon was now getting low, and casting long shadows across the stream. Isaac, at any rate, appeared to be awake, so I again crawled under the mosquito net. I dozed, half asleep, half awake, for some time, till at last I felt as if I could not keep my eyes open any longer; not even to save my life. With a terrible effort I raised myself to have a last look at the sentries, and black rage swept over me as I again saw Salacco squatted down round his gun, with his head between his knees. Picking up a hippo-hide chicot, I went ashore and walked up to him.

Salacco!' No answer. Holding the muzzle of his gun so that the shot would fly clear if it went off, I raised the chicot, and gave him a cut across the shoulders. A white man would instantly have jumped up with a yell; but when a nigger gets properly to sleep you can almost cut steaks out of him before waking him. It took several seconds for the smart of the blow to penetrate sufficiently into Salacco's thick hide to wake him; and then, thinking the Manyema had got hold of him, and were beginning to slice him up for the pot, he jumped up, let go his gun, and rushed off as if Old Nick was after him, never stopping till he was quite close to the bush some 300 yards off. Had the Arabs sprung out of the deep shade and killed him there and then, I do not think I should at that