Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 22, 2025
"Thank you for your offer," I answered bluntly, "but I have made up my mind to remain with Dr Cuff, and I hope Tom Bigg will stay by me." Captain Hansleig seemed somewhat annoyed at this reply. "Why, what do you think of me and my craft that you refuse to join us?" he asked. "Provided a person does nothing to offend, really he cannot be called on to express his thoughts," observed the doctor.
As they rode past the ruined cottages at Derncleugh, Dinmont said, 'I'm sure when ye come to your ain, Captain, ye'll no forget to bigg a bit cot-house there? Deil be in me but I wad do't mysell, an it werena in better hands. I wadna like to live in't, though, after what she said. Od, I wad put in auld Elspeth, the bedral's widow; the like o' them's used wi' graves and ghaists and thae things.
When the feast was over, Bigg told me that the chief was anxious that I should go out that evening and kill some lions. I nodded my head in assent. "I have told him you would do so if his people would show you where they are to be found," he observed. Accordingly, the chief and a large number of his people set out with us. Some dozen were, I found, said to be experienced hunters.
While these operations were going forward, I sat in the hut Bigg had formed watching the proceedings. He had made a fire also in front of the hut, at which he boiled some tea, which, with some ham and biscuit, formed our evening meal. He had secured a piece of the elephant's feet for Solon, who ate it with considerable satisfaction.
I longed to rush forward and embrace him, but I had to restrain my feelings, and to content myself with pointing at him as a sign to Bigg, who, I trusted, would make some arrangement for him to meet me. I then, flourishing the long case in which my rifle was enclosed, walked away, followed by the mob of negroes, leaving Bigg to speak, if possible, to Alfred.
"Gang an' tell them i' my name, 'at I tak' back ilka scart o' a nottice I ever ga'e ane o' them to quit, only we maun ha'e nae mair stan'in' o' honest fowk 'at comes to bigg herbours till them. Div ye think it wad be weel ta'en gien ye tuik a poun' nott the piece to the twa women?" "I wadna du that, sir, gien I was you," answered Malcolm.
"Ralph, Ralph, is it you indeed come to look for me?" said a voice which I recognised as Alfred's, and the next moment we were in each other's arms, and I found myself crying almost as if my heart would burst. Alfred was not much less moved, while Solon sprang up, and leaning against us, licked his hand. Bigg had gone to sleep, but he soon roused up, and a very happy party we were.
We had had one of those tremendous gales to which the Mozambique Channel is peculiarly liable, when at early dawn a vessel was made out right ahead, with her masts gone, and her bulwarks rising but a little way above the water. Had it been dark we should have run directly over her. We soon caught her up, and found her to be an Arab dhow, just like the one Bigg had described, and full of slaves.
I thanked Bigg very much for his offer, and said that I would accept it on condition that I could go with him. I could not allow another person to run the risk of losing his life for my sake without sharing the dangers.
He might have meant Mr Bigg, who had concluded the observance with a simple and loving exhortation.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking