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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Black Man's Burden, by Dallas McCord Reynolds
+
+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: Black Man's Burden
+
+Author: Dallas McCord Reynolds
+
+Illustrator: Schoenherr
+
+Release Date: May 15, 2010 [EBook #32390]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BLACK MAN'S BURDEN ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+BLACK MAN'S BURDEN
+
+BY MACK REYNOLDS
+
+Illustrated by Schoenherr
+
+
+[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Analog Science Fact &
+Fiction December 1961 and January 1962. Extensive research did not
+uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was
+renewed.]
+
+    "Take up the white man's burden
+    Send forth the best ye breed...."
+    --Kipling
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+     The turmoil in Africa is only beginning--and it must grow worse
+     before it's better. Not until the people of Africa know they are
+     Africans--not warring tribesmen--will there be peace....
+
+
+
+
+I
+
+
+The two-vehicle caravan emerged from the sandy wastes of the _erg_ and
+approached the small encampment of Taitoq Tuareg which consisted of
+seven goat leather tents. They were not unanticipated, the camp's scouts
+had noted the strange pillars of high-flung dust which were set up by
+the air rotors an hour earlier and for the past fifteen minutes they had
+been visible to all.
+
+Moussa-ag-Amastan, headman of the clan, awaited the newcomers at first
+with a certain trepidation in spite of his warrior blood. Although he
+hadn't expressed himself thus to his followers, his first opinion had
+been that the unprecedented pillars were djinn come out of the erg for
+no good purpose. It wasn't until they were quite close that it could be
+seen the vehicles bore resemblance to those of the Rouma which were of
+recent years spreading endlessly through the lands of the Ahaggar Tuareg
+and beggaring those who formerly had conducted the commerce of the
+Sahara.
+
+But the vehicles traveling through the sand dunes! That had been the
+last advantage of the camel. No wheeled vehicle could cross the vast
+stretches of the ergs, they must stick to the hard ground, to the
+tire-destroying gravel.
+
+They came to a halt and Moussa-ag-Amastan drew up his teguelmoust
+turban-veil even closer about his eyes. He had no desire to let the
+newcomers witness his shocked surprise at the fact that the desert
+lorries had no wheels, floated instead without support, and now that
+they were at a standstill settled gently to earth.
+
+There was further surprise when the five who issued forth from the two
+seemingly clumsy vehicles failed to be Rouma. They looked more like the
+Teda to the south, and the Targui's eyes thinned beneath his
+teguelmoust. Since the French had pulled out their once dreaded Camel
+Corps there had been somewhat of a renaissance of violence between
+traditional foes.
+
+However, the newcomers, though dark as Negro Bela slaves, wore Tuareg
+dress, loose baggy trousers of dark indigo-blue cotton cloth, a loose,
+nightgownlike white cotton shirt, and over this a _gandoura_ outer
+garment. Above all, they wore the teguelmoust though they were
+shockingly lax in keeping it properly up about the mouth.
+
+Moussa-ag-Amastan knew that he was backed by ten or more of his
+clansmen, half of whom bore rifles, the rest Tuareg broadswords,
+Crusader-like with their two edges, round points and flat rectangular
+cross-members. Only two of the strangers seemed armed and they
+negligently bore their smallish guns in the crooks of their arms. The
+clan leader spoke at strength, then, but he said the traditional "_La
+bas_."
+
+"There is no evil," repeated the foremost of the newcomers. His Tamabeq,
+the Berber language of the Tuareg confederations, seemed perfect.
+
+Moussa-ag-Amastan said, "What do you do in the lands of the Taitoq
+Tuareg?"
+
+The stranger, a tall, handsome man with a dominating though pleasant
+personality, indicated the vehicles with a sweep of his hand. "We are
+Enaden, itinerant smiths. As has ever been our wont, we travel from
+encampment to encampment to sell our products and to make repair upon
+your metal possessions."
+
+Enaden! The traveling smiths of the Ahaggar, and indeed of the whole
+Sahara, were a despised and ragged lot at best. Few there were that ever
+possessed more than a small number of camels, a sprinkling of goats,
+perhaps a sheep or two. But these seemed as rich as Roumas, as Europeans
+or Americans.
+
+Moussa-ag-Amastan muttered, "You jest with us at your peril, stranger."
+He pointed an aged but still strong hand at the vehicles. "Enaden do not
+own such as these."
+
+The newcomer shrugged. "I am Omar ben Crawf and these are my followers,
+Abrahim el Bakr Ma el Ainin, Keni Ballalou and Bey-ag-Akhamouk. We come
+today from Tamanrasset and we are smiths, as we can prove. As is known,
+there is high pay to be earned by working in the oil fields, at the dams
+on the Niger, in the afforestation projects, in the sinking of the new
+wells whose pumps utilize the rays of the sun, in the developing of the
+great new oases. There is much Rouma money to be made in such work and
+my men and I have brought these vehicles specially built in the new
+factories in Dakar for desert use."
+
+"Slave work!" one of Moussa-ag-Amastan's kinsmen sneered.
+
+Omar ben Crawf shrugged in obvious amusement, but there was a warmth and
+vitality in the man that quickly affected even strangers. "Perhaps," he
+said. "But times change, as every man knows and today there no longer
+need be hunger, nor illness, nor any want--if a man will but work a
+fraction of each day."
+
+"Work is for slaves," Moussa-ag-Amastan barked.
+
+The newcomer refused to argue. "But all slaves have been freed, and
+where in the past this meant nothing since the Bela had no place to go,
+no way to live save with his owner, today it is different and any man
+can go and find work on the many projects that grow everywhere. So the
+slaves slip away from the Tuareg, and the Teda and Chaamba. Soon there
+will be no more slaves to do the work about your encampments. And then
+what, man of the desert?"
+
+"We'll fight!" Moussa-ag-Amastan growled. "We Tuareg are warriors,
+bedouin, free men. We will never be slaves."
+
+"_Inshallah._ If God wills it," the smith agreed politely.
+
+"Show us your wares," the old chieftain snapped. "We chatter like women.
+Talk can wait until the evening meal and in the men's quarters of my
+tent." He approached the now parked vehicles and his followers crowded
+after him. From the tents debouched women and children. The children
+were completely nude, and the Tuareg women were unveiled for such are
+the customs of the Ahaggar Tuareg that the men go veiled but women do
+not.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+One of the lorries was so constructed that a side could be raised in
+such fashion to display a wide variety of tools, weapons, household
+utensils, and textiles. Ohs and ahs punctuated the air, women being the
+same in every land. Two of the smiths brought forth metal-working
+equipment of strange design and set up shop to one side. A broken bolt
+on an aged Lebel rifle was quickly repaired, a copper cooking pot
+brazed, some harness tinkered with.
+
+Of a sudden, Moussa-ag-Amastan said, "But your women, your families,
+where are they?"
+
+The one who had been introduced as Abrahim el Bakr, an open-faced man
+whose constant smiling seemed to take a full ten years off what must
+have been his age, explained. "On the big projects, one can find
+employment only if he allows his children to attend the new schools. So
+our wives and children remain near Tamanrasset while the children learn
+the lore of books."
+
+"Rouma schools!" one of the warriors sneered.
+
+"Oh, no. There are few Roumas remaining in all the land now," the smith
+said easily. "Those that are left serve us in positions our people as
+yet cannot hold, in construction of the dams, in the bringing of trees
+to the desert, but soon, even they will be unneeded."
+
+"_Our_ people?" Moussa-ag-Amastan rumbled ungraciously. "You are smiths.
+The smiths have no people. You are neither Kel Rela, Tégehé Mellet,
+Taitoq, nor even Teda, Chaambra, or Ouled Tidrarin."
+
+One of the smiths said easily, "In the great new construction camps, in
+the new towns, with their many ways to work and become rich, the tribes
+are breaking up. Tuareg works next to Teda and a Moor next to a former
+Haratin serf." He added, as though unthinkingly, even as he displayed an
+aluminum pan to a wide-eyed Tuareg matron, "Indeed, even the clans break
+up and often Tuareg marries Arab or Sudanese or Rifs down from the
+north ... or even we Enaden."
+
+The clansmen were suddenly silent, in shocked surprise.
+
+"That cannot be true!" the elderly chief snapped.
+
+Omar ben Crawf looked at him mildly. "Why should my follower lie?"
+
+"I do not know, but we will talk of it later, away from the women and
+children who should not hear such abominations." The chief switched
+subjects. "But you have no flocks with you. How are we to pay for these
+things, these services?"
+
+"With money."
+
+The old man's face, what little could be seen through his teguelmoust,
+darkened. "We have little money in the Ahaggar."
+
+The one named Omar nodded. "But we are short of meat and will buy
+several goats and perhaps a lamb, a chicken, eggs. Then, too, as you
+have noted, we have left our women at home. We will need the services of
+cooks, some one to bring water. We will hire servants."
+
+The other said gruffly, "There are some Bela who will serve you."
+
+The smith seemed taken aback. "Verily, El Hassan has stated that the
+product of the labor of the slave is accursed."
+
+"El Hassan! Who is El Hassan and why should the work of a slave be
+accursed?"
+
+One of the tribesmen said, "I have heard of this El Hassan. Rumors of
+his teachings spread through the land. He is to lead us all, Tuareg,
+Arab and Sudanese, until we are all as rich as Roumas."
+
+Omar said, "It is well known that the Roumas and especially the
+Americans are all rich as Emirs but none of them ever possess slaves.
+The bedouin have slaves but fail to prosper. Verily, the product of the
+labor of the slave is accursed."
+
+"Madness," Moussa-ag-Amastan muttered. "If you do not let our slave
+women do your tasks, then they will remain undone. No Tuareg woman will
+work."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+But the headman of his clan was wrong.
+
+The smiths remained four days in all, and the abundance of their
+products was too much. What verbal battles might have taken place in the
+tent of Moussa-ag-Amastan, and in those of his followers, the smiths
+couldn't know, but Tuareg women are not dominated by their men. On the
+second day, three Tuareg women applied for the position of servants, at
+surprisingly high pay. Envy ran roughshod when they later displayed the
+textiles and utensils they purchased with their wages.
+
+Nor could the aged Tuareg chief prevent in the evening discussions
+between the men, a thorough pursuing of the new ideas sweeping through
+the Ahaggar. Though these strangers proclaimed themselves lowly
+Enaden--itinerant desert smiths--they were obviously not to be dismissed
+as a caste little higher than Haratin serfs. Even the first night they
+were invited to the tent of Moussa-ag-Amastan to share the dinner of
+shorba soup, cous cous and the edible paste _kaboosh_, made of cheese,
+butter and spices. It was an adequate desert meal, meat being eaten not
+more than a few times a year by such as the Taitoq Tuareg who couldn't
+afford to consume the animals upon which they lived.
+
+After mint tea, one of the younger Tarqui leaned forward. He said, "You
+have brought strange news, oh Enaden of wealth, and we would know more.
+We of the Ahaggar hear little from outside."
+
+Moussa-ag-Amastan scowled at his clansman, for his presumption, but Omar
+answered, his voice sincere and carrying conviction. "The world moves
+fast, men of the desert, and the things that were verily true even
+yesterday, have changed today."
+
+"To the sorrow of the Tuareg!" snapped Moussa-ag-Amastan.
+
+The other looked at him. "Not always, old one. Surely in your youth you
+remember when such diseases as the one the Roumas once called the
+disease of Venus, ran rampant through the tribes. When trachoma, the
+sickness of the eyes, was known as the scourge of the Sahara. When half
+the children, not only of Bela slaves and Haratin serfs, but also of the
+Surgu noble clans, died before the age of ten."
+
+"Admittedly, the magic of the Roumas cured many such ills," an older
+warrior growled.
+
+"Not their magic, their learning," the smith named El Ma el Ainin put
+in. "And, verily, now the schools are open to all the people."
+
+"Schools are not for such as the Bela and Haratin," the clan chief
+protested. "The Koran should not be taught to slaves."
+
+El Ma el Ainin said gently, "The Koran is not taught at all in the new
+schools, old one. The teachings of the Prophet are still made known to
+those interested, in the schools connected with the mosques, but only
+the teachings of science are made in the new schools."
+
+"The teachings of the Rouma!" a Tuareg protested, carefully slipping his
+glass of tea beneath his teguelmoust so that he could drink without his
+mouth being obscenely revealed.
+
+Omar ben Crawf laughed. "That is what we have allowed the Roumas to have
+us believe for much too long," he stated. "El Hassan has proven
+otherwise. Much of the wisdom of science has its roots in the lands of
+Asia and of Africa. The Roumas were savages in skins while the earliest
+civilizations were being developed in Africa and Asia Minor. Hardly a
+science now developed by the Roumas of Europe and America but had its
+beginning with us." He turned to the elderly chief.
+
+"You Tuareg are of Berber background. But a few centuries ago, the
+Berbers of Morocco, known as the Moors to the Rouma, leavened only with
+a handful of Jews and Arabs, built up in Spain the highest civilization
+in all the world of that time. We would be foolish, we of Africa, to
+give credit to the Rouma for so much of what our ancestors presented to
+the world."
+
+The Tuareg were astonished. They had never heard such words.
+
+Moussa-ag-Amastan was not appeased. "You sound like a Rouma, yourself,"
+he said. "Where have you learned of all this?"
+
+The smiths chuckled their amusement.
+
+Abrahim el Bakr said, "Verily, old one, have you ever seen a black
+Rouma?"
+
+Omar ben Crawf, the headman of the smiths, went on. "El Hassan has
+proclaimed great new beliefs that spread through all North Africa, and
+eventually, _Inshallah_, throughout the continent. Through his great
+learning he has assimilated the wisdom of all the prophets, all the
+wisemen of all the world, and proclaims their truths."
+
+The Tuareg chief was becoming increasingly irritated. Such talk as this
+was little short of blasphemy to his ears, but the fascination of the
+discussion was beyond him to ignore. And he knew that even if he did his
+young men, in particular, would only seek out the strangers on their own
+and then he would not be present to mitigate their interest. In spite of
+himself, now he growled, "What beliefs? What truths? I know not of this
+El Hassan of whom you speak."
+
+Omar said slowly, "Among them, the teachings of a great wise man from a
+far land. That all men should be considered equal in the eyes of society
+and should have equal right to life, liberty and the pursuit of
+happiness."
+
+"Equal!" one of the warriors ejaculated. "This is not wisdom, but
+nonsense. No two men are equal."
+
+Omar waggled a finger negatively. "Like so many, you fail to explore the
+teaching. Obviously, no man of wisdom would contend that all men are
+equally tall, or strong, or wise, or cunning, nor even fortunate. _No_
+two men are equal in such regards. But all men should have equal right
+to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, whatever that might mean
+to him as an individual."
+
+One of the Tuareg said slyly, "And the murderer of one of your kinsmen,
+should he, too, have life and liberty, in the belief of El Hassan?"
+
+"Obviously, the community must protect itself against those who would
+destroy the life or liberty of others. The murderer of a kinsman of
+mine, as well as any other man, myself included, should be subject
+equally to the same law."
+
+It was a new conception to members of a tribal society such as that of
+the Ahaggar Tuareg. They stirred under both its appeal and its negation
+of all they knew. A man owed alliance to his immediate family, to his
+clan, his tribe, then to the Tuareg confederation--in decreasing degree.
+Beyond that, all were enemies, as all men knew.
+
+One protested slowly, seeking out his words, "Your El Hassan preaches
+this equality, but surely the wiser man and the stronger man will soon
+find his way to the top in any land, in any tribe, even in the nations
+of the Rouma."
+
+Omar shrugged. "Who could contend otherwise? But each man should be free
+to develop his own possibilities, be they strength of arm or of brain.
+Let no man exploit another, nor suppress another's abilities. If a Bela
+slave has more ability than a Surgu Tuareg noble, let him profit to the
+full by his gifts."
+
+There was a cold silence.
+
+Omar finished gently by saying, "Or so El Hassan teaches, and so they
+teach in the new schools in Tamanrasset and Gao, in Timbuktu and Reggan,
+in the big universities at Kano, Dakar, Bamako, Accra and Abidian. And
+throughout North Africa the wave of the future flows over the land."
+
+"It is a flood of evil," Moussa-ag-Amastan said definitely.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+But in spite of the antagonism of the clan headman and of the older
+Tuareg warriors, the stories of the smiths continued to spread. It was
+not even beyond them to discuss, long and quietly, with the Bela slaves
+the ideas of the mysterious El Hassan, and to talk of the plentiful
+jobs, the high wages, at the dams, the new oases, and in the
+afforestation projects.
+
+Somehow the news of their presence spread, and another clan of nomad
+Tuareg arrived and pitched their tents, to handle the wares of the
+smiths and to bring their metal work for repair. And to listen to their
+disturbing words.
+
+As amazing as any of the new products was the solar powered, portable
+television set which charged its batteries during the daylight hours and
+then flashed on its screen the images and the voices and music of
+entertainers and lecturers, teachers and storytellers, for all to see.
+In the beginning it had been difficult, for the eye of the desert man is
+not trained to pick up a picture. He has never seen one, and would not
+recognize his own photograph. But in time, it came to them.
+
+The programs originated in Tamanrasset and in Salah, in Zinder and Fort
+Lamy and one of the smiths revealed that the mysterious waves, that fed
+the device its programs, were bounced off tiny moons which the Rouma had
+rocketed up into the sky for that purpose. A magic understandable only
+to marabouts and such, without doubt.
+
+At the end of their period of stay, the smiths, to the universal
+surprise of all, gave the mystery device to two sisters, kinswomen of
+Moussa-ag-Amastan, who were particularly interested in the teachers and
+lecturers who told of the new world aborning. The gift was made in the
+full understanding that all should be allowed to listen and watch, and
+it was clear that if ever the set needed repair it was to be left
+untinkered with and taken to Tamanrasset or the nearest larger
+settlement where it would be fixed free of charge.
+
+There were many strange features about the smiths, as each man could
+see. Among others, were their strange weapons. There had been some soft
+whispered discussion among the warriors in the first two days of their
+stay about relieving the strangers of their obviously desirable
+possessions--after all, they weren't kinsmen, not even Tuareg. But on
+the second day, the always smiling one named Abrahim el Bakr had been on
+the outskirts of the _erg_ when a small group of gazelle were flushed.
+The graceful animals took off at a prohibitive rifle range, as usual,
+but Abrahim el Bakr had thrown his small, all but tiny weapon to his
+shoulder and _flic flic flic_, with a sound no greater than the cracking
+of a ground nut, had knocked over three of them before the others had
+disappeared around a dune.
+
+Obviously, the weapons of the smiths were as great as their learning and
+their new instruments. It was discouraging to a raider by instinct.
+
+Then, too, there was the strangeness of the night talks their leader was
+known to have with his secret _Kambu_ fetish which was able to answer
+him in a squeaky but distinct voice in some unknown tongue, obviously a
+language of the djinn. The _Kambu_ was worn on a strap on Omar's wrist,
+and each night at a given hour he was wont to withdraw to his tent and
+there confer.
+
+On the fourth night, obviously, he was given instruction by the _Kambu_
+for in the morning, at first light, the smiths hurriedly packed, broke
+camp, made their good-byes to Moussa-ag-Amastan and the others and were
+off.
+
+Moussa-ag-Amastan was glad to see them go. They were quite the most
+disturbing element to upset his people in many seasons. He wondered at
+the advisability of making their usual summer journey to the Tuareg
+sedentary centers. He had a feeling that if the clan got near enough to
+such centers as Zinder to the south, or Touggourt to the north, there
+would be wholesale desertion of the Bela, and, for that matter, even of
+some of his younger warriors and their wives.
+
+However, there was no putting off indefinitely exposure to this danger.
+Even in such former desert centers as Tessalit and In Salah, the
+irrigation projects were of such magnitude that there was a great labor
+shortage. But always, of course, as the smiths had said, if you worked
+at the projects your children must needs attend the schools. And that
+way lay disaster!
+
+The five smiths took out overland in the direction of Djanet on the
+border of what had once been known as Libya and famed for its cliffs
+which tower over twenty-five hundred feet above the town. Their solar
+powered, air cushion, hover-lorries, threw up their clouds of dust and
+sand to right and left, but they made good time over the _erg_. A good
+hovercraft driver could do much to even out a rolling landscape,
+changing his altitude from a few inches here to as much as twenty-five
+feet there, given, of course, enough power in his solar batteries,
+although that was little problem in this area where clouds were
+sometimes not seen for years on end.
+
+This was back of the beyond, the wasteland of earth. Only the interior
+of the Arabian peninsula and the Gobi could compete and, of course, even
+the Gobi was beginning to be tamed under the afforestation efforts of
+the teeming multitudes of China who had suffered its disastrous storms
+down through the millennia.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Omar checked and checked again with the instrument on his wrist, asking
+and answering, his voice worried.
+
+Finally they pulled up beside a larger than usual wadi and Omar ben
+Crawf stared thoughtfully out over it. The one they had named Abrahim el
+Bakr stood beside him and the others slightly to the rear.
+
+Abrahim el Bakr nodded, for once his face unsmiling. "Those cats'll come
+down here," he said. "Nothing else would make sense, not even to an
+Egyptian."
+
+"I think you're right," Omar growled. He said over his shoulder, "Bey,
+get the trucks out of sight, over that dune. Elmer, you and Kenny set
+the gun up over there. Solid slugs, and try to avoid their cargo. We
+don't want to set off a Fourth of July here. Bey, when you're finished
+with the trucks, take that Tommy-Noiseless of yours and flank them from
+over behind those rocks. Take a couple of clips extra, for good
+luck--you won't need them, though."
+
+"How many are there supposed to be?" Abrahim el Bakr asked, his voice
+empty of humor now.
+
+"Eight half-trucks, two armed jeeps, or land-rovers, one or the other.
+Probably about forty men, Abe."
+
+"All armed," Abe said flatly.
+
+"Um-m-m. Listen, that's them coming. Right down the _wadi_. Get going
+men. Abe, you cover me."
+
+Abe Bakr looked at him. "Wha'd'ya mean, cover you, man? You slipped all
+the way round the bend? Listen, let me plant a couple quick land mines
+to stop 'em and we'll get ourselves behind these rocks and blast those
+cats half way back to Cairo."
+
+"We'll warn them as per orders."
+
+"Crazy man, like you're the boss, Homer," Abe growled. "But why'd I ever
+leave New Jersey?" He made his way to the right, to the top of the
+wadi's bank and behind a clump of thorny bush. He made himself
+comfortable, the light Tommy-Noiseless with its clip of two hundred .10
+caliber, ultra-high velocity shells resting before him on a flat rock
+outcropping. He thoughtfully flicked the selector to the explosive side
+of the clip. Let Homer Crawford say what he would about not setting off
+a Fourth of July, but if he needed covering in the moments to come, he'd
+need it bad.
+
+The chips were down now.
+
+The convoy, the motors growling their protests of the hard going even
+here at the gravel bottomed wadi river bed, made its way toward them at
+a pace of approximately twenty kilometers per hour.
+
+The lead jeep--Skoda manufacture, Homer Crawford noted cynically--was
+some thirty meters in advance. It drew to a halt upon seeing him and a
+turbaned Arab Union trooper swung a Brenn gun in his direction.
+
+An officer stood up in the jeep and yelled at Crawford in Arabic.
+
+The American took a deep breath and said in the same language, "You're
+out of your own territory."
+
+The officer's face went poker-expressionless. He looked at the lone
+figure, dressed in the garb of the Tuareg, even to the turban-veil which
+covers all but the eyes of these notorious Apaches of the Sahara.
+
+"This is no affair of yours," the lieutenant said. "Who are you?"
+
+Homer Crawford said very clearly, "Sahara Division, African Development
+Project, Reunited Nations. You're far out of your own territory,
+lieutenant. I'll have to report you, and also to demand that you turn
+and go back to your origin."
+
+The lieutenant flicked his hand, and the trooper behind the Brenn gun
+sighted the weapon and tightened his trigger finger.
+
+Crawford dropped to the ground and rolled desperately for a slight
+depression that would provide cover. He could have saved himself the
+resultant bruises and scratches. Before the Brenn gun spoke even once,
+there was a _Götterdammerung_ of sound and the three occupants of the
+jeep, driver, lieutenant and gunner were swept from the vehicle in a
+nauseating obscenity of exploding flesh, uniform cloth, blood and bone.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+To the side, Abe Bakr behind his thorn bush and rock vantage point
+turned the barrel of his Tommy-Noiseless to the first of the half
+tracks. Already Arab Union troopers were debouching from them, some
+firing at random and at unseen targets. However, the so-called Enaden
+smiths were well concealed, their weapons silenced except for the
+explosion of the tiny shells upon reaching their target.
+
+It wasn't much of a fight. The recoilless automatic rifle manned by
+Elmer Allen and Kenny Ballalou swept the wadi, swept it of life, at
+least, but hardly swept it clean. What few individuals were left, in
+what little shelter was to be found in the dry river's bottom, were
+picked off easily, if not neatly by the high velocity automatics in the
+hands of Abe Bakr and Bey-ag-Akhamouk.
