It's our last chance!"
We scrambled out of that canoe the prow of which, as I left it the
last, I pushed round across the water-lane to obstruct those of the
Pongo. Now I think all would have gone well had it not been for
Stephen, who after he had floundered forward a few paces in the mud,
bethought him of his beloved orchid. Not only did he return to try to
rescue it, he also actually persuaded his friend Mavovo to accompany
him. They got back to the boat and began to lift the plant out when
the Pongo fell upon them, striking at them with their spears over the
width of our canoe. Mavovo struck back with the weapon he had taken
from the Pongo sentry at the cave mouth, and killed or wounded one of
them. Then some one hurled a ballast stone at him which caught him on
the side of the head and knocked him down into the water, whence he
rose and reeled back, almost senseless, till some of our people got
hold of him and dragged him to the shore.
So Stephen was left alone, dragging at the great orchid, till a Pongo
reaching over the canoe drove a spear through his shoulder.
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