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diff --git a/25499.txt b/25499.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4138595 --- /dev/null +++ b/25499.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10192 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Great White Queen, by William Le Queux + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Great White Queen + A Tale of Treasure and Treason + +Author: William Le Queux + +Release Date: May 17, 2008 [EBook #25499] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GREAT WHITE QUEEN *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Lybarger and the booksmiths at +http://www.eBookForge.net + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: "Hurled headlong into the flaming mouth."--_Page 179._] + + + + +THE GREAT WHITE QUEEN + +A TALE OF . . +TREASURE AND +TREASON . . . + +BY + +WILLIAM LE QUEUX + +AUTHOR OF "ZORAIDA" "THE GREAT +WAR IN ENGLAND IN 1897" "A SECRET +SERVICE" ETC. . . + +John F. Shaw & Co., Ltd., +_Publishers_, +3, Pilgrim Street, London, E.C. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + CHAP. PAGE + I.--A ROMANCE 1 + II.--OMAR'S SLAVE 8 + III.--OUTWARD BOUND 18 + IV.--A STRANGE PROMISE 25 + V.--THE GIANT'S FINGER 31 + VI.--THE ROYAL JUJUS 37 + VII.--SAMORY'S STRONGHOLD 45 + VIII.--THE SECRET OF THE QUEEN 52 + IX.--CONDEMNED TO THE TORTURE 59 + X.--ZOMARA 65 + XI.--THE HUMAN SACRIFICE 72 + XII.--IN THE SACRED GROVE 81 + XIII.--THE WAY OF THE THOUSAND STEPS 88 + XIV.--FOES 96 + XV.--A NATURAL GRAVE 102 + XVI.--WORDS OF FIRE 111 + XVII.--A SALUTE OF BULLETS 122 + XVIII.--THE MYSTERIOUS REALM 131 + XIX.--THE CITY IN THE CLOUDS 138 + XX.--THE GREAT WHITE QUEEN 143 + XXI.--A FIGURE IN THE SHADOW 154 + XXII.--TO THE UNKNOWN 162 + XXIII.--UNDER THE VAMPIRE'S WING 169 + XXIV.--THE FLAMING MOUTH 180 + XXV.--LIOLA 191 + XXVI.--THE FIRST BLOW 201 + XXVII.--BY THE NAYA'S ORDERS 208 +XXVIII.--THE FIGHT FOR THE EMERALD THRONE 218 + XXIX.--A MYSTERY 229 + XXX.--TREASURE AND TREASON 242 + XXXI.--A SPY'S STARTLING STORY 255 + XXXII.--WAR 264 +XXXIII.--THE HAREM SLAVE 271 + XXXIV.--LIOLA'S DISCOVERY 287 + XXXV.--INTO THE MIST 303 +CONCLUSION 308 + + + + +THE GREAT WHITE QUEEN. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +A ROMANCE! + + +IT is a curious story, full of exciting adventures, extraordinary +discoveries, and mysteries amazing. + +Strange, too, that I, Richard Scarsmere, who, when at school hated +geography as bitterly as I did algebraic problems, should even now, while +just out of my teens, be thus enabled to write down this record of a +perilous journey through a land known only by name to geographers, a vast +region wherein no stranger had ever before set foot. + +The face of the earth is well explored now-a-days, yet it has remained +for me to discover and traverse one of the very few unknown countries, +and to give the bald-headed old fogies of the Royal Geographical Society +a lesson in the science that I once abominated. + +I have witnessed with my own eyes the mysteries of Mo. I have seen the +Great White Queen! + +Three years ago I had as little expectation of emulating the intrepidity +of Stanley as I had of usurping the throne of England. An orphan, both of +whose parents had been drowned in a yachting accident in the Solent and +whose elder brother succeeded to the estate, I was left in the care of a +maternal uncle, a regular martinet, who sent me for several long and +dreary years to Dr. Tregear's well-known Grammar-school at Eastbourne, +and had given me to understand that I should eventually enter his office +in London. Briefly, I was, when old enough, to follow the prosaic and +ill-paid avocation of clerk. But for a combination of circumstances, I +should have, by this time, budded into one of those silk-hatted, +patent-booted, milk-and-bun lunchers who sit on their high perches and +drive a pen from ten till four at a salary of sixteen shillings weekly. +Such was the calling my relative thought good enough for me, although his +own sons were being trained for professional careers. In his own +estimation all his ideas were noble and his generosity unbounded; but not +in mine. + +But this is not a school story, although its preparatory scenes take +place at school. Some preparatory scenes must take place at school; but +the drama generally terminates on the broader stage of the world. Who +cares for a rehearsal, save those who have taken part in it? I vow, if I +had never been at Tregear's I would skip the very mention of his name. As +it is, however, I often sigh to see the shadow of the elms clustering +around the playground, to watch the moonbeans illumine the ivied wall +opposite the dormitory window. I often dream that I am back again, a +Caesar-hating pupil. + +Dr. Tregear, commonly called "Old Trigger," lived at Upperton, a suburb +of Eastbourne, and had accommodation for seventy boys, but during the +whole time I remained there we never had more than fifty. His +advertisements in local and London papers offering "Commercial training +for thirty guineas including laundress and books. Bracing air, gravel +soil, diet best and unlimited. Reduction for brothers," were glowing +enough, but they never whipped up business sufficiently to attract the +required number of boarders. Nevertheless, I must admit that old Trigger, +with all his faults and severity, was really good-hearted. He was a +little sniffing, rasping man, with small, spare, feeble, bent figure; +mean irregular features badly arranged round a formidable bent, broken +red nose; thin straggling grey hair and long grey mutton-chop whiskers; +constantly blinking little eyes and very assertive, energetic manners. He +had a constant air of objecting to everything and everybody on principle. +Knowing that I was an orphan he sometimes took me aside and gave me sound +fatherly advice which I have since remembered, and am now beginning to +appreciate. His wife, too, was a kindly motherly woman who, because being +practically homeless I was often compelled to spend my holidays at +school, seemed better disposed towards me than to the majority of the +other fellows. + +Yes, I got on famously at Trigger's. Known by the abbreviated appellation +of "Scars," I enjoyed a popularity that was gratifying, and, bar one or +two sneaks, there was not one who would not do me a good turn when I +wanted it. The sneaks were outsiders, and although we did not reckon them +when we spoke of "the school," it must not be imagined that we forgot to +bring them into our calculations in each conspiracy of devilment, nor to +fasten upon them the consequences of our practical jokes. + +My best friend was a mystery. His name was Omar Sanom, a thin spare chap +with black piercing eyes set rather closely together, short crisp hair +and a complexion of a slightly yellowish hue. I had been at Trigger's +about twelve months and was thirteen when he arrived. I well remember +that day. Accompanied by a tall, dark-faced man of decided negroid type +who appeared to be ill at ease in European clothes, he was shown into the +Doctor's study, where a long consultation took place. Meanwhile among the +fellows much speculation was rife as to who the stranger was, the popular +opinion being that Trigger should not open his place to "savages," and +that if he came we would at once conspire to make his life unbearable and +send him to Coventry. + +An hour passed and listeners at the keyhole of the Doctor's door could +only hear mumbling, as if the negotiations were being carried on in the +strictest secrecy. Presently, however, the black man wished Trigger +good-day, and much to everyone's disgust and annoyance the yellow-faced +stranger was brought in and introduced to us as Omar Sanom, the new boy. + +The mystery surrounding him was inscrutable. About my own age, he spoke +very little English and would, in conversation, often drop unconsciously +into his own language, a strange one which none of the masters understood +or even knew its name. It seemed to me composed mainly of p's and l's. To +all our inquiries as to the place of his birth or nationality he remained +dumb. Whence he had come we knew not; we were only anxious to get rid of +him. + +I do not think Trigger knew very much about him. That he paid very +handsomely for his education I do not doubt, for he was allowed +privileges accorded to no one else, one of which was that on Sundays when +we were marched to church he was allowed to go for a walk instead, and +during prayers he always stood aside and looked on with superior air, as +if pitying our simplicity. His religion was not ours. + +For quite a month it was a subject of much discussion as to which of the +five continents Omar came from, until one day, while giving a geography +lesson the master, who had taken the West Coast of Africa as his subject, +asked: + +"Where does the Volta River empty itself?" + +There was a dead silence that confessed ignorance. We had heard of the +Russian Volga, but never of the Volta. Suddenly Omar, who stood next me, +exclaimed in his broken English: + +"The Volta empties itself into the Gulf of Guinea. I've been there." + +"Quite correct," nodded the master approvingly, while Baynes, the fellow +on my left, whispered:-- + +"Yellow-Face has been there! He's a Guinea Pig--see?" + +I laughed and was punished in consequence, but the suggestion of the +witty Baynes being whispered round the school was effective. From that +moment the yellow-faced mysterious foreigner was commonly known as "the +Guinea Pig." + +We did our best to pump him and ascertain whether he had been born in +Guinea, but he carefully avoided the subject. The information that he +came from the West Coast of Africa had evidently been given us quite +involuntarily. He had been asked a question about a spot he knew +intimately, and the temptation to exhibit his superiority over us had +proved too great. + +Not only was his nationality a secret, but many of his actions puzzled us +considerably. As an instance, whenever he drank anything, water, tea, or +coffee, he never lifted his cup to his lips before spilling a small +quantity upon the floor. If we had done this punishment would promptly +have descended upon us, but the masters looked on at his curious antics +in silence. + +Around his neck beneath his clothes he wore a sort of necklet composed of +a string of tiny bags of leather, in which were sewn certain hard +substances that could be felt inside. Even in the dormitory he never +removed this, although plenty of chaff was directed towards him in +consequence of this extraordinary ornament. It was popularly supposed +that he came from some savage land, and that when at home this string of +leather bags was about the only article of dress he wore. + +If rather dull at school, he very soon picked up our language with all +its slang, and quickly came to the fore in athletics. In running, +swimming and rowing no one could keep pace with him. On foot he was fleet +as a deer, and in the water could swim like a fish, while at archery he +was a dead shot. Within three months he had lived down all the prejudices +that had been engendered by reason of his colour, and I confess that I +myself, who had at first regarded him with gravest suspicion, now began +to feel a friendliness towards him. Once or twice, at considerable +inconvenience to himself he rendered me valuable services, and on one +occasion got me out of a serious scrape by taking the blame himself, +therefore within six months of his arrival we became the firmest of +chums. At work, as at play, we were always together, and notwithstanding +the popular feeling being antagonistic to my close acquaintance with the +"Guinea Pig," I nevertheless knew from my own careful observations that +although a foreigner, half-savage he might be, he was certainly true and +loyal to his friends. + +Once he fought. It was soon after we became chums that he had a quarrel +with the bully Baynes over the ownership of a catapult. Baynes, who was +three years older, heavier built and much taller, threatened to thrash +him. This threat was sufficient. Omar at once challenged him, and the +fight took place down in the paddock behind a hedge, secure from +Trigger's argus eye. As the pair took off their coats one of the fellows +jokingly said-- + +"The Guinea Pig's a cannibal. He'll eat you, Baynes." + +Everybody laughed, but to their astonishment within five minutes our +champion pugilist lay on the ground with swollen eye and sanguinary nose, +imploring for mercy. That he could fight Omar quickly showed us, and as +he released the bully after giving him a sound dressing as a cat would +shake a rat, he turned to us and with a laugh observed-- + +"My people are neither cowards nor cannibals. We never fight unless +threatened, but we never decline to meet our enemies." + +No one spoke. I helped him on with his coat, and together we left the +ground, while the partisans of Baynes picked up their fallen champion and +proceeded to make him presentable. + +Like myself, Omar seemed friendless, for when the summer holidays came +round both of us remained with the Doctor and his wife, while the more +fortunate ones always went away to their homes. At first he seemed +downcast, but we spent all our time together, and Mrs. Tregear, it must +be admitted, did her best to make us comfortable, allowing us to ramble +where we felt inclined, even surreptitiously supplying us with +pocket-money. + +It was strange, however, that I never could get Omar to talk of himself. +Confidential friends that we were, in possession of each other's secrets, +he spoke freely of everything except his past. That some remarkable +romance enveloped him I felt certain, yet by no endeavour could I fathom +the mystery. + +Twice or thrice each year the elderly negro who had first brought him to +the school visited him, and they were usually closeted a long time +together. Perhaps his sable-faced guardian on those occasions told him +news of his relatives; perhaps he gave him good advice. Which, I know +not. The man, known as Mr. Makhana, was always very pleasant towards me, +but never communicative. Yet he made up for that defect by once or twice +leaving half-a-sovereign within my ready palm. He appeared suddenly +without warning, and left again, even Omar himself being unaware where he +dwelt. + +Truly my friend was a mystery. Who he was, or whence he had come, was a +secret. + + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +OMAR'S SLAVE. + + +OMAR had been at Trigger's a little over two years when a strange +incident occurred. We were then both aged about sixteen, he a few months +older than myself. The summer holidays had come round again. I had a +month ago visited my uncle in London, and he had given me to understand +that after next term I should leave school and commence life in the City. +He took me to his warehouse in Thames Street and showed me the gas-lit +cellar wherein his clerks were busy entering goods and calling out long +columns of amounts. The prospect was certainly not inviting, for I was +never good at arithmetic, and to spend one's days in a place wherein +never a ray of sunshine entered was to my mind the worst existence to +which one could be condemned. + +When I returned I confessed my misgivings to Omar, who sympathised with +me, and we had many long chats upon the situation as during the six weeks +we wandered daily by the sea. We cared little for the Grand Parade, with +its line of garish hotels, tawdry boarding-houses and stucco-fronted +villas, and the crowd of promenaders did not interest us. Seldom even we +went on the pier, except to swim. Our favourite walks were away in the +country through Willingdon to Polegate, over Beachy Head, returning +through East Dean to Litlington and its famed tea-garden, or across +Pevensey Levels to Wartling, for we always preferred the more +unfrequented ways. One day, when I was more than usually gloomy over the +prospect of drudgery under my close-fisted relative, my friend said to me +cheerfully: + +"Come, Scars, don't make yourself miserable about it. My people have a +saying that a smile is the only weapon one can use to combat misfortune, +and I think it's true. We have yet a few months more together before you +leave. In life our ways will lie a long way apart. You will become a +trader in your great city, while I shall leave soon, I expect, to----" +and he paused. + +"To do what?" I inquired. + +"To go back to my own people, perhaps," he answered mechanically. +"Perhaps I shall remain here and wait, I know not." + +"Wait for what?" + +"Wait until I receive orders to return," he answered. "Ah, you don't know +what a strange life mine has been, Scars," he added a moment later in a +confidential tone. "I have never told you of myself for the simple +reason that silence is best. We are friends; I hope we shall be friends +always, even though my enemies seek to despise me because I am not quite +white like them. But loyalty is one of the cherished traditions of my +people, and now that during two years our friendship has been firmly +established I trust nothing will ever occur to interrupt it." + +"I take no heed of your enemies, Omar," I said. "You have proved yourself +genuine, and the question of colour, race, or creed has nothing to do +with it." + +"Perhaps creed has," he exclaimed rather sadly. "But I make no pretence +of being what I am not. Your religion interests me, although, as you +know, I have never been taught the belief you have. My gods are in the +air, in the trees, in the sky. I believe what I have been taught; I pray +in silence and the great god Zomara hears me even though I am separated +from my race by yonder great ocean. Yet I sometimes think I cannot act as +you white people do, that, after all, what my enemies say is true. I am +still what you term a savage, although wearing the clothes of your +civilization." + +"Though a man be a pagan he may still be a friend," I said. + +"Yes, I am at least your friend," he said. "My only regret is that your +uncle will part us in a few months. Still, in years to come we shall +remember each other, and you will at least have a passing thought for +Omar, the Guinea Pig," he added, laughing. + +I smiled too, but I noticed that although he endeavoured to appear gay, +his happiness was feigned, and there was in his dark eyes a look of +unutterable sadness. Our conversation drifted to a local cricket match +that was to be played on the morrow, and soon the gloomy thoughts that +seemed to possess him were dispelled. + +It was on the same sunny afternoon, however, that a curious incident +occurred which was responsible for altering the steady prosaic course of +our lives. The most trifling incidents change the current of a life, and +the smallest events are sufficient to alter history altogether. Through +the blazing August afternoon we had walked beyond Meads, mounted Beachy +Head, passed the lighthouse at Belle Tout and descended to the beach at a +point known as the Seven Sisters. The sky was cloudless, the sea like +glass, and during that long walk without shelter from the sun's rays I +had been compelled to halt once or twice and mop my face with my +handkerchief. Yet without fatigue, without the slightest apparent effort, +and still feeling cool, Omar walked on, smiling at the manner in which +the unusual heat affected me, saying: + +"Ah! It is not hot here. You might grumble at the heat if the sun were as +powerful as it is in my country." + +When we descended to the beach and threw ourselves down under the shadow +of the high white cliffs to rest, I saw there was no one about and +suggested a swim. It was against old Trigger's orders, nevertheless the +calm, cool water as it lazily lapped the sand proved too tempting, and +very shortly we had plunged in and were enjoying ourselves. Omar left the +water first, and presently I saw while he was dressing the figure of a +tallish, muscular man attired in black and wearing a silk hat approaching +him. As I watched, wondering what business the stranger could have with +my companion, I saw that when they met Omar greeted him in native fashion +by snapping fingers, as he had often done playfully to me. Whoever he +might be, the stranger was unexpected, and judging from the manner in +which he had been received, a welcome visitor. I was not near enough to +distinguish the features of the newcomer, but remembering that I had been +in the water long enough, I struck out for the shore, and presently +walked up the beach towards them. + +Omar had dressed, and was in earnest conversation with a gigantic negro +of even darker complexion than Mr. Makhana. Unconscious of my approach, +for my feet fell noiselessly upon the sand, he was speaking rapidly in +his own language, while the man who had approached him stood listening in +meek, submissive attitude. Then, for the first time, I noticed that my +friend held in his hand a grotesquely carved stick that had apparently +been presented by the new-comer as his credential, together with a scrap +of parchment whereon some curious signs, something like Arabic, were +written. While Omar addressed him he bowed low from time to time, +murmuring some strange words that I could not catch, but which were +evidently intended to assure my friend that he was his humble servant. + +In spare moments Omar had taught me a good deal of his language. Indeed, +such a ready pupil had I been that frequently when we did not desire the +other fellows to understand our conversation we spoke in his tongue. But +of what he was saying to this stranger, I could only understand one or +two words and they conveyed to me no meaning. The negro was a veritable +giant in stature, showily dressed, with one of those gaudily-coloured +neckties that delight the heart of Africans, while on his fat brown hand +was a large ring of very light-coloured metal that looked suspiciously +like brass. His boots were new, and of enormous size, but as he stood he +shifted uneasily from one foot to the other, showing that he was far +from comfortable in his civilized habiliments. + +Without approaching closer I picked up my things and dressed rapidly, +then walked forward to join my companion. + +"Scars!" he cried, as soon as I stood before him. "I had quite forgotten +you. This is my mother's confidential adviser, Kouaga." + +Then, turning to the grinning ebon-faced giant he uttered some rapid +words in his own language and told him my name, whereupon he snapped +fingers in true native fashion, the negro showing an even set of white +teeth as an expression of pleasure passed over his countenance. + +"We little thought that we were being watched this afternoon," Omar said +to me, smiling and throwing himself down upon the sand, an example +followed by the negro and myself. "It seems that Kouaga arrived in +Eastbourne this morning, but there are strong reasons why none should +know that he has seen me. Therefore he followed me here to hold palaver +at a spot where we should not be observed." + +"You have a letter, I see." + +"Yes," he said slowly, re-reading the strange lines of hieroglyphics. +"The news it contains necessitates me leaving for Africa immediately." + +"For Africa!" I cried dismayed. "Are you going?" + +"Yes, I must. It is imperative." + +"Then I shall lose you earlier than I anticipated," I observed with +heart-felt sorrow at the prospect of parting with my only chum. "It is +true, as you predicted, our lives lie very far apart." + +The negro lifted his hat from his brow as if its weight oppressed him, +then turning to me, said slowly and with distinctness in his own tongue: + +"I bring the words of the mighty Naya unto her son. None dare disobey her +commands on pain of death. She is a ruler above all rulers; before her +armed men monarchs bow the knee, at her frown nations tremble. In order +to bring the palaver she would make with her son I have journeyed for +three moons by land and sea to reach him and deliver the royal staff in +secret. I have done my duty. It is for Omar to obey. Kouaga has spoken." + +"Let me briefly explain, Scarsmere," my friend interrupted. "Until the +present I have been compelled to keep my identity a secret, for truth to +tell, there is a plot against our dynasty, and I fear assassination." + +"Your dynasty!" I cried amazed. "Are your people kings and queens?" + +"They are," he answered. "I am the last descendant of the great Sanoms of +Mo, the powerful rulers who for a thousand years have held our country +against all its enemies, Mahommedan, Pagan or Christian. I am the Prince +of Mo." + +"But where is Mo?" I asked. "I have never heard of it." + +"I am not surprised," he said. "No stranger has entered it, or ever will, +for it is unapproachable and well-guarded. One intrepid white man +ventured a year ago to ascend to the grass plateau that forms its +southern boundary, but he was expelled immediately on pain of death. My +country, known to the neighbouring tribes as the Land Beyond the Clouds, +lies many weeks' journey from the sea in the vast region within the bend +of the great Niger river, north of Upper Guinea, and is coterminous with +the states of Gurunsi and Kipirsi on the west, with Yatenga on the +north-west, with Jilgodi, Aribinda, and Libtako on the north, with Gurma +on the east, and with the Nampursi district of Gurunsi on the south." + +"The names have no meaning for me," I said. "But the fact that you are an +actual Prince is astounding." + +With his hands clasped behind his head, he flung himself back upon the +sand, laughing heartily. + +"Well," he said, "I didn't want to parade my royal ancestry, neither do I +want to now. I only tell you in confidence, and in order that you shall +understand why I am compelled to return. During the past ten years there +have been many dissensions among the people, fostered by the enemies of +our country, with a view to depose the reigning dynasty. Three years ago +a dastardly plot was discovered to murder my mother and myself, seize the +palace, and massacre its inmates. Fortunately it was frustrated, but my +mother deemed it best to send me secretly out of the country, for I am +sole heir to the throne, and if the conspirators killed me, our dynasty +must end. Therefore Makhana, my mother's secret agent, who purchases our +arms and ammunition in England and conducts all trade we have with +civilized countries, brought me hither, and I have since been in hiding." + +"But Makhana has been bribed by our enemies," exclaimed the big negro, +who had been eagerly listening to our conversation, but understanding no +word of it save the mention of Makhana's name. Turning to Omar he added: +"Makhana will, if he obtains a chance, kill you. Be warned in time +against him. It has been ascertained that he supplied the men of Moloto +with forty cases of rifles, and that he has given his pledge that you +shall never return to Africa. Therefore obey the injunction of my royal +mistress, the great Naya, and leave with me secretly." + +"Without seeing Makhana?" asked Omar. + +"Yes," the black-faced man replied. "He must not know, or the plans of +the Naya may be thwarted. Our enemies have arranged to strike their blow +three moons from now, but ere that we shall be back in Mo, and they will +find that they go only to their graves. Kouaga has made fetish for the +son of his royal mistress, and has come to him bearing the stick." + +"What does the letter say?" I asked Omar, noticing him reading it again. + +"It is brief enough, and reads as follows," he said: + + "'_Know, O my son Omar, that I send my stick unto thee by our + trusty Kouaga. Return unto Mo on the wings of haste, for our + throne is threatened and thy presence can avert our overthrow. + Tarry not in the country of the white men, but let thy face + illuminate the darkness of my life ere I go to the tomb of my + ancestors._ + + "NAYA.'" + +I glanced at the scrap of parchment, and saw appended a truly regal seal. + +"And shall you go?" I asked with sorrow. + +"Yes--if you will accompany me." + +"Accompany you!" I cried. "How can I? I have no money to go to Africa, +besides----" + +"Besides what?" he answered smiling. "Kouaga has money sufficient to pay +both our passages. Remember, I am Prince of Mo, and this man is my +slave. If I command him to take you with me he will obey. Will you go?" + +The prospect of adventure in an unknown land was indeed enticing. In a +few brief words he recalled my dismal forebodings of the life in an +underground office in London, and contrasted it with a free existence in +a fertile and abundant land, where I should be the guest and perhaps an +official of its ruler. He urged me most strongly to go as his companion, +and in conclusion said: + +"Your presence in Mo will be unique, for you will be the first stranger +who has ever set foot within its capital." + +"But your mother may object to me, as she did to the entrance of the +white man of whom you just now spoke." + +"Ah! he came to make trade palaver. You are my friend and confidant," he +said. + +"Then you suggest that we should both leave Eastbourne at once, travel +with Kouaga to Liverpool and embark for Africa without returning to +Trigger's, or saying a word to anyone?" + +"We must. If we announce our intention of going we are certain to be +delayed, and as the steamers leave only once a month, delay may be fatal +to my mother's plans." + +As he briefly explained to Kouaga that he had invited me to accompany him +I saw that companion to an African prince would be a much more genial +occupation than calculating sums in a gas-lit cellar; therefore, fired by +the pleasant picture he placed before me, I resolved to accept his +invitation. + +"Very well, Omar," I said, trying to suppress the excitement that rose +within me. "We are friends, and where you go I will go also." + +Delighted at my decision my friend sprang to his feet with a cry of joy, +and we all three snapped fingers, after which we each took a handful of +dry sand and by Omar's instructions placed it in one heap upon a rock. +Then, having first mumbled something over his amulets, he quickly stirred +the heap of sand with his finger, saying: + +"As these grains of sand cannot be divided, so cannot the bonds of +friendship uniting Omar, Prince of Mo, with Scarsmere and Kouaga, be rent +asunder. Omar has spoken." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +OUTWARD BOUND. + + +HOW, trembling lest we should be discovered, we left Eastbourne by train +two hours later--Kouaga joining the train at Polegate so as to avoid +notice--how the Grand Vizier of Mo purchased our travelling necessities +in London; how we travelled to Liverpool by the night mail, and how we +embarked upon the steamer _Gambia_, it is unnecessary to relate in +detail. Suffice it to say that within twenty-four hours of meeting the +big negro we were safely on board the splendid mail-steamer where +everything was spick and span. Kouaga had engaged a cabin for our +exclusive use, and the captain himself had evidently ascertained that +Omar was a person of importance, for in passing us on deck he paused to +chat affably, and express a hope that we should find the voyage a +pleasant one. + +"Your coloured servant has told me your destination," he said, addressing +Omar. "We can't land you there on account of the surf, but I understand a +boat from shore will be on the look-out. If it isn't, well, you'll have +to go on to Cape Coast Castle." + +"The boat will be in readiness," Omar said smiling. "If it isn't, those +in charge will pay dearly for it. You know what I mean." + +The Captain laughed, drew his finger across his throat, and nodded. + +"Yes," he said. "I've heard that in your country life is held cheap. I +fancy I'd rather be on my bridge than a resident in the Naya's capital. +But I see I'm wanted. Good-bye," and he hurried away to shout some order +to the men who were busy stowing the last portion of the cargo. + +As we leaned over the rail watching the bustle on board the steam tender +that lay bobbing up and down at our side, we contemplated the +consternation of old Trigger when he found us missing. No doubt a hue and +cry would be at once raised, but as several persons we knew had seen us +walking towards the Belle Tout, it would, without a doubt, be surmised +that we had been drowned while bathing. The only thing we regretted was +that we had not left some portion of our clothing on the beach to give +verisimilitude to the suggestion. However, we troubled ourselves not one +whit about the past. I was glad to escape from the doom of the gas-lit +cellar, and was looking forward with keen anticipation to a new life in +that mystic country, Africa. + +At last there was shouting from the bridge, the tender cast off, the bell +in the engine-room gave four strokes, the signal for full-speed ahead, +and ere long we were steaming past that clanging beacon the Bell Buoy, +and heading for the open sea. The breeze began to whistle around us, the +keen-eyed old pilot tightened his scarf around his throat, and carefully +we sped along past the Skerries until we slowed off Holyhead, where he +shook hands with the captain, and with a hearty "good-bye" swung himself +over the bulwarks into the heavy old boat that had come alongside. Thus +was severed the last link that bound us to England. + +Standing up in his boat he waved us a farewell, while our captain, his +hands behind him, took charge of the ship and shouted an order. + +Ting-ting-ting-ting sounded the bell below, and a moment later we were +moving away into the fast falling night. For a long time we remained on +deck with Kouaga, watching the distant shore of Wales fade into the banks +of mist, while now and then a brilliant light would flash its warning to +us and then die out again as suddenly as it had appeared. We had plenty +of passengers on board, mostly merchants and their families going out to +the "Coast," one or two Government officials, engineers and prospectors, +and during the first night all seemed bustle and confusion. Stewards were +ordered here and there, loud complaints were heard on every side, threats +were made to report trivialities to the captain, and altogether there was +plenty to amuse us. + +Next day, however, when we began to bow gracefully to the heavy swell of +the Atlantic the majority of the grumblers were glad enough to seek the +comfort and privacy of their berths and to remain there, for during the +two days that followed the waves ran mountains high, the wind howled, the +bulkheads creaked and the vessel made plunges so unexpectedly that to +stand was almost impossible. The great waves seemed to rush upon us as we +ploughed our way through them, sometimes burying our bows in foam and at +others striking us and lifting us high up, the shock almost causing us to +stop. The roar of the tempest seemed deafening, the ship's bell tolled +with regularity, but no one appeared in the saloon, and it seemed as if +the cook in his galley had little, if anything, to do. + +"Never mind," I heard one officer say to another, as they lounged outside +their cabins off duty. "It'll give 'em their sea legs, and the weather +will be all right the other side of the Bay." + +Both laughed. Sailors seem to enjoy the discomforts of passengers. + +During those two days I think we were the only passengers who spent the +whole day on deck. Kouaga was a poor sailor and was in his bunk horribly +bad. When we visited him the whites of his eyes seemed perfectly green. + +This was my first taste of a storm, and I must confess that I did not +enjoy it. I was not ill, but experienced a feeling the reverse of +comfortable. Through all, however, I congratulated myself that I had +actually left England, and was about to commence life in a new land. The +officer whose words I had overheard proved a prophet, for after three +days of bad weather we ran into blue water, calm as a mill-pond, the sun +shone out warm and bright, as quickly as the spirits of the passengers +had fallen they rose again, and a round of gaiety commenced that +continued unbroken until we left the vessel. + +We touched at Funchal, a pretty town of white villas half hidden by the +surrounding greenery, and with others went ashore, but we were not there +more than a couple of hours, for soon the Blue-Peter was run to our +masthead as signal that the ship was about to sail, and we were compelled +to re-embark. Then a gun was fired on board, the crowd of small craft +around us that had put out for the purpose of selling the passengers +bananas, live birds, etc., sheered off, and very soon we had restarted +on our southward voyage. + +Ere long, having passed the snow-capped peak of Teneriffe of which we had +heard so much at Trigger's, we entered the region of the trade-winds, and +the steamer, aided by its sails that were now spread, held rapidly on its +course rounding Cape Verd. For a day we anchored off Bathurst, then +steamed away past the many rocky islands off the coast of Guinea until we +touched Free Town, the capital of that unhealthy British colony Sierra +Leone. Anchoring there, we discharged some cargo, resuming our voyage in +a calm sea and perfect weather, and carefully avoiding the dangerous +shoals of St. Ann, we passed within sight of Sherboro Island, a British +possession, and also sighted Cape Mount, which Omar told me was in the +independent republic of Liberia. For several days after this we remained +out of sight of land until one afternoon, just about tea-time, the +captain came up to us, saying-- + +"We shall make the mouth of the Lahou River in about two hours, so you'd +better be prepared to leave. I'll keep a good look-out for your boat. +Have you had a pleasant voyage?" + +"Very," we both replied in one voice. + +"Glad of that," he said, and turning to Omar added, "you'll look after me +if ever I get up country as far as Mo, won't you?" + +"Of course," my friend answered laughing. "If you come you shall have a +right royal welcome. Come at any time. You'll have nothing to fear when +once inside the borders of my mother's country." + +"Ah, well. Perhaps I'll come some day, when I retire on my pension and +set up as an African chief--eh?" + +We all laughed, and he ascended the steps again to the bridge. + +Kouaga, in the meantime, was busy collecting our things, giving +gratuities to the stewards, and otherwise making preparations to leave. +For over two hours we eagerly watched in the direction of the shore, +being assisted by a crowd of passengers who had by this time learnt that +we were to be taken off. + +The shore which slowly came into view as our eager eyes scanned the +horizon was the Ivory Coast, but the sun sank in a glorious blaze of +crimson, and dusk crept on, yet the captain, whose glasses continually +swept the sea, could distinguish no boat approaching us. + +"I'm afraid," he shouted to us from the bridge, "their look-out is not +well kept. We'll have to take you along to Cape Coast, after all." + +"Why not fire a gun, Captain?" suggested Kouaga, his words being +interpreted by Omar. + +"Very well," he answered, and turning to the officer, he gave orders that +the signal gun should be fired three times at intervals. + +Presently there was a puff of white smoke and the first loud report rang +out, making the vessel quiver beneath us. We waited, listening, but there +was no response. The light quickly faded, night cast her veil of darkness +over the sea, but we still stood in for the coast. + +Again, about half-past nine, the gun belched forth a tongue of flame, and +the report sounded far over the silent waters. All was excitement on +deck, for it was a matter of speculation whether an answering shout or +gunshot could be heard above the roar and throbbing of the engines. Ten, +eleven o'clock passed, and presently the third gun was exploded so +suddenly that the ladies were startled. Again we listened, but could +hear nothing. Kouaga fumed and cursed the evil-spirit for our misfortune, +while Omar, finding that we were to be taken to Cape Coast Castle, +imparted to me his fear that the fortnight's delay it must necessarily +entail, would be fatal to his mother's plans. + +We were hanging over the taffrail together gazing moodily into the +darkness, having given up all hope of getting ashore at the Lahou River, +when suddenly about half a mile from us we saw a flash, and the report of +a rifle reached us quite distinctly, followed by distant shouting. + +"There they are!" cried Omar excitedly. "They've hailed us at last!" + +But ere the words had fallen from his lips we heard the bell in the +engine-room ringing, and next second the steam was shut off and we +gradually hove to. + +Kouaga was at our side almost immediately, and we found ourselves +surrounded by passengers taking leave of us. Our boxes were brought up by +a couple of sailors, and after about a quarter of an hour's wait, during +which time the vessel rose and fell with the swell, the craft that had +hailed us loomed up slowly in the darkness, amid the excited jabber of +her demoniac-looking crew. + +She was a large native vessel, brig-rigged, and as dirty and +forbidding-looking a craft as you could well see anywhere. Kouaga hailed +one of the black, half-clad men on board, receiving a cheery answer, and +presently, having taken leave of the captain and those around us, we +climbed over the bulwarks and sprang upon the deck of the mysterious +ship. + +As Omar alighted the whole crew made obeisance to him, afterwards +crowding around me, examining me by the lurid light of the torches they +had ignited. + +Very quickly, however, several boxes belonging to Kouaga were lowered, +the moorings were cast off, and slowly the great mail steamer with its +long line of brilliantly-lit ports looking picturesque in the night, +moved onward. + +"Good-bye," shouted a voice from the steamer. + +"Good-bye," I responded, and as the steamer's bell again rang out, "full +speed ahead," I knew that the last tie that bound us to European +civilization was severed. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +A STRANGE PROMISE. + + +BY the light of the flambeaux the sleek, black, oily-looking natives +managed their clumsy craft, which, dipping suddenly now and then, shipped +great seas, compelling us to hang on for life. The sails creaked and +groaned as they bent to the wind, speeding on in the darkness towards the +mainland of Africa. To be transferred to such a ship, which I more than +suspected was a slaver, was a complete change after the clean, +well-ordered Liverpool liner, and I must confess that, had we not been in +charge of Kouaga, I should have feared to trust myself among that +shouting cut-throat crew of grinning blacks. Clinging to a rope I stood +watching the strange scene, rendered more weird by the flickering +uncertain light of the torches falling upon the swarm of natives who +manned the craft. + +"Are these your mother's people?" I inquired of Omar. + +"Some are. I recognize several as our slaves, the remainder are Sanwi, or +natives of the coast. Our slaves, I suppose, have been sent down to be +our carriers." + +"Judging from the manner in which they crawl about this is, I should +think, their first experience of the sea," I said. + +"No doubt. Over a thousand English miles of desert and almost +impenetrable bush separates the sea from our kingdom, therefore few, very +few of our people have seen it." + +"They'll go back with some wonderful tales, I suppose." + +"Yes. They will, on their return, be considered heroes of travel, and +their friends will hold feasts in their honour." + +As he finished speaking, however, our cumbrous craft seemed suddenly to +be lifted high out of the water, and amid the unearthly yells of the +whole crew we were swept through a belt of foaming surf, until in a few +moments our keel slid upon the sand. + +I prepared to leap down upon the beach, but in a second half-a-dozen +willing pairs of arms were ready to assist me, and I alighted in the +midst of a swarm of half-clad, jabbering natives. + +One of them, elbowing his way towards me, asked in broken English: + +"Massa have good voyage--eh?" whereupon the others laughed heartily at +hearing one of their number speak the language of the white men. But +Kouaga approached uttering angry words, and from that moment the same +respect was paid to me as to Omar. + +We found there was a small village where we landed, otherwise the coast +was wild and desolate. In an uncleanly little hut to which we were taken +when our boxes were landed and the excitement had subsided, we were +regaled with various African delicacies, which at first I did not find +palatable, but which Omar devoured with a relish, declaring that he had +not enjoyed a meal so much since he had left "the Coast" for England. +But I did not care for yams, and the stewed monkey looked suspiciously +like a cooked human specimen. My geographical knowledge was not so +extensive as it might have been, and I was not certain whether these +natives were not cannibals. Therefore I only made a pretence of eating, +and sat silently contemplating the strange scene as we all sat upon the +floor and took up our food with our fingers. When we had concluded the +feast a native woman served Omar with some palm wine, which, however, he +did not drink, but poured it upon the ground as an offering to the fetish +for his safe return, and then we threw ourselves upon the skins stretched +out for us and slept till dawn. + +At sunrise I got up and went out. The place was, I discovered, even more +desolate than I had imagined. Nothing met the eye in every direction but +vast plains of interminable sand, with hillocks here and there, also of +sand; no trees were to be seen, not even a shrub; all was arid, dry and +parched up with heat. The village was merely an assemblage of a dozen +miserable mud huts, and so great was the monotony of the scene, that the +eye rested with positive pleasure on the dirty, yellow-coloured craft in +which we had landed during the night. It had apparently once been +whitewashed, but had gradually assumed that tawny hue that always +characterises the African wilderness. + +Again Omar and I were surrounded by the crowd of fierce-looking +barbarians, but the twenty stalwart carriers sent down from Mo, +apparently considering themselves a superior race to these +coast-dwellers, ordered them away from our vicinity, at the same time +preparing to start for the interior. Under the direction of Kouaga, who +had already abandoned his European attire and now wore an Arab haick and +white burnouse, the gang of chattering men soon got their loads of food +and merchandise together--for the Grand Vizier had apparently been +purchasing a quantity of guns and ammunition in England--hammocks were +provided for all three of us if we required them, and after a good meal +we at length set out, turning our backs upon the sea. + +After descending the crest of a sand-hill we found ourselves fairly in +the desert. As far as we could see away to the limitless horizon was +sand--arid, parched red-brown sand without a vestige of herbage. The wind +that was blowing carried grains of it, which filled one's mouth and +tasted hot and gritty; again, impalpable atoms of sand were blown into +the corners of one's eyes, and, besides, this injury inflicted on the +organ of vision was calculated by no means to improve one's temper. +However, Omar told me that a beautiful and fruitful land lay beyond, +therefore we made light of these discomforts, and, after a march of three +days, during which time we were baked by day by the merciless sun and +chilled at night by the heavy dews, we at last came to the edge of the +waterless wilderness, and remained for some hours to rest. + +My first glimpse of the "Dark Continent" was not a rosy one. As a +well-known writer has already pointed out, life with a band of native +carriers might for a few days be a diverting experience if the climate +were good and if there was no immediate necessity for hurry. But as +things were it proved a powerful exercise, especially when we commenced +to traverse the almost impenetrable bush by the native path, so narrow +that two men could not walk abreast. + +Across a great dismal swamp where high trees and rank vegetation grew in +wondrous profusion we wended our way, day by day, amid the thick white +mist that seemed to continually envelop us. But it required a little more +than persuasion to make our carriers travel as quickly as Kouaga liked. +At early dawn while the hush of night yet hung above the forest, our +guide would rise, stretch his giant limbs and kick up a sleeping +trumpeter. Then the tall, dark forest would echo with the boom of an +elephant-tusk horn, whose sound was all the more weird since it came from +between human jaws with which the instrument was decorated. The crowd of +blacks got up readily enough, but it was merely in order to light their +fires and to settle down to eat plantains. At length the horn would sound +again, but produce no result. The whole company still squatted, eating +and jabbering away, indifferent to every other sound. The head man would +be called for by Kouaga. "Why are your men not ready? Know you not that +the son of the great Naya is with us?" With a deprecatory smile the +head-man would make some excuse. He had hurt his foot, or had rheumatism, +and therefore he, and consequently his men, would be compelled to rest +that day. He would then be warned that if not ready to march in five +minutes, he would be carried captive into Mo for the Great White Queen +herself to deal with. In five minutes he would return to Kouaga, saying +that if the Grand Vizier would only give the men a little more salt with +their "chop" (food) that evening, they would march. + +Kouaga would then become furious, soundly rating everybody, and declare +that the Naya herself should deal with the whole lot as mutineers; +whereupon, seeing all excuses for further halt unavailing, loads would +be taken up, and within a few moments the whole string of half-clad +natives would go laughing and singing on the forward path. + +The first belt of forest passed we entered a vast level land covered with +scrub, which Omar informed me was the border of the Debendu territory. +Proceeding down a wide valley we came at length to the first inhabited +region. Every three or four miles we passed through a native +village--usually a single street of thirty or forty houses. Each house +consisted, as a rule, of three or four small sheds, facing inwards, and +forming a tiny courtyard. The huts were on built-up platforms, with hard +walls of mud, and roofs thatched with palm-leaves, while the front steps +were faced with a kind of red cement. In the middle of each centre of +habitation we found a tree with seats around it formed of untrimmed logs, +on which the elders and head-men of the village would sit, smoke, and +gravely discuss events. As we left each village to plunge boldly onward +through the bush we would pass the village fetish ground, well defined by +the decaying bodies of lizards and birds, a grinning human skull or two, +broken pots and pieces of rag fluttering in the wind, all offered as +propitiation to the presiding demon of the place, while away in the bush, +behind the houses, we saw the giant leaves of the plantain groves that +yielded the staple food of this primitive people. + +Deeper and deeper we proceeded until we came into regular forest scenery, +where day after day we pushed our way through solemn shady aisles of +forest giants, whose upper parts gleamed far above the dense undergrowth +in white pillars against the grey-blue sky. Sometimes we strode down a +picturesque sunny glade, and at others struggled through deep dark +crypts of massive bamboo clumps. Here the noisome smell of decaying +vegetation nauseated us, for the air in those forest depths is deadly. +Beautiful scarlet wax-flowers would gleam high among the dark-green +foliage of the giant cotton-tree, whose stem would be covered with +orchids and ferns and dense wreaths of creeper, while many other +beautiful blossoms flourished and faded unseen. In that dark dismal place +there was an absence of animal life. Sometimes, however, by day we would +hear the tuneful wail of the finger-glass bird or an occasional robin +would chirrup, while at night great frogs croaked gloomily and the sloth +would shriek at our approach. + +It was truly a toilsome, dispiriting march, as in single file we pushed +our way forward into the interior, and I confess I soon began to tire of +the monotony of the terrible gloom. But to all my questions Omar would +reply: + +"Patience. In Africa we have violent contrasts always. To-day we are +toiling onward through a region of eternal night, but when we have +traversed the barrier that shuts out our country from the influence of +yours--then you shall see. What you shall witness will amaze you." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE GIANT'S FINGER. + + +FOR quite three weeks we pushed forward through the interminable forest +until one day we came to a small village beyond which lay a great broad +river glistening in the noon-day sun. It was the mighty Comoe. We had +entered the kingdom of Anno. In the village I saw traces of human +sacrifices, and Omar, in reply to a question, told me that although these +happy-looking natives were very skilful weavers and dyers who did a +brisk trade in _fu_, a bark cloth of excellent quality--which I found +afterwards they manufactured from the bark of a tree apparently of the +same species as the much-talked-of _rokko_ of Uganda--they nevertheless +at the death of a chief sacrificed some of his slaves to "water the +grave," while the memory of the departed was also honoured with gross +orgies which lasted till everything eatable or drinkable in the village +was consumed. + +We only remained there a few hours, then embarked in three large canoes +that were moored to the bank awaiting us. The chief of the village came +to pay his respects to Omar, as the son of a ruling monarch, and +presented us with food according to the usual custom. + +Soon, amid the shouts of the excited villagers who had all come down to +see us start, our canoes were pushed off, and the carriers, glad to be +relieved of their packs, took the paddles, and away we went gaily up the +centre of the winding river. Emerging as suddenly as we had from the +gloomy forest depths where no warmth penetrated, into the blazing +tropical sun was a sudden change that almost overcame me, for as we rowed +along without shelter the rays beat down upon us mercilessly. + +The banks were for the most part low, although it was impossible to say +what height they were because of the lofty hedges of creeping plants +which covered every inch of ground from the water's edge to as high as +fifty feet above in some places, while behind them towered the +black-green forest with here and there bunches of brilliant flowers or +glimpses of countless grey trunks. Sometimes these trees, pressing right +up to the edge of the warm sluggish water, grew horizontally to the +length of fifty feet over the river. Creepers, vines, whip-like calamus, +twisting lianes and great serpent-like convolvuli grew in profusion over +everything, while the eye caught glimpses everywhere of gorgeous clouds +of insects, gaily-plumaged birds, paraquets, and monkeys swinging in +their shaded bowers. + +Basking on the banks were crocodiles and hippopotami, while the river +itself swarmed with fish and water-snakes. And over all rose the mist +caused by heat and moisture, the death-dealing miasma of that tropic +world. + +But all were in good spirits, for rowing was more pleasurable than +tramping in that dismal monotonous primeval forest that rose on either +side, therefore against the broad, slowly-flowing waters our carriers +bent to their paddles, grinning and joking the while. + +Throughout that day Kouaga sat near us, smoking and thinking. Perhaps the +responsibilities of State weighed heavily upon him; perhaps he was +contemplating with trepidation the passage that would be necessary +through a country held by the enemies of Mo; at all events he was morose +and taciturn, his dark face bearing a strange, stern look such as I had +never before noticed. + +During the weeks I had been travelling up country I had embraced every +opportunity of improving my knowledge of the curious language spoken by +Omar and his mother's subjects, until I found I could understand a large +portion of a conversation and could even give directions to our carriers +in their own tongue. + +Omar was in high spirits, eager, it seemed, to return to his own people. +He took a gun and some ammunition from one of the cases that Kouaga had +conveyed from England and gave us an exhibition of his skill with the +rifle. He was a dead shot. I had no idea he could aim so true. As we sped +past in our canoe he would raise his weapon from time to time and pick +off a bird upon the wing, or fire directly into the eye of some basking +animal, causing it to utter a roar, lash its tail and disappear to die. +He seldom missed, and the accuracy of his aim elicited from the sable +rowers low grunts of admiration. + +A lazy and enjoyable week we thus spent in the ascent of the Comoe, +mostly through forest scenery or undulating grass-lands. By day our +rowers bent with rhythmic music to their paddles, and at evening we would +disembark, cook our food, and afterwards with Kouaga and my friend I +would sleep in our canoe upon the heap of leopard skins that formed our +couches. Here we were free from the pest of the myriad insects we had +encountered in the forest; and at night, under the brilliant moon, the +noble river and giant trees presented a fine picture of solitary +grandeur. Onward we pressed through the flourishing country of the +Jimini, where we saw many prosperous villages of large roomy houses of +rectangular form and reed thatched, wide tracts under cultivation with +well-kept crops of cotton and rice. Everywhere we passed, without +opposition, and with expressions of good-will from the natives. + +One evening when the blood-red sun had sunk low in the water behind us, +we suddenly rounded a sharp bend of the river and there burst upon us, +rising on our right high into the clouds, the great snow-capped crest of +Mount Komono. Near its base it was hidden by a bank of cloud, but above +all was clear and bright, so that the summit had the appearance of being +suspended in mid-air. + +"The Giant's Finger at last!" cried Omar, jumping up excitedly and +pointing at the mountain. "We leave the river a little higher up, and +push again across the bush a twelve days' journey until we come to the +Volta, which will take us forward to the boundary of Mo." + +"The Volta!" I cried, remembering the incident at school when he had +answered correctly the master's question as to the estuary of that river, +and had been dubbed "the Guinea Pig." "Why could we not have ascended it +from the sea?" + +"Because we should, by so doing, pass nearly the whole distance through +the country of Prempeh, of Ashanti, one of our bitter foes. The Adoo, the +Anno, and the Jimini kings have long ago made blood-brotherhood with our +chiefs, therefore we are enabled to pass in peace by this route alone." + +Before darkness fell we disembarked at a small village on the left bank, +the name of which I learnt was Tomboura, and after our evening meal were +given a hut in which to spend the night. Soon after dawn, however, we +heard Kouaga astir, giving rapid orders to the carriers, and when we went +out to go down to the canoes they were nowhere to be seen. We noticed, +however, that the carriers were preparing their loads which they had no +doubt landed during the night, and Omar, advancing towards the Grand +Vizier, asked: + +"Why do we not ascend the river further? We must cross to the other side +if we would join the Great Salt Road." + +"Dangers lurk there, O my Master," the negro answered, hitching his +burnouse about his shoulders. "We must travel by a circuitous route." + +"Did not my mother command me to speed unto her?" Omar asked, puzzled. +"Is it not necessary that we should travel by the shortest path?" + +"The safest is the shortest," Kouaga answered with a frown. + +"But by following this bank we are turning our backs upon Mo. See!" and +he produced from his pocket an instrument which I did not know he +possessed, a cheap mariner's compass. + +"Bah!" cried Kouaga in anger, after he had looked at it a long time. +"That clock of the white men has an evil spirit within. See! its +trembling finger points always in the direction of the Great Evil. It is +bewitched. Cast it away. Kouaga has already made fetish for this +journey." + +"But why should we travel in an entirely opposite direction to Mo?" I +argued, seeing that a crowd of grinning impish-looking carriers had +gathered around us, enjoying our controversy. + +"For three-score years Kouaga has lived in the forest and on the plains," +he answered, turning to me. "He knows the direction of Mo." + +"Oh, let him have his own way," Omar cried at last, finding persuasion of +no avail. Then turning to the Grand Vizier he said in a firm tone: +"Listen, Kouaga. If by your obstinacy we are delayed one single day, I +shall inform my mother of that fact, and you will assuredly lose your +office and most likely your head also. Therefore act as you think fit. +Omar, Prince of Mo, has spoken." + +"Kouaga bore the staff of the Great White Queen unto thee. He is the +trusted of the Naya, if not of her son," the negro answered, turning +away. But in that brief instant I noticed an expression on his face of +relentless cruelty. An expression such as one might expect to see upon +the face of a murderer. + +Truth to tell, I had never liked Kouaga; now I instinctively hated him. +But ere he had strode a dozen paces he turned back smiling, saying: + +"I mean no defiance to the Son of my Queen. He is in my charge, and I +will take him safely back unto Mo, the city with walls unbreakable, the +capital of the kingdom unconquerable." + +"I shall act as I have decided," Omar answered with true princely +hauteur. "The rulers of Mo never depart from their word." + +"Very well," the other answered laughing, at the same time lighting his +pipe with cool indifference. Then, glancing round to see that all was +ready, he shouted an order to the head-man and the string of carriers +moved away, jabbering and shouting, down the path into the dark gloomy +forest depths. + +In ill-humour we followed. I must confess that towards Kouaga I +entertained an ill-defined feeling of distrust. Once or twice during that +day's march in the dull dispiriting gloom, almost every ray of daylight +being shut out by the thick canopy of creepers spreading from tree to +tree, I had caught Omar surreptitiously consulting his pocket compass, +and saw upon his face a look of anxiety. Yet, on the other hand, Kouaga +had become particularly jocular, and the carriers were now singing +snatches of songs, joking, and laughing good-humouredly at each other's +misfortunes, whereas on our journey from the coast to the river they had +generally preserved a sullen silence. + +No. Try how I would I could not rid myself of the thought that there was +something very mysterious in Kouaga's actions. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE ROYAL JUJUS. + + +ON the fifth day after we had left our canoes the Grand Vizier of Mo had +gone far forward along the line of carriers to speak with the head-man, +and Omar was walking immediately before me at the rear of the +procession. + +As I pulled him by the sleeve he halted, and when the last carrier had +got out of hearing I confided to my friend my misgivings. + +"Have you not noticed of late a change in Kouaga's manner towards us?" I +asked him. "At first he was deferential and submissive to your every +wish, but it occurs to me that of late his manner is overbearing, and he +watches us closely, as if fearing we might escape." + +"Curiously enough," my friend replied, "I have for some days past had +similar thoughts. If he's playing any double game his life won't be worth +a moment's purchase when once we enter our own land." + +"But you had perfect confidence in him," I observed. + +"Yes. If my mother trusts him as her chief adviser I have no right to +entertain any suspicion of his fidelity," he said. + +"True, but, after all, you are the Prince and heir. Surely he ought to +have followed your desire as to the route we should take." + +"The route!" he cried. "Since we left the river we have travelled in +these cross-paths in such an amazing manner that at present I have no +idea where we are." + +"The carriers have, or they would not be in such high spirits," I +observed. + +"Yes, but the strangest part of the affair is that every man among them +fears to tell us anything. I have secretly questioned most of them as to +Kouaga's motive, and all I can glean is that the fetish-man at Tomboura +gathered them together and, after performing some of the usual rites and +sacrificing to our Crocodile-god Zomara, told them if a word were spoken +to us regarding our route or destination the dread god will meet us in +the forest path and devour all of us. Not one shall survive." + +"And you believe this pagan humbug?" I exclaimed, in disgust. + +He opened his dark eyes wide, regarding me in astonishment. I had never +before ridiculed his religion. + +"The jujus around my neck preserve me from every evil, except those +worked by Zomara. He is the great god whose power only the fetish-man can +withstand. Slaves, princes, kings, all sacrifice to him. If we offend him +death or torture is inevitably our punishment." + +"Do you think you've offended him?" I inquired. + +"I know not," he sighed with a serious look. "If I have, then nothing can +save me; the fetish-man of Tomboura has worked evil against me." + +"Well," I said, "this is my first experience of Africa, but it strikes me +very forcibly that these fetish-men of yours will do anything they are +paid to do. What was there to prevent Kouaga paying that hideous old +demon at Tomboura to utter his horrible incantations and so frighten our +carriers into silence?" + +"Zomara is a terrible god. None dare tamper with him, or utter his name +in vain threats," Omar answered. + +"Well, whoever he is I still stick to my opinion," I said. "Depend upon +it Kouaga is at the bottom of this conspiracy of silence." + +Just at that moment the black face of that worthy, rendered darker by the +snow-white haick that surrounded it, appeared among the tangled bamboos. +He had missed us, and had come back to search. Yes, my surmise seemed +correct. He was watching us closely and trying to understand our +conversation. + +That evening when we halted and the natives went into the bush to +collect fuel for the fire, I managed to take one or two of them aside and +secretly inquire our destination. But I got the same answer always. + +"Zomara has tied our tongues. He commands us to be mute, or we shall be +destroyed to the last one." + +To endeavour to learn anything from these simple-minded blacks seemed +useless. They would speak freely on every subject, indeed they seemed +fond of talking with one whose face was white, yet regarding our journey +they obeyed the command of the fetish-man to the very letter. It is the +same everywhere in West and Central Africa; the fetish-man rules. What he +says is more law than the word of kings. If he declares a man or woman +bewitched that person will assuredly be murdered before the sun sets; if +he orders the people of the village to perform a certain action they will +do it, even if death stares them in the face. They blindly believe that +the fetish is all-powerful, and that the half naked dancing savages who +administer it are endowed with supernatural powers. + +That night, feeling tired out I threw myself down early near the camp +fire and slept soundly for several hours. But at length some unusual +sound awoke me, and when I opened my eyes I saw that the fire had died +down to one single flickering ember, which still blazing cast a fitful +light upon the boles of the forest giants around. + +Scarcely had I opened my eyes when I became conscious of low whispering +in my vicinity. This thoroughly aroused me, and without stirring my body +I slowly turned my head, when to my astonishment I beheld Kouaga, +standing erect with arms folded beneath his white burnouse, talking in an +undertone to a dark-bearded stranger who also wore flowing Arab garments +and bore in his hand a long-barrelled flint-lock gun with +quaintly-inlaid stock. The man seemed older than the Grand Vizier of Mo, +for his beard was tinged with grey, and the brown hand that held the gun +was lean and bony. + +I strained my ears to catch the drift of their earnest conversation, but +could not. It was tantalizing that they spoke in so low a tone, for the +stranger seemed to mumble into his beard, while Kouaga whispered with his +mouth turned from me. The presence of a stranger in our camp was, to say +the least, strange, for through those gloomy forest glades no single +traveller could journey. Omar had told me that for a person to attempt to +traverse that region alone would be merely suicide. My friend was +sleeping soundly at some distance from me, therefore I could not awaken +him without attracting attention. If only he would open his eyes, I +thought, he might recognize the new comer, either as friend or foe. + +But no, he slept on as peacefully as if he were still in the cosy +dormitory at old Trigger's, with its blue and white counterpanes and +windows commanding a wide sweep of distant sea. + +While I lay gazing upon my friend and hoping that he might open his eyes, +I suddenly heard the stranger raise his voice louder than before. It was +only for an instant, but in that moment upon my ear there fell three +words the English equivalents of which I understood. + +They were "Seek the treasure!" + +But I could distinguish nothing more, and in a few moments the two men +hurriedly snapped fingers, and the mysterious stranger disappeared +noiselessly into the dark silent bush. + +When the loud blasts from the ivory-horn, with its hideous ornamentation +of human teeth, proclaimed the advent of another day I took Omar aside +and told him of what I had witnessed and overheard. After I had +described the stranger he said: + +"I know not who he may be. It is evident, however, we are travelling in +the opposite direction to Mo, therefore we will go no further. I will +command Kouaga to return to Tomboura, cross the river, and press forward +over the hills of Dabagakha to the Black Volta." + +"And if he refuses?" + +"Then we will go alone." + +An hour later, when we had eaten our plantains and the usual babel was +proceeding which was always precursory of a start being made, my +companion strode up to Kouaga with a look of fierce determination upon +his face, saying: + +"Give ear to my words. I am Omar, son of the Naya, the Great White Queen, +before whose wrath all nations tremble." + +"Speak. I listen," answered the giant negro, with a look of surprise upon +his ugly countenance. + +"I will go no further along this path. You, the head-man and the carriers +shall return with me to the bank of the Comoe, otherwise my mother shall +punish you for disobeying my orders. All who dare go forward from this +moment shall be sacrificed at the yam feast and the dogs shall eat their +entrails. These are my words." + +"Then whither would you go from Tomboura?" asked Kouaga, apparently +astonished at Omar's sudden decision. + +"I will only approach Mo by the Great Salt Road." + +"It is impossible. There is fighting in the hills, for the Karaboro and +the Dagari are at war." + +"And what matters, pray, since they are both our allies?" Omar asked. + +For a moment the negro was nonplussed, but with a broad grin showing his +even row of teeth, he said: + +"The bird goes not into the serpent's lair, neither does the son of the +Queen enter the country of her enemies." + +"I have already given tongue to my decision," my friend replied. +"Advance, and each of your heads shall fall beneath the keen _doka_ of +Gankoma, the executioner." + +Kouaga, hearing these words, set his teeth fiercely, and glancing at us +with his fiery eyes, the whites of which were bloodshot, retorted: + +"Recede, and we will carry you forward, bound as a slave." + +"This is a threat!" cried Omar, drawing himself up to his full height and +stretching forth his arm. "You, whom my mother raised from a +palace-slave, thus threaten me! Let it be thus, but I warn you that if +you ever set foot across the borders of Mo, your head shall be set upon +the palace wall as a warning to disobedient slaves." Then, turning to me, +and waving back the crowd of carriers who had collected and stood +open-mouthed around us, he said, "Come, Scars, we will return. I have +thrice traversed the path from Tomboura to the Great Salt Road, and can +follow it without a guide." + +Then, calling down the curse of Zomara, the dreaded, upon them all, he +turned on his heel and walked down the narrow path we had traversed on +the previous night, while, with a final glance of triumph at the irate +negro, I followed. + +Scarcely had we gone fifty yards, however, before a dozen carriers, +acting upon orders from Kouaga, had rushed after us, seized us, and +dragged us back to him despite our desperate struggles. + +"So you defy me!" the negro cried in a paroxysm of rage, as Omar was +brought up. "This is because I was fool enough to allow your white-faced +friend to accompany you. Our country is no place for whites, but he will +make a good sacrifice to Zomara when our journey is ended. You have both +refused to accompany us, therefore we must use force." Then, turning to +the half-naked savages who held us, he said: "Bind them, and tie them in +their hammocks. Let not their bonds be loosened until our march be ended, +for both are my prisoners." And he laughed triumphantly at our +discomfiture. + +"You shall pay for this insult with your life," Omar cried angrily. + +"Take off his European clothes, and let his string of royal jujus be +burned. Henceforth he is a slave, as also is his white companion." + +Next moment twenty ready hands tore from Omar most of his well-worn +clothes, and although he fought with all the strength of which he was +capable, his necklet of jujus, the magical charms that protected the +Queen's son from every evil, was ruthlessly spat upon and destroyed by +the excited natives, together with his clothes. + +Then, after each of us had been tied in a hammock with our hands behind +our backs, we were lifted by four stalwart bearers and carried forward at +a brisk pace towards an unknown bourne. + +It was evident that we were not going to Mo, and it was equally evident +too, that Kouaga, whom we had trusted implicitly, was our bitter enemy. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +SAMORY'S STRONGHOLD. + + +THROUGH dense dark forests and over great open grass-lands, passing +several villages, we were carried forward many days, still bound and +never allowed to have our hands free except during our meals. + +The face of Kouaga grew more brutal and fierce as we proceeded, and he +urged on the carriers until we found ourselves travelling at a pace that +for African natives was amazing. + +Omar spoke little. He was always pre-occupied and thoughtful. He had told +me that he now regretted having brought me with him from England, but I +assured him that our misfortunes were not of our own seeking, and urged +him to be of good cheer. + +Truth to tell, my heart was full of dark forebodings. I saw in the ugly +countenance of Kouaga expressions of deadly hatred, and I knew that they +were of ill-portent. Yet to escape in that deadly bush, extending for +hundreds and hundreds of miles, dark, monotonous and impenetrable, meant +certain death even if we eluded the watchful vigilance of this muscular +negro. + +One day, when passing through a forest village, a half-naked savage +rushed towards us brandishing his spear and uttering a loud yell, but +whether expressive of hatred or joy I knew not. Suddenly, as he +approached the hammock in which Omar was lying, my friend addressed him +in some tongue that was strange to me, but to which the native answered +readily. + +"As I thought, Scars!" Omar shouted to me in English a moment later. "We +have travelled away from Mo, crossed Tieba's territory, and have now +entered the country of the great Mohammedan chief Samory, my nation's +bitterest enemy. It was he who seized my father by a ruse and sent his +head back to my mother as a hideous souvenir." + +"But what object has Kouaga in bringing us here?" I asked. + +"I cannot imagine," he answered. "Unless he travelled to England, for the +sole purpose of delivering me into the hands of our enemies. Three times +within the last five years has Samory attempted to invade our country, +but each time has been repulsed with a loss that has partially paralysed +his power. All along the right bank of the Upper Niger his bands of +hirelings and mercenaries, whom we call Sofas, are constantly raiding for +slaves. Indeed Samory's troops are the fiercest and most merciless in +this country. They are the riff-raff of the West Soudan and are a terror +to friend and foe, a bar to the peaceful settlement of all lands within +the range of their devastating expeditions." + +"Do they make raids towards your country?" I inquired, for I had heard +long ago of this notorious slave-dealing chief. + +"Yes, constantly. They are pitiless marauders who lay waste whole +kingdoms and transform populous districts into gloomy solitudes. While on +my way from Mo to England we passed through Sati, a large market town at +the convergence of several caravan routes, which was only three months +before a prosperous and wealthy place situated fifty miles south of our +border. We found everything had been raided by the Sofas, who had sacked, +burned or destroyed what they were unable to take away. Heaps of cinders +marked the sites of former homesteads, the ground was strewn with +potsherds, rice and other grain trodden under foot, while our horses +moved forward knee deep in ashes. The whole land, lately very rich, +prosperous and thickly peopled, was a melancholy picture of utter +desolation." + +"Do you think we have actually fallen into Samory's hands?" I asked. + +"I fear so." + +"But is not Kouaga Grand Vizier of Mo? Surely he would not dare to take +us through the enemy's land," I said. + +"Do you not remember that when he met us at Eastbourne he forbade us to +inform Makhana of our intended departure?" he answered. "He had some +object in securing our silence and getting us away from England secretly. +It now appears more than probable that my mother has dismissed and +banished him, and he has gone over to our enemy, Samory, who desires to +seize our country." + +"In that case our position is indeed serious," I observed. "We must do +something to escape." + +"No," he said. "We cannot escape. Let's put on a bold front, and if we +find ourselves prisoners of the slave-raiding chief, I, at least, will +show him that I am heir to the Emerald Throne of Mo." + +As each day dawned we still held upon our way, until at length, under a +broiling noon-day sun, we crossed a wide stretch of fertile grass-land +where cattle were grazing, and there rose high before us the white +fortified walls of a large town of flat-roofed Moorish-looking houses. It +was, we afterwards learnt, called Koussan, one of Samory's principal +strongholds. + +As we approached the open gate, flanked on either side by watch-towers +and guarded by soldiers wearing Arab fezes and loose white garments, a +great rabble came forth to meet us. We heard the din of tom-toms beaten +within the city, joyous shouts, and loud ear-piercing blasts upon those +great horns formed out of elephant tusks. + +Thus, in triumph, amid the howls and execrations of the mob, Omar, son of +Sanom, and myself, were marched onward through the gate and up a steep +narrow winding street, where the solidly-built houses were set close +together to obtain the shade, to the market-place. Here, amid the +promiscuous firing of long flint-lock guns and quaint ancient pistols, +such as one sees in curiosity shops at home, a further demonstration was +held, our carriers themselves infected by the popular enthusiasm, seeming +also to lose their senses. They heaped upon Omar every indignity, scoffed +and spat at him, while my own pale face arousing the ire of the fanatical +Mohammedan populace, they denounced me as an infidel accursed of Allah, +and urged my captors to kill me and give my flesh to the dogs. + +Truly we were in pitiable plight. + +I looked at Omar, but heedless of all their threats and jeers, he walked +with princely gait. His hands were tied behind his back, his head erect, +and his eyes flashed with scorn upon those who sought his death. +Presently, turning sharply to the left, we found ourselves in another +square which we crossed, entering a great gateway guarded by soldiers, +and as soon as we were inside the heavy iron-studded doors closed with an +ominous clang. I glanced round at the thick impregnable walls and knew +that we were in the Kasbah, or citadel. Gaily-dressed soldiers were +leaning or squatting everywhere as we crossed the several court-yards, +one after the other, until, by the direction of one of the officials who +had joined us on entering, we were led through a low arched door, and +thence a dozen soldiers who had come forward hurried us down a flight of +dark damp steps into a foul noisome chamber below. + +Struggles and protestations were useless. We were pushed forward into a +deep narrow cell lit only by a tiny crack in the paving of the court +above and the door quickly bolted upon us. + +"Well, this is certainly a dire misfortune," I said, when we had both +walked round inspecting the black dank walls of our prison. "I wonder +what fate is in store for us?" + +"Though they destroyed my jujus, they cannot invoke the curses of Zomara +upon me," he said. "The Crocodile-god will not hear any enemies of the +Naya." + +"But have you no idea whatever of the motive Kouaga has had in bringing +you hither?" I asked. + +"Not the slightest," he answered, seating himself at last on the stone +bench to rest. "It is evident, however, that he is a traitor in the pay +of Samory. On each occasion when the Moslem chief endeavoured to conquer +our country, it was Kouaga who assumed the generalship of our troops; it +was Kouaga who fought valiantly for his queen with his own keen sword; it +was Kouaga who drove back the enemy and urged our hosts to slaughter them +without mercy; and it was Kouaga who, with fiendish hatred, put the +prisoners to the torture. In him my mother had a most trusted servant." + +"He doesn't seem very trustworthy now," I observed. "It seems to me we +are caught like rats in a trap." + +"True," he said. "We are beset by dangers, but may the blessings of their +Allah turn to curses upon their heads. It may be that our ignominious +situation will not satisfy the malice that Samory has conceived against +me, but if a single hair of the head of either of us is injured, Zomara, +the Crocodile-god, will punish those who seek our discomfiture." + +It occurred to me that it was all very well to speak in this strain, but +as no man is a prince except in his own country, it seemed idle to expect +mercy or pity. Omar was in prison for some unknown offence, and I was +held captive with a well-remembered threat from Kouaga that my life +should be sacrificed. + +For six hours we remained without food, but when the light above had +quite faded, three soldiers with clanging swords unbarred the door and +pushed through some water in an earthen vessel and some _fufu_, a kind of +dumpling made of mashed African potato. During the night, disturbed by +vermin of all sorts, including some horrible little snakes, we slept +little, and at dawn we were again visited by our captors. The next day +and the next passed uneventfully. For exercise we paced our cell times +without number, and when tired would seat ourselves on the rough stone +bench and calmly discuss the situation. + +The Naya, the mysterious Great White Queen, had ordered Omar to return +with all haste, yet already two moons had run their course since we had +landed in Africa. This troubled my companion even more than the fact of +being betrayed into the hands of his enemies. + +The tiny streak of light that showed high above our heads grew brighter +towards noon, then began slowly to decline. Before the shadows had +lengthened in the court above, however, the sound of our door being +unbarred aroused us from our lethargy, and a moment later, three soldiers +entered and told us to prepare to go before the great ruler Samory. Omar, +attired only in a small garment of bark-cloth, took no heed of his +toilet, therefore we at once announced our readiness to leave the +loathsome place with its myriad creeping things, and it was with a +feeling of intense relief that a few minutes later we ascended to the +blessed light of day. + +Marched between a small posse of soldiers, we crossed the court to a +larger and more handsome square, decorated in Arab style with horseshoe +arches and wide colonnades, until at the further end a great curtain of +crimson velvet was drawn aside and we found ourselves in a spacious hall, +wherein many gorgeously attired persons had assembled and in the centre +of which was erected a great canopy of amaranth-coloured silk supported +by pillars of gold surmounted by the crescent. Beneath, reclining on a +divan, slowly fanned by a dozen gaudily-attired negroes, was a +dark-faced, full-bearded man of middle age, whose black eyes regarded us +keenly as we entered. He was dressed in a robe of bright yellow silk, and +in his turban there glittered a single diamond that sparkled and gleamed +with a thousand iridescent rays. His fat brown hand was loaded with +rings, and jewels glittered everywhere upon his belt, his sword, and his +slippers of bright green. + +It was the notorious and dreaded chieftain, Samory. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE SECRET OF THE QUEEN. + + +AS we were led forward to the space in front of the divan all eyes were +directed towards us. The glitter and pomp of the merciless slave-raider's +court was dazzling. Before their ruler all men salaamed. His officers +surrounding him, watched every movement of his face, and the four-score +slaves behind him stood mute and motionless, ready to do his bidding at +any instant. + +When our feet touched the great carpet spread before him, and we halted, +he raised himself to a sitting posture, fixing his dark, gleaming eyes +upon us. At sight of Omar a sudden frown of displeasure crossed his +features, but an instant later a grim smile of triumph lit his sinister +face. + +Apparently he was waiting for us to bow before him, but Omar had +forbidden me to do so. + +"And who, pray, art thou, that thou deignest not to bend the knee before +me?" he cried, in anger that his people should witness a slur thus cast +upon his power. + +"I am Omar, son of the Naya of Mo," my companion answered, folding his +arms resolutely, and regarding the potentate with supreme disdain. +"Princes do not make obeisance to any but their equals." + +"Am I not thine equal, then, thou son of offal?" cried Samory. + +"In strength thou art, possibly, but not by birth. In order to protect +thy country against the white men thou hast sought to make palaver with +Prempeh of Ashanti, but I would remind thee that the rulers of Mo have +never besought any aid of their neighbours." + +"Thou speakest well, lad," he said thoughtfully. "Thine is a mighty +kingdom, but by peace or war I will rule over it." + +"Never, while I live," answered Omar with pride. + +"But thou art the last of thy race. If thou diest--what then?" + +"If I die, then every man in Mo will seek blood revenge upon thee, and +Zomara will guide them into this, thy land, and arm them with spears of +fire." + +"I care nought for thy Naya nor thy pagan Crocodile-god," exclaimed the +Mohammedan chief impatiently. "Bow unto my divan, or of a verity my +slaves shall compel thee." + +"I refuse." + +"May thine entrails be burned," cried Samory in anger, and raising his +hand he ordered the guards of the divan to cast us both to earth before +him. + +They threw us down, and their ruler, rising, placed his foot firmly on +the neck of the heir to the throne of Mo, saying in a loud voice: + +"As I hold thee thus within my power, so also will I, ere many moons have +run, hold thy country. Cursed by the Prophet may be thy detested race. +There is neither peace nor friendship, there is neither gratitude nor +love in the people of Samory, and they shall be the first to curse thee. +When I enter Mo every day shall the knife of the executioner be fed with +blood; thy cities shall mourn the loss of their sages, husbands their +wives, wives their children, and children their fathers. The country +shall be devastated to its most northerly limits and it shall be +rendered a wilderness of silence and sorrow." + +Then withdrawing his foot, amid the plaudits of his crowd of +fierce-looking courtiers, Omar sprang to his feet in rage, and facing +him, cried: + +"The men of Mo are forewarned already against thy designs, +notwithstanding that our ex-Grand Vizier Kouaga, the son of a dungheap +who betrayed us hither, hath joined thine accursed ranks. The soldiers of +the Naya are still anxious for the fourth time to try conclusions with +thy white-cloaked rabble. Come, march forward into Mo--thou wilt never +return." + +"Thou defiest me, even as thy mother hath done," he roared, his hand upon +the bejewelled hilt of his curved blade. "Were it not for one fact I +would smite thee dead." + +"I fear thee not," Omar answered with a calmness that astounded me. +"Sooner or later thou wilt, I suppose, order my death, therefore the +sooner the better." + +"Why insultest thou our race by bringing hither with thee this dog of a +Christian?" the chief enquired, looking at me with a terrible expression +of hatred. + +"He cometh as my companion," replied Omar briefly. + +"As thy companion he shall accompany thee to the grave," Samory cried +fiercely, his eyes swimming in malice. + +"So be it," answered Omar, with a smile of contempt. "May Zomara curse +thy work." + +"Speak, infidel!" Samory said, fixing his fiery glance upon me. "Whence +comest thou?" + +"From England," I answered briefly, in fear. + +"From that country where dwell the accursed of Allah," he said, as if to +himself. "They are pig-eaters who despise the Book of Everlasting Will +and declare our great Prophet--on whom may be everlasting peace--to be a +false one. Accursed be thy country, infidel! May thy people suffer every +torment of Al-Hawiyat; may their food be offal, and may they slake their +thirst with boiling pitch. The white men have sent their messengers to me +time after time to urge me to ally myself with them, but it shall never +be recorded that Samory besought the assistance of infidels to extend his +kingdom. We fight beneath the green banner of Al-Islam, and will continue +to do so until we die. Ere long, the day of the Jehad will dawn; then the +forces of Al-Islam will unite to sweep from the face of the earth those +white parasites who seek the overthrow of the Faithful. Allah is +merciful, and his servant is patient," added the old scoundrel piously. + +There arose, as if with one voice from those assembled, the words: +"Samory hath spoken! Allah send him blessings abundant!" and as they did +so each fingered his amulets, little scraps of parchment whereon verses +from the Koran were written in sprawly Arabic. At that moment, too, I +noticed, for the first time, that right opposite us was the grinning, +evil face of the black giant, Kouaga, the man who had so foully betrayed +us. + +We exchanged glances, and he laughed at us in triumph. + +"Dost thou intend to keep me as hostage?" Omar asked his mother's enemy +boldly. + +"Until thou hast performed the service for which I caused thee to journey +hither with our good Kouaga." + +"The traitor's head shall fall," Omar blurted out with pardonable +passion. Then he asked, "Thou desirest a service of me. Well, what is +it?" + +There was a silence so deep that a feather if dropped upon the cool floor +of polished marble would have made audible sound, and Samory slowly +seated himself. + +"Give ear unto my words," he said a few moments later, in a clear voice, +as he stroked his beard with his fat hand. "I know that within thine +impenetrable kingdom many undreamed-of mysteries and wealth untold lie +concealed. This is common report. Thine ancestors in their +treasure-house, the whereabouts of which is known only to the Naya and to +thyself, have deposited heaps of jewels and great quantities of gold, the +spoils of war through many generations. I desire to ascertain, and I will +ascertain from thine own lips, the exact spot where we may seek that +treasure." + +A look of abject bewilderment crossed Omar's features, and he turned to +me, saying in English: + +"All is now plain, Scars. Because only the Naya herself is aware of the +spot where the treasure of the Sanoms is deposited, my mother, on the eve +of my departure for England, divulged to me the secret, fearing lest she +should die before my return. Kouaga was the only person who knew that my +mother had thus spoken to me, and he has informed Samory and joined him +for the purpose of obtaining the treasure." + +"Is not Kouaga aware of the spot where the treasure is hidden?" I asked +hurriedly. + +"No. He came to England at Samory's suggestion to convey me hither so +that they could get the secret from me. On gaining the information it is +apparently their intention to make a raid, with Kouaga leading, in order +to secure our wealth." + +But Samory himself interrupted our consultation. + +"Speak not with thine infidel companion," he roared. "Answer me. Tell me +where this treasure of the Sanoms lieth." + +"The son of the Naya is no traitor," he answered with hauteur. + +"If thou speakest thou shalt have thy liberty. Indeed, if thou deemest +fit thou shalt join the expedition into Mo, and share with us the loot," +the chief urged. + +"Thy words insult me," cried Omar, full of wrath. "I will never share +with thee, who murdered my father, that which is my birthright." + +"Very well," answered Samory indifferently. "Thou needest not. We will +take it, kill thy mother and annex thy country. Already the whole kingdom +is ripe for revolt, and we shall quickly accomplish the rest. I had thee +brought hither because thou alone holdest a secret I desire to know--the +secret of the royal Treasure-house, and----" + +"And I refuse to disclose it," my companion said, interrupting the +gaudily-attired potentate. + +"If thou wilt not speak willingly, then my executioners shall force thee +to loosen thine obstinate tongue's strings," Samory cried, frowning, +while the hideous face of the black traitor grinned horribly. + +"The secret of the queen is inviolable. My lips are sealed," answered +Omar with resolution. + +"Then my executioners shall unseal them." + +"If I cannot save my country from desolation at the hands of thy lawless +bands," exclaimed my friend, "I can at least preserve from thee the +treasure accumulated by my ancestors to be used only for the emancipation +of our country should evil befall it. Until the present, Mo hath been +held against all invaders by the hosts ready at the hands of my mother +and her predecessors, and even now if thou marchest over my dead body thy +path will not be clear of those who will oppose thee. Remember," he +added, "the army of the Naya possesses many pom-poms[A] of the English, +each of which is equal in power to the fire of one of thy battalions. +With them our people will sweep away thine hosts like grains of sand +before the sirocco." + +"Darest thou oppose my will?" cried Samory, rising in a sudden ebullition +of wrath. + +"Thy will ruleth me not," Omar answered, his face pale and calm. "A Sanom +never betrayed his trust, even though he suffered death." + +"Very well, offspring of sebel," he hissed between his white teeth. "We +will test thy resolution, and cause thee to eat thy brave words. Thy body +shall be racked by the torture, and thy flesh given unto the ants to +eat." Then, turning to the executioner, a big negro with face hideously +scarred by many cuts, who stood at his side leaning upon his razor-edged +_doka_, he added: + +"You know my will. Loosen the lad's tongue. Let it be done here, so that +we may watch the effect of thy persuasion." + +And all laughed loudly at their ruler's grim humour, while twenty slaves +of the executioner rushed away in obedience to their master's command to +bring in the instruments of torture. + +I turned to Omar. He still stood erect, with arms folded. But his face +was pale as death. + +[Footnote A: Maxim guns. They are called "pom-poms" by the African +natives on account of the noise they cause when fired.] + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +CONDEMNED TO THE TORTURE. + + +EAGER to witness the agony of the son of the powerful Naya of Mo, the +crowd of evil-faced men in silken robes who surrounded their brutal chief +watched with lively anticipation the preparations that were in a few +moments in active progress. The black slaves of the weirdly-dressed +executioner first carried in a large blazing brazier, and rolling away +the thick crimson carpet placed it upon the floor of polished marble in +front of Samory's divan. + +A slave boy had, in response to a sign from the great chief, lit his long +pipe with its bejewelled mouthpiece, and as he half reclined on the couch +he smoked on calmly, regarding the execution of his orders with +undisguised satisfaction. + +The slaves, each wearing black loin-cloths with bunches of sable ostrich +feathers on their heads that waved like funeral-plumes as they walked, +brought in grim-looking instruments of iron like blacksmiths' tools, +strange spiked chains, fetters with sharp spikes on the inside, and many +curiously-contrived irons, each devised to cause some horrible torture, +each red with rust, the rust of blood. + +As my eyes fell upon them I involuntarily shuddered. Omar, my loyal +friend, was about to be murdered by these inhuman brutes, and I knew that +I was powerless to defend him from their fiendish wrath. Already he was +standing in the grip of two black-plumed slaves, while no attempt had +been made to secure me. I stood near him, breathlessly anxious, +wondering what the end would be. + +Presently, when all was ready, a silence fell. Then, the deep voice of +Samory was heard, asking the final question: + +"Speak, son of a dog," he cried, addressing my unhappy friend. "Wilt thou +tell us where the secret Treasure-house of the Sanoms is situated?" + +"No," Omar answered, flashing at his enemy a look of defiance. "I will +not betray my mother's secret to my father's murderer." + +"Then use thy powers of persuasion," he said, lifting his hand towards +the executioner. "Unseal his lips, and that quickly." + +"Chief of our race, whose praises rise earliest and most frequent in the +presence of Allah, I am ready to obey thee," answered the hideous +functionary. So saying, he took up a long iron instrument, fashioned like +a pair of pincers and thrust it into the burning coals. + +"Vain, O persecutor," cried Omar in a loud voice. "Vain are thy tortures +against the will power of the son of the Great White Queen, whose veins +are filled with royal blood. Tremble at thy doom, a myriad of my race are +determined against thee, and thy throne noddeth over thine head. The +fiend of darkness is let loose, and the powers of evil shall prevail." + +"Hold thy peace," shouted the Moslem chieftain, enraged. "Thine own blood +shall make satisfaction for those of my race slain by thy warriors when +last we marched upon thy kingdom." + +"The curses of Takhar, of Tuirakh, and of Zomara, dreaded by all men, be +upon thee," my companion cried, lifting his voice until it sounded loud +and clear through the vaulted hall, and pointing to the slave-raiding +king whose power no European influence could break. "May the vengeance +of my injured blood fasten upon thy life." + +Those around Samory looked aghast as Omar uttered these ominous +predictions in the spirit of prophecy, for they perceived he spoke as he +was moved, and the whole council seemed dismayed. Silence and amazement +for a few moments prevailed. Omar alone appeared unconcerned at his fate. + +Quickly, however, the executioner bent over his fire, and as the wretched +victim of the potentate's hatred was dragged to a kind of square iron +frame that lay upon the floor, thrown down, and fastened thereto by his +wrists and ankles, the fiendish-looking hireling took the long pincers, +now red hot, and tore from Omar's shoulder a great piece of flesh. + +A piercing scream of agony rent the air, mingled with the triumphant +jeers of the excited councillors, but my friend's teeth were tightly +clenched and his face blanched to the lips. Again and again cries of +agony escaped him as the red-hot iron touched him, although he exerted +every nerve to maintain a dogged silence. From his back, shoulders, and +chest the brutal negro ruthlessly tore pieces, holding them up to the +assembled court in triumph, while the air was filled with the nauseating +odour of burning flesh. + +The sight was so sickening that I turned faint, and with difficulty +prevented myself from falling. + +"Wilt thou now impart to us the knowledge that we seek?" asked Samory in +ringing tones that sounded above the whispered exultations of his +courtiers. + +"Never," gasped Omar in a weak voice, his eyes starting from his head. +"Life cannot be unchequered by the frowns of fate, but death must bring +dumbness to my lips. Caution, when besmeared in blood, is no longer +virtue, or wisdom, but wretched and degenerate cowardice; no, never let +him that was born to execute judgment secure his honours by cruelty and +oppression. Hath not thy Koran told thee that fear and submission is a +subject's tribute, yet mercy is the attribute of Allah, and the most +pleasing endowment of the vicegerents of earth." + +"From the lips of a fool there sometimes falleth wisdom," Samory said +impatiently. "Thou hast deemed it wise to thwart the will of one whose +wish is law, therefore ere the bud of thy youth unfolds in the fulness of +manhood, thou shalt be cut off as the husbandman destroyeth the deadly +serpent in the field." + +"Is there no way to build up the seat of justice and mercy but in +murder?" cried Omar. At a signal from the slave-raider, however, the +scarred-face brute again withdrew the pincers from the fiery brazier, and +applied them once more to the wretched prince's back. + +He winced and turned with such strength that his limbs, fettered as they +were in bonds of blood-smeared iron, cracked, while the muscles and veins +stood out knotted like cords. The spotless marble of the floor was +stained by a dark red pool, becoming larger every moment as the +life-blood dripped slowly from beneath. + +The scene was revolting. I placed my hands over my eyes to shut out from +my gaze the horrible contortions of the victim's face. + +Yet those assembled were gleeful and excited. Omar was the son of their +unconquerable enemy, and they delighted in witnessing his humiliation and +agony. Times without number the negro with the strangely-marked visage +seared the flesh of my helpless companion; then in response to his orders +his black-plumed slaves drew tighter the bonds that confined his ankles +and wrists until the sound of the crushing of bones and sinews reached +our ears. + +Again a loud shriek echoed along the high-roofed hall. Omar was no longer +able to bear the excruciating pain in silence. + +"Courage," I cried in English, heedless of the consequences. "Courage. +Let this fiend see that he cannot rule us as he does his cringing +slaves." + +"Think! think of yourself, Scars!" he gasped with extreme difficulty. "If +they kill me, forgive me for bringing you from England. I--I did not know +that this trap had been prepared for me." + +"I forgive you everything," I answered, glancing for a moment at his +white, blood-smeared countenance. "Bear up. You must--you shall not die." + +But even as I spoke, the executioner, who had been bending over the fire, +withdrew with his tongs a band of iron with long sharp spikes on the +inside now red with heat, and as the slaves released the pressure upon +his wrists and ankles the sinister-faced negro placed the terrible band +around the victim's waist and by means of a screw quickly drew it so +tight that the red-hot spikes ran into the flesh, causing it to smoke and +emit a hissing noise that was horrible. + +Again poor Omar squirmed in pain and gave vent to a shrill, agonised cry. +But it was not repeated. + +Everyone stood eager and open-mouthed, and even the villainous Samory +rose from his divan to more closely watch the effect of the fearful +torture now being applied. + +The victim's upturned face was white as the marble pavement. From the +corners of the mouth a thin red stream oozed, and the closed eyes and +imperceptible breathing showed plainly that no torture, however inhuman, +could cause him further agony. He had lapsed into unconsciousness. + +"Hold!" cried Samory at last, seeing the executioner about to prepare yet +another torture. "Take the pagan author of malice from my sight, let his +wounds be dressed, and apply thy persuasion unto him again to-morrow at +sundown. He shall speak, I vow before the great Allah and Mahomet, the +Prophet of the Just. He shall tell us where the treasure lieth hidden." + +"O, light of the earth," cried one of the councillors, a white-bearded +sage who wore a robe of crimson silk beautifully embroidered. "Though the +hand of time hath not yet spread the fruits of manhood upon this youth's +cheeks, yet neither the splendour of thy court nor the words from thy +lips could steal from the young prince the knowledge of himself. He hath +cursed thee with the three curses of the pagans Takhar, Tuirakh, and +Zomara, the Crocodile-god, held in awe by all." + +"Well, thinkest thou that I fear the empty threats of a youth whose +hostility towards me arises from the fact that I captured his father on +the Great Salt Road, and smiting off his head, sent it as a present to +the Naya?" asked Samory in indignation. + +But as the black-plumed slaves removed the inanimate form of Omar, the +aged councillor stepped forward boldly, saying: + +"I perceive, O source of light, that the dark clouds of evil are +gathering to disturb the hours of futurity; the spirits of the wicked are +preparing the storm and the tempest against thee; but--the volumes of +Fate are torn from my sight, and the end of thy troubles is unknown." + +The councillors exchanged glances and stood aghast, but Samory, livid +with rage, sprang from his divan and commenced to upbraid the aged seer +for his words of warning. I was not, however, allowed to listen to the +further discussion of the old man's prophecy, being hurried by two of the +torturer's slaves back to my underground cell, where I remained alone for +many hours awaiting Omar, who, I presumed, was being brought back to +consciousness in another part of the great impregnable fortress, the +mazes of which were bewildering. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +ZOMARA. + + +IN darkness and anxiety I remained alone for many days in the foul +subterranean prison. Had the fiendish tortures been repeated upon my +hapless friend, I wondered; or had he succumbed to the injuries already +inflicted? Hour by hour I waited, listening to the shuffling footsteps of +my gaolers, but only once a day there came a black slave to hand me my +meagre ration of food and depart without deigning to give answer to any +of my questions. + +I became sick with anxiety, and at last felt that I must abandon all hope +of again seeing him. I was alone in the midst of the fiercest and most +fanatical people of the whole of Africa, a people whose supreme delight +it was to torture the whites that fell into their hands as vengeance for +the many expeditions sent against them. Through those dismal days when +silence and the want of air oppressed me, I remembered the old adage that +when Hope goes out Death smiles and stalks in, but fortunately, although +wearied and dejected, I did not quite abandon all thought of ever again +meeting my companion. The hope of seeing him, of being able to escape and +get into the land of Mo, was now the sole anchor of my life, yet as the +monotonous hours passed, the light in the chink above grew brighter and +time after time gradually faded into pitch darkness, I felt compelled to +admit that my anticipations were without foundation, and that Omar, the +courageous descendant of a truly kingly race, was dead. + +In the dull dispiriting gloom I sat hour after hour on the stone bench +encrusted with the dirt of years, calmly reflecting upon the bright, +happy life I had been, alas! too eager to renounce, and told myself with +sorrow that, after all, old Trigger's school, or even the existence of a +London clerk, was preferable to imprisonment in Samory's stronghold. Many +were the means by which I sought to make time pass more rapidly, but the +hours had leaden feet, and while the tiny ray struggled through above, my +mind was constantly racked by bitter thoughts of the past, and a +despairing dread of the hopeless future. + +One morning, however, when I had lost all count of the days of my +solitary confinement, my heart was suddenly caused to leap by hearing the +unusual sound of footsteps, and a few moments later my door was thrown +open and I was ordered by my captors to come forth. + +I rose, and following them unwillingly, wondering what fate had been +decided for me, ascended the steep flight of steps to the courtyard +above, wherein I found a crowd of Arab nomads in their white haicks and +burnouses. Samory was also there, and before him, still defiant and +apparently almost recovered from his wounds, stood my friend Omar. + +I sprang towards him with a loud cry of joy, and our recognition was +mutually enthusiastic, as neither of us had known what fate had overtaken +the other; but ere he could relate how he had fared, the Mohammedan chief +lifted his hand, and a dead silence fell on those assembled. + +"Omar, son of the accursed Naya whom may Eblis smite with the fiery +sword, give ear unto my words," he said, in a loud, harsh voice. "Thou +hast defied me, and will not impart to me the secret of the +Treasure-house, even though I offer thee thy freedom. I have spared thee +the second torture in order that a fate more degrading and more terrible +shall be thine. Hearken! Thou and thy friend are sold to these Arab +slavers for this single copper coin." + +For an instant he showed us the coin in the palm of his brown hand, then +tossed it far away from him with a gesture of disgust. + +"Ye are both sold," he continued, "sold for the smallest coin, to be +taken to Kumassi as slaves for their pagan sacrifice." + +At his words we both started. It was indeed a terrible doom to which this +villainous brute had consigned us. We were to be butchered with awful +rites for the edification of Prempeh and his wild hordes of fanatics! + +"Rather kill us outright," Omar said boldly, his hands trembling +nevertheless. + +"Death will seize thee quite soon enough," laughed the chief derisively. +"Mine ally Prempeh will have the satisfaction of offering a queen's son +to the fetish." + +"Rest assured that the god Zomara will reward thee for this day's evil +work," Omar cried, with a fierce look in his eyes. "Thou hast spent +fiercest hatred upon me, but even if I die, word will sooner or later be +carried into Mo that thou wert the cause of the death of the last of my +race. Then every man capable of bearing arms will rise against thee. +Standing here, I make prophecy that this thy kingdom shall be uprooted as +a weed in the garden of peace, and that thine own blood shall make +satisfaction for thy cruelty." + +"Begone!" cried Samory, in a tumult of wrath. And turning to the Arabs he +cried in a commanding tone: "Take the dog to the slaughterers. Let me +never look again upon his face." + +But ere they could seize him, he had lifted his hand, invoking the curse +of Zomara, saying: + +"Omar, Prince of Mo, has spoken. This kingdom of Samory shall, ere many +moons, be shaken to its foundations." + +But the fierce Arabs quickly dragged us forth, bound us when out of sight +of the great chief, and led us beyond the gates of the Kasbah to where we +found a great slave caravan assembled in readiness to depart. Fully one +hundred black slaves, each fastened in a long chain, were lying huddled +up in the shadow, seeking a brief rest after a long and tedious march. +Most of them were terrible objects, mere skin and bone, and all showed +signs of brutal ill-treatment, their backs bearing great festering sores +caused by the lashes of their pitiless captors. The majority of them had, +I ascertained, been captured in the forest wilds beyond the Niger, and +all preserved a stolid indifference, for they knew their terrible doom. +They were being hurried on to Kumassi to be sold to King Prempeh for +sacrificial purposes. + +To this wretched perspiring crowd of hopeless humanity we were bound, and +amid the jeers of a number of Samory's officials who had crowded to the +gate to see us depart, we moved onward, our steps hastened by the heavy +whips of our masters who, mounted on wiry little ponies and heavily +armed, galloped up and down the line administering blows to the laggards +or the sick. + +From the city away across the open grass-lands we wended our way, a +dismal, sorrowful procession, but Omar, now beside me again, briefly +related how, after being removed from the torture-frame, his wounds had +been dressed and he had been tenderly nursed by an old female slave who +had taken compassion upon him. A dozen times messengers from Samory had +come to offer him his liberty in exchange for the secret of the +Treasure-house, but he had steadfastly refused. Twice the scoundrel +Kouaga had visited him and made merry over his discomfiture. + +"But," said my friend, "the boastings of the traitor are empty words. +When we laugh it shall be at his vain implorings for a speedy death." + +"To him we owe all these misfortunes," I said. + +"Yes, everything. But if only we get into Mo he shall render an account +of his misdeeds to my mother. No mercy will be shown him, for before the +Naya's wrath the nation trembles." + +"But our position at the present moment is one of extreme gravity," I +observed. "We are actually on our way to another of your mother's +enemies, whose relentless cruelty is common talk throughout the world." + +"True," he answered. "If we find the slightest loop-hole for escape we +must embrace it. But if not----" and he paused. "If not, then we must +meet our deaths with the calm indifference alike traditional of the +Sanoms and of Englishmen." + +Whenever misfortune seemed to threaten he appeared only the more +composed. Each day showed me that, even though an African and a +semi-savage, yet his bearing in moments when others would have been +melancholy, was dignified and truly regal. Even though his only covering +was a loin-cloth and a piece of a white cotton garment wrapped about his +shoulders, Omar Sanom was every inch a prince. + +"If we made a dash for liberty we should, I fear, be shot down like +dogs," I said. + +"Yes," he answered. "The country we shall now traverse will not +facilitate our flight, but the reverse. From the edge of the Great Forest +to Buna, beyond the Kong mountains, it is mostly marshy hollows and +pestilential swamps, while the lands beyond Buna away to Koranza, in +Ashanti, are flat and open like your English pastures. We will, if +opportunity offers, endeavour to escape, but even if we succeeded in +eluding their vigilance death lurks everywhere in a hundred different +forms." + +"Well, at present we are slaves hounded on towards the dreaded Golgotha +of the Ashantis," I said. "We have escaped one fate only to be threatened +by one more terrible." + +"True," he answered. "But down on the Coast they have an old proverb in +the Negro-English jargon which says, 'Softly, softly catchee monkey.' Let +us proceed cautiously, bear our trials with patience, seek not to incense +these brutal Arabs against us, and we may yet tread the path that leads +into my mother's kingdom. Then, within a week, the war-drums will sound +and we will accompany our hosts against Samory and his hordes." + +"I shall act as you direct," I replied. "If you think that by patience +all may come right no complaint shall pass my lips. We are companions in +misfortune, therefore let us arm ourselves against despair." + +The compact thus made, we endured the toil and hardships of travel +without murmur. At first our bearded masters heaped upon the queen's son +every indignity they could devise, but finding they could not incense +him, nor cause him to utter complaint, ceased their taunts and cuts from +their loaded whips, and soon began to treat us with less severity. + +Yet the fatigues of that march were terrible. The suffering I witnessed +in that slave gang is still as vivid in my memory as if it were only +yesterday. Ere we had passed through the great forest and gained the Kong +mountains, a dozen of our unfortunate companions who had fallen sick had +been left in the narrow path to be eaten alive by the driver-ants and +other insects in which the gloomy depths abound, while during the twenty +days which the march to the Ashanti border occupied many others succumbed +to fever. Over all the marshes there hung a thick white mist deadly to +all, but the more so to the starving wretches who came from the high +lands far north beyond the Niger. Scarcely a day broke without one or +more of the lean, weak negroes being attacked, and as a sick slave is +only an incumbrance, they were left to die while we were marched onward. +Whose turn it might next be to be left behind to be devoured alive none +knew, and in this agony of fear and suspense we pushed forward from day +to day until we at last reached the undulating grass-land that Omar told +me was within a few days' march of Kumassi. + +Here, even if the sun blazed down upon us like a ball of fire, it was far +healthier than in the misty regions of King Fever, and at the summit of a +low grass-covered hill our captors halted for two days to allow us to +recuperate, fearing, we supposed, that our starved and weak condition +might be made an excuse for low prices. + +Soon, however, we were goaded forward again, and ere long, having +traversed Mampon's country, entered the capital of King Prempeh, slaves +to be sacrificed at the great annual custom. + +No chance of escape had been afforded us. We were driven forward to the +doom to which the inhuman enemy of the Naya of Mo had so ruthlessly +consigned us. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE HUMAN SACRIFICE. + + +KUMASSI, the capital of the Ashanti kingdom, was, we found, full of +curious contrasts. We approached it through dense high elephant grass, +along a little beaten foot-path strewn with fetish dolls. It was evening +when we entered it, and drums could be heard rumbling and booming far and +near. Presently we passed a cluster of the usual mud huts, then another; +several other clusters were in sight with patches of high jungle grass +between. Then in a bare open space some two hundred yards across, were +huts, and more thatched roofs in the hollow beyond. This was Kumassi. + +During that day three of our fellow-sufferers, knowing the horrible fate +in store for them, managed to snatch knives from the belts of our captors +and commit suicide before our eyes, preferring death by their own hands +to decapitation by the executioners of Prempeh, that bloodthirsty monarch +who has now happily been deposed by the British Government, but who at +that time was sacrificing thousands of human lives annually, defiant and +heedless of the remonstrances of civilized nations. + +In size Kumassi came up to the standard I had formed of it. The streets +were numerous, some half-dozen were broad and uniform, the main avenue +being some seventy yards wide, and here and there along its length a +great patriarchal tree spread its branches. The houses were wattled +structures with alcoves and stuccoed facades, embellished with Moorish +designs and coloured with red ochre. Red seemed the prevailing colour. +Indeed it is stated on good authority that on one occasion Prempeh +desired to stain the walls of his palace a darker red, and used the blood +of a thousand victims for that purpose. Behind each of the pretentious +buildings which fronted the streets were grouped the huts of the +domestics, inclosing small courtyards. + +Passing down this main avenue, where many people watched our dismal +procession, we came to the grove whence issued the terrible smell which +caused travellers to describe Kumassi as a vast charnel-house; we, +however, did not halt there, but passed onward to the palace of Prempeh, +situated about three hundred yards away and occupying a level area in the +valley dividing the two eminences on which the town is situated. The +first view of what was designated as the palace was a number of houses +with steep thatched roofs clustered together and fenced around with split +bamboo stakes, while at one corner rose a square two-storeyed stone +building. The lower part of the lofty walls of stucco was stained deep +red, probably by blood, and the upper part whitewashed. + +Presumably our captors had received a commission from Prempeh to supply +him with slaves for the sacrifice, for we were marched into a small +courtyard of the palace itself and there allowed to rest until next day, +being given a plentiful supply of well-cooked _cankie_, or maize pudding +wrapped in plantain leaves. Our position was, we knew, extremely +critical. Attired in the merest remnant of a waist cloth, with a thick +noose of grass-rope securely knotted around our necks, we lay in the open +court with the stars shining brilliantly above us, unable to sleep from +the intensity of our feelings. In the next court there were more than a +hundred unfortunates like ourselves huddled together, ready to be +sacrificed on the morrow. + +Soon after sunrise, while moodily awaiting our fate, we were made to +stand up for inspection by one of the King's Ocras. These men were of +three classes; the first being relatives of the King and entrusted with +State secrets, were never sacrificed, the second were certain soldiers +appointed by the king, and the third slaves. All, on account of their +distinguished services, were exempt from taxes, palavers and military +services, and were kept in splendid style by the Royal exchequer, those +of the inferior classes being expected to sacrifice themselves upon the +tomb of the king when he died. + +The tall, rather handsome, man who inspected us was an Ocra of the first +class, for he wore a massive gold circle like a quoit suspended around +his neck by golden chains, and, walking beneath an enormous, +gaudily-coloured silken umbrella bearing the crude device of a crouching +leopard, was attended by a numerous retinue, who paid him the greatest +respect. + +The Arabs who had brought us there made him profound obeisance, while +some members of the retinue snapped fingers with several of the Arabs, +and the usual teetotal ceremony of drinking water to "cool the heads" +was gone through. The inspection was a keen one, each of us being passed +in review before the Ocra, who made brief comments to the Arabs at his +side. As Omar passed the dark-faced official scrutinised him carefully +and seemed interested to learn what the leader of the slave caravan told +him in a tongue unknown to me regarding us both, for his gaze wandered +from my companion to myself, and I was at once called out to pass before +his keen glance. We were both kept there several minutes while the Arab +presumably explained how we had been entrapped at the court of Samory. At +last, however, we were allowed to retire, and very soon afterwards the +great Ocra moved forward into the next court, followed by a couple of +youths bearing long knives and a thin, lean-looking wretch with a stool +curiously carved from a solid block of cotton wood, richly embellished +with gold ornaments. + +When he had gone I cast myself upon the ground in the shadow beside Omar, +saying: + +"After all, it would have been better if we had died in the woods than to +endure this torture of waiting for execution." + +"Yes," he answered, gloomily. "That Ocra who has just inspected us was +Betea, a bitter enemy of my mother. He is certain to revenge himself upon +us." + +But even as he spoke we heard the adulatory shouts of the royal crier +somewhere in our vicinity. They were more than sufficient to transform +any man, white or black, into a vain despot, and as translated by Omar +were in the strain of: + +"O, King, thou art the king above all kings! Thou art great! Thou art +mighty! Thou art strong! Thou hast done enough! The princes of the earth +bow down to thee, and humble themselves in the dust before thy stool. +Who is like unto the King of all the Ashantis?" + +It was the preliminary of the great sacrifice! + +King Prempeh, though arrogant, vain and cruel beyond measure, had, we +afterwards saw, the eye of a king, which means that it was the eye of one +possessing unlimited power over life and death. It was the custom for the +king to be placed on the stool by the united voice of the chiefs; but +immediately he was seated in him became vested the supreme power. + +Soon the firing of guns and the loud beating of the great _kinkassis_, or +drums ornamented with human skulls, sounded outside the walls wherein we +were confined, while the air was rent by the wild yells of the excited +populace. For nearly an hour this continued, and we thus remained in +terrible suspense until at last the gate opened, and with the grass ropes +still around our neck we were marched out of the palace under an escort +of the king's slaves. + +Turning to the left along the broad avenue we saw upon a long pole a +human head grinning at us, two vultures perched upon it eagerly stripping +it. It was, Omar told me, the head of a thief. The street was crowded +with people, who shouted to their gods as we passed in procession, and +presently we came to a great fetish-gallows, from the cross beams of +which hung the decomposing body of a ram. Some of the men forming our +escort were a strangely-dressed set, their uniform consisting of striped +tunics reaching to the knee, confined round the waist by belts profusely +decorated with strips of leopard skin and tiny brass bells which tinkled +musically as they moved. In their belts they carried several knives, +while the musket and the little round cap of pangolin skin completed +their equipment. + +At last we reached the grove at Bantama on the out-skirts of the town, +one of the three execution places. Several thousand people had assembled +around a great tree where a number of gorgeous umbrellas of every hue and +material had been erected. Many were ornamented with curious devices, and +the tops of some bore little images of men and animals in gold and +silver. Under the centre umbrella, upon a brass-nailed chair close to the +tree, sat King Prempeh in regal splendour, surrounded by a crowd of +chiefs, whose golden accoutrements glittered in the sun. Three +scarlet-clad dwarfs were dancing before him amid the dense crowd of +sword-bearers, fly-whiskers, court criers and minor officials. As he sat +there, his thin flabby yellow face glistening with oil, he looked a truly +regal figure, wearing upon his head a high black and gold crown, and on +his neck and arms great golden beads and nuggets. His habit was to suck a +large nut that looked like a big cigar, and as he sat there with it in +his mouth it gave his face a strangely idiotic expression. + +The whole Ashanti court had assembled at the theatre of human sacrifice. + +As we approached the drumming grew louder, the roar of voices filled the +air, and the great coloured umbrellas were seen whirling and bobbing +above the heads of the surging crowd of natives. The great barrel-like +drums, with their grim ornamentations, boomed forth, and bands of +elephant-tusk horns added to the deafening din. + +In the distance could be seen the great fetish-house, with its enormous +high thatched roof wherein was supposed to be hidden Prempeh's great +treasures of gold-dust and jewels. The ground whereon the glittering +court had assembled was covered with the skulls and bones of thousands of +former victims, and as we advanced slowly through the turbulent crowd we +saw a sight that froze our blood. At the foot of the fetish tree was +placed a great brass execution-bowl, about five feet in diameter. It was +ornamented with four small lions and a number of knobs all around its +rim, except at one part where there was a space for the victim's neck to +rest upon the edge. The blood of those sacrificed to the gods was allowed +to putrefy in this great bowl--which has recently passed into the hands +of the English, and is now in London--and leaves of certain herbs being +added it was considered valuable as a fetish medicine. + +As we entered the cleared space between the chiefs and caboocers +surrounding the King and the thousands of warriors and spectators, salvo +after salvo of musketry was fired, until the smoke obscured all objects +in our immediate vicinity. Around the sacrificial bowl were grouped a +dozen or more royal executioners with their faces whitewashed and +hideously decorated. Some upon their heads wore caps of monkey skin with +the face in front, while others had high head-dresses of eagles' +feathers, their tunics of long grasses being covered with magical charms +tied in little bunches. All were copiously smeared with blood, while each +wore a necklace of human teeth, and carried a heavy broad-bladed sword +rusted by the blood of former victims. Behind them were twenty or thirty +Ashantis, each with a knife stuck through both cheeks, to prevent the +unhappy victims from asking the King to spare their lives, which, +according to national law, must be granted, while a broad-bladed dagger +was in many cases run under the shoulder-blades. They were prisoners who +had tried to stir revolt, and were, we understood, to be sacrificed +first. Our turn would come later. + +The scene was horrible; we were appalled. At a signal from the King the +first unfortunate wretch was instantly seized by two executioners and +held over the bowl, while a third lifted his keen sword, and with a dull, +sickening thud brought it down upon the poor fellow's neck, hacking into +his spine until the head was severed. Then there arose a loud shout of +triumph. The offering to the fetish was the signal for the most +enthusiastic rejoicing, and the shouts of adulation were deafening. The +people, ground down by a crafty priesthood, and steeped in the most +degrading superstitions, looked upon the wholesale butchery that followed +without a shudder. King, courtiers and slaves seemed seized with an +insatiable desire for blood, and as one head fell after another, the +cries of the victims drowned by the vociferous shouts of the onlookers, +Omar and I stood shackled and trembling. + +One after another the victims were thrown across the bowl and their +life-blood gushed into it as the cruel swords descended, while the King +gloated over the sight with an expression of pleasure upon his oily +sinister face, until the heap of headless trunks grew large, and the +number sacrificed must have been over a hundred. + +Suddenly the chief executioner took one of his knives which had a human +skull upon the hilt, and holding it up, commanded silence. + +Then spoke the Ocra Betea, who, rising from his stool, waved his hand +across the veritable Golgotha, crying: + +"Behold! Tremble! The King makes the great yam custom. The death-drum +beats, and to the fetish we offer sacrifice. Who is so great as the King +of all the Ashantis, and who is so powerful as the fetish? Yonder are the +graves of the great kings, and the marks on yonder walls show the number +of men who were sacrificed when their graves were watered. Listen! The +mighty King Prempeh is about to sacrifice. To-day he sends five hundred +men to the dark world as a thank offering for the harvest, and as an +offering to the fetish to enable us to eat up our enemies, the whites. +When our mighty King says war, we will arm against them, and their heads +shall fill many baskets. Of a truth our lord Prempeh is the greatest +monarch who has ever sat upon the stool. The earth quakes when he speaks, +and his enemies are paralysed by fear. Betea has spoken." + +Then the crowd set up a series of wild shrieks and yells, they +gesticulated, fired guns indiscriminately, and danced wildly, while some +of the enthusiasts pressing forward, dipped their hands into the blood +already in the bowl, and besmeared themselves with it; and others, +turning upon myself and my companion as we stood silent and trembling, +heaped every insult upon us. + +In a few moments, however, the crowd was driven back, and at a signal +from the King the executions recommenced, until the smell of blood grew +sickening, and the awful scene caused me to shake like an aspen. + +I knew that nothing could save me from the hands of these demoniacal +whitewashed executioners, and in a few moments I, a slave purchased like +an ox for the slaughter, would be borne down over the bowl and +decapitated. + +I looked at Omar. His face was pale, but his lips were tightly set, +although there was an expression of utter hopelessness upon his +countenance. + +The horror of that moment held me breathless. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +IN THE SACRED GROVE. + + +ONE by one the slaves of the gang in which we had travelled were dragged +forward, held over the execution bowl and sent as messengers to +spirit-land, until it came to Omar's turn. In a second two white-faced +demons with keen swords seized him, and despite the cry for mercy that +escaped his lips, he was rushed forward, the frenzied executioners +flinging him down unceremoniously, and bending his head over the warm +blood with which the basin was now filled to overflowing. + +At that instant, as the chief executioner strode forward and held his +dripping blade uplifted, ready to strike, the King raised his hand to +command silence, and the hideously-dressed official paused in wonder, his +sword poised in air. + +Betea, the Ocra, bending low, was whispering to the King, when the latter +suddenly took the nut from his mouth and said: + +"So it is upon Omar, son of my enemy the Naya of Mo, that my eyes rest! +Let him stand forth with his white companion." + +Obedient to the command of the King, the executioners allowed Omar to +rise, and in a few moments we both stood before the royal stool. + +"How came you here?" asked Prempeh, scowling. + +"I was captured and sold as slave to the Arab dealers," he answered, +drawing himself up with that princely air he always assumed in moments of +danger. + +"And your white companion? How is it he is in our capital?" + +"I have been to the land of the white men across the sea, and he returned +as my friend," Omar replied. "We were travelling homeward to Mo when by +treachery I was entrapped." + +"By whom?" + +"By Samory." + +Across Prempeh's evil face there spread a sickly smile. He was an ally of +the great Mohammedan chief, and saw at once that Samory had sold the son +of their mutual enemy into slavery. + +"Your queen-mother," he said, "has times without number sent her armed +hordes over the border to raid our villages, and it is the fetish that +has delivered you, her son, into our hands. The fetish has not sent you +hither as a sacrifice, but as a hostage. Therefore your life shall be +spared together with that of your white friend, but you shall both be +given as slaves to our trusted Ocra Betea. Let the sacrifice proceed. +Prempeh, King of all the Ashantis, has spoken." + +Next second a poor black wretch was dragged along in Omar's place and the +sword fell heavily upon him, while we were both hurried away in charge of +a caboocer to the residence of the man who was, according to Omar, one of +his mother's bitterest foes. Glad were we to escape with our lives from +that awful scene of inhuman butchery, but it seemed that as slaves of +this court favourite to whom we had been given, there would be but little +brightness in our lives. + +As day succeeded day our gloomy forebodings were only too truly +realized. Betea, the most powerful of the King's Ocras, seemed to delight +in making our lives a burden to us, for amid luxurious surroundings we +were beaten, starved, and ill-treated, until even death under the +executioner's knife seemed a preferable fate. + +Six months passed; six weary months of slavery and wretchedness. Our +position seemed absolutely hopeless, and I began to fear that we should +never escape from the City of Blood. The scenes we witnessed there were +so revolting, that I cannot now reflect upon them without a shudder. The +ghastly "customs," the absence of all protection for life and property, +the grinding oppression, the nameless horrors of all kinds, were +terrible. Blood was continually flowing, for every anniversary demanded +fresh holocausts, and the "Golgotha" presented a sight of indescribable +horror. The unwritten code of laws were of such a sanguinary nature, that +the public executioners formed a numerous section of the community and +were constantly employed collecting their victims, leading them for +exhibition through the capital and then hacking them to pieces in +presence of the king. Soldiers, slaves, retainers of the nobles and +conquered tribes possessed no defined rights, and their lives and +property were practically in the hands of the royal and governing +classes. + +Close to the house of our inhuman master was the fetish grove, a horrible +place, surrounded by rank grass, dirt, and reeking with odours +pestilential. Once or twice I wandered in that grove, treading upon human +bones at every step--the heaped-up remains of thousands of miserable +creatures slaughtered to please the Ashanti ruler's lust for blood. Poor +crumbling bones, mouldy and sodden as the rotten wood of older trees, +yet once clothed with form and vigour, lay everywhere, while under the +cotton wood trees skulls were heaped and vultures hovered about in +hundreds. + +One evening we attended our master on one of his official visits to +Bantama, the fetish priest's village where we so narrowly escaped +execution, and were able to thoroughly inspect the gruesome place. The +most horrible blood-orgies known to superstition and fetish-worship were +almost daily practised there, and in nearly every abode there were stools +and chairs smeared with human blood, drinking bowls were stained with it, +and some vessels were half-filled with black clotted blood. In the +priests' inner chambers, dark dens filled with foul odours, to which we +entered with Betea, we found not only the whole apartment smeared with +blood, but bones and portions of human remains lying about openly, or +wrapped in rags to serve as charms. One building, probably the residence +of one of the chief priests, was embellished with mud-moulded panels and +scroll work, and the columns facing the principal quadrangle were fluted. +The colours were the prevailing white clay, and red ochre plastered upon +the wattle and mud pillars. + +Suddenly, as in the dusk we left this house, a loud horrible shriek +sounded. At first we thought some poor wretch was being sacrificed, but +again and again it sounded, and all turned pale, even the royal Ocra +himself. + +"What's that, I wonder?" I asked Omar, who, bearing our master's sword, +was walking at my side. + +"The gree-gree!" he gasped, looking round in fear, while at that moment +there sounded two ear-piercing blasts upon a horn. + +"Hark!" cried Betea himself, trembling. "The gree-gree is out to-night!" + +I remembered that I had been told by one of our fellow-slaves that the +gree-gree was a great fetish who appeared horned like a demon, and killed +all persons he came across. None dare lock their doors when the gree-gree +walked, and only the King himself was invulnerable. This no doubt was +another trick of the priests to frighten the superstitious natives, and +at the same time wreak vengeance upon those who had offended them. Once +again the notes of the horn rose weird and shrill, and died away. Then +Betea, himself affrighted, turned to us saying: + +"Fly! fly for your lives. If the gree-gree catches you you will be struck +upon the brow. His arm deals death everywhere." + +In a moment all took to their heels, including the royal Ocra, but Omar, +grasping my arm, whispered excitedly: + +"Stay. We may now escape." + +As the words left his lips we caught sight of a weird black figure +dressed in long coarse grass, with rams' horns upon his head, his face +whitened and a second pair of eyes painted over his own. In his hand +gleamed a long bright knife, while at his side was suspended a +freshly-severed human arm and hand. Yelling and leaping like a veritable +demon, he suddenly noticed the flying figures of our fellow-slaves, and +halting a moment, dashed after them, leaving us alone. + +"He will return here, so we must hide," Omar said quickly, and glancing +round, we both saw at the end of the dark ghostly avenue of fetish-trees +an oblong windowless mud building with a high-pitched triple grass +thatched roof. Running towards it we managed to wrench off the padlock +from the door and enter. It was, we discovered, the reputed sepulchre of +the Ashanti kings. Without, it was guarded by all sorts of +fetish-charms, extraordinary odds and ends, animals' claws, broken +pottery, scraps of tin, bits of wood, stones and human bones. Within, by +the aid of a lamp we found burning were revealed several great coffers +clamped with copper and iron, each resting upon two big stools of carved +cotton-wood. Jars and vases filled with water and wine, braziers full of +sweet-smelling leaves, and plates of food were placed beside each, +offerings for the use of the dead. + +Omar told me that when an Ashanti king died, he was buried in an ordinary +coffin for a time, but afterwards the body was invariably disinterred, +and the joints of the skeleton articulated with gold bands and wire. It +was then placed, doubled up, in one of these spacious coffers--fully four +feet long by two feet wide and deep--and the other skeletons were +attendants, slaughtered and sent to the land of Shades to wait on the +monarch's ghost. + +"Possibly," I said, "much of the ghostly grimness and worked-up horrors +about this place are cunningly devised, not only to protect the Royal +tombs from being plundered by the superstitious natives, but to help to +safeguard the State treasures concealed in yonder coffins." + +"Yes," he said. "In this priest-ridden country all the superstition is +heaped up for their benefit and profit. But we must get out of here +before dawn, run past the gree-gree if he is about, and make a dash for +the open forest. It is our only chance of escape, for at dawn the priests +will come again to watch beside the tombs, and if discovered we are +certain to be skewered through the mouth, dragged before Prempeh and +hacked to pieces by the criminal executioner." + +"Well, any fate is better than that," I observed. "Let us wait an hour or +so, and then make a rush for it." + +"Very well," he answered, and together we resumed the work of exploring +the strange place. + +Soon, however, our lamp burned dim, flickered, and went out; then, after +waiting in silence for half an hour in the pitch darkness, we softly +opened the door, and, holding our breaths, crept out. With noiseless +tread we stole along the sacred grove and were nearly at the end when, +without warning, the hideous gree-gree, with a fiendish yell of triumph, +sprang out of some bushes upon us. + +Involuntarily, I put up my fist to ward off attack, and in doing so gave +him a well-directed blow full in the face, sending him down flat on his +back. + +"Hurrah!" cried Omar in delight. "Floored him! Let's run for our lives." + +Ere the midnight murderer could spring to his feet, we had dashed away as +fast as our legs could carry us, running along the fetish-grove, past the +cluster of executioners' houses, across the open space where in the +centre stood the great tree under which Prempeh had sat to witness the +wholesale sacrifice, and continuing until we came to a path through the +high elephant-grass, we soon left the city far behind us, and plunged +into the dark, dismal forest by the narrow winding way that led to the +unexplored regions of the north. + +When at length we paused to take breath Omar, panting, said: + +"At last we are free again. Betea will not seek us, for he naturally +believes we were killed by the gree-gree. If Zomara favours us we shall +yet live to enter Mo and lead our hosts into the country of Samory." + +Then, taking from his neck a little bag of some strange powder, he took +therefrom a pinch, and with fervent words scattered it to the four +quarters of the wind, thus making a thank-offering to the Crocodile-god. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE WAY OF THE THOUSAND STEPS. + + +TO describe in detail our long toilsome journey and the terrible +hardships we suffered during the next two months is unnecessary. Suffice +it to say that without means of barter, unarmed, and living upon fruit +and roots, we tramped along that narrow path through the pestilential +marshes and the great forests where no light penetrated through the thick +foliage of the giant trees for several weeks, always due north and +passing villages sometimes, until we crossed the Sene river, ascended the +mountains beyond, and found ourselves upon a great level grass-covered +plateau, which occupied us several days in traversing. At last we came to +the border of Prempeh's kingdom, crossed the Volta river that wound in +the brilliant sunlight for many miles like a golden thread among the +trees, and soon entered the fertile country of the Dagombas, a +wild-looking tribe who were allies of the great Naya. At Yendi, seven +days' march through the bush from the Volta, we interviewed the Dagomba +king and received a most enthusiastic welcome. Presents of food and +slaves were given us, as well as a musket each, with some curious +ivory-hilted knives, and we were treated as honoured guests of his sable +majesty, who, Omar informed me, was indebted to the Naya for his royal +position. + +This welcome was therefore only what we expected, nevertheless, our life +during the few days at Yendi was of a very different character to the +miserable existence we had experienced during our long march to the +confines of Ashanti. But Omar was impatient to fulfil the commands of his +mother, and we did not remain longer than was absolutely necessary, in +order not to give offence to the king; however, one morning we snapped +fingers with him and, with two hundred decidedly savage-looking men as +escort, we moved away still due north on our journey to the mysterious +land of the Great White Queen. + +The King of Dagomba had told me, in answer to my enquiries, that neither +himself nor any of his men had ever entered Mo. The inhabitants were a +very powerful and fearless people, he knew, and their soldiers were as +numerous as an army of locusts. The men of Mo were an admirable race, he +added, and although no stranger had ever been admitted to the mysterious +realm, yet its power was feared by every West African ruler without +exception. + +It gratified me to think that I should be the first to set foot within a +land forbidden to any who had not been born there, and I grew extremely +impatient to set eyes upon the country to the throne of which my +light-hearted friend Omar was heir. Travelling quickly, with but few +delays, we crossed the Busanga country, mainly covered by dense, dark +forest and unhealthy marshes, where the odour of decayed vegetable matter +was sickening, until we came to a great mountain rearing its snowy crest +into the clouds, which Omar told me was called the Nauri. Hence, when we +had rested two days to recruit in the sunlight after the dispiriting +gloom of the primeval forest, we held on our way, passing many native +villages, the inhabitants of each showing marked friendliness towards our +Dagombas. + +Kona, our headman, was a tall, pleasant-faced negro, raw-boned and +awkward, with huge hands and splay feet, but his muscles were hard as +iron and his strength astounding. He treated Omar as a prince, always +deferential to his wishes, and regarded me as an honoured visitor to the +unknown but powerful protector of his sovereign. Though fraught with many +dangers on account of the wild beasts lurking in the forests and the +snakes on the plains, our journey nevertheless proved extremely pleasant, +for in Kona we found a true and sympathetic friend. + +Once he spoke to me of Queen Victoria, and his words amused me. He said +with impressive earnestness: + +"Ah! The Queen of the English is, next to the Great White Queen, the +mightiest and cleverest woman in the world. She sees the treasures in the +interior of the earth, and has them lifted. She spans the world with iron +threads, and when she touches them they carry her words into the world. +She has steamers running on dry land. If a mountain is in her way she has +a hole made through it. If a river interferes, she builds a road across +in the air. And the Queen of the English and the Great White Queen of Mo +are richer than all other women together. They are the most beautiful +women in the world, and their husbands paid nothing for them." + +When at night around our camp fire we would relate to him the treachery +of Kouaga, and our adventures in the hands of Samory and Prempeh, he +would stir the embers viciously and call down the curse of Zomara upon +them all. + +"When the son of the great Naya of Mo punishes his enemies, Kona will go +and assist in their destruction," he said one night. "Kona's knife shall +seek their hearts." + +"So it shall," Omar had replied, assured of the loyalty of this negro +ally. "You are our guide and friend; rest assured that when we enter Mo +you shall not be forgotten." + +And we went forward next day all in excellent spirits, all eager to enter +the unknown land. + +A few days' march from the mystic mountain of Nauri we approached a +little town called Imigu, but found it had been sacked and burned, +evidently by Arab slave-raiders, who, Omar said, were constantly +descending upon the towns and villages on the border of his land. At +evening we went over the ruins of what not long ago must have been a +populous trading town, saw how wanton had been the destruction, and +judged from the heaps of bleaching bones how terrible had been the +butchery of its inhabitants. + +At dawn, however, we moved forward again, but at noon, while we were +descending a beautiful fertile valley Kona stopped suddenly, gazed around +wonderingly, and then halting his men addressed them, telling them that +they were about to enter a country wherein no stranger had ever before +set foot, and urging them to patiently face any difficulty they found in +their path, and to offer sacrifices of food to the fetish to give them +strength to surmount all obstacles. + +Omar, with folded arms, stood by and listened. When Kona had finished he +raised his hand, saying: + +"Men of the Dagomba. You have guided us to the furthermost limit of the +earth as known to you; in fact to the point where your knowledge of this +land ends and mine commences. For this service you deserve reward, and +I, Omar, Prince of Mo, promise that none who have accompanied me hither +shall leave the palace of the Great White Queen without his just reward." + +Two hundred black faces thereupon glistened with delight. All were eager +to see the wonders of this much-talked-of country, but the promise of a +reward at the hands of the great queen was a pleasant surprise that +evoked the wildest enthusiasm. They yelled with pleasure, bestowed upon +us all the terms of adulation until they exhausted their vocabulary, and +blew their elephants' tusks until I confess I was compelled to stuff my +fingers into my ears, fearing deafness. + +"Lead us on, O our lord the prince!" they cried. "Let us go forward. We +will follow thee if thou wilt point out the right path leading unto Mo, +and appease thy land's jealous guardians who smite back all would-be +intruders with swords of fire." + +This latter was a tradition. I had heard it many times during my journey +with Omar. The natives of Ashanti, of Kong, of Gurunsi, and of Dagomba, +had all told me that the country of Mo, wherever it might be situated, +was surrounded by a great cordon of guards--demons they believed them to +be--who had never allowed a stranger to enter, for they simply lifted +their deadly swords that blazed like fire-brands, and slew the offending +wanderer. + +"The guardians of Mo shall be appeased," Omar assured them. "Not a hair +on the head of any of our party shall be injured, although the way is +still long and full of terrors and pitfalls. But I will lead, and those +who obey will enter Mo. Those who depart from my words will assuredly +perish. Omar, Prince of Mo, has spoken." + +"May the fetish be good," they all cried aloud. "We will follow and +attend to each word that falleth from thy lips." + +Then in a few minutes we moved on again down the long beautiful valley +through which a clear river wound among green swards and clumps of trees, +forming a park-like scene such as might have been witnessed in England. +Presently, however, the character of the country suddenly changed, and we +were passing through a rocky defile, arid and waterless, while at the end +could be seen a wide open country without rock or tree stretching away as +far as the eye could reach to the misty horizon. + +It appeared like a great limitless wilderness, and those in front +quickened their pace in order to fully view the character of the land we +were approaching. + +For their haste, however, they received an unpleasant reward. + +When those who ran forward emerged into the open plain, they suddenly +found the soft earth give way beneath their feet without warning, and ere +they realized their danger a dozen of them were struggling up to their +arm-pits in the sea of fine ever-shifting sand that seemed kept in +constant motion by some unknown natural cause. With each movement they +sank deeper, until, fearing that the sandy quagmire would envelop and +suffocate them, they cried aloud for assistance. Help was ready at hand, +for the remainder of our followers ran forward, and stretching forth +ropes of monkey-creeper were enabled to drag out their intrepid +companions, much to Omar's amusement. + +"Those who deviate from the course that I myself take will assuredly +perish," he exclaimed a moment later. Then, turning to me, he added: +"This desert you see before you is one of the barriers dividing my land +from those of our enemies. To those who know not the secret it is +impassable." + +"Yes," I answered, surprised at the strange treacherous character of the +sand. "Those who ventured upon it had narrow escapes." + +"Exactly. Any weight upon its surface will sink to the depth of many +feet, sucked down as swiftly and surely as a piece of wood is drawn down +by a whirlpool. In an attempt to cross this unsafe region many men have +lost their lives, for once upon its surface escape is impossible. See!" +And he cast his staff away upon the sand. In an instant it had sunk out +of sight. + +"Then how shall we gain the land beyond?" I asked in fear at the soft +nature of the earth's surface. + +"There is but one way. It is known only to the Naya and to myself, and is +called the Way of the Thousand Steps. Its existence is preserved as a +royal secret in case my family are compelled at any time to fly from our +country, in which case they could escape safely, while all their pursuers +would assuredly be overwhelmed and perish. For that reason the knowledge +has been for centuries solely in the keeping of the reigning Naya or +Naba. It was by this secret path that I left Mo and came to you in +England; by the same path I return." + +"Lead the way. We will follow," I said. + +"Come, men," he exclaimed, lifting his hand as he addressed them. "Fear +not, but follow so closely in my footprints that your feet obliterate +them, and I will bridge the great gulf that lieth between Mo and the +outer world." + +The mishap to the advance guard had evoked the wildest speculations among +the natives, and all were eagerly pressing forward, when, in a few +moments, Omar took up his position before them, and urging the utmost +caution held up the staff he took from my hand, taking what appeared to +be the bearings between his own eye and the summit of a low mound far +away on the horizon. The preparations did not take long, and very soon, +with his staff held in the same position before him, he began to venture +forward upon the unsafe sand. + +Carefully he trod the great treeless plain, being followed by all in +single file. With such caution did we tread, and so excited were we all, +that at first scarcely was a word spoken. Very soon, however, with +confidence in Omar's leadership the natives grew hilarious again, and +keeping straight behind the young prince they found the way, about a foot +in width, hard, although dry, and extremely unpleasant to tread. +Nevertheless we all were ready to encounter and overcome every obstacle +providing that we could enter the forbidden land, and thus we went +forward. Now and then one of the natives, in speaking to the man next +behind him, would turn and thus deviate from the path over which Omar had +passed, and he would quickly pay for this carelessness, suddenly finding +himself floundering helplessly up to the ears in the deadly quicksands. +Then the whole of our party would halt and, amid broad laughter and much +ridicule, the unfortunate one would be dragged forth from a certain and +terrible doom. + +But the path was not straight. Heedless of the chatter and excitement +behind him Omar walked on before, his staff raised on a level with his +eye, counting aloud each step he took, measuring the distance, until when +he had taken a thousand paces he suddenly stopped, examined the ground +well, and then turning at exact right angles, took bearings by another +mound that I had noticed far in the distant haze. + +Again and again we faced always at exact angles after pacing a thousand +steps, so that our path became a zig-zag one, long and toilsome, with +many halts, yet without rest and without seeing anything beyond the +wondrous expanse of burning sky and the loose sand that swallowed all +things dead or living. + +Everything thrown upon it sank and disappeared almost as quickly as iron +cast into water. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +FOES. + + +WHEN we had been several hours upon our hot, tedious journey there arose +a quarrel out of a practical joke played by one native upon the man +walking before him. Quick, hasty words led to blows being exchanged. + +Both men were walking immediately in front of me, and I did my best to +quell the disturbance, but either they did not understand me or affected +ignorance of my words, for suddenly one of them raising his spear leapt +forward upon the other. The man attacked sprang aside and in so doing +left the narrow path, at that spot not more than twelve inches in width, +followed by the would-be assassin. + +Next second they sank into the sand, and although loud cries of horror +escaped them, both disappeared into the terrible gulf ere a hand could be +outstretched to save them. Hearing their cries I leant forward, but +before I could grasp either of them the fine sand had closed over their +heads like the waters of the sea, leaving a deep round depression in the +surface. They had disappeared for ever. + +The instant death of the two combatants before my gaze caused me to +shudder, and I confess that from that moment I kept my eyes rivetted upon +the strange narrow path by which we were crossing the impassable barrier. + +Through three whole days we continued along the Way of the Thousand +Steps, resting at night and journeying while the light lasted. To halt +was even more perilous than to progress, for when we encamped we simply +sat down upon the spot where our footsteps had been arrested, and food +was passed from hand to hand along the line. This latter was somewhat +unsatisfactory, at least as far as I was concerned, for the eatables that +reached me were not improved by passing through the hands of thirty or +forty malodorous negroes. But the fatality that had at first appalled us +had now been forgotten, and everyone kept a good heart. Led by Omar we +were approaching a land hitherto unknown; a country reputed to be full of +hidden wonders and strange marvels, and all were, hour by hour, eagerly +scanning the mysterious horizon. + +Across the level sand, swept by winds that parched the lips and filled +the eyes with fine dust, causing us infinite misery, our gaze was ever +turned northward where Omar told us lay our land of promise. The very +last hesitations on the part of our followers had long been overcome. The +African savage is not given to roaming far from his own tract, fearing +capture or assassination at the hands of neighbouring tribes, but such +confidence had the men of Dagomba that if Omar had plunged into the +quicksands they would have followed without comment. + +When at Trigger's I had often read stories of African adventure. I used +to fancy myself buried in forest wilds, or eating luncheon upon the +grass, on the edge of a tumbling brook in the shadow of great outlandish +trees; I could feel the juice of luscious fruits--mangroves and +bananas--trickle between my teeth. I had once read in one of the boys' +papers about the daughter of an African colonist abducted by the son of a +West African king who had fallen in love with her; and the ups and downs +and ins and outs of this love drama had opened a boundless vista to my +imagination. But life in Africa contained far more excitement than I had +ever imagined. Death threatened everywhere, and I received constant +warnings from Omar, who gave me good advice how to avoid sunstroke or +ward off the effects of the chill wind that blew nightly across this +wonderful limitless plain. + +One evening, when the horizon northward looked grey and mysterious, and +to our left the fiery sun's last dying ray still lingered in the sky, +there was a sudden halt, the cause of which was I afterwards found due to +the sudden stoppage of our leader, Omar. All were eager to know the +cause, until in a few moments an amazing announcement spread from mouth +to mouth along the line. + +There were strangers on ahead of us! They were actually traversing the +Way of the Thousand Steps! + +Shading my eyes with my hands I eagerly scanned the horizon in the +direction indicated, and there, to my astonishment, saw a long thin black +line. At first I could not distinguish whether it was a file of men or +some inanimate object, but the keen eyes of the savages before and behind +me soon detected its presence, and dozens of voices were in accord that +it was a line of armed men, and that they were moving in our direction. + +Instantly it flashed across my mind that whoever they were, friends or +foes, there was not sufficient room for them to pass us upon that narrow +path, and knowing the determination of our followers I wondered what the +result would be when we met. Unable to approach Omar sufficiently near to +converse with him, I watched his face. By the heavy look upon his brow I +knew that trouble was brewing. It was the same look his face wore when we +had been held captive at Kumassi, an expression of resolution and fierce +combativeness. + +Soon, however, we moved along again, eager to ascertain who were the +strangers who knew the secret supposed to have been jealously guarded by +the great Naya and her son, and for over an hour pressed forward at a +quicker pace than usual. Fortunately for us the sunset lingered long away +to our left, for by its light we were enabled to see the men approaching, +and before it died out to distinguish, to our amazement, that they all +wore white Arab burnouses and were armed to the teeth. In point of +numbers they were quite double the strength of our little force, but we +knew not whether they were friendly or antagonistic. + +This point, however, was at last cleared up by Omar himself, who, just as +it was growing dusk halted, and, turning towards me, shouted in English: + +"Scars, are you there?" + +"Yes," I answered. "What's up?" + +"Those devils in front! Can't you see their banner?" + +"No," I answered. Then remembering that he had always possessed a keen +vision, I added: "Who are they?" + +"Some of Samory's men, evidently in flight," he answered. "On seeing us +they raised their banner, and are, it seems, determined to cut their way +past us." + +"But where have they been that they should know the secret of the +Thousand Steps?" I inquired astounded. + +"I'm quite at a loss to understand," he replied puzzled. "The only +solution of the mystery seems to be that Kouaga has, by some means, +obtained knowledge of the secret way, and has directed a marauding force +thither. Evidently they have been defeated by the guardians of Mo, and +the remnant of the force--a strong one, too--are retreating, flying for +their lives." + +"How do you know there has been fighting?" I enquired. + +"Because I can just detect near the banner two wounded men are being +carried." + +"Then we must fight and wipe them out," I said. + +"Easier said than done," he answered. "But it means life or death to us." + +On they came in single file, nearer every moment, and soon I also could +see the dreaded banner of the Mohammedan sheikh Samory. Near the +flag-bearer were several wounded men being carried in litters, while the +white-robed soldiers carried long rifles and in their sashes were +pistols, and those keen carved knives called _jambiyahs_. At first our +natives, believing that they were friendlies, went forward +enthusiastically, determined to drive them back with banter, there not +being room to pass, but very soon Omar ordered another halt, and turning +towards us, cried in a loud voice in his native tongue: + +"Behold, O men of the Dagomba! Yonder are the fighting men of Samory, who +times without number have raided your country, killed your fathers and +sons, and sold your wives and sisters into slavery in Ashanti. They have +endeavoured to enter Mo by the Way of the Thousand Steps, but being +defeated by the guardians of our border are flying towards their own +land. We too must fight them, or we must perish." + +The air was immediately filled with fierce howls and yells. The +announcement that these men were the hated slave-raiders of Samory caused +an instant rush to arms. Loud cries of revenge sounded on every side, +spears were flourished, knives gripped in fierce determination, and those +who had muskets made certain that their weapons were loaded. The air was +rent by shrill war shouts, and the great drum with its hideous +decorations was thumped loudly by two perspiring negroes who grinned +hideously as they watched the steadily marching force approaching. + +"Courage, men of the Dagomba," sounded Kona's voice above the din. "Sweep +these vermin from our path. Let not a single man escape; but let them all +be swallowed by the Sand-God." + +"We will eat them up," cried half-a-dozen voices in response. "Our spears +shall seek their vitals." + +"Guard against their onward rush," cried Omar. "They will seek to throw +us off the path by a dash forward. Thwart them, and victory is ours." + +Ere these words had left our leader's lips, the air was again filled by +the wild clamours of my dark companions, and as we had halted just at a +point where we would be compelled to turn at right angles, we remained +there in order to attack the Arabs as they advanced. + +The sun's glow had faded, dark clouds had come up on the mystic line +where sand and sky united, and dusk was creeping on apace when the +enemy, sweeping forward, shouting and gesticulating, came within gunshot. +From their van a single flash showed for an instant, followed by the +sharp crack of a musket, and a bullet whizzed past Omar, striking one of +the natives a few yards away, passing through his brain and killing him +instantly. + +A silence, deep and complete, fell for an instant upon us. In that +exciting moment we knew that the fight must be fiercely contested, and +that, unable to move scarcely an inch from the spot where we were +standing, the struggle must be long and sanguinary. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +A NATURAL GRAVE. + + +THE single shot from our opponents was quickly replied to by myself and +my companions, and we had the satisfaction of seeing half-a-dozen Arabs +fall backward from the path and disappear in the soft sand. Instantly the +rattle of musketry was deafening, and over my head bullets whistled +unpleasantly close. The weapon with which I was armed was old-fashioned, +and as I fired it time after time it grew hot, and the smoke became so +thick that everything was obscured. + +Meanwhile fierce hand-to-hand fighting was taking place between the +vanguard of the Arabs and a dozen of our men led by Omar. Fiendish yells +and shouts sounded on every side as they hacked at each other with their +long curved knives, each fearing to step aside lest he should be +swallowed by the sand. Once or twice, as the chill night wind parted the +smoke, I saw Omar and our Dagombas struggling bravely against fearful +odds. Omar had cast aside his gun and, armed with a keen _jambiyah_, had +engaged two tall, muscular Arabs, both of whom he succeeded in hurling +from the path, gashed and bleeding, to instant death. + +Those behind him, armed with long spears with flat double-edged points +similar to the assegais of the Zulus, were enabled to reach and dispatch +several of the Arabs who had lost their guns or discarded their pistols +for their knives. Situated as we were on the angle of the secret path the +enemy were to our right. Their fire upon us was very hot and effective. +Their aim was so true and their bullets so deadly, that very soon fully a +dozen of our brave escort had sunk wounded, disappearing in the terrible +sea of sand. + +Suddenly a noise sounded about me like the swish of the sea, startling me +for a second, but instantly I saw what had caused it. The Dagombas had +let loose a flight of poisoned arrows upon our opponents. + +From that moment their fire became weaker, and time after time my +companions, kneeling upon the ground, drew their bows and released those +terrible darts, the slightest scratch from which produced tetanus and +almost instant death. Each arrow was smeared with a dark red substance, +and their deadly effect was sufficiently proved by the manner in which +the ranks of Samory's men were soon decimated. Dozens of Arabs, touched +by the poisonous darts, staggered unevenly, and falling to earth sank +into the unstable sand, while the red flash of their line of muskets +visibly decreased. + +Around Omar our men pressed valiantly, and several with bows discharged +their missiles with fatal effect, sweeping away the Arabs one by one and +apparently striking terror into the hearts of the others. Arabs are not +so vulnerable by arrows as other people on account of their voluminous +robes, which savage weapons seldom penetrate, it being only head, legs +and hands that arrows can reach. Nevertheless so full were the quivers of +our sable escort, that the flights were of sufficient magnitude to reach +the unprotected parts of the Arabs and lay dozens of them low. + +One native next me, whose bow had constantly been bent, suddenly received +a bullet full in the breast and was knocked backward off his feet by the +concussion. So swiftly was he swallowed by the shifting sand, that ere I +could glance behind he had already been buried. Of all who fell, not a +single body remained, for if they dropped dead upon the path they were +pushed aside in the _melee_ and instantly disappeared. Again and again +our companions sent up their shrill yells and the war-drum was thumped +with ear-piercing effect, while opposition shouts rose from our Arab +enemies. Still the fight continued as stubborn as it had begun. Omar, +with loud shouts of encouragement, fought on with unerring hand, cutting, +thrusting and hacking at his opponents until they stumbled to their doom, +while across our line of vision where the fire of Arab musketry blazed in +the choking smoke, the thin deadly arrows sped, striking our enemies and +sweeping them into a natural grave. + +Fearing to tread lest I should fall into the terrible quicksand, I knelt +and kept up a continuous fire with my musket, shooting into the dense +smoke whenever I saw the flash of an Arab gun. It was exciting work, not +knowing from one second to another whether the ping of a bullet would +bring death. Still I knew that to save our own lives we must sweep away +the host of invaders, and, reassured by the knowledge that Omar had met +with no mishap, I kept on, heedless of all dangers, thinking only of the +ultimate rout of our enemy. + +How long the terrible fight lasted I know not. We stood our ground, the +majority of us kneeling, engaging the Arabs in mortal combat for, I +believe, considerably over an hour. Several times the firing seemed so +strong that I feared we should be vanquished, nevertheless the Dagombas +proved themselves a valiant, stubborn race, well versed in savage +warfare, for the manner in which they shot their arrows was admirable, +and even at the decisive moment when all seemed against us they never +wavered, but kept on, fierce and revengeful as in the first moments of +the fight. + +Gradually, when Omar's voice had been heard a dozen times urging us on to +sweep every invader from our path and not to let a single man escape, we +found our enemy's fire slackening. The smoke, moved by the sand-laden +wind that swept across the plain each night after sundown, became less +dense, and at last we realized that the tide of battle had turned in our +favour, and that we were conquerors. + +Then, loud fierce yells rose from the Dagombas and with one accord we +struggled to our feet. Each with his hand upon the shoulder of his +companion in front we moved cautiously forward, shooting now and then as +we went. But the reply to our fire was now spasmodic, and we were +convinced that only a few of the Arabs survived. + +For some minutes we ceased the struggle and moved forward, but suddenly, +to our amazement, a long line of muskets again blazed forth upon us, +committing serious havoc in our ranks. We were victims of a ruse! + +This aroused the anger of the Dagombas, who recommenced the fight with +almost demoniacal fierceness, and as the van of both forces struggled +hand-to-hand, we found ourselves slowly but surely gaining ground until +half an hour later we were standing upon the path where our enemies had +stood when they had attacked us, and of that long line of Samory's picked +fighting-men not a single survivor remained. + +We had given no quarter. All had been swallowed in that awful gulf of +ever-shifting sand. When we had thoroughly convinced ourselves of this we +threw ourselves down upon the narrow pathway, and slept heavily till +dawn. + +When I awoke and gazed eagerly around, I saw that although a number of +our men were wounded, their limbs being hastily bandaged, yet few were +missing. Of our enemies, however, all had either fallen wounded, or had +been hurled from the secret path and overwhelmed by the sand. + +A high wind constantly blew, and I noticed that this kept the grains of +sand always in motion, thus preventing the surface from solidifying. +Waves appeared every moment, ever changing and disappearing in a manner +amazing. At one moment a high ridge would be seen before us, appearing as +a formidable obstacle to our progress, yet a moment later it would be +swept away by an invisible force. + +The rosy flush of dawn had been superseded by the saffron tints that are +precursory of the sun's appearance when we moved forward again on our +cautious march. Our companions, though far from fresh and many of them +seriously wounded, were all in highest spirits and full of their +brilliant victory. It had indeed been a gratifying achievement, and now, +feeling that at least their gods were favourable to their journey, they +pushed forward with eyes scanning the far-off horizon where lay the +mysterious realm. + +During our march that day, Kona, the headman of the Dagombas, on account +of three men behind me having fallen in the fight, occupied a place +immediately at my rear, and thus I was enabled to hold conversation with +him. + +"It was a near thing, that fight last night," he exclaimed in the +language that Omar had taught me. "But our arrows wrought surer execution +than the Arab bullets. The desert-dwellers are no match for the +forest-people." + +"No," I answered. "Your men are indeed brave fellows, and are entitled to +substantial reward." + +"I have no fear of that," he said. "The great Naya is always just. She +stretches forth her powerful hand to protect the weaker tribes, and +smites the raiders with sword and pestilence. What her son promises is +her promise. Her word is never broken." + +"Have you ever seen her?" I inquired. + +"Never. Our king once saw one of her messengers who brought the royal +staff and made palaver. To us, as to all other men outside her country, +she is known as the Great White Queen." + +"Tell me what more you know of her?" I urged. + +"Very little," he answered. "In every part of the land, from the great +black waters to the Niger and far beyond, even to the sun-scorched +country of the Maghrib, her fame is known to all men. She is rich, mighty +and mysterious. Her power is dreaded throughout the forests and the +grass-plains, and it is said that in her wrath her voice is so terrible +that even the mountains quake with fear." + +"By what means do her fighting-men come forth from her unapproachable +land?" I inquired, remembering that we were travelling by the secret way +known only to herself and Omar. + +"I know not," he replied. "The manner in which the hosts of Mo appear and +disappear have, from time immemorial, formed a subject of speculation +among our people. That they have appeared on the Ashanti border and +sacked and burned many towns in retaliation for some outrages committed +by the Ashantis upon our people is well-known, but by what route they +came or returned is a mystery. Some say they came like flocks of birds +through the air; others declare that they can transfer themselves from +one place to another and become invisible at will. Neither of these +theories I myself believe, for I am convinced that between the land of Mo +and the Great Salt Road there exists a secret means of communication, so +that the armies of the Naya can appear so suddenly and unexpectedly as to +escape the vigilance of their enemy's scouts. Many are the battles they +have fought and great the slaughter. In the slave-land of Samory they +engaged twelve moons ago the pick of the Arab army, and defeated them +with appalling loss. It is said, too, that they carry some of the strange +guns made by your people, the white men." + +"You mean Maxims," I said. + +"I know not their name, nor have I ever seen one," he answered. "I have +heard, however, from a Sofa who fought against the English in the last +war, that the weapons are so light that a man can easily carry one, and +that when fired they shed streams of bullets like water from a spout. A +single gun is equal to the fire of two hundred men. Truly you white men +possess many marvels." + +"Yes," I said, smiling at his unbounded admiration for the weapon. "But +is it not strange that the Naya should also possess similar marvels?" + +"No. Everything is strange in the land of the Great White Queen. It is +said to be a country full of amazing mysteries. Many are the +extraordinary stories related by my people of the wonders of Mo; wonders +that we shall ere long witness with our own eyes." + +"What are the stories?" I asked, keenly interested. "Tell me one." + +"There are so many," he answered, "I do not know which one to tell. One, +however, will illustrate the awe with which the Naya is regarded, even by +the powerful Prempeh, King of Ashanti. A story is current that one day, +many moons ago, the King had ordered a great 'custom' to take place in +Kumassi. War had been declared against the Queen of the English, and in +order to obtain the good graces of the fetish a thousand slaves were +ordered to be sacrificed. All was ready and the king sat upon his stool +awaiting the decapitation of the first victim, when suddenly there swept +down from above a large white dove, which, after circling for a moment +above the monarch's umbrella, perched upon the edge of the execution +bowl. The executioner swept it aside with his ready sword, but in an +instant, by some invisible power, the broad-bladed weapon fused and +melted as if in a furnace, while the executioner himself, struck down as +if by lightning, fell upon his face stone dead. Still the dove remained +where it had perched with its head turned towards the ruler of the +Ashantis. A second executioner, ere it was discovered that the first was +dead, struck at the bird with his hand, and he too, as well as a third +and fourth, were similarly smitten with death. 'It is an evil omen!' the +people cried, and Prempeh, his eyes rivetted upon the white, +innocent-looking bird, trembled. Suddenly, one of the sages at the king's +right hand cried: 'See, O Master! It is the Great White Queen, the ruler +of Mo! She taketh the form of a dove when she seeketh the destruction of +her enemies!' Then spake the dove, saying: 'Yea, O hated king who +sheddeth the blood of the innocent and exalteth the guilty. The sacrifice +of victims to the fetish shall not avail thee, for I, Naya of Mo, tell +thee that thy downfall is at hand, and thine enemies the English will +press their way from the great sea, bridge the Prah, and cut a road +across the great forest to this thy capital, where thou shalt make abject +submission to their head-man and shall be carried into degrading +captivity by them. Thy treasures shall be seized, the tombs of thy +fathers shall be opened and desecrated, thy fetish-trees shall be cut +down and thy slaves shall revel in thy palace. And it is I, in my present +form, who shall guide the white men unto their victory.' The king, +dumbfounded at these ominous words proceeding from the beak of a bird, +rose to retort, but ere a word left his mouth the dove spread its wings +and flew away northward in the direction of the land we are now +approaching." + +"That's merely a tale," I observed, laughing at this latest illustration +of the African's belief in the impossible. + +"Of course. You asked me for one of the stories told by our people," Kona +said. "I have told you one." + +"Do you believe that this Great White Queen is invested with such +extraordinary power that she can cause herself to be invisible, and while +bringing destruction to her enemies, assist her friends?" I asked. + +"I know not what to believe," he replied in honest bewilderment. "So many +are the tales I have heard that I find it impossible to believe all, and +have ended by disbelieving most. Many of the men with us firmly believe +at this moment that the Naya, invisible, is at our head guiding her son +across the Way of the Thousand Steps, and that to her our victory last +night was due. Our fate lies in her hands." + +"Well," I answered, amused, "it matters not who leads us so long as we +enter the promised land. At any rate we could have no better nor more +trustworthy guide than he who is at our head." + +Next second, a loud cry from Omar attracted our attention. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +WORDS OF FIRE. + + +RAISING our eyes from the straight narrow path whereon we set our feet in +the footprints of those before us, we halted and looked eagerly ahead. + +We had come to the edge of what seemed a shallow depression, and already +Omar had disappeared from view, followed cautiously by those immediately +behind him. Owing to the cries of warning and astonishment from each man +who reached the edge, I advanced, carefully following my black companion +in front until I at length gained the spot where the path ended. + +Involuntarily a cry of amazement escaped me. I looked over into a fearful +abyss. Below was a fertile valley, but so deep was it that the river +looked only like a silver thread, and the trees but an inch in height. I +was standing on the edge of a huge granite cliff that went down sheer +into the valley, its face almost as flat as the side of a house. + +The descent appeared terrible. I shuddered as I looked over, and Kona, +who came behind me, also peeped down and cried: + +"See! It is the Great Gulf about which we have heard. Into this the Naya +hurls her enemies." + +On the opposite side, about a quarter of a mile distant, gigantic +overhanging crags rose from the valley to a height greater than the rock +whereon we were kneeling. At a glance we could both see that to scale the +wall of rock opposite would be impossible owing to its overhanging +nature, therefore, we concluded that our way lay along the fertile valley +where the cool welcome green refreshed our eyes. + +Already Omar and a couple of dozen of our black followers were carefully +swarming down the face of the rock. Now and then warning shouts arose +from them, and ever and anon Omar's voice could be heard giving +directions, or urging caution. The latter was certainly necessary, for a +single false step would mean a terrible death. + +As I gazed down into the deep abyss I felt my head reeling. There is a +fascination in great heights that impels one to thoughts of +self-destruction. A sudden dizziness seized me as I placed my foot over +the edge of the fearful precipice, and were it not for Kona, who, +noticing my condition, gripped me by the arm, I should have certainly +missed my footing and been dashed to pieces on the needle-like crags at +the base. + +The sudden knowledge that I had been within an ace of death caused me to +hold my breath; then I crept cautiously over the edge. For a moment, with +my hands clutching frantically upon a jutting piece of rock, my legs +swung in mid air, failing to find a foothold, and I cried out, fearing +lest I should again fall. But at last my feet struck against a +projection, and upon it I carefully lowered myself, while Kona also swung +himself over, taking the perilous position I had a moment before +occupied. Again and again I lowered myself, gripping on to the successive +projections, and lowering myself until my feet touched the one below, +thus descending as Omar had done. + +"Be careful, Scars," he presently cried from far below. "Drop straight, +and look to your footing." + +His words caused me to reflect upon the strange fact that each of these +projections, almost like natural steps, were placed immediately below one +another. Whether they were actually natural formations, or whether they +were the work of man I could not determine. Yet they seemed interminable, +and sometimes so far apart that I remained stationary, fearing to let +myself go until, urged downward by Kona, I held my breath, and, steadying +myself, dropped upon the narrow ledge below. Dreading a recurrence of +giddiness I dared not to look down at my companions. My bare feet and +hands were blistered and cut by the sharp edges of the rocks, and my +movements were seriously hampered by the musket slung at my back. + +The descent was terribly fatiguing. The way across the quicksands had +been so level that we had walked, counting our paces mechanically, but +now in every movement there was danger, and terror gripped my heart with +a gauntlet of steel. From every pore there broke from me a cold +perspiration, as from each tiny projection I lowered myself, not knowing +whether my feet would find another resting-place. For my black +companions, who were taller and more muscular, the way was not nearly so +difficult, and Kona, aware of this, assisted me whenever possible. + +Once, when I found myself progressing well, and apparently having +successfully negotiated the more dangerous of these natural steps, I +paused for a few moments to breathe, and, summoning courage, looked down +to where the others were scrambling below. I was then amazed to discover +that, notwithstanding all the fatigue, the distance I had covered was +scarcely perceptible. I still seemed almost as far from the base of the +rock as I was when first I had peered over into the abyss. Suddenly, +without warning, I felt the rock give way beneath my feet, and the next +instant the whole projection, loosened by the weight of Omar and his +followers who had preceded me, fell away beneath me, and crashed straight +down into the valley. + +My presence of mind caused me just at that instant to grip the ledge +above, otherwise I, too, must have gone with my unstable resting-place. +It was indeed a narrow escape, and as clinging on with my hands, my legs +again swinging in mid air, I heard the heavy rock, weighing perhaps a +ton, strike a projection under me and then crash down, carrying all +before it. + +There was an appalling shriek from below, and I dreaded to turn my gaze +downward, fearing that my companions had been swept away by the great +mass of stone. At last, however, I looked in trepidation and was +gratified to notice that the projection struck by the rock had been left +by the man preceding me, and that the course of the descending stone had +been altered so that all had escaped. + +"Careful up there!" shouted Omar angrily. "Don't spring upon the steps, +or they will become loosened like that one. It might have swept the +whole lot of us into the valley if its course had not been turned. Lower +yourselves slowly--very slowly--take plenty of time." + +"I did it, Omar," I cried breathlessly. "It was an accident. I could not +avoid it, and nearly fell, too." + +But it was apparent that my voice did not reach him, for he slowly +lowered himself over the next projection, and continued giving directions +to the men who followed, while I, with the next ledge fallen away, was +compelled to let myself drop a distance of about nine feet on to one that +seemed far below. + +From that point the descent became much easier, although during the two +hours it occupied I stumbled and nearly lost my foothold many times. My +feet and hands were covered with blood, my elbows were severely grazed, +and from my knees the skin was torn by the constant scrambling over the +edges of the ledges. + +Truly the approach to the Land of the Great White Queen was fraught with +a myriad dangers. + +When about half-way down the steep rock another piercing shriek broke +forth immediately below me, and glancing down I saw one of our black +companions who had dropped from one ledge to the next lose his footing, +stumble, and fall headlong into the great chasm. Cries of horror escaped +us as we saw him strike a rugged ledge of rock far below, rebound, and +then fall head foremost to the rock's base, his skull already battered to +a pulp. + +This terrible lesson was heeded by everyone, and for fully half an hour +the silence was almost complete, save for the gasps and hard breathing of +our followers as they toiled onward down the steep face of the gigantic +rock. + +Someone cried out that here, as across the quicksands, there were a +thousand steps. If this were true, as I believe it was, then the average +distance between the ledges being about five feet, the height of the rock +was somewhere about five thousand feet. When progress at last became +easier, I tried to attract Omar's attention, and inquire whether we +should have to scale the rock opposite, but I could not project my voice +far enough below to reach him. When he shouted I could hear, as his voice +ascended, but he apparently could not distinguish what I said in reply. + +Kona, his bow and empty quiver slung behind him, scrambled down after me +ever nimble as a cat. His black skin shone like ebony, but here and there +were cuts from which blood freely flowed, showing that he too, although +inured to a savage life, had not altogether escaped in this struggle to +enter the land unknown. + +As we approached the base the ledges became more frequent, and hastening +in my downward climb I at last experienced gratification at finding the +peril past, and myself standing at the foot of the great precipice. + +"Well?" asked Omar, approaching me quickly. "How did you fare?" + +"Badly," I answered with a smile. "A dozen times I gave myself up for +lost." + +"Care and courage may accomplish everything," he said, laughing. "Few, +however, would care to risk the perils of the Thousand Steps without a +guide, or even if they did, and succeeded in accomplishing the journey to +this point, they could not enter our land." + +"Why?" + +He turned towards the flat, bare face of overhanging rock opposite, and +gazing up to its towering summit, answered: + +"Because our land lies yonder. We must, after resting, ascend." + +"How?" I inquired, noticing that the wall of the great cliff was +perfectly smooth. + +He smiled. + +"Be patient, and you shall see. Only friends can enter Mo; an enemy +never." + +At that moment Kona desired to consult him regarding our camping +arrangements, and turning I left them and wandered a little way along the +valley. Presently, although its fertility was pleasant, I noticed that +the air had a strange foetid odour, and, shortly afterwards, while +walking in the long rank grass my feet struck against something, which, +on examination, I found to be the decomposing body of a man. He wore a +burnouse, and from the long-barrelled musket that lay by his side I +concluded it was an Arab. As I went forward I discovered bodies scattered +in twos and threes over the grass-plain. Great grey vultures were tearing +the rotting flesh from the bones, feasting upon the carrion. Broken guns, +bent swords and blunted daggers lay about in profusion, while the further +I went, the more numerous became the hideous bodies which the long grass +seemed to be striving to hide. This was assuredly the battle-field +whereon the army of the Great White Queen had defeated the expedition +sent by Samory. Truly the slaughter must have been appalling, and little +wonder was it that the survivors whom we had met and annihilated should +have fought so desperately for their lives. + +Judging from the great pile of corpses, the stand made by Samory's Arabs +must have been a dogged and stubborn one, for traces of a most desperate +battle were everywhere apparent, yet their defeat must have been +crushing and complete, for hundreds of the invaders had apparently been +mowed down where they had stood. Others had fallen in hand-to-hand +encounters, their limbs slashed and disabled by keener swords than their +own, while many seemed literally riddled by bullets which could never +have been fired by ordinary guns, or if so, at such close quarters that +in nearly every case the balls had passed clean through their bodies. + +The number of corpses lying in the grass were too numerous to count, but +at a rough estimate there must have been several thousands. The air of +that beautiful valley was suffocating on account of the stench they +emitted, and the river was poisoned by the heaps of bodies that had been +hurled into it. + +This valley, that had appeared a veritable paradise from the summit of +the rock, was in reality a Valley of Death. + +So nauseating was the smell that Omar decided upon pitching the camp at a +point lower down, for so exhausted were we all and so dark was it growing +that it became imperative we should remain there for the night. So we +bivouacked half a mile away from the spot where the Thousand Steps +descended, our fire was lit, and after a little food had been served out, +we threw ourselves upon the grass, and, worn out by fatigue, slept +heavily and well. + +The valley was filled with a thick mist that rose from the river, +overspreading everything and saturating our scanty clothing with +moisture, causing us to be chilly and uncomfortable. It was this fact, +perhaps, that awakened me during the night, when all my companions lying +around were snoring soundly, dreaming most probably, of their triumphant +entry into the land of the great Naya. Becoming fully awake, I heard the +swish of a footstep through the grass, and, raising my head, saw at a +little distance from me Omar, standing alone. With his back turned to me +he was gazing up at the summit of the rock we had yet to gain, bearing in +his hand a fire-brand that had apparently been lit at the dying embers of +our fire. The brand, blazing and crackling, threw his lithe figure into +relief, and I saw that his face wore an eager, anxious look. His gaze +seemed rivetted upon the highest pinnacle of the great rock, as if he had +noticed some unusual aspect. + +During several minutes he remained motionless, his eyes fixed in that +direction. At first I was impelled to rise and join him, but not knowing +why, I remained there motionless watching. Presently I heard a loud cry +of joy escape his lips, and with frantic gesture he waved the fire-brand +quickly from left to right, sometimes with a sharp motion, and at others +slowly. + +He was signalling to someone on the brow of the precipice! + +Open-mouthed I watched the result. The glare of his torch prevented me +from distinguishing the crest of the rock distinctly, yet as I looked in +the direction he was gazing I presently saw far away on the summit, +glittering like a brilliant star, a bright light that seemed in answer to +Omar's signals to appear and disappear rapidly, evidently flashing back a +reply from the mysterious realm above. + +Suddenly the distant light became totally obscured, and from Omar's lips +there fell an expression of disappointment. His own fire-brand was +burning but dimly, therefore, rushing to the embers, he drew another from +the fire, blew upon it violently until it flamed, and then recommenced +the puzzling signals, the system of which seemed very similar to those +used in the British Army. + +Again and again he repeated the long and short waves of the flaming +torch, but no answering light appeared. All was dark upon the towering +summit, that loomed up black and lonely against the deep vault of dark, +star-lit blue. His was a weird figure, standing in the centre of the +circle of uncertain light shed by the flambeau, watching eagerly, and +waving his signals with untiring energy. + +"Fools!" he cried aloud to himself. "They are so fearful of treachery +that they feign not to be able to distinguish the name of their ruler." + +But ere the words had fallen from his lips the star-like light again +shone forth white, with intense brilliancy, but in a different position. +It seemed to have moved along the brink of the precipice, nearer to us, +and its whiteness had been somehow intensified. In appearance it was very +similar to an electric search-light, and so powerful were its rays that +they streamed forth in a long line of brilliancy that slowly swept the +valley where the corpses of the Arabs lay piled until it reached us, +illuminating our camp with a light almost bright as day. + +Several minutes elapsed, and Omar, standing in the centre of the light, +casting a long grotesque shadow behind, continued waving the word he was +so desirous of signalling. In the meantime those who were working the +light had undoubtedly ascertained the extent of our numbers, for very +soon the light slowly travelled over the adjoining rocks, and even +searched the further end of the valley; then suddenly it shed upon us +again, and instantly became obscured. + +Nothing daunted, Omar continued his signals until at last they were +evidently noticed and read, for suddenly the light streamed forth again +and commenced a series of vivid flashes that lit up the valley like +shafts of lightning. + +Thus came the answer, for next second Omar, overjoyed, and unable to +contain himself, again cried aloud: + +"Seen! Hurrah! At last!" + +The signals exchanged between those on the lofty summit of the +insurmountable barrier, and my friend Omar were long, and, to me tedious. +I could make nothing of them, although it was apparent that my old chum +was carrying on an interesting conversation with some person unseen. Once +again the light swept across the silent battle-field, showing, as if with +justifiable pride, the wholesale slaughter that had been there committed +by the defenders, and again fell full upon the son of the dreaded Naya. +Then it flashed quickly many times and suddenly disappeared. + +Omar seemed at last satisfied, for, holding the brand before him, he took +from the tiny bag around his neck a pinch of the magic powder that was +included in his jujus, and pronouncing words that conveyed some mystical +meaning, slowly let the powder fall into the flickering flame, causing it +to hiss and splutter. + +He was sacrificing to the fetish for our deliverance from the perils of +the Way of the Thousand Steps. Even as he stood performing this pagan +rite, there sounded afar off a dull, low boom like the distant report of +heavy cannon. It echoed weirdly along the valley where all was quiet and +at rest, and was three times repeated, like some ominous voice of +warning. + +Omar heard it. Surely the noise was an unexpected one, for it instantly +filled him with apprehension, and he listened attentively, little +dreaming that I also was his companion upon this strange midnight vigil. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +A SALUTE OF BULLETS. + + +THE low booming was, however, not repeated, and by this my companion +apparently became reassured, for shortly afterwards he threw himself down +near me to snatch a few hours' repose before dawn. I suppose I, too, must +have slept for some time, until suddenly a noise like thunder that seemed +to cause the earth to tremble awakened me, and together with the rest of +our party I sprang to my feet, fancying that some terrible earthquake had +occurred. + +It was still dark, and as each asked breathlessly of his neighbour the +cause of the deafening noise a sudden red flash showed for an instant on +the summit of the rock near where I had seen the light, and a second +report thundered forth, making the valley echo and startling the birds in +thousands from their roosting-places. + +"We are attacked!" the natives cried. "It is a gun!" + +It was a gun undoubtedly. Again it belched forth, its fire causing the +earth to tremble, sending some small shots unpleasantly close, and +striking terror into the hearts of our companions, who started to fly for +safety, expecting each moment that a shower of lead would sweep upon +them. + +"Stay, cowards!" Omar cried. "Yonder gun fires not with anger, but with +joy. It is my welcome home; its fire is but powder play!" + +Then a loud, joyous laugh arose, and the black faces broadened into great +grins, displaying red lips and white teeth. + +"Truly the land of the great Naya is a land of wonders!" cried Kona, in +astonishment. "Here they welcome the queen's son by shooting at him. +Surely those shots a moment ago were more than powder play!" + +"A mistake no doubt," Omar answered laughing. "Already it is known in Mo +that we are here in the Grave of Enemies, and the guns are being fired as +welcome, while steps are being taken to convey us into yonder land." + +"How shall we be conveyed thither?" the headman asked, looking up puzzled +at the bare face of the rock, the summit of which was now obscured by a +bank of cloud. + +"Wait until sun-rise. Then you will see," answered my friend +mysteriously, and as he spoke the blood-red flash showed again and the +great gun thundered forth its salute. + +While the dawn was spreading we ate our morning meal with eyes fixed upon +the great high crag whence the gun belched forth with monotonous +regularity; then Omar and I strolled away together further up the valley +to occupy our time until the sun-rise. Here I saw for the first time that +natural curiosity, the honey-bird. Omar pointed it out to me. It was a +little grey common-looking bird about the size of a thrush. It first +forced itself upon our notice by flying across our path, uttering a +shrill, unlovely cry. It then sat on a neighbouring tree still calling +and waiting for us to follow. By short rapid flights the bird led us on +and on till we noticed that it stopped its onward course and was hanging +about among a certain half-dozen trees. These we visited one after +another and carefully examined them, our search being rewarded by finding +a nest of bees in each of them. It is a matter of honour with the +natives to set aside a good portion of the honey for the bird. Although +this action of the honey-bird is an established fact in natural history, +it would be interesting to know whether he ever tries to entice +quadrupeds also in assisting him in obtaining his much-loved honey. + +As we walked back to the camp the sun suddenly broke forth, the clouds +rolled away, and on looking up at the point where the guns had been fired +we saw on the summit a number of moving figures, looking like black +specks against the morning sky. Everyone stood watching the far-off +inhabitants of the mysterious realm, wondering how we were to gain the +high overhanging rock that descended sheer to where we stood. Presently +the excitement reached fever-heat when we saw the small black figures +grouping themselves into a mass, and then we noticed that one man was +being slowly lowered by a rope over the precipice. The rope was +apparently passed under his arms, and as he swung out into mid-air his +companions began to let him down rapidly to where we stood. Owing to the +overhanging nature of the rock the wind caused the man to swing backwards +and forwards as a pendulum, and by reason of hitches that seemed to occur +in the arrangements above he was several times stopped in his descent. + +At last, however, his feet touched the ground and headed by Omar, we all +rushed towards him. He was a very tall, loosely-built man, his complexion +almost white with just a yellowish tinge, colourless lips, colourless +drab hair; vague irregular features, with an entire absence of +expression. He wore an Arab haick upon his head bound with many yards of +brown camel's hair, a long white garment, something like a burnouse, only +embroidered at the edge with crimson thread and confined at the waist by +a girdle containing quite a small arsenal of weapons, while at his back +he carried a rifle of European manufacture, and around his neck was the +invariable string of amulets. + +"I seek Omar, son of the Naya, the Great Queen," he cried with a loud +voice, as his feet touched the grass and he disengaged himself from the +swaying rope, which still continued to descend. + +"I am Omar, Prince of Mo," answered my friend, stepping forward quickly. + +The messenger from the mysterious realm above regarded him keenly from +head to foot, not without suspicion. Then looking him straight in the +face, he said with a puzzled expression upon his countenance: + +"Thou hast altered since thou hast dwelt among the English. Thy face is +not that of Omar who left many moons ago with our Naya's trusted servant +Makhana." + +"Yet I am still Omar," he exclaimed, laughing. "Thy caution is +commendable, Babila, son of Safad, but as the moon groweth old so does +the boy turn youth, and the youth man." + +"Thou knowest my name, 'tis true," observed the messenger gravely. "But +where are thy royal jujus; those placed upon thy neck by the great Naya +in the presence of the people?" + +"I fell among enemies who burned them." + +"The curse of Zomara be upon them," Babila said. "Who were they?" + +"The hirelings of our enemy, Samory." + +"Then some have already met with their deserts, for three thousand of +them lie here in this valley," and he pointed to the gruesome corpses +scattered upon the grass. "But hast thou no possession to assure me that +thou art actually the long-absent son of our Naya?" he inquired. + +"Thou carriest thy caution a little too far in this affair, Babila," Omar +answered smiling. "True, I have lost my jujus, nevertheless I can answer +thee what questions thou puttest to me regarding my youth and my life in +Mo. I know that thou art determined to satisfy thyself that I am actually +the Prince, ere thou admittest us to our kingdom." + +"The caution I exercise is my duty to the great Naya and my country," +Babila answered. "No invader nor intruder hath ever entered Mo, and none +shall while I am chief custodian of its Gate. The bones of many +adventurers lie here in this valley." + +"Yes, I know that well," Omar answered good-humouredly. "But what must I +do to satisfy thee?" Then turning to me, he exclaimed in English, "This +is amusing, Scars. I am actually prevented from entering my own country +because I have grown a trifle taller!" + +"What sayest thou in a foreign tongue?" Babila inquired, with a quick +look of suspicion. + +"I commented upon the absurdity of my situation to my companion, +Scarsmere, who has accompanied me from England," Omar answered frankly. + +"Scarsmere," repeated the man from the unknown region. "Scarsmere. And is +he your friend?" + +"Yea, my best friend." + +"If thou art actually Omar then his friend will assuredly find welcome in +Mo," the man said with courtesy. "But answer the questions I put to thee. +Canst thou tell me anything regarding myself?" + +"Well, I think I can," answered my friend with a laugh. "When I was quite +a young lad thou wert one of the guardians of the outer gate of our +palace. Once I was threatened by a ruffianly soldier as I passed, and +thou didst strike him dead with one blow of thy sword. For thy prompt +punishment of the fellow thou wert exalted by the Naya and given command +over her body-guard. It was because thou didst unearth the dastardly +conspiracy against her life that thou wert given the custodianship of the +Gate of Mo." + +"True," the man answered with a smile of satisfaction. "In one of my age +loss of memory is excusable, yet now on looking closely at thee, I see +the resemblance--yea, I welcome thee home, my lord the prince." + +In an instant his manner had changed, and he became the most obedient of +slaves. + +"Very well," Omar said. "Now thou art satisfied that I am what I said we +will lose no time in passing the last barrier." + +"But these?" Babila inquired, glancing suspiciously at the black rabble +forming our Dagomba following. + +"They are my escort," Omar answered. "Every man, from Kona, the head-man, +to the meanest slave, is my trusted servant, and they all deserve reward. +Each shall enter Mo and receive it at the hands of the Naya herself. This +I have already promised." + +"The servants of the lord prince are welcome. The people shall _fete_ +them, and make their days pass as quickly as seconds fly. If thou art +desirous they shall enter and be presented to the great Naya before whose +eyes all men quail," Babila said, bowing humbly before his royal master. + +"Then let us not pause. We desire to enter Mo without an instant's +further delay. The way has been long and the obstacles great, but we have +successfully accomplished all, and seek now to enter the palace of my +queen-mother." + +"Thy commands shall be obeyed," the man replied, again salaaming, and, +walking to the rope, he placed the loops under his arm-pits, and a few +minutes later was on his way back to the mysterious land, waving his hand +to us and promising that ere an hour passed we should enter the realm of +the Great White Queen. + +With eager upturned faces we watched the cautious custodian of the mystic +kingdom dangling at the end of the rope, gradually leaving us, until at +length he was hauled up upon the far-off summit of the rock and +disappeared among the small crowd collected at the brow. The men were +evidently soldiers, and the eager manner in which they grouped themselves +about Babila when he stepped into their midst, showed what intense +excitement our arrival had caused. + +As we watched we soon afterwards saw lowered from the towering height +what appeared at first to be a thin black cord, but which, when the end +fell at our feet, we found to be a ladder of curiously-knotted ropes +about as thick as packing twine, so flimsy in construction that it seemed +as though the weight of a single man would break it. + +"Are we to climb to the top?" I asked Omar, who passed me by quickly in +order to examine the ladder. + +"Of course," he said. + +"But surely these ropes will not bear our weight!" I observed. "They are +only like string." + +"Yes, but the core of each is of steel wire of such strength that it +would bear our whole party all together," he answered. "Nevertheless, it +is perhaps best to avoid running risks, so only a dozen shall ascend at a +time." + +I looked up at the swaying ladder with distrust. I had heard many stories +of ropes chafing on the edges of rocks and being cut through, and my +awful experience in descending the face of the precipice opposite had +been sufficiently terrifying. + +"The land of the Great White Queen is, indeed, unapproachable," I said. +"Surely no enemy could invade you?" + +"We fear no outside enemy," Omar answered with sudden seriousness. "It is +internal dissensions that may cause trouble. Every precaution is taken +here, at the gate of our land, to prevent an enemy from gaining Mo. The +valley is commanded by guns in such a manner that it can be swept from +end to end, so that even if a foe were to succeed in treading the Way of +the Thousand Steps he must descend here and remain under the fire of the +guns." + +"I noticed that last night you signalled with a torch," I said. + +"Ah! you were awake and did not speak," he laughed. "Yes, I flashed my +name, with a message to the Naya. This was conveyed to her by a system of +signals flashed from one point to another across the country in similar +manner to those of European armies. At night the signals are constantly +at work and take the place of your telegraphs. When the message reached +the Naya she sent me a word in return, but even then Babila was far too +cautious to afford us means to enter the country without first inspecting +us himself." + +"You've grown a bit, and become more Anglicized since you left," I said, +smiling. + +"Yes, possibly," he answered, adding, "I was, however, going to explain +that so elaborate are the precautions against invasion that even now the +ladder has been lowered, nay, even if we were at the top, the custodians +of the Gate could, by simply pressing a button, send a current of +electricity through the wires that form the cores of the ropes of such a +strength, that the ropes and ourselves would almost instantly be fused +into a shapeless mass. See! the ropes are wet, so that the full strength +of the current could, if desired, be turned upon us." And he pulled +forward the ladder and placed it in my hand. + +Instinctively I shrank away, saying: + +"I have no desire to be electrocuted just yet." + +"Well, it's merely one of the many devices we have here for the warm +reception of any enemy," he answered. "The number of bodies yonder are +sufficient proof that any expedition against us must be ill-fated." + +But just at that moment a rapid signal was flashed by the sun's rays upon +a mirror, and reading it, he exclaimed in English: + +"All is fast above. Come, Scars, old chap, follow me and let me hear your +opinion of my country. Keep your chin raised and don't look down, or you +may turn giddy." + +Then, giving directions to Kona to allow only twelve men to swarm the +flimsy ladder at one time, he placed his foot upon the first rung and +commenced the long straight ascent. + +As soon as he had climbed a dozen feet I glanced up at the towering crag, +then followed his example. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE MYSTERIOUS REALM. + + +SO unsteady was the ladder, straining and springing at every step I took, +that I was compelled to grip its wet cords with all the strength of which +I was capable. It swayed to and fro fearfully, and more than once I +dreaded that I should lose my hold and fall backwards to earth. + +Omar above me, lithe and active as a cat, climbed on, chaffing me for my +tardy progress, and now and then halting and mischievously shaking the +ladder to increase my fear. The higher I ascended the more strongly blew +the wind, until it whistled in the thin ropes and blew through my scanty +clothing, chilling my bones. My hands and feet were bruised and sore from +the previous day's descent, nevertheless I thought not of pain, only of +peril. The climb was long and tedious. Even Omar, who had commenced by +running up like a squirrel in his eagerness to gain the land from which +he had so long been absent, was soon compelled to pause and steady +himself, or he would assuredly have been jerked from his insecure +position. + +The ten men plodding up after us seemed to be keeping step, causing the +ladder to spring fearfully each time they ascended the next rung. Omar, +himself fearing disaster, at last called to them, but jabbering among +themselves in the highest spirits, each eager to set foot in the land of +mystery, they took no heed of their guide's instructions. + +"You fools!" he cried angrily. "Climb slowly and with care. Don't jump +so. We're not on a spring-board." + +Useless. We still went up and down like a ball at the end of a piece of +elastic. + +"Do you hear?" he shrieked in the Dagomba tongue, halting and looking +down at the string of grinning blacks. "Halt!" + +This sudden stoppage attracted their attention, and in mid-air he soundly +rated them for their folly, instructing them how to ascend, and declaring +that if they continued their hilarious progress a fearful disaster must +ensue. These words immediately had the desired effect, for which I +confess I was very thankful, as I had feared every moment that we should +be dashed into the valley, and now as we went forward again the ladder +was much steadier. + +From far below we could hear the distant shouts of Kona and our excited +companions encouraging us and urging us on, for they were all impatience +to follow us. Now and then the great grey vultures, having gorged +themselves to their full upon the corpses in the valley, circled around +us as if ready to tear us from our perilous position, and more than once +I saw Omar raise his arm to beat them off. We were, I suppose, passing +near their nests and thus aroused their ire. + +Looking up, I saw that we were slowly approaching the beetling portion of +the enormous rock, but had yet a long distance to climb. Steadily, +however, we all ascended, each grasping the wet slippery cords tightly to +prevent being blown off by the high gusty wind, and even when we gained +the jutting rock believing we had attained the summit, we found ourselves +still fully two hundred feet from where Babila could be seen peering +over awaiting us. + +The ladder laying upon the face of the cliff at this point was much +easier of ascent, for the weight of the portion below me prevented it +from swaying, and by scrambling up with increased haste I soon found +myself immediately behind Omar. + +Then continuing steadily, now and then being compelled to bend backwards +in a most perilous position in order to negotiate a projecting piece of +rock, we together climbed up to the edge of the fearful precipice, each +being lent a willing hand by Babila as we swarmed upon our knees to where +he stood. + +"Welcome, O Prince," the old man exclaimed, salaaming when Omar stood +before him. "Welcome to thy white friend from beyond the great black +water." + +In an instant from a thousand throats rose cries of adulation, and +looking around I saw that drawn up before us was a great concourse of +fighting-men. Some were mounted on magnificent chargers, others were on +foot, and among them were many silken banners each bearing the same +device, a black vampire bat with wings outspread upon a crimson ground. +Each soldier was similarly attired to Babila, with white embroidered robe +and girdle, and each carried a rifle and a long curved sword. + +Babila was evidently a great man in the estimation of all others, for +whatever he did the soldiers imitated. In appearance they had the +advantage of all coloured and most white races. As a rule they seemed +very tall, well set up, with well-formed limbs covered with an almost +white skin, the texture of which would excite envy in the heart of many a +European beauty. The features had nothing in common with the coarse negro +type which prevailed in the forest and over the grass-lands, but rather +inclined towards a Semitic type. Thick lips were the exception, not the +rule, and a broad flat nose was also a rarity. The only sign of barbarity +was in the hair which, when the head was not clean shaven, was allowed to +grow straight out in every direction, giving a very wild appearance to +its owner. The hair of some, however, seemed to be softer, for it hung +down to the nape of the neck in long, closely-curled ringlets. The women, +a few of whom were watching us curiously, were all comely, and, attired +in long white robes of a more elaborate pattern than the men, had their +hair enclosed in a dark blue fillet, a difference in the disposition of +the latter distinguishing between a married and an unmarried woman. + +A great tent of yellow silk had been erected near, presumably for our +accommodation. Over it waved the hideous-looking vampire bat, and as led +by Babila with frequent prostrations we entered it, I asked Omar the +meaning of the sable device. + +"It is the royal mark of the Sanoms, the same as the lion and the unicorn +is the crest of your great Queen. The black vampire is the guardian +fetish of our throne." + +On entering, Omar walked to a raised dais whereon two stools were placed, +and taking one invited me to the other. Then, while awaiting the arrival +of our companions, food was brought to us, and we ate and drank to our +full, Babila himself attending to our wants personally. Neither were our +companions forgotten, for they were arranged around the tent, and +squatting upon their haunches ate and jabbered to their hearts' content. + +It was highly amusing to watch the interest with which the natives +regarded the stolid soldiers of Mo, who stood in long lines, motionless +as statues. They went close up to them, examined them from head to foot, +drew the sword from its sheath, handled it and tried its edge with a +grunt of satisfaction. Then they would replace it, finger the +accoutrements, examine carefully what they thought might be gold, and at +last, folding their arms, would stand silent, awe-stricken at the whole +effect of the unknown race. + +The denizens of this mysterious country, however, seemed to regard our +natives with supercilious disdain. Probably their contempt had been +engendered by the fact that certain tribes had on several occasions +attempted an invasion, and they had from their formidable heights simply +swept them out of existence as easily as a fly may be crushed with the +finger. When looking at the handsome women, the enormous mouths of the +Dagombas would widen into broad grins which, intended to convey an +expression of delight, in reality rendered them hideous. + +For three hours we remained in the tent, sheltered from the sun's glaring +heat, while parties of a dozen of our followers continued to arrive. It +was Omar's intention to enter the capital with the whole of our faithful +band, otherwise he would have started immediately we had gained the +summit. Babila urged him to do so, but he expressed a desire that Kona +and his heroic blacks should accompany us. + +At last the whole of the party had gained the top of the rock and had +refreshed themselves after their toil and peril; the rope ladder with its +hidden electric wires had been hauled up, and, headed by men blowing loud +blasts upon great horns of ivory and gold, we all moved forward, a most +imposing and magnificent cavalcade. + +Both Omar and myself had been mounted on fine milk-white horses with gay +trappings of silver and royal blue, while behind us came Kona with a very +unsteady seat upon a long raw-boned stallion. He was evidently not used +to horses, and the way he clutched at the mane each time his animal +trotted convulsed both his men and the soldiers in the vicinity with +laughter. + +A shady march of two days in a north-westerly direction up the bank of a +babbling stream brought us to higher land. The journey was uneventful, +the country being devoid of both game and people. We saw old traces of +habitation, it is true, but the people seemed to have been driven away or +killed, leaving only the empty stone-built houses. From the hill on the +side of which we pitched our camp a marvellous view was obtainable. To +the north a black forest extended as far as the eye could reach, broken +only by three small hills that served as landmarks. To the west rolled +some giant snow-capped mountains, while the range whereon we stood was a +low, stone-covered stretch of round-topped hills, flanked by thick mimosa +jungle and filled with rhinoceros. Wherever we went, we found traces of +them, their feeding ground being apparently restricted to a very small +area. Never having been hunted, they probably found no reason to leave +such excellent pasture, and it was little wonder that Kona and his men +were anxious to remain behind and commit havoc amongst them. + +On the third day we encamped near a most extraordinary place. It was a +small valley about thirty-five feet below the surrounding ground, looking +like the dry bed of a stream, and was about a mile in circumference. + +"Come, I want to show you Zomara's Wrath," Omar said, and dismounting we +went together towards it, notwithstanding the loud cries of warning that +arose on every side. A dog--a lean, hungry, strange-looking brute, who +accompanied the troops--bounded after us, and as we approached the place +I noticed a suffocating smell, and was attacked by nausea and giddiness. +A belt of this foetid atmosphere surrounded the valley. We, however, +passed through it, and in purer air, with hands still over my nose and +mouth, was permitted to view the awful spectacle--for it was awful. + +The entire bed of the valley seemed like one solid rock, but scattered +over the barren floor were skeletons of men, wild hogs, deer, rhinoceros, +lions, and all kinds of birds and smaller animals. I could discover no +hole or crevice in any place whence the poisonous fumes were emitted. I +was anxious to reach the bottom of the valley, if possible, but my +suggestion was at once negatived by my companion, who said: + +"To go further is certain death. Come, let us return quickly, or we may +be overpowered. This is one of the natural wonders of our land." + +I determined, however, to see what the fumes smelled like, and, greatly +to Omar's horror, started to descend. The dog was with me, and as soon as +he saw me step over the side of the bank he rushed down ahead of me. + +I endeavoured to call him back, but too late. As soon as the animal +reached the rocky bed below he fell upon his side. + +He continued to breathe a few moments only, then expired. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE CITY IN THE CLOUDS. + + +"THERE is a strange story connected with this place known to us as +Zomara's Wrath," Omar said, when together we turned away and mounted our +horses to ride back to the camp. + +"Relate it to me," I urged eagerly. + +"To-night. After we have eaten at sundown I will tell you about it," he +answered, and spurring our horses we galloped quickly forward. + +When we had eaten that evening and were seated aside together, I reminded +him of his promise. + +"It is a story of my ancestors, and it occurred more than a thousand +years ago," he said. "Ruler of the great kingdom of Mo, King Lobenba had +no children. The three queens observed fasts, kept vows, made offerings +to the fetish, all to no effect. By a lucky chance a great hermit made +his appearance in our capital. The King and queens received the visitor +at the palace, and treated him with the most generous and sincere +hospitality. The guest was very pleased; by a prompting of the fetish he +knew what they wanted, and gave them three peppercorns, one for each +queen. In due time three sons were born, Karmos, Matrugna, and Fausalya, +who when they reached a suitable age married by the ceremony of 'choice,' +daughters of a branch of the royal family. When the brides arrived at +their husbands' family and were disciplined in their wifely duties, King +Lobenba, who was growing old, thought the time had arrived for him to +make over the royal burden to younger shoulders, and to adopt a hermit's +life preliminary to death. So in consultation with the royal fetish-man, +a day was appointed for the coronation of Prince Karmos, who had married +a beautiful girl named Naya. But the fates had willed it otherwise. Long +before the children were born, when King Lobenba, in his younger days, +was subduing a revolt in this region where we now are he once fell from +his chariot while aiming an arrow, and got his arm crushed under the +wheel. The three queens had accompanied their royal husband to the +battlefield to soften for him the hardships of his camp life, and during +the long illness that followed the wound, Queen Zulnam, who afterwards +became mother of Fausalya, nursed him with all the devotion of a wife's +first young love. 'Ask me anything and thou shalt have it,' said the +monarch during his convalescence. 'I have to ask only two favours, my +lord,' she answered. 'I grant them beforehand. Name them,' he cried. But +she said she wished for nothing at that time, but would make her request +in due course. She waited twenty years. Then she repaired to her husband +on the morning of Karmos' coronation and boldly requested that the prince +should absent himself for fourteen years, and that her son Fausalya +should be crowned instead." + +"She was artful," I observed, laughing. + +"Yes," he went on. "The words fell like a thunder-bolt upon the king, the +light faded from his eyes and he fainted. Nevertheless, Zulnam's wish was +granted, and Karmos' departure was heartrending. To soften the +austerities of forest life, Prince Matrugna tore himself from his +newly-married bride to accompany Karmos. But the hardest was to be the +latter's wrench from his devoted Naya. The change from a most exuberant +girlish gaiety to quivering grief, and the offer of the +delicately-nurtured wife to share with her lord the severities of an +exile's life are often told by every wise man in Mo. Fourteen long years +Karmos spent in exile with his beautiful wife as companion, until at last +they were free to return. The home-coming was one long triumph. The +people were mad with delight to welcome their hero Karmos and their +beloved Naya. Karmos was crowned, and then began that government whose +morality and justice and love and purity have passed into the proverbs of +my race. There was, however, one blemish upon it. Poor Naya's evil genius +had not yet exhausted his malevolence. A rumour was spread by evil +tongues that she was plotting to possess the crown, and Karmos, +sacrificing the husband's love, the father's joy, to his kingly duty, +while standing on that spot we have visited to-day--then his summer +palace surrounded by lovely gardens--pronounced sentence of exile upon +her. But in an instant, swift as the lightning from above, the terrible +curse of Zomara fell upon him, striking him dead, his magnificent palace +was swept away and swallowed up by a mighty earthquake, and from the +barren hole, once the fairest spot in the land, there have ever since +belched forth fumes that poison every living thing. It is Zomara's +Wrath." + +"And what became of Naya, the queen?" I asked, struck with the remarkable +story that seemed more than a mere legend. + +"She reigned in his stead," he answered. "Whenever we speak of the Nayas +we sum up all that is noble and mighty and queenly in government, its +tact, its talent, its love and its beneficence, for every queen who has +since sat on the Great Emerald Throne of Mo has been named after her, +and I am her lineal descendant, the last of her line." + +That night we rested on soft cushions spread for us in our tent, and +marching again early next morning, spent the two following days in +crossing a great swamp, which, rather than a miasmatic death-hole, was a +naturalist's paradise. As our horses trod the soft, spongy ground, a +majestic canopy of stately cypress, mangrove and maple trees protected us +from the burning sun, and the sweet-scented flowers of the magnolias, +azaleas and wild grapes added fragrance and beauty to the scene. Flies, +snakes and frogs were very numerous, but gave us little trouble, +nevertheless, I was not sorry when at dawn on the third day after passing +the strange natural phenomenon we saw across the level pasture-like +plain, high up, spectral and half hidden in the grey haze, the gigantic +walls and high embattlements of the mysterious city. + +"Lo!" cried Omar, who was riding at my side. "See! At last we are within +sight of the goal towards which we have so long striven. Yonder is Mo, +sometimes called the City in the Clouds!" + +"But for your courage we must have failed long ago," I observed, my eyes +turned to where the horizon closed the long perspective of the sky. Away +there was the sweetest light. Elsewhere colour marred the simplicity of +light; but there colour was effaced, not as men efface it, by a blur or +darkness, but by mere light. And against it rose, high and faintly +outlined, the defences of the great unknown city standing on the summit +of what appeared to be a gigantic rock. "Magnificent!" I exclaimed, +entranced by the view. "Superb!" + +"It is, as you see, built high upon the rock known as the Throne of the +Naya," Omar explained. "Although founded a thousand years ago by the +good queen about whom I told you, no stranger has ever yet set foot +within its gates. From time to time our monarchs have sent their trusty +agents among civilized nations, gathered from them their inventions, and +introduced to us the results of their progress. Isolated as we are from +the world, we are nevertheless enlightened, as you will shortly see." + +I was prompted to make some observation regarding his paganism, but held +my peace, knowing that any reference to it wounded his susceptibilities. +In everything except his belief in the fetish and his trust in the +justice of the Crocodile-god, he was my equal; and I knew that, on more +than one occasion, he had been ashamed to practise his savage rites in my +presence. Therefore I hesitated, and, as we rode along, the outline of +the great city, perched high upon the rock, growing every moment more +formidable and distinct, I listened to the many interesting facts he +related. + +Kona, who followed us, listened with strained ears, and our Dagombas were +one and all laughing and keeping up a Babel-like chatter that showed the +intense excitement caused among them by the sight of the mysterious +capital of the Great White Queen. + +We had struck a broad well-made road, and now, as with hastening steps we +approached it, we could distinguish quite plainly the inaccessible +character of the high rock that rose abruptly a thousand feet above the +plain crowned by the frowning walls of immense thickness that enclosed +the place. Beyond, rose many lofty towers and several gilded domes which, +Omar told me, were the audience-halls of the great palace, and +immediately before us we could see in the walls, flanked on either side +by great strong watch-towers, a closed gate. + +From where we stood we could distinguish no means of approach to the +impregnable fortress, but on coming at last to the base of the rock we +found a long flight of narrow steps mounting zig-zag up its dark, +moss-grown face. When the cavalcade halted before them our trumpeters +blew thrice shrill blasts upon their big ivory horns, and like magic the +ponderous iron gate far above instantly swung open, and the walls +literally swarmed with men, whose bright arms glittered in the sun. +Above, where all had been silent a moment before, everything was now +bustle and excitement as Babila sprang from his horse and commenced to +mount the long flight of steps, followed by myself and my companion. + +So steep were these stairs cut in the rock that an iron chain had been +placed beside them by which to steady one's-self. + +"Are there again a thousand steps?" I asked Omar. + +"Yes," he said. "Naya, wife of Karmos, had them cut under her personal +supervision. There are exactly a thousand--the number of generations +which, she declared, should flourish and die ere Mo be conquered." + +Then without further words we eagerly continued our upward climb to the +mystic City in the Clouds. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE GREAT WHITE QUEEN. + + +GAINING the summit and entering the ponderous gate closely behind old +Babila, I was amazed at the bewildering aspect of the gigantic city. As +Omar placed his foot upon the top step, great drums, ornamented by golden +bats with outspread wings, were thumped by a perspiring line of +drummers, horns were blown with ear-piercing vehemence, and the huge guns +mounted on the walls thundered forth a deafening salute. + +Then, as we walked forward along the way kept clear for us through the +enormous crowd of curious citizens, Babila at last met the tall, +patriarchal-looking man in command of the city-gate. + +"Lo!" he cried. "With our Prince Omar there returneth a retinue of +strangers. This one," indicating myself, "is from the land of the white +men that lieth beyond the great black water. The others are from the +borders of Prempeh's kingdom." + +"Art thou certain there are no spies among them?" asked the man, glancing +at me keenly in suspicion. + +"I, Omar, Prince of Mo, vouch for each man's honesty," exclaimed my +friend, interrupting. At these words the chief guardian of the gate bowed +until his long white beard swept the ground, and we passed on, followed +by Kona and our black companions, in whom the denizens of the mysterious +place seemed highly interested, never before having seen negro savages. + +Now and then as we passed along voices raised in dissension that +strangers should be admitted to the inaccessible kingdom reached our +ears, but these were drowned by the wild plaudits of the crowd. On every +hand Omar was greeted with an enthusiasm befitting the heir to the +Emerald Throne, and he, in response, bowed his head from side to side, as +with royal gait he strode down the broad handsome thoroughfare. The +buildings on either hand were magnificent in their proportions, built of +enormous blocks of grey stone finely sculptured, with square ornamented +windows. Apparently the manufacture of glass was unknown, for all the +windows were uniformly latticed. Here and there through the open doors +we caught sight of cool courtyards, with trees and plashing fountains +beyond, while from the flat roofs that here seemed to be the principal +promenade of the ladies, as in Eastern lands, white hands and bejewelled +arms waved us dainty welcome. + +Across a great market square, where slaves were being bought and sold, +and business was proceeding uninterruptedly, we passed, and as we glanced +at the unfortunate ones huddled up in the scanty shadow, we remembered +the day when we, too, had been sold by our bitter and well-hated enemy, +Samory. I smiled as I reflected what terrible revenge this great army of +the Naya could wreak upon the Arab chief, and found myself anticipating +the day when the soldiery of Mo should gather before the old villain's +stronghold. + +Kona, who had come up beside me, walked on in silent amazement. He knew +nothing of civilization, and the sights he now witnessed held him dumb. +The African mind is slow to understand the benefits of civilization and +modern progress, unless it be the substitution of guns for bows and +bullets for arrows. At last we turned a corner suddenly, and saw before +us, rising against the intensely blue sky and flashing in the brilliant +sunlight, the three great gilded domes of the royal palace. + +"Gold!" cried Kona, in an awed tone. "See!" and he turned to several of +his sable brethren. "See! they build their great huts of solid gold! What +treasure they must have!" + +As we advanced in imposing procession, the great gate of this royal +residence, grim and frowning as a fortress, over which a large flag was +floating, bearing the sign of the vampire bat, opened wide, and, +unchallenged by the crowds of gaily-dressed soldiers drawn up in line +and saluting, we went forward amid vociferous cheering. + +Ours was indeed a progress full of triumph and enthusiasm. The heir to +the throne, long since mourned for as lost, had returned, and the loyal +people were filled with great rejoicing. Through one spacious courtyard +after another we passed, always between long lines of stalwart +men-at-arms, bearing good English rifles and well-made accoutrements, +until, ascending a short flight of wide steps of polished black stone, we +found ourselves in a great hall beneath one of the gilded domes that had +so impressed our head-man. Before us was a huge curtain of purple velvet +that screened from view the further end of the hall, but when all had +assembled and stood grouped together, this drapery was suddenly lifted, +disclosing to our gaze a sight that filled us with greatest wonder and +amazement. + +The central object was the historic Emerald Throne, a wonderful golden +seat so thickly encrusted with beautiful green gems as to appear entirely +constructed of them. Some of the stones were of enormous size, +beautifully cut, of amazing brilliance and fabulous value. Above, was +suspended a golden representation of a crocodile--the god Zomara. Lolling +lazily among the pink silk cushions was a woman, tall, thin-faced and +ascetic, with a complexion white as my own, high cheek bones, small +black, brilliant eyes, and hair plentifully tinged with grey. Her +personality was altogether a striking one, for her brow was low, her face +hawk-like, and her long, bony hands resting on the arms of the seat of +royalty seemed like the talons of the bird to which her face bore +resemblance. + +It was the Naya, the dreaded Great White Queen! + +Her robes of rich brocaded silk were of a brilliant golden yellow, +heavily embroidered with gold thread, and thickly studded with various +jewels. In the bright flood of sunlight that struck full upon her from +the painted dome above, the diamonds and rubies enriching her handsome +corsage gleamed and flashed white, green and blood-red. Indeed, so +covered was her breast by the fiery gems that as it heaved and fell their +flashing dazzled us; yet in her eyes was a cruel, crafty gleam that from +the first moment I saw her roused instinctively within me fear and +suspicion. + +No smile of welcome crossed her cold, implacable features as her gaze met +that of her son Omar; no enthusiastic or maternal greeting passed her +lips. Her maids of honour and courtiers grouped about her murmured +approbation and welcome as the heavy curtains fell aside, but frowning +slightly she raised her bejewelled claw-like hand impatiently with a +gesture commanding silence, darting hasty glances of displeasure upon +those who had, by applauding, lowered her regal dignity. On either side +black female slaves in garments of crimson silk and wearing golden +girdles, massive earrings and neck chains, slowly fanned the ruler of Mo +with large circular fans of ostrich feathers, and from a pedestal near +her a tiny fountain of some fragrant perfume shot up and fell with faint +plashing into its basin of marvellously-cut crystal. The splendour was +barbaric yet refined, illustrative everywhere of the tastes of these +denizens of the unknown kingdom. The walls of the great hall were +strangely sculptured with colossal monstrosities, mostly hideous designs, +apparently intended to depict the awful wrath of the deity Zomara, while +here and there were curious frescoes of almost photographic finish, the +execution of which had been accomplished by some art quite unknown to +European civilization. The paving whereon we stood was of jasper, highly +polished, with here and there strange outlines inlaid with gold. These +outlines, a little crude and unfinished, were mostly illustrative of the +power of the Nayas, depicting scenes of battle, justice and execution. + +"Let our son Omar stand forth and approach our Emerald Throne," exclaimed +the Naya at last, in a thin, rasping voice, moving slightly as she bent +forward, fixing her shining eyes upon us. They glittered with evil. + +At the royal command all bowed low in submission, it being etiquette to +do this whenever the Naya expressed command or wish, and Omar, leaving my +side, strode forward with becoming hauteur, and, crossing the floor as +highly polished as glass, advanced to his royal mother, and, bending upon +his knee, pressed her thin, bony hand to his lips. + +But even then no expression of pleasure crossed her stony features. I had +expected to witness an affectionate meeting between mother and son, and +was extremely surprised at the coldness of my friend's reception, having +regard to his long absence and the many perils we had together faced on +our entry into Mo. + +"News was flashed unto me last night that thou hadst crossed the Thousand +Steps," the Queen said, slowly withdrawing her bony hand. "Why hast thou +returned from the land of the white men, and why, pray, hast thou brought +hither strangers with thee?" + +"These strangers are heroes, each one of them," Omar answered, rising, +and standing before the throne. "Every man has already fought for thee, +and for Mo." + +"For me? How?" + +Then briefly he related how we had met the remnant of Samory's invading +force and defeated them, so that not a single fugitive remained. + +"These savages fought merely for their own lives, not for me," she said +with a supercilious sneer, regarding the half-clad natives with disdain. +"We in Mo desire not the introduction of such creatures as these." + +"Are not my friends welcome?" Omar asked, pale with anger. "A Sanom hath +never yet turned from his palace those who have proved themselves his +friends." + +"Neither hath a Sanom sought the aid of savages," answered the Great +White Queen, with a glance of withering scorn. + +"Adversity sometimes causeth us to seek strange alliances," my friend +argued. "These men of the Dagomba, Kona, their head man, and Scarsmere, +my friend from the land of the white men, have given me aid, and if thou +accordest them no welcome, then I, Omar, in the name of my ancestors, the +Nabas and the Nayas, will give them greeting, and provide them with +befitting entertainment while they are within our walls." + +His words caused instant consternation. The will of the Naya was not to +be thwarted. Her every wish was law; a single word from her meant life or +death. This openly-expressed opposition was, to the court, a most +terrible offence, punishable by death to all others save the heir. + +The Naya, her thin lips tightly set and cruelty lurking in the corners of +her mouth, rose slowly with an air of terrible anger. + +"Does our son Omar thus defy us?" she asked with grim harshness. + +"I defy thee not O queen-mother," answered my friend, clasping his hands +resolutely behind his back, and standing with his legs slightly apart. "I +bring unto thee those who have fought for me, and have been my companions +through many perils, expecting welcome. Were it not for them I, the last +of our regal line, would be no longer living, and at thy death our +kingdom would have been without a ruler." + +"Son, the claim of these, thy friends, to my protection is admitted; +nevertheless, the stranger, whoever he may be, is by the law of our +kingdom that hath been rigorously observed for a thousand years, debarred +from traversing the Thousand Steps." + +As the queen spoke I noticed two gorgeously-attired men behind her, +probably her chief advisers, exchange whispers with smiles of evident +satisfaction. + +"Then I am to understand that the Naya of Mo absolutely refuseth to +sanction these my friends to dwell within our walls?" Omar said. + +"We forbid these strangers to remain," answered the Queen, crimsoning +with anger that her son should have thus argued with her. "They are +granted until noon to-morrow to quit our city. Those found within our +land after three suns have set will be held as slaves. I, the Naya, have +spoken." + +"As thou willest it, so it will be," answered her son, bowing very +stiffly. Then, turning to us, he said: + +"Friends, the people give you cordial welcome, even though the Naya may +refuse to grant you peace. You shall remain----" + +"Thou insultest us publicly," cried the Great White Queen, still standing +erect, her black eyes flashing beneath the wisp of scanty grey hair, and +her talon-like hand uplifted. "To utter such words hast thou returned +from the land beyond the black seas? True, thou art my son, and some day +will sit upon this my stool, but for thus opposing my will thou shalt be +banished from Mo until such time as I am carried to the tombs of my +fathers. Then, when thou returnest hither, thy reign shall be one of +tumults and evil-doing. The people who now shout themselves hoarse +because their idol Omar hath returned to them, shall, in that day, curse +thee, and heap upon thee every indignity. May the Great Darkness +encompass thee, may thine enemies break and crush thee, and may Zomara, +the One of Power, smite and devour thee," and as she uttered these words +she held up her long skinny arms to the hideous golden crocodile +suspended over her, muttering some mystic sentences the while. + +Her slaves and courtiers held their breath. The Great White Queen was +cursing her only son. The Dagombas understood this action and stood +aghast, while across the faces of the court dignitaries a few moments +later there flitted faint sickly smiles. The scene was impressive, more +so perhaps than any I had before witnessed. In her sudden ebullition of +anger the Naya was indeed terrible. + +From her thin blue lips curses most fearful rolled until even her +courtiers shuddered. As she stood, her bony arms uplifted to the image of +what was to her the greatest and most dreaded power on earth, she +screamed herself hoarse, uttering imprecations until about her mouth +there hung a blood-flecked foam, and her long finger-nails were driven +deep into the flesh of her withered palms. All quaked visibly at her +wrath, for none knew who might next offend her and pay the penalty for so +doing with their lives: none knew who might next fall victim to her +insane passion for causing suffering to others. + +Omar alone stood calmly watching her; all others remained terrified, +fearing to utter a single word. + +Suddenly, in her mad passion, she shrieked: + +"Gankoma! Gankoma! Come hither. There is still work for thee." + +In an instant the chief executioner, a man of giant stature, gaudily +attired and bearing a huge curved sword that gleamed ominously in the +sunlight, stood before her, and bowing, answered: + +"Your majesty is obeyed." + +"There is one who hath betrayed his trust," cried the angry ruler. "To +Babila, guardian of the Gate, we owe this intrusion of strangers in our +land and these insults from the mouth of one who is unworthy to be called +son. Bring forth Babila." + +The executioner, sword in hand, advanced to where the trusty old +custodian stood. At mention of his name a despairing cry had escaped him. +He knew, alas! his fate was sealed. + +Pale, trembling in the iron grip of the executioner, he was hurried +forward before the dazzling Emerald Throne. + +"See! he flinches, the perfidious old traitor!" the Naya cried. "His duty +was to prevent any stranger from entering Mo, yet he actually assisted +yonder horde of savages to gain access to our innermost courts. He----" + +"Mercy, your majesty! mercy!" implored the unhappy man, falling prone at +her feet. "I have guarded the Gate with my life always. I believed that +thy son's friends were thine also." + +"Silence!" shrieked the Naya. "Let not his voice again fall upon our +ears. Let him die now, before our eyes, and let his carcase be given as +offal to the dogs. Let one hundred of his guards die also. Others who +would thwart us will thus be warned." + +"Mercy!" screamed the wretched old fellow hoarsely, clasping his hands in +fervent supplication. + +"Gankoma, I have spoken," cried the Great White Queen, majestically +waving her hand. + +Babila, inactive by age, struggled to regain his feet, but ere he could +do so, or before Omar could interfere, the executioner had lifted his +sword with both hands. The sound of a dull blow was heard, and next +second the head of the Queen's faithful servant rolled across the +polished floor, while from the decapitated trunk the blood gushed forth +and ran in an ugly serpentine stream over the jasper slabs. + +A sudden thrill of horror ran through the crowd at this summary execution +of one who had hitherto been implicitly trusted, but only for an instant +was the ghastly body allowed to remain before the eyes of Queen and +court, for half a dozen slaves had been standing in readiness with bowls +of water, and some of these rushing forward carried away the head and +body and flung it to the dogs, while others swiftly removed all traces of +the gruesome spectacle. + +Little wonder therefore that the great Naya should be held in awe by all +her subjects, for in her anger she seemed capable of the most fiendish +cruelty. As in Kumassi, so also in Mo, death seemed to come quickly, and +for any paltry offence. Gankoma, executioner to the Great White Queen, +was, I afterwards learnt, continually busy obeying the royal commands, +and the rapidly increasing number of victims whose heads fell beneath his +terrible knife was causing most serious discontent. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +A FIGURE IN THE SHADOW. + + +AN hour after sundown I was seated with Omar and Kona on a mat in the +courtyard of a house not far from the gates of the palace, where +hospitality had been secretly offered us. We were discussing the +situation. Our black followers, on leaving the presence of the irate +queen, had gone out in small groups to wander through the wonderful city, +having arranged to meet again at midnight. + +The man in whose house we had found shelter was named Goliba, a staunch +friend of Omar's, although one of the royal councillors. As we sat +together this old man with long flowing white beard, keen aquiline +features and black eyes that age had not dimmed, explained facts that +amazed us. He told us that Kouaga, a favourite of the Naya, had been +approached secretly by her as to the advisability of Omar's +assassination. The old councillor had actually overheard this dastardly +plot formed by the queen against her son, for she feared that owing to +the harshness of her rule popular opinion might be diverted in his +favour, and that she might be overthrown, and he set upon the Emerald +Throne in her stead. The Naya had regretted sending Omar away for safety, +so giving Kouaga a large sum of money, she ordered him to proceed to +England and assassinate the heir. He left, and apparently on his way +conceived the idea that he might, with considerable advantage, play a +double game. Samory, whose secret agent in Mo he was, intended, he knew, +to lead a great expedition against the unapproachable country, its +principal object being to secure the vast treasures known to be concealed +within the City in the Clouds. As Omar alone knew its secret hiding-place +it occurred to Kouaga to convey him to the stronghold of the Mohammedan +chief before assassinating him, and obtain from him the whereabouts of +the great collection of gold and gems. The Naya had ordered that her son +should be killed secretly in England, but this cowardly crime was averted +by Kouaga's cupidity, and we had therefore been enticed to the Arab +sheikh's headquarters. The object of both men being thwarted by Omar's +refusal to divulge the secret, we had been sold into slavery and +consigned as human sacrifices before King Prempeh. + +"We'll be even yet with that scoundrel and traitor, Kouaga," Omar said, +turning to me when Goliba had finished. + +"If the command be given every man in Mo would go forth against Samory's +accursed hordes," Goliba declared with emphasis, removing the mouthpiece +of his long pipe from his lips. "But how dost thou intend now to act?" he +asked Omar. "Remember thou art banished until the Naya's death. Let us +hope that Zomara will not spare her long to tyrannize over our land and +to plot against thy life," he added in a half whisper. + +Omar started in surprise. This man, one of the principal advisers of his +royal mother, was actually expressing a wish that she might die! It +occurred to me, too, that if her advisers were antagonistic towards her, +might not the poor, oppressed and afflicted people also be of the same +mind? + +"Speak, O Goliba," Omar said. "Is the balance of popular feeling actually +against the Naya?" + +"Entirely. Within the past few years the loyal spirit hath, on account of +the revolting cruelties practised by thy royal mother, turned utterly +against her. Before thy departure to the land beyond the black water the +loyal feeling was uppermost because of the efforts of Moloto to obtain +the crown. Now, however, that the power of his party is broken and the +Naya, feeling her position invulnerable, hath commenced a reign of +terror, disgust and despair are felt on every hand." + +"What must I do?" Omar asked. + +"Remain here," the sage replied. "Thou art banished from the royal +presence, it is true, but heed not her words, and remain with thy +followers in Mo. Guard vigilantly against the attempts of secret +assassins that are certain to be made when the Naya is aware of thy +defiance, but remember thou art heir to the Emerald Throne, and although +some of the regiments may remain loyal unto their queen, the majority of +our fighting-men are thine to command." + +Omar knit his brows, and thought deeply for several moments. It was +apparent that this suggestion to oppose the Naya by force of arms had +never before entered his mind. + +"Is this really true?" he asked in a doubting tone. + +"O Master, let thy servant Goliba perish rather than his word be +questioned. As councillor of thy queen-mother, have I not greater +facilities for testing the popular feeling than any other man in Mo? I +swear by Zomara's wrath that what I have uttered is truth. If thou +remainest here--in hiding for a time it may be--thou shalt either be +restored to the royal favour and thy friends recognized, or thou shalt +assuredly occupy the royal stool. The people, living as they do in +constant dread of the Naya's cruelties, would hail with satisfaction any +change of rule that would ensure safety to their persons and property. +Thou art their saviour." + +"Take the advice of our friend Goliba," I urged. "Let us remain and defy +her." + +"Yea," cried Kona, displaying his even white teeth. "The Dagombas are +here and likely to remain. They will fight and die to a man in thy cause. +I, their head-man, speak for them." + +"Is it agreed?" asked Omar, glancing at us. + +"It is," we all three answered with one voice, Kona and Goliba fingering +their amulets as they spoke. + +"Then if it is thy will I shall remain and defy the Naya," Omar answered, +grasping the string of jujus around his neck and muttering some words I +could not catch. "I, Omar, Prince of Mo, am thy leader in this struggle +of my people against oppression and misrule. If they will declare in my +favour I will free them. I have spoken." + +"Thou hast until noon to-morrow to quit this city," Goliba said. "Hasten +not thy decision, but what I will show thee secretly ere long will +perhaps convince thee of the terrors of the Naya's reign. I have often +counselled the queen to aspire to the virtues of truth, wisdom, justice +and moderation, the great ornaments of the Emerald Throne, but my +endeavours have been frustrated and the fruit of my labour blasted." + +As the white-bearded sage uttered these words, I noticed that from behind +one of the great marble pillars of the colonnade that surrounded the +courtyard of Goliba's fine house a white robe flitted for an instant, +disappearing in the fast-falling gloom. At the moment, sitting as we were +smoking and chatting in the open air, the presence of an intruder did +not strike me as strange, and only half an hour later did I begin to fear +that our decision had been listened to by an eavesdropper, possibly a spy +in the service of the terrible queen! When, after due reflection, I +imparted my misgivings privately to Goliba, he, however, allayed my +fears, smiling, as he said: + +"Heed it not. It was but my slave Fiou. I saw her also as she passed +along." + +"Then thou dost not fear spies?" I said. + +"Not in this mine own house," he answered proudly. "The dwelling-house of +a royal councillor is exempt from any espionage in the Naya's cause." + +This satisfied me, and the incident escaped my recollection entirely +until long after, when I had bitter cause to remember it, as will be seen +from later chapters of this record. + +Soon after Omar had promised to act as our leader in his country's cause, +Goliba arose, and crossing the courtyard, now lit only by the bright +stars twinkling in the dark blue vault above, disappeared through a door +with a fine horse-shoe arch in Moorish style. Left together, we sat +cross-legged on the mat, a silent, thoughtful trio. Omar had decided to +act on the sage's advice, and none of us knew what the result might be. +That fierce fighting and terrible bloodshed must occur ere the struggle +ended, we felt assured, but with our mere handful of Dagombas we were +certainly no match for the trained hosts of the Naya. + +Presently we began to discuss the matter among ourselves. Kona, +enthusiastic, yet hardly sanguine, wondered whether the people were +armed, and if not, where we could procure guns and ammunition. Omar, on +the other hand, assured us that nearly every civilian possessed a gun, +being bound by law to acquire one so that he might act his part in an +immediate defence in case of invasion. He had no apprehensions regarding +the materials for war; he only feared that Goliba might be mistaken in +the estimate of his popularity. + +"If they will only stand by me they shall have freedom," he said +decisively. "If they do not, death will come to all of us." + +"We are ready," Kona answered, his black face glistening in the ray of +light shed by a single lamp lit by a slave on the opposite side of the +court. "We will serve thy cause while we have breath." + +A few minutes later footsteps sounded on the paving, and from the +darkness of the colonnade Goliba, accompanied by six other younger men, +all tall, erect and stately, emerged from the shadow and approached us. +Addressing Omar, the sage said: + +"All these men are known to thee, O Master. I need not repeat their +names, but they have known thee since their birth, and are of a verity a +power in our land. They have come hither to see thee." + +My friend rising gave them greeting, snapped fingers with them, and +answered: + +"I forget no face. I remember each, and I know ye are men of might and +justice. Each was ruler of a province----" + +"All are still governors," interrupted the sage. "They have come hither +to swear allegiance to thee." + +"It is even so, O Master," exclaimed one of the men, hitching his rich +cloak of gold-coloured silk more closely around his shoulders. "We have +met and resolved to ask thee to defy the sentence of banishment that the +Naya hath imposed upon thee." + +"Already have I decided so to do," Omar answered. "Have I the support of +thy people, O Niaro?" + +"To a man," the Governor answered. "For the military we cannot, however, +answer. They are ruled by unscrupulous place-seekers, who may defend the +Naya, expecting to reap rich rewards; but such will assuredly discover +that their confidence was misplaced. If the Naya seriously threateneth +thee and thy friends, then assuredly she shall be overthrown and thou +shalt ascend the stool in her stead." + +"I thank thee for these expressions of good-will," my friend said after +the remaining five had all spoken and assured us of staunch support. "I +remain in Mo with my black companions, and when the time cometh I am +ready to take a stand in the cause against tyranny and oppression." + +"May the fetish be good," Niaro said, and as if with one voice they all +cried, "We will offer daily sacrifices for the success of our arms." + +Together we then went to a small apartment, well-furnished in Arab style +with mats, low lounges, and tiny coffee-tables, and during the three +hours that followed the more minute details of this great conspiracy +against the tyrannical Naya were discussed and arranged, Goliba acting as +adviser upon various points. + +As I sat listening to the conversation I fully realised the seriousness +of the great undertaking upon which we had embarked, and I confess my +confidence in our success was by no means deep-rooted, for it was +apparent that in the revolt, if revolt became necessary, the military +would act on the side of the Naya and suppress it with a firm, merciless +hand. What apparently was most feared by our fellow-conspirators was that +in commanding the suppression of the rebellion the Naya would give +orders for a general massacre of the people. + +To guard against this, Niaro urged the secret assassination of the Naya +immediately preceding the revolt, but Omar, rising with that regal air he +now and then assumed, said: + +"Give heed, O my friends, unto my words. I, Omar, Prince of Mo, will +never sanction the murder of my mother. A Sanom hath never been a +murderer. If this step be decided, I shall withdraw from the leadership +and depart." + +"But canst thou not see, O Prince, that a massacre would strike panic +into the hearts of the people, and they would lay down their arms," Niaro +urged. + +"We must prevent all bloodshed that is unnecessary," my friend replied. +"I am fully aware that in such a struggle as the coming one it must be +life for life, but I will never be a party to my mother's murder. If the +people of Mo desire the Naya's overthrow on account of her barbarous +treatment of her subjects and the bribery and corruption of her +officials, then I, to preserve the traditions of my ancestors, will lead +them, and act my part in their liberation, but only on the understanding +that not a hair of her head is injured." + +The men grouped around nodded acquiescence, but smiled. + +"When thou hast witnessed how the Naya ruleth her subjects, perhaps thou +wilt not so readily defend her," one of the Governors observed. "Our +ruler is not so just nor so merciful as when thou wert last in Mo. Go, +let Goliba take thee in secret among the people, and only when we next +meet decide the point." + +"I will never allow the Naya to fall beneath the blade or poison-cup of +the assassin," Omar said decisively. "A Sanom departeth not from the word +he hath uttered." + +After some further discussion this horrible detail of the conspiracy was +dropped, and other matters arranged with a coolness that utterly +astounded me. + +We were plotting to obtain a kingdom! + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +TO THE UNKNOWN. + + +WHEN, with elaborate genuflections and vows of allegiance, the governors +of the six principal provinces of the mystic Kingdom had taken leave of +Omar, we remained in consultation with the old sage for upwards of +another hour. He told us many horrible stories of the Naya's fierce and +unrelenting cruelty. It seemed as though during the later years of her +reign she had been seized by an insane desire to cause just as much +misery and suffering as her predecessors on the Emerald Throne had +promoted prosperity and happiness. In every particular her temperament +was exactly opposite to the first Naya, the good queen whose memory had, +through a thousand years, been revered as that of a goddess. + +Goliba explained how, during the past three years, the Great White Queen +had suddenly become highly superstitious. This was not surprising, for as +far as I could gather the people of Mo had no religion as we understand +the term, but their minds were nevertheless filled with ideas relating to +supernatural objects, by which they sought to explain the phenomena about +them of which the causes were not immediately obvious. He told us that +the Naya, preying upon the superstitions of the people, had recently +introduced into the country, entirely against the advice of himself and +his fellow-councillors, a number of customs, all of which were apparently +devised to cause death. He told us that if a great man died his friends +never now remained content with the explanation that he died from natural +causes. Their minds flew at once to witchcraft. Some one had cast an evil +spell upon him, and it was the duty of the friends of the dead man to +discover who it was that had had dealings with the powers of darkness. +Suspicion fell upon a certain member of the tribe, generally a relative +of the deceased, and that suspicion could only be verified by putting the +accused to the test of some dreadful ordeal. A favourite ordeal, he said, +was to make the suspected person drink a large quantity--a gallon and a +half, or more--of a decoction of a bitter and slightly poisonous bark. If +vomiting occurred, then a verdict of guilty was passed upon the +unfortunate wretch, and no protestations, or even direct proof of his +innocence, could save him from the tortures in store for him. The victim +was condemned to death, and death was inflicted not swiftly and +mercifully, but nearly always with some accompaniment of diabolical +torture. + +One method was to hack the body of the wretched person to pieces with +knives, the most odious mutilations being resorted to. Occasionally the +unfortunate creature was tied to a stake while pepper was rubbed into his +eyes until the fearful irritation so produced caused blindness. Or, +again, the victim was tied hand and foot upon an ant-hill, and left to +the agonies of being consumed slowly by the minute aggressors. The most +satisfactory death, perhaps, was that when the condemned man was allowed +to be his own executioner. He was made much of for an hour or so before +the final scene, and was well fed and primed with palm wine. Under the +excitement of this mild stimulant he mounted a tree, carrying in his hand +a long rope formed of a kind of stringy vine of tough texture. One end of +this rope he fastened to a bough, and the other he placed in a running +knot over his neck. Then, quite pleased at being the centre of +observation of the multitude, even on such a gruesome occasion, the +criminal harangued his tribesmen in a great speech, finally declared the +justice of his sentence, and leaped into space. Should the rope break, as +occasionally happened, then the zeal of the executioner overcame the fear +of death of the victim, for he mounted the tree nimbly once more, +readjusted the knots, and did his best in the second attempt to avoid the +risk of another fiasco. + +"And have such pagan customs actually been introduced during my absence +in England?" asked Omar astonished. + +"They have, alas! O Prince," answered the sage. "The people, taught from +childhood to respect every word that falleth from the lips of our Great +White Queen, adopted these revolting customs, together with certain other +dreadful rites, believing that only by obeying her injunctions can they +escape the wrath of the Crocodile-god. As rapidly as fire spreadeth in +the forest the customs were adopted in every part of the kingdom, until +now the practices I have briefly enumerated are universal." + +"But surely my mother could never have devised such horrible suffering +out of sheer ill-will towards our people?" + +"Alas! she hath," answered the old man. "If thou believest not my words, +take each of you one of the cloaks hanging yonder, wrap the Arab haicks +around your heads and follow me. Make no sign that ye are strangers, and +ye shall witness strange sights amazing." + +We all three arose, and quickly arraying ourselves in white cotton +burnouses, wrapping the haicks around our heads in the manner of the +Arabs--a fashion adopted by some in the City in the Clouds--and pulling +them across our faces, so as to partially conceal our features, we went +forth with our guide on the tiptoe of expectation. + +"What sight, I wonder, are we going to witness?" I whispered in English +to Omar, as we walked together along one of the narrow streets in the +deep shadow so that we might not be detected. + +"I know not," my friend answered, with a heavy sigh. "If what Goliba says +is true, and I fear it is, then our land is doomed." + +"The power of the cruel Naya must be broken, and you must reign and bring +back to Mo her departing prosperity and happiness," I said. + +"I'll do my best, Scarsmere," he answered. "You have been a true, +fearless friend all along, and I feel that you will continue until the +end." + +"Till the end!" I echoed. "The end will be peace, either in life--or +death." + +"While I have breath I will fight to preserve the traditions of the Nabas +and the Nayas who, while ruling their country, gave such satisfaction to +the people that never once has there been a rebellion nor scarcely a +voice raised in dissent. It has always been the policy of the Sanoms to +give audience to any discontented person, listen to their grievances, and +endeavour to redress them. The reign of the Naya is, according to all we +hear, one of terror and oppression. The poor are ground down to swell +the wealth of the rich, and no man's life is safe from one moment to +another. It shall be changed, and I, Omar, will fulfil the duty expected +of me." + +"Well spoken, old fellow," I answered, enthusiastically. "Remember +Goliba's warning regarding the attempts that may be made to assassinate +you, and always carry your revolver loaded. When the Naya hears that you +have defied her she will be as merciless as she was to poor old Babila." + +"Ah! Babila," Omar sighed. "He was one of the best and most trusted +servants Mo ever had. Having been one of my dead father's personal +attendants he was faithful to our family, and altogether the last man +whose head should have fallen in disgrace under Gankoma's sword." + +"If the punishment she inflicted upon him was so severe for such a paltry +offence, that which she will seek to bring upon you will be equally +terrible," I observed. "Therefore act always with caution, and take heed +never to be entrapped by her paid assassins." + +"Don't fear, Scarsmere," he laughed. "I'm safe enough, and I do not +anticipate that anybody will try and take my life. If they do they'll +find I can shoot straighter than they imagined." + +"But they might shoot first," I suggested with a smile. + +"I don't intend to give them a chance," he replied. "We must not fear +defeat, but anticipate success. I have made offering to the fetish, and +although the struggle must be fierce and unrelenting I am determined to +strike a blow for my country's freedom." + +At this juncture Goliba joined us, and urging me not to speak in English +lest the strange language might be overheard, we walked together for +about three-quarters of an hour through thoroughfares so wide and well +built that they would have been termed magnificent if constructed in any +European city. Then we crossed a large square where a great fountain +shooting up a hundred feet fell into its bowl, green with water-plants +and white with flowers, and afterwards traversed a maze of narrower +streets, now silent and deserted, where dwelt the workmen. + +Suddenly Goliba halted before an arched door, and directing us to imitate +him, knelt and touched the door-step with his forehead, then passed in. +We followed into a place that was strange to even Omar himself, who was +scarce able to suppress an exclamation of astonishment. It was a small +chamber, lit by a single flickering oil lamp of similar shape to those so +often found amid the traces of the Roman occupation of England, while +around were stone benches built into the wall. Walking to the opposite +side of the narrow, prison-like place, we saw before us an arch with an +impenetrable blackness beyond. Before this arch stood a kind of frame +made of iron resting on either side upon steel ropes raised slightly from +the ground. Following Goliba's example, we got upon it, crouching in a +kneeling position in the same manner as himself. + +"Thou wilt find handles, wherewith to steady thyself," he cried to me. +"Have a care that thou art not thrown off." + +I groped with my companions, and we found the handles of which he had +spoken. Then, when all was ready, the grave-faced sage raised some lever +or another, and we shot away down, down, down into space with such +fearful velocity that the wind whistled about our ears, our white robes +fluttered, and our breath seemed taken away. + +The sensation was awful. In utter darkness we were whirled along we knew +not whither, until suddenly the car whereon we travelled gave an +unexpected lurch, as a corner was turned, nearly precipitating all of us +into the darkness beneath, and then continued its downward course with +increased speed, until sparks flew from beneath us like flecks of fire +from a blacksmith's forge, and in our breasts was a tightness that became +more painful every moment. + +It seemed as though we were descending to some deep, airless region, for +I could not breathe; the atmosphere felt damp and warm, and the velocity +with which we travelled was becoming greater the deeper into the heart of +the earth we went. + +"What is this place?" I heard Omar ask. "I know it not." + +"Be patient, O Prince, and thou shalt witness that which must astound +thee," old Goliba shouted, his squeaky voice being just audible above the +loud hissing as our car flew along the twisted strands of steel. + +Suddenly, above the hiss of our rapid progress, there could be heard +strange noises, as if a hundred war-drums were being beaten, and at the +same instant our curious conveyance gave another sudden lurch in rounding +a corner. At that moment Goliba, in turning to speak with Omar, had +unfortunately loosened his hold of one of the handles, and the sudden +jolt at such a high speed was so violent that our faithful guide and +friend was shot off backwards, and ere Omar could clutch him he had +disappeared with a shriek of despair into the cavernous darkness. + +A thrill of horror ran through us when we realised this terrible mishap. +Yet nothing could arrest our swift headlong descent, and feeling +convinced that Goliba, our host and adviser, had met with a terrible +death, we sat staring, motionless, wondering whither we were bound, and +how, now we had lost our guide, we should be able to reach the surface +again. At the moment Goliba had been flung off we remembered that the +iron frame had jolted and grated, and there seemed no room for doubt that +the generous sage had been mangled into a shapeless mass. The thought was +horrible. + +At last, however, we felt the air becoming fresher, and the strange +contraction in our breasts was gradually relieved as our pace became less +rapid, and distant lights showed before us. Then suddenly we emerged from +the curious shaft down which we had travelled to such enormous depth, +gliding slowly out into a place of immeasurable extent, where a most +extraordinary and amazing scene met our gaze. + +Truly, poor Goliba had spoken the truth when he had promised that what we +should witness would astound us. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +UNDER THE VAMPIRE'S WING. + + +WHEN our dazzled gaze grew accustomed to the garish blaze of lights we +found ourselves standing in an enormous cavern. + +Around us were glowing fires and shining torches innumerable; the smoke +from them half choked us, while above there seemed an immensity of +darkness, for the roof of the natural chamber was so high that it could +not be discerned. + +Upon one object, weird and horrible, our startled gaze became rivetted. +Straight before us, at some little distance, there rose a great black +rock to a height of, as far as I could judge, a thousand feet. Nearly +half way up was a great wide ledge or platform larger than any of the +market-places in the City in the Clouds, and upon this there had been +fashioned from the solid rock a colossal representation of the +vampire-bat, the device borne upon the banners of Mo. Its enormous wings, +each fully five hundred feet from the body to tip, outstretched on either +side and supported by gigantic pillars of rock carved to represent +various grotesque and hideous figures of men and animals, formed great +temples on either side of the body. The latter, however, attracted our +attention more than did the wonderful wings, for as we stood aghast and +amazed we discerned that the vast body of the colossus did not represent +that of a bat, but the gigantic jaws were those of a crocodile. + +"Zomara!" gasped Omar. "See! It is the great god with the wings of a bat +and the tail of a lion!" + +I looked and saw that far behind rose the tufted tail of the king of the +forest. From the two great eyes of the gigantic reptile shone dazzling +streams of white light, like the rays of a mariner's beacon, and +everywhere twinkling yellow lights were moving about the face of the +great rock, across the platform whereon the colossal figure rested, even +to the distant summit. + +Suddenly, as we stood gazing open-mouthed in wonder, the roar of a +hundred war-drums beaten somewhere in the vicinity of the enormous +representation of the terrible deity of Mo rolled and echoed to the +innermost recesses of the subterranean vault, and just as they had +ceased we distinctly saw the giant jaws of the crocodile slowly open. +From them belched forth great tongues of flame and thick stifling smoke +that, beaten down by a draught from above, curled its poisonous fumes +around us, causing us to cough violently. For fully a minute the great +mouth remained open, when to our horror we saw a small knot of human +figures approaching it. One loud piercing shriek reached us and at that +instant we saw the figure of a man or woman--we were not close enough to +discern which--flung by the others headlong into the open flaming mouth. + +Again the drums rolled, and the next second the jaws of Zomara closed +with a loud crash that sent a shudder through us. + +"The sacrifice!" gasped Omar. "This, then, is one of the horrible customs +that Goliba told us had been introduced by my mother, the Great White +Queen!" + +"Horrible!" I exclaimed. "That fearful cry will haunt me to my dying +day." + +"Let us return," said Kona. "We have witnessed enough, O Master." + +"No," Omar answered. "Rather let us see for ourselves the true extent of +these terrible rites. Goliba, though, alas! he is lost for ever, intended +that we should." + +"Very well," I said. "Lead us, and we will follow." + +At that moment footsteps, pattering as those of children, reached our +ears and there ran past us half a dozen hideous half-clad dwarfs. They +were tiny, impish-looking creatures about three feet six high, with +darker skins than the inhabitants of this mystic land, but their faces +were whitewashed in manner similar to those of the royal executioners of +Ashanti, and wore their crisp black hair drawn to a knot on top similar +to the fashion affected by some savage tribes. As they rushed past us +their little black eyes, piercing and bead-like, regarded us curiously, +and with, we thought, a rather menacing glance; nevertheless they +continued their way, and watching, we noticed the spot where they +commenced the toilsome ascent to the platform whereon stood the colossus. + +"Such a work as that must have taken years to accomplish," I observed to +Omar. + +"With the Sanoms of Mo everything is possible," he answered. "The ruler +of our country is a monarch whose will is so absolute that he or she can +compel everyone, from prince to slave, to participate in any work. Thus +the Naya may have caused every male inhabitant of Mo to help in its +construction." + +When, however, following the dwarfs we had hurried forward to the steps +cut in the black rock I bent to examine them. They were polished by the +wear of ages of feet and hands passing over them, and when I pointed out +this fact to Omar he agreed with me that this place must have been in +existence centuries ago, and had probably been re-discovered within the +last two or three years. + +The dwarfs, in ascending, put their toes into holes and niches in the +rocks and kept talking all the while. Every now and then they would stop, +sway their heads about and sing a kind of low chant in not unmusical +tones. As we crept up slowly behind, with difficulty finding the rude +steps in the uncertain light, the last of the string of dwarfs kept +turning to us bowing and crooning. I confess I began to be anxious, +fearing that we might be going into a trap, but I noticed that my two +companions were calm as iron bars. This gave me renewed courage, and we +toiled up until at last we reached the great platform and stood beneath +the left-hand wing of the gigantic vampire of solid rock. The pillars +that had been left in the excavations to support it, were, like the +steps, worn smooth where crowds of human beings had jostled against them. +The manner in which they were sculptured was very remarkable, the faces +of all, both men, beasts, birds and fish, bearing hideous, uncanny +expressions, the fearful grimaces of those suffering the most +excruciating bodily tortures. It was here apparent, as everywhere, that +the gigantic figure had not been recently fashioned, but had for many +centuries past been visited by vast crowds of worshippers. + +Beneath the outstretched wing under which we stood a large number of +people had assembled. Great blazing braziers here and there illuminated +the weird place with a red uncertain glare, which falling on the faces of +the crowd of devotees, showed that they had worked themselves into a +frenzy of religious fervour. Some were crying aloud to the Crocodile-god, +some were prostrate on their faces with their lips to the stones worn +smooth by the tramp of many feet, while many were going through all sorts +of ceremonies and antics. + +At the end, where the colossal wing joined the body wherein burned the +great fiery furnace, there stood twelve dwarfs in flowing garments of +pure white. These were high-priests of Zomara. The fierce pigmies, +unknown even to Omar, their prince, seemed a sacred tribe who perhaps had +lived here forgotten and undiscovered for generations. In any case it was +apparent that they never ascended to the land above, but devoted +themselves entirely to the curious rites and ceremonies of this strange +pagan religion. + +In the centre of the semi-circle of tiny bead-eyed priests with whitened +faces stood one of great age with flowing white beard that nearly swept +the ground. His figure was exceedingly grotesque, yet he bore himself +with hauteur, and as he stood before a kind of altar erected in front of +a door, that seemed to lead into the body of the gigantic crocodile, he +gave vent in a loud clear voice to the most earnest exhortations. Then, +bathing his face and hands in a golden bowl held by the other priests, in +order, so I afterwards learnt, to wash away the bad impressions of the +world, he thus began an instructive lesson: + +"Give ear, ye tender branches, unto the words of your parent stock; bend +to the lessons of instruction and imbibe the maxims of age and +experience! As the ant creepeth not to its labour till led by its elders; +as the young lark soareth not to the sun, but under the shadow of its +mother's wing, so neither doth the child of mortality spring forth to +action unless the parent hand points out its destined labour. But no +labour shall the hand of man appoint unto the people of Mo before the +worship of Zomara, the sacred god of the crocodiles, and of the great +Naya, his handmaiden. Mean are the pursuits of the sons of the earth; +they stretch out their sinews like the patient mule, they persevere in +their chase after trifles, as the camel in the desert beyond the Thousand +Steps. As the leopard springeth upon his prey, so doth man rejoice over +his riches, and bask in the sun of slothfulness like the lion's cub. On +the stream of life float the bodies of the careless and the intemperate +as the carcases of the dead on the waves of the Lake of Sacrifices. As +the birds of prey destroy the carcase so is man devoured by sin. No man +is master over himself, but the Naya is his ruler; and to endeavour to +defeat the purpose of Zomara is madness and folly. O people! pay your +vows to the King of Crocodiles alone, and not to your fetishes, which, +though they be superior in your sight, are yet the work of his hands. Let +virtue be the basis of knowledge, and let knowledge be as a slave before +her." + +The worshippers at the shrine of the dread god raising their right hands +then repeated after the high priest some mystic words that, although +having no meaning for me, struck terror into Omar's heart. + +"Hearken!" he whispered to me in an awed tone. "Hearken! Our conspiracy +against the Naya is already known! They are swearing allegiance to her, +and vowing vengeance against any who thwart her will. If we are detected +here as strangers it will mean certain death!" + +I glanced around the strange, weird place, and could not suppress a +feeling of despair that we should ever leave it again alive. The faces of +the worshippers, men and women, illuminated by flaming flambeaux and +burning braziers, were all fierce and determined-looking, showing that +the worship of the Crocodile-god was conducted in no faint spirit. Before +this gigantic representation of the national deity, they became seized +with a religious mania that transformed them into veritable demons. + +"Lo!" cried the silver-bearded priest. "Think, O people! of all our Great +White Queen hath done for you. She hath brought down the moon's rays from +the realms of night to lighten our darkness, she hath marked the courses +of the stars with her wand and reduced eccentric orbs to the obedience of +a system. She hath caught the swift-flying light and divided its rays; +she hath marshalled the emanations of the sun under their different-hued +banners, given symmetry and order to the glare of day, explained the dark +eternal laws of the Forest-god, and showed herself always acquainted with +the dictates of Zomara." + +His hearers, swaying their bodies and performing all sorts of eccentric +antics, cried aloud in confirmation of the benefits bestowed upon Mo by +its queen. + +"The secrets, too, of chemistry have been laid open by her," continued +the diminutive priest. "Inert matter is engaged in warlike commotion and +she hath brought fire down from the heavens to entertain her. She hath +placed our land in such a state of defence that no invader can approach +it; she hath brought from over the great black water the amazing +'pom-poms' of the English, which shed a thousand bullets at one charge, +and she hath caused cannon to be cast to project explosive shells beyond +the reach of the eye. She hath taught you at once the beauty of nature +and the folly of man. Truly she is a great queen; therefore let not her +son Omar who hath returned from over the great sea, wrest from her hand +the regal sceptre. Already hath our queen perceived the haughtiness and +the vicious principles of her son, and maketh no doubt but that he will +soon aspire to her throne. This causeth the prudent Mistress of Mo to +resolve to banish him and take all power from him. Let him be ejected +from our country and the queen's word be obeyed, for no beam of mercy +lurketh in her eye. The Naya is determined." + +"The great Naya shall be obeyed," they cried aloud. "Omar, the malicious +prince, curbed by the authority of his mother, shall be banished." + +"Or his life shall, like those of his followers we hold here as +prisoners, pay the forfeit of presumption," added the high priest. + +And as he uttered the words, those surrounding went to the door behind +the fire-altar, and opening it, led forth three of our Dagombas amid the +savage howls of the excited spectators. + +"O, race of mortals," cried the priest, raising his hand the while, "O +race of mortals, to whose care and protection the offspring of clay are +committed, say what hath been the success of your labours; what vices +have you punished; what virtues rewarded; what false lights have you +extinguished; what sacrifices have you made to the god of Crocodiles? +Helpless race of mortals, Zomara is your god and the Naya your queen. But +for their protection how vain would be your toils, how endless your +researches! Arm ye then and rally round the one to whom you owe all, +whose power is such that this our country can never be assaulted by the +tricks of fortune, or the power of man. Omar and his black swarm of +intruders must be driven out or given as sacrifice to Zomara. Till this +be done the curse of the god ye fear shall rest upon our land, and his +presence shall nightly remind ye of your idleness. Will ye let the +defiant prince overthrow your queen?" + +"He shall never do so," they shouted in a tumult of enthusiasm, which, +ere it died away, increased tenfold, when suddenly before us we saw a +female figure in a loose yellow robe move with stately mien towards the +smoking altar and kneel for an instant before it. + +Then, rising, she turned towards the people with her long, bare, scraggy +arms uplifted in silence. + +In the red flickering light we recognized the evil bony features. It was +the dreaded Naya herself! + +"The vengeance of Zomara upon mine enemies," she cried in harsh, metallic +tones. "I will treat each and every one who dareth to oppose me in the +way I will now punish these three savages who have entered our region +forbidden. Watch, and let it be a warning to those who may be tempted by +bribes to entertain disloyal thoughts." + +With stately stride she led the way along a dark colonnade from beneath +the wing of the colossal vampire to the enormous closed mouth of the +hideous crocodile, being followed by the high priest and his attendants, +who dragged along the three of our unfortunate companions. + +At once a headlong rush was made by the frenzied spectators to obtain a +view of what was to transpire, and we followed leisurely at a respectable +distance, remaining in the shadow of one of the grotesquely-carved +columns of rock. + +When all had taken up their places we could see the expressions of abject +fear upon the glistening faces of the wretched blacks, and longed to rush +forth and rescue them, but with knowledge that instant death would result +from such foolhardiness we remained breathlessly silent, compelled to +watch. + +Again the high priest, with outstretched hands over the people, cried: + +"Give heed unto me! Were Zomara, the god whom we worship, to be +worshipped in perfectness, the whole length of our lives would not +suffice to lie prostrate before him. But the merciful Avenger of Wrong +expecteth not more from us than we are able to pay him. True it is that +we should begin early, and late take rest, and daily and hourly offer up +our praises and petitions to the throne of his handmaiden's grace. But +better is a late repentance than none; and the eleventh hour of the day +for work than perpetual idleness unto the end of our time; and this is +not to be obtained for us but through our mighty Naya, the daughter of +Zomara the Swallower-up of Evil." + +Himself facing the hideous gigantic head with its long jaws and gleaming +eyes, he flung himself suddenly upon his knees and commenced a gabbled +prayer. All prostrated themselves in adoration, even to the great Naya +herself, whose magnificent jewels flashed and gleamed with wondrous +brilliancy each time she moved. + +In order not to appear strange to this extraordinary proceeding, we, too, +cast ourselves upon our knees and remained with heads bent in devotional +attitude, but allowing no detail of the weird scene to escape us. + +Suddenly the priest arose, and with a fire-brand ignited at the brazier +near his hand, he stood before the wonderful figure of Zomara and made a +mystic sign. + +Instantly the ponderous jaws with their double row of iron teeth, each as +long and as sharp as swords, slowly opened, and there issued forth a +great roaring mass of flame that licked the upper jaw, a veritable tongue +of fire. + +The Naya rose, swaying her long arms wildly, but the people remained +still kneeling, silent in awe. + +Her voice was heard for a moment above the roaring and crackling of the +furnace in the throat of the colossus, and then, at a sudden signal from +the high priest, our three wretched black companions were seized by the +group of dwarfs, carried up a short flight of steps by white-robed +attendants, and hurled headlong into the flaming mouth of the monster. + +A loud scream broke upon our ears, and for a single instant the flames +belched forth with increased fury, but as the last victim of this +horrible rite was consigned to his terrible doom, as sacrifice to the +dreaded god, the cruel jaws closed again with a heavy clang. + +The merciless barbarity of the Great White Queen horrified us. The +fearful fate of those who had shared our perils during our adventurous +journey to this spectral land of mystery held us dumb in terror and +dismay. + +Yet, ere the giant jaws of the hideous monstrosity had snapped together, +the people, hilarious and excited, sprang to their feet exhorting their +great deity to send his fiercest vengeance upon us, the intruders, that +our sinews might be withered and that we might rot by the road-side like +cattle smitten by the pest. + +Then the terrible Naya, wheeling round slowly, gave her people her +blessing, and they, in turn, shouted themselves hoarse in frantic +adulation. + +Truly, the scene was the strangest and most weird that my eyes had ever +gazed upon. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +THE FLAMING MOUTH. + + +WE stood rooted to the spot. The hideous colossus, the intensely white +light streaming from its gigantic eyes, seemed to tower above us to an +enormous height, its outstretched wings threatening to enclose the great +swaying crowd of fanatical worshippers. With monotonous regularity the +long jaws, worked by hidden levers, fell apart, disclosing the terrible +pointed teeth against a roaring background of smoke and flame, and so +frenzied had the people now become, that each time the mouth of the +monster idol opened, numbers of wild-haired men and women rushed up the +incline that led to the blazing furnace, and with loud cries of adoration +of their deity, lifted their arms above their heads and cast themselves +into the flames. Some fell clear of the double row of pointed teeth into +the furnace, while others not leaping sufficiently far were impaled upon +the great spikes of steel, and in full view of their companions writhed +in frightful agonies, as slowly they were consumed by the tongue of fire +lapping about them. + +The scene was awful, yet the Naya, surrounded by priestly dwarfs, stood +regarding it with satisfaction. Such voluntary sacrifices to Zomara, +were, to them, gratifying in the highest degree. + +Suddenly the light in the eyes of the giant figure changed from white to +a deep blood-red, illuminating the strange place with a ruddy glow that +increased its weirdness, and was a signal for a large number of +sacrifices. Indeed, the worshippers now lost their self-control +absolutely, and when the horrible mouth, dripping with blood, again +unclosed, there was such a press of those anxious to immolate themselves, +that many could not struggle forward to cast their bodies into the flames +before the teeth again snapped together. + +It was horrible. Nauseated by the sickening sight of men impaled and +absolutely crushed to a pulp by the ascending jaw which must have weighed +many tons, and the sharp teeth of which cut the unfortunate wretch to +pieces, we turned away. We had emerged from the shadow that had concealed +us and stood in the full white light shed by one of the monster's eyes, +hesitating how to seek some means of escape, when two of the dwarfs, +suddenly turning a corner, came full upon me. In an instant I remembered +that on account of the suffocating atmosphere I had unwrapped my haick +from about my mouth, thus allowing my features to remain uncovered. But +ere this thought flashed across my mind the uncanny-looking imps had +detected my features as those of a stranger. + +For a second they paused, starting and glancing keenly at me, then they +turned and gazed earnestly at my companions. There was, I knew, no +mistaking Kona's sable yet good-humoured face. + +"Lo!" they cried, shouting to the group of their priestly tribe standing +rigid and silent around the bejewelled Naya. "See! There are strangers +present! One is a black savage like those thou hast given unto Zomara, +and the other white, like the people dwelling beyond the great black +water." + +Their announcement produced an effect almost electrical. In an instant a +silence fell, and at the same moment the voice of the Naya was heard +commanding: + +"If they are strangers who have dared to descend to this our Temple of +Zomara, bring them forth, and let them be given unto the great god whose +maw still remaineth unsatisfied. Hasten, ye priests, do my bidding +quickly; let them not escape, or the curse of the King of the Crocodiles +be upon you." + +The two dwarfs sprang forward to seize us, while the group of priests, +fleet of foot, accompanied by the great mob of worshippers, sped in our +direction. The people, having worked themselves up to such a pitch of +excitement, were eager to assist in the immolation of any intruders. They +were bent upon obeying the law of their queen. + +But in an instant Kona felled both the dwarfs with two well-directed +blows with his huge black fist, and without hesitation we all three +turned and fled in the direction we had come. My companions had +apparently forgotten where the steps descended, but fortunately I had +fixed the spot in case any untoward incident occurred. They were over +against a great pillar of rock, rudely fashioned to represent a woman +with an eagle's head. + +"This way," I shouted. "Follow me!" and with a bound sped in its +direction as fast as my legs could carry me. + +We had nearly gained the spot when to my dismay I saw a dozen of the +worshippers, divining our intention, approaching from the opposite +direction in order to cut off our retreat. + +It was an exciting moment. Behind, was a mad, fanatical mob of five +hundred men and women led by the dwarfs shrieking vengeance against us; +before us were a dozen determined men ready to seize us and convey us to +a horrible death in the throat of the gigantic representation of their +sacred reptile. Even if we safely descended the steps, we knew not the +secret means by which we might reach the earth's surface, nor did either +of us remember the exact point where the long dark tunnel joined the +wonderful cavern. + +None, however, knew that Omar himself was one of my fellow fugitives, for +the dwarfs, being consigned to a subterranean life perpetually, had never +set eyes upon him, and therefore he had been unrecognized. Another +moment, and I knew he must be detected by some of the devotees. If so, +the hostile feeling against us would be intensified, and we should +probably be torn limb from limb. + +I had retained the lead in this race for life, and seeing retreat cut off +by the group of men gaining the top of the steps before us I turned +quickly, and, although fearing the worst, made a long detour. Determined +to sell my life dearly, I drew my long knife from its velvet sheath, and +gripped it, ready to strike a deadly blow in self-defence. Luckily I +armed myself in time, for almost next moment a man of huge stature sprang +forward from behind one of the columns of rock where he had been secreted +and threw himself upon me, clutching me by the throat. + +Scarce had his sinewy fingers gripped me, when, by dint of frantic +effort, I freed my right arm, and with a movement quick as lightning +flash, I buried my knife full in his breast. One short, despairing cry +escaped him, and as he staggered back I dashed forward again, without +turning to look at the result of the swift blow I had delivered. But I +was desperate, and being compelled to defend my life, I do not doubt that +my blow was unerring, and that my blade penetrated his heart. + +Hindered thus in my flight my two companions had reached the edge of the +precipice ahead of me, and were skirting it, when suddenly I saw a body +of our pursuers approaching, and cried to them in warning. In dismay I +noticed they took no heed of my words, but continued their swift flight +right in the direction of those who sought our destruction. + +"Take care, Omar!" I shouted, in English. "Can't you see those devils in +front?" + +But he answered not, and I was about to halt and give up all thought of +escape, when I saw them both suddenly throw themselves on their knees on +the edge of the abyss, and almost instantly disappear over the +precipice. + +They had found another flight of steps! + +Eagerly I sprang forward, and in a few seconds found myself descending +the rough face of the rock, scrambling desperately down into the yawning +chasm with a wild horde of excited fanatics shrieking and yelling above. + +Half a dozen of the more adventurous swung themselves over and commenced +to follow us, but those above, determined that we should not escape, +fetched huge stones and lumps of rock, which they hurled upon us. But +their excess of zeal only wrought destruction upon their companions, who, +being above us, received blows from the great stones which sent them +flying one after another to the base of the rock, killed or stunned ere +they reached it. Twice we had narrow escapes on account of the +unconscious bodies of our pursuers or their companions' missiles falling +against us, but while all those who had followed us, save one, fell +victims to the merciless frenzy of their companions, we were fortunate +enough to be enabled to descend to the base of the rock, where once again +the impenetrable darkness hid, although at the same time it hampered, our +movements. + +For a few moments at least we were safe, and paused to recover breath. My +arm was bleeding profusely where it had been severely grazed by a sharp +edge of rock in our headlong flight, and the white garments of all three +of us were soiled and torn. But our halt was not of long duration, for +suddenly we heard whispers and the sound of stealthy footsteps in the +darkness. + +We listened breathlessly. + +"Hark!" cried Omar. "Our pursuers are here also, and are looking for +us!" + +"Let us hide behind yonder rock," Kona suggested, in a half-whisper. + +"No, let us creep forward," answered the son of the Great White Queen. +"They will search every crevice and hiding-place now the hue-and-cry has +been raised," and glancing up I saw a black stream of excited +worshippers, many with torches that in the distance shone like moving +stars, already pouring down over the rock in our direction like a line of +ants descending a wall. + +Every moment brought them nearer upon us; every instant increased our +peril. Even though we were in the great chasm, the true extent of which +we could not distinguish, we knew not by what means we could escape +upward to the blessed light of day. + +Forward we crept cautiously, in obedience to Omar's instructions, but ere +a couple of minutes had elapsed it was evident that the watchful ones who +had heard the shouting from above and noticed the pursuit had discovered +our whereabouts, for just as we had noiselessly passed a huge boulder, a +man in white robe and turban sprang upon us from behind. + +"Look out, Kona!" cried Omar, his quick eyes discerning the man's cloak +in the darkness ere I noticed his presence. + +Next second, however, the head-man of the Dagombas and the stranger were +locked in deadly embrace, notwithstanding that the man who had approached +cried aloud to us for mercy. + +Kona with drawn sword had gripped the man's throat with his long black +fingers, when suddenly we heard a gasping cry: "Stay thine hand! Dost +thou not recognize thy benefactor?" + +"Hold!" shouted Omar, the words causing him to turn and run back to +where the pair were struggling. "Knowest thou not the voice? Why, it is +Goliba!" + +And it was Goliba! Instantly the black giant released the man who he +believed intended to arrest our progress, and with a word of apology we +all four sped forward. How our aged host had escaped after being thrown +from the frame in which we had made the descent from the city we knew not +until later, when he explained that on recovering consciousness and +finding himself on his back in the tunnel with a slight injury to his +shoulder, he had scrambled down the perilous descent, fearing each moment +that he might slip in the impenetrable darkness and be dashed to pieces +ere he gained the bottom. Intensely anxious as to our fate, he had at +last descended in safety, but on emerging from the tunnel found +proceeding above all the commotion the discovery of our presence had +caused. He watched our descent into the chasm and stood below awaiting +us, but we had rushed past ere he could make himself known, and he had +therefore dashed across to a corner and thus come up with us. + +But our meeting, too hurried and full of peril to admit of explanation at +that moment, was at any rate gratifying--for we all three had believed +him dead. Our pursuers were now behind us in full cry. A number of them +had gained the base of the rock and, yelling furiously, were fast gaining +upon us. + +"Come, let us hasten," cried the old sage, speeding along with a +fleetness of foot equal to our own, skirting the base of the great rock +for a short distance until we came to a portion that jutted out over the +uneven ground, then suddenly turning aside, we crossed a great open space +where mud and water splashed beneath our feet at every step. The further +we went the deeper sank our feet into the quagmire, until our progress +was so far arrested that we could not run, but only wade slowly through +the chill black slime. + +Even across here our progress was traced, for the lights in the eyes of +the giant god were turned upon us, and our path lit by a stream of white +light which guided the footsteps of those who sought our death. + +At last, when we had crossed the boggy patch, the ground became quite dry +again, but after running some distance further, which showed me that the +natural chamber must have been of huge proportions, Goliba shouted to us +to halt and remain there. We obeyed him, puzzled and wondering, but we +saw him dashing hither and thither as if in search of something. At first +it was apparent that he could not discover what he sought, but in a few +minutes when our pursuers had crossed the quagmire and were quite close +upon us he shouted to us to come forward. Together we obeyed instantly, +speeding as fast as our legs could carry us to where Goliba was standing +before a small fissure in the side of the cavern on a level with the +ground, and so narrow that it did not appear as if Kona would be able to +squeeze his big body through. + +"Follow me," the old sage said in a low tone as, throwing himself down +before the mysterious hole, he crept forward, being compelled to lie +almost flat on his stomach, so small was the fissure. + +His example we all quietly followed, finding ourselves groping forward in +the darkness, but discovering to our satisfaction that the further we +proceeded the wider the crack in the rock became, so that before long we +were enabled to walk upright, although we deemed it best to hold our +hands above our heads lest we should strike them against any projecting +stones. + +Without light, and in air that was decidedly close and oppressive, we +proceeded. At least we were safe from the howling mob, for since leaving +the great cavern all was silence, and it was now evident from the +confident manner in which Goliba went forward that he was assured of the +way. Soon we negotiated a steep ascent, now and then so difficult that we +were compelled to clamber up on all fours, and for a long time this +continued until our hands and feet were sore with scrambling upward. A +spring shed its icy drippings upon us for some little distance, soaking +us to the skin and rendering us chilly and uncomfortable, but at length +we reached what seemed to be a ponderous door that barred our passage. + +Goliba groped about for a few minutes without speaking, when quickly it +opened to his touch and we found ourselves in a long stone passage lit +here and there by evil-smelling oil lamps that flickered in the rush of +air from the great fissure through which we had ascended. + +"This is amazing," cried Omar dumbfounded, as the old sage struggled to +close the heavy iron door behind us. "Why, we are in the vaults beneath +the palace!" + +"True, O Master," Goliba answered, breathless after his exertions. "There +is but one entrance and one exit to this labyrinth of vaults and foul +chambers wherein the Naya confineth her prisoners. The entrance is, as +thou knowest, immediately beneath the Emerald Throne; the exit is this +door, which can only be opened by those possessed of the secret. Thirty +years ago, when Keeper of the Prison, this door puzzled me considerably, +for all attempts to open it on the part of the men I employed failed. It +is of such construction and mechanism that nothing short of explosives +could make it yield, and these I feared to use. But years afterwards a +gaoler who had obtained the secret from his father, also a gaoler, but +who was dead, imparted it to me on his death-bed in return for some +good-will I had shown him. I believe therefore that I am the only person +who has knowledge of the means by which to open it." + +"The knowledge hath, in any case, saved our lives, Goliba," Omar +answered. "But the great cavern and all those horrible rites introduced +into the worship of Zomara, are not they new?" + +"No," replied the sage. "They are as old as the foundation of the Kingdom +of Mo. Strangely enough, however, the great cave with its colossus and +its race of sacred dwarfs who live away in a small dark forest that can +only be gained from the opposite side of the cave, were for centuries +forgotten. The way to the Temple of Zomara was unknown and the dwarfs +remained in undisputed possession of the place until three years ago, one +more adventurous than the rest, succeeded in ascending to Mo, when his +capture resulted in the cavern with its great wonderful image being +re-discovered. Since that time the place has never been devoid of +votaries, and the great fire has constantly been fed by those anxious to +immolate themselves to appease the Crocodile-god." + +"Ah! he is a great god," Omar observed earnestly. + +"Yea, O Master, he is indeed all-powerful," answered the aged councillor. +"He giveth us life, preserveth us from death, and shieldeth us from +evil." + +And as they uttered these words both fingered their amulets piously. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +LIOLA. + + +AFTER brief consultation it was deemed insecure for us to return to +Goliba's house, as search would undoubtedly be made for us there if any +had detected his presence with us in the great chasm. Therefore, our +guide, taking one of the lamps, led us along a number of narrow unlighted +passages, threading the maze with perfect knowledge of its intricacies +until, opening a door, we found ourselves in a small stone +prison-chamber. Here we remained while he went to another part of the +vaults and obtained for us some food, urging us to remain there until +such time as we might come forth in safety. + +Kona extracted from him a promise that he would place his +fellow-tribesmen in a place of security, and Goliba also assured us that +if we remained in that chamber and did not attempt to wander in the +passages, where we must inevitably lose our way, we might ere long ascend +to the city and commence the campaign against the cruel command of the +merciless Naya. + +Through eleven long and dreary days we remained in the narrow cell, +drawing our water from a spring that gushed forth from a rock close to +the door, existing on the smallest quantity of food, and scarce daring to +speak aloud lest any of the gaolers should overhear. By day a faint light +came through a narrow chink above, and from the fact that the steady +tramp of soldiers sounded overhead at intervals we concluded that the +chamber must be situated immediately below one of the courtyards of the +palace. At night, however, we remained in perfect darkness, our oil +having been exhausted during the first few hours. Thus we could only +remain sitting on the stone bench like prisoners, inactive, discussing +the probabilities of the serious movement that had been started in favour +of a change of rule. + +"The people apparently look to me as their rescuer from this oppression," +Omar observed one day when we were laying plans for the future. "I will, +if Zomara favours me, do my best." + +"It is but right; nay, it is your duty towards your subjects to preserve +the traditions of the Sanoms," I said. "Goliba was right when he promised +he would show us the horrors introduced into Mo, or resuscitated by the +present Naya. We have witnessed with our own eyes expressions of pleasure +cross her countenance as each batch of her subjects cast themselves into +those yawning jaws. Such a monarch, capable of any cruelty, must +necessarily rule unjustly, and should be overthrown or killed." + +"I do not desire her death," he said quickly. "All I intend to do is to +free our people from this hateful reign of terror, and at the same time +preserve my mother's life." + +"But the time she gave us to quit the country has elapsed," I observed. +"If we are now discovered we shall either be held as slaves, or treated +without mercy--offered as sacrifices to the Crocodile-god, perhaps." + +"Not while the people are in our favour," he said. "Once their adherence +to my cause has been tested then we have nought further to fear, for the +opinion of the populace will be found even of greater power than the +military, and in the end it must prevail." + +"In the fight that must ensue thou wilt find thy servant Kona at thy +side," the head-man said. "Through fire or across water the Dagombas will +follow thee, for their fetish is good, and they have faith in thee as +leader." + +"Yea, O friend," the young prince answered. "Without thee and thy +followers I could never have returned hither. I owe everything to thee, +and to the stout heart of our companion Scarsmere." + +"No, old fellow," I protested. "It is your own dogged courage that has +pulled us through so far, not mine. Up to the present all has gone well +with us except the deplorable loss of some of our dark companions, +therefore let us retain our light hearts and meet all obstacles with +smiles." + +"I am ready to lead the people against the forces of malice and +oppression at any moment Goliba commands," Omar answered. "No thought of +fear shall arrest my footsteps or stay my hand." + +Times without number we discussed the situation in similar strain, until, +on the eleventh day of our voluntary confinement we were startled by a +low tapping on the door. + +Each held his breath. Had it been Goliba he would have entered without +any such formality. In silence, we remained listening. + +Again the tapping was repeated, louder than before. Drawing our knives +ready to defend ourselves, believing it to be one of the Naya's gaolers, +Kona went forward, unbolted the door and opening it a few inches, weapon +in hand, peered out. + +Instantly an exclamation of surprise escaped him, and as he threw wide +open the door, a young girl of about seventeen, with a face more +beautiful than I had ever before seen, entered our cell. This vision of +feminine loveliness entranced us. We all three stood staring at her +open-mouthed. + +Dressed in a robe of rich blue silk heavily embroidered with gold, her +waist was confined by a golden girdle wherein were set some magnificent +rubies, and her feet were encased in tiny slippers of pale green leather +embroidered with seed pearls. Her face, slightly flushed in confusion at +finding herself in the presence of the Prince, was pale of complexion as +my own, her clear eyes a deep blue, her cheeks dimpled, her chin just +sufficiently pointed to give a touch of piquancy to a decidedly handsome +countenance. Her hair, of almost flaxen fairness, fell in profusion about +her shoulders and breast, almost hiding the necklets of gold and gems +encircling her slim throat. + +Little wonder then was it that Kona's black visage should broaden into a +wide grin in manner habitual when his eyes fell upon anything that +pleased him, or that I should regard her as a most perfect type of +feminine loveliness. + +"I seek Omar, the Prince," she said in a silvery voice, not, however, +without some trepidation. + +"I am Omar," answered my friend. "Who, pray, art thou, that thou shouldst +know of my hiding-place?" + +"Thy servant," she said with a graceful bow, "is called Liola, daughter +of Goliba, councillor of the great Naya. My father sendeth thee greeting +and a message." + +"Goliba's daughter!" Omar cried laughing. "And we had drawn knives upon +thee!" + +"Sheathe them," she answered smiling upon us. "Keep them in your belts +until ye meet your enemies, for ere long ye will, of a verity, want +them." + +"What then hath transpired?" asked the son of the Great White Queen. +"What message sendeth our friend Goliba?" + +"My father directed me to come hither, for knowing the wife of the Keeper +of the Prison I was enabled to pass the sentries where my father would +have been remarked," she said. "He sendeth thee word to be of good +courage, for all goeth well, and thy cause prospereth. The savages who +accompanied thee into our land are all in safety, although the horsemen +of the Naya are scouring the country in search of thee and thy +companions. In secret, word of thy consent to lead the popular +demonstration against oppression and ill-government hath been conveyed to +the people even to our land's furthermost limits, and the reports from +all sides show that thou art regarded with favour." + +"And thou art also one of my partisans--eh?" asked Omar, smiling. + +"I am, O Master," she answered blushing deeply. "I will make fetish for +the success of thine arms." + +"I thank thee, Liola," he answered. "Thou hast indeed brought us good +tidings." + +"But my father sendeth thee a further message," she continued. "He told +me to tell thee that at sundown to-day he will come and conduct thee +hence. Rest and sleep until then, for the way may be long and great +vigilance may be demanded." + +"Whither does he intend to take us?" our companion asked. + +"I know not, O Master," she replied. "Already the people have armed, and +are assembling. I heard my father, in conversation last night with one of +the provincial governors who hath lately joined us, declare that the +struggle could not be much longer delayed." + +"Then thou meanest that a fight is imminent?" he asked. + +"I fear so. Word of thine intention hath been conveyed by some spy unto +the Naya, and the city now swarmeth with her soldiers and janissaries, +who have orders to suppress the first sign of any insurrection. But in +the fight thou shalt assuredly win, for the opinion of the people is in +thy favour. May Zomara's jaws close upon thine enemies, and may they be +devoured like sacrifices." + +"The people are assembling, thou hast said," Omar observed. "Are they in +great numbers?" + +"It is impossible to tell. The news of thine opposition to the Naya +spread like wildfire through the land, and secret agents soon ascertained +that the balance of opinion was in thy favour. For eight days past I have +been at work secretly in thy cause, and from my own observations in the +city I know that among the palace officials we have many adherents, and +even here and there the soldiers will turn against their own comrades. In +our own house arms and ammunition are stored, and we have been fortunate +enough in obtaining from the arsenal through the governor, who is on our +side, ten of those wonderful guns of the English that fire bullets like +streams of water." + +"Maxims, I suppose," I interrupted. + +"I know not their name," she replied. "I heard my father say that they +are most deadly, and with them we might hold an army at bay." + +"Truly thy father hath neglected nothing on my behalf," Omar said with +sincerity. "Dost thou return unto him?" + +"I go at once." + +"Then tell him we are anxious to accompany him, and will be ready at +sundown." + +"Thy words will I convey to him, O Master. Liola shall make great fetish +for thine ascent to the Emerald Throne." + +Then, wishing us adieu, the slim handsome girl with the deep blue +expressive eyes slipped out of the door, and noiselessly crept away down +the long stone corridor. + +"Of a truth, O Master, there can be no fairer daughter on earth than +Liola," Kona observed, addressing Omar when the pretty messenger had +gone. + +"Yea, she is beautiful. Her face is like the lily, and her eyes as +mysterious as the depths of the sea. I have never encountered one so +fair," Omar answered. + +"Nor I," I said. "Her beauty is incomparable." + +"I had no idea old Goliba had a daughter," Omar exclaimed. "He is indeed +fortunate to have one so amazingly lovely." + +"She is one of your partisans," I observed smiling. + +And he laughed, while Kona, grinning with glee, declared chaffingly that +the Prince had fallen in love with her. + +The subject, however, was not further pursued, but now and then Omar +would express a hope that she had returned in safety to her father, or +wonder why she had been working in his cause, his words showing plainly +that his head was still filled with thoughts of our pretty visitor. + +Soon after the light had faded from the tiny chink above, Goliba's voice +was heard calling outside, and we at once opened the door to him. + +"Let us hasten, O Master," the old sage cried breathlessly. "Every +instant's delay meaneth peril, and peril is first cousin to disaster." + +"Lead," I cried. "We will follow." + +A moment later we all four were creeping softly along the corridor past +doors of the foul reeking dungeons wherein those who for some cause or +another, often the most trivial, had fallen into disfavour with the Naya +and were rotting in their silent living tombs. Many were the grim and +fearful stories of injustice and agony those black walls could tell; many +were the victims consigned there, although innocent of any offence, never +again to see the light of day. As we walked huge grey rats, some the pets +of the wretched prisoners, scurried from our path, and now and then as we +passed the small closed door of heavy sheet-iron the groans and +lamentations of the unhappy captives reached our ears. + +At last, after traversing many passages turning to right and left in such +a manner that the extent of the great place amazed us, we ascended a +flight of well-worn steps. + +"The sentries now on guard are loyal to us," the royal councillor +whispered, turning to Omar as we went up, and when we emerged into the +chamber wherein stood the Emerald Throne, the three tall soldiers with +drawn swords, two standing mute and motionless as statues on either side +of the door, and the other pacing up and down, took no notice of our +appearance, but regarded us with stolid indifference. In the rosy evening +light we sped across the beautiful court to a gate opposite, and passed +out by a private way of which Goliba held the key until we found +ourselves beyond the frowning walls. + +Kona looked around longingly as we passed through the courts and +chambers. He was anticipating with eagerness the time when he and his men +would re-enter the place as conquerors, and was probably reflecting upon +the amount of loot his men could obtain in the event of an order being +given to sack the palace of the dreaded Naya. But without pausing to +glance behind, our guide hurried us forward along a number of winding +back streets of the city, hot, dusty and close-smelling after the +broiling day, until he stopped before the door of a fine house, the walls +of which were of polished white marble, that reflected the last rays of +the sun like burnished gold. Striking the door thrice, it opened, and on +going in he conducted us to a spacious hall, where we found exposed to +our view a great collection of arms and warlike accoutrements. All kinds +of instruments of death, which the inventive malice of man had ever +discovered had been collected for the use of those determined to +accomplish the overthrow of the wicked rule of the Naya. First, there +were sticks, staves and knotty clubs. Next to these, spears, darts, +javelins, armed with brass or iron, or their points hardened with fire, +and innumerable bows with quivers and arrows, which Kona examined +critically, giving low grunts of approbation as he scrutinized a specimen +of each. + +After these, instruments of dubious use originally designed for the +assistance of man, but perverted through cruelty and malice to the +service of slaughter and death; such as knives, scythes, axes and +hammers. On these were heaped arms, deliberately fashioned for the +offence of mankind, swords, daggers, poignards, scimitars, and rapiers, +while on the opposite side of the spacious place were stored the more +refined and destructive instruments of European war, rifles, muskets, +revolvers, bayonets, small field-pieces, machine-guns of various +patterns, including four Maxims and their food, boxes of cartridges, kegs +of powder, cakes of dynamite, bombs and shells. + +"Behold!" exclaimed Goliba, halting before them. "Here is one of our +secret stores of arms." + +"One of them!" said Omar. "How many, then, have we?" + +"In the city there are sixteen, all similarly filled. Away in various +parts of the country there are depots in every populous centre," he +replied. + +"But it must have taken a long time to obtain all these," the Prince +observed, puzzled. + +"The munitions of war were swiftly obtained for a popular rising," the +aged sage replied. "When the word went forth in secret to the people, +they responded almost to a man. Arms were actually carried from the royal +arsenal in great quantities, and even the spies of the Naya found +themselves thwarted and powerless. We have obtained nearly all the Maxims +purchased in England, by the Naya's agent, Makhana; some are here, others +at various depots, and each will be in charge of fighting-men, who know +their use. The few remaining in the arsenal and forts have all been +disabled by those of our sympathisers in government employ." + +"Truly," I said, turning to Omar, "the Naya who gave an order for your +assassination is seated on the edge of a volcano." + +"Yes," cried the white-bearded old councillor. "The country hath +struggled and groaned long and in vain under the Naya's tyrannical sway; +the uprising will be swift and revengeful." + +"When will it occur?" I asked, with eagerness. + +"To-night," answered Goliba in a quiet tone. + +"To-night?" we all three cried, amazed that the preparations were already +complete. + +"Yes," he said, in a low tone. "As the bell on the palace-gate chimeth +the midnight hour a great mine will be fired that will proclaim with the +earth's sudden upheaval the rising of the people of Mo against their +ruler. Then the people, ready armed with these weapons, will strike such +a blow as will sweep away all oppression and tyranny from our land, and +leave it free as it hath ever been, free to prosper and retain its +position as the only unconquered nation on the face of earth." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +THE FIRST BLOW. + + +LEAVING the store of arms we returned to Goliba's house; not by the high +road, but by little winding lanes with tunnel-like passages under the +overhanging eaves of houses; through a small open square or two, past a +few richly-painted and carved doors of tombs, and so on once more to the +residence of the old sage, with its spacious courts and beautiful +gardens. We passed some handsome blue-tiled public fountains, and some +fine buildings several storeys in height, open in the centre with a +patio, and surrounded by galleries of carved wood, which seemed to answer +to our corn exchanges. One, near Goliba's house, was especially +remarkable for its architectural beauty, not only with regard to its +interior, but also its magnificent gateway. There were others also of far +less pretensions, which answered more to the caravanseri of Samory's +country, where the weary animals who had borne their burdens from some +far away corner of the mystic land were resting during their sojourn in +the city. + +When, in the cool dusk of evening we had eaten in the marble court, with +its fountains and flowering plants, Omar being waited upon personally by +our host, Liola came, and, lounging gracefully against one of the marble +columns, gossipped with us. Afterwards, a professional story-teller was +introduced to amuse us during the anxious time that must elapse before +the fateful hour when the signal for the great uprising would be given. + +He was an old man, small of stature, in fact, I believe he must have been +one of the tribe of dwarf cave-dwellers. Of darker complexion than the +majority of this curious people, he was dressed in a long garment of +white, wearing on his head a conical head-dress, shaped somewhat like a +dunce's cap, and as he took up his position, squatting on a mat before +us, he made deep obeisance to the son of his ruler. While we regaled +ourselves with grapes and other luscious fruits as a satisfactory +conclusion to a bountiful feast, he told us a story which, as far as I +could translate it, was as follows: + +"Ages ago," he said, "in the days of the good king Lobenba and Prince +Karmos"--here he kissed his hand as a sign of reverence, as did all his +listeners--"there was a poor man, a cowherd, who lived a very righteous +life, nor did he commit any sin. But he was terribly poor, starving +because he had not the wherewithal to supply himself with food. One night +while asleep in his lonely hut on the mountain over against the Grave of +Enemies, a vision appeared to him, and he saw standing before him the god +Zomara"--more hand-kissing--"in a flame of fire. And the King of +Crocodiles said to him: 'Gogo, I have seen thy poverty and am come to +give thee succour. I have seen how, even in the days when no food hath +passed thy lips, thou hast never committed theft, nor borrowed not to +return, and now thou shalt have great wealth. Speed early to-morrow to +thy friend Djerad and borrow his black horse. I will put it in his mind +to lend it thee; and take this horse and ride it to the Gate of Mo, and +then leap on thy horse from the precipice, and assuredly thou wilt find +great wealth.' + +"Ere Gogo had time to thank the great god--whose name be exalted above +all others--he had vanished. Early he rose, donned his ragged garments, +set forth and begged the loan of the black horse of Djerad, his friend. +After a ride of many hours, he came at sundown to the Gate of Mo, and +gazed over the fearful precipice. Gathering the reins in his hand he rode +back a little distance, then gallopped full speed to the brink. But his +heart failed him, and on the edge he reined his horse for fear. + +"Nine times he essayed to go, but each time his courage was insufficient. +While he was sitting on his horse, preparing for the tenth time to obey +the instructions, he heard a great noise behind him, and turning, saw the +god Zomara with fire bursting from his mouth and streams of light in his +eyes, crawling towards him. + +"'Weak man,' he cried, as he passed. 'Thou fearest to obey. Follow me.' + +"An instant later the great crocodile had crawled over the edge of the +precipice, and a moment afterwards Gogo had followed his example. It +seemed as if he were in the air an hour, but suddenly his horse's hoofs +touched earth again; the animal never fell into the terrible abyss, but +merely tore up a piece of the turf where he had stood. He looked around; +Zomara had disappeared, but in the hole that the horse's hoof had caused +he saw a large ring of iron. Dismounting, he tried to raise it, but only +after two hours' work he succeeded in moving it and excavating from its +hiding-place an enormous chest filled with gold pieces and costly jewels, +and so he lived in affluence the remainder of his life, till Zomara took +him to be one of his councillors. So are the righteous rewarded." + +Then some thick-lipped musicians struck up music on quaintly-shaped +stringed instruments, and the strange old man, bearing a kind of +tambourine in his hand, came round to collect coins, the collection being +repeated at the conclusion of each legend. + +In one of his stories mention was made in the most matter-of-fact manner +of a sick person being buried alive. This caused me to address some +questions to Liola, who, seated near me, told me that this terrible +custom was one recently introduced by the Naya. + +"The ghastly practice is supposed to appease Zomara and give us victory +over our enemies," she said. "As soon as any serious illness setteth in, +the patient is taken from his house wrapped in his best robes, deposited +in a grave and then covered with earth. No one in Mo now dieth a natural +death. When the body hath been placed in the grave, the friends of the +dead man set forth to kill the first living creature they can encounter, +man, woman or beast, believing that through their victim their friend +hath been compelled to die. When thus in search of an expiatory victim, +they take the precaution of breaking off young shoots of the shrubs as +they pass by, leaving the broken ends hanging in the direction they are +going as a warning to people to shun that path. Even should one of their +own relatives be the first to meet the avengers they dare not suffer him +to escape." + +"Life is not very secure in Mo when sickness rageth," I observed. + +"No," she replied, sighing. "It is merely one of the many horrible +practices the Naya hath introduced into our land. Whether a man is buried +alive, or whether he dieth in the fight, his kinsmen at once assemble and +destroy all his goods, saving only his vessels of gold which are +confiscated for the Naya's use. The curse of Zomara would fall heavily +upon anyone who attempteth to make use of any article once owned by a +dead person. After the destruction of the property hath taken place the +house is filled with the fumes of burning resin. The guests then sit in +the perfumed atmosphere drinking large draughts of fiery liquids and give +vent to their feelings in violent shouts." + +"A strange custom, indeed," I said, astonished. "And it is only of recent +introduction?" + +"When, three years ago the ancient Temple of Zomara was discovered +beneath the earth and all in Mo descended to witness its wonders, the +Naya gave orders for the custom, as I have described, to be rigorously +observed," she answered, turning her clear, trusting eyes upon Omar as +she spoke. + +Soon afterwards she left us in order to give some orders to the slaves, +and the story-teller and musicians also departing, Goliba brought in +three of the provincial governors who had visited us on the last occasion +we had been the aged sage's guests, and together we discussed and +criticised for the last time the arrangements made for the revolt. After +an hour's consultation these men again departed, and Goliba himself +having brought us our arms, consisting of an English-made magazine-rifle +each, some ammunition, and a short but very keen sword manufactured in +Mo, left to make a tour of his house to personally inspect the measures +taken for its defence. + +The next hour was so full of breathless excitement that we dared only +converse in whispers. The atmosphere was hot and oppressive, the sky had +grown dark and overcast, threatening ominously, while ever and anon could +be heard the faint clank of arms; men, tall, dark and mysterious, passed +and repassed along the dark colonnades, or stood in knots leaning on +their rifles discussing the situation in undertones. + +On returning to us our host told us that the store of arms we had seen, +as well as others in various neighbourhoods, had all been distributed, +and that the whole city was awaiting the signal. + +"Roughly speaking, thou hast in the capital alone thirty thousand +adherents," the councillor said to Omar. "Thou hast therefore nothing to +fear. The path to victory is straight, and little danger lurketh there." + +Almost ere these words had fallen from his lips, loud shouting sounded at +the door that gave entrance to the patio wherein we stood, and we were +startled to notice a scuffle taking place between a number of those who +were about to guard the house and some would-be intruders. Yet ere we +could realise the true state of affairs, we saw dozens of the royal +soldiers scrambling down from the walls on every side, rifles flashed +here and there, and within a few moments the place was in possession of +the troops of the Naya. + +"We seek Omar, the prince, and his companions," cried a man in a shining +golden breastplate, evidently an officer of high rank, striding up to +Goliba. "We hold orders from the Naya to capture them, and take them to +the palace. We know thou hast harboured them." + +Before our host could reply twenty of the fighting-men of Mo, having +recognized us, dashed across, and notwithstanding our resistance, had +seized us. Goliba, too, was quickly made prisoner, and above the shouting +and hoarse imprecations we heard in the darkness a loud piercing woman's +scream. + +Liola had also fallen into their hands! + +We fought our captors with all the strength of which we were capable, but +were unarmed, for on receiving the rifles and swords from Goliba we had +placed them together at a little distance away in a corner of the court. +It took fully a dozen stalwart soldiers to hold the black giant Kona, and +even then it was as much as they could do to prevent him from severely +mauling them. His grip was like a vice; his fist hard as iron. + +In the hands of three of these white robed soldiers, who had on our +arrival in Mo cheered and belauded us, I struggled fiercely, but to no +avail, for they dragged us all onward across the patio and out into the +street, now crowded by those attracted by the unusual disturbance in the +house of the Naya's councillor. The huge grim gateway of the royal palace +stood facing the end of the long, broad thoroughfare, and from where we +stood we had an uninterrupted view of it. Our arrest was indeed a +disaster when we seemed within an ace of success. The people regarded us +indifferently as we were hurried up the hill towards the great stone arch +with its massive watch-towers, and it appeared as though the swift +decisive step of securing the ringleaders of the revolt had entirely +crushed it, for the people, instead of showing defiance, shrank back from +the soldiers, cowed and submissive. + +Suddenly, as we went forward, the great bell in one of the high turrets +of the Naya's stronghold boomed forth the first stroke of the midnight +hour. + +Then, in an instant, a bright red flash blinded us, followed by a report +so deafening, that the very rock whereon the city was built trembled, and +we saw amid the dense smoke before us the great black gateway, with its +watch towers where the sentries were pacing, break away, and shoot in +huge masses high towards the sky. + +The explosion was terrific; its effect appalling. The glare lit the whole +city for a brief second with a light like a stormy sunset, then upon us +showered great pieces of iron and stone with mangled human limbs, the +_debris_ of a gateway that for centuries had been considered absolutely +impregnable. + +The first blow against tyranny and oppression had been struck, terrible +and decisive. It was the people's call to arms. Would they respond? + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +BY THE NAYA'S ORDERS. + + +A SHORT time only did we remain in doubt as to the intention of the +populace. The suppressed excitement found vent even before the clouds of +choking smoke had rolled away. The signal had been given, and instantly +they responded with fierce yells, throwing themselves suddenly upon the +soldiers, using weapons that seemed to have been produced like magic. + +Those who had effected our capture, dumbfounded, first by the appalling +explosion, and then by the hostile attitude of the people, released us +instantly, being compelled to fight for their lives back towards the +smoking ruins of the palace-gate. + +Within a few moments the great broad thoroughfare, with its handsome +houses, became the scene of a most fierce and sanguinary conflict. Rifles +flashed everywhere, in the street, from the windows and roofs of +surrounding buildings, pouring a fire upon the soldiers so deadly that +few succeeded in escaping back to the place whence they came. With +startling suddenness I found myself in the midst of this stirring scene, +fighting for life beside Omar. Both of us had snatched rifles and +ammunition from fallen soldiers, while someone in the crowd had given me +a fine sword with bejewelled hilt, which I hastily buckled on in case of +emergency. Behind us a great barricade was being built of the first +things that came to hand. The houses were being divested of their +furniture by a hundred busy hands, and this, piled high, with spaces here +and there for the guns, soon presented a barrier formidable, almost +insurmountable. The erection of barricades was, we afterwards found, part +of the scheme, for in all the principal thoroughfares similar piles were +constructed, each being manned by a sturdy body of men, well-armed and +determined to hold in check and repulse the attack which they knew would, +ere long, be made upon them by the military. + +The forces of Mo, feared on every hand for their daring and brilliant +feats were, we knew, not to be trifled with, and as word had been +secretly conveyed to Omar that the Naya, on hearing of the intention of +the people, had ordered her soldiers to institute an indiscriminate +massacre, we should have to fight hard to save our lives. + +The barricade was soon completed, and quickly word spread from mouth to +mouth to get behind it. This we all did, to the number of about three +thousand; then came a period of waiting. It was not our object to renew +the attack, but to await reprisals. Apparently, however, the blowing up +of the palace-gate had utterly disconcerted the royal troops whose +barracks were in that vicinity, and we could see by the crowd of moving +torches that the soldiers were engaged in repairing the huge breach made +in the walls before marching forth to quell the insurrection. + +In the darkness we waited patiently. A few desultory shots, fired by some +of our more adventurous partisans, who, climbing to the top of the +barricade, aimed where they saw the torches moving, broke the ominous +silence, but in distant parts of the city we could hear the rapid firing +of musketry, with now and then a loud thundering roar when a heavy +field-piece was discharged. + +Each moment seemed an hour as we remained inactive behind that improvised +barrier of doors, shutters, furniture, iron gates and railings. Omar and +I were standing together beside one of the three Maxim guns by which our +position was defended, watching the preparations being made on the top of +the hill for assaulting us, when suddenly there was a bright flash, and +next instant a great shell fell behind us, bursting and dealing death and +destruction among our ranks. The air became rent by the shrill cries of +the wounded and the hoarse agonized exclamations of the dying, for this +first shot from the palace had been terribly effective, and fully fifty +of those anxious to bear their part in the struggle for liberty had been +killed, while many others were wounded. The shell had unfortunately +fallen right in the centre of the crowd. + +Again another was discharged, but it whistled over our heads and exploded +far away behind us, shattering several houses, but injuring nobody. A +third and a fourth were sent at us, but neither were so effective as the +first. The breach in the wall where the gate had once been had now been +repaired, and the adherents of the Great White Queen were at last taking +the offensive. + +Both Omar and myself had earlier that day, during our visit to the store +of arms, been instructed in the use of that terror of modern warfare, the +Maxim gun, and the one against which we stood with two men had been +allotted to us. + +My companion, who had been watching with the deadly weapon ready sighted +to sweep the street, turned to ask news of Liola, whom we had not seen +since we were dragged from her father's house, and I had taken his place, +my hand ready to fire. Of Liola's fate I feared the worst. She had been +taken prisoner, and had probably been killed or injured in the fierce +_melee_. + +Suddenly with wild yells, several hundred of the Naya's horsemen dashed +down the hill, their swords whirling, followed by a huge force of men +mounted and dismounted. I saw that at last they had come forth for the +attack, and without a second's hesitation bent and commenced a fire, the +terrible rattling of which held me appalled. The guns on either side +followed mine in chorus, and almost momentarily we were pouring out such +a hail of bullets, that amid the smoke and fire the great body of horses +and troops were mowed down like grass before the scythe. The foremost in +the cavalry ranks had no time to lift their carbines to reply, ere they +were swept into eternity, and those coming behind, although making a +desperate stand, fell riddled by bullets from our three terrible engines +of destruction. + +The fight with Samory's fugitives on the Way of the Thousand Steps had +been exciting enough, but in extent or bloodshed was not to be compared +with this. In that single onward rush of the Naya's troops hundreds were +killed, for, ceasing our fire for a moment or two while the smoke +cleared, we saw, lying in the street, great piles of men and horses, who +had fallen upon one another in their forward dash and died under our +frightful hail of lead. + +A short pause, and the rifles and all the chorus of surrounding artillery +took up their thunder-song with increased energy. These works of man +outrivalled the natural elements by their tremendous booming and their +disastrous power. Shells from the palace walls fell upon us thick and +fast. No lightning's flash can accomplish such ruin as the modern +ordnance projectile. A few centuries back the thought would have been +incomprehensible; even so the visionary and ridiculed idea of to-day may +be realised in the future. The shots descended, a veritable storm of +lead, and several times the clouds of choking dust they set up enveloped +us; but we were undaunted, and continued to work the Maxim, spreading its +death-dealing rain up the broad thoroughfare and preventing any from +reaching our barricade. + +The idea of the troops was no doubt to gradually force us back from the +external positions of the city into the central, and from the centre to +the east in the direction of the gate that gave access to the country. By +this means the fighting area would be compressed, and we should be +surrounded by a large body of our enemies who had massed outside the gate +to cut off our retreat. But the thundering boom of cannon and sharp +rattle of musketry on our right, showed that our comrades, barricaded in +a great thoroughfare running parallel with the one wherein we were, had +also set to work to repel their enemy. + +Barricades had sprung up in all directions like magic. The four corners +of intersecting streets were the positions mostly chosen for them, and +every conceivable article was used in their construction. Women and +children vied with the men in activity and resourcefulness in the +erection of these improvised works of defence, and the work slackened not +even when shells and bullets fell about in dangerous proximity. + +Our companions, the partisans of Omar to whom they looked to deliver +their country from the thraldom of tyranny, were fortunately not devoid +of those soldier-like qualities which in past ages had raised the +military renown of Mo to the greatest altitude; what they lacked mostly +outside of themselves were capable officering and generalship. There were +a few officers of the royal army among them, men who had become convinced +that a change of government was necessary, but the people were left to do +battle mainly on the principle of individual enterprise. + +Time after time attacks, each increasing in strength and proving more +disastrous to us than the first, were made upon us. But our Maxims kept +up their rattle, and from every part of the great wall of paving stones, +furniture, trees and heaped-up miscellaneous articles, there poured out +volley after volley from bristling rifles. + +The troops quickly found the street absolutely untenable, for each time +they made a rush to storm our position they were compelled to fall back, +and few indeed reached a place of safety amid our deadly fire. When we +had held the barricade for nearly an hour, Kona, Omar and myself being +close together bearing our part in repulsing our opponents, a loud roar +suddenly sounded before us and at the same instant a huge shell, +imbedding itself in our defences, exploded with a bright light and +deafening report. + +The havoc caused was appalling. Half our barricade was blown completely +away, and besides killing and maiming dozens of our comrades, it +shattered several houses close by, and its force sent me down flat upon +my back. Instantly I struggled to my feet, and finding myself uninjured +save for a severe laceration of the hand, glanced round seeking my two +friends. But they were not there! + +The shell had set part of the barricade on fire, and already the flames +were rising high, lighting up the terrible, lurid scene. Again I bent to +my Maxim and recommenced firing, but as I did so another shell, only too +well directed, struck the opposite end of our defences, and instantly a +disaster resulted similar to the first, while a house at the same moment +fell with a terrible crash, burying several unfortunate fellows beneath +its _debris_. + +Instantly I saw that our defences were partially demolished, and as shell +after shell fell in rapid succession in our vicinity and exploded, our +gallant defenders, still determined to prove victors, rushed up the hill +to try conclusions with the Naya's troops. It was a wild, mad dash, and I +found myself carried forward in the onrush of several thousand excited +men. Meeting the remnant of the cavalry we fought with savage ferocity, +alternately being beaten and beating. I had lost Omar, Kona and Goliba, +half fearing that they had been blown to atoms by the shell, nevertheless +the courage of my comrades never failed, although gaining the top of the +hill and defeating the cavalry by sheer force of numbers, they were +driven back again at the point of the bayonet, while from the ruins of +the palace-gate a steady rifle fire was poured upon us at the same time. + +Half-way down the hill we made a gallant stand, but again were compelled +to fall back in disorder. Soon we were driven from the main thoroughfare +into the minor streets, refuging in and fighting from the houses, whilst +our foe steadily and angrily pursued and closed in upon us, dislodging us +from our shelters and leaving few loop-holes for escape. + +The carnage was awful; quarter was refused. It seemed as though our hope +was a forlorn one; the general and ruthless massacre ordered by the Great +White Queen had actually begun! + +The loss of our barricade paralysed us. Yet we could hear the roar and +tumult, and seeing the reflection of fires in other parts of the city, +only hoped that our comrades there were holding their own valiantly as we +had struggled to do. Ever and anon loud explosions sounded above the +thunder of artillery, and it became apparent that the royal troops were +engaged in blowing up any defences they could not take by assault. + +From where I had sought shelter behind a high wall with a lattice window +through which I continually discharged my rifle into the roadway, I saw +massacres within walls and without. The troops had poured down upon us in +absolutely overwhelming numbers, and no resistance by our weakened force +could now save us. One fact alone reassured me and gave me courage. In +the bright red glare shed by the flames from a burning building, among a +party who made a sally from the opposite house I caught a momentary +glance of the lithe, active figure of Omar, fighting desperately against +a body of the Naya's infantry and leading on his comrades with loud +shouts of encouragement. + +"Do your duty, men!" he gasped. "Let not your enemies crush you!" + +But the _melee_ was awful. Once again our partisans were driven back, and +the street was strewn with bodies in frightful array, left where they +fell, uncovered, unattended. + +The thick black cloud of smoke which hung over the City in the Clouds and +on either side of it obscured the rising dawn and intensified the horrors +of the awful drama. Fires raged in every direction, making the air hot; +it was close through the smoke cloud above and the absence of wind, +foetid with the odour of human blood that lay in pools in every street +and splashed upon the houses. The sight was majestic, terrible, +never-to-be-forgotten; in the midst of it the terror and stupefaction +were almost beyond human endurance. On all sides were heard the roar of +flames, the breaking of timbers and the crashing in of roofs and walls. +Fire and sword reigned throughout the magnificent capital of Mo; its +people were being swept into eternity with a relentless brutality that +was absolutely fiendish. + +Into the hearts of the survivors of the gallant force who had so readily +constructed our barricade and so valiantly defended it, despair had +entered. There was now no hope for the success of our cause. The forces +of tyranny, oppression and misrule were fast proving the victors, and in +that fearful indiscriminate shooting down of men, women and children that +was proceeding, all knew that sooner or later they must fall victims. + +I had seen nothing of Kona or Goliba since the wrecking of our +barricade, but Omar, I was gratified to observe, was stationed at a +window of the opposite house from which he directed well-aimed shots at +those below. A body of fully five hundred infantry were besieging the +house wherein a large number of our comrades had taken shelter, +determined to put them to the sword; yet so desperate was the resistance +that they found it impossible to enter, and many were killed in their +futile endeavours. At length I noticed that while the main body covered +the movements of several of their companions the latter were preparing a +mine by which to blow it up. With the half-dozen men beside me we kept up +a galling fire upon them, but all in vain. The mine was laid; only a +spark was required to blow the place into the air. + +Knowing that if such a catastrophe were accomplished we, too, must suffer +being in such close proximity to it, we waited breathlessly, unable to +escape from the vicinity of the deadly spot. + +Suddenly, as one man, more fearless than the others, bent to fire the +mine, the soldiers, with one accord, rushed back, and scarce daring to +breathe I waited, fearing each second to see the house and its garrison +shattered to fragments and myself receive the full force of the +explosive. + +But at that instant, even as I watched, a loud exultant shout broke upon +my ear, and looking I saw approaching from the opposite end of the street +a great crowd of people rushing forward, firing rapidly as they came. + +They were our comrades. Their shouts were shouts of victory! + +"Kill them!" they cried. "Let not one escape. They have killed our +brothers; let us have revenge! The Naya shall die, and Omar shall be our +Naba!" + +The man bending over the explosive sprang back in fear without having +applied the fatal spark, and his companions, taken thus completely by +surprise, stood amazed at this sudden appearance of so large a body of +the populace. But the rifles of the latter in a few seconds had laid low +several of their number, and then, making a stand, they lowered their +weapons. A loud word of command sounded, and as if from one weapon a +volley was fired full upon the victorious people. For a few moments its +deadly effect checked their progress, but an instant later they resumed +their onward rush, and ere a second volley could be fired they had flung +themselves upon their opponents, killing them with bayonet, sword and +pistol. + +Their rush was in too great a force to be withstood. As in other parts of +the city, so here, they compelled the troops to fly before them, and shot +them down as they sped back up the hill towards the great stronghold. + +In those few fateful minutes the tables had suddenly been turned. While +we, fighting hard in that hot corner, had imagined that we had lost, our +comrades in other parts of the city had won a magnificent victory, and +had come to our rescue at the eleventh hour. + +Truly it was everywhere a fierce and bloody fight. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +THE FIGHT FOR THE EMERALD THRONE. + + +THROWN into utter confusion by the great press of people well armed and +determined, the soldiers, who had fought so desperately, and who intended +to blow up the house that Omar and his companions had made their +stronghold, fled precipitately up the hill, but so rapid and heavy was +the firing, that few, if any, got out of the street alive. + +On seeing the chances thus suddenly turned in our favour we poured forth +into the street again, and joining our forces with those of our rescuers, +rushed with them into the main thoroughfare leading to the palace, +scrambling over the _debris_ of our barricade and the heaps of bodies +that blocked our passage. A hurried question, addressed to a man rushing +along at my side, elicited glad tidings. So fiercely had the people +fought that the troops sent out to quell the rising had been utterly +routed everywhere, while many of the regiments had turned in our favour +and had actually held several of the barricades, winning brilliant +victories. + +"It is yonder, at the palace, where the resistance will be greatest," the +man cried excitedly, blood streaming from a ghastly wound on his brow. +"But our cause is good. The Naya shall die!" + +"To the Palace!" screamed the infuriated mob. "To the Palace!" + +And forward the frantic dash was made at redoubled pace until we came to +the pile of fallen masonry, which had, a few hours ago, been the great +impregnable gateway that closed each day at sunset, and opened not till +sunrise, save for the Great White Queen herself. + +Here the place seemed undefended until we came close up to it, when +without warning we were met with a withering rifle fire that laid low +dozens of our comrades. The man who had been so enthusiastic a moment +before and who had told me of our successes, was struck full in the +breast by a ball and fell against me dead. + +For a moment only did we hold back. Dawn was spreading now, but the +heavy black smoke obscured the struggling daylight. Suddenly there +sounded just at my rear Omar's well-known voice, crying: + +"Forward! Forward, my brethren. I, Omar, your prince, lead you into the +palace of my father. To-day there commenceth a new and brighter era for +our beloved land. Falter not, but end the struggle valiantly as ye have +commenced it. Forward!" + +His words sent a sudden patriotic thrill through the great concourse of +armed men, who instantly sprang forward, and regardless of the blazing +lines of rifles before them climbed the ruins and engaged the defenders +hand to hand. It was a brilliant dash and could only have been +accomplished by the courage inspired by Omar's words, for the odds were +once more against us, and the rapid fire from behind the ruins played the +most frightful havoc in our ranks. In the midst of the crowd I clambered +up, sword in hand, over the huge masses of masonry and rubbish, and +springing to earth on the other side, alighted in a corner where the +picked guards of the Naya were making a last desperate stand. + +At first the struggle had been a hand-to-hand one, but they had +retreated, and were now firing heavy volleys that effectively kept us at +bay. + +Almost at the same moment as I sprang down I heard behind me fiendish +yells and the clambering of many feet. In an instant I recognised it as +the savage war cry of the Dagombas, and next second a hundred half-naked +blacks, looking veritable fiends in the red glare, swept down headlong to +the spot where I stood and, headed by Kona brandishing his spear, dashed +straight upon the defenders. The effect of this was to cause the others +to spring forward as reinforcements, and quicker than the time occupied +in relating it, this position, an exceedingly strong one, fell into our +hands. So infuriated were the Dagombas by the excesses committed by the +soldiery in various parts of the city, that they vented their savage +wrath upon the defenders until the butchery became awful, and I doubt +whether a single man escaped. + +The soldiers holding the next court, seeing this disaster, placed, ere we +could prevent them, two field-pieces behind the closed gate wherein holes +had been hacked, and with the walls crowded with men with rifles they +began to pour upon us a deadly hail of shot and shell. Once, for a moment +only, Niaro, the provincial governor I had met at Goliba's, fought beside +me, but after exchanging a few breathless words we became again +separated. Little time elapsed ere one and all understood that to remain +long under this galling fire of the palace guards would mean death to us, +therefore it required no further incentive than an appeal from Omar to +cause us to storm the entrance to the court. + +"Well done, friends," he shouted. "We have broken down the first defence. +Come, let us sweep away the remainder, but spare the life of the Naya. +Remember I am her son. Again, forward! Zomara giveth strength to your +hands and courage to your hearts. Use them for the purpose he hath +bestowed them upon you." + +In the forward movement in response to these loudly-uttered words fearful +cries of rage and despair mingled with hoarse shouts of the vanquished. +Rifles flashed everywhere in the faint morning light, bullets kept up a +singing chorus above our heads, and about me, in the frightful tumult, +gleamed naked blood-stained blades. At first the guards, like those in +the outer court, made a desperate resistance, but soon they showed signs +of weakness, and I could distinguish in the faint grey dawn how gradually +we were driving them back, slowly gaining the entrance to the court, +which, I remembered, was a very large and beautiful one with cool +colonnades, handsome fountains and beautiful flowering trees of a kind I +had never seen in England. + +At last, after a fierce struggle, in which the defenders very nearly +succeeded in driving us out or slaughtering us where we stood, the +field-pieces were silenced, a charge of explosive was successfully placed +beneath the gate and a loud roar followed that shook every stone in that +colossal pile. + +The ponderous door was shattered and the defenders disorganised by the +suddenness of the disaster. Almost before they were aware of it we had +poured in among them. Then the slaughter was renewed, and the scenes +witnessed on every hand frightful to behold. + +Kona and his black followers fought like demons, spearing the soldiers +right and left, always in the van of the fray. Omar and Kona were +apparently sharing the direction of the attack, for sometimes I heard the +voice of one raised, giving orders, and sometimes the other. But, however +irregular the mode of proceeding might have been from a military +standpoint, success was ours, for half an hour later the two inner +courts, strenuously defended by the Naya's body guard, were taken, and +judging from the fact that the firing outside had become desultory it +seemed as though hostilities in the streets had practically ceased. + +At this juncture some man, a tall, powerful fellow who was distinguishing +himself by his valiant deeds, told me that the military down in the city, +finding the populace so strong, had, after a most terrific fight, at +last ceased all opposition and declared in favour of the Prince Omar. +This, we afterwards discovered, was the actual truth. The carnage in the +streets had, however, been appalling, before this step had been resolved +upon, but when once the declaration had been made, the remnants of the +Naya's army were, at the orders of the leaders of the people, marched +without the city wall on the opposite side to the great cliff, and there +halted to await the progress of events. + +Meanwhile, we were still hewing our way, inch by inch, towards the centre +of the palace of the Great White Queen. So desperate was the conflict +that the perspiration rolled from us in great beads, and many of my +comrades fell from sheer exhaustion, and were trampled to death beneath +the feet of the wildly-excited throng. + +Soon, driving back the final ring of defenders, and shooting them down to +the last man, we dashed across the central court, where the polished +marble paving ran with blood, and battering down the great gilded doors, +that fell with a loud crash, gained our goal, entering the spacious Hall +of Audience, in the centre of which, upon its raised dais, under the +great gilded dome, stood the historic Emerald Throne. + +The magnificent hall was deserted. The bloodshed had been frightful. The +courts were heaped with dead and dying. Several chairs were lying +overturned, as if the courtiers and slaves had left hastily, and even +across the seat of royalty one of the Naya's rich bejewelled robes of +state had been hastily flung down. This, snatched up by one of the +Dagombas, was tossed away into the crowd, who gleefully tore it to shreds +as sign that the power of the dreaded Naya was for ever broken. + +To the exultant shouts of a thousand wild, blood-bespattered people, the +great hall echoed again and again. The faint light showed too plainly at +what terrible cost the victory had been won. Their clothes were torn, +their faces were blackened by powder, from their superficial wounds blood +was oozing, while the more serious consequences of sword-cuts and +gun-shots had been hastily bound by shreds of garments. Flushed by their +victory, they were a strange, forbidding-looking rabble. Yet they were +our partisans; a peaceful, law-abiding people who had been oppressed by a +tyrannical rule and long ripe for revolt, they had seized this +opportunity to break the power of the cruel-hearted woman who was +unworthy to hold sway upon that historic throne. + +"Let us seek the Naya! She shall not escape! Let us avenge the deaths of +our fathers and children!" were the cries raised when they found the Hall +of Audience deserted. Apparently they had expected to find the Great +White Queen seated there, awaiting them, and their chagrin was intense at +finding her already a fugitive. + +"She dare not face us!" they screamed. "All tyrants are cowards. Kill +her! Let us kill her!" + +But Goliba, whom I was gratified to see present and unharmed, sprang upon +the dais, and waving his arms, cried: + +"Rather let us first place our valiant young prince upon the Emerald +Throne. Let him be appointed our ruler; then let us seek to place the +Naya in captivity." + +"No," they cried excitedly. "Kill her!" + +"Give her alive to Zomara!" suggested one man near me, grimly. "Let her +taste the punishment to which she has consigned so many hundreds of our +relatives and friends." + +Heedless of these shouts, Goliba, stretching forth his hand, led Omar, +whose torn clothes and perspiring face told how hard he had fought, +towards the wonderful throne of green gems, and seating him thereon, +cried: + +"I, Goliba, on behalf of these, the people of our great kingdom, enthrone +thee and invest thee with the supreme power in place of thy mother, the +Naya." + +Loud deafening cheers, long repeated, rose from the assembled multitude, +and the soldiers dying in the courts outside knew that the revolt of the +people had been successful; that right had won in this struggle against +might. Then, when the cries of adulation became fainter, and with +difficulty silence was restored, Omar rose, and raising his sword, upon +which blood was still wet, exclaimed in a loud, ringing voice: + +"I, Omar, the last descendant of the royal house of Sanom, hereby +proclaim myself Naba of Mo." + +Again cheers rang through the vaulted hall, and presently, when the +excitement had once more died down, he added, gazing round with a regal +air: + +"About me here I see those who have borne arms in my cause, and to each +and every one I render thanks. How much we may all of us deplore the loss +of so many valuable lives death is nevertheless the inevitable result of +any recourse to arms. At least, we have the satisfaction of knowing that +our cause was a just one, and by the sacred memory of our ancestors I +swear that my rule shall be devoid of that cruelty and tyranny that have +disgraced the later pages of my beloved country's history. I, Omar, am +your ruler; ye are my people. Obey the laws we promulgate and the good +counsels of our advisers, and security both of life and property shall be +yours. From this moment human sacrifices to our great god Zomara--to whom +all praise be given for this victory of our arms--are abolished. But our +first and foremost word from this, our seat of royalty, is that the life +of the Naya shall be spared. Your Naba hath spoken." + +A visible look of disappointment overspread the countenances of those +around me. All had, in their wild enthusiasm, desired to wreak their +vengeance upon the unjust queen, but this royal decree forbade it. There +even went forth murmurs of disapproval, and Omar, hearing them, said in a +loud, serious voice: + +"A Sanom hath never allowed his kinsman to be murdered, therefore +although the Naya hath plotted to take my life, she shall be held +captive, and not die. Let not a hair of her head be touched, or he who +lifteth his hand against her shall be brought before me, and I will not +spare him. Enough blood hath been already shed since the going down of +the sun; let not another life be wasted." + +Then calling Goliba, Kona, Niaro, and myself up to his side upon the +royal dais, he continued: + +"These, my friends, who have assisted me to gain this, my kingdom, are +deserving of reward, and this shall at once be given them. Goliba, whom +all know as a sage and upright man----" + +Cheers, long and ringing, here interrupted his words. When quiet had been +restored he continued: + +"Goliba shall retain his position as chief of our royal councillors, and +shall be also Grand Vizier of Mo. Niaro, a trusty governor to whom all +who have appealed have met with justice, is appointed Custodian of the +Gate of Mo, in place of Babila, for whom we all mourn. To Kona, head man +of the Dagombas of the forest, I owe my life, and he shall be chief of +our army and of our body-guard, and his native followers shall themselves +be the principal members of the guard. And Scarsmere," he said, turning +towards me, "Scarsmere hath been my friend and companion across the great +black water; he knoweth not fear, for together we have been held by +Samory and Prempeh, and have yet managed to preserve our lives. Since I, +your Naba, left Mo by the Way of the Thousand Steps, and entered the land +of the white men, Scarsmere hath been my friend and companion, therefore +all shall treat him with due respect, for although he cometh from the +wonderful land afar he shall be Governor of this our city and Keeper of +our Treasure-house. He is the trusted and faithful friend of your Naba, +and all shall regard him as highest in favour." + +"We greet thee, Goliba!" enthusiastically cried the surging crowd. "We +greet thee, Niaro, Custodian of the Gate! We greet thee, Kona, a savage +but great chieftain! Thou art head of our army! We greet thee, Scarsmere, +the friend of our royal Naba, and Governor of Mo! We, the people, accept +you, and have confidence in your rule. Ye are all great, and are worthy +of the offices to which ye have been raised. May your names be exalted +above all others, and your faces be as beacons unto us!" + +And they shouted themselves hoarse in cheering, seeing in the +enthronement of the young Naba the dawn of a just and beneficent rule. +Their adulations became louder, and even more profuse, when Omar +proceeded to appoint others, well known and popular, to various offices +connected with the palace. + +"Happy," cried the white-bearded sages who had taken their places behind +the throne--"happy is the prince whose trust is in Zomara and whose +wisdom cometh from the King of the River." + +"Happy," cried the people, humbling themselves--"happy is our Naba, the +favourite of the Crocodile-god, the one from whose wrath all flee." + +"That," replied Omar, "O people, is too much even for the Naba of Mo to +hear. But may Zomara approve of my thoughts and actions! So shall the +infernal powers destroy the wretches that employ them, and the arrows +recoil upon those who draw a bow upon us. But, O sages, though your +numbers are reduced your integrity is more tried and approved; therefore +let Omar, your Naba, partake of the sweetness of your counsels and learn +from aged experience the wisdom of the sons of earth. Ye shall tell me +from time to time what the peace and sincerity of my throne requireth +from me, for human prudence alone is far too weak to fight against the +wiles of the deceitful." + +I stood beside the royal seat, deep in thought, silently gazing upon the +thousand upturned, grimy faces. It had indeed been a curious turn of +events that had conspired to place my friend upon the throne of an +autocrat, and also to give, into my own unaccustomed hands, the rule and +control of this most magnificent and extensive capital, and all the +wondrous treasures of the royal house of the Sanoms. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +A MYSTERY. + + +FROM the glittering Hall of Audience a forward movement was soon made to +the inner rooms that formed the private apartments of the Naya. Carried +onward by the press of people, I was amazed at the magnificence and +luxury everywhere apparent. The walls were mostly of polished marble +inlaid with gold and adorned with frescoes, the ceilings ornamented with +strange allegorical paintings, and the floors of jasper and alabaster. +But as the irate crowd dashed onward through the great tenantless +chambers they tore down the rich silk hangings and trod them underfoot, +broke up the tiny gold-inlaid tables, and out of sheer wantonness hacked +the soft divans with their swords. + +The discovery that the Naya had fled increased the indignation of the +mob, and were it not for the urgent appeal of Kona, who had at once +assumed the commandership, the whole of the magnificent rooms would no +doubt have been wrecked. As it was, however, the good counsels of the +Dagomba head-man prevailed, and wanton hands were stayed from committing +more serious excesses. + +Whither the Great White Queen had fled no one knew. To every nook and +corner search parties penetrated; even the sleeping apartment, with its +massive bed of ivory and hangings of purple, gold-embroidered satin, was +not held sacred. Yet nowhere could the once-dreaded ruler be discovered. +Some cried that she had escaped into the city in the guise of a slave, +others that she had descended into the cavern where stood the gigantic +Temple of Zomara. + +Another fact puzzled us greatly. From our elevated position we could see +afar off a fierce conflict proceeding near the city gate on that side +where access could be gained only by the steep flight of steps. Once, +when I had looked, I saw that the city was comparatively quiet; now, +however, this conflict had broken out again suddenly, and judging from +the smoke and tumult it must have been terrific. All were surprised, and +stood watching the clouds of grey smoke roll up into the bright morning +air. But soon it died away, and believing it to be an outbreak by the +conquered troops subdued with a firm hand by the victorious people, we +thought no more of it. + +The hours that succeeded were full of stirring incidents, and it was long +before the least semblance of order could be restored in the city. With +Kona I went forth into the crowded, turbulent streets, and the sight that +met our gaze was awful. Bodies of soldiers and civilians were lying +everywhere, the faces of some, to whom death had come swiftly, so calm +and composed that they looked as if they slept, while upon the +blood-smeared countenances of others, hideously mutilated perhaps, were +terrible expressions, showing in what frightful agony they had passed +into eternity. The road-ways were strewn with heaps of corpses; the +gutters flowed with blood. + +At such terrible cost had the tyrannical reign of the Naya been +terminated; by such a frightful loss of human life had Omar been raised +to the Emerald Throne. + +Greater part of that eventful day was spent by Niaro, Kona, Goliba and +myself in restoring order, while the people themselves, assisted by the +troops, who had already sworn allegiance to their young Naba, cleared +the streets and removed, as far as possible, all traces of the deadly +feud. But to us there came no tidings of the Naya, although the strictest +watch was kept everywhere to prevent her escaping. + +The people were determined that if she might not pay the penalty of her +evil deeds by death, she should at least be held captive in one of the +foul dungeons beneath the palace, where so many of their relatives had +rotted and died in agony or starvation. + +A blazing noontide was succeeded by a calm and peaceful evening. Through +many hours I had endeavoured, as far as lay in my power, to assume the +command given me, and assisted by a number of quaintly-garbed officials +enthusiastic in Omar's cause, I found my office by no means difficult. +Order again reigning in the streets and the bodies removed, the city had +quietly settled down, though of course not to its usual peacefulness. +Crowds of the more excited ones still surged up and down the broad +thoroughfares, calling down vengeance upon the once powerful queen, but +all voices were united in cheers for the Naba Omar, their chosen ruler. + +Save for those required to preserve order, the survivors of the troops +were back in barracks long before sunset, and the palace-guard had been +reorganised under Kona's personal supervision. The Dagombas alone +comprised Omar's body-guard, and I found on my return to the palace that +they had exchanged their scanty clothes of native bark-cloth for the rich +bright-coloured silk uniforms of those who had acted in a similar +capacity to the Naya. With their black happy shining faces they looked a +magnificent set of men, though for the first few hours they appeared a +trifle awkward in gay attire that was entirely strange to them. It was +amusing, too, to watch how each stalked by, erect and proud, like a +peacock spreading its brilliant plumage to the sun. + +That night, when the bright moon rose, lighting up the great silent +court, until yesterday occupied by the terrible queen and her corrupt +_entourage_, Omar and I sat together discussing the events of those +fateful hours since midnight. We had eaten from the gold dishes in which +the Naya's food had been served; we had quenched our thirst from the +jewel-encrusted goblets that she was wont to raise to her thin blue lips. +By Omar's side I thus tasted, for the first time, the pleasures of +royalty. + +My old chum had sent away his attendants, the host of slaves with the +twelve Dagombas who acted as the body-guard on duty, and we sat alone +together in the moonlight, the quiet broken only by the distant roll of a +drum somewhere down in the city, and the cool plashing of the beautiful +fountain as it fell softly into its crystal basin. Kona, Goliba and Niaro +were all away at their duties, and now for the first time for many hours, +we had a few minutes to talk together. + +"Do you know, Scars," Omar said, moving uneasily upon the royal divan +that had been carried out into the court at his orders, while, tired out, +I reclined upon another close to him--"do you know there is but one thing +I regret, now that I have succeeded to the throne that was my +birthright?" + +"Regret!" I exclaimed. "What regret can you have? Surely you were +entirely right in acting as you did? The people were anxious for a just +and upright ruler, and having regard to the fact that your mother plotted +your assassination in so cold-blooded a manner, her overthrow is justly +deserved." + +"Yes, yes, I know," he answered, rather impatiently. "But it is not +that--not that. One thing remains to complete my happiness, but +alas!"