+
+Afterwards, the five of them, standing at the side of the wadi, stared
+down at their work.
+
+Elmer Allen muttered a bitter four-letter obscenity. He had once headed
+a pacifist group at the University in Kingston, Jamaica. Now his teeth
+were bared, as they always were when he went into action. He hated it.
+
+Of them all, Bey-ag-Ahkamouk was the least moved by the slaughter. He
+grumbled, "Guns, explosives, mortar, flame throwers. If there is
+anything in the world my people don't need in the way of _aid_, it's
+weapons."
+
+"Our people," Homer Crawford said absently, his eyes--taking in the
+scene beneath them--empty, as though unseeing. He hated the need for
+killing, almost as badly as did Elmer Allen.
+
+Bey looked at him, scowling slightly, but said nothing. There had been
+mild rebuke in his leader's voice.
+
+"Well," Abe Bakr said with a tone of mock finality in his voice, as
+though he was personally wiping his hands of the whole affair, "how are
+you going to explain all this jazz to headquarters, man?"
+
+Homer said flatly, "We were attacked by this unidentified group of, ah,
+gun runners, from some unknown origin. We defended ourselves, to the
+best of our ability."
+
+Elmer Allen looked at the once human mess below them. "We certainly
+did," he muttered, scowling.
+
+"Crazy man," Abe said, nodding his agreement to the alibi.
+
+The others didn't bother to speak. Homer Crawford's unit was well knit.
+
+He said after a moment. "Abe, you and Kenny get some dynamite and plant
+it in this wadi wall in a few spots. We'll want to bury this whole mess.
+It wouldn't do for someone to come along and blow himself up on some of
+these scattered land mines, or find himself a bazooka or something to
+use on his nearest blood-feud neighbor."
+
+
+
+
+II
+
+
+The young woman known as Izubahil was washing clothes in the Niger with
+the rest but slightly on the outskirts of the chattering group of women,
+which was fitting since she was both a comparative stranger and as yet
+unselected by any man to grace his household. Which, in a way, was
+passingly strange since she was comely enough. Clad as the rest with
+naught but a wrap of colored cloth about her hips, her face and figure
+were openly to be seen. Her complexion was not quite so dark as most.
+She came from up-river, so she said, the area of the Songhoi, but by the
+looks of her there was more than average Arab or Berber blood in her
+veins. Her lips and nose were thinner than those of her neighbors.
+
+Yes, it was strange that no man had taken her, though it was said that
+in her shyness she repulsed any advances made by either the young men,
+or their wealthier elders who could afford more than one wife. She was a
+nothing-woman, really, come out of the desert alone, and without
+relatives to protect her interests, but still she repulsed the advances
+of those who would honor her with a place in their house, or tent.
+
+She had come out of the desert, it was known, with her handful of
+possessions done up in a packet, and had quietly and unobtrusively taken
+her place in the Negro community of Gao. Little better than a slave or
+Gabibi serf, she made her meager living doing small tasks for the
+better-off members of the community.
+
+But she knew her place, was dutifully shy and quiet spoken, and in the
+town or in the presence of men, wore her haik and veil. Yes, it was
+passing strange that she found no man. On the face of it, she was
+getting no younger, surely she must be into her twenties.
+
+Up to their knees in the waters of the Niger, out beyond the point where
+the dugout canoes were pulled up to the bank, their ends resting on the
+shore, they pounded their laundry. Laughing, chattering, gossiping. Life
+was perhaps poor, but still life was good.
+
+Someone pretended to see a crocodile and there was a wild scampering for
+the shore. And then high laughter when the jest was revealed. Actually,
+all the time they had known it a jest, since it was their most popular
+one--there were seldom crocodiles this far north in the Niger bend.
+
+There was a stir as two men dressed in the clothes of the Rouma
+approached the river bank. It was not forbidden, but good manners called
+for males to refrain from this area while the woman bathed and washed
+their laundry, without veil or upper garments. These mean were obviously
+shameless, and probably had come to stare. From their dress, their faces
+and their bearing, they were strangers. Possibly Senegalese, up from the
+area near Dakar, products of the new schools and the new industries
+mushrooming there. Strange things were told of the folk who gave up the
+old ways, worked on the dams and the other new projects, sent their
+little ones to the schools, and submitted to the needle pricks which
+seemed to compose so much of the magic medicine being taught in the
+medical schools by the Rouma witchmen.
+
+One of them spoke now in Songhoi, the _lingua franca_ of the vicinity.
+Shamelessly he spoke to them, although none were his women, nor even his
+tribal kin. None looked at him.
+
+"We seek a single woman, an unwed woman, who would work for pay and
+learn the new ways."
+
+They continued their laundry, not looking up, but their chatter dribbled
+away.
+
+"She must drop the veil," the man continued clearly, "and give up the
+haik and wear the new clothes. But she will be well paid, and taught to
+read and be kept in the best of comfort and health."
+
+There was a low gasp from several of the younger women, but one of the
+eldest looked up in distaste. "Wear the clothes of the Rouma!" she said
+indignantly. "Shameless ones!"
+
+The man's voice was testy. He himself was dressed in the clothing worn
+always by the Rouma, when the Rouma had controlled the Niger bend. He
+said, "These are not the clothes of the Rouma, but the clothes of
+civilized people everywhere."
+
+The women's attention went back to their washing. Two or three of them
+giggled.
+
+The elderly woman said, "There are none here who will go with you, for
+whatever shameless purpose you have in your mind."
+
+But Izubahil, the strange girl come out of the desert from the north,
+spoke suddenly. "I will," she said.
+
+There was a gasp, and all looked at her in wide-eyed alarm. She began
+making her way to the shore, her unfinished washing still in hand.
+
+The stranger said clearly, "And drop the veil, discard the haik for the
+new clothing, and attend the schools?"
+
+There was another gasp as Izubahil said definitely, "Yes, all these
+things." She looked back at the women. "So that I may learn all these
+new ways."
+
+The more elderly sniffed and turned their backs in scorn, but the
+younger stared after her in some amazement and until she disappeared
+with the two strangers into one of the buildings which had formerly
+housed the French Administration officers back in the days when the area
+was known as the French Sudan.
+
+Inside, the boy strangers turned to her and the one who had spoken at
+the river bank said in English, "How goes it?"
+
+"Heavens to Betsy," Isobel Cunningham said with a grin, "get me a drink.
+If I'd known majoring in anthropology was going to wind up with my doing
+a strip tease with a bunch of natives in the Niger River, I would have
+taken up Home Economics, like my dear old mother wanted!"
+
+They laughed with her and Jacob Armstrong, the older of the two, went
+over to a sideboard and mixed her a cognac and soda. "Ice?" he said.
+
+"Brother, you said it," she told him. "Where can I change out of these
+rags?"
+
+"On you they look good," Clifford Jackson told her. He looked
+surprisingly like the Joe Louis of several decades earlier.
+
+"That's enough out of you, wise guy," Isobel told him. "Why doesn't
+somebody dream up a role for me where I can be a rich paramount chief's
+favorite wife, or something? Be loaded down with gold and jewelry, that
+sort of thing."
+
+Jake brought her the drink. "Your clothes are in there," he told her,
+motioning with his head to an inner room. "It wouldn't do the job," he
+added. "What we're giving them is the old Cinderella story." He looked
+at his watch. "If we get under way, we can take the jet to Kabara and go
+into your act there. It's been nearly six months since Kabara and
+they'll be all set for the second act."
+
+She knocked back the brandy and made her way to the other room, saying
+over her shoulder, "Be with you in a minute."
+
+"Not that much of a hurry," Cliff called. "Take your time, gal, there's
+a bath in there. You'll probably want one after a week of living the way
+you've been."
+
+"Brother!" she agreed.
+
+Jake was making himself a drink. He said easily to Cliff Jackson,
+"That's a fine girl. I'd hate her job. We get the easy deal on this
+assignment."
+
+Cliff said, "You said it, Nigger. How about mixing me a drink, too?"
+
+"Nigger!" Jake said in mock indignation. "Look who's talking." His voice
+took on a burlesque of a Southern drawl. "Man when the Good Lawd was
+handin' out _cullahs_, you musta thought he said _umbrellahs_, and said
+give me a nice black one."
+
+Cliff laughed with him and said, "Where do we plant poor Isobel next?"
+
+Jake thought about it. "I don't know. The kid's been putting in a lot of
+time. I think after about a week in Kabara we ought to go on down to
+Dakar and suggest she be given another assignment for a while. Some of
+the girls, working out of our AFAA office don't do anything except drive
+around in recent model cars, showing off the advantages of emancipation,
+tossing money around like tourists, and living it up in general."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+On the flight up-river to Kabara, Isobel Cunningham went through the
+notes she'd taken on that town. It was also on the Niger, and the
+assignment had been almost identical to the Gao one. In fact, she'd gone
+through the same routine in Ségou, Ké-Macina, Mopti, Gôundam and Bourem,
+above Gao, and Ansongo, Tillabéri and Niamey below. She was stretching
+her luck, if you asked her. Sooner or later she was going to run into
+someone who knew her from a past performance.
+
+Well, let the future take care of the future. She looked over at Cliff
+Jackson who was piloting the jet and said, "What're the latest
+developments? Obviously, I haven't seen a paper or heard a broadcast for
+over a week."
+
+Cliff shrugged his huge shoulders. "Not much. More trouble with the
+Portuguese down in the south."
+
+Jake rumbled, "There's going to be a bloodbath there before it's over."
+
+Isobel said thoughtfully, "There's been some hope that fundamental
+changes might take place in Lisbon."
+
+Jake grunted his skepticism. "In that case the bloodbath would take
+place there instead of in Africa." He added, "Which is all right with
+me."
+
+"What else?" Isobel said.
+
+"Continued complications in the Congo."
+
+"That's hardly news."
+
+"But things are going like clockwork in the west. Kenya, Uganda,
+Tanganyika." Cliff took his right hand away from the controls long
+enough to make a circle with its thumb and index finger. "Like
+clockwork. Fifty new fellows from the University of Chicago came in last
+week to help with the rural education development and twenty or so men
+from Johns Hopkins in Baltimore have wrangled a special grant for a new
+medical school."
+
+"All ... Negroes?"
+
+"What else?"
+
+Jake said suddenly, "Tell her about the Cubans."
+
+Isobel frowned. "Cubans?"
+
+"Over in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan area. They were supposedly helping
+introduce modern sugar refining methods--"
+
+"Why supposedly?"
+
+"Why not?"
+
+"All right, go on," Isobel said.
+
+Cliff Jackson said slowly, "Somebody shot them up. Killed several,
+wounded most of the others."
+
+The girl's eyes went round. "Who ... and why?"
+
+The pilot shifted his heavy shoulders again.
+
+Jake said, "Nobody seems to know, but the weapons were modern. Plenty
+modern." He twisted in his bucket seat, uncomfortably. "Listen, have you
+heard anything about some character named El Hassan?"
+
+Isobel turned to face him. "Why, yes. The people there in Gao mentioned
+him. Who is he?"
+
+"That's what I'd like to know," Jake said. "What did they say?"
+
+"Oh, mostly supposed words of wisdom that El Hassan was alleged to have
+made with. I get it that he's some, well you wouldn't call him a
+nationalist since he's international in his appeal, but he's evidently
+preaching union of all Africans. I get an undercurrent of
+anti-Europeanism in general, but not overdone." Isobel's expressive face
+went thoughtful. "As a matter of fact, his program seems to coincide
+largely with our own, so much so that from time to time when I had
+occasion to drop a few words of propaganda into a conversation, I'd
+sometimes credit it to him."
+
+Cliff looked over at her and chuckled. "That's a coincidence," he said.
+"I've been doing the same thing. An idea often carries more weight with
+these people if it's attributed to somebody with a reputation."
+
+Jake, the older of the three said: "Well, I can't find out anything
+about him. Nobody seems to know if he's an Egyptian, a Nigerian, a
+MOR ... or an Eskimo, for that matter."
+
+"Did you check with headquarters?"
+
+"So far they have nothing on him, except for some other inquiries from
+field workers."
+
+Below them, the river was widening out to the point where it resembled
+swampland more than a waterway. There were large numbers of waterbirds,
+and occasional herds of hippopotami. Isobel didn't express her thoughts,
+but a moment of doubt hit her. What would all this be like when the dams
+were finished, the waters of this third largest of Africa's rivers,
+ninth largest of the world's, under control?
+
+She pointed. "There's Kabara." The age-old river port lay below them.
+Cliff slapped one of his controls with the heel of his hand and the
+craft began to sink earthward.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+They took up quarters in the new hotel which adjoined the new elementary
+school, and Isobel immediately went into her routine.
+
+Dressed and shod immaculately, her head held high in confidence, she
+spent considerable time mingling with the more backward of the natives
+and especially the women. Six months ago, she had given a performance
+similar to that she had just finished in Gao, several hundred miles down
+river.
+
+Now she renewed old acquaintances, calling them by name--after checking
+her notes. Invariably, their eyes bugged. Their questions came thick,
+came fast in the slurring Songhoi and she answered them in detail. They
+came quickly under her intellectual domination. Her poise, her obvious
+well being, flabbergasted them.
+
+In all, they spent a week in the little river town, but even the first
+night Isobel slumped wearily in the most comfortable chair of their
+small suite's living room.
+
+She kicked off her shoes, and wiggled weary toes.
+
+"If my mother could see me now," she complained. "After giving her all
+to get the apple of her eye through school, her wayward daughter winds
+up living with two men in the wilds of deepest Africa." She twisted her
+mouth puckishly.
+
+Cliff grunted, poking around in a bag for the bottle of cognac he
+couldn't remember where he had packed. "Huh!" he said. "The next time
+you write her you might mention the fact that both of them are
+continually proposing to you and you brush it all off as a big joke."
+
+"Huh, indeed!" Isobel answered him. "Proposing, or propositioning? If
+either of you two Romeos ever rattle the doorknob of my room at night
+again, you're apt to get a bullet through it."
+
+Jake winced. "Wasn't me. Look at my gray hair, Isobel. I'm old enough to
+be your daddy."
+
+"Sugar daddy, I suppose," she said mockingly.
+
+"Wasn't me either," Cliff said, criss-crossing his heart and pointing
+upward.
+
+"Huh!" said Isobel again, but she was really in no mood for their usual
+banter. "Listen," she said, "what're we accomplishing with all this
+masquerade?"
+
+Cliff had found the French brandy. He poured three stiff ones and handed
+drinks to Isobel and Jake.
+
+He knew he wasn't telling her anything, but he said, "We're a king-size
+rumor campaign, that's what we are. We're breaking down institutions the
+sneaky way." He added reflectively. "A kinder way, though, than some."
+
+"But this ... what did you call it earlier, Jake?... this Cinderella act
+I go through perpetually. What good does it do, really? I contact only a
+few hundreds of people at most. And there are millions here in Mali
+alone."
+
+"There are other teams, too," Jake said mildly. "Several hundreds of us
+doing one thing or another."
+
+"A drop in the bucket," Isobel said, her piquant sepian face registering
+weariness.
+
+Cliff sipped his brandy, shaking his big head even as he did so. "No,"
+he said. "It's a king-size rumor campaign and it's amazing how effective
+they can be. Remember the original dirty-rumor campaigns back in the
+States? Suppose two laundry firms were competing. One of them, with a
+manager on the conscience-less side, would hire two or three
+professional rumor spreaders. They'd go around dropping into bars,
+barber shops, pool rooms. Sooner or later, they'd get a chance to drop
+some line such as _did you hear about them discovering that two lepers
+worked at the Royal Laundry_? You can imagine the barbers, the
+bartenders, and such professional gossips, passing on the good word."
+
+Isobel laughed, but unhappily. "I don't recognize myself in the
+description."
+
+Cliff said earnestly, "Sure, only few score women in each town you put
+on your act, really witness the whole thing. But think how they pass it
+on. Each one of them tells the story of the miracle. A waif comes out of
+the desert. Without property, without a husband or family, without
+kinsfolk. Shy, dirty, unwanted. Then she's offered a good position if
+she'll drop the veil, discard the haik, and attend the new schools. So
+off she goes--everyone thinking to her disaster. Hocus-pocus, six months
+later she returns, obviously prosperous, obviously healthy, obviously
+well adjusted. Fine. The story spreads for miles around. Nothing is so
+popular as the Cinderella story, and that's the story you're putting
+over. It's a natural."
+
+"I hope so," Isobel said. "Sometimes I think I'm helping put over a
+gigantic hoax on these people. Promising something that won't be
+delivered."
+
+Jake looked at her unhappily. "I've thought the same thing, sometimes,
+but what are you going to be with people at this stage of
+development--_subtle_?"
+
+Isobel dropped it. She held out her glass for more cognac. "I hope
+there's something decent to eat in this place. Do you realize what I've
+been putting into my tummy this past week?"
+
+Cliff shuddered.
+
+Isobel patted her abdomen. "At least it keeps my figure in trim."
+
+"Um-m-m," Jake pretended to leer heavily.
+
+Isobel chuckled at him in a return to good humor. "Hyena," she accused.
+
+"Hyena?" Jake said.
+
+"Sure, there aren't any wolves in these parts," she explained. "How long
+are we going to be here?"
+
+The two men looked at each other. Cliff said, "Well, we'd like to finish
+out the week. Guy named Homer Crawford has been passing around the word
+to hold a meeting in Timbuktu the end of this week."
+
+"Crawford?"
+
+"Homer Crawford, some kind of sociologist from the University of
+Michigan, I understand. He's connected with the Reunited Nations African
+Development Project, heads one of their cloak and dagger teams."
+
+Jake grunted. "Sociologist? I also understand that he put in a hitch
+with the Marines and spent kind of a shady period of two years fighting
+with the FLN in Algeria."
+
+"On what side?" Cliff said interestedly.
+
+"Darn if I know."
+
+Isobel said, "Well, we have nothing to do with the Reunited Nations."
+
+Cliff shook his large head negatively. "Of course not, but Crawford
+seems to think it'd be a good idea if some of us in the field would get
+together and ... well, have sort of a bull session."
+
+Jake growled, "We don't have much in the way of co-operation on the
+higher levels. Everybody seems to head out in all directions on their
+own. It can get chaotic. Maybe in the field we could give each other a
+few pointers. For one, I'd like to find out if any of the rest of these
+jokers know anything about that affair with the Cubans over in the
+Sudan."
+
+"I suppose it can't hurt," Isobel admitted. "In fact, it might be fun
+swapping experiences with some of these characters. Frankly, though, the
+stories I've heard about the African Development teams aren't any too
+palatable. They seem to be a ruthless bunch."
+
+Jake looked down into his glass. "It's a ruthless country," he murmured.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Dolo Anah, as he approached the ten Dogon villages of the Canton de
+Sangha, was first thought to be a small bird in the sky. As he drew
+nearer, it was decided, instead, that he was a larger creature of the
+air, perhaps a vulture, though who had ever seen such a vulture? As he
+drew nearer still, it was plain that in size he was more nearly an
+ostrich than vulture, but who had ever heard of a flying ostrich, and
+besides--
+
+No! It was a man! But who in all the Dogon had ever witnessed such a
+_juju_ man? One whose flailing limbs enabled him to fly!
+
+The ten villages of the Dogon are perched on the rim of the Falaise de
+Bandiagara. The cliffs are over three hundred feet high and the villages
+are similar to Mesa Verde of Colorado, and as unaccessible, as
+impregnable to attack.
+
+But hardly impregnable to arrival by helio-hopper.
+
+When Dolo Anah landed in the tiny square of the village of Irčli, the
+first instinct of Amadijuč the village witchman was to send post haste
+to summon the Kanaga dancers, but then despair overwhelmed him. Against
+powers such as this, what could prevail? Besides, Amadijuč had not
+arrived at his position of influence and affluence through other than
+his own true abilities. Secretly, he rather doubted the efficacy of even
+the supposedly most potent witchcraft.
+
+But this!
+
+Dolo Anah unstrapped himself from the one man helio-hopper's small
+bicyclelike seat, folded the two rotors back over the rest of the craft,
+and then deposited the seventy-five pound vehicle in a corner, between
+two adobe houses. He knew perfectly well that the local inhabitants
+would die a thousand deaths of torture rather than approach, not to
+speak of touching it.
+
+Looking to neither right nor left, walking arrogantly and carrying only
+a small bag--undoubtedly housing his _gris gris_, as Amadijuč could well
+imagine--Dolo Anah headed for the largest house. Since the whole village
+was packed, bug-eyed, into the square watching him there were no
+inhabitants within.
+
+He snapped back over his shoulder, "Summon all the headmen of all the
+villages, and all of their eldest sons; summon all the Hogons and all
+the witchmen. Immediately! I would speak with them and issue orders."
+
+He was a small man, clad only in a loincloth, and could well have been a
+Dogon himself. Surely he was black as a Dogon, clad as a Dogon, and he
+spoke the native language which is a tongue little known outside the
+semi-desert land of Dogon covered with its sand, rocks, scrub bush and
+baobab trees. It is not a land which sees many strangers.
+
+The headmen gathered with trepidation. All had seen the juju man descend
+from the skies. It had been with considerable relief that most had noted
+that he finally sank to earth in the village of Irčli instead of their
+own. But now all were summoned. Those among them who were Kanaga dancers
+wore their masks and costumes, and above all their gris gris charms, but
+it was a feeble gesture. Such magic as this was unknown. To fly through
+the air _personally_!
+
+Dolo Anah was seated to one end of the largest room of the largest house
+of Irčli when they crowded in to answer his blunt summons. He was seated
+cross-legged on the floor and staring at the ground before him.
+
+The others seemed tongue-tied, both headmen and Hogons, the highly
+honored elders of the Dogon people. So Amadijuč as senior witchman took
+over the responsibility of addressing this mystery juju come out of the
+skies.
+
+"Oh, powerful stranger, how is your health?"
+
+"Good," Dolo Anah said.
+
+"How is the health of thy wife?"
+
+"Good."
+
+"How is the health of thy children?"
+
+"Good."
+
+"How is the health of thy mother?"
+
+"Good."
+
+"How is the health of thy father?"
+
+"Good."
+
+"How is the health of thy kinswomen?"
+
+"Good."
+
+"How is the health of thy kinsmen?"
+
+"Good."
+
+To the traditional greeting of the Dogon, Amadijuč added hopefully,
+"Welcome to the villages of Sangha."
+
+His voice registering nothing beyond the impatience which had marked it
+from the beginning, Dolo Anah repeated the routine.
+
+"Men of Sangha," he snapped, "how is your health?"
+
+"Good," they chorused.
+
+"How is the health of thy wives?"
+
+"Good!"
+
+"How is the health of thy children?"
+
+"Good!"
+
+"How is the health of thy mothers?"
+
+"Good!"
+
+"How is the health of thy fathers?"
+
+"Good!"
+
+"How is the health of thy kinswomen?"
+
+"Good!"
+
+"How is the health of thy kinsmen?"
+
+"Good!"
+
+"I accept thy welcome," Dolo Anah bit out. "And now heed me well for I
+am known as Dolo Anah and I have instructions from above for the people
+of the Dogon."
+
+Sweat glistened on the faces and bodies of the assembled Dogon headmen,
+their uncharacteristically silent witchmen, the Hogons and the sons of
+the headmen.
+
+"Speak, oh juju come out of the sky," Amadijuč fluttered, but proud of
+his ability to find speech at all when all the others were stricken dumb
+with fear.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Dolo Anah stared down at the ground before him. The others, their eyes
+fascinated as though by a cobra preparing to strike its death, focused
+on the spot as well.
+
+Dolo Anah raised a hand very slowly and very gently and a sigh went
+through his audience. The dirt on the hut floor had stirred. It stirred
+again and slowly, ever so slowly, up through the floor emerged a milky,
+translucent ball. When it had fully emerged, Dolo Anah took it up in his
+hands and stared at it for a long moment.
+
+It came to sudden light and a startled gasp flushed over the room, a
+gasp shared by even the witchmen, Amadijuč included.
+
+Dolo Anah looked up at them. "Each of you must come in turn and look
+into the ball," he said.
+
+Faltering, though all eyes were turned to him, Amadijuč led the way. His
+eyes rounded, he stared, and they widened still further. For within,
+mystery upon mystery, men danced in seeming celebration. It was as
+though it was a funeral party but of dimensions never known before, for
+there were scores of Kanaga dancers, and, yes, above all other wonders,
+some of the dancers were Dogon, without doubt, but others were Mosse and
+others were even Tellum!
+
+Amadijuč turned away, shaken, and Dolo Anah spoke sharply, "The rest,
+one by one."
+
+They came. The headmen, the Hogons, the witchmen and finally the sons of
+the headmen, and each in turn stared into the ball and saw the tiny men
+within, doing their dance of celebration, Dogon, Mosse and Tellum
+together.
+
+When all had seen, Dolo Anah placed the ball back on the ground and
+stared at it and slowly it returned to from whence it came, and Dolo
+Anah gently spread dust over the spot. When the floor was as it had
+been, he looked up at them, his eyes striking.
