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was Arabic, mixed with Baghirmi. He could make out enough, however, by the
universal language of gestures, to be aware that he was receiving a very
polite invitation to depart. Indeed, he would have asked for nothing better,
but for lack of wind, the thing had become impossible. His noncompliance,
therefore, exasperated the governor, whose courtiers and attendants set up a
furious howl to enforce immediate obedience on the part of the aerial
monster.
They were oddlooking fellows those courtiers, with their five or six shirts
swathed around their bodies!
They had enormous stomachs, some of which actually seemed to be artificial.
The doctor surprised his companions by informing them that this was the way
to pay court to the sultan. The rotundity of the stomach indicated the
ambition of its possessor. These corpulent gentry gesticulated and bawled
at the top of their voicesone of them particularly distinguishing himself
above the restto such an extent, indeed, that he must have been a prime
ministerat least, if the disturbance he made was any criterion of his rank.
The common rabble of dusky denizens united their howlings with the uproar of
the court, repeating their gesticulations like so many monkeys, and thereby
producing a single and instantaneous movement of ten thousand arms at one
time.
To these means of intimidation, which were presently deemed insufficient,
were added others still more formidable. Soldiers, armed with bows and
arrows, were drawn up in line of battle; but by this time the balloon was
expanding, and rising quietly beyond their reach. Upon this the governor
seized a musket and aimed it at the balloon; but, Kennedy, who was watching
him, shattered the uplifted weapon in the sheik's grasp.
At this unexpected blow there was a general rout. Every mother's son of them
scampered for his dwelling with the utmost celerity, and stayed there, so
that the streets of the town were absolutely deserted for the remainder of
that day.
Night came, and not a breath of wind was stirring. The aeronauts had to make
up their minds to remain motionless at the distance of but three hundred feet
above the ground. Not a fire or light shone in the deep gloom, and around
reigned the silence of death; but the doctor only redoubled his vigilance,
as this apparent quiet might conceal some snare.
And he had reason to be watchful. About midnight, the whole city seemed to
be in a blaze. Hundreds of streaks of flame crossed each other, and shot to
and fro in the air like rockets, forming a regular network of fire.
"That's really curious!" said the doctor, somewhat puzzled to make out what
it meant.
"By all that's glorious!" shouted Kennedy, "it looks as if the fire were
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ascending and coming up toward us!"
And, sure enough, with an accompaniment of musketshots, yelling, and din of
every description, the mass of fire was, indeed, mounting toward the
Victoria. Joe got ready to throw out ballast, and Ferguson was not long at
guessing the truth. Thousands of pigeons, their tails garnished with
combustibles, had been set loose and driven toward the Victoria; and now, in
their terror, they were flying high up, zigzagging the atmosphere with lines
of fire. Kennedy was preparing to discharge all his batteries into the
middle of the ascending multitude, but what could he have done against such a
numberless army? The pigeons were already whisking around the car; they were
even surrounding the balloon, the sides of which, reflecting their
illumination, looked as though enveloped with a network of fire.
The doctor dared hesitate no longer; and, throwing out a fragment of quartz,
he kept himself beyond the reach of these dangerous assailants; and, for two
hours afterward, he could see them wandering hither and thither
Five Weeks in a Balloon
CHAPTER THIRTIETH.
125
through the darkness of the night, until, little by little, their light
diminished, and they, one by one, died out.
"Now we may sleep in quiet," said the doctor.
"Not badly got up for barbarians," mused friend Joe, speaking his thoughts
aloud.
"Oh, they employ these pigeons frequently, to set fire to the thatch of
hostile villages; but this time the village mounted higher than they could
go."
"Why, positively, a balloon need fear no enemies!"
"Yes, indeed, it may!" objected Ferguson.
"What are they, then, doctor?"
"They are the careless people in the car! So, my friends, let us have
vigilance in all places and at all times."
CHAPTER THIRTYFIRST.
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