----and he sighed heavily without finishing his sentence. + +"Why speak so despondently?" I inquired, surprised. "As Naba of Mo all +things are possible." + +"Alas! not everything," he said, with an air of melancholy. + +"Well, tell me," I urged. "Why are you so downcast?" + +"I--I have lost Liola," he answered hoarsely. "Truth to tell, Scarsmere, +I loved Goliba's daughter." + +"She is absolutely beautiful," I admitted. "No man can deny that she is +handsome enough to share your royal throne." + +"Indeed she was," he said with emotion, his chin upon his breast. + +"Was!" I cried. "Why do you speak thus?" + +"Because she is dead!" he answered huskily. "Ah! Scars, you don't know +how fondly I loved her ever since the first moment we met. I loved her +better than life; better than all this honour and pomp to which I have +succeeded. Yet she has been taken from me, and my life in future will be +devoid of that happiness I had contemplated. True I am Naba of Mo, +successor to the stool whereon a line of unconquered monarchs have sat +throughout a thousand years, yet all is an empty pleasure now that my +well-beloved is lost to me." + +"Have you obtained definite news of her death?" I asked sympathetically. + +"Yes. When we were captured in Goliba's house, she, too, was seized by +the soldiers. While held powerless I saw her struggling with her captors, +for they had somehow obtained knowledge of the part she had played in +our conspiracy against their queen. The Naya had, it appears, ordered her +guards to bring us all before her, dead or alive. With valiant courage +she resented the indignity of arrest, and as a consequence she was +brutally killed by those who held her prisoner." + +"How have you ascertained this?" I asked, shocked at the news, for I +myself had admired Liola's extraordinary beauty. + +"To-day I have had before me the three survivors of the guards who +captured us, and all relate the same story. They say that a young girl, +taken prisoner with us, while being dragged up the roadway towards the +palace was in danger of being released by the people, and one of their +comrades, remembering the Naya's orders that none of us were to escape, +in the _melee_ raised his sword and plunged it into her heart." + +"The brute!" I cried. "Is the murderer among the survivors?" + +"No. All three agree that the mob, witnessing his action, set upon him +and literally tore him limb from limb." + +"A fate he certainly deserved," I said. "But has her body been +recovered?" + +"A body has been found and I have seen it. But the limbs are crushed, and +her face is, alas! trampled out of all recognition, although the dress +answers exactly to one that Goliba says his daughter possessed, and in +which I myself saw her. There is, alas! no doubt of her fate. She has +been brutally murdered, and at the instigation of the Naya, who sent +forth her fiendish horde to kill us." + +"I knew from the manner you exchanged glances with Liola that you loved +her," I said, after a pause, brief and painful. + +"Yes," he answered sadly. "Surreptitiously I had breathed into her ear +words of affection, and had been transported to a veritable paradise of +delight by the discovery that she reciprocated my love. But," he added, +harshly, "my brief happy love-dream is now ended. I must live and work +only for my people; they must be to me both sweetheart and wife. I must +act as my ancestors have done, indulging them and loving them." + +Never before, even in the moments when as fellow-adventurers things +looked blackest, had I seen him in so utterly dejected an attitude. The +light had died from his face, and he had suddenly become burdened by a +monarch's responsibilities; prematurely aged by a bitter sorrow that had +sapped all youthful gaiety from his buoyant heart. + +With heartfelt sympathy I endeavoured to console him, but all was +unavailing. That he had loved her madly was only too apparent, and it +seemed equally certain that she was dead, for shortly afterwards Goliba +entered, and in a voice full of emotion told us how he had been able to +identify the body, and that his tardy attendance upon his royal master +was due to the fact that he had been superintending her burial. + +The old sage's words visibly increased Omar's burden of sorrow, for in +the moonlight I saw a tear trickle down his pale cheek, glistening for an +instant brighter than the jewels upon his robe. Liola had fallen victim +to the inhuman brutality of the Naya's guards, and Mo had thus been +deprived of a bewitchingly handsome queen. + +The _denouement_ of this stirring story of a throne was indeed a tragic +one; Goliba had lost his only daughter, the pride of his heart, and Omar +the woman he loved. + +The silence that followed was broken by a hasty footstep, and the tall +dark figure of Kona approached. + +"A strange fact hath transpired, O Master!" he cried breathlessly, +addressing Omar. + +"Speak, tell me," the young Naba exclaimed, starting up. "Is it of Liola +that thou bearest news?" + +"Alas! no. That she was murdered in the first moments of the conflict is +only too certain," he answered. "The news I bring thee is amazing. While +we were engaged in the struggle for thy throne, thine enemies, the people +of Samory, entered the city and fought side by side with the military!" + +"Samory's people here!" we all three cried, starting up. + +"They were, but they have departed no one knows whither. Their numbers +were not great, but they sacked and burned several large buildings near +the city-gate and fought desperately to join their allies the troops of +Mo, but were at last prevented and driven back by the people in a fierce +bloody conflict that actually occurred after thou wert enthroned." + +Then I remembered having noticed the smoke of the encounter, and how with +others, I had been puzzled. + +"But how could they enter our country, and unseen approach the city?" +Omar exclaimed astounded. + +"I know not the intricacies of the approaches to Mo save the perilous Way +of the Thousand Steps," Kona replied. "The force may have been the +rear-guard of the army that attacked Mo, and were defeated in the great +chasm known as the Grave of Enemies. If they approached by that means +they must have followed closely in our footsteps, and through the +treachery of spies, been admitted to the city at a time when the +alertness of the guards was diverted by the popular rising." + +"Were their losses great in the fight?" Goliba asked. + +"Terrible. Whole streets and market-places in the vicinity of the +entrance to the city were found strewn with their dead," the black giant +answered. "Apparently the people discovered the identity of their enemies +and took no prisoners. With the exception of about two hundred survivors +all were killed." + +"And the survivors have escaped!" Omar observed thoughtfully. + +"Yes. Owing to the lax watch kept at the gate during those momentous +hours, they were enabled to descend the steps to the plain and get clear +away." + +"They must nevertheless be still in Mo. They must be found," Omar cried +excitedly. "While they are among us our country will be in jeopardy, for +they will act as spies. Samory hath set his mind upon conquering this our +land; his plot must be frustrated." + +"Already have I given orders for a search from the land's most northerly +limits even to the Grave of Enemies, O Master," Kona answered. "All the +men who could be spared from guarding the city I have dispatched on +expeditions with orders to attack and destroy the fugitives." + +"They cannot have travelled far," the young ruler said. "They have only +about twelve hours' start of your men." + +"To a man our troops are now loyal to thee," the newly-created chief of +the army answered. "They are alive to the fact that Samory's fighting-men +are their bitterest foes, therefore if the survivors of that intrepid +force are within our boundaries, they will assuredly be overtaken and +killed." + +"I would rather that they were captured and held as hostages," Omar said. +"Enough blood hath been already shed to-day." + +"The order to capture them is not sufficient incentive to thine army to +rout them from their hiding-place," Kona replied. "They have had the +audacity to make a dash upon thy city and burn some of its most renowned +and beautiful structures, therefore in their opinion if not in thine, +death alone would expiate their offence." + +"I would wish their lives to be spared," Omar repeated. "But the army is +under thy control, and I leave the final annihilation of the band of +freebooters unto thee. Hast thou obtained any tidings of the Naya's +flight?" + +"None. My Dagombas have searched every nook and corner of this thy +palace, each prison dungeon hath been entered by detachments of soldiers, +while enthusiastic parties have descended to the subterranean Temple of +Zomara, but found only the dwarf priests there. The Naya hath disappeared +as completely as if Zomara had crushed her between his jaws." + +"Her disappearance is amazing," Omar observed. "Even her personal +attendants whom I have questioned are ignorant of the direction she hath +taken. They declare that she escaped within ten minutes of the blowing up +of the palace-gate. The catastrophe alarmed her, and she saw in the fall +of these defences the instability of her throne." + +"All is being done that can be done to secure her arrest," Kona said. "It +is absolutely necessary that we should hold her captive, or, like the +deposed queen of the Nupe, she may stir up strife and form a plot to +reascend the stool." + +"To thee, Kona, I look to guard me from mine enemies," my friend +exclaimed. "We must elucidate the mystery of the sudden descent of this +weak force of Samory's, the rapidity with which they struck their blow, +and the means by which they have, within twelve hours, so completely +eluded us." + +"News of them hath been flashed even unto the furthermost limits of thy +kingdom, O Great Chief," Kona assured him. "No effort shall be spared by +thy servant in executing thy commands. I go forth again, and sleep shall +not close my eyes until the men of Samory have been overtaken." + +With these words he made deep obeisance to the newly-enthroned sovereign, +and lifting his long native spear, which he still retained, he swore +vengeance most terrible upon the enemies of Mo, who had, with such +consummate strategic skill, entered and attacked the city at the moment +when it remained undefended. + +"There is some deep mystery underlying this, Scars," Omar said, when Kona +had stalked away into the darkness, and Goliba had risen and crossed the +moon-lit court in response to a message delivered by a black slave. "I am +scarcely surprised at Kona's failure to capture the Naya; indeed, +personally, I should only be too happy to know that she had got safely +beyond the limits of Mo. But the sudden attack and rapid disappearance of +this marauding band of Samory proves two things; first that our country, +long thought impregnable, may be invaded, and secondly that through +Kouaga Samory is in possession of certain of our secrets." + +"What secrets?" I asked. + +"Secrets upon the preservation of which the welfare and safety of my +country depend," he answered mysteriously. Then, with a sudden air of +dejection, he added: "But there, what matters after all, now that Liola +is dead and my life is desolate? At the very moment when the greatest +honour has been bestowed upon me and I am enthroned Naba, the saviour of +my people, the greatest sorrow has also fallen upon me." + +After a moment's silence he started up in sudden desperation, crying: +"Slave have I been to evil all the days of my life! I have toiled and +earned nothing; I have sown in care and reaped not in merriment; I have +poisoned the comfort of others, but no blessing hath fallen into my own +lap. Blasted are the paths whereon I trod; my past actions are ravenous +vultures gnawing on my vitals, and the sharpened claws of malicious +spirits await my arrival among the regions of the accursed." + +"Yes," I observed with a sigh, for the remembrance of that bright, +beautiful face was to me likewise one of ineffable sadness. "Yes," I +said, "Fate has indeed been unkind. What she has bestowed with one hand, +she has taken away with the other." + +Then we were silent. Above the cool plashing music of the fountain could +be heard the distant roar of voices in great rejoicing, while upon the +starlit sky was still reflected a red ominous glare from the fires raging +in the city that no effort of man could subdue. At the gate leading +outward to the next court stood two sentries with drawn swords gleaming +in the moonbeams, mute and motionless like statues, while echoing along +the colonnade was the measured tramp of the soldier as he paced before +the entrance of the gilded Hall of Audience, the scene of so many +stirring dramas in the nation's history. From the divan whereon I sat I +could see the great Emerald Throne glittering green under a brilliant +light, with its golden image of the sacred crocodile and its banner +bearing the hideous vampire-bat, while around it were still grouped the +officials of the household, the body-guard of faithful Dagombas, the +slaves ready with their great fans, and Gankoma, the executioner, with +his bright double-edged _doka_, all standing in patience, awaiting the +coming of their royal master. + +The Court of Mo was, I reflected, a strange admixture of European +civilization and culture with African superstition and barbarity. On the +one hand the buildings were of marble or stone, magnificent in their +proportions, with decorations in the highest style of Moorish art, the +arms were of the latest pattern surreptitiously imported from England and +many of them faithfully copied by skilful, enlightened workmen; +electricity was known and used, and the tastes of the people showed a +refinement almost equal to that of any European state. Yet in religion +there prevailed the crudest and most ignorant forms of superstition, one +of which was the horrible practice of burying alive all sick persons, +while the custom of the executioner accompanying the reigning monarch +everywhere, ready to obey the royal command, was distinctly a relic of +savage barbarism. + +"A few moments ago you spoke of secrets that must be preserved," I said +presently, turning to Omar. + +"Yes," he answered slowly. "But my heart is too full of poignant grief to +think of them. To-night the secrets are mine alone; to-morrow you shall +be in possession of at least one of them. I have, however, much yet to +do, I see, before I rest," he added, glancing over his shoulder into the +brilliant hall where stood the empty throne. + +Then rising wearily, he sighed for Goliba's dead daughter, and weighted +by his rich robes, slowly strode across to the arched entrance from which +the light streamed forth, and as he set foot upon its threshold every +proud head bowed to earth in deep, abject obeisance. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +TREASURE AND TREASON. + + +AT Omar's request a few days later I accompanied him alone through a +private exit of the palace, and ere long we found ourselves unnoticed +beyond the ponderous city walls, where two horses, held by a slave, were +awaiting us. Mounting, we rode straight for the open country, and not +knowing whither we were going or what were my companion's intentions, we +soon left the great city far behind. For fully three hours we pressed +forward, my companion avoiding any answer to my questions as to our goal, +until about noon we came to a rising mount in the midst of a beautiful +country with palms and scattered orange-groves. + +The scene was a veritable paradise. Beautiful fruits peeped from between +the foliage, and every coloured, every scented flower, in agreeable +variety intermingled with the grass. Roses and woodbines, very much like +those in England, appeared in beauteous contention; while beneath great +trees were rich flocks of birds of various feather. At the foot of the +hill ran a clear, transparent stream, which gently washed the margin of +the green whereon we stood. On the other side a grove of myrtles, +intermixed with roses and flowering shrubs, led into shady mazes; in the +midst of which appeared the glittering tops of elegant pavilions, some of +which stood on the brink of the river, others had wide avenues leading +through the groves, and others were almost hidden from sight by +intervening woods. All were calculated to give the ideas of pleasure +rather than magnificence, and had more ease than labour conspicuous. + +"Beautiful!" I cried, gazing entranced upon the scene. + +"Yes. From the moment we left the city and passed through the ancient +gateway that you admired, we have been riding in my private domain. Here, +as far as the eye can reach, all is mine, the garden of the Sanoms. But +let us hasten forward. It was not to show you picturesque landscapes that +I brought you hither. We have much to do ere we return." + +Skirting the stream, where flocks and herds stood gazing at their own +images and others drinking of the transparent waters, we found the river, +growing wider, opened into a spacious lake which was half surrounded by a +rising hill. From the lake, higher than the river, ran a glittering +cascade and over the pendant rocks fell luxuriant vines and creeping +plants. At the opposite extremity of the lake, which by its pure waters +exposed the bright yellow pebbles on which it wantoned, two streams ran +towards the right and left of the hill and lost themselves amidst the +groves, pasture and hillocks of the adjacent country. The prospects +around us were beautiful and enchanting. Lofty trees threw a delightful, +welcome shade, and the hill-side seemed covered with flowering shrubs, +which grew irregularly except where a torrent from the summit, now dry, +had during ages worn out a deep hollow bed for its rapid passage and +descent. + +There were no roads or beaten paths in this secluded portion of the royal +domain, neither could there be seen any traces of habitation. + +"Deep in yonder lake," said Omar, drawing up his horse suddenly and +swinging himself from his saddle near the spot where the waters, +springing from beneath some green, moss-grown rocks, fell with gentle +music into the river--"deep in yonder lake there lies a hidden mystery." + +"A mystery!" I cried. "What is it?" + +"Have patience, and I will reveal to you a secret known only to myself +and to the Naya; the secret that I told you must be preserved." + +"But you say it is buried beneath these waters!" I exclaimed, puzzled. +"How will you reveal it?" + +"Watch closely, so that if occasion arises you will remember how to +exactly imitate my movements," he answered, and when we had tethered our +horses, he led me away from the edge of the lake up the hill-side some +distance to where a number of points of moss-grown rock cropped up out of +the turf. + +After searching among them for some minutes he suddenly stopped before +one that rose from the ground about three feet and was perhaps ten yards +in circumference, examining it carefully, at last giving vent to an +ejaculation of satisfaction. + +"You see this rock, Scars!" he cried. "Does anything about it appear to +you remarkable?" + +I bent, and feeling it with both my hands, carefully examined its side, +top and base. + +"No," I answered, laughing. "As far as I can detect it is the same as the +others." + +"You would never guess anything hidden there?" he asked, smiling. + +"No." + +"Well, watch and I'll show you." And with these words the Naba of Mo +approached the rock at a point immediately facing me, and placing his +hands upon the side, about two feet from the ground, drew out bodily a +portion of its lichen-covered face about eighteen inches square, that had +been so deftly hewn that when in its place none could detect it had ever +been removed. + +Peering into the cavity thus disclosed I saw, to my surprise, what +appeared to be a small iron lever, thickly rusted, descending into some +cog-wheeled mechanism of a very complicated character. + +"Now, watch the lake while I reveal to you its mystery," my companion +said, placing his hands upon the lever. With a harsh, grating noise it +fell back beneath the weight he threw upon it, and the harsh jarring of +cog-wheels revolving sounded for a few moments beneath our feet. Then, as +he set the mechanism in motion, my gaze was fixed upon the lake and I +stood aghast in wonderment. + +As the lever was drawn and the rusty cogs ran into one another, the whole +mass of rock damming the lake above the small cascade where it fell into +the river, gradually rose, like a great sluice gate, allowing the waters +to escape and empty themselves, roaring and tumbling, into the winding +river beside which we had journeyed. It was an amazing transformation, as +imposing as it was unexpected. A few seconds before, the river, shallow +and peaceful, fed by its tiny cascade, rippled away over its pebbly bed; +now, however, with the great volume of water from the lake it rose so +rapidly that the swirling, boiling current overflowed its banks, +sweeping everything before it. + +Nor was this the only result of pressing the lever, for at the opposite +end of the lake a similar outlet opened, and as I looked I saw the water +falling with a rapidity that was astounding. Hydraulic power was +evidently known to these strange semi-civilized people, yet the actual +means by which the lake was so rapidly emptied I was unable to discover, +all the machinery being hidden away in some subterranean chamber. + +"By what cunning device is this accomplished?" I inquired of Omar, who +stood regarding the disappearing flood with satisfaction. + +"This mechanism was invented ages ago by one of my ancestors," he +answered. "Its exact date no man can tell. But here water is given +mastery over itself, and so careful was its constructor to preserve the +secret of its existence that the slaves and workmen, all criminals, were +kept close prisoners during the whole time they were at work, and on its +completion they were all, without a single exception, killed, in order +that none should know the secret save the reigning Naba and his heir." + +"They were murdered then!" + +"They were all criminals who for various serious crimes had been +condemned to death. It is said they numbered over two hundred," Omar +answered. + +But even as he had been speaking the water of the lake had so drained +away that its clean stony bottom was now revealed, the pebbles being +exposed in large patches here and there, while the deeper pools remaining +were alive with water-snakes and fish of all kinds. There seemed but +little mud, yet in the very centre of the great basin was a patch of +pebbles and rock higher than the remainder, standing like a small island +that, before the lever had been touched, had been submerged. Leading the +way, Omar descended to the edge of the lake, skirted it for some little +distance, until he came to a long row of flat stones placed together, +forming stepping-stones to the miniature island. + +"Come," he said. "Follow me," and starting off we were soon crossing the +bed of the lake, being compelled to advance cautiously owing to the +slippery nature of the weeds and water-plants that overgrew the stones. +On gaining the island, however, a fresh surprise awaited me, for Omar, +halting amid the mud in the centre, exclaimed: + +"Watch carefully, Scars. You may some day desire to act as I am acting; +but always remember that here any undue hurry means inevitable death." + +"Death! What do you mean?" + +"Wait, and you shall see," he replied, as stooping suddenly he turned up +the sleeves of his royal robe and groping with his hand in the mud, at +last discovered an iron ring, green with slime, which, grasping with both +hands, he slowly twisted many times. A hissing sound was emitted, as if +the action of untwisting the ring relieved some heavy pressure, admitting +air to a chamber that had been hermetically sealed. This surmise was, I +afterwards learned, correct. The unscrewing of this ring caused the sides +of a plate embedded in the mud to contract, and air, so long excluded, +entered the mysterious place below. + +In a few moments, having paused to wipe the perspiration from his brow, +Omar, again grasping the slippery ring, gave it a sudden jerk and by that +means lifted the covering from a circular hole descending into an +impenetrable darkness, but bricked round like a cottage well in England, +and having projecting pieces of iron, forming steps. + +"Now," exclaimed Omar, as together we peered into the mysterious opening. +"To descend at once would mean certain death." + +"How? Is the air below foul?" + +"Not at all. The ingenuity of my ancestor who constructed this place made +arrangements to avoid all that. The danger arises from a contrivance he +devised by which any person attempting to explore it and being unaware of +the means to guard against death, must be inevitably swept into eternity. +Now, in order to give you an illustration of this danger I will show you +the result of any adventurous person stepping down." + +Taking from the mud a long iron bar, which he observed incidentally was +kept there for the purpose of guarding against death, he reached down the +shaft and placing the end of the bar upon the third step, threw his whole +weight upon it, saying: + +"We will suppose you have descended until your feet stand upon this step. +Now, watch." + +As the weight fell upon the step it gave way so slightly as to be almost +imperceptible, but suddenly from hidden cavities around the well-like +shaft there came six rings of long, sharp steel spikes, set inwards, +three above and three below, which, contracting as they came forward, met +and interlaced. In an instant I recognised what terrible fate would be +the lot of any adventurer who dared to enter that dark shaft. The action +of stepping upon that fatal projecting iron released hydraulic pressure +of irresistible power, and the unfortunate one, unable to ascend or +descend by reason of the danger being above and below, must be impaled +by a hundred cruel spikes, sharp and double-edged like spears, while the +bands whereon they were set must crush his bones to pulp. + +I looked at this terrible device for producing an agonizing death and +shuddered. The precautions taken to prevent anyone entering the place +were the most elaborate and ingenious I had ever seen. Even if any person +learnt the secret of draining the lake, the shaft leading to the +mysterious subterranean place was unapproachable by reason of this +extraordinary mechanical device. + +During five minutes the spikes remained interlaced, then automatically +they disengaged themselves, and slowly fell back into the cavity running +round the brickwork, wherein they remained concealed. + +Thrice again did Omar repeat this action of pressing the bar upon the +step, each time with an exactly similar result, chatting to me the while. +Then, when for the third time the spikes had fallen back into their +places, he said: + +"Now the secret to avoid this and lock the mechanism is to turn back this +little lever and place it in this catch, so. This cannot, however, be +done unless the step has been pressed three times." + +And bending over he showed me another tiny lever thickly encrusted with +rust, secreted behind a movable brick in the first tier below the lake's +bottom. This he placed in position, securing it in a niche so that it +became immovable. + +"Now," he said, "we may descend without fear," and with these words knelt +down, and after lighting a torch he had brought with him, commenced the +descent into the cavernous gloom. I quickly followed, my feet resting +for a brief instant upon the fatal iron projection, but no spikes came +forward, for the terrible mechanism was now locked. Deep down into this +circular shaft we went, the smoke and sparks from Omar's torch ever +ascending into my face as I lowered myself from rung to rung, until at +last, at considerable depth, we found ourselves in a kind of natural +cavern. The place seemed damp and full of bad odours, to which submitting +with patience we, by a long passage, sometimes crawling under rugged +arches, sometimes wading in mud and dirt, attained the end of the cavern, +where we stumbled on some narrow steps; but the torch shed little light, +and we became nearly suffocated by the noisome vapours. + +"I thought you said the air was fresh here," I exclaimed good-humouredly +to my companion. + +"So I did," he answered. "I cannot make out why it has become so foul. +The air-holes must have become accidentally stopped up." + +The widening ascent was so intricate and clogged with dirt and rubbish +that we worked like moles in the dark; nevertheless, by diligent industry +we gained ground considerably, yet as we endeavoured to mount, the slimy +steps slipped from under us, and ever and anon we would come tumbling +down with a weight of dirt upon us. + +After various labours, however, we suddenly entered a great cavern, quite +dry. From its roof hung great stalactites that glittered and sparkled in +the torch's uncertain light, while around the rough walls of this natural +chamber were heaped in profusion great heavy chests of iron and adamant. + +With the torch held high above his head Omar rushed across to the pile +and bending, examined one chest after the other. Then, raising himself +as the truth suddenly dawned upon him, he cried in a hoarse, excited +voice: + +"By the power of Zomara, we have been tricked!" + +"Tricked! How?" I gasped in alarm. + +"Cannot you see?" he wailed. "This, the Treasure-house of the Sanoms, has +been entered and its contents, worth a fabulous sum, have been extracted! +See! Each trunk has been forced by explosives!" + +I gazed eagerly where he directed, and saw that the trunks of iron and +stone had been blown open by gunpowder, for on each remained a blackened +patch, showing plainly the means used to force the strong chest wherein +reposed the magnificent jewels, the vessels of gold, and the historic +gem-encrusted and invulnerable armour of the Nabas of Mo. + +"Then this is the place the secret of which the villainous old Arab, +Samory, endeavoured to wrench from you by torture," I exclaimed, gazing +round the grim, weird cavern. + +"Yes," he answered. "This is the Treasure house of my ancestors. Since +the days of King Karmos each Naba or Naya has added to the great store of +treasure amassed for the purpose of the emancipation of our country in +the day of need. Only the reigning monarch and the heir have, in any +generation, ever known the secret of how the Treasure-house can be +approached--the secret I have to-day revealed to you as Keeper of the +Treasure." + +"But if you alone knew the secret, who could have ransacked the place?" I +asked. "The chests seem to have been recently opened." + +"True," he answered, and pointing to a heap of bejewelled swords, +breastplates and helmets, that had apparently been hastily cast aside as +the least valuable of the great treasure, he added: "All the most +historic and beautiful jewels have been taken, and the gold vessels and +things of minor value left. See! It is plain that the theft was +accomplished in all haste, for there was scarce time to sort the gems +that are unique from those rivalled by others." + +"It certainly looks as if the jewels were secured in feverish haste," I +said, at the same time picking up from the uneven floor a bronze oil lamp +lying overturned and discarded. + +Together we set about making a systematic examination of the various +chests, numbering nearly one hundred. Those fashioned from single stones +were of great age, looking like coffins, while those of iron were +ponderous caskets bound with huge bands, studded and double-locked, with +great antique hinges of marvellous workmanship. With perhaps half a dozen +exceptions the lid of each had yielded to the charge of explosive placed +beneath it, while in many cases the whole side of the casket had been +blown completely out, injuring or destroying some of its valuable +contents. Jewellery and gems, set and unset, had been strewn about and +trodden into the dust by hurrying feet, and a few that I recognized at +once as of fabulous value had been overlooked. Stooping, I picked up from +the dirt a marvellously-cut ruby, almost the size of a pigeon's egg. But +the majority of the treasure-chests had been emptied. The place had been +visited, and the vast wealth of a nation stolen. + +"For the first time in the long, glorious history of my land has the +Treasure-house been entered by thieves," Omar said, as if to himself. "No +mere adventurer can have been here; this great robbery is the result of +some base conspiracy. The treasure of the Sanoms, renowned through the +whole world as the most wondrous collection of magnificent and +unsurpassable gems, has been cleared out and the entrance re-closed in a +manner little short of marvellous. To-day is indeed a sad one for Mo, and +for me. My inheritance has been taken from me." + +"By whom?" I inquired, continuing my way, examining one of the few chests +that had apparently not been tampered with. But, as in the gloom I +hastened from one casket to another, my foot suddenly struck against some +object, causing me to lose my balance, and thus tripped, were it not for +the fact that I clutched at the corner of the great chest, I should have +fallen upon my face. + +Bending to examine what it was, I was amazed to discover the body of a +male slave, still dressed in the uniform of the servants of the palace, +but rapidly decomposing. It was the faint sickening odour emitted from +the corpse that had greeted our nostrils when we entered the place. + +We both bent and looked at him, astounded at discovering, still imbedded +in his back, a long keen knife. He had been struck down from behind and +murdered, while in the act of securing some of the treasure, for his +brown withered fingers still grasped a beautiful necklet of magnificent +pearls, an ornament worth several thousand English pounds. + +"That is one of the Naya's personal attendants," observed Omar, +recognizing the dress, but unable to distinguish the features of the +murdered man, so decomposed were they. "He perhaps participated in the +plot, and to secure his silence, or his portion of the booty, his +fellow-conspirators struck him to earth." + +"But to whom is due the chief responsibility in this affair?" I asked. +"Surely you have some suspicion?" + +"I know not," he answered. "Besides myself only the Naya knew the secret +means by which the treasure might be reached." + +"Then in all probability she secured it before her flight!" I cried. + +"That may be the truth," he answered in a tone of suppressed agitation. +"Immediately she obtained knowledge through her spies of my intention to +disobey her, she may have secured the most valuable of the jewels and had +them packed ready to take them with her if compelled to flee. Yet somehow +I cannot believe she has done this, for their removal must have attracted +attention. No, I believe we shall have to look in another quarter for the +thief." Then, bending again to examine the hilt of the knife embedded in +the body of the unfortunate slave, he added: "That poignard was hers. She +carried it always in her girdle, and it seems, after all, as though this +man was her confidant and assistant, and that here alone she closed his +lips by murdering him. Yet to her, life was more valuable than the +treasure, and I cannot believe that she risked detection and capture in +order to secure what she might afterwards obtain by the assistance of +hirelings." + +"A dark tragedy has certainly been enacted," I said, glancing around the +gruesome place with its gloomy corners and crevices where the blackness +was impenetrable. "The theft has been accompanied by a secret +assassination at some coward's hand." + +"Yes," he exclaimed, standing with folded arms and chin sunk upon his +breast. "The great treasure, belonging not only to our family but to our +nation, has been stolen, and I swear by Zomara's power that I will seek +out the thief and recover it. I am Naba, and it is my duty to my people +to restore their wealth to its hiding-place. Each successive ruler has +enriched his country by making additions to the store of jewels, and it +shall never be recorded that on finding the most valuable of our +possessions stolen, I made no effort to trace and recover them. True, +they have been abstracted in a manner almost miraculous for ingenuity and +rapidity, but from this moment I will not rest until they are recovered. +And you, Scarsmere, as Keeper of the Treasure-house, shall assist me." + +"I am ready," I answered, excited at the prospect of this new task before +us. "We will spare no effort to seek the thief and recover the Treasure +of the Sanoms. It is, as you declare, a duty, and I am ready and anxious +to commence the search." + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +A SPY'S STARTLING STORY. + + +WE remained fully two hours in the noisome Treasure-chamber of the +Sanoms, the early history of which was lost in the mist of legendary +lore, then after careful and minute examination of the rifled chests, +worked our way to the base of the shaft, and, having ascended, let down +the tiny concealed lever, thereby allowing the pressure to increase, and +place in position the ingenious contrivance for causing death to the +venturesome. Replacing the iron plate that closed the mouth of the +well-like aperture, we screwed it down, rendering it water-tight, and, +crossing the stones, regained the bank of the lake. Then, having turned +back the lever, the flood-gates slowly closed down again, and, ere we +mounted our horses to ride back to the city, the waters, fed by the many +torrents, had already risen sufficiently to hide the slime-covered +entrance to the secret chamber. + +One of the greatest thefts in the world's history had been committed, and +the question that puzzled us was the identity of the thief. Our first +suspicions had fallen upon the Naya, but calmly discussing the question +as we rode back, we both became convinced that so critical was the +deposed ruler's position, that she would never have undertaken all the +risks in removing the treasure. She knew she was in deadly peril of her +life, and that every moment lost was of vital importance, therefore it +was hardly probable that she would have delayed her departure to secure +the wealth of her ancestors. + +Omar argued that if compelled to fly she might have afterwards entrusted +the secret of the Treasure-house to spies, who could have returned and +secured the jewels. That she had not done this was certain, for the time +that had elapsed since her flight was insufficient. + +I suggested that the detachment of Samory's men who had entered the city +during the revolt might have had knowledge of the secret and secured the +treasure, but Omar pointed out that none in Samory's camp could have been +aware of the means by which the place could be entered, Kouaga himself +being in ignorance. + +"Then the thief was the Naya herself," I said, decisively. + +"No; after all, I am not actually positive that such is the case," he +answered. "There are facts connected with the affair, trivial in +themselves, that lead me to believe otherwise." + +"What are they?" + +"One is that the wonderful ruby necklet, an ornament of matchless gems +that belonged to King Karmos and is one of the talismans of the Sanoms, +has been left. I found it flung aside and discarded. Had the Naya +committed the theft she would have secured this first of all, because of +our family tradition that no reigning Sanom can live longer than three +moons without it is in his or her possession." + +"But you retain it," I said. "You, at least, are safe." + +"Yes," he replied thoughtfully. "Yet if the Naya had intended to secure +the treasure for herself she would most certainly have taken this first +of all. It is one of the most historic and valuable ornaments of the +royal jewels of Mo, besides being one in which most superstition is +centred. In her flight she would entertain the bitterest ill-feeling +towards me and desire my rule to be brief. Therefore, she must have +stolen the necklet; she would have secured that, if nothing else." + +I was compelled to agree with this view, especially as he added that one +of the most firm beliefs of the Sanoms had ever been that Zomara would +send vengeance most terrible upon any who removed the treasure from its +chests without the sanction of the people. No, it seemed evident that +some third person had been in possession of the secret. Who, we knew not, +but were determined to discover. + +On returning to the palace I stood, as usual, beside the Emerald Throne +while its occupant gave audience to those who came to make obeisance and +offer congratulations. The Court of the Naba Omar was even more brilliant +than that of his mother had been, and at evening, under the bright +lights, was, indeed, a glittering assembly, where the gems worn by +officials and courtiers almost dazzled one's eyes by their profuseness. + +Days passed--bright, peaceful days succeeding the brief period of +feverish excitement and deadly hatred. Mo had become herself again; her +people assured that an era of liberty and prosperity had recommenced, her +ruler leaving no effort unspared to act in the best interests of his +beloved nation. By day the great sunny courts of the palace, with the +bright flowers and fruit-laden vines, rang with the tramp of armed men +and tall, stately officials; by night the sounds of revelry, music and +dancing awakened the echoes of the great moon-lit colonnades, and was +wafted on the sweet-scented air afar beyond the grim, frowning outer +walls. + +Yet the burden of kingship seemed to press heavily upon the young Naba. +Though wearing no diadem, his brow soon became furrowed, as if by its +weight, and his air was one of constant preoccupation. His change of +manner puzzled me. His mind appeared overshadowed by some gloomy +foreboding, the nature of which I could by no amount of cautious +questioning elicit. During each day he attended assiduously without +relaxation to affairs of state, and when night drew on and the inmates of +the great luxurious palace, a veritable city within a city, gave +themselves up to reckless enjoyment, he was seldom present, for he would +withdraw to one of his small private apartments, and there sit, +pretending to read, but in reality brooding in silence. One poignant +sorrow had transformed him from a bright, happy youth, to a man sad-eyed, +dull, morose. Sometimes, as I watched, I noticed how he would suddenly +sigh heavily, and set his teeth as a bitter relentless expression would +flit for an instant across his countenance, and I knew that at such +moments there entered into his heart the contemplation of a fierce and +terrible revenge. + +Even to me, his constant companion, whose opinion he sought almost +hourly, he made no mention of his heart's sorrow, yet from close +observation through many days, I knew the cause of his overwhelming grief +was the loss of Liola. He never mentioned her, for the day after we had +ascertained the truth about her tragic end, he had taken me aside and +asked me never to allow her name to pass my lips in his presence. + +"Memories are painful, you know, Scars," he had said. "I must try and +forget, try and live down my sorrow if I can, although I fear I shall +carry it with me to the grave." + +These words I often remembered when, alone with him, I watched the look +of ineffable sadness upon his face. In the Hall of Audience, the centre +of his brilliant court, his face was always pleasant, smiling and full of +good-nature, as it had ever been; but, alas! it was only a mask, for +alone, in the privacy of his chamber, he cast it aside and gave himself +up to debauches of melancholy painful to behold. + +Thus weeks lengthened into months. He had wished me to keep from the +people the great loss sustained by the robbery from the Treasure-house, +believing that in the circumstances silence was best, and I had not +breathed a word to a soul, not even to Kona or Goliba. The city had +resumed its old look of prosperity, its markets were crowded daily, and +its populace were content in the knowledge that under the reformed +_regime_ they were free. Although once every week, Omar, with his court, +descended to the Temple of Zomara, and there adored the Crocodile-god, +human sacrifices had been discontinued, and the worship of the giant idol +was devoid of those revolting practices introduced by the Naya. Of the +latter, no tidings had been gleaned. Although every effort had been made +to trace her, she had disappeared. Of the treasure of the Sanoms, too, +nothing had been heard. How it had been conveyed out of Mo remained an +inscrutable mystery. + +I confess to being astonished that Omar seldom, if ever, spoke of either +of these matters, which had at first so seriously agitated him. Whether +he had relinquished all thought of recovering the jewels collected by his +ancestors, or whether he was endeavouring to formulate some plan of +action I knew not, yet his unwillingness to speak of them was, to say the +least, noteworthy. + +"Niaro has to-day returned from the gate of Mo," I observed one evening +when we were sitting alone together in one of the smaller courts, the +night air stirred by the distant sound of stringed instruments and the +thumping of Moorish tam-tams. "He has sent messengers by the Way of the +Thousand Steps far into the lands beyond, but no word have they been able +to gather regarding the Naya." + +"She has escaped the mad vengeance of our people, who would have killed +her," he said, calmly. "For that I am thankful." + +"You seem to have no desire that she should be captured," I said. + +"None. She has escaped. After all it is best." + +"But the treasure," I said, dropping my voice so that no eavesdropper +might overhear. "Its hiding place, like the thief, is still unknown." + +"Yes," he answered. "Unknown at present, but ere long some discovery must +be made. When it is, I anticipate it will be a startling one." + +Our conversation was interrupted at that moment by the approach of a +slave who, bowing low until his brow touched our carpet, said: + +"One of thy servants, O Master, desireth to have speech with thee. He +hath sped from afar upon the wings of haste and beareth tidings." + +"Of what?" cried Omar, starting up. + +"I know not, O Master. The name of thy servant who awaiteth audience with +thee is Makhana, who cometh from beyond the great black water." + +"Makhana!" we both cried, and Omar ordered that he should be admitted +immediately, and without ceremony. Then, turning to me, he explained that +on ascending the throne he had sent a message to Makhana in London +ordering him to return at once. + +A moment later the secret agent of Mo, a tall, sparse figure, attired in +shabby European clothes, entered, and, snapping fingers with his master, +greeted and congratulated him. Then, casting himself upon the mat near +us, he began to tell us what had occurred after our flight from +Eastbourne, and relate the latest news from the civilised land we had +left so many months before. I also told him how we had been enticed away +by Kouaga, and the order of the Naya for Omar's assassination. + +"Much has happened since I returned," Omar observed, when I had +concluded. "As you have no doubt already heard, my mother has been +deposed, and I have been enthroned in her stead." + +"Yes," the secret agent answered. "I have already heard all this, and +although I wish you every peace and prosperity, I have, I regret, to make +a startling announcement." + +"What is it?" gasped Omar, with wide-open eyes. + +"Our enemy, Samory, is upon us!" + +"Samory!" we both cried. + +"Yes. Not much longer than a moon past I was crossing the mountains of +Niene, near the confines of his country, on my way hither from the sea, +and learnt the truth. Two moons ago, accompanied by twenty thousand armed +men, Kouaga marched out of Koussan to obtain savage allies for an +expedition, having for its object the conquest of Mo." + +"The conquest of our country!" Omar cried astounded. "Only a week before +we returned hither one of his expeditions was utterly routed and +slaughtered in the Grave of Enemies. Now another has been dispatched! +What route has it taken?" + +"On learning the news I at once reassumed native dress, crossed into our +enemy's country and acted as spy," Makhana answered, his fierce-looking +eyes glistening in the moonlight. "In Koussan I ascertained that the +expedition, led by Kouaga, the man who was once our Grand Vizier, had +gone northward one moon's journey towards the Niger, his intention being +to skirt the country of the Aribanda and to enter our territory from the +north by crossing the Hombori Mountains." + +"You have done well to ascertain this and hasten on," Omar answered. "But +there is only one pass by which the Hombori can be crossed." + +"That is known to Kouaga, for three years ago he led our army through it +to the successful conquest of the border tribes of the Massina. He is now +a formidable enemy, for he knows all the secret approaches and the +whereabouts of our hidden defences." + +"We must dispatch an army at once to meet them," Omar said, after a +thoughtful pause. + +"No time should be lost," Makhana urged. "Already they are due at the +Hombori, and it will occupy our expedition fully two weeks to reach +there. Yet Samory's hordes may be delayed, and if so, we shall be able to +hold the pass successfully and sweep them down as they advance. I have +brought with me from England the ten additional Maxims ordered by the +Naya." + +"Excellent, let them be given into Kona's charge," Omar exclaimed, +explaining briefly that the Dagomba head-man was now in command of the +troops, and then turning to the slave who stood in waiting he ordered +that Kona should be fetched immediately, and that the council and +principal officers should be at once summoned. + +In a few minutes we saw upon the clear night-sky long beams of light, and +knew that signals were being flashed from Mo to the furthermost limits of +the kingdom, summoning the officers from their various posts to a council +of war. Twenty thousand men, with a similar number of savage allies, +under a leader who was well acquainted with all the intricacies of the +secret way were advancing upon Mo, and the faces of the officers and +members of the council became grave when, on arrival at the palace, they +heard the astounding news. + +That Mo was threatened by a serious calamity was recognized by everyone. +The news spread through the city quickly, and throughout the night the +streets were agog. Only by swift vigorous defence, by pushing a great +force forward night and day to the point of attack, could a catastrophe +be averted. This was the unanimous opinion of the Naba's advisers, and +ere the sun rose the first detachment of the defending army was already +on its way to meet the Arab invaders. + +Kouaga evidently meant making a sudden descent upon the mysterious +country, and if his force once accomplished the passage through the +mountain pass they would then no doubt make a rapid dash towards the +capital itself, and would approach it at its only vulnerable point. + +If this occurred, then the slaughter must be terrible and the catastrophe +complete. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +WAR. + + +TWELVE days later I found myself accompanying Kona who, at the head of a +great force of over eighteen thousand men, was crossing the treacherous +quicksands by the Way of the Thousand Steps. The critical position of Mo +had been fully discussed by Omar, his officers and sages, and it had been +decided to send, in addition to the force of twenty thousand men to the +Hombori Mountains on the northern frontier, a second expedition to travel +with all swiftness across the sandy plain and make a dash upon Samory's +stronghold at Koussan in the absence of its picked troops. + +Within two days after Makhana had brought news of the coming invasion, +the whole of the twenty thousand men, with Omar himself at their head, +had marched out of the capital on their way to defend the pass. I had +expressed a wish to accompany them, but my friend had requested me to go +with the expedition to Samory's capital because, having been there in +captivity, I could act as guide. To this I made no objection, and bidding +farewell to Omar, Goliba and Niaro at the city gate, I had watched them +ride away at the head of a brilliant cavalcade, and the same evening at +sundown descended the face of the cliff by the long flight of steps, and +jumping into the saddle of a horse held ready for me, rode with all haste +to catch up Kona who, as leader of our expedition, had already started +for the gigantic precipice known as the Gate of Mo. + +To Niaro, an excellent officer, the leadership of the defending force had +been entrusted, as he had already had experience of fighting in the +Hombori country, having been second in command of Kouaga's expedition +when he conquered the tribes of Massina, while Kona, who had with him his +valiant Dagombas, had orders to enrol another thousand men of that tribe +when passing through their territory, prior to our dash upon Samory's +country. + +The passage to the desert by the Way of the Thousand Steps was a +brilliant feat, for of our great force not a single life was lost, and so +rapidly did we travel, that within two weeks of the day we left the +palace, our Dagombas, who preferred their native spears and arrows to +firearms, were enrolled and we were well on our way to the Great Salt +Road, a mere native path notwithstanding its imposing designation, +towards Samory's great fortress-city. + +Heedless of the noontide heat we pushed forward over stony desert and +green grass-land, now plunging into those gloomy dismal forests of +eternal darkness where the stench of decaying vegetation sickened us, +only to emerge again into the open plain devoid of shade, scorched by the +pitiless rays of the fiery sun. Snatching brief rests, and pushing for +ever onward our great host of armed men and carriers, with the vigilant +Kona at their head, pressed forward, entering at last the land of our +enemies. + +The Dagomba scouts, travelling before us, splendid fellows, all eyes and +ears, who could detect the slightest indication of an enemy's presence +far or near, whether it were the broken twig at one's feet or the sudden +rising of a bird in the distance, kept us well informed of all +transpiring on every side. For a hundred miles we marched through the +Arab chieftain's land without any of its inhabitants dreaming of the +presence of a hostile force, and it was only by our sudden descent one +night upon the small walled town of Torola, which we sacked and burned, +that they were awakened to the truth. + +But ere the news could spread to Koussan, about forty English miles +distant, we, by a forced march, had already reached the capital. Making a +dash upon the place by night with our Maxim and Hotchkiss guns, the +garrison were completely taken by surprise, nevertheless so well were its +high white walls defended, that our forces were driven back with severe +loss. + +Undaunted however, Kona, who placed himself at the head of our Dagomba +allies, backed by the well-armed soldiers of Mo, made a second assault +upon a point that had been indicated by our spies as weaker than the +others. The fighting was desperate, and the sight, viewed from where I +was standing with the reinforcements, was one of exceeding grandeur. +Night was rendered almost bright as day by the constant flashing of guns, +and the noise of the tumult ever increasing sounded high above the +constant roar of artillery. Suddenly, as I gazed across the plain to +where the sharp conflict was proceeding, a brilliant blue flash blinded +me and an instant later a deafening explosion caused the ground to +tremble, while the red light of the guns gleamed through the increasing +veil of smoke, and I saw that our men had successfully placed a mine +beneath that portion of the fortifications near where they were fighting, +and it had been fired, effecting a great breach through which they next +moment poured, engaging the defenders hand to hand. + +Soon afterwards a signal light flashed thrice, as had been agreed, and +six thousand men, including myself, sped over the plain to reinforce our +comrades. Soon, clambering over the fallen masonry where the enormous +breach had been made, I found myself with my sword, the one I had used in +the conquest of Mo, hacking right and left, endowed with a strength that +only came to me in moments of intense excitement. + +The dash we made was indeed a brilliant one. The Arab defenders were, we +found, fully equal to us in numbers and were withal magnificent soldiers, +for in the broad squares of the city their cavalry, with their white +flowing robes and heavy curved swords, committed frightful havoc in our +ranks, yet in such numbers had we clambered into the great chieftain's +stronghold that they became gradually hampered in the streets and, unable +to manoeuvre, were compelled to dismount and engage us in combat. The +fight proved an even more desperate and bloody one than that which +resulted in the dethronement of the Naya. So equally matched were the +forces, that the struggle raged with frightful ferocity, each side +determined to secure the victory. In the old Moorish-looking streets, so +narrow that two asses could scarce pass abreast, there were encounters +more desperate than any I had ever witnessed, for the soldiers of Samory +and the fighting-men of Mo, the two most fierce and valiant forces in the +whole of the African continent, were pitted against each other. + +Cutting our way forward, I found myself at last beneath the high +whitewashed wall of the great Djamaea Thelatha Biban, or Mosque of the +Three Gates, one of the most ancient in the city. I recognised it by its +fine dome standing out white against the flame-illumined sky, and +remembered that when a captive in the hands of the brutal Arab ruler, +Omar had translated to me the fine Kufic inscription on its handsome +facade, recording its construction by Mohammed Ibn Kheiroun el-Maaeferi in +the second century of the Hedjira. For a moment I paused under its +handsome entrance of black and white marble, when suddenly Kona rushed +towards me, crying: + +"Quick, Master! Fly for thy life, here, across the square!" and as he +tore away as fast as his long black legs would carry him, I followed +wondering. + +Scarcely had we reached the opposite side of the great market-place when +a deafening roar sounded, and an instant later, as I turned, I saw the +great dome crack, tremble and collapse, together with the high white +minaret, while the whole of its facade fell out with a terrific crash in +the opposite direction. Our men had blown up the principal mosque in +Samory's capital, an action which increased tenfold the rage of our +fierce fanatical enemies. + +With loud yells they fell upon us from every quarter, when a few minutes +later they realised what had been done, and during the next hour the +conflict became terrific. Hundreds were struck to earth by bullets and +swords, and it appeared to me, striving as I was in the midst of the +smoke and heat of battle, that the longer we fought the more numerous +became the defenders, and the less our chance of success. Yet slowly we +had succeeded in cutting our way from the city wall up the hill crowned +by the great white Kasbah, or fortress, which constituted Samory's +palace, and were now actually within sight of it. Fiercely exerting every +muscle we fought to attain our goal, but so desperate was the defence, +that time after time our forward movement was prevented, and we were +compelled to fall back bleeding and frustrated. In these valiant attempts +to reach the walls of the Kasbah there fell, at a low estimate, fully +five hundred of that portion of the force to which I had attached myself. +With reinforcements we might have flung back the defenders, yet separated +as we had been into small bodies during the earlier manoeuvres, fighting +was now taking place in every part of the city, no two bodies being able +to unite their forces. + +To thus cut us off one from another had, no doubt, been the tactics of +the defenders, for we afterwards learnt that in many instances the +smaller of our gallant little bands had been slaughtered literally to a +man. + +At last, however, my worst fears began to be realized, for the defenders, +receiving reinforcements, swooped suddenly down upon us, and with their +swords and those sharp double-edged knives they carried in their belts, +wrought frightful havoc among us everywhere, while upon us another body +poured a terrible fire from their long-barrelled rifles. + +As result of this, although we made a spirited stand, once again we were +compelled to fall back in confusion, leaving many dead and dying upon the +stones. Suddenly I heard Kona's well-known voice behind me uttering the +fierce war yell of the Dagombas, and next instant we found to our +satisfaction that a great body of his dark oily-faced warriors had come +to our relief. The reckless and savage manner in which they fought a few +moments later was astounding, and it was certainly due to their courage +and strength that the Arabs were first forced back and then cut to pieces +and utterly routed. + +This, however, did not carry us much further towards the Kasbah, for when +within an ace of gaining its walls, another body of Arabs swept across +the great square with its clump of date-palms, and with cries of rage +attacked us vigorously with rifle and sword. The combat again became +terrible, and in it I received from a big, raw-boned Arab a severe +sword-cut over the left wrist that caused me excruciating pain. Still I +fought on, although half fearing that our expedition was ill-fated. We +had believed Samory's capital practically denuded of troops, and of such +strenuous opposition as that offered we had never dreamed. + +But the assertion of the West Coast tribes that the soldiers of the +mystic land of Mo know not fear is certainly true, for never once did +they falter, although the citadel seemed absolutely unassailable by +reason of the fierceness and strength of its defence. + +Through the dark night hours we had fought on revengefully, and when dawn +spread the grey glimmering light disclosed the terrible result of the +deadly fray. Dead and wounded lay everywhere, and through the suffocating +smoke the fire of the rifles now seemed yellow where in the darkness it +had appeared blood-red. By some means the Arabs rallied their forces, and +I confess that the sight of the overwhelming numbers opposing us caused +my courage to fail. Swiftly and unrelentlessly the attack upon us was +delivered, and with such vigour that our van fell back, weak and +decimated. Suddenly, without warning, a sound above the din broke upon +our ears, startling us. + +The rapid cackling was unmistakable, and involuntarily I burst into a +good old-fashioned English cheer. One of our Maxims had been tardily +brought into play! + +Ere a few moments had elapsed the Arabs, having already had a taste of +the terrible effect of the deadly weapon during the recent campaign +against the French and English, stood panic-stricken. Their hesitation +proved fatal. Under the hail of lead they were mowed down, and ere the +remainder could recover from their astonishment a second weapon was +brought into play, riddling their ranks with showers of death-dealing +missiles. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + +THE HAREM SLAVE. + + +A DOZEN times were we driven back by overwhelming numbers of Arabs, but +as many times we dashed forward again, determined to strike a fatal, +irrisistible blow at the power of the egotistical and fanatical chieftain +whose depredations had earned for him the appelation of "The Pirate of +the Niger." Every nation in Western Africa, save the dwellers in the +mystic land of Mo, existed in daily fear of raids by his ruthless armed +bands, who, travelling rapidly across desert and forest, devastated whole +regions, seizing cattle, laying waste prosperous and fertile districts, +burning towns and villages, and reducing their weaker neighbours to +slavery. Indeed, no bodies of armed men throughout the whole of the great +African continent, including even the Tuaregs, were so reckless in their +attacks, or so fiendish in their wholesale butchery of those who +resented the ruin and devastation of their homes. It was therefore +scarcely surprising that this brigandish horde, whose power even European +nations failed to break, should throw themselves into the conflict with +reckless enthusiasm, and repel our attack by the exertion of every +muscle. + +In point of numbers we were much inferior; our superiority existed only +in our arms. Their old-fashioned bronze field-pieces, flint-lock pistols +and long-barrelled Arab guns, although deadly weapons in the hands of +such expert shots, proved no match against such irresistible appliances +as the Maxim, the Hotchkiss, or the modern English-made rifle. This fact +very soon became apparent, for although the fierce battle raged for many +hours, and Samory himself, in yellow robe, and mounted upon a snow-white +stallion, gorgeously caparisoned, could be seen urging on his hordes to +valiant deeds, we nevertheless everywhere made a firm stand at various +points of vantage, and by no effort were they able to dislodge us. + +When the sun rose, red and fiery through the veil of smoke, the +increasing weakness of the defence was visibly demonstrated by the manner +in which the entrance to the Kasbah was guarded. The great doors of iron +were closed and barred securely, and on the walls the crimson fezes of +the defenders showed in profusion, but presently Kona, as we drove back +the soldiers of Al-Islam almost for the hundredth time, shouted the order +to storm the citadel. With one accord we made a mad, reckless rush an +instant later, and carried on by the thousands of my comrades behind, I +found myself slashing to right and left under the high, sun-blanched +walls of the enormous fortress. Kona, appearing a giant even among his +tall Dagombas, gave one the impression in those critical moments of a +veritable demon, filled as he was with a mad excitement and knowing that +upon the success of our assault depended the result of the expedition. +Towering above his fellows, his long spear in hand, he seemed to lead a +charmed existence, swaying to and fro among whistling bullets, whizzing +arrows, flashing swords and whirring spears. His own weapon he dyed in +the blood of his adversaries times without number, for where he struck he +never failed to kill. His aim was unerring, and his courage that of a +lion of his native forest. + +In those furious moments I escaped death only by a miracle. As I dashed +forward to seek shelter beneath the ponderous wall, a tall Arab, with +long brown hairy arms, swung his curved sword high above his head and +brought it down with such force that had I not dodged him just in time, +he would have smashed my skull. Lowering my rifle quickly till its muzzle +almost touched his flowing garments, I fired, but unfortunately the +bullet passed beneath his arm-pit, and flattened itself against the wall. +Again, muttering some fearful imprecation in Arabic, he raised his +gleaming blade, and, unable to fire at such close quarters, I was then +compelled to use my rifle to ward off his attack. For an instant we +struggled desperately, when suddenly he gave his sword a rapid twist, +jerking my weapon from my hands and leaving me unarmed at his mercy. + +His features broadened into a brutal grin as, noticing me fumbling for my +pistol, he again raised his razor-edged Moorish blade, and holding it at +arm's length, gave one vigorous slash at me. Pressed forward towards him +by men engaged in mortal conflict behind me, I could not evade him, and +was about to receive the full force of what my adversary intended should +be a fatal blow, when suddenly a savage spear struck him full in the +throat, and stuck quivering there. + +Instantly his sinewy arm fell, the heavy sword dropped from his nerveless +fingers, and he stumbled backward and fell to earth like a log. + +"Thou art safe, O Master!" a voice cried cheerily behind me, and turning, +I saw that the man who had thrown his spear and saved my life was Kona. + +Shouting an expression of thanks I bent, and, unable to recover my lost +rifle in the frightful _melee_, snatched up the dead Arab's sword that +had so nearly caused my death, then fought on by my deliverer's side. His +wounds were many, for blood was flowing from cuts and gashes innumerable +in his bare black flesh, yet he appeared insensible to pain, striving +forward, gasping as he dealt each blow, determined to conquer. + +The fight continued with unabated fury--the bloodshed was horrible. The +open square before the gate of the Kasbah was transformed into a +veritable slaughter-yard, the stones being slippery with blood, and +passage rendered difficult by the corpses that lay piled everywhere. At +last, however, while engaged in another warm corner, the shrill, +awe-inspiring war cry of the Dagombas again sounded above the tumult, and +turning, I saw that by some means our men had opened the great gate, and +that they were pouring into the spacious courtyards that I so well +remembered. + +Our assault, though fiercely and savagely repelled, was at last +successful. We were entering the stronghold of Samory, and had achieved a +feat that the well-equipped expeditions of the French and English had +failed to accomplish. + +The Arabs during the next quarter of an hour struggled bravely against +their adversity and fought with a dogged courage of which I had not +believed them capable. Soon, however, finding themselves conquered, they +cried for quarter. Had they known the peculiar temperament of the +Dagombas and the soldiers of Mo, they would never thus have implored +mercy. But they cried out, and some even sank on their knees in the blood +of their dead comrades, uttering piteous appeals. But the Arabs of Samory +had never shown mercy to the Dagombas or the people of Mo, and +consequently our army, in the first flush of their victory, filled with +the awful lust for blood, treated their cries with jeers, and as they +advanced into court after court within the great Kasbah walls, they fell +upon all they met, armed or unarmed, men or women, and massacred them +where they stood. + +The appeal shouted time after time by Kona to view our victory in +temperate spirit and spare those who submitted, was disregarded by all in +this wholesale savage butchery. The scene within the Arab chieftain's +stronghold was, alas! far more horrible than any I had witnessed during +the revolt in Mo. Guards, officials and slaves of Samory's household were +indiscriminately put to the sword, some of the men being hunted into +corners and speared by the Dagombas, while others were forced upon their +knees by the soldiers of Mo and mercilessly decapitated. The door of the +great harem, long ago reputed to contain a thousand inmates, including +slaves, was burst open, and in those beautiful and luxuriant courts and +chambers the whole of the women were butchered with a brutality quite as +fiendish as any displayed by the Arabs themselves. The handsome +favourites of Samory in their filmy garments of gold tissue and girdles +of precious stones were dragged by their long tresses from their hiding +places and literally hacked to pieces, their magnificent and costly +jewels being torn from them and regarded as legitimate loot. Women's +death-screams filled the great courts and corridors; their life-blood +stained the pavements of polished jasper and bespattered the conquerors. +The Dagombas, finding themselves inside this extensive abode of luxury, +where beautiful fountains shot high into the morning sunlight, +sweet-smelling flowers bloomed everywhere and sensuous odours from +perfuming-pans hung heavily in the air, seemed suddenly transformed into +a demoniac horde bent upon the most ruthless devastation. They remembered +that times without number had the Sofas of Samory burnt their villages +and towns, and carried hundreds of their tribesmen away as slaves; they +were now seeking revenge for past wrongs. + +As, nauseated by the sight of blood, I witnessed these awful atrocities, +I reflected that the curse of Zomara, uttered solemnly by Omar when +Samory had sold us to the slave-dealers, had at last fallen upon the Arab +chieftain. + +Omar had prophesied the downfall of Samory, and his utterance was now +fulfilled. + +Screams, piercing and heart-rending, sounded everywhere, mingled with the +fierce war-shouts of our savage allies, as, time after time, some +unfortunate woman in gorgeous garb and ablaze with valuable gems was +discovered, dragged unceremoniously from her hiding-place to the great +court wherein I stood, her many necklets ruthlessly torn from her white +throat and a keen sword drawn across it as a butcher would calmly +despatch a lamb. Then, when life had ebbed, her body would be cast into +the great basin of the fountain, where hundreds of others had already +been pitched. + +In other parts of the Kasbah a similar massacre was proceeding, none of +those found therein being allowed to escape; while an active search was +everywhere in progress for Samory himself. + +From where I stood I witnessed the breaking up of the Arab ruler's +throne, and the tearing down of the great canopy of amaranth silk under +which Samory had reclined when, with Omar, I had been brought before him. +The crescent of solid gold that had surmounted it was handed to Kona, who +broke it in half beneath his heel as sign of the completeness of his +victory. Then, when the destruction of the seat of the brutal autocrat +was complete, the _debris_ with the torn silk, and the long strips of +crimson cloth, whereon good counsels from the Koran were embroidered in +Kufic characters of gold, that had formed a kind of frieze to the +chamber, were carried out into the court by fifty willing hands, heaped +up and there burnt. + +While watching the flames leaping up consuming the wrecked remains of the +royal seat of the powerful Arab ruler, a woman's scream, louder than the +rest, caused me to look suddenly round at the latest victim of the +Dagombas' thirst for vengeance, and I beheld in the clutches of +half-a-dozen savages, a young woman, dragged as the others had been by +her fair, unbound hair towards the spot where each had, in turn, been +murdered. She was dressed in a rich, beautiful robe of bright yellow +silk, embroidered with pale pink flowers, but her garments were +bedraggled with water and blood, and her bleeding wrists and fingers +showed with what heartless brutality her jewels had been torn from her +by her pitiless captors. She struggled frantically to free herself, but +without avail, and one of the savages, noticing a magnificent diamond +bangle upon her ankle, bent, and tried to force it off. + +Just at that moment, in endeavouring to twist herself free from their +clutches, her fair face became turned towards me and her deep blue, +terrified eyes for an instant met mine. + +Next second I uttered a cry of recognition. Yes, there was no mistake +about that flawless complexion, those handsome features or those wondrous +eyes, the mysterious depths of which had enthralled me, as they had done +Omar. + +It was Liola! + +With a bound I sprang forward, tearing at the knot of savages and +shouting to them to release her. At first they only grinned hideously, no +doubt thinking that I desired her as a slave, and as they had decided +that all should die without exception, in order that their conquest +should be rendered the more complete, they were in no way disposed to +obey my command. At last I succeeded in arresting their progress, when +the man who had attempted to wrench from her ankle the diamond ornament +shook his long, keen knife threateningly at me, while the others yelled +all kinds of imprecations. Not liking his fierce attitude, and knowing +that in the heat of victory they were capable of turning upon friends who +attempted to thwart them, I drew back, and as I did so he flung himself +upon one knee and raised his knife over Liola's foot. + +Instantly I saw his intention. He meant to hack off her foot in order to +secure the bangle, a horrible proceeding that had been carried out more +than once before my eyes within the past hour. There was, I knew, but one +way to save her, therefore without hesitating I drew my revolver and +fired at him point blank. + +The ball pierced his breast. With an agonized cry he clutched for a +moment wildly at the air, then fell back dead. + +My action, as I fully expected it would, aroused the intense ire of his +companions and all released Liola, now insensible, and sprang at me, +their ready knives flashing in the sunlight. I was compelled to fly, and +had it not been for Kona, who, standing some distance off watching the +reduction of Samory's throne to ashes, took in the situation at a glance, +sped in their direction, and ordered his men to stop and tell him the +cause, I should undoubtedly have lost my life. As their head-man his word +was law. Then, glancing at the inanimate form of Liola, who, having +fainted, had been left lying on the blood-stained pavement, he recognized +her as Goliba's daughter, and in a dozen words told his men that she was +the betrothed of the young Naba of Mo, and that I, his friend, had saved +her. + +The savages, aghast at this statement, and recognizing how near they had +been to murdering the beloved of the Naba Omar, rushed towards me +penitent, urging that they might be forgiven, and declaring that their +conduct, under the circumstances, was excusable. They had, they said, no +idea that they would find in the harem of their enemy Samory the +betrothed of Mo's ruler, and I also was compelled to admit myself quite +as astounded as themselves. Therefore in brief words explanations and +forgiveness were exchanged and I rushed across, and with the ready help +of Kona and his men endeavoured to restore her to consciousness. + +The dread of her horrible fate had caused her to faint, and it was a long +time ere we could bring her back to the knowledge of her surroundings. +Tenderly the Dagombas, who a few minutes before would have brutally +murdered her, carried her into one of the small luxuriantly-furnished +chambers of the harem, and at my request left me alone with her. Kona, +though fierce as a wild beast in war, was tender-hearted as a child where +undefended women were concerned, and would have remained, but as +commander of the forces now engaged in sacking the palace many onerous +duties devolved upon him. Therefore I was left alone with her. + +Her eyes closed, her fair hair disarranged, her clothing torn and +blood-stained, she lay upon a soft divan, pale and motionless as one +dead. I chafed her tiny hands, and released her rich robe at the throat +to give her air, wondering by what strange chain of circumstances she had +come to be an inmate of the private apartments of our enemy Samory. At +last, however, her breast heaved and fell slowly once or twice, and +presently she opened her beautiful eyes, gazing up at me with a puzzled, +half-frightened expression. + +"Liola," I exclaimed softly, in the language of Mo. "Thou art with +friends, have no further fear. The soldiers of thy lover Omar have +wreaked a vengeance complete and terrible upon thy captor Samory." + +"But the savages!" she gasped. "They will kill me as they massacred all +the women." + +"No, no, they will not," I assured her, placing my arm tenderly beneath +her handsome head. "The savages are our Dagomba allies who, not knowing +that thou wert a native of Mo, would have butchered thee like the rest." + +"And thou didst save me?" she cried. "Yes, I remember, thou didst shoot +dead the brute who would have cut off my foot to secure my diamond +anklet. I owe my life to thee." + +"Ah! do not speak of that," I cried. "Calm thyself and rest assured of +thy safety, for thou shalt return with us to the land of thy fathers. +Thou shalt, ere a moon has run its course, pillow thine head upon the +shoulder of the man thou lovest, Omar, Naba of Mo." + +She blushed deeply at my words, and her small white hand still smeared +with blood, gripped my wrist. Her heart seemed too full for words, and in +this manner she silently thanked me for rescuing her from the awful fate +to which she had so nearly been hurried. + +Soon she recovered from the shock sufficiently to sit up and chat. +Together we listened to the roar of the excited multitude outside, and +from the lattice window could see columns of dense black smoke rising +from the city, where the fighting-men of Mo, in accordance with their +instructions from Omar, having sacked the place, were now setting it on +fire. + +In answer to my eager questions as to her adventures after her seizure by +the soldiers of the Great White Queen, she said: + +"Yes. It is true they captured me, together with my girl slave, Wyona, +and hurried me towards the palace. Wyona fought and bit like a tigress, +and one of the men becoming infuriated, killed her. Just at that moment +the attack was made upon us by the populace, and they, witnessing his +action, tore him limb from limb. Then, in the fierce conflict that +followed, I escaped from their clutches in the same manner as Omar and +thyself. Knowing of the attack to be made upon the palace I fled for +safety in the opposite direction, and remained in hiding throughout the +night in the house of one of my kinswomen away towards the city-gate. At +last the report spread that the people had taken the palace by assault, +the Naya had been deposed, and Omar enthroned Naba in her stead. Then, +feeling that safety was assured, I ventured forth, but ere I had gone far +I met a body of strange fighting men. They were Arabs, and proved to be +men from this stronghold of our enemy Samory. After a strenuous attempt +to cross the city they had been repulsed by the people, leaving many +dead, and in their retreat towards the city-gate they seized me and bore +me away in triumph here." + +"How long hast thou been in Koussan?" + +"Twenty days ago we arrived, after fighting our way back and losing half +our force in skirmishes with the hostile savages of the forest. I was +brought here to Samory's harem as slave, attired in the garments I now +wear, loaded with jewels torn from the body of one of his favourites, +who, incurring his displeasure, had been promptly strangled by the chief +of the negro eunuchs, and placed in an apartment with three other slaves +to do my bidding, there to await such time as it should please my Arab +captor to inspect me. I was contemplating death," she added, dropping her +deep blue eyes. "If your attack upon the Kasbah had not been delivered I +should most assuredly have killed myself to-day ere the going down of the +sun." + +"It was fortunate that I recognized thee, or thou wouldst have been +hacked to pieces by the keen blades of our savage allies," I said. + +"Take me hence," she urged panting. "I cannot bear to hear the shout of +the victor and the despairing cry of the vanquished. It is horrible. +Throughout the night we, in the women's quarters, have dreaded the fate +awaiting us if the invaders, whom we thought were savages of the forest, +should gain the mastery and enter the palace. From the high windows +yonder we witnessed the fight, knowing that our lives depended upon its +issue, and judge our dismay and despair when, soon after dawn, we saw the +Arabs overwhelmed and the Kasbah fall into the hands of their conquerors. +Many of my wretched companions killed themselves with their poignards +rather than fall into the hands of the blacks, while the majority hid +themselves only to be afterwards discovered and butchered. Ah, it is all +terrible, terrible!" + +"True," I answered. "Yet it is only revenge for the depredations and +heartless atrocities committed by these people upon the dwellers in thy +border lands. Even at this moment Samory hath a great expedition on the +northern confines of Mo, making a vigorous attempt to invade thy country, +so that he shall reign upon the Emerald Throne in the place of thy lover +Omar." + +"An expedition to invade Mo?" she cried surprised. "Hath Samory done +this; is it his intention to cause Omar's overthrow?" + +"Most assuredly it is," I answered. "The reason of our presence here in +such force was to assault Koussan in the absence of its picked troops, +twenty thousand of whom were we ascertained on their way northward, with +the intention of forcing a passage through Aribanda and the Hombori +Mountains into Mo. Niaro hath led our fighting-men to repel their attack, +and he is accompanied by Omar and thy father, while we are here, under +Kona's leadership, to punish Samory for his intrepidity." + +Then she asked how Omar fared, and I explained how it had been believed +that she had died, and that all were mourning for her. + +"My slave Wyona must have been mistaken for me," she answered. "And +naturally, as I had given her one of my left-off robes only the day +before." + +"Omar believeth thee dead. Thy presence in Mo will indeed bring happiness +to his eyes, and gaiety to his heart," I exclaimed happily. + +"Doth he still mourn for me?" she inquired artlessly. I knew she wanted +to ask me many questions regarding her lover, but her modesty forbade it. + +"Since the fatal night when thou wert lost joy hath never caused a smile +to cross his countenance. Sleeping and waking he thinketh only of thee, +revering thy memory, reflecting upon the happy moments spent at thy side, +as one fondly remembers a pleasant dream or adventures in some fair +paradise, yet ever sad in the knowledge that those blissful days can +never return. His is an empty honour, a kingship devoid of all pleasure +because thou art no longer his." + +Her lips trembled slightly, and I thought her brilliant eyes became +brighter for a moment because of an unshed tear. + +"I am still his," she said slowly, with emphasis. "I am ready, nay +anxious, to return to him. Thou hast saved me from death and from +dishonour; truly thou art a worthy friend of Omar's, for by thy valiant +deed alone thou restorest unto him the woman he loveth." + +I urged her to utter no word of thanks, and pointing to the sky, rendered +every moment more dark by the increasing volumes of smoke ascending from +the city, said: + +"See! Our men are busy preparing for the destruction of this palace that +through many centuries hath been a centre of Mohammedan influence and +oppression. Time doth not admit of thanks, for we both have much to do +ere we start forth on our return to Mo, and----" + +My words were interrupted by a terrific explosion in such close proximity +to us that it caused us to jump, and was followed by a deafening crash of +falling masonry. From the lattice we saw the high handsome minaret of the +palace topple and fall amid a dense smoke and shower of stones. Our men +had undermined it and blown it up. + +Liola shuddered, glancing at me in alarm. + +"Fear not," I said. "Ere we leave, the city of Koussan must be devastated +and burned. Samory hath never given quarter, or shown mercy to his weaker +neighbours, and we will show none. Besides, he held thee captive as he +hath already held thy lover Omar and myself. He sold us to slavers that +we might be sacrificed in Kumassi, therefore the curse of thy +Crocodile-god Zomara placed upon him hath at last fallen. The flood-gates +of vengeance now opened the hand of man cannot close." + +The great court of the harem, deserted by the troops, had become filled +with volumes of dense smoke, showing that fire had broken out somewhere +within the palace, and ever and anon explosions of a more or less violent +character told us that the hands of the destroyers were actually at work. +The sack of the Kasbah was indeed complete. + +The loot, of which there was an enormous quantity of considerable value, +was being removed to a place of safety by a large body of men told off +for the purpose. Although Samory was a fugitive, yet the treasures found +within his private apartments were of no mean order, and ere noon had +passed preparations were being made for its conveyance to Mo, the greater +part of the city being already in flames. The fire roared and crackled, +choking smoke-clouds obscured the sun, and the heat wafted up was +stifling. All opposition to us had long ago ceased, but whenever an Arab +was found secreted or a fugitive, he was shot down without mercy. To +linger longer in the harem might, I judged, be dangerous on account of +the place having been fired, therefore we went together out into the +court, and stepping over the mutilated bodies of its beautiful prisoners, +entered the chamber where Samory had held his court. Empty, dismantled +and wrecked, its appearance showed plainly how the mighty monarch had +fallen. Even the great bejewelled manuscript of the Koran, the Arab book +of Everlasting Will, that had reposed upon its golden stand at the end of +the fine, high-roofed chamber, had been torn up, for its leaves lay +scattered about the pavement and after the jewels had been hastily dug +from their settings, the covers of green velvet had been cast aside as +worthless. Every seat or divan had been either broken or slashed by +swords, every vessel or mirror smashed, every ornament damaged beyond +repair. + +Thinking it best to leave her, a woman, in care of a guard of our armed +men, while I went forward, I made the suggestion, but she would not hear +of it. + +"No," she answered smiling. "I will remain ever at thy side, for beside +thee I fear not. Thou art my rescuer, and my life is thine." + +"But some of the sights we may witness are not such as a woman's eyes +should behold," I answered. + +"It mattereth not. That thou wilt allow me to accompany thee, is all I +ask." + +"Very well," I replied, laughing. "Thou art welcome. Come." + +By my side she hurried through the chamber wherein had stood the throne, +and thence through several handsome courts, wandering at last into +another smaller chamber at the side of which I noticed an alcove with a +huge Arab bed surrounded by quaint lattices, so dark that my gaze could +not penetrate to its recesses. + +As we passed, the movement of some object in the deep shadow beside the +bed attracted my attention. Advancing quickly I detected the figure of a +man, and, fearing a sudden dash by one of our lurking foes, I again drew +my sword. + +Liola, seeing this, gave vent to a little scream of alarm and placed her +hand upon my arm in fear, but next second the fugitive, anticipating my +intention to attack him, sprang suddenly forward into the light. + +The bearded face, the fierce, flashing eyes, the thick lips and bushy +brows were all familiar to me. Although he wore the white cotton garb of +the meanest slave, I recognised him in an instant. + +It was the great Arab chieftain Samory! + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. + +LIOLA'S DISCOVERY. + + +WITH a sudden bound I left Liola's side and sprang upon the leader of our +enemies, clutching him fiercely by the throat and shouting for +assistance. No one was, however, near, and for a few moments we struggled +desperately. He was unarmed, and I, having unfortunately dropped my sword +in the encounter, our conflict resolved itself into a fierce wrestle for +the possession of the weapon which must give victory to the one into +whose hands it fell. Once Samory, wiry and muscular like all Arabs, +notwithstanding his age, stooped swiftly in an endeavour to snatch up the +blade, but seeing his intention, my fingers tightened their grip upon his +throat, and he was compelled to spring up again without obtaining +possession of the weapon. For several minutes our struggle was desperate, +for he had managed to pinion my arms, and I knew that ere long I must be +powerless, his strength being far superior to my own. + +Liola screamed for help, but no one seemed within call, when suddenly the +thought seemed to suggest itself to her to snatch up my weapon and hold +it. + +I turned to take it from her, but by this action my grip upon my Arab foe +became released, and with a desperate spring he forced himself from my +grasp, bounding away, leaving a portion of his white _jibbeh_ in my hand. +But, determined that he should not escape, I dashed after him headlong +across the chamber, and out by the opposite door. In the court beyond a +knot of our soldiers were standing discussing the events of the day, and +I shouted to them; but the sight of me chasing a single fugitive slave +did not appeal to them, and they disregarded my order to arrest his +progress. Nevertheless I kept on, feeling assured that sooner or later I +must run him to earth, but never thinking of the intricacies with which +all such palaces abound, intricacies which must be well-known to the +Mohammedan ruler. + +Suddenly, after endeavouring to elude me by ingenious devices +innumerable, and always finding himself frustrated, he entered a chamber +leading from the Court of the Eunuchs, and had gained on me sufficiently +to disappear ere I reached the entrance. I rushed through after him, +believing that he had crossed the deserted court beyond, but was +surprised to find that I had utterly lost him. I halted to listen, but +could hear no footsteps, and after a careful examination of all the +outlets, presently returned in chagrin to the chamber into which he had +suddenly dashed, before escaping. + +Standing in its centre I looked wonderingly around. Then, for the first +time, I discovered that our soldiers, obeying their instructions, had +been pouring inflammable liquids everywhere throughout the Kasbah, and a +great burst of blood-red flame in the outer court told me that the place +had been ignited. At that moment, Liola, with white scared face, +believing that she had lost me, entered the chamber, but I recognized our +imminent peril, surrounded as we were by a belt of fire. + +"Fly!" I cried, frantically. "Fly! quick, back across yonder court to +save thy life! In a few moments I will join thee. I must examine this +chamber ere I depart." + +"I will not go without thee," she answered with calm decision. + +"Why riskest thou thy life?" I cried in excitement. "Fly, or in a moment +it may be too late, we may both be overwhelmed or suffocated." + +But she stirred not. She stood by me in silence, gazing in fear at the +red roaring flames that, raging outside, now cut off our retreat by +either door. The cause of my hesitation to rush away at first sight of +the flames, was the suspicion that somewhere in that chamber was a secret +exit. The sudden manner in which the Arab chieftain had eluded me could +only have been accomplished by such means. The chamber, well furnished +and supported by three great twisted columns of milk-white marble, had +its floor covered with costly rugs and its walls hung with dark red +hangings, bearing strange devices and inscriptions in long thin Arabic +characters. Few rooms in the Kasbah were decorated in this manner, and it +had instantly occurred to me that, concealed somewhere, was one of those +secret ways which, whether in the Oriental palace, or the mediaeval +European castle, are so suggestive of treachery and intrigue. + +Although one horse-shoe arch of the place led into the Court of the +Eunuchs, the other, I noticed, was in direct communication with Samory's +private apartments. With consummate skill he had led me here by such a +circuitous route that I had not at first noticed that it joined a kind of +ante-room to his pavilion. + +But the roaring flames that every moment leaped nearer, crackling +furiously and fanning us with their scorching breath, allowed me no time +for further reflection. Escape was now entirely cut off; only by +discovering the secret exit could we save ourselves. In breathless haste +I rushed around the walls, tapping them with my sword; but such action +proved useless, as I could hear nothing above the roaring and crackling +on either side. With my hands I tried to discover where the door was +concealed, rushing from side to side in frantic despair, but the exit, +wherever it existed, was too cunningly hidden. + +So dense had the smoke become that we could not see across the chamber; +tongues of fire had ignited the heavy silken hangings, and the whole +interior was alight from end to end. + +"We are lost--lost!" shrieked Liola in despair "We have fallen victims +to our own terrible vengeance upon our enemies." + +Within myself I was compelled to admit this, for it seemed as though +Samory had led us into a veritable death-trap that the soldiers of Mo had +themselves prepared. Suddenly, as a last chance, I remembered I had not +examined the three great marble columns, each of such circumference that +a man could not embrace them in his arms. I dashed forward, and in the +blinding smoke, that caused my eyes to water and held my chest +contracted, I tried to investigate whether they were what they appeared +to be, solid and substantial supports. The first was undoubtedly +fashioned out of a single block of stone, the lower portion polished by +the thousands of people who during many centuries had brushed past it. +The second was exactly similar, and the third also. But the latter seemed +more chipped and worn than the others, and just as I was about to abandon +all hope I made a sudden discovery that thrilled me with joy. As I +grasped it a portion of it fell back, disclosing that the column was +hollow. + +The hole was just sufficient to admit the passage of one's body, and +without an instant's hesitation I drew Liola forward, and urged her to +get inside. The flames were now lapping about us, and another moment's +delay would mean certain death. Therefore she dashed in, and as she did +so sank quickly out of sight, while the portion of the marble column +closed again with a snap. + +The rapidity with which she disappeared astounded me, the more so, when, +after the lapse of about a minute the platform whereon she had stepped +rose again, and with a click returned to its place. Only then was I +enabled to re-open the cavity. Apparently it worked automatically, and +being balanced in some way, as soon as Liola had stepped off it, had +risen again. Instantly I stepped upon it, and with hands close to my +sides, sank so swiftly into the darkness that the wind whistled through +my garments and roared in my ears. The descent was, I judged, about two +hundred feet, but in the pitch darkness I could not discern the character +of the shaft. Of a sudden with a jerk it stopped, and finding myself in a +strange dimly-lit chamber bricked like a vault, with Liola standing +awaiting me, I stepped off, and as I did so the platform shot up again +into its place. + +"We have, at all events, escaped being burned alive," my fair companion +exclaimed when she recovered breath. "But this place is weird and dismal +enough." + +"True," I answered. "There must, however, be some exit, or Samory would +not have entered it. We must explore and discover it." + +Glancing around the mysterious vault I saw burning in a niche, with a +supply of oil sufficient to last several weeks, a single lamp that had +apparently always been kept alight. Taking it up I led the way through +the long narrow chamber. The walls, blackened by damp, were covered with +great grey fungi, while lizards and other reptiles scuttled from our path +into the darkness. At the further end, the vault narrowed into a passage +so low that we were compelled to stoop when entering it. In this burrow, +the ramifications of which were extraordinary, Liola's filmy garments +came to sad grief, for catching upon the projecting portions of rock, +they were rent from time to time, while the loss of one of her little +green slippers necessitated some delay in recovering it. Yet groping +along the narrow uneven way in search of some exit, we at length came +into a larger chamber, bricked like the others, and as we entered it were +startled by a sudden unearthly roar. + +We both drew back, and Liola, in fear, clutched my arm. + +"Listen!" she gasped. "What was that?" + +Again the noise was repeated, causing the low-roofed chamber to echo, and +as I peered forward into the darkness, my gaze was transfixed by a pair +of gleaming fiery eyes straight before us. + +Similar noises I had heard in the forest on many occasions, and the +startling truth at once flashed across my mind. Confronting us was a +lion! + +I stood in hesitation, not knowing how to act, while Liola clung to me, +herself detecting the gleaming eyes and being fully aware of our peril. +Yet scarcely a moment passed ere there was a loud rushing sound in the +darkness, and the animal, with a low growl, flew through the air in our +direction. We had no time to elude him, but fortunately he seemed to have +misjudged his distance, for he alighted about half-a-dozen paces short of +us. So close was his head that the two gleaming orbs seemed to be +rivetted to us. We felt his breath, and unable to draw back, we feared +that each second must be our last. + +Next moment I heard a clanking of chains, a sound that gave me instant +courage. + +"Hark!" I cried joyously. "At present we are safe, for the brute is +chained!" + +Such we ascertained a few minutes later was actually the case, and as I +stood there, lamp in hand, my foot struck something. Glancing down I saw +it was a human thigh-bone. The animal had already tasted the blood of +man, and, straining at his chain, was furious to spring upon us. I then +became puzzled to know the reason why this fierce king of the forest +should be kept in captivity at this depth if not to guard some entrance +or exit. For a few moments I reflected, and at length arrived at the +conclusion that during our progress we had slowly ascended towards the +earth's surface, and that through the lion's den was the exit of that +subterranean way. Again, we had neither seen nor heard sign of the +fugitive chieftain. By some means or other he must have succeeded in +passing the ferocious brute, and if he had accomplished it, we surely +could also. + +With my words half drowned by the continuous roar of the fiery-eyed +guardian of the secret burrow, I explained briefly to Liola the result of +my reflections, and then set about to ascertain the length of the chain +holding the animal. After several experiments, allowing it to spring +forward at me half-a-dozen times and narrowly escaping its ponderous paws +more than once, I ascertained that the chain was just short enough to +allow a person to cross the chamber flattened against the opposite wall. + +Holding the lamp still in my hand and urging Liola to brace her nerves +and watch me closely, I essayed the attempt, creeping cautiously with my +back against the roughly-hewn side of the underground lair, and drawing +my garments about me to prevent them being hooked by the cruel claws that +followed me within a yard during the whole distance. Before my eyes the +big shaggy head wagged continuously, the great jaws with their terrible +teeth opened, emitting terrific roars of rage and closed again with a +dull ominous click, while the chain was strained until I feared it might +be rent asunder. + +Through several minutes mine was a most horrible experience, for I knew +not whether the wall was even; if not, I must have fallen beneath the +ferocious claws. However, I managed to successfully cross the brute's +den, and shouting to Liola that the passage was perfectly safe, providing +she kept her garments closely about her and did not remove her back from +the wall, held up the light to her. + +With reassuring words she commenced to follow my example, and when the +brute saw me in safety and noticed her approach, he left me and sprang +towards her. But again he fell short, almost strangled by the pressure +upon the iron collar that held him. With an awful roar, his jaws snapping +in rage, and his paws constantly clutching at her, he followed her +closely just as he had followed me. I feared that she might suddenly +faint from the terrible strain upon her nerves, but having witnessed my +safe passage she preserved a calmness that was amazing. Twice as the +animal, after crouching, leapt suddenly forward I feared the chain must +give way, but beyond a low frightened scream escaping her, she preserved +a cool demeanour, and a few moments later I was gratified to find her +standing panting but unharmed at my side. + +"There is an exit somewhere near," I exclaimed a moment later, while she +rearranged her torn, blood-stained garments and smoothed her hair with +her hands. "Come, let us search." + +On proceeding we soon found ourselves in a small passage, drier than the +former, and descending rather steeply for some distance, suddenly entered +another spacious chamber hewn from the solid rock. Immediately we were +inside some peculiarity of its walls attracted my gaze, and I noticed, in +addition, that we were in a _cul-de-sac_. + +There was, after all, no exit! + +The rocky walls, however, rivetted the attention of both of us, for let +into them at frequent intervals were large square plates of iron. These I +examined carefully, quickly arriving at the conclusion that they had been +placed there to close up hewn cavities. With this opinion, Liola, +assisting me in my investigations, fully agreed. Each plate, looking +curiously like the door of an oven, had apparently been fitted deeply +into grooves sunk in the hard rock, for although I tried one after the +other, seeking to remove them, they would not budge. By tapping upon them +I ascertained that they were of great thickness, and I judged that each +must weigh several hundredweight. They were not doors, for they had no +hinges, yet beneath each one was a small semi-circular hole in the iron +into which I could just thrust my little finger. These were certainly not +key-holes, but rather, it seemed, intended to admit air. + +In the course of our eager investigations we suddenly came upon a great +pile of strongly-bound loads, each wrapped in untanned cow-hide and bound +tightly with wire. From their battered appearance they had evidently +rested upon the heads of carriers throughout a long march. + +"I wonder what they contain?" Liola exclaimed, as we both looked down +upon them. + +"Let us see," I said. Handing her the lamp, I knelt upon one of the +packages, and after considerable trouble succeeded in unbinding the wire. +Then as I tore away its thick covering, we both uttered cries of +amazement. The sight that met our gaze was bewildering. + +From the package there rolled out into the dust a profusion of +magnificent glittering jewels. + +"Ah! What diamonds!" Liola cried, with admiration for the iridescent +stones that was particularly feminine. Then, picking up a splendid +bracelet and slipping it upon her wrist, she added, "Look! Isn't this +marvellous? The gems are larger than I have ever before seen." + +"Beautiful!" I cried gleefully, for by sheer good fortune we had +discovered Samory's hidden treasure, and I reflected that our conquest +would be rendered absolutely complete by its removal in triumph to Mo. + +After a cursory examination of the first pack we together undid them one +after another, eagerly investigating their glistening contents, and +finding them to consist of a collection of the most wonderful and +valuable precious stones it was possible to conceive. There were a few +heavy gold ornaments of antique pattern, but in most of them jewels were +set, and those only of the most antique and magnificent character. Every +known gem was there represented by specimens larger, and of far purer +water, than my eyes had ever before beheld. Upon her knees, Liola, with a +cry of pleasure, plunged both hands into the glittering heap of jewels, +drawing out one after another and holding them up to the glimmering +light, her bright eyes full of admiration. The examination of nearly +forty great packages took us a long time, but so fascinating proved our +task that we were heedless of how the hours sped in our determination to +ascertain the true extent of our discovery. + +While still upon her knees I had opened almost the last package and +spread it before her, when, with a sudden ejaculation she withdrew a +magnificent necklet of emeralds of huge size in quaint ancient settings, +and with a gay laugh held it up to me for a moment, then clasped it about +her own white neck. In the centre hung a pendant consisting of a single +emerald of enormous size and brilliant lustre, and as I regarded it in +the half light, its shape struck me as distinctly curious. I snatched up +the lamp, and bending, examined the quaintly-cut gem more minutely. Then, +next instant, I cried excitedly: + +"See! The shape of the pendant proves the origin of the necklet!" + +With a quick movement she tore it off and looked. Then, in amazement, she +gasped: + +"It is a representation of Zomara, our god!" + +We both scrutinized it closely. Yes, there was no mistake, the emerald +had been fashioned into the form of a perfect crocodile, with open jaws, +even the teeth being finely chiselled, a veritable marvel of the +lapidary's art. While we were both looking at it puzzled, Liola's eyes +suddenly became attracted by sight of something in the package I had just +opened, and stooping swiftly, picked out of a mass of ornaments a +magnificent diadem of some strange milk-coloured, opaque crystals of a +character entirely strange to me. The stones were beautifully cut and +polished, and although they glittered, even in the sickly rays of our +lamp, they had no transparency. + +"Behold!" she cried in a voice full of awe, her clear eyes wide open in +astonishment. "See what we have discovered!" + +I gazed at it, failing at first to notice what I afterwards recognised. + +"It is a crown," I said laughing. "A crown fit to grace thy brow!" + +"It is the great Rock Diadem of the Sanoms of Mo!" she answered. "See! It +is surmounted by the vampire, our national emblem!" + +Then, I saw that upon the crest of the diadem was a single great diamond +wonderfully chiselled to represent a bat with outspread wings, the device +upon the banners of the mystic realm. + +"This," she continued, "is without doubt the historic crown of the first +Naya. Though it hath never been seen for ages by the eyes of man, it was +always popularly supposed to be preserved in the secret Treasure-house of +the Sanoms, among the royal jewels. Many are the beliefs and +superstitions regarding it. The stones are said to be the first pieces of +rock chipped during the foundation of our City in the Clouds, which, as +thou art aware, was her work a thousand years ago. Among the possessions +of our royal house no relic hath been more venerated than this Rock +Diadem of the Naya. How it came hither I know not. It is assuredly a +mystery." + +"No," I answered, endeavouring to subdue my excitement. "We have now +elucidated the mystery. The Treasure-house of Mo hath been entered by +thieves, and the most valuable of the royal treasures stolen. The matter +hath been kept secret from the people, but by our discovery the identity +of the robbers is established beyond doubt, and we have thus recovered +the wealth of a nation that was believed to be irretrievably lost." + +"But is all of this Omar's lost treasure?" she inquired, astounded at my +statement, glancing at the huge heap of gold and jewels nearly as high as +ourselves, and of such great value as to be utterly beyond computation. + +"Without doubt," I answered, stooping and picking up several jewelled +trinkets, girdles and other ornaments, each bearing the sacred reptile or +the vampire crest of royalty. "The recovery of these will, at least repay +thy nation for the expedition sent against their enemy. Retain possession +of the Rock Diadem of Mo, for thou hast discovered it, and with thine own +hands shalt thou deliver it into the possession of the ruler who loveth +thee." + +Then, carefully wrapping the ancient badge of regal dignity in a piece of +hide and binding it securely with wire as the carriers' loads had been, I +gave it back to her. In half an hour we had completed our examination of +the wondrous accumulation of treasure, finding among it many quaint and +extraordinary ornaments, some no doubt dating from the earlier days of +the foundation of the mysterious isolated kingdom, and others +manufactured during recent centuries. The gems were unique in size and +character. Truly the thieves in the employ of the Arab chief had taken +care to secure the most valuable portion of the royal jewels and leave +behind only those of least worth. + +With the secret of their concealment in our possession we were both full +of eagerness to get back to the light of day and take steps for their +removal, yet I confess that the mystery of what was contained behind +those strange plates of iron puzzled me. + +Leaving Liola to continue her inspection of our discovered treasures, I +crossed to the wall and examined one of the plates again, trying with +both hands to force it out, but being compelled to relinquish the attempt +as hopeless. I was about to give up all idea of discovering how they +might be opened, when Liola suddenly uttered an exclamation, and in +turning to glance at her, the flame of the lamp I held came into contact +with the wall close to the plate that had defied my exertions to remove +it. + +In an instant a bright flash ran around the chamber, lighting it up as +bright as day; a puff of grey smoke was belched in our faces, and a +report like thunder deafened us. + +An explosion had occurred, great pieces of rock and other _debris_ being +flung in all directions. + +Its terrific force hurled me heavily against the wall, while Liola was +flung face downward upon the pile of jewels. Fortunately, neither of us +sustained any injury beyond a few bruises, but when I had assisted her to +rise, and gazed around, I was amazed to discover that a strange thing had +occurred. The whole of the iron plates had been torn from their sockets, +and a dark cavity behind each disclosed. + +The small sealed cells had been wrenched open simultaneously, as if by a +miracle. + +But upon careful examination there was, I found, nothing miraculous in +the manner in which they had thus been forced. The suffocating smoke that +filled the place was of itself sufficient evidence of the agent to which +the explosion had been due, and when I looked at the first cavity I saw +that right around the chamber, from plate to plate, there had been laid a +train of gunpowder, communicating with a charge of powder placed behind +each of the semi-circular holes that had so puzzled me. Apparently it had +been deemed by Samory wiser to seal the cells entirely rather than secure +them by locks, and the train of powder had been placed in position in the +event of any reverse of fortune requiring him to secure his treasure +quickly before flight. A single spark, as I had accidentally proved, was +sufficient to open every cell simultaneously. + +Fortunately our lamp was not blown out by the concussion, therefore as +soon as the smoke cleared, we together made another tour of inspection +around the cavities, finding each of them crammed to overflowing with +treasure of every description. Five of the cells, apparently freshly +sealed, contained a portion of the stolen jewels of Mo, but all the +remainder were evidently the spoils of war, much of it of enormous value. +It amused me, too, to discover in one of the cavities, among a great +collection of costly bejewelled ornaments, such European articles as a +pair of common scissors in a pasteboard case, several penknives of the +commonest quality, an India-rubber squeaking doll, a child's toy train in +tin, and a mechanical mouse. All were, no doubt, considered as treasures +by the Arab potentate, yet I reflected that nearly every article in the +whole of that miscellaneous collection had been acquired by the most +ruthless and merciless bloodshed. + +When at last we became convinced of the necessity for finding some exit, +we left the chamber by the way we had entered. The discovery of the +wonderful treasure of the Sanoms made it plain to me that there must be +an exit somewhere, for the packs were far too ponderous to have been +lowered from the Kasbah by the way we had entered. On reflection I saw +that the lion was evidently kept there to guard the entrance to the store +of treasure, therefore it was not surprising that there was no outlet in +that direction. + +No, we should be compelled to repass the brute. This fact I explained to +Liola, but it in no way disconcerted her, for she crept past the +snapping jaws of the furious beast calmly, holding the treasured Rock +Diadem close beside her. Presently, on making a diligent search, we +discovered a long dark tunnel running at right angles to the path we had +traversed, and following this ascended to where a faint but welcome +glimmer of light showed. Soon we were in a small natural cavern, and a +few moments later struggled upward to the light of day, amazed to find +ourselves on the bank of a beautiful river. At our feet the clear cool +water ran by, placid and peaceful, but away across the grass-plain about +half a mile distant was the once-powerful city of Koussan, enveloped in +black smoke that ascended to the clear blue heavens, mingled with great +flames, the fierce roar of which reached our ears where we stood. + +The vengeance of Mo had indeed overtaken her Arab enemy, and completely +crushed him. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. + +INTO THE MIST. + + +OUR troops had, we found, withdrawn from the burning city and were +encamped about a mile away, taking a well-earned rest, and watching with +satisfaction the destruction of the once powerful capital of the "Pirate +of the Niger." The presence of Liola, together with the announcement of +the discovery of the treasure of the Sanoms, that we made to Kona +secretly, caused him the wildest delight. His barbaric instinct overcame +him, and seizing his spear he executed a kind of war-dance around us, +bestowing upon us the most adulatory phrases of the Dagomba vocabulary. +Afterwards he addressed the assembled soldiers, omitting at my desire +all mention of the jewels of Mo, and three days later, having secured all +the gems and golden ornaments, together with Samory's hidden wealth, we +set forth on our triumphant return to the mysterious far-off land. + +Rapidly and pleasantly we accomplished the long journey, re-crossing the +treacherous Way of the Thousand Steps without a single mishap, and +ascended to the lofty plateau of Omar's kingdom until, high up in the +grey morning mist, we saw looming before us with almost spectral +indistinctness the gigantic battlements and domes of the City in the +Clouds. On ascending the rope steps at the Gate of Mo a few days +previously we had ascertained that the expedition to the Hombori +Mountains had been entirely successful, for the enemy had been met in the +pass by the defenders and mercilessly overwhelmed and slaughtered. +Against the lightweight Maxim guns, weighing only about twenty-five +pounds each and firing 600 to 700 shots per minute with an effective +range of two miles, the old-fashioned rifles and field-pieces of the +force under the traitor Kouaga had been powerless, hence the whole +expedition had been utterly routed, followed up after their flight and +massacred almost to a man, Kouaga himself being shot dead by Niaro while +strenuously endeavouring to rally his men for a final onslaught. Omar, at +the head of his victorious army, had re-entered the city only the day +before our arrival, therefore on our return we found ourselves in the +midst of feasting and merry-making of a most enthusiastic character. + +Little wonder was it that when the news of the complete victory we had +secured spread through the city the joy of the people knew no bounds, for +especially welcome was the information that, in addition to utterly +destroying Samory's city we had secured the whole of his treasure. Kona, +Liola and myself held back the fact that we had also recovered the stolen +jewels, and we also took elaborate precautions that the knowledge of +Liola's safety should not be conveyed prematurely to Omar. + +During the formal welcome that the young Naba, resplendent in his +magnificent bejewelled robes of state and surrounded by his sages and +officers, accorded us at the great palace-gate, now fully restored, Liola +held back, hiding herself. Not until evening, when I was sitting with +Omar in his luxurious private pavilion after eating a sumptuous meal +served on the royal dishes of chased gold, I told him confidentially of +the recovery of the lost jewels. + +"Impossible, Scars!" he cried in English, starting suddenly to his feet. +"Where did you find them? How?" + +Brief words were required to explain how I had discovered them hidden in +Samory's secret cavern beyond the lion's lair. + +"I understood that only the wealth of the old Arab's Kasbah was hidden +there," he exclaimed quickly. "This news is indeed as astounding as it is +welcome." + +"Your subjects are unaware that your treasure has ever been removed from +Mo, therefore I have not enlightened them," I answered. "Come with me and +see if you recognize any of the jewels." + +Eagerly he followed me into a small adjoining apartment where the loot +had been deposited, and as we opened pack after pack he uttered +ejaculations of surprise and complete gratification, recognizing in the +recovered gems the wonderful incomparable heirlooms of his royal house. + +He turned to thank me when we had finished, and as he did so I placed my +hand firmly on his arm, saying in a serious voice: + +"In addition to these, Omar, I have also recovered a jewel of even far +greater worth than all this magnificent collection; one that will shine +as the brightest and most beautiful gem in the diadem of Mo." + +A genuine look of bewilderment crossed his pale refined features for an +instant, as he answered: + +"I really don't understand, Scars. No jewel can be of greater intrinsic +value than the Treasure of the Sanoms. What is it?" + +For answer, Liola, a veritable vision of classic beauty in her loose +white robe, gold-embroidered at the hem, and broad girdle of fiery +rubies, stepped from behind the heavy curtain of blue silk where she had +been concealed, and stood before him. + +Rigid in speechless amazement he stood for a moment, then recognizing +that his lost love was actually present, alive and well, he bounded +towards her, and with a loud cry of joy embraced her, brushing back her +soft hair and covering her white open brow with passionate kisses. + +It was indeed a joyous reunion, but as I turned intending to withdraw +discreetly and leave them alone together to continue their exchange of +confidences, my friend promptly called me back, saying: + +"Stay, Scars, old fellow! Let me hear from your own lips the solution of +this mystery of the return of the dead to life. Truly you have recovered +a jewel worth to me a hundred times all the treasures of Mo." + +Crossing again towards him I described briefly the revolting +circumstances in which I had discovered her, a harem slave of our Arab +enemy; how we had both narrowly escaped being burned to death, our +subsequent adventures in the damp subterranean burrow, and the finding of +the secreted treasure. + +"Liola herself also made one discovery," I said in conclusion, laughing +and turning towards her. + +Gently disengaging herself from her lover's fond arms she went behind the +curtain where she had hidden, and on coming forth again held in her slim +white hands a round package still securely wrapped in untanned hide, +which she handed to Omar. + +"The Rock Diadem of the Naya!" he cried in joy, when his trembling, eager +hands had opened it. "The most valued of all our possessions!" Then, +turning towards Liola, he tenderly placed upon her head the historic mark +of royalty, saying in his own tongue: + +"Now that the days of our sorrow have passed like the shadow of a cloud +upon a sunlit sea, we will be wed as soon as it is meet for us so to do, +and upon thy brow thus shalt rest the diadem of the first Naya, the +upright queen to whom Mo oweth her magnificence, her power, and her +present prosperity. Thou shalt sit beside me upon the Emerald Throne; +thou shalt be known as the Naya Liola." + +Again he embraced her with ineffable tenderness, and with her handsome +head pillowed heavily upon his shoulder her breast heaved, and from her +deep blue fathomless eyes there fell tears of joy. + +At last, having received the warmest thanks from my old companion through +many misfortunes and from the woman he loved, I turned and sought the +sage Goliba, to whom I told the good news of his daughter's safety and +betrothal to Omar. + +Three days later the marriage took place amid the most gorgeous pomp and +the wildest popular rejoicings, the strange ceremony being performed by +the high-priest of the Temple of Zomara beneath the golden figure of the +Crocodile-god that hung suspended above the Emerald Throne. Feasts and +merry-making continued throughout a whole moon, and the mystic city, +decorated with flags and flowers, was agog by day and brilliantly +illuminated by night. Never in the long history of the ancient kingdom +had such costly banquets been served; never had the royal entertainments +been on such lavish scale; never had the sounds of revelry contained such +a true genuine ring, for never before had the people been so happy and +content. Though on the day of the marriage Liola was solemnly crowned +with the wonderful Rock Diadem of Mo, I, as keeper of the royal treasure, +allowed no word to go forth regarding the theft and recovery of the Sanom +jewels, which had already been deposited in their original hiding-place +beneath the lake. Samory's treasure was, however, given to Liola by Omar, +and she ordered half of it to be distributed to the poor, an act of +generosity that won for her intense popularity. + +Her action was, she told me in confidence, a thank-offering to Zomara for +her timely rescue from a terrible fate. + + + + +CONCLUSION. + + +SAMORY, the truculent old Arab, escaped. By some means he eluded us in +the dark intricacies of that subterranean way, and groping along in a +similar manner to ourselves, he evidently fled to the forest, for he has +since collected the scattered remnant of his nomadic bands, and although +he has never since troubled us, yet he now and then commits depredations +on the borders of the English and French spheres of influence. Ere long +he will overstep the bounds, and one Power or another will certainly send +a punitive expedition to crush and humiliate him, as they have crushed +the arrogant Prempeh of Ashanti. + +During many months the means by which the theft of the Treasure of the +Sanoms had been effected remained an inscrutable mystery, and it was only +on the day previous to my departure from the mysterious land for England, +or rather more than six months ago, that the problem was solved and in a +manner entirely unexpected. + +In preparation for the annual feast in honour of the Crocodile-god I had +occasion to go secretly and alone to the submerged Treasure-house, in +order to obtain certain jewels which tradition decreed should be worn on +that day by the reigning sovereign. I had emptied the lake, unsealed the +cover of the well-like aperture, locked the mechanism fatal to intruders, +descended and obtained what I sought, when on ascending I was dismayed to +find water pouring in upon me in increasing volumes. Upwards I climbed, +struggling desperately against the inrushing flood thundering down upon +me, and was aghast to find, when I gained the surface, that the +sluice-gates that held back the waters feeding the lake had been opened, +and that it was rapidly refilling. Instantly it occurred to me to replace +the cover, and in breathless haste I succeeded in screwing it down and +dashing for my life back to the bank, the water being up to my arm-pits +ere I reached it. + +When next second I glanced upward to the mound where the mechanism was +concealed, I saw standing thereon the wild-looking figure of a woman +with her soiled, tattered garments fluttering in the wind. + +Her long scraggy arms were raised high above her head, and she was crying +aloud to me. + +Without a moment's hesitation I dashed forward up the hill to secure the +person who had apparently discovered the secret of the Treasure-house, +but on approaching her closely I suddenly halted in astonishment. + +The wretched, fiendish-looking virago, upon whose face were the most +hideous distortions of insanity I had ever witnessed, was none other than +the once-powerful tyrannical autocrat, the Great White Queen! + +Across her narrow, withered brow, brown almost as a toad's back, a single +wisp of thin grey hair strayed; in her eyes was the unmistakeable light +of madness, while the nails of her outstretched fingers were as sharp and +long as the talons of some beast of prey. So weird and repulsive-looking +was she that I stood before her dumbfounded. + +"Ah!" she shrieked to me exultantly, in a harsh, rasping voice, "I have +killed them--drowned them all, the accursed spies and renegades! The +traitor Kouaga captured me as I fled for life from the city-gate, and +promising me release and safe escort from this land of evil spirits in +return for the secret of the Treasure-house, I recklessly gave it to him, +on condition that his armed men should assist me to recover my lost +position as Queen of Mo. I promised to forget the past and take him back +into my favour. But, securing my jewels, he conveyed them to his Arab +master at Koussan, and left me alone, deposed and ruined. May Zomara +crush and torture him, the traitor!" Then, turning with wild gesture +towards the lake, now a great sheet of placid water, her hands clutched +convulsively, her eyes starting as if she saw, in her disordered +imagination, a host of her enemies, she cried: "This, at last, is the +hour of my revenge! I have drawn the lever, and while they were below +with you they were drowned like rats in a hole!" And she gave vent to a +short, dry laugh, exclaiming: "They refused to assist me to tear the +usurper from the Emerald Throne, so I have killed them. My work is +finished! I have reigned and have been deposed; I have striven for the +people, and have been rewarded by their curses; I have----" + +At this moment, determined to carry her back to the city, I sprang +forward and gripped her lean, bony arms. With colossal strength, +engendered by insanity, she fought and bit, shrieking and showering +imprecations upon me, it requiring all my strength to hold her; but +presently she became quiet again, uttering long strings of rapid +incoherent words that plainly showed the hopeless state of her mind. + +Thus walking, we gained the edge of the lake, and having passed the +cascade were skirting the river when, with a suddenness that took me +completely by surprise, she slipped from my grasp, and with a wild +exclamation dashed towards the warm, oozy bank. + +Next second I noticed that the waters were alive with the sacred +reptiles, but ere I could reach her she threw up her long, thin arms, and +uttering an unearthly yell, plunged in. + +A dozen hideous, hungry jaws snapped viciously as she cast herself +amongst them, and an instant later where, with a shriek of horror, she +disappeared for ever beneath the waters, the swiftly-flowing current was +tinged red by long streaks of human blood. + +In an excess of religious fervour she had sacrificed herself to her god +Zomara. + + * * * * * + +This is no apologue. Little there remains to tell. Under the beneficent +rule of Omar and Liola power, prosperity and contentment have now +returned to the mysterious ancient realm, within which I have been the +first stranger to set foot. As principal official of the ruler of the +land that, although familiar to me, is still a mystery to the Royal +Geographical Society, I left for England a few months ago on a mission to +the greatest White Queen, Victoria, offering her assistance in her effort +to crush the cruel sway of our mutual enemies the Ashantis. Our offer was +cordially accepted, and the successful issue of the campaign which caused +the downfall of Prempeh is now well known. Before returning to resume my +duties as Governor of Mo, the far-off spectral City in the Clouds, into +which no stranger may enter, I have, however, written down, at the +instigation of the publishers whose name this volume bears upon its +title-page, this plain tale of travel, treason and treasure as a record +of the first successful journey to the high-up, inaccessible land of the +Naya, the once-dreaded Great White Queen. + + +THE END. + + + +Transcriber's Notes. + +1. Inconsistencies in hyphenation & spelling left intact. + +2. Missing quotation marks and periods have been added, see HTML version +for more details. + +3. Errors corrected: + "CHAPTER III" changed to "CHAPTER XIII" + "After some futher discussion" changed to "After some further discussion" + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Great White Queen, by William Le Queux + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GREAT WHITE QUEEN *** + +***** This file should be named 25499.txt or 25499.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/4/9/25499/ + +Produced by Suzanne Lybarger and the booksmiths at +http://www.eBookForge.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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