+
+"What did you see?" he spoke sharply to Amadijuč.
+
+There was a tremor in the village witchman's voice. "Oh juju, come out
+of the sky, I saw a great festival and Dogon danced with their enemies
+the Mosse and the Tellum--and, all seemed happy beyond belief."
+
+The stranger looked piercingly at the rest. "And what did you see?"
+
+Some mumbled, "The same. The same," and others, terrified still, could
+only nod.
+
+"That is the message I have come to give you. You will hold a great
+conference with the people of the Tellum and the people of the Mosse and
+there will be a great celebration and no longer will there be Dogon,
+Mosse and Tellum, but all will be one. And there will be trade, and
+there will be marriage between the tribes, and no longer will there be
+three tribes, but only one people and no longer will the headmen and
+witchmen of the tribes resist the coming of the new schools, and all the
+young people will attend."
+
+Amadijuč muttered, "But, great juju come out of the sky, these are our
+blood enemies. For longer than the memory of the grandfathers of our
+eldest Hogon we have carried the blood feud with Tellum and Mosse."
+
+"No longer," Dolo Anah said flatly.
+
+Amadijuč held shaking hands out in supplication, to this dominating juju
+come out of the skies. "But they will not heed us. Tellum and Mosse have
+hated the Dogon for all time. They will wreak their vengeance on any
+delegation come to make such suggestions to them."
+
+"I fly to see their headmen and witchmen immediately," Dolo Anah bit out
+decisively. "They will heed my message." His tone turned dangerous. "As
+will the headmen and witchmen of the Dogon. If any fail to obey the
+message from above, their eyes will lose sight, their tongues become
+dumb, and their bellies will crawl with worms."
+
+Amadijuč's face went ashen.
+
+At long last the headman of all the Sangha villages spoke up, his voice
+trembling its fear. "But the schools, oh great juju--as all the Dogon
+have decided, in tribal conference--the schools are evil for our youth.
+They teach not the old ways--"
+
+Dolo Anah cut him short with the chop of a commanding hand. "The old
+ways are fated to die. Already they die. The new ways are the ways of
+the schools."
+
+Amazed at his own temerity, the head chief spoke once more. "But, since
+the coming of the French, we have rejected the schools."
+
+Dolo Anah looked at him in scorn. "These will not be schools of the
+French. They will be the schools of Bantu, Berber, Sudanese and all the
+other peoples of the land. And when your young people have attended the
+schools and learned their wisdom they in turn will teach in the schools
+and in all the land there will be wisdom and good life. Now I have
+spoken and all of you will withdraw save only the sons of the headmen."
+
+They withdrew, making a point each and every one not to turn their backs
+to this bringer of disastrous news and leaving only the terror-stricken
+young men behind them.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+When all were gone save the dozen youngsters, Dolo Anah looked at them
+contemplatively. He shrugged finally and said, pointing with his finger,
+"You, you and you may leave. The others will remain." The three darted
+out, glad of the reprieve.
+
+He looked at the remainder. "Be unafraid," he snapped. "There is no
+reason to fear me. Your fathers and the Hogons and the so-called
+witchmen, are fools, nothing-men. Fools and cowards, because they are
+impressed by foolish tricks."
+
+He pointed suddenly. "You, there, what is your name?"
+
+The youth stuttered, "Hinnan."
+
+"Very well, Hinnan. Did you see me approach by the air?"
+
+"Yes ... yes ... juju man."
+
+"Don't call me a juju man. There is no such thing as juju. It is
+nonsense made by the cunning to fool the stupid, as you will learn when
+you attend the schools."
+
+Hinnan took courage. "But I saw you fly."
+
+"Have you never seen the great aircraft of the white men of Europe and
+America go flying over? Or have none of you witnessed these craft
+sitting on the ground at Mopti or Niamey. Surely some of you have
+journeyed to Mopti."
+
+"Yes, but they are great craft. And you flew alone and without the great
+wings and propellers of the white-man's aircraft."
+
+Dolo Anah chuckled. "My son, I flew in a helio-hopper as they are
+called. They are the smallest of all aircraft, but they are not magic.
+They are made in the factories of the lands of Europe and America and
+after you have finished school and have found a position for yourself in
+the new industries that spread through Africa, then you will be able to
+purchase one quite cheaply, if you so desire. Others among you might
+even learn to build them, themselves."
+
+Hinnan and the others gasped.
+
+Dolo Anah went on. "And observe this." He dug into the ground before him
+and revealed the crystal ball that had magically appeared before. He
+showed to them the little elevator device beneath it which he
+manipulated with a small rubber bulb which pumped air underneath.
+
+One or two of them ventured a scornful laugh, at the obviousness of the
+trick.
+
+Dolo Anah took up the ball and unscrewed the base. Inside were a
+delicate arrangement of film on a continuous spool so that the scene
+played over and over again, and a combination of batteries and bulbs to
+project the scene on the ball's surface. He explained, in patient
+detail, the workings of the supposed magic ball. Two of the boys had
+seen movies on trips to Mopti, the others had heard of them.
+
+Finally one, highly encouraged now, as were the others, said, "But why
+do you show us this and shame us for our foolishness?"
+
+Dolo Anah nodded encouragement at the teen-ager. "I do not shame you, my
+son, but your fathers and the Hogons and the so-called witchmen. For
+long ages the Dogon have been led by the oldest members of the tribe,
+the Hogons. This can be nonsense because in spite of your traditions age
+does not necessarily bring wisdom. In fact, senility as it is called can
+bring childish nonsense. A people should be governed by the wisest and
+best among them, not by tradition, by often silly beliefs handed down
+from one generation to another."
+
+Hinnan, who was eldest son of the head chief, said, "But why do you tell
+us this, after shaming our fathers and the old men of the Dogon?"
+
+For the first time since the elders had left, Dolo Anah's eyes gleamed
+as before. "Because you will be the leaders of the Dogon tomorrow, most
+like. And it is necessary to learn these great truths. That you attend
+the schools and bring to the Dogon tomorrow what they did not have
+yesterday, and do not have today."
+
+"But suppose we tell them of how you have deceived them?" the other
+articulate Dogon lad said.
+
+Dolo Anah chuckled and shook his head. "They will not believe you, boy.
+They will be afraid to believe you. And besides, men are almost
+everywhere the same. It is difficult for an older man to learn from a
+younger one, especially his own son. It is vanity, but it is true." His
+mouth twisted in memory. "When I was a lad myself, on the beaches of an
+island far from here in the Bahamas, my father beat me on more than one
+occasion, indignant that I should wish to attend the white man's
+schools, while he and his father before him had been fishermen. Beneath
+his indignation was the fear that one day I would excel him."
+
+"You are right," Hinnan said uncomfortably, "they would not believe us."
+Instinctively, the son of the head chief assumed leadership of the
+others. "We will keep this secret between us," he said to them.
+
+Dolo Anah came to his feet, yawned, stretched his legs and began to pack
+his gadgets into the small valise he carried. "Good luck, boys," he said
+unthinkingly in English.
+
+As he left the hut, he emerged into a respectfully cleared area around
+the hut. Without looking left or right he approached his folded
+helio-hopper, made the few adjustments that were needed to make it
+air-borne, strapped himself into the tiny saddle, flicked the start
+control and to the accompaniment of a gasp from the entire village of
+Irčli, took off in a swoop.
+
+In a matter of moments, he had disappeared to the north in the direction
+of the Mosse villages.
+
+
+
+
+III
+
+
+The Emir Alhaji Mohammadu, the Galadima Dawakin, Kudo of Kano, boiled
+furiously within as his gold plated Rolls Royce progressed through the
+Saba N'Gari section of town, the quarter outside the dirt walls of the
+millennium old city. He rode seated alone in the middle of the rear seat
+and his single counselor sat beside the chauffeur. Before them, a jeep
+load of his bodyguard, dressed in their uniforms of red and green,
+cleared the way. Another jeep followed similarly laden.
+
+They entered through one of the ancient gates and swept up the principal
+street. They stopped before the recently constructed luxury hotel in the
+center of town and the bodyguard leapt from the jeeps and took positions
+to each side of the entry. The counselor popped out from his side of the
+car and beat the chauffeur to the task of opening the Emir's door.
+
+Emir Alhaji Mohammadu was a tall man and a heavy one, his white robed
+figure towered some six and a half feet and his scales put him over the
+three hundred mark. He was in his mid fifties and almost a quarter
+century of autocratic position had marked his face with permanent scowl.
+He stomped now into the western style hotel.
+
+His counselor, Ahmadu Abdullah, had already procured the information
+necessary to locate the source of the Emir's ire and now scurried before
+his chief, leading the way to the suite occupied by the mysterious
+strangers. He banged heavily on the door, then stepped behind his master
+as it opened.
+
+One of the strangers, clad western style, opened the door and stepped
+aside courteously motioning to the large inner room. The Emir strutted
+arrogantly inside and stared in high irritation at the second and elder
+stranger who sat there at a heavy table. This one came to his feet, but
+there was no sign of acknowledgment of the Emir's rank. It was not too
+long a time before that men prostrated themselves in Alhaji Mohammadu's
+presence.
+
+He looked at them. Though both were of dark complexion, there seemed no
+manner of typing them. Certainly they were neither Hausa nor Fulani,
+there being no signs of Hamitic features, but neither were they Ibo or
+Yoruba from farther south. The Emir's eyes narrowed and he wondered if
+these two were Nigerians at all!
+
+He barked at them in Hausa and the older answered him in the same
+language, though there seemed a certain awkwardness in its use.
+
+Emir Alhaji Mohammadu blared, "You dare summon me, Kudo of this city?
+You presume--"
+
+They had resumed seats behind the table and the two of them looked at
+him questioningly. The older one interrupted with a gently raised hand.
+"Why did you come?"
+
+Still glaring, the Emir turned to the cringing Ahmadu Abdullah and
+motioned curtly for the counselor to speak. Meanwhile, the ruler's eyes
+went around the room, decided that the couch was the only seat that
+would accommodate his bulk, and descended upon it.
+
+Ahmadu Abdullah brought a paper from the folds of his robes. "This lying
+letter. This shameless attack upon the Galadima Dawakin!"
+
+The younger stranger said mildly, "If the charges contained there are
+incorrect, then why did you come?"
+
+The Emir rumbled dangerously, ignoring the question. "What is your
+purpose? I am not a patient man. There has never been need for my
+patience."
+
+The spokesman of the two, the older, leaned back in his chair and said
+carefully, "We have come to demand your resignation and self-exile."
+
+A vein beat suddenly and wildly at the gigantic Emir's temple and for a
+full minute the potentate was speechless with outrage.
+
+Ahmadu Abdullah said quickly, "Fantastic! Ridiculous! The Galadima
+Dawakin is lawful ruler and religious potentate of three million devoted
+followers. You are lying strangers come to cause dissention among the
+people of Kano and--"
+
+The spokesman for the newcomers took up a sheaf of papers from the table
+and said, his voice emotionless, "The reason you came here at our
+request is because the charges made in that letter you bear are valid
+ones. For a quarter century, you, Alhaji Mohammadu, have milked your
+people to your own profit. You have lived like a god on the wealth you
+have extracted from them. You have gone far, far beyond the legal and
+even traditional demands you have on the local population. Funds
+supposedly to be devoted to education, sanitation, roads, hospitals and
+a multitude of other developments that would improve this whole
+benighted area, have gone into your private pocket. In short, you have
+been a cancer on your people for the better part of your life."
+
+"All lies!" roared the Kudo.
+
+The other shook his head. "No. We have carefully gathered proof. We can
+submit evidence to back every charge we have made. Above all, we can
+prove the existence of large sums of money you have smuggled out of the
+country to Switzerland, London and New York to create a reserve for
+yourself in case of emergency. Needless to say, these funds, too, were
+originally meant for the betterment of the area."
+
+The Emir's eyes were narrow with hate. "Who are you? Whom do you
+represent?"
+
+"What difference does it make? This is of no importance."
+
+"You represent my son, Alhaji Fodio! This is what comes of his studies
+in England and America. This is what comes of his leaving Kano and
+spending long years in Lagos among those unbeliever communists in the
+south!"
+
+The younger stranger chuckled easily. "That is about the last tag I
+would hang on your son's associates," he said in English.
+
+But the older stranger was nodding. "It is true that we hope your son
+will take over the Emirate. He represents progress. Frankly, his plans
+are to end the office as soon as the people are educated to the point
+where they can accept such change."
+
+"End the office!" the Emir snarled. "For a thousand years my
+ancestors--"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The spokesman of the strangers shook his head wearily. "Your ancestors
+conquered this area less than two centuries ago in a jehad led by Othman
+Dan. Since then, you Fulani have feudalistically dominated the Hausa,
+but that is coming to an end."
+
+The Emir had come to his feet again, in his rage, and now he towered
+over the table behind which the two sat as though about to physically
+attack them. "You speak as fools," he raged.
+
+"Are you so stupid as to believe that these matters you have brought up
+are understandable to my people? Have you ever seen my people?" He
+sneered in a caricature of humor. "My people in their grass and bush
+huts? With not one man in a whole village who can add sums higher than
+those he can work out on his fingers? With not one man who can read the
+English tongue, nor any other? Would you explain to these the matters of
+transferring gold to the Zürich banks? Would you explain to these what
+is involved in accepting dash from road contractors and from politicians
+in Lagos?"
+
+He sneered at them again. "And do you realize that I am church as well
+as state? That I represent their God to my people? Do you think they
+would take your word against _mine_, their Kudo?"
+
+In talking, he had brought a certain calm back to himself. Now he felt
+reassured at his own words. He wound it up. "You are fools to believe my
+people could understand such matters."
+
+"Then actually, you don't deny them?"
+
+"Why should I bother?" the Emir chuckled heavily.
+
+"That you have taken for personal use the large sums granted this area
+from a score of sources for roads, hospitals, schools, sanitation,
+agricultural modernization?"
+
+"Of course I don't deny it. This is my land. I am the Kudo, the Emir,
+the Galadima Dawakin. Whatever I choose to do in Kano and to all my
+people is right because I wish it. Schools? I don't want them corrupting
+my people. Hospitals for these Hausa serfs? Nonsense! Roads? They are
+bad for they allow the people to get about too easily and that leads to
+their exchanging ideas and schemes and leads to their corruption. Have I
+appropriated all such sums for my own use? Yes! I admit it. Yes! But you
+cannot prove it to such as my people, you who represent my son. So
+be-gone from Kano. If you are here tomorrow, you will be arrested by the
+same men of my bodyguard who even now seek my son, Alhaji Fodio. When he
+is captured, it will be of interest to revive some of the methods of
+execution of my ancestors."
+
+The Emir turned on his heel to stalk from the room but the older of the
+two murmured, "One moment, please."
+
+Alhaji Mohammadu paused, his face dark in scowl again.
+
+The spokesman said agreeably, "It is true that your people, and
+particularly your Hausa serfs, have no understanding of international
+finance nor of national corruption methods such as the taking of _dash_.
+However, they are susceptible to other proof." The other man raised his
+voice. "John!"
+
+From an inner room came another stranger, making their total number
+three. He was grinning and in one hand held a contraption which boasted
+a conglomeration of lenses, switches, microphones, wires and triggers.
+"Got it perfectly," he said. You'd think it had all been rehearsed.
+
+While the Emir and his counselor stared in amazement, the spokesman of
+the strangers said, "How long before you can project?"
+
+"Almost immediately."
+
+The other young man left the room and returned with what was obviously a
+movie projector. He set it up at one end of the table, pointed at a
+white wall, and plugged it in to a convenient outlet.
+
+Before the Emir had managed to control himself beyond the point of
+saying any more than, "What is all this?" the cameraman had brought a
+magazine of film from his instrument and inserted it in the projector.
+
+The photographer said conversationally, to the hulking potentate, "You'd
+be amazed at the advances in cinema these past few years. Film speed,
+immediate development, portable sound equipment. You'd be amazed."
+
+Someone flicked out the greater part of the room's light. The projector
+buzzed and on the wall was thrown a re-enactment of everything that had
+been said and done in the room for the past ten minutes.
+
+When it was over, the lights went on again.
+
+The spokesman said conversationally, "I assume that if this film were
+shown throughout the villages, even your Hausa serfs would be convinced
+that throughout your reign you have systematically robbed them."
+
+Emir Alhaji Mohammadu, the Galadima Dawakin, Kudo of Kano, his face in
+shock, turned and stumbled from the room.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The gymkhana, or fantasia as it is called in nearby Morocco, was under
+full swing before Abd-el-Kader and the camel- and horse-mounted warriors
+of his Ouled Touameur clan came dashing in, rifles held high and with
+great firing into the air. The Ouled Touameur were the noblest clan of
+the Ouled Allouch tribe of the Berazga division of the Chaambra nomad
+confederation--the noblest and the least disciplined. There were
+whispered rumors going about the conference as to the identity of the
+mysterious raiders who were preying upon the new oases, the oil and road
+building camps and the endless other new projects springing up, all but
+magically, throughout the northwestern Sahara.
+
+The gymkhana was in full swing with racing and feasting, and
+storytellers and conjurers, jugglers and marabouts. And in the air was
+the acrid distinctive odor of _kif_, for though Mohammed forbade alcohol
+to the faithful he had naught to say about the uses of _cannabis sativa_
+and what is a great festival without the smoking of _kif_ and the eating
+of _majoun_?
+
+The tribes of the Chaambra were widely represented, Berazga and Mouadhi,
+Bou Rouba and Ouled Fredj, and there was even a heavy sprinkling of the
+sedentary Zenatas come down from the towns of Metlili, El Oued and El
+Goléo. Then, of course, were the Haratin serfs, of mixed Arab-Negro
+blood, and the Negroes themselves, until recently openly called slaves,
+but now--amusingly--named servants.
+
+The Chaambra were meeting for a great ceremonial gymkhanas, but also, as
+was widely known, for a _djemaa el kebar_ council of elders and chiefs,
+for there were many problems throughout the Western Erg and the areas of
+Mzab and Bourara. Nor was it secret only to the inner councils that the
+meeting had been called by Abd-el-Kader, of Shorfu blood, direct
+descendent of the Prophet through his daughter Fatima, and symbol to the
+young warriors of Chaambra spirit.
+
+Of all the Ouled Touameur clan Abd-el-Kader alone refrained from
+discharging his gun into the air as they dashed into the inner circle of
+khaima tents which centered the gymkhana and provided council chambers,
+dining hall and sleeping quarters for the tribal and clan heads.
+Instead, and with head arrogantly high, he slipped from his stallion
+tossing the reins to a nearby Zenata and strode briskly to the largest
+of the tents and disappeared inside.
+
+_Bismillah!_ but Adb-el-Kader was a figure of a man! From his turban,
+white as the snows of the Atlas, to his yellow leather boots, he wore
+the traditional clothing of the Chaambra and wore them with pride. Not
+for Abd-el-Kader the new clothing from the Rouma cities to the north,
+nor even the new manufactures from Dakar, Accra, Lagos and the other
+mushrooming centers to the south.
+
+His weapons alone paid homage to the new ways. And each fighting man
+within eyesight noted that it was not a rifle slung over the shoulder of
+Abd-el-Kader but a sub-machine gun. Bismillah! This could not have been
+so back in the days when the French Camel Corps ruled the land with its
+hand of iron.
+
+The djemaa el kebar was already in session, seated in a great circle on
+the rug and provided with glasses of mint tea and some with water pipes.
+They looked up at the entrance of the warrior clan chieftain.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+El Aicha, who was of Maraboutic ancestry and hence a holy man as well as
+elder of the Ouled Fredj, spoke first as senior member of the
+conference. "We have heard reports that are disturbing of recent months,
+Abd-el-Kader. Reports of activities amongst the Ouled Touameur. We would
+know more of the truth of these. But also we have high interest in your
+reason for summoning the djemaa el kebar at such a time of year."
+
+Abd-el-Kader made a brief gesture of obeisance to the Chaambra leader, a
+gesture so brief as to verge on disrespect. He said, his voice clear and
+confident, as befits a warrior chief, "Disturbing only to the old and
+unvaliant, O El Aicha."
+
+The old man looked at him for a long, unblinking moment. As a youth, he
+had fought at the Battle of Tit when the French Camel Corps had broken
+forever the military power of the Ahaggar Tuareg. El Aicha was no
+coward. There were murmurings about the circle of elders.
+
+But when El Aicha spoke again, his voice was level. "Then speak to us,
+Abd-el-Kader. It is well known that your voice is heard ever more by the
+young men, particularly by the bolder of the young men."
+
+The fighting man remained standing, his legs slightly spread. The Arab,
+like the Amerind, likes to make speech in conference, and eloquence is
+well held by the Chaambra.
+
+"Long years ago, and only shortly after the death of the Prophet, the
+Chaambra resided, so tell the scribes, in the hills of far away Syria.
+But when the word of Islam was heard and the true believers began to
+race their strength throughout all the world, the Chaambra came here to
+the deserts of Africa and here we have remained. Long centuries it took
+us to gain control of the wide areas of the northern and western desert
+and many were the battles we fought with our traditional enemies the
+Tuareg and the Moors before we controlled all the land between the Atlas
+and the Niger and from what is now known as Tunisia to Mauritania."
+
+All nodded. This was tribal history.
+
+Abd-el-Kader held up four fingers on which to enumerate. "The Chaambra
+were ever men. Warriors, bedouin; not for us the cities and villages of
+the Zenatas, and the miserable Haratin serfs. We Chaambra have ever been
+men of the tent, warriors, conquerors!"
+
+El Aicha still nodded. "That was before," he murmured.
+
+"That will always be!" Abd-el-Kader insisted. His four fingers were
+spread and he touched the first one. "Our life was based upon, one, war
+and the spoils of war." He touched the second finger. "Two, the toll we
+extracted from the caravans that passed from Timbuktu to the north and
+back again. Three, from our own caravans which covered the desert trails
+from Tripoli to Dakar and from Marrakech to Kano. And fourth"--he
+touched his last finger--"from our flocks which fed us in the
+wilderness." He paused to let this sink in.
+
+"All this is verily true," muttered one of the elders, a _so-what_
+quality in his voice.
+
+Abd-el-Kader's tone soured. "Then came the French with their weapons and
+their multitudes of soldiers and their great wealth with which to pursue
+the expenses of war. And one by one the Tuareg and the Teda to the south
+and the Moors and Nemadi, yes, and even the Chaambra fell before the
+onslaughts of the Camel Corps and their wild-dog Foreign Legion." He
+held up his four fingers again and counted them off. "The four legs upon
+which our life was based were broken. War and its spoils was prevented
+us. The tolls we charged caravans to cross our land were forbidden. And
+then, shortly after, came the motor trucks which crossed the desert in a
+week, where formerly the journey took as much as a year. Our camel
+caravans became meaningless."
+
+Again all nodded. "Verily, the world changes," someone muttered.
+
+The warrior leader's voice went dramatic. "We were left with naught but
+our flocks, and now even they are fated to end."
+
+The elderly nomads stirred and some scowled.
+
+"At every water hole in the desert teams of the new irrigation
+development dig their wells, install their pumps which bring power from
+the sun, plant trees, bring in Haratin and former slaves--_our_
+slaves--to cultivate the new oases. And we are forbidden the water for
+the use of our goats and sheep and camels."
+
+"Besides," one of the clan chiefs injected, "they tell us that the goat
+is the curse of North Africa, nibbling as it does the bark of small
+trees, and they attempt to purchase all goats until soon there will be
+few, if any, in all the land."
+
+"So our young people," Abd-el-Kader pressed on, "stripped of our former
+way of life, go to the new projects, enroll in the schools, take work in
+the new oases or on the roads, and disappear from the sight of their
+kinsmen." He came to a sudden halt and all but glared at them,
+maintaining his silence until El Aicha stirred.
+
+"And--?" El Aicha said. This was all obviously but preliminary.
+
+Abd-el-Kader spoke softly now, and there was a different drama in his
+voice. "And now," he said, "the French are gone. All the Rouma, save a
+handful, are gone. In the south the English are gone from the lands of
+the blacks, such as Nigeria and Ghana, Sierra Leone and Gambia. The
+Italians are gone from Libya and Somaliland and the Spanish from Rio de
+Oro. Nor will they ever return for in the greatest council of all the
+Rouma they have decided to leave Africa to the African."
+
+They all stirred again and some muttered and Abd-el-Kader pushed his
+point. "The Chaambra are warriors born. Never serfs! Never slaves! Never
+have we worked for any man. Our ancestors carved great empires by the
+sword." His voice lowered again. "And now, once more, it is possible to
+carve such an empire."
+
+He swept his eyes about their circle. "Chiefs of the Chaambra, there is
+no force in all the Sahara to restrain us. Let others work on the roads,
+planting the new trees in the new oases, damming the great Niger, and
+all the rest of it. We will sweep over them, and dominate all. We, the
+Chaambra, will rule, while those whom Allah intended to drudge, do so.
+We, the Chosen of Allah, will fulfill our destiny!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Abd-el-Kader left it there and crossed his arms on his chest, staring at
+them challengingly.
+
+Finally El Aicha directed his eyes across the circle of listeners at two
+who had sat silently through it all, their burnooses covering their
+heads and well down over their eyes. He said, "And what do you say to
+all this?"
+
+"Time to go into your act, man," Abe Bakr muttered, under his breath.
+
+Homer Crawford came to his feet and pushed back the hood of the
+burnoose. He looked over at the headman of the Ouled Touameur warrior
+clan, whose face was darkening.
+
+In Arabic, Crawford said, "I have sought you for some time,
+Abd-el-Kader. You are an illusive man."
+
+"Who are you, Negro?" the fighting man snapped.
+
+Crawford grinned at the other. "You look as though you have a bit of
+Negro blood in your own veins. In fact, I doubt if there's a so-called
+Arab in all North Africa, unless he's just recently arrived, whose
+family hasn't down through the centuries mixed its blood with the local
+people they conquered."
+
+"You lie!"
+
+Abe chuckled from the background. The Chaambra leader was at least as
+dark of complexion as the American Negro. Not that it made any
+difference one way or the other.
+
+"We shall see who is the liar here," Homer Crawford said flatly. "You
+asked who I am. I am known as Omar ben Crawf and I am headman of a team
+of the African Development Project of the Reunited Nations. As you have
+said, Abd-el-Kader, this great council of the headmen of all the nations
+of the world--not just the Rouma--has decided that Africa must be left
+to the Africans. But that does not mean it has lost all interest in
+these lands. It has no intention, warrior of the Chaambra, to allow such
+as you to disrupt the necessary progress Africa must make if it is not
+to become a danger to the shaky peace of the world."
+
+Abd-el-Kader's eyes darted about the tent. So far as he could see, the
+other was backed only by his single henchman. The warrior chief gained
+confidence. "Power is for those who can assert it. Some will rule. It
+has always been so. Here in the Western Erg, the Chaambra will rule, and
+I, Abd-el-Kader will lead them!"
+
+Homer Crawford was shaking his head, almost sadly it seemed. "No," he
+said. "The day of rule by the gun is over. It must be over because at
+long last man's weapons have become so great that he must not trust
+himself with them. In the new world which is still aborning so that half
+the nations of earth are in the pains of labor, government must be by
+the most wise and most capable."
+
+In a deft move the sub-machine gun's sling slipped from the desert man's
+shoulder and the short, vicious gun was in hand. "The strong will always
+rule!" the Arab shouted. "Time was when the French conquered the
+Chaambra, but the French have allowed their strength to ebb away, and
+now, armed with such weapons as these, we of the Sahara will again
+assert our birthright as the Chosen of Allah!"
+
+Abe Baker chuckled. "That cat sure can lay on a speech, man." As though
+magically, a snub-nosed hand weapon of unique design appeared in his
+dark hand.
+
+El Aicha's voice was suddenly strong and harsh. "There shall be no
+violence at a djemaa el kebar."
+
+Homer ignored the automatic weapon in the hands of the excited Arab. He
+said, and there was still a sad quality in his voice. "The gun you carry
+is a nothing-weapon, desert man. When the French conquered this land
+more than a century ago they were armed with single-shot rifles which
+were still far in advance of your own long barrelled flintlocks. Today,
+you are proud of that tommy gun you carry, and, indeed, it has the fire
+power of a company of the Foreign Legion of a century past. However,
+believe me, Abd-el-Kader, it is a nothing-weapon compared to those that
+will be brought against the Chaambra if they heed your words."
+
+The desert leader put back his head and laughed his scorn.
+
+He chopped his laughter short and snapped, more to the council of chiefs
+than to the stranger. "Then we will seize such weapons and use them
+against those who would oppose us. In the end it is the strong who win
+in war, and the Rouma have gone soft, as all men know. I, Abd-el-Kader
+will have these two killed and then I shall announce to the assembled
+tribes the new jedah, a Holy War to bring the Chosen of Allah once again
+to their rightful position in the Sahara."
+
+"Man," Abe Baker murmured pleasantly, "you're going to be one awful
+disappointed cat before long."
+
+El Aicha said mildly, "Such decisions are for the djemaa el kebar to
+make, O Abd-el-Kader, not for a single chief of the Ouled Touameur."
+
+The desert warrior chief sneered openly at the old man. "Decisions are
+made by those with the strength to enforce them. The young men of the
+Chaambra support me, and my men surround this tent."
+
+"So do mine," Homer Crawford said decisively. "And I have come to arrest
+you and take you to Columb-Béchar where you will be tried for your
+participation in recent raids on various development projects."
+
+El Aicha repeated his earlier words. "There shall be no violence at a
+djemaa el kebar."
+
+The Ouled Touameur chief's eyes had narrowed. "You are not strong enough
+to take me."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+In English, Abe Baker said, "Like maybe these young followers of this
+cat need an example laid on them, man."
+
+"I'm afraid you're right," Crawford growled disgustedly.
+
+The younger American came to his feet. "I'll take him on," Abe said.
+
+"No, he's nearer to my size," Crawford grunted. He turned to El Aicha,
+and said in Arabic, "I demand the right of a stranger in your camp to a
+trial by combat."
+
+"On what grounds?" the old man scowled.
+
+"That my manhood has been spat upon by this warrior who does his
+fighting with his loud mouth."
+
+The assembled chiefs looked to Abd-el-Kader, and a rustling sigh went
+through them. A hundred times the wiry desert chieftain had proven
+himself the most capable fighter in the tribes. A hundred times he had
+proven it and there were dead and wounded in the path he had cut for
+himself.
+
+Abd-el-Kader laughed aloud again. "Swords, in the open before the
+ascan."
+
+Homer Crawford shrugged. "Swords, in the open before the assembled
+Chaambra so that they may see how truly weak is the one who calls
+himself so strong."
+
+Abe said worriedly, in English, "Listen, man, you been checked out on
+swords?"
+
+"They're the traditional weapon in the Arab _code duello_," Homer said,
+with a wry grin. "Nothing else would do."
+
+"Man, you sound like you've been blasting pot and got yourself as high
+as those cats out there with their _kif_. This Abd-el-Kader was probably
+raised with a sword in his hand."
+
+Abd-el-Kader smiling triumphantly, had spun on his heel and made his way
+through the tent's entrance. Now they could hear him shouting orders.
+
+El Aicha looked up at Homer Crawford from where he sat. His voice
+without inflection, he said, "Hast thou a sword, Omar ben Crawf?"
+
+"No," Crawford said.
+
+The elderly tribal leader said, "Then I shall loan you mine." He
+hesitated momentarily, before adding, "Never before has hand other than
+mine wielded it." And finally, simply, "Never has it been drawn to
+commit dishonor."
+
+"I am honored."
+
+Outside, the rumors had spread fast and already a great arena was
+forming by the packed lines of Chaambra nomads. At the tent entrance,
+Elmer Allen, his face worried, said, his English in characteristic
+Jamaican accent, "What did you chaps do?"
+
+"Duel," Abe growled apprehensively. "This joker here has challenged
+their top swordsman to a fight."
+
+Elmer said hurriedly, "See here, gentlemen, the hovercraft are parked
+over behind that tent. We can be there in two minutes and away from--"
+
+Crawford's eyes went from Elmer Allen to Abe Baker and then back again.
+He chuckled, "I don't think you two think I'm going to win this fight,"
+he said.
+
+"What do you know about swordsmanship?" Elmer Allen said accusingly.
+
+"Practically nothing. A little bayonet practice quite a few years ago."
+
+"Oh, great," Abe muttered.
+
+Elmer said hurriedly, "See here, Homer, I was on the college fencing
+team and--"
+
+Crawford grinned at him. "Too late, friend."
+
+As they talked, they made their way to the large circle of men. In its
+center, Abd-el-Kader was stripping to his waist, meanwhile laughingly
+shouting his confidence to his Ouled Touameur tribesmen and to the other
+Chaambra of fighting age. No one seemed to doubt the final issue.
+Beneath his white burnoose he wore a gandoura of lightweight woolen
+cloth and beneath that a longish undershirt of white cotton, similar to
+that of the Tuareg but with shorter and less voluminous sleeves. This
+the desert fighter retained.
+
+Crawford stripped down too, nude to the waist. His body was in excellent
+trim, muscles bunching under the ebony skin. A Haratin servant came up
+bearing El Aicha's sword.
+
+Homer Crawford pulled it from the scabbard. It was of scimitar type, the
+weapon which had once conquered half the known world.
+
+From within the huge circle of men, Abd-el-Kader swung his own blade in
+flashing arcs and called out something undoubtedly insulting, but which
+was lost in the babble of the multitude.
+
+"Well, here we go," Crawford grunted. "You fellows better station
+yourselves around just on the off chance that those Ouled Touameur
+bully-boys don't like the decision."
+
+"We'll worry about that," Abe said unhappily. "You just see you get out
+of this in one piece. Anything happens to you and the head office'll
+make me head of this team--and frankly, man I don't want the job."
+
+Homer grinned at him, and began pushing his way through to the center.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The Arab cut a last switch in the air, with his whistling blade and
+started forward, in practiced posture. Homer awaited him, legs spread
+slightly, his hands extended slightly, the sword held at the ready but
+with point low.
+
+Abe Baker growled, unhappily, "He said he didn't know anything about the
+swords, and the way he holds it bears him out. That Arab'll cut Homer to
+ribbons. Maybe we ought to do something about it." As usual, under
+stress, he'd dropped his beatnik patter.
+
+Elmer Allen looked at him. "Such as what? There are at least three
+thousand of these tribesmen chaps here watching their favorite sport.
+What did you have in mind doing?"
+
+Abd-el-Kader hadn't remained the victor of a score of similar duels
+through making such mistakes as underestimating his foe. In spite of the
+black stranger's seeming ignorance of his weapon, the Arab had no
+intention of being sucked into a trap. He advanced with care.
+
+His sword darted forward, quickly, experimentally, and Homer Crawford
+barely caught its razor edge on his own.
+
+Save for his own four companions, the crowd laughed aloud. None among
+them were so clumsy as this.
+
+The Ouled Touameur chief was convinced. He stepped in fast, the blade
+flicked in and out in a quick feint, then flicked in again. Homer
+Crawford countered clumsily.
+
+And then there was a roar as the American's blade left his hand and flew
+high in the air to come to the ground again a score of feet behind the
+desert swordsman.
+
+For a brief moment Abd-el-Kader stepped back to observe his foe, and
+there was mockery in his face. "So thy manhood has been spat upon by one
+who fights only with his mouth! Almost, braggart, I am inclined to give
+you your life so that you may spend the rest of it in shame. Now die,
+unbeliever!"
+
+Crawford stood hopelessly, in a semicrouch, his hands still slightly
+forward. The Arab came in fast, his sword at the ready for the death
+stroke.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Suddenly, the American moved forward and then jumped a full yard into
+the air, feet forward and into the belly of the advancing Arab. The
+heavily shod right foot struck at the point in the abdomen immediately
+below the sternum, the solar plexus, and the left was as low as the
+groin. In a motion that was almost a bounce off the other's body,
+Crawford came lithely back to his feet, jumped back two steps, crouched
+again.
+
+But Abd-el-Kader was through, his eyes popping agony, his body writhing
+on the ground. The whole thing, from the time the Arab had advanced on
+the disarmed man for the kill, hadn't taken five seconds.
+
+His groans were the only sounds which broke the unbelieving silence of
+the Chaambra tribesmen. Homer Crawford picked up the fallen leader's
+sword and then strolled over and retrieved that of El Aicha. Ignoring
+Abd-el-Kader, he crossed to where the tribal elders had assembled to
+watch the fight and held out the borrowed sword to its owner.
+
+El Aicha sheathed it while looking into Homer Crawford's face. "It has
+still never been drawn to commit dishonor."
+
+"My thanks," Crawford said.
+
+Over the noise of the crowd which now was beginning to murmur its
+incredulity at their champion's fantastic defeat, came the voice of Abe
+Baker swearing in Arabic and yelling for a way to be cleared for him. He
+was driving one of the hovercraft.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+He drew it up next to the still agonized Abd-el-Kader and got out
+accompanied by Bey-ag-Akhamouk. Silently and without undue roughness
+they picked up the fallen clan chief and put him into the back of the
+hover-lorry, ignoring the crowd.
+
+Homer Crawford came up and said in English, "All right, let's get out of
+here. Don't hurry, but on the other hand don't let's prolong it. One of
+those Ouled Touameur might collect himself to the point of deciding he
+ought to rescue his leader."
+
+Abe looked at him disgustedly. "Like, where'd you learn that little
+party trick, man?"
+
+Crawford yawned. "I said I didn't know anything about swords. You didn't
+ask me about judo. I once taught judo in the Marines."
+
+"Well, why didn't you take him sooner? He like to cut your head off with
+that cheese knife before you landed on him."
+
+"I couldn't do it sooner. Not until he knocked the sword out of my hand.
+Until then it was a sword fight. But as soon as I had no sword then in
+the eyes of every Chaambra present, I had the right to use any method
+possible to save myself."
+
+Bey-ag-Akhamouk looked up at the sun to check the time. "We better speed
+it up if we want to get this man to Columb-Béchar and then get on down
+over the desert to Timbuktu and that meeting."
+
+"Let's go," Homer said. The second hovercraft joined them, driven by
+Elmer Allen, and they made their way through the staring, but
+motionless, crowds of Chaambra.
+
+
+
+
+IV
+
+
+Once the city of Timbuktu was more important in population, in commerce,
+in learning than the London, the Paris or the Rome of the time. It was
+the crossroads where African traffic, east and west, met African
+traffic, north and south; Timbuktu dominated all. In its commercial
+houses accumulated the wealth of Africa; in its universities and mosques
+the wisdom of Greece, Rome, Byzantium and the Near East--at a time when
+such learning was being destroyed in Dark Ages beset Europe.
+
+Timbuktu's day lasted but two or three hundred years at most. By the
+middle of the Twentieth Century it had deteriorated into what looked
+nothing so much as a New Mexico ghost town, built largely of adobe. Its
+palaces and markets has melted away to caricatures of their former
+selves, its universities were a memory of yesteryear, its population
+fallen off to a few thousands. Not until the Niger Projects, the dams
+and irrigation projects, of the latter part of the Twentieth Century did
+the city begin to regain a semblance of its old importance.
+
+Homer Crawford's team had come down over the Tanezrouft route, Reggan,
+Bidon Cinq and Tessalit; that of Isobel Cunningham, Jacob Armstrong and
+Clifford Jackson, up from Timbuktu's Niger River port of Kabara. They
+met in the former great market square, bordered on two sides by the one
+time French Administration buildings.
+
+Isobel reacted first. "Abe!" she yelled, pointing accusingly at him.
+
+Abe Baker pretended to cringe, then reacted. "Isobel! Somebody _told_ me
+you were over here!"
+
+She ran over the heavy sand, which drifted through the streets, to the
+hovercraft in which he had just pulled up. He popped out to meet her,
+grinning widely.
+
+"Why didn't you look me up?" she said accusingly, presenting a cheek to
+be kissed.
+
+"In Africa, man?" he laughed. "Kinda big, Africa. Like, I didn't know if
+you were in the Sahara, or maybe down in Angola, or wherever."
+
+She frowned. "Heaven forbid."
+
+Abe turned to the others of his team who had crowded up behind him. It
+had been a long time since any of them had seen other than native women.
+
+"Isobel," he said, "I hate to do this, but let me introduce you to Homer
+Crawford, my immediate boss and slave driver, late of the University of
+Michigan where he must've found out where the body was--they gave him a
+doctorate. Then here's Elmer Allen, late of Jamaica--British West
+Indies, not Long Island--all he's got is a master's, also in sociology.
+And this is Kenneth Ballalou, hails from San Francisco, I don't think
+Kenny ever went to school, but he seems to speak every language ever."
+Abe turned to his final companion. "And this is our sole _real_ African,
+Bey-ag-Akhamouk, of Tuareg blood, so beware, they don't call the Tuareg
+the Apaches of the Sahara for nothing."
+
+Bey pretended to wince as he held out his hand. "Since Abe seems to be
+an education snob, I might as well mention the University of Minnesota
+and my Political Science."
+
+Jake Armstrong and Cliff Jackson had come up behind Isobel, and were now
+introduced in turn. The older man said, "A Tuareg in a Reunited Nations
+team? Not that it makes any difference to me, but I thought there was
+some sort of policy."
+
+"I was taken to the States when I was three," Bey said. "I'm an American
+citizen."
+
+Isobel was chattering, in animation, with Abe Baker. It developed they'd
+both been reporters on the school paper at Columbia. At least, they'd
+both started as reporters, Isobel had wound up editor.
+
+Since their introduction, Homer Crawford had been vaguely frowning at
+her. Now he said, "I've been trying to place where I'd seen you before.
+Now I know. Some photographs of Lena Horne, she was--"
+
+Isobel dropped a mock curtsy. "Thank you, kind sir, you don't have to
+tell me about Lena Horne, she's a favorite. I have scads of tapes of
+her."
+
+"Brother," Elmer Allen said dourly, "how's anybody going to top that?
+Homer's got the inside track now. Let's get over to this meeting. By the
+cars, helio-copters and hovercraft around here, you got more of a
+turnout than I expected, Homer."
+
+The meeting was held in what had once been an assembly chamber of the
+officials of the former _Cercle de Tombouctou_, when this had all been
+part of French Sudan. It was the only room in the vicinity which would
+comfortably hold all of them.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Elmer Allen had been right, there was something like a hundred persons
+present, almost all men but with a sprinkling of women, such as Isobel.
+More than half were in native costume running the gamut from Nigeria to
+Morocco and from Mauritania to Ethiopia. They were a competent looking,
+confident voiced gathering.
+
+Homer Crawford knocked with a knuckle on the table that stood at the
+head of the hall and called for silence. "Sorry we're late," he said,
+"Particularly in view of the fact that the idea of this meeting
+originated with my team. We had some difficulty with a nomad raider, up
+in Chaambra country."
+
+Someone from halfway back in the hall said bitterly, "I suppose in
+typical African Development Project style, you killed the poor man."
+
+Crawford said dryly, "_Poor man_ isn't too accurate a description of the
+gentleman involved. However, he is at present in jail awaiting trial."
+He got back to the meeting. "I had originally thought of this being an
+informal get-together of a score or so of us, but in view of the numbers
+I suggest we appoint a temporary chairman."
+
+"You're doing all right," Jake Armstrong said from the second row of
+chairs.
+
+"I second that," an unknown called from further back.
+
+Crawford shrugged. His manner had a cool competence. "All right. If
+there is no objection, I'll carry on until the meeting decides, if it
+ever does, that there is need of elected officers."
+
+"I object." In the third row a white haired, but Prussian-erect man had
+come to his feet. "I wish to know the meaning of this meeting. I object
+to it being held at all."
+
+Abe Baker called to him, "Dad, how can you object to it being held if
+you don't know what it's for?"
+
+Homer Crawford said, "Suppose I briefly sum up our mutual situation and
+if there are any motions to be made--including calling the meeting
+quits--or decisions to come to, we can start from there."
+
+There was a murmur of assent. The objector sat down in a huff.
+
+Crawford looked out over them. "I don't know most of you. The word of
+this meeting must have spread from one group or team to another. So what
+I'll do is start from the beginning, saying little at first with which
+you aren't already familiar, but we'll lay a foundation."
+
+He went on. "This situation which we find in Africa is only a part of a
+world-wide condition. Perhaps to some, particularly in the Western World
+as they call it, Africa isn't of primary importance. But, needless to
+say, it is to we here in the field. Not too many years ago, at the same
+period the African colonies were bursting their bonds and achieving
+independence, an international situation was developing that threatened
+future peace. The rich nations were getting richer, the poor were
+getting poorer, and the rate of this change was accelerating. The
+reasons were various. The population growth in the backward countries,
+unhampered by birth control and rocketing upward due to new sanitation,
+new health measures, and the conquest of a score of diseases that have
+bedeviled man down through the centuries, was fantastic. Try as they
+would to increase per capita income in the have-not nations, population
+grew faster than new industry and new agricultural methods could keep
+up. On top of that handicap was another; the have-not nations were so
+far behind economically that they couldn't get going. Why build a
+bicycle factory in Morocco which might be able to turn out bikes for,
+say, fifty dollars apiece, when you could buy them from automated
+factories in Europe, Japan or the United States for twenty-five
+dollars?"
+
+Most of his audience were nodding agreement, some of them impatiently,
+as though wanting him to get on with it.
+
+Crawford continued. "For a time aid to these backward nations was left
+in the hands of the individual nations--especially to the United States
+and Russia. However, in spite of speeches of politicians to the
+contrary, governments are not motivated by humanitarian purposes. The
+government of a country does what it does for the benefit of the ruling
+class of that country. That was the reason it was appointed the
+government. Any government that doesn't live up to this dictum soon
+stops being the government."
+
+"That isn't always so," somebody called.
+
+Homer Crawford grinned. "Bear with me a while," he said. "We can debate
+till the Niger freezes over--later on."
+
+He went on. "For instance, the United States would _aid_ Country X with
+a billion dollars at, say four per cent interest, stipulating that the
+money be spent in America. This is aid? It certainly is for American
+business. But then our friends the Russians come along and loan the same
+country a billion rubles at a very low interest rate and with supposedly
+no strings attached, to build, say, a railroad. Very fine indeed, but
+first of all the railroad, built Russian style and with Russian
+equipment, soon needs replacements, new locomotives, more rolling stock.
+Where must it come from? Russia, of course. Besides that, in order to
+build and run the railroad it became necessary to send Russian
+technicians to Country X and also to send students from Country X to
+Moscow to study Russian technology so that they could operate the
+railroad." Crawford's voice went wry. "Few countries, other than commie
+ones, much desire to have their students study in Moscow."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+There was a slight stirring in his audience and Homer Crawford grinned
+slightly. "You'll pardon me if in this little summation, I step on a few
+ideological toes--of both East and West.
+
+"Needless to say, under these conditions of _aid_ in short order the
+economies of various countries fell under the domination of the two
+great collossi. At the same time the other have nations including Great
+Britain, France, Germany and the newly awakening China, began to realize
+that unless they got into the _aid_ act that they would disappear as
+competitors for the tremendous markets in the newly freed former
+colonial lands. Also along in here it became obvious that philanthropy
+with a mercenary basis doesn't always work out to the benefit of the
+receiver and the world began to take measures to administer aid more
+efficiently and through world bodies rather than national ones.
+
+"But there was still another problem, particularly here in Africa. The
+newly freed former colonies were wary of the nations that had formerly
+owned them and often for good reasons, always remembering that
+governments are not motivated by humanitarian reasons. England did not
+free India because her heart bled for the Indian people, nor did France
+finally free Algeria because the French conscience was stirred with
+thoughts of Freedom, Equality and Fraternity."
+
+A voice broke in from halfway down the hall, a voice heavy with British
+accent. "I say, why did you Yanks free the Philippines?"
+
+Homer Crawford laughed, as did several other Americans present. "That's
+the first time I've ever been called a Yankee," he said. "But the point
+is well taken. By freeing the islands we washed our hands of the
+responsibility of such expensive matters as their health and education,
+and at the same time we granted freedom we made military and economic
+treaties which perpetuated our fundamental control of the Philippines.
+
+"The point is made. The distrust of the European and the white man as a
+whole was prevalent, especially here in Africa. However, and
+particularly in Africa, the citizens of the new countries were almost
+unbelievably uneducated, untrained, incapable of engineering their own
+destiny. In whole nations there was not a single lawyer or--"
+
+"That's no handicap," somebody called.
+
+There was laughter through the hall.
+
+Homer Crawford laughed, too, and nodded as though in solemn agreement.
+"However, there were also no doctors, engineers, scientists. There were
+whole nations without a single college graduate."
+
+He paused and his eyes swept the hall. "That's where we came in. Most of
+us here this afternoon are from the States, however, also represented to
+my knowledge are British West Indians, a Canadian or two, at least one
+Panamanian, and possibly some Cubans. Down in the southern part of the
+continent I know of teams working in the Portuguese areas who are
+Brazilian in background. All of us, of course, are Africans racially,
+but few if any of us know from what part of Africa his forebears came.
+My own grandfather was born a slave in Mississippi and didn't know his
+father; my grandmother was already a hopeless mixture of a score of
+African tribes.
+
+"That, I assume, is the story of most if not all of us. Our ancestors
+were wrenched from the lands of their birth and shipped under conditions
+worse than cattle to the New World." He added simply, "Now we return."
+
+There was a murmur throughout his listeners, but no one interrupted.
+
+"When the great powers of Europe arbitrarily split up Africa in the
+Nineteenth Century they didn't bother with race, tribe, not even
+geographic boundaries. Largely they seemed to draw their boundary lines
+with ruler and pencil on a Mercator projection. Often, not only were
+native nations split in twain but even tribes and clans, and sometimes
+split not only one way but two or three. It was chaotic to the old
+tribal system. Of course, when the white man left various efforts were
+made from the very start to join that which had been torn apart a
+century earlier. Right here in this area, Senegal and what was then
+French Sudan merged to form the short-lived Mali Federation. Ghana and
+French Guinea formed a shaky alliance. More successful was the
+federation of Kenya, Tanganyika, Uganda and Zanzibar, which of course,
+has since grown.
+
+"But there were fantastic difficulties. Many of the old tribal
+institutions had been torn down, but new political institutions had been
+introduced only in a half-baked way. African politicians, supposedly
+'democratically' elected, had no intention of facing the possibility of
+giving up their individual powers by uniting with their neighbors. Not
+only had the Africans been divided tribally but now politically as well.
+But obviously, so long as they continued to be Balkanized the chances of
+rapid progress were minimized.
+
+"Other difficulties were manifold. So far as socio-economics were
+concerned, African society ran the scale from bottom to top. The Bushmen
+of the Ermelo district of the Transvaal and the Kalahari are stone age
+people still--savages. Throughout the continent we find tribes at an
+ethnic level which American Anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan called
+barbarism. In some places we find socio-economic systems based on
+chattle slavery, elsewhere feudalism. In comparatively few areas,
+Casablanca, Algiers, Dakar, Cairo and possibly the Union we find a
+rapidly expanding capitalism.
+
+"Needless to say, if Africa was to progress, to increase rapidly her per
+capita income, to depart the ranks of the have-nots and become have
+nations, these obstacles had to be overcome. That is why we are here."
+
+"Speak for yourself, Mr. Crawford," the white haired objector of ten
+minutes earlier, bit out.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Homer Crawford nodded. "You are correct, sir. I should have said that is
+the reason the teams of the Reunited Nations African Development Project
+are here. I note among us various members of this project besides those
+belonging to my own team, by the way. However, most of you are under
+other auspices. We of the Reunited Nations teams are here because as
+Africans racially but not nationally, we have no affiliation with clan,
+tribe or African nation. We are free to work for Africa's progress
+without prejudice. Our job is to remove obstacles wherever we find them.
+To break up log jams. To eliminate prejudices against the steps that
+must be taken if Africa is to run down the path of progress, rather than
+to crawl. We usually operate in teams of about half a dozen. There are
+hundreds of such teams in North Africa alone."
+
+He rapped his knuckle against the small table behind which he stood.
+"Which brings us to the present and to the purpose of suggesting this
+meeting. Most of you are operating under other auspices than the
+Reunited Nations. Many of you duplicate some of our work. It occurred to
+me, and my team mates, that it might be a good idea for us to get
+together and see if there is ground for co-operation."
+
+Jake Armstrong called out, "What kind of co-operation?"
+
+Crawford shrugged. "How would I know? Largely, I don't even know who you
+represent, or the exact nature of the tasks you are trying to perform. I
+suggest that each group of us represented here, stand up and announce
+their position. Possibly, it will lead to something of value."
+
+"I make that a motion," Cliff Jackson said.
+
+"Second," Elmer Allen called out.
+
+The majority were in favor.
+
+Homer Crawford sat down behind the table, saying, "Who'll start off?"
+
+Armstrong said, "Isobel, you're better looking than I am. They'd rather
+look at you. You present our story."
+
+Isobel came to her feet and shot him a scornful glance. "Lazy," she
+said.
+
+Jake Armstrong grinned at her. "Make it good."
+
+Isobel took her place next to the table at which Crawford sat and faced
+the others.
+
+She looked at the chairman from the side of her eyes and said, "After
+that allegedly _brief_ summation Mr. Crawford made, I have a sneaking
+suspicion that we'll be here until next week unless I set a new
+precedent and cut the position of the Africa for Africans Association
+shorter."
+
+Isobel got her laugh, including one from Homer Crawford, and went on.
+
+"Anyway, I suppose most of you know of the AFAA and possibly many of you
+belong to it, or at least contribute. We've been called the African
+Zionist organization and perhaps that's not too far off. We are largely,
+but not entirely an American association. We send out our teams, such as
+the one my colleagues and I belong to, in order to speed up progress
+and, as our chairman put it, eliminate prejudices against the steps that
+must be taken if Africa is to run down the path of progress instead of
+crawl. We also advocate that Americans and other non-African-born
+Negroes, educated in Europe and the Americas, return to Africa to help
+in its struggles. We find positions for any such who are competent,
+preferably doctors, educators, scientists and technicians, but also
+competent mechanics, construction workers and so forth. We operate a
+school in New York where we teach native languages and lingua franca
+such as Swahili and Songhai, in preparation for going to Africa. We
+raise our money largely from voluntary contributions, and largely from
+American Negroes although we have also had government grants, donations
+from foundations, and from individuals of other racial backgrounds. I
+suppose that sums it up."
+
+Isobel smiled at them, returned to her chair to applause, probably due
+as much to her attractive appearance as her words.
+
+Crawford said, "When we began this meeting we had an objection that it
+be held at all. I wonder if we might hear from that gentleman next?"
+
+The white haired, ramrod erect, man stood next to his chair, not
+bothering to come to the head of the room. "You may indeed," he snapped.
+"I am Bishop Manning of the United Negro Missionaries, an organization
+attempting to accomplish the only truly important task that cries for
+completion on this largely godless continent. Accomplish this, and all
+else will fall into place."
+
+Homer Crawford said, "I assume you refer to the conversion of the
+populace."
+
+"I do indeed. And the work others do is meaningless until that has been
+accomplished. We are bringing religion to Africa, but not through white
+missionaries who in the past lived _off_ the natives, but through Negro
+missionaries who live _with_ them. I call upon all of you to give up
+your present occupations and come to our assistance."
+
+Elmer Allan's voice was sarcastic. "These people need less superstition,
+not more."
+
+The bishop spun on him. "I am not speaking of superstition, young man!"
+
+Elmer Allen said. "All religions are superstitions, except one's own."
+
+"And yours?" the Bishop barked.
+
+"I'm an agnostic."
+
+The bishop snorted his disgust and made his way to the door. There he
+turned and had his last word. "All you do is meaningless. I pray you,
+again, give it up and join in the Lord's work."
+
+Homer Crawford nodded to him. "Thank you, Bishop Manning. I'm sure we
+will all consider your words." When the older man was gone, he looked
+out over the hall again. "Well, who is next?"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+A thus far speechless member of the audience, seated in the first row,
+came to his feet. His face was serious and strained, the face of a man
+who pushes himself beyond the point of efficiency in the vain effort to
+accomplish more by expenditure of added hours.
+
+He came to the front and said, "Since I'm possibly the only one here who
+also has objections to the reason for calling this meeting, I might as
+well have my say now." He half turned to Crawford, and continued. "Mr.
+Chairman, my name is Ralph Sandell and I'm an officer in the Sahara
+Afforestation Project, which, as you know, is also under the auspices of
+the Reunited Nations, though not having any other connection with your
+own organization."
+
+Homer Crawford nodded. "We know of your efforts, but why do you object
+to calling this meeting?" He seemed mystified.
+
+"Because, like Bishop Manning, I think your efforts misdirected. I think
+you are expending tremendous sums of money and the work of tens of
+thousands of good men and women, in directions which in the long run
+will hardly count."
+
+Crawford leaned back in surprise, waiting for the other's reasoning.
+
+Ralph Sandell obliged. "As the chairman pointed out, the problem of
+population explosion is a desperate one. Even today, with all the
+efforts of the Reunited Nations and of the individual countries involved
+in African aid, the population of this continent is growing at a pace
+that will soon outstrip the arable portion of the land. Save only
+Antarctica, Africa has the smallest arable percentage of land of any of
+the continents.
+
+"The task of the Afforestation Project is to return the Sahara to the
+fertile land it once was. The job is a gargantuan one, but ultimately
+quite possible. Here in the south we are daming the Niger, running our
+irrigation projects farther and farther north. From the Mauritania area
+on the Atlantic we are pressing inland, using water purification and
+solar pumps to utilize the ocean. In the mountains of Morocco, the water
+available is being utilized more efficiently than ever before, and the
+sands being pushed back. We are all familiar with Egypt's ever
+increasingly successful efforts to exploit the Nile. In the Sahara
+itself, the new solar pumps are utilizing wells to an extent never
+dreamed of before. The oases are increasing in a geometric progression
+both in number and in size." He was caught up in his own enthusiasm.
+
+Crawford said, interestedly, "It's a fascinating project. How long do
+you estimate it will be before the job is done?"
+
+"Perhaps a century. As the trees go in by the tens of millions, there
+will be a change in climate. Forest begets moisture which in turn allows
+for more forest." He turned back to the audience as a whole. "In time we
+will be able to farm these million upon million of acres of fertile
+land. First it must go into forest, then we can return to field
+agriculture when climate and soil have been restored. This is our prime
+task! This is our basic need. I call upon all of you for your support
+and that of your organizations if you can bring their attention to the
+great need. The tasks you have set yourselves are meaningless in the
+face of this greater one. Let us be practical."
+
+"Crazy man," Abe Baker said aloud. "Let's be practical and cut out all
+this jazz." The youthful New Yorker came to his feet. "First of all you
+just mentioned it was going to take a century, even though it's going
+like a geometric progression. Geometric progressions get going kind of
+slow, so I imagine that your scheme for making the Sahara fertile again,
+won't really be under full steam until more than halfway through that
+century of yours, and not really ripping ahead until, maybe two thirds
+of the way. Meanwhile, what's going to happen?"
+
+"I beg your pardon!" Ralph Sandell said stiffly.
+
+"That's all right," Abe Baker grinned at him. "The way they figure,
+population doubles every thirty years, under the present rate of
+increase. They figure there'll be three billion in the world by 1990,
+then by 2020 there would be six billions, and in 2050, twelve billions
+and twenty-four by the time your century was up. Old boy, I suggest the
+addition of a Sahara of rich agricultural land a century from now
+wouldn't be of much importance."
+
+"Ridiculous!"
+
+"You mean me, or you?" Abe grinned. "I once read an article by Donald
+Kingsbury. It's reprinted these days because it finished off the subject
+once and for all. He showed with mathematical rigor that given the
+present rate of human population increase, and an absolutely unlimited
+technology that allowed instantaneous intergalactical transportation and
+the ability to convert anything and everything into food, including
+interstellar dust, stars, planets, everything, it would take only seven
+thousand years to turn the total mass of the total universe into human
+flesh!"
+
+The Sahara Afforestation official gaped at him.
+
+The room rocked with laughter.
+
+Irritated, Sandell snapped again, "Ridiculous!"
+
+"It sure is, man," Abe grinned. "And the point is that the job is
+educating the people and freeing them to the point where they can
+develop their potentialities. Educate the African and he will see the
+same need that does the intelligent European, American, or Russian for
+that matter, to limit our population growth." He sat down again, and
+there was a scattering of applause and more laughter.
+
+Sandell, still glowering, took his seat, too.
+
+Homer Crawford, who'd been hard put not to join in the amusement, said,
+"Thanks to both of you for some interesting points. Now, who's next? Who
+else do we have here?"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+When no one else answered, a smallish man, dressed in the costume of the
+Dogon, to the south, came to his feet and to the head of the room.
+
+In a clipped British accent, he said, "Rex Donaldson, of Nassau, the
+Bahamas, in the service of Her Majesty's Government and the British
+Commonwealth. I have no team. Although our tasks are largely similar to
+those of the African Development Project, we field men of the African
+Department usually work as individuals. My native pseudonym is usually
+Dolo Anah."
+
+He looked out over the rest. "I have no objection to such meetings as
+this. If nothing else, it gives chaps a bit of an opportunity to air
+grievances. I personally have several and may as well state them now.
+Among other things, it becomes increasingly clear that though some of
+the organizations represented here are supposedly of the Reunited
+Nations, actually they are dominated by Yankees. The Yankees are seeping
+in everywhere." He looked at Isobel. "Yes, such groups as your Africa
+for Africans Association has high flown slogans, but wherever you go,
+there go Yankee ideas, Yankee products, Yankee schools."
+
+Homer Crawford's eyebrows went up. "What is your solution? The fact is
+that the United States has a hundred or more times the educated Negroes
+than any other country."
+
+Donaldson said, doggedly, "The British Commonwealth has done more than
+any other element in bringing progress to Africa. She should be given
+the lead in developing the continent. A good first step would be to make
+the pound sterling legal tender throughout the continent. And, as things
+are now, there are some _seven hundred_ different languages, not
+counting dialects. I suggest that English be made the lingua franca
+of--"
+
+An excitable type, who had been first to join in the laughter at
+Sandell, now jumped to his feet. "_Un moment, Monsieur!_ The French
+Community long dominated a far greater portion of Africa than the
+British flag flew over. Not to mention that it was the most advanced
+portion. If any language was to become the lingua franca of all Africa,
+French would be more suitable. Your ultimate purpose, Mr. Donaldson, is
+obvious. You and your Commonwealth African Department wish to dominate
+for political and economic reasons!"
+
+He turned to the others and spread his hands in a Gallic gesture. "I
+introduce myself, Pierre Dupaine, operative of the African Affairs
+sector of the French Community."
+
+"Ha!" Donaldson snorted. "Getting the French out of Africa was like
+pulling teeth. It took donkey's years. And now look. This chap wants to
+bring them back again."
+
+Crawford was knuckling the table. "Gentlemen, Gentlemen," he yelled. He
+finally had them quieted.
+
+Wryly he said, "May I ask if we have a representative from the
+government of the United States?"
+
+A lithe, inordinately well dressed young man rose from his seat in the
+rear of the hall. "Frederic Ostrander, C.I.A.," he said. "I might as
+well tell you now, Crawford, and you other American citizens here, this
+meeting will not meet with the approval of the State Department."
+
+Crawford's eyes went up. "How do you know?"
+
+The C.I.A. man said evenly, "We've already had reports that this
+conference was going to be held. I might as well inform you that a
+protest is being made to the Sahara Division of the African Development
+Project."
+
+Crawford said, "I suppose that is your privilege, sir. Now, in accord
+with the reason for this meeting, can you tell us why your organization
+is present in Africa and what it hopes to achieve?"
+
+Ostrander looked at him testily. "Why not? There has been considerable
+infiltration of all of these African development organizations by
+subversive elements...."
+
+"Oh, Brother," Cliff Jackson said.
+
+"... And it is not the policy of the State Department to stand idly by
+while the Soviet Complex attempts to draw Africa from the ranks of the
+free world."
+
+Elmer Allen said disgustedly, "Just what part of Africa would you really
+consider part of the Free World?"
+
+The C.I.A. man stared at him coldly. "You know what I mean," he rapped.
+"And I might add, we are familiar with your record, Mr. Allen."
+
+Homer Crawford said, "You've made a charge which is undoubtedly as
+unpalatable to many of those present as it is to me. Can you
+substantiate it? In my experience in the Sahara there is little, if any,
+following of the Soviet Complex."
+
+An agreeing murmur went through the room.
+
+Ostrander bit out, "Then who is subsidizing this El Hassan?"
+
+Rex Donaldson, the British Commonwealth man, came to his feet. "That was
+a matter I was going to bring up before this meeting."
+
+Homer Crawford, fully accompanied by Abe Baker and the rest of their
+team, even Elmer Allen, burst into uncontrolled laughter.
+
+
+
+
+V
+
+
+When Homer Crawford, Abe Baker, Kenny Ballalou, Elmer Allen and
+Bey-ag-Akhamouk had laughed themselves out, Frederic Ostrander, the
+C.I.A. operative stared at them in anger. "What's so funny?" he snapped.
+
+From his seat in the middle of the hall, Pierre Dupaine, operative for
+the French Community, said worriedly, "_Messieurs_, this El Hassan is
+not amusing. I, too, have heard of him. His followers are evidently
+sweeping through the Sahara. Everywhere I hear of him."
+
+There was confirming murmur throughout the rest of the gathering.
+
+Still chuckling, Homer Crawford said, a hand held up for quiet, "Please,
+everyone. Pardon the amusement of my teammates and myself. You see,
+there is no such person as El Hassan."
+
+"To the contrary!" Ostrander snapped.
+
+"No, please," Crawford said, grinning ruefully. "You see, my team
+_invented_ him, some time ago."
+
+Ostrander could only stare, and for once his position was backed by
+everyone in the hall, Crawford's team excepted.
+
+Crawford said doggedly, "It came about like this. These people need a
+hero. It's in their nomad tradition. They need a leader to follow. Given
+a leader, as history has often demonstrated, and the nomad will perform
+miracles. We wished to spread the program of the African Development
+Project. Such items as the need to unite, to break down the old
+boundaries of clan and tribe and even nation, the freeing of the slave
+and serf, the upgrading of women's position, the dropping of the veil
+and haik, the need to educate the youth, the desirability of taking jobs
+on the projects and to take up land on the new oases. But since we
+usually go about disguised as Enaden itinerant smiths, a poorly thought
+of caste, our ideas weren't worth much. So we invented El Hassan and
+everything we said we ascribed to him, this mysterious hero who was
+going to lead all North Africa to Utopia."
+
+Jake Armstrong stood up and said, sheepishly, "I suppose that my team
+unknowingly added to this. We heard about this mysterious El Hassan and
+he seemed largely to be going in the same direction, and for the same
+reason--to give the rumors we were spreading weight--we ascribed the
+things we said to him."
+
+Somebody farther back in the hall laughed and said, "So did I!"
+
+Homer Crawford extended his hands in the direction of Ostrander, palms
+upward. "I'm sorry, sir. But there seems to be your mysterious
+subversive."
+
+Angered, Ostrander snapped, "Then you admit that it was you, yourself,
+who have been spreading these subversive ideas?"
+
+"Now, wait a minute," Crawford snapped in return. "I admit only to those
+slogans and ideas promulgated by the African Development Project. If any
+so-called subversive ideas have been ascribed to El Hassan, it has not
+been through my team. Frankly, I rather doubt that they have. These
+people aren't at any ethnic period where the program of the Soviet
+Complex would appeal. They're largely in a ritual-taboo tribal society
+and no one alleging any alliance whatsoever to Marx would contend that
+you can go from that primitive a culture to what the Soviets call
+communism."
+
+"I'll take this up with my department chief," Ostrander said angrily.
+"You haven't heard the last of it, Crawford." He sat down abruptly.
+
+Crawford looked out over the room. "Anybody else we haven't heard from?"
+
+A middle-aged, heavy-set, Western dressed man came to his feet and
+cleared his throat. "Dr. Warren Harding Smythe, American Medical Relief.
+I assume that most of you have heard of us. An organization supported
+partially by government grant, partially by contributions by private
+citizens and institutions, as is that of Miss Isobel Cunningham's Africa
+for Africans Association." He added grimly, "But there the resemblance
+ends."
+
+He looked at Homer Crawford. "I am to be added to the number not in
+favor of this conference. In fact, I am opposed to the presence of most
+of you here in Africa."
+
+Crawford nodded. "You certainly have a right to your opinion, doctor.
+Will you elucidate?"
+
+Dr. Smythe had worked his way to the front of the room, now he looked
+out over the assemblage defiantly. "I am not at all sure that the task
+most of you work at is a desirable one. As you know, my own organization
+is at work bringing medical care to Africa. We build hospitals, clinics,
+above all medical schools. Not a single one of our hospitals but is a
+school at the same time."
+
+Abe Baker growled, "Everybody knows and values your work, Doc, but
+what's this bit about being opposed to ours?"
+
+Smythe looked at him distastefully. "You people are seeking to destroy
+the culture of these people, and, overnight thrust them into the
+pressures of Twentieth Century existence. As a medical doctor, I do not
+think them capable of assimilating such rapid change and I fear for
+their mental health."
+
+There was a prolonged silence.
+
+Crawford said finally, "What is the alternative to the problems I
+presented in my summation of the situation that confronts the world due
+to the backward conditions of such areas as Africa?"
+
+"I don't know, it isn't my field."
+
+There was another silence.
+
+Elmer Allen said finally, uncomfortably, "It _is_ our field, Dr.
+Smythe."
+
+Smythe turned to him, his face still holding its distaste. "I understand
+that the greater part of you are sociologists, political scientists and
+such. Frankly, ladies and gentlemen, I do not think of the social
+sciences as exact ones."
+
+He looked around the room and added, deliberately, "In view of the
+condition of the world, I do not have a great deal of respect for the
+product of your efforts."
+
+There was an uncomfortable stirring throughout the audience.
+
+Clifford Jackson said unhappily, "We do what we must do, doctor. We do
+what we can."
+
+Smythe eyed him. He said, "Some years ago I was impressed by a paragraph
+by a British writer named Huxley. So impressed that I copied it and have
+carried it with me. I'll read it now."
+
+The heavy-set doctor took out his wallet, fumbled in it for a moment and
+finally brought forth an aged, many times folded, piece of yellowed
+paper.
+
+He cleared his throat, then read:
+
+"_To the question_ quis custodiet custodes?--_who will mount guard over
+our guardians, who will engineer the engineers?--the answer is a bland
+denial that they need any supervision. There seems to be a touching
+belief among certain Ph.Ds in sociology that Ph.Ds in sociology will
+never be corrupted by power. Like Sir Galahad's, their strength is the
+strength of ten because their heart is pure--and their heart is pure
+because they are scientists and have taken six thousand hours of social
+studies. Alas, high education is not necessarily a guarantee of higher
+virtue, or higher political wisdom._"
+
+The doctor finished and returned to his seat, his face still
+uncompromising.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Homer Crawford chuckled ruefully. "The point is well taken, I suppose.
+However, so was the one expressed by Mr. Jackson. We do what we must,
+and what we can." His eyes went over the assembly. "Is there any other
+group from which we haven't heard?"
+
+When there was silence, he added, "No group from the Soviet Complex?"
+
+Ostrander, the C.I.A. operative, snorted. "Do you think they would admit
+it?"
+
+"Or from the Arab Union?" Crawford pursued. "Whether or not the Soviet
+Complex has agents in this part of Africa, we know that the Arab Union,
+backed by Islam everywhere, has. Frankly, we of the African Development
+Project seldom see eye to eye with them which results in considerable
+discussion at Reunited Nations meetings."
+
+There was continued silence.
+
+Elmer Allen came to his feet and looked at Ostrander, his face surly. "I
+am not an advocate of what the Soviets are currently calling communism,
+however, I think a point should be made here."
+
+Ostrander stared back at him unblinkingly.
+
+Allen snorted, "I know what you're thinking. When I was a student I
+signed a few peace petitions, that sort of thing. How--or why they
+bothered--the C.I.A. got hold of that information, I don't know, but as
+a Jamaican I am a bit ashamed of Her Majesty's Government. But all this
+is beside the point."
+
+"What is your point, Elmer?" Crawford said. "You speak, of course, as an
+individual not as an employee of the Reunited Nations nor even as a
+member of my team."
+
+"Our team," Elmer Allen reminded him. He frowned at his chief, as though
+surprised at Crawford's stand. But then he looked back at the rest. "I
+don't like the fact that the C.I.A. is present at all. I grow
+increasingly weary of the righteousness of the prying for what it calls
+subversion. The latest definition of subversive seems to be any chap who
+doesn't vote either Republican or Democrat in the States, or
+Conservative in England."
+
+Ostrander grunted scorn.
+
+Allen looked at him again. "So far as this job is concerned--and by the
+looks of things, most of us will be kept busy at it for the rest of our
+lives--I am not particularly favorable to the position of either side in
+this never-warming cold war between you and the Soviet Complex. I have
+suspected for some time that neither of you actually want an ending of
+it. For different reasons, possibly. So far as the States are concerned,
+I suspect an end of your fantastic military budgets would mean a
+collapse of your economy. So far as the Soviets are concerned, I suspect
+they use the continual _threat_ of attack by the West to keep up their
+military and police powers and suppress the freedom of their people.
+Wasn't it an old adage of the Romans that if you feared trouble at home,
+stir up war abroad? At any rate, I'd like to have it on the record that
+I protest the Cold War being dragged into our work in Africa--by either
+side."
+
+"All right, Elmer," Crawford said, "you're on record. Is that all?"
+
+"That's all," Elmer Allen said. He sat down abruptly.
+
+"Any comment, Mr. Ostrander?" Crawford said.
+
+Ostrander grunted, "Fuzzy thinking." Didn't bother with anything more.
+
+The chairman looked out over the hall. "Any further discussion, any
+motions?" He smiled and added, "Anything--period?"
+
+Finally Jake Armstrong came to his feet. He said, "I don't agree with
+everything Mr. Allen just said; however, there was one item where I'll
+follow along. The fact that most of us will be busy at this job for the
+rest of our lives--if we stick. With this in mind, the fact that we have
+lots of time, I make the following proposal. This meeting was called to
+see if there was any prospect of we field workers co-operating on a
+field worker's level, if we could in any way help each other, avoid
+duplication of effort, that sort of thing. I suggest now that this
+meeting be adjourned and that all of us think it over and discuss it
+with the other teams, the other field workers in our respective
+organizations. I propose further that another meeting be held within the
+year and that meanwhile Mr. Crawford be elected chairman of the group
+until the next gathering, and that Miss Cunningham be elected secretary.
+We can all correspond with Mr. Crawford, until the time of the next
+meeting, giving him such suggestions as might come to us. When he sees
+fit to call the next meeting, undoubtedly he will have some concrete
+proposals to put before us."
+
+Isobel said, _sotto voce_, "Secretaries invariably do all the work, why
+is it that men always nominate a woman for the job?"
+
+Jake grinned at her, "I'll never tell." He sat down.
+
+"I'll make that a motion," Rex Donaldson clipped out.
+
+"Second," someone else called.
+
+Homer Crawford said, "All in favor?"
+
+Those in favor predominated considerably.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+They broke up into small groups for a time, debating it out, and then
+most left for various places for lunch.
+
+Homer Crawford, separated from the other members of his team, in the
+animated discussions that went on about him, finally left the
+fascinating subject of what had happened to the Cuban group in Sudan,
+and who had done it, and went looking for his own lunch.
+
+He strolled down the sand-blown street in the general direction of the
+smaller market, in the center of Timbuktu, passing the aged, wind
+corroded house which had once sheltered Major Alexander Gordon Laing,
+first white man to reach the forbidden city in the year 1826. Laing
+remained only three days before being murdered by the Tuareg who
+controlled the town at that time. There was a plaque on the door
+revealing those basic facts. Crawford had read elsewhere that the city
+was not captured until 1893 by a Major Joffre, later to become a Marshal
+of France and a prominent Allied leader in the First World War.
+
+By chance he met Isobel in front of the large community butcher shop,
+still operated in the old tradition by the local Gabibi and Fulbe,
+formerly Songhoi serfs. He knew of a Syrian operated restaurant nearby,
+and since she hadn't eaten either they made their way there.
+
+The menu was limited largely to local products. Timbuktu was still
+remote enough to make transportation of frozen foodstuffs exorbitant.
+While they looked at the bill of fare he told her a story about his
+first trip to the city some years ago while he was still a student.
+
+He had visited the local American missionary and had dinner with the
+family in their home. They had canned plums for desert and Homer had
+politely commented upon their quality. The missionary had said that they
+should be good, he estimated the quart jar to be worth something like
+one hundred dollars. It seems that some kindly old lady in Iowa,
+figuring that missionaries in such places as Timbuktu must be in dire
+need of her State Fair prize winning canned plums, shipped off a box of
+twelve quarts to missionary headquarters in New York. At that time,
+France still owned French Sudan, so it was necessary for the plums to be
+sent to Paris, and thence, eventually to Dakar. At Dakar they were
+shipped through Senegal to Bamako by narrow gauge railroad which ran
+periodically. In Bamako they had to wait for an end to the rainy season
+so roads would be passable. By this time, a few of the jars had
+fermented and blown up, and a few others had been pilfered. When the
+roads were dry enough, a desert freight truck took the plums to Mopti,
+on the Niger River where they waited again until the river was high
+enough that a tug pulling barges could navigate, by slow stages, down to
+Kabara. By this time, one or two jars had been broken by inexpert
+handling and more pilfered. In Kabara they were packed onto a camel and
+taken to Timbuktu and delivered to the missionary. Total time elapsed
+since leaving Iowa? Two years. Total number of jars that got through?
+One.
+
+Isobel looked at Homer Crawford when he finished the story, and laughed.
+"Why in the world didn't that missionary society refuse the old lady's
+gift?"
+
+He laughed in return and shrugged. "They couldn't. She might get into a
+huff and not mention them in her will. Missionary societies can't afford
+to discourage gifts."
+
+She made her selection from the menu, and told the waiter in French, and
+then settled back. She resumed the conversation. "The cost of
+maintaining a missionary in this sort of country must have been
+fantastic."
+
+"Um-m-m," Crawford growled. "I sometimes wonder how many millions upon
+millions of dollars, pounds and francs have been plowed into this
+continent on such projects. This particular missionary wasn't a medical
+man and didn't even run a school and in the six years he was here didn't
+make a single convert."
+
+Isobel said, "Which brings us to our own pet projects. Homer--I can call
+you Homer, I suppose, being your brand new secretary...."
+
+He grinned at her. "I'll make that concession."
+
+"... What's your own dream?"
+
+He broke some bread, automatically doing it with his left hand, as
+prescribed in the Koran. They both noticed it, and both laughed.
+
+"I'm conditioned," he said.
+
+"Me, too," Isobel admitted. "It's all I can do to use a knife and fork."
+
+He went back to her question, scowling. "My dream? I don't know. Right
+now I feel a little depressed about it all. When Elmer Allen spoke about
+spending the rest of our lives on this job, I suddenly realized that was
+about it. And, you know"--he looked up at her--"I don't particularly
+like Africa. I'm an American."
+
+She looked at him oddly. "Then why stay here?"
+
+"Because there's so much that needs to be done."
+
+"Yes, you're right and what Cliff Jackson said to the doctor was
+correct, too. We all do what we must do and what we can do."
+
+"Well, that brings us back to your question. What is my own dream? I'm
+afraid I'm too far along in life to acquire new ones, and my basic dream
+is an American one."
+
+"And that is--?" Isobel prompted.
+
+He shrugged again, slightly uncomfortable under the scrutiny of this
+pretty girl. "I'm a sociologist, Isobel. I suppose I seek Utopia."
+
+She frowned at him as though disappointed. "Is Utopia possible?"
+
+"No, but there is always the search for it. It's a goal that recedes as
+you approach, which is as it should be. Heaven help mankind if we ever
+achieve it; we'll be through because there will be no place to go, and
+man needs to strive."
+
+They had finished their soup and the entree had arrived. Isobel picked
+at it, her ordinarily smooth forehead wrinkled. "The way I see it,
+Utopia is not heaven. Heaven is perfect, but Utopia is an engineering
+optimum, the best-possible-human-techniques. Therefore we will not have
+_perfect_ justice in Utopia, nor will _everyone_ get the exactly proper
+treatment. We design for optimum--not perfection. But granting this,
+then attainment is possible."
+
+She took a bite of the food before going on thoughtfully. "In fact, I
+wonder if, during man's history, he hasn't obtained his Utopias from
+time to time. Have you ever heard the adage that any form of government
+works fine and produces a Utopia provided it is managed by wise,
+benevolent and competent rulers?" She laughed and said mischievously,
+"Both Heaven and Hell are traditionally absolute monarchies--despotisms.
+The form of government evidently makes no difference, it's who runs it
+that determines."
+
+Crawford was shaking his head. "I've heard the adage but I don't accept
+it. Under certain socio-economic conditions the best of men, and the
+wisest, could do little if they had the wrong form of government.
+Suppose, for instance, you had a government which was a
+military-theocracy which is more or less what existed in Mexico at the
+time of the Cortez conquest. Can you imagine such a government working
+efficiently if the socio-economic system had progressed to the point
+where there were no longer wars and where practically everyone were
+atheists, or, at least, agnostics?"
+
+She had to laugh at his ludicrous example. "That's a rather silly
+situation, isn't it? Such wise, benevolent men, would change the
+governmental system."
+
+Crawford pushed his point. "Not necessarily. Here's a better example.
+Immediately following the American Revolution, some of the best, wisest
+and most competent men the political world has ever seen were at the
+head of the government of Virginia. Such men as Jefferson, Madison,
+Monroe, Washington. Their society was based on chattel slavery and they
+built a Utopia _for themselves_ but certainly not for the slaves who
+out-numbered them. Not that they weren't kindly and good men. A man of
+Jefferson's caliber, I am sure, would have done anything in the world
+for those darkies of his--except get off their backs. Except to grant
+them the liberty and the right to pursue happiness that he demanded for
+himself. He was blinded by self interest, and the interests of his
+class."
+
+"Perhaps they didn't want liberty," Isobel mused. "Slavery isn't
+necessarily an unhappy life."
+
+"I never thought it was. And I'm the first to admit that at a certain
+stage in the evolution of society, it was absolutely necessary. If
+society was to progress, then there had to be a class that was freed
+from daily drudgery of the type forced on primitive man if he was to
+survive. They needed the leisure time to study, to develop, to invent.
+With the products of their studies, they were able to advance all
+society. However, so long as slavery is maintained, be it necessary or
+not, you have no Utopia. There is no Utopia so long as one man denies
+another his liberty be it under chattel slavery, feudalism, or
+whatever."
+
+Isobel said dryly, "I see why you say your Utopia will never be reached,
+that it continually recedes."
+
+He laughed, ruefully. "Don't misunderstand. I think that particular goal
+can and will be reached. My point was that by the time we reach it,
+there will be a new goal."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The girl, finished with her main dish, sat back in her chair, and looked
+at him from the side of her eyes, as though wondering whether or not he
+could take what she was about to say in the right way. She said, slowly,
+"You know, with possibly a few exceptions, you can't enslave a man if he
+doesn't want to be a slave. For instance, the white man was never able
+to enslave the Amerind; he died before he would become a slave. The
+majority of Jefferson's slaves _wanted to be slaves_. If there were
+those among them that had the ability to revolt against slave
+psychology, a Jefferson would quickly promote such. A valuable human
+being will be treated in a manner proportionate to his value. A wise,
+competent, trustworthy slave became the major domo of the master's
+estate--with privileges and authority actually greater than that of free
+employees of the master."
+
+Crawford thought about that for a moment. "I'll take that," he said.
+"What's the point you're trying to make?"
+
+"I, too, was set a-thinking by some of the things said at the meeting,
+Homer. In particular, what Dr. Smythe had to say. Homer, are we sure
+these people _want_ the things we are trying to give them?"
+
+He looked at her uncomfortably. "No they don't," he said bluntly.
+"Otherwise we wouldn't be here, either your AFAA or my African
+Development Project. We utilize persuasion, skullduggery, and even force
+to subvert their institutions, to destroy their present culture. Yes.
+I've known this a long time."
+
+"Then how do you justify your being here?"
+
+He grinned sourly. "Let's put it this way. Take the new government in
+Egypt. They send the army into some of the small back-country towns with
+bayoneted rifles, and orders to use them if necessary. The villagers are
+forced to poison their ancient village wells--one of the highest of
+imaginable crimes in such country, imposed on them ruthlessly. Then they
+are forced to dig new ones in new places that are not intimately
+entangled with their own sewage drainage. Naturally they hate the
+government. In other towns, the army has gone in and, at gun point,
+forced the parents to give up their children, taken the children away
+in trucks and 'imprisoned' them in schools. Look, back in the States
+we have trouble with the Amish, who don't want their children to
+be taught modern ways. What sort of reaction do you think the
+tradition-ritual-tabu-tribesmen of the six thousand year old Egyptian
+culture have to having modern education imposed on their children?"
+
+Isobel was frowning at him.
+
+Crawford wound it up. "That's the position we're in. That's what we're
+doing. Giving them things they need, in spite of the fact they don't
+want them."
+
+"But _why_?"
+
+He said, "You know the answer to that as well as I do. It's like giving
+medical care to Typhoid Mary, in spite of the fact that she didn't want
+it and didn't believe such things as typhoid microbes existed. We had to
+protect the community against her. In the world today, such backward
+areas as Africa are potential volcanoes. We've got to deal with them
+before they erupt."
+
+The waiter came with the bill and Homer took it.
+
+Isobel said, "Let's go Dutch on that."
+
+He grinned at her. "Consider it a donation to the AFAA."
+
+Out on the street again, they walked slowly in the direction of the old
+administration buildings where both had left their means of
+transportation.
+
+Isobel, who was frowning thoughtfully, evidently over the things that
+had been said, said, "Let's go this way. I'd like to see the old Great
+Mosque, in the Dyingerey Ber section of town. It's always fascinated
+me."
+
+Crawford said, looking at her and appreciating her attractiveness, all
+over again, "You know Timbuktu quite well, don't you?"
+
+"I've just finished a job down in Kabara, and it's only a few miles
+away."
+
+"Just what sort of thing do you do?"
+
+She shrugged and made a moue. "Our little team concentrates on breaking
+down the traditional position of women in these cultures. To get them to
+drop the veil, go to school. That sort of thing. It's a long story
+and--"
+
+Homer Crawford suddenly and violently pushed her to the side and to the
+ground and at the same time dropped himself and rolled frantically to
+the shelter of an adobe wall which had once been part of a house but now
+was little more than waist high.
+
+"Down!" he yelled at her.
+
+She bug-eyed him as though he had gone suddenly mad.
+
+There was a heavy, stub-nosed gun suddenly in his hand. He squirmed
+forward on elbows and belly, until he reached the corner.
+
+"What's the matter?" she blurted.
+
+He said grimly, "See those three holes in the wall above you?"
+
+She looked up, startled.
+
+He said, grimly, "They weren't there a moment ago."
+
+What he was saying, dawned upon her. "But ... but I heard no shots."
+
+He cautiously peered around the wall, and was rewarded with a puff of
+sand inches from his face. He pulled his head back and his lips thinned
+over his teeth. He said to her, "Efficiently silenced guns have been
+around for quite a spell. Whoever that is, is up there in the mosque.
+Listen, beat your way around by the back streets and see if you can find
+the members of my team, especially Abe Baker or Bey-ag-Akhamouk. Tell
+them what happened and that I think I've got the guy pinned down. That
+mosque is too much out in the open for him to get away without my seeing
+him."
+
+"But ... but who in the world would want to shoot you, Homer?"
+
+"Search me," he growled. "My team has never operated in this immediate
+area."
+
+"But then, it must be someone who was at the meeting."
+
+
+
+
+VI
+
+
+"That is was," Homer said grimly. "Now, go see if you can find my lads,
+will you? This joker is going to fall right into our laps. It's going to
+be interesting to find out who hates the idea of African development so
+much that they're willing to commit assassination."
+
+But it didn't work out that way.
+
+Isobel found the other teammates one by one, and they came hurrying up
+from different directions to the support of their chief. They had been a
+team for years and operating as they did and where they did, each man
+survived only by selfless co-operation with all the others. In action,
+they operated like a single unit, their ability to co-operate almost as
+though they had telepathic communication.
+
+From where he lay, Homer Crawford could see Bey-ag-Akhamouk,
+Tommy-Noiseless in hands, snake in from the left, running low and
+reaching a vantage point from which he could cover one flank of the
+ancient adobe mosque. Homer waved to him and Bey made motions to
+indicate that one of the others was coming in from the other side.
+
+Homer waited for a few more minutes, then waved to Bey to cover him. The
+streets were empty at this time of midday when the Sahara sun drove the
+town's occupants into the coolness of dark two-foot-thick walled houses.
+It was as though they were operating in a ghost town. Homer came to his
+feet and handgun in fist made a dash for the front entrance.
+
+Bey's light automatic _flic flic flicked_ its excitement and dust and
+dirt enveloped the wall facing Crawford. Homer reached the doorway,
+stood there for a full two minutes while he caught his breath. From the
+side of his eye he could see Elmer Allen, his excellent teeth bared as
+always when the Jamaican went into action, come running up to the right
+in that half crouch men automatically go into in combat, instinctively
+presenting as small a target as possible. He was evidently heading for a
+side door or window.
+
+The object now was to refrain from killing the sniper. The important
+thing was to be able to question him. Perhaps here was the answer to the
+massacre of the Cubans. Homer took another deep breath, smashed the door
+open with a heavy shoulder and dashed inward and immediately to one
+side. At the same moment, Abe Baker, Tommy-Noiseless in hand, came in
+from the rear door, his eyes darting around trying to pierce the gloom
+of the unlighted building.
+
+Elmer Allen erupted through a window, rolled over on the floor and came
+to rest, his gun trained.
+
+"Where is he?" Abe snapped.
+
+Homer motioned with his head. "Must be up in the remains of the
+minaret."
+
+Abe got to the creaking, age-old stairway first. In cleaning out a
+hostile building, the idea is to move fast and keep on the move. Stop,
+and you present a target.
+
+But there was no one in the minaret.
+
+"Got away," Homer growled. His face was puzzled. "I felt sure we'd have
+him."
+
+Bey-ag-Akhamouk entered. He grunted his disappointment. "What happened,
+anyway? That girl Isobel said a sniper took some shots at you and you
+figure it must've been somebody at the meeting."
+
+"Somebody at the meeting?" Abe said blankly. "What kind of jazz is that?
+You flipping, man?"
+
+Homer looked at him strangely.
+
+"Who else could it be, Abe? We've never operated this far south. None of
+the inhabitants in this area even know us, and it certainly couldn't
+have been an attempt at robbery."
+
+"There were some cats at that meeting didn't appreciate our ideas, man,
+but I can't see that old preacher or Doc Smythe trying to put the slug
+on you."
+
+Kenny Ballalou came in on the double, gun in hand, his face anxious.
+
+Abe said sarcastically, "Man, we'd all be dead if we had to wait on
+you."
+
+"That girl Isobel. She said somebody took a shot at the chief."
+
+Homer explained it, sourly. A sniper had taken a few shots at him, then
+managed to get away.
+
+Isobel entered, breathless, followed by Jake Armstrong.
+
+Abe grunted, "Let's hold another convention. This is like old home town
+week."
+
+Her eyes went from one of them to the other. "You're not hurt?"
+
+"Nobody hurt, but the cat did all the shooting got away," Abe said
+unhappily.
+
+Jake said, and his voice was worried, "Isobel told me what happened. It
+sounds insane."
+
+They discussed it for a while and got exactly nowhere. Their
+conversation was interrupted by a clicking at Homer Crawford's wrist. He
+looked down at the tiny portable radio.
+
+"Excuse me for a moment," he said to the others and went off a dozen
+steps or so to the side.
+
+They looked after him.
+
+Elmer Allen said sourly, "Another assignment. What we need is a union."
+
+Abe adopted the idea. "Man! Time and a half for overtime."
+
+"With a special cost of living clause--" Kenny Ballalou added.
+
+"And housing and dependents allotment!" Abe crowed.
+
+They all looked at him.
+
+Bey tried to imitate the other's beatnik patter. "Like, you got any
+dependents, man?"
+
+Abe made a mark in the sand on the mosque's floor with the toe of his
+shoe, like a schoolboy up before the principal for an infraction of
+rules, and registered embarrassment. "Well, there's that cute little
+Tuareg girl up north."
+
+"Ha!" Isobel said. "And all these years you've been leading me on."
+
+Homer Crawford returned and his face was serious. "That does it," he
+muttered disgustedly. "The fat's in the fire."
+
+"Like, what's up, man?"
+
+Crawford looked at his right-hand man. "There are demonstrations in
+Mopti. Riots."
+
+"Mopti?" Jake Armstrong said, surprised. "Our team was working there
+just a couple of months ago. I thought everything was going fine in
+Mopti."
+
+"They're going fine, all right," Crawford growled. "So well, that the
+local populace wants to speed up even faster."
+
+They were all looking their puzzlement at him.
+
+"The demonstrations are in favor of El Hassan."
+
+Their faces turned blank. Crawford's eyes swept his teammates. "Our
+instructions are to get down there and do what we can to restore order.
+Come on, let's go. I'm going to have to see if I can arrange some
+transportation. It'd take us two days to get there in our outfits."
+
+Jake Armstrong said, "Wait a minute, Homer. My team was heading back for
+Dakar for a rest and new assignments. We'd be passing Mopti anyway. How
+many of you are there, five? If you don't haul too much luggage with
+you; we could give you a lift."
+
+"Great," Homer told him. "We'll take you up on that. Abe, Elmer, let's
+get going. We'll have to repack. Bey, Kenny, see about finding some
+place we can leave the lorries until we come back. This job shouldn't
+take more than a few days at most."
+
+"Huh," Abe said. "I hope you got plans, man. How do you go about
+stopping demonstrations in favor of a legend you created yourself?"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Mopti, also on the Niger, lies approximately three hundred kilometers to
+the south and slightly west of Timbuktu, as the bird flies. However, one
+does not travel as the bird flies in the Niger bend. Not even when one
+goes by aircraft. A forced landing in the endless swamps, bogs, shallow
+lakes and river tributaries which make up the Niger at this point, would
+be suicidal. The whole area is more like the Florida Everglades than a
+river, and a rescue team would be hard put to find your wreckage. There
+are no roads, no railroads. Traffic follows the well marked navigational
+route of the main channel.
+
+Homer Crawford had been sitting quietly next to Cliff Jackson who was
+piloting. Isobel and Jake Armstrong were immediately behind them and Abe
+and the rest of Crawford's team took up the remainder of the aircraft's
+eight seats. Abe was regaling the others with his customary chaff.
+
+Out of a clear sky, Crawford said bitterly, "Has it occurred to any of
+you that what we're doing here in North Africa is committing genocide?"
+
+The others stared at him, taken aback. Isobel said, "I beg your pardon?"
+
+"Genocide," Crawford said bitterly. "We're doing here much what the
+white men did when they cleared the Amerinds from the plains, the
+mountains and forests of North America."
+
+Isobel, Cliff and Jake frowned their puzzlement. Abe said, "Man, you
+just don't make sense. And, among other things, there're more Indians in
+the United States than there was when Columbus landed."
+
+Crawford shook his head. "No. They're a different people. Those cultures
+that inhabited the United States when the first white men came, are
+gone." He shook his head as though soured by his thoughts. "Take the
+Sioux. They had a way of life based on the buffalo. So the whites
+deliberately exterminated the buffalo. It made the plains Indians'
+culture impossible. A culture based on buffalo herds cannot exist if
+there are no buffalo."
+
+"I keep telling you, man, there's more Sioux now than there were then."
+
+Crawford still shook his head. "But they're a different people, a
+different race, a different culture. A mere fraction, say ten per cent,
+of the original Sioux, might have adapted to the new life. The others
+beat their heads out against the new ways. They fought--the Sitting Bull
+wars took place after the buffalo were already gone--they drank
+themselves to death on the white man's firewater, they committed
+suicide; in a dozen different ways they called it quits. Those that
+survived, the ten per cent, were the exceptions. They were able to
+adapt. They had a built-in genetically-conferred self discipline enough
+to face the new problems. Possibly eighty per cent of their children
+couldn't face the new problems either and they in turn went under. But
+by now, a hundred years later, the majority of the Sioux nation have
+probably adapted. But, you see, the point I'm trying to make? They're
+not the _real_ Sioux, the original Sioux; they're a new breed. The
+plains living, buffalo based culture, Sioux are all dead. The white men
+killed them."
+
+Jake Armstrong was scowling. "I get your point, but what has it to do
+with our work here in North Africa?"
+
+"We're doing the same thing to the Tuareg, the Teda and the Chaambra,
+and most of the others in the area in which we operate. The type of
+human psychology that's based on the nomad life can't endure settled
+community living. Wipe out the nomad way of life and these human beings
+must die."
+
+Abe said, unusually thoughtful, "I see what you mean, man. _Fish gotta
+swim, bird gotta fly_--and nomad gotta roam. He flips if he doesn't."
+
+Homer Crawford pursued it. "Sure, there'll be Tuareg afterward ... but
+all descended from the fraction of deviant Tuareg who were so
+abnormal--speaking from the Tuareg viewpoint--that they liked settled
+community life." He rubbed a hand along his jawbone, unhappily. "Put it
+this way. Think of them as a tribe of genetic claustrophobes. No matter
+what a claustrophobe promises, he can't work in a mine. He has no choice
+but to break his promise and escape ... or kill himself trying."
+
+Isobel was staring at him. "What you say, is disturbing, Homer. I didn't
+come to Africa to destroy a people."
+
+He looked back at her, oddly. "None of us did."
+
+Cliff said from behind the aircraft's controls, "If you believe what
+you're saying, how do you justify being here yourself?"
+
+"I don't know," Crawford said unhappily. "I don't know what started me
+on this kick, but I seem to have been doing more inner searching this
+past week or so than I have in the past couple of decades. And I don't
+seem to come up with much in the way of answers."
+
+"Well, man," Abe said. "If you find any, let us know."
+
+Jake said, his voice warm, "Look Homer, don't beat yourself about this.
+What you say figures, but you've got to take it from this angle. The
+plains Indians had to go. The world is developing too fast for a few
+thousand people to tie up millions of acres of some of the most fertile
+farm land anywhere, because they needed it for their game--the
+buffalo--to run on."
+
+"Um-m-m," Homer said, his voice lacking conviction.
+
+"Maybe it's unfortunate the _way_ it was done. The story of the
+American's dealing with the Amerind isn't a pretty one, and usually
+comfortably ignored when we pat ourselves on the back these days and
+tell ourselves what a noble, honest, generous and peace loving people we
+are. But it did have to be done, and the job we're doing in North Africa
+has to be done, too."
+
+Crawford said softly, "And sometimes it isn't very pretty either."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Mopti as a town had grown. Once a small river port city of about five
+thousand population, it had been a river and caravan crossroads somewhat
+similar to Timbuktu, and noted in particular for its spice market and
+its Great Mosque, probably the largest building of worship ever made of
+mud. Plastered newly at least twice a year with fresh adobe, at a
+distance of only a few hundred feet the Great Mosque, in the middle of
+the day and in the glare of the Sudanese sun, looks as though made of
+gold. From the air it is more attractive than the grandest Gothic
+cathedrals of Europe.
+
+Isobel pointed. "There, the Great Mosque."
+
+Elmer Allen said, "Yes, and there. See those mobs?" He looked at Homer
+Crawford and said sourly, "Let's try and remember who it was who first
+thought of the El Hassan idea. Then we can blame it on him."
+
+Kenny Ballalou grumbled, "We all thought about it. Remember, we pulled
+into Tessalit and found that prehistoric refrigerator that worked on
+kerosene and there were a couple of dozen quarts of Norwegian beer, of
+all things, in it."
+
+"And we bought them all," Abe recalled happily. "Man, we hung one on."
+
+Homer Crawford said to Cliff, "The Mopti airport is about twelve miles
+over to the east of the town."
+
+"Yeah, I know. Been here before," Cliff said. He called back to
+Ballalou, "And then what happened?"
+
+"We took the beer out into the desert and sat on a big dune. You can
+just begin to see the Southern Cross from there. Hangs right on the
+horizon. Beautiful."
+
+Bey said, "I've never heard Kenny wax poetic before. I don't know which
+sounds more lyrical, though, that cold beer or the Southern Cross."
+
+Kenny said, "Anyway, that's when El Hassan was dreamed up. We kicked the
+idea around until the beer was all gone. And when we awoke in the
+morning, complete with hangover, we had the gimmick which we hung all
+our propaganda on."
+
+"El Hassan is turning out to be a hangover all right," Elmer Allen
+grunted, choosing to misinterpret his teammate's words. He peered down
+below. "And there the poor blokes are, rioting in favor of the product
+of those beer bottles."
+
+"It was crazy beer, man," Abe protested. "Real crazy."
+
+Homer Crawford said, "I wish headquarters had more information to give
+us on this. All they said was there were demonstrations in favor of El
+Hassan and they were afraid if things went too far that some of the hard
+work that's been done here the past ten years might dissolve in the
+excitement; Dogon, Mosse, Tellum, Sonrai start fighting among each
+other."
+
+Jake Armstrong said, "That's not my big worry. I'm afraid some ambitious
+lad will come along and supply what these people evidently want."
+
+"How's that?" Cliff said.
+
+"They want a leader. Someone to come out of the wilderness and lead them
+to the promised land." The older man grumbled sourly. "All your life you
+figure you're in favor of democracy. You devote your career to expanding
+it. Then you come to a place like North Africa. You're just kidding
+yourself. Democracy is meaningless here. They haven't got to the point
+where they can conceive of it."
+
+"And--" Elmer Allen prodded.
+
+Jake Armstrong shrugged. "When it comes to governments and social
+institutions people usually come up with what they want, sooner or
+later. If those mobs down there want a leader, they'll probably wind up
+with one." He grunted deprecation. "And then probably we'll be able to
+say, Heaven help them."
+
+Isobel puckered her lips. "A leader isn't necessarily a misleader,
+Jake."
+
+"Perhaps not necessarily," he said. "However, it's an indication of how
+far back these people are, how much work we've still got to do, when
+that's what they're seeking."
+
+"Well, I'm landing," Cliff said. "The airport looks free of any kind of
+manifestations."
+
+"That's a good word," Abe said. "Manifestations. Like, I'll have to
+remember that one. Man's been to school and all that jazz."
+
+Cliff grinned at him. "Where'd you like to get socked, beatnik?"
+
+"About two feet above my head," Abe said earnestly.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The aircraft had hardly come to a halt before Homer Crawford clipped
+out, "All right, boys, time's a wasting. Bey, you and Kenny get over to
+those administration buildings and scare us up some transportation. Use
+no more pressure than you have to. Abe, you and Elmer start getting our
+equipment out of the luggage--"
+
+Jake Armstrong said suddenly, "Look here, Homer, do you need any help?"
+
+Crawford looked at him questioningly.
+
+Jake said, "Isobel, Cliff, what do you think?"
+
+Isobel said quickly, "I'm game. I don't know what they'll say back at
+AFAA headquarters, though. Our co-operating with a Sahara Development
+Project team."
+
+Cliff scowled. "I don't know. Frankly, I took this job purely for the
+dough, and as outlined it didn't include getting roughed up in some riot
+that doesn't actually concern the job."
+
+"Oh, come along, Cliff," Isobel urged. "It'll give you some experience
+you don't know when you'll be able to use."
+
+He shrugged his acceptance, grudgingly.
+
+Jake Armstrong looked back at Homer Crawford. "If you need us, we're
+available."
+
+"Thanks," Crawford said briefly, and turned off the unhappy stare he'd
+been giving Cliff. "We can use all the manpower we can get. You people
+ever worked with mobs before?"
+
+Bey and Kenny climbed from the plane and made their way at a trot toward
+the airport's administration buildings. Abe and Elmer climbed out, too,
+and opened the baggage compartment in the rear of the aircraft.
+
+"Well, no," Jake Armstrong said.
+
+"It's quite a technique. Mostly you have to play it by ear, because
+nothing is so changeable as the temper of a mob. Always keep in mind
+that to begin with, at least, only a small fraction of the crowd is
+really involved in what's going on. Possibly only one out of ten is
+interested in the issue. The rest start off, at least, as idle
+observers, watching the fun. That's one of the first things you've got
+to control. Don't let the innocent bystanders become excited and get
+into the spirit of it all. Once they do, then you've got a mess on your
+hands."
+
+Isobel, Jake and Cliff listened to him in fascination.
+
+Cliff said uncomfortably, "Well, what do we do to get the whole thing
+back to tranquillity? What I mean is, how do we end these
+demonstrations?"
+
+"We bore them to tears," Homer growled.
+
+They looked at him blankly.
+
+"We assume leadership of the whole thing and put up speakers."
+
+Jake protested, "You sound as though you're sustaining not placating
+it."
+
+"We put up speakers and they speak and speak, and speak. It's almost
+like a fillibuster. You don't say anything particularly interesting, and
+certainly nothing exciting. You agree with the basic feeling of the
+demonstrating mob, certainly you say nothing to antagonize them. In this
+case we speak in favor of El Hassan and his great, and noble, and
+inspiring, and so on and so forth, teachings. We speak in not too loud a
+voice, so that those in the rear have a hard time hearing, if they can
+hear at all."
+
+Cliff said worriedly, "Suppose some of the hotheads get tired of this
+and try to take over?"
+
+Homer said evenly, "We have a couple of bully boys in the crowd to take
+care of them."
+
+Jake twisted his mouth, in objection. "Might that not strike the spark
+that would start up violence?"
+
+Homer Crawford grinned and began climbing out of the plane. "Not with
+the weapons we use."
+
+"Weapons!" Isobel snapped. "Do you intend to use weapons on those poor
+people? Why, it was you yourself, you and your team, who started this
+whole El Hassan movement. I'm shocked. I've heard about your reputation,
+you and the Sahara Development Project teams. Your ruthlessness--"
+
+Crawford chuckled ruefully and held up a hand to stem the tide. "Hold
+it, hold it," he said. "These are special weapons, and, after all, we've
+got to keep those crowds together long enough to bore them to the point
+where they go home."
+
+Abe came up with an armful of what looked something like tent-poles.
+"The quarterstaffs, eh, Homer?"
+
+"Um-m-m," Crawford said. "Under the circumstances."
+
+"Quarterstaffs?" Cliff Jackson ejaculated.
+
+Abe grinned at him. "Man, just call them pilgrim's staffs. The least
+obnoxious looking weapon in the world." He looked at Cliff and Jake.
+"You two cats been checked out on quarterstaffs?"
+
+Jake said, "The more I talk to you people, the less I seem to understand
+what's going on. Aren't quarterstaffs what, well, Robin Hood and his
+Merry Men used to fight with?"
+
+"That's right," Homer said. He took one from Abe and grasping it
+expertly with two hands whirled it about, getting its balance. Then
+suddenly, he drooped, leaning on it as a staff. His face expressed
+weariness. His youth and virility seemed to drop away and suddenly he
+was an aged religious pilgrim as seen throughout the Moslem world.
+
+"I'll be damned," Cliff blurted. "Oop, sorry Isobel."
+
+"I'll be damned, too," Isobel said. "What in the world can you do with
+that, Homer? I was thinking in terms of you mowing those people down
+with machine guns or something."
+
+Crawford stood erect again laughingly, and demonstrated. "It's probably
+the most efficient handweapon ever devised. The weapon of the British
+yeoman. With one of these you can disarm a swordsman in a matter of
+seconds. A good man with a quarterstaff can unhorse a knight in armor
+and batter him to death, in a minute or so. The only other handweapon
+capable of countering it is another quarterstaff. Watch this, with the
+favorable two-hand leverage the ends of the staff can be made to move at
+invisibly high speeds."
+
+Bey and Kenny drove up in an aged wheeled truck and Abe and Elmer began
+loading equipment.
+
+Crawford looked at Bey who said apologetically, "I had to liberate it.
+Didn't have time for all the dickering the guy wanted to go through."
+
+Crawford grunted and looked at Isobel. "Those European clothes won't do.
+We've got some spare things along. You can improvise. Men and women's
+clothes don't differ that much around here."
+
+"I'll make out all right," Isobel said. "I can change in the plane."
+
+"Hey, Isobel," Abe called out. "Why not dress up like one of these Dogon
+babes?"
+
+"Some chance," Isobel hissed menacingly at him. "A strip tease you want,
+yet. You'll see me in a haik and like it, wise guy."
+
+"Shucks," Abe grinned.
+
+Crawford looked critically at the clothing of Jake and Cliff. "I suppose
+you'll do in western stuff," he said. "After all, this El Hassan is
+supposed to be the voice of the future. A lot of his potential followers
+will already be wearing shirts and pants. Don't look _too_ civilized,
+though."
+
+When Isobel returned, Crawford briefed his seven followers. They were to
+operate in teams of two. One of his men, complete with quarterstaff
+would accompany each of the others. Abe with Jake, Bey with Cliff, and
+he'd be with Isobel. Elmer and Kenny would be the other twosome, and,
+both armed with quarterstaffs would be troubleshooters.
+
+"We're playing it off the cuff," he said. "Do what comes naturally to
+get this thing under control. If you run into each other, co-operate, of
+course. If there's trouble, use your wrist radios." He looked at Abe and
+Bey. "I know you two are packing guns underneath those _gandouras_. I
+hope you know enough not to use them."
+
+Abe and Bey looked innocent.
+
+Homer turned and led the way into the truck. "O.K., let's get going."
+
+
+
+
+VII
+
+
+Driving into town over the dusty, pocked road, Homer gave the newcomers
+to his group more background on the care and control of the genus _mob_.
+He was obviously speaking through considerable experience.
+
+"Using these quarterstaffs brings to mind some of the other supposedly
+innoxious devices used by police authorities in controlling unruly
+demonstrations," he said. "Some of them are beauties. For instance, I
+was in Tangier when the Moroccans put on their revolution against the
+French and for the return of the Sultan. The rumor went through town
+that the mob was going to storm the French Consulate the next day.
+During the night, the French brought in elements of the Foreign Legion
+and entrenched the consulate grounds. But their commander had another
+problem. Journalists were all over town and so were tourists. Tangier
+was still supposedly an international zone and the French were in no
+position to slaughter the citizens. So they brought in some special
+equipment. One item was a vehicle that looked quite a bit like a
+gasoline truck, but was filled with water and armored against thrown
+cobblestones and such. On the roof of the cabin was what looked
+something like a fifty caliber but which was actually a hose which shot
+water at terrific pressure. When the mob came, the French unlimbered
+this vehicle and all the journalists could say was that the mob was
+dispersed by squirting water on it, which doesn't sound too bad after
+all."
+
+Isobel said, "Well, certainly that's preferable to firing on them."
+
+Homer looked at her oddly. "Possibly. However, I was standing next to
+the Moorish boy who was cut entirely in half by the pressure spray of
+water."
+
+The expression on the girl's face sickened.
+
+Homer said, "They had another interesting device for dispersing mobs. It
+was a noise bomb. The French set off several."
+
+"A noise bomb?" Cliff said. "I don't get it."
+
+"They make a tremendous noise, but do nothing else. However, members of
+the mob who aren't really too interested in the whole thing--just sort
+of along for the fun--figure that things are getting earnest and that
+the troops are shelling them. So they remember some business they had
+elsewhere and take off."
+
+Isobel said suddenly, "You like this sort of work, don't you?"
+
+Elmer Allen grunted bitterly.
+
+"No," Homer Crawford said flatly. "I don't. But I like the goal."
+
+"And the end justifies the means?"
+
+Homer Crawford said slowly, "I've never answered that to my own
+satisfaction. But I'll say this. I've never met a person, no matter how
+idealistic, no matter how much he played lip service to the contention
+that the ends do not justify the means, who did not himself use the
+means he found available to reach the ends he believed correct. It seems
+to be a matter of each man feeling the teaching applies to everyone
+else, but that he is free to utilize any means to achieve his own noble
+ends."
+
+"Man, all that jazz is too much for me," Abe said.
+
+They were entering the outskirts of Mopti. Small groups of obviously
+excited Africans of various tribal groups, were heading for the center
+of town.
+
+"Abe, Jake," Crawford said. "We'll drop you here. Mingle around. We'll
+hold the big meeting in front of the Great Mosque in an hour or so."
+
+"Crazy," Abe said, dropping off the back of the truck which Kenny
+Ballalou, who was driving, brought almost to a complete stop. The older
+Jake followed him.
+
+The rest went on a quarter of a mile and dropped Bey and Cliff.
+
+Homer said to Kenny, "Park the truck somewhere near the spice market.
+Preferably inside some building, if you can. For all we know, they're
+already turning over vehicles and burning them."
+
+Crawford and Isobel dropped off near the pottery market, on the banks of
+the Niger. The milling throngs here were largely women. Elements of half
+a dozen tribes and races were represented.
+
+Homer Crawford stood a moment. He ran a hand back over his short hair
+and looked at her. "I don't know," he muttered. "Now I'm sorry we
+brought you along." He leaned on his staff and looked at her worriedly.
+"You're not very ... ah, husky, are you?"
+
+She laughed at him. "Get about your business, sir knight. I spent nearly
+two weeks living with these people once. I know dozens of them by name.
+Watch this cat operate, as Abe would say."
+
+She darted to one of the over-turned pirogues which had been dragged up
+on the bank from the river, and climbed atop it. She held her hands high
+and began a stream of what was gibberish to Crawford who didn't
+understand Wolof, the Senegalese lingua franca. Some elements of the
+crowd began drifting in her direction. She spoke for a few moments, the
+only words the surprised Homer Crawford could make out were _El Hassan_.
+And she used them often.
+
+She switched suddenly to Arabic, and he could follow her now. The drift
+of her talk was that word had come through that El Hassan was to make a
+great announcement in the near future and that meanwhile all his people
+were to await his word. But that there was to be a great meeting before
+the Mosque within the hour.
+
+She switched again to Songhoi and repeated substantially what she'd said
+before. By now she had every woman hanging on her words.
+
+A man on the outskirts of the gathering called out in high irritation,
+"But what of the storming of the administration buildings? Our leaders
+have proclaimed the storming of the reactionaries!"
+
+Crawford, leaning heavily on the pilgrim staff, drifted over to the
+other. "Quiet, O young one," he said. "I wish to listen to the words of
+the girl who tells of the teachings of the great El Hassan."
+
+The other turned angrily on him. "Be silent thyself, old man!" He raised
+a hand as though to cuff the American.
+
+Homer Crawford neatly rapped him on the right shin bone with his
+quarterstaff to the other's intense agony. The women who witnessed the
+brief spat dissolved in laughter at the plight of the younger man. Homer
+Crawford drifted away again before the heckler recovered.
+
+He let Isobel handle the bulk of the reverse-rabble rousing. His bit was
+to come later, and as yet he didn't want to reveal himself to the
+throngs.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+They went from one gathering place of women to another. To the spice
+market, to the fish and meat market, to the bathing and laundering
+locations along the river. And everywhere they found animated groups of
+women, Isobel went into her speech.
+
+At one point, while Homer stood idly in the crowd, feeling its temper
+and the extent to which the girl was dominating them, he felt someone
+press next to him.
+
+A voice said, "What is the plan of operation, Yank?"
+
+Homer Crawford's eyebrows went up and he shot a quick glance at the
+other. It was Rex Donaldson of the Commonwealth African Department. The
+operative who worked as the witchman, Dolo Anah. Crawford was glad to
+see him. This was Donaldson's area of operations, the man must have got
+here almost as soon as Crawford's team, when he had heard of the
+trouble.
+
+Crawford said in English, "They've been gathering for an outbreak of
+violence, evidently directed at the Reunited Nations projects
+administration buildings. I've seen a few banners calling for El Hassan
+to come to power, Africa for the Africans, that sort of thing."
+
+The small Bahamian snorted. "You chaps certainly started something with
+this El Hassan farce. What are your immediate plans? How can I
+co-operate with you?"
+
+A teenage boy who had been heckling Isobel, stooped now to pick up some
+dried cow dung. Almost absently, Crawford put his staff between the
+other's legs and tripped him up, when the lad sprawled on his face the
+American rapped him smartly on the head.
+
+Crawford said, "Thanks a lot, we can use you, especially since you speak
+Dogon, I don't think any of my group does. We're going to hold a big
+meeting in front of the square and give them a long monotonous talk,
+saying little but sounding as though we're promising a great deal. When
+we've taken most of the steam out of them, we'll locate the ringleaders
+and have a big indoor meeting. My boys will be spotted throughout the
+gang. They'll nominate me to be spokesman, and nominate each other to be
+my committee and we'll be sent to find El Hassan and urge him to take
+power. That should keep them quiet for a while. At least long enough for
+headquarters in Dakar to decide what to do."
+
+"Good Heavens," Donaldson said in admiration. "You Yanks are certainly
+good at this sort of thing."
+
+"Takes practice," Homer Crawford said. "If you want to help, ferret out
+the groups who speak Dogon and give them the word."
+
+Out of a sidestreet came running Abe Baker at the head of possibly two
+or three hundred arm waving, shouting, stick brandishing Africans. A few
+of them had banners which were being waved in such confusion that nobody
+could read the words inscribed. Most of them seemed to be younger men,
+even teen-agers.
+
+"Good Heavens," Donaldson said again.
+
+At first snap opinion, Crawford thought his assistant was being pursued
+and started forward to the hopeless rescue, but then he realized that
+Abe was heading the mob. Waving his staff, the New Yorker was shouting
+slogans, most of which had something to do with "El Hassan" but
+otherwise were difficult to make out.
+
+The small mob charged out of the street and through the square, still
+shouting. Abe began to drop back into the ranks, and then to the edge of
+the charging, gesticulating crowd. Already, though, some of them seemed
+to be slowing up, even stopping and drifting away, puzzlement or
+frustration on their faces.
+
+Those who were still at excitement's peak, charged up another street at
+the other side of the square.
+
+In a few moments, Abe Baker came up to them, breathing hard and wiping
+sweat from his forehead. He grinned wryly. "Man, those cats are way out.
+This is really Endsville." He looked up at where Isobel was haranguing
+her own crowd, which hadn't been fazed by the men who'd charged through
+the square going nowhere. "Look at old Isobel up there. Man, this whole
+town's like a combination of Hyde Park and Union Square. You oughta hear
+old Jake making with a speech."
+
+"What just happened?" Homer asked, motioning with his head to where the
+last elements of the mob Abe'd been leading were disappearing down a
+dead-end street.
+
+"Ah, nothing," Abe said, still watching Isobel and grinning at her.
+"Those cats were the nucleus of a bunch wanted to start some action.
+Burn a few cars, raid the library, that sort of jazz. So I took over for
+a while, led them up one street and down the other. I feel like I just
+been star at a track meet."
+
+"Good Heavens," Donaldson said still again.
+
+"They're all scattered around now," Abe explained to him. "Either that
+or their tongues are hanging out to the point they'll have to take five
+to have a beer. They're finished for a while."
+
+Isobel finished her little talk and joined them. "What gives now?" she
+asked.
+
+Rex Donaldson said, "I'd like to stay around and watch you chaps
+operate. It's fascinating. However, I'd better get over to the park.
+That's probably where the greater number of the Dogon will be." He
+grumbled sourly, "I'll roast those blokes with a half dozen bits of
+magic and send them all back to Sangha. It'll be donkey's years before
+they ever show face around here again." He left them.
+
+Homer Crawford looked after him. "Good man," he said.
+
+Abe had about caught his breath. "What gives now, man?" he said. "I
+ought to get back to Jake. He's all alone up near the mosque."
+
+"It's about time all of us got over there," Crawford said. He looked at
+Isobel as they walked. "How does it feel being a sort of reverse agent
+provocateur?"
+
+Her forehead was wrinkled, characteristically. "I suppose it has to be
+done, but frankly, I'm not too sure just what we are doing. Here we go
+about pushing these supposed teachings of El Hassan and when we're taken
+up by the people and they actually attempt to accomplish what we taught
+them, we draw in on the reins."
+
+"Man, you're right," Abe said unhappily. He looked at his chief. "What'd
+you say, Homer?"
+
+"Of course she's right," Crawford growled. "It's just premature, is all.
+There's no program, no plan of action. If there was one, this thing here
+in Mopti might be the spark that united all North Africa. As it is, we
+have to put the damper on it until there is a definite program." He
+added sourly, "I'm just wondering if the Reunited Nations is the
+organization that can come up with one. And, if it isn't, where is there
+one?"
+
+The mosque loomed up before them. The square before it was jam packed
+with milling Africans.
+
+"Great guns," Isobel snorted, "there're more people here than the whole
+population of Mopti. Where'd they all come from?"
+
+"They've been filtering in from the country," Crawford said.
+
+"Well, we'll filter 'em back," Abe promised.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+They spotted a ruckus and could see Elmer Allen in the middle of it, his
+quarterstaff flailing.
+
+"On the double," Homer bit out, and he and Abe broke into a trot for the
+point of conflict. The idea was to get this sort of thing over as
+quickly as possible before it had a chance to spread.
+
+They arrived too late. Elmer was leaning on his staff, as though needing
+it for support, and explaining mildly to two men who evidently were
+friends of a third who was stretched out on the ground, dead to the
+world and with a nasty lump on his shaven head.
+
+Homer came up and said to Elmer, in Songhai, "What has transpired, O
+Holy One?" He made a sign of obeisance to the Jamaican.
+
+The two Africans were taken aback by the term of address. They were
+unprepared to continue further debate, not to speak of physical action,
+against a holy man.
+
+Elmer said with dignity, "He spoke against El Hassan, our great leader."
+
+For a moment the two Africans seemed to be willing to deny that, but Abe
+Baker took up the cue and turned to the crowd that was beginning to
+gather. He held his hands out, palms upward questioningly, "And why
+should these young men beset a Holy One whose only crime is to love El
+Hassan?"
+
+The crowd began to murmur and the two hurriedly picked up their fallen
+companion and took off with him.
+
+Homer said in English, "What really happened?"
+
+"Oh, this chap was one of the hot heads," Elmer explained. "Wanted some
+immediate action. I gave it to him."
+
+Abe chuckled, "Holy One, yet."
+
+Spotted through the square, holding forth to various gatherings of the
+mob were Jake Armstrong, Kenny Ballalou and Cliff Jackson. Even as Homer
+Crawford sized up the situation and the temper of the throngs of
+tribesmen, Bey entered the square from the far side at the head of two
+or three thousand more, most of whom were already beginning to look
+bored to death from talk, talk, talk.
+
+Isobel came up and looked questioningly at Homer Crawford.
+
+He said, "Abe, get the truck and drive it up before the entrance to the
+mosque. We'll speak from that. Isobel can open the hoe down, get the
+crowd over and then introduce me."
+
+Abe left and Crawford said to Isobel, "Introduce me as Omar ben Crawf,
+the great friend and assistant of El Hassan. Build it up."
+
+"Right," she said.
+
+Crawford said, "Elmer first round up the boys and get them spotted
+through the audience. You're the cheerleaders and also the sergeants at
+arms, of course. Nail the hecklers quickly, before they can get
+organized among themselves. In short, the standard deal." He thought a
+moment. "And see about getting a hall where we can hold a meeting of the
+ringleaders, those are the ones we're going to have to cool out."
+
+"Wizard," Elmer said and was gone on his mission.
+
+Isobel and Homer stood for a moment, waiting for Abe and the truck.
+
+She said, "You seem to have this all down pat."
+
+"It's routine," he said absently. "The brain of a mob is no larger than
+that of its minimum member. Any disciplined group, almost no matter how
+small can model it to order."
+
+"Just in case we don't have the opportunity to get together again, what
+happens at the hall meeting of ringleaders? What do Jake, Cliff and I
+do?"
+
+"What comes naturally," Homer said. "We'll elect each other to the most
+important positions. But everybody else that seems to have anything at
+all on the ball will be elected to some committee or other. Give them
+jobs compiling reports to El Hassan or something. Keep them busy. Give
+Reunited Nations headquarters in Dakar time to come up with something."
+
+She said worriedly, "Suppose some of these ringleaders are capable,
+aggressive types and won't stand for us getting all the important
+positions?"
+
+Crawford grunted. "We're _more_ aggressive and more capable. Let my team
+handle that. One of the boys will jump up and accuse the guy of being a
+spy and an enemy of El Hassan, and one of the other boys will bear him
+out, and a couple of others will hustle him out of the hall." Homer
+yawned. "It's all routine, Isobel."
+
+Abe was driving up the truck.
+
+Crawford said, "O.K., let's go, gal."
+
+"Roger," she said, climbing first into the back of the vehicle and then
+up onto the roof of the cab.
+
+Isobel held her hands high above her head and in the cab Abe bore down
+on the horn for a long moment.
+
+Isobel shrilled, "Hear what the messenger from El Hassan has come to
+tell us! Hear the friend and devoted follower of El Hassan!"
+
+At the same time, Jake, Kenny, and Cliff discontinued their own
+harangues and themselves headed for the new speaker.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+They stayed for three days and had it well wrapped up in that time. The
+tribesmen, bored when the excitement fell away and it became obvious
+that there were to be no further riots, and certainly no violence,
+drifted back to their villages. The city dwellers returned to the
+routine of daily existence. And the police, who had mysteriously
+disappeared from the streets at the height of the demonstrations, now
+magically reappeared and began asserting their authority somewhat
+truculently.
+
+At the hall meetings, mighty slogans were drafted and endless committees
+formed. The more articulate, the more educated and able of the
+demonstrators were marked out for future reference, but for the moment
+given meaningless tasks to keep them busy and out of trouble.
+
+On the fourth day, Homer Crawford received orders to proceed to Dakar,
+leaving the rest of the team behind to keep an eye on the situation.
+
+Abe groaned, "There's luck for you. Dakar, nearest thing to a good old
+sin city in a thousand miles. And who gets to go? Old sour puss, here.
+Got no more interest in the hot spots--"
+
+Homer said, "You can come along, Abe."
+
+Kenny Ballalou said, "Orders were only you, Homer."
+
+Crawford growled, "Yes, but I have a suspicion I'm being called on the
+carpet for one of our recent escapades and I want backing if I need it."
+He added, "Besides, nothing is going to happen here."
+
+"Crazy man," Abe said appreciatively.
+
+Jake said, "We three were planning to head for Dakar today ourselves.
+Isobel, in particular, is exhausted and needs a prolonged rest before
+going out among the natives any more. You might as well continue to let
+us supply your transportation."
+
+"Fine," Homer told him. "Come on Abe, let's get our things together."
+
+"What do we do while you chaps are gone?" Elmer Allen said sourly. "I
+wouldn't mind a period in a city myself."
+
+"Read a book, man," Abe told him. "Improve your mind."
+
+"I've read a book," Elmer said glumly. "Any other ideas?"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Dakar is a big, bustling, prosperous and modern city shockingly set down
+in the middle of the poverty that is Africa. It should be, by its
+appearance, on the French Riviera, on the California coast, or possibly
+that of Florida, but it isn't. It's in Senegal, in the area once known
+as French West Africa.
+
+Their aircraft swept in and landed at the busy airport.
+
+They were assigned an African Development Project air-cushion car and
+drove into the city proper.
+
+Dakar boasts some of the few skyscrapers in all Africa. The Reunited
+Nations occupied one of these in its entirety. Dakar was the center of
+activities for the whole Western Sahara and down into the Sudan. Across
+the street from its offices, a street still named Rue des Résistance in
+spite of the fact that the French were long gone, was the Hotel
+Juan-les-Pins.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Crawford and Abe Baker had radioed ahead and accommodations were ready
+for them. Their western clothing and other gear had been brought up from
+storage in the cellar.
+
+At the desk, the clerk didn't blink at the Tuareg costume the two still
+wore. This was commonplace. He probably wouldn't have blinked had Isobel
+arrived in the costume of the Dogon. "Your suite is ready, Dr.
+Crawford," he said.
+
+The manager came up and shook hands with an old customer and Homer
+Crawford introduced him to Isobel, Jake and Cliff, requesting he do his
+best for them. He and Abe then made their excuses and headed for the
+paradise of hot water, towels, western drink and the other amenities of
+civilization.
+
+On the way up in the elevator, Abe said happily, "Man, I can just
+_taste_ that bath I'm going to take. Crazy!"
+
+"Personally," Crawford said, trying to reflect some of the other's
+typically lighthearted enthusiasm, "I have in mind a few belts out of a
+bottle of stone-age cognac, then a steak yea big and a flock of French
+fries, followed by vanilla ice cream."
+
+Abe's eyes went round. "Man, you mean we can't get a good dish of cous
+cous in this town?"
+
+"Cous cous," Crawford said in agony.
+
+Abe made his voice so soulful. "With a good dollop of rancid camel
+butter right on top."
+
+Homer laughed as they reached their floor and started for the suite.
+"You make it sound so good, I almost believe you." Inside he said,
+"Dibbers on the first bath. How about phoning down for a bottle of
+Napoleon and some soda and ice? When it comes, just mix me one and bring
+it in, that hand you see emerging from the soap bubbles in that tub,
+will be mine."
+
+"I hear and obey, O Bwana!" Abe said in a servile tone.
+
+By the time they'd cleaned up and had eaten an enormous western style
+meal in the dining room of the Juan-les-Pins, it was well past the hour
+when they could have made contact with their Reunited Nations superiors.
+They had a couple of cognacs in the bar, then, whistling happily, Abe
+Baker went out on the town.
+
+Homer Crawford looked up Isobel, Jake and Cliff who had, sure enough,
+found accommodations in the same hotel.
+
+Isobel stepped back in mock surprise when she saw Crawford in western
+garb. "Heavens to Betsy," she said. "The man is absolutely extinguished
+in a double-breasted charcoal gray."
+
+He tried a scowl and couldn't manage it. "The word is _distinguished_,
+not extinguished," he said. He looked down at the suit, critically. "You
+know, I feel uncomfortable. I wonder if I'll be able to sit down in a
+chair instead of squatting." He looked at her own evening frock. "Wow,"
+he said.
+
+Cliff Jackson said menacingly, "None of that stuff, Crawford. Isobel has
+already been asked for, let's have no wolfing around."
+
+Isobel said tartly, "Asked for but she didn't answer the summons." She
+took Homer by the arm. "And I just adore extinguish--oops, I mean
+distinguished looking men."
+
+They trooped laughingly into the hotel cocktail lounge.
+
+The time passed pleasantly. Jake and Cliff were good men in a field
+close to Homer Crawford's heart. Isobel was possibly the most attractive
+woman he'd ever met. They discussed in detail each other's work and all
+had stories of wonder to describe.
+
+Crawford wondered vaguely if there was ever going to be a time,
+in this life of his, for a woman and all that one usually connects
+with womanhood. What was it Elmer Allen had said at the Timbuktu
+meeting? "... _most of us will be kept busy the rest of our lives at
+this._"
+
+In his present state of mind, it didn't seem too desirable a prospect.
+But there was no way out for such as Homer Crawford. What had Cliff
+Jackson said at the same meeting? "_We do what we must do._" Which, come
+to think of it, didn't jibe too well with Cliff's claim at Mopti to be
+in it solely for the job. Probably the man disguised his basic idealism
+under a cloak of cynicism; if so, he wouldn't be the first.
+
+They said their goodnights early. All of them were used to Sahara hours.
+Up at dawn, to bed shortly after sunset; the desert has little fuel to
+waste on illumination.
+
+In the suite again, Homer Crawford noted that Abe hadn't returned as
+yet. He snorted deprecation. The younger man would probably be out until
+dawn. Dakar had much to offer in the way of civilization's fleshpots.
+
+He took up the bottle of cognac and poured himself a healthy shot,
+wishing that he'd remembered to pick up a paperback at the hotel's
+newsstand before coming to bed.
+
+He swirled the expensive brandy in the glass and brought it to his nose
+to savor the bouquet.
+
+But fifteen-year-old brandy from the cognac district of France should
+not boast a bouquet involving elements of bitter almonds. With an
+automatic startled gesture, Crawford jerked his face away from the
+glass.
+
+He scowled down at it for a long moment, then took up the bottle and
+sniffed it. He wondered how a would-be murderer went about getting hold
+of cyanide in Dakar.
+
+Homer Crawford phoned the desk and got the manager. Somebody had been in
+the suite during his absence. Was there any way of checking?
+
+He didn't expect satisfaction and didn't receive any. The manager, after
+finding that nothing seemed to be missing, seemed to think that perhaps
+Dr. Crawford had made a mistake. Homer didn't bother to tell him about
+the poisoned brandy. He hung up, took the bottle into the bathroom and
+poured it away.
+
+In the way of precautions, he checked the windows to see if there were
+any possibilities of entrance by an intruder, locked the door securely,
+put his handgun beneath his pillow and fell off to sleep. When and if
+Abe returned, he could bang on the door.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+In the morning, clad in American business suits and frankly feeling a
+trifle uncomfortable in them, Homer Crawford and Abraham Baker presented
+themselves at the offices of the African Development Project, Sahara
+Division, of the Reunited Nations. Uncharacteristically, there was no
+waiting in anterooms, no dealing with subordinates. Dr. Crawford and his
+lieutenant were ushered directly to the office of Sven Zetterberg.
+
+Upon their entrance the Swede came to his feet, shook hands abruptly
+with both of them and sat down again. He scowled at Abe and said to
+Homer in excellent English, "It was requested that your team remain in
+Mopti." Then he added, "Sit down, gentlemen."
+
+They took chairs. Crawford said mildly, "Mr. Baker is my right-hand man.
+I assume he'd take over the team if anything happened to me." He added
+dryly, "Besides, there were a few things he felt he had to do about
+town."
+
+Abe cleared his throat but remained silent.
+
+Zetterberg continued to frown but evidently for a different reason now.
+He said, "There have been more complaints about your ... ah ... cavalier
+tactics."
+
+Homer looked at him but said nothing.
+
+Zetterberg said in irritation, "It becomes necessary to warn you almost
+every time you come in contact with this office, Dr. Crawford."
+
+Homer said evenly, "My team and I work in the field Dr. Zetterberg. We
+have to think on our feet and usually come to decisions in split
+seconds. Sometimes our lives are at stake. We do what we think best
+under the conditions. At any time your office feels my efforts are
+misdirected, my resignation is available."
+
+The Swede cleared his throat. "The Arab Union has made a full complaint
+in the Reunited Nations of a group of our men massacring thirty-five of
+their troopers."
+
+Homer said, "They were well into the Ahaggar with a convoy of modern
+weapons, obviously meant for adherents of theirs. Given the opportunity,
+the Arab Union would take over North Africa."
+
+"This is no reason to butcher thirty-five men."
+
+"We were fired upon first," Crawford said.
+
+"That is not the way they tell it. They claim you ambushed them."
+
+Abe put in innocently, "How would the Arab Union know? We didn't leave
+any survivors."
+
+Zetterberg glared at him. "It is not easy, Mr. Baker, for we who do the
+paper work involved in this operation, to account for the activities of
+you hair-trigger men in the field."
+
+"We appreciate your difficulties," Homer said evenly. "But we can only
+continue to do what we think best on being confronted with an
+emergency."
+
+The Swede drummed his fingers on the desk top. "Perhaps I should remind
+you that the policy of this project is to encourage amalgamation of the
+peoples of the area. Possibly, the Arab Union will prove to be the best
+force to accomplish such a union."
+
+Abe grunted.
+
+Homer Crawford was shaking his head. "You don't believe that Dr.
+Zetterberg, and I doubt if there are many non-Moslems who do. Mohammed
+sprung out of the deserts and his religion is one based on the
+surroundings, both physical and socio-economic."
+
+Zetterberg grumbled, argumentatively, though his voice lacked
+conviction, "So did its two sister religions, Judaism and Christianity."
+
+Crawford waggled a finger negatively. "Both of them adapted to changing
+times, with considerable success. Islam has remained the same and in all
+the world there is not one example of a highly developed socio-economic
+system in a Moslem country. The reason is that in your country, and
+mine, and in the other advanced countries of the West, we pay lip
+service to our religions, but we don't let them interfere with our day
+by day life. But the Moslem, like the rapidly disappearing
+ultra-orthodox Jews, lives his religion every day and by the rules set
+down by the Prophet fifteen centuries ago. Everything a Moslem does from
+the moment he gets up in the morning is all mapped out in the Koran.
+What fingers of the hand to eat with, what hand to break bread with--and
+so on and so forth. It can get ludicrous. You should see the bathroom of
+a wealthy Moslem in some modern city such as Tangier. Mohammed never
+dreamed of such institutions as toilet paper. His followers still obey
+the rules he set down as an alternative."
+
+"What's your point?"
+
+"That North Africa cannot be united under the banner of Islam if she is
+going to progress rapidly. If it ever unites, it will be in spite of
+local religions--Islam and pagan as well; they hold up the wheels of
+progress."
+
+Zetterberg stared at him. The truth of the matter was that he agreed
+with the American and they both knew it.
+
+He said, "This matter of physically assaulting and then arresting the
+chieftain"--he looked down at a paper on his desk--"of the Ouled
+Touameur clan of the Chaambra confederation, Abd-el-Kader. From your
+report, the man was evidently attempting to unify the tribes."
+
+Crawford was shaking his head impatiently. "No. He didn't have
+the ... dream. He was a raider, a racketeer, not a leader of purposeful
+men. Perhaps it's true that these people need a hero to act as a symbol
+for them, but he can't be such as Abd-el-Kader."
+
+"I suppose you're right," the Swede said grudgingly. "See here, have you
+heard reports of a group of Cubans, in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan to help
+with the new sugar refining there, being attacked?"
+
+The eyes of both Crawford and Baker narrowed. There'd been talk about
+this at Timbuktu. "Only a few rumors," Crawford said.
+
+The Swede drummed his desk with his nervous fingers. "The rumors are
+correct. The whole group was either killed or wounded." He said
+suddenly, "You had nothing to do with this, I suppose?"
+
+Crawford held his palms up, in surprise, "My team has never been within
+a thousand miles of Khartoum."
+
+Zetterberg said, "See here, we suspect the Cubans might have supported
+Soviet Complex viewpoints."
+
+Crawford shrugged, "I know nothing about them at all."
+
+Zetterberg said, "Do you think this might be the work of El Hassan and
+his followers?"
+
+Abe started to chuckle something, but Homer shook his head slightly in
+warning and said, "I don't know."
+
+"How did that affair in Mopti turn out, these riots in favor of El
+Hassan?"
+
+Homer Crawford shrugged. "Routine. Must have been as many as ten
+thousand of them at one point. We used standard tactics in gaining
+control and then dispersing them. I'll have a complete written report to
+you before the day is out."
+
+Zetterberg said, "You've heard about this El Hassan before?"
+
+"Quite a bit."
+
+"From the rumors that have come into this office, he backs neither East
+nor West in international politics. He also seems to agree with your
+summation of the Islamic problem. He teaches separation of Church and
+State."
+
+"They're the same thing in Moslem countries," Abe muttered.
+
+Zetterberg tossed his bombshell out of a clear sky. "Dr. Crawford," he
+snapped, "in spite of the warnings we've had to issue to you repeatedly,
+you are admittedly our best man in the field. We're giving you a new
+assignment. Find this El Hassan and bring him here!"
+
+Zetterberg leaned forward, an expression of somewhat anxious sincerity
+in his whole demeanor.
+
+
+
+
+VIII
+
+
+Abe Baker choked, and then suddenly laughed.
+
+Sven Zetterberg stared at him. "What's so funny?"
+
+"Well, nothing," Abe admitted. He looked to Homer Crawford.
+
+Crawford said to the Swede carefully, "Why?"
+
+Zetterberg said impatiently, "Isn't it obvious, after the conversation
+we've had here? Possibly this El Hassan is the man we're looking for.
+Perhaps this is the force that will bind North Africa together. Thus
+far, all we've heard about him has been rumor. We don't seem to be able
+to find anyone who has seen him, nor is the exact strength of his
+following known. We'd like to confer with him, before he gets any
+larger."
+
+Crawford said carefully, "It's hard to track down a rumor."
+
+"That's why we give the assignment to our best team in the field," the
+Swede told him. "You've got a roving commission. Find El Hassan and
+bring him here to Dakar."
+
+Abe grinned and said, "Suppose he doesn't want to come?"
+
+"Use any methods you find necessary. If you need more manpower, let us
+know. But we must talk to El Hassan."
+
+Homer said, still watching his words, "Why the urgency?"
+
+The Reunited Nations official looked at him for a long moment, as though
+debating whether to let him in on higher policy. "Because, frankly, Dr.
+Crawford, the elements which first went together to produce the African
+Development Project, are, shall we say, becoming somewhat unstuck."
+
+"The glue was never too strong," Abe muttered.
+
+Zetterberg nodded. "The attempt to find competent, intelligent men to
+work for the project, who were at the same time altruistic and
+unaffected by personal or national interests, has always been a
+difficult one. If you don't mind my saying so, we Scandinavians,
+particularly those not affiliated with NATO come closest to filling the
+bill. We have no designs on Africa. It is unfortunate that we have
+practically no Negro citizens who could do field work."
+
+"Are you suggesting other countries have designs on Africa?" Homer said.
+
+For the first time the Swede laughed. A short, choppy laugh. "Are you
+suggesting they haven't? What was that convoy of the Arab Union bringing
+into the Sahara? Guns, with which to forward their cause of taking over
+all North Africa. What were those Cubans doing in Sudan, that someone
+else felt it necessary to assassinate them? What is the program of the
+Soviet Complex as it applies to this area, and how does it differ from
+that of the United States? And how do the ultimate programs of the
+British Commonwealth and the French Community differ from each other and
+from both the United States and Russia?"
+
+"That's why we have a Reunited Nations," Crawford said calmly.
+
+"Theoretically, yes. But it is coming apart at the seams. I sometimes
+wonder if an organization composed of a membership each with its own
+selfish needs can ever really unite in an altruistic task. Remember the
+early days when the Congo was first given her freedom? Supposedly the
+United Nations went in to help. Actually, each element in the United
+Nations had its own irons in the fire, and usually their desires
+differed."
+
+The Swede shrugged hugely. "I don't know, but I am about convinced, and
+so are a good many other officers of this project, that unless we soon
+find a competent leader to act as a symbol around which all North
+Africans can unite, find such a man and back him, that all our work will
+crumble in this area under pressure from outside. That's why we want El
+Hassan."
+
+Homer Crawford came to his feet, his face in a scowl. "I'll let you know
+by tomorrow, if I can take the assignment," he said.
+
+"Why tomorrow?" the Swede demanded.
+
+"There are some ramifications I have to consider."
+
+"Very well," the Swede said stiffly. He came to his own feet and shook
+hands with them again. "Oh, there's just one other thing. This
+spontaneous meeting you held in Timbuktu with elements from various
+other organizations. How did it come out?"
+
+Crawford was wary. "Very little result, actually."
+
+Zetterberg chuckled. "As I expected. However, we would appreciate it,
+doctor, if you and your team would refrain from such activities in the
+future. You are, after all, hired by the Reunited Nations and owe it all
+your time and allegiance. We have no desire to see you fritter away this
+time with religious fanatics and other crackpot groups."
+
+"I see," Crawford said.
+
+The other laughed cheerfully. "I'm sure you do, Dr. Crawford. A word to
+the wise."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+They remained silent on the way back to the hotel.
+
+In the lobby they ran into Isobel Cunningham.
+
+Homer Crawford looked at her thoughtfully. He said, "We've got some
+thinking to do and some ideas to bat back and forth. I value your
+opinion and experience, Isobel, could you come up to the suite and sit
+in?"
+
+She tilted her head, looked at him from the side of her eyes. "Something
+big has happened, hasn't it?"
+
+"I suppose so. I don't know. We've got to make some decisions."
+
+"Come on Isobel," Abe said. "You can give us the feminine viewpoint and
+all that jazz."
+
+They started for the elevator and Isobel said to Abe, "If you'd just be
+consistent with that pseudo-beatnik chatter of yours, I wouldn't mind.
+But half the time you talk like an English lit major when you forget to
+put on your act."
+
+"Man," Abe said to her, "maybe I was wrong inviting you to sit in on
+this bull session. I can see you're in a bad mood."
+
+In the living room of the suite, Isobel took an easy-chair and Abe threw
+himself full length on his back on a couch. Homer Crawford paced the
+floor.
+
+"Well?" Isobel said.
+
+Crawford said abruptly, "Somebody tried to poison me last night. Got
+into this room somehow and put cyanide in a bottle of cognac Abe and I
+were drinking out of earlier in the evening."
+
+Isobel stared at him. Her eyes went from him to Abe and back.
+"But ... but, why?"
+
+Crawford ran his hand back over his wiry hair in puzzlement. "I ... I
+don't know. That's what's driving me batty. I can't figure out why
+anybody would want to kill me."
+
+"I can," Abe said bluntly. "And that interview we just had with Sven
+Zetterberg just bears me out."
+
+"Zetterberg," Isobel said, surprised. "Is he in Africa?"
+
+Crawford nodded to her question but his eyes were on Abe.
+
+Abe put his hands behind his head and said to the ceiling, "Zetterberg
+just gave Homer's team the assignment of bringing in El Hassan."
+
+"El Hassan? But you boys told us all in Timbuktu that there was no El
+Hassan. You invented him and then the rest of us, more or less
+spontaneously, though unknowingly, took up the falsification and spread
+your work."
+
+"That's right," Crawford said, still looking at Abe.
+
+"But didn't you tell Sven Zetterberg?" Isobel demanded. "He's too big a
+man to play jokes upon."
+
+"No, I didn't and I'm not sure I know why."
+
+"I know why," Abe said. He sat up suddenly and swung his feet around and
+to the floor.
+
+The other two watched him, both frowning.
+
+Abe said slowly, "Homer, you _are_ El Hassan."
+
+His chief scowled at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"
+
+The younger man gestured impatiently. "Figure it out. Somebody else
+already has, the somebody who took a shot at you from that mosque. Look,
+put it all together and it makes sense.
+
+"These North Africans aren't going to make it, not in the short period
+of time that we want them to, unless a leader appears on the scene.
+These people are just beginning to emerge from tribal society. In the
+tribes, people live by rituals and taboos, by traditions. But at the
+next step in the evolution of society they follow a Hero--and the
+traditions are thrown overboard. It's one step up the ladder of cultural
+evolution. Just for the record, the Heroes almost invariably get
+clobbered in the end, since a Hero must be perfect. Once he is found
+wanting in any respect, he's a false prophet, a cheat, and a new,
+perfect and faultless Hero must be found.
+
+"O.K. At this stage we need a Hero to unite North Africa, but this time
+we need a real super-Hero. In this modern age, the old style one won't
+do. We need one with education, and altruism, one with the dream, as you
+call it. We need a man who has no affiliations, no preferences for
+Tuareg, Teda, Chaambra, Dogon, Moor or whatever. He's got to be truly
+neutral. O.K., you're it. You're an American Negro, educated, competent,
+widely experienced. You're a natural for the job. You speak Arabic,
+French, Tamabeq, Songhai and even Swahili."
+
+Abe stopped momentarily and twisted his face in a grimace. "But there's
+one other thing that's possibly the most important of all. Homer, you're
+a born leader."
+
+"Who _me_?" Crawford snorted. "I hate to be put in a position where I
+have to lead men, make decisions, that sort of thing.
+
+"That's beside the point. There in Timbuktu you had them in the palm of
+your hand. All except one or two, like Doc Smythe and that missionary.
+And I have an idea even they'd come around. Everybody there felt it.
+They were in favor of anything you suggested. Isobel?"
+
+She nodded, very seriously. "Yes. You have a personality that goes over,
+Homer. I think it would be a rare person who could conceive of you
+cheating, or misleading. You're so obviously sincere, competent and
+intelligent that it, well, _projects_ itself. I noticed it even more in
+Mopti than Timbuktu. You had that city in your palm in a matter of a few
+hours."
+
+Homer Crawford shifted his shoulders, uncomfortably.
+
+Abe said, "You might dislike the job, but it's a job that needs doing."
+
+Crawford ran his hand around the back of his neck, uncomfortably. "You
+think such a project would get the support of the various teams and
+organizations working North Africa, eh?"
+
+"Practically a hundred per cent. And even if some organizations or even
+countries, with their own row to hoe, tried to buck you, their
+individual members and teams would come over. Why? Because it makes
+sense."
+
+Homer Crawford said worriedly, "Actually, I've realized this, partially
+subconsciously, for some time. But I didn't put myself in the role.
+I ... I wish there really was an El Hassan. I'd throw my efforts behind
+him."
+
+"There will be an El Hassan," Abe said definitely. "And you can be him."
+
+Crawford stared at Abe, undecided.
+
+Isobel said, suddenly, "I think Abe's right, Homer."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Abe seemed to switch the tempo of his talk. He said, "There's just one
+thing, Homer. It's a long range question, but it's an important one."
+
+"Yes?"
+
+"What're your politics?"
+
+"My politics? I haven't any politics here in North Africa."
+
+"I mean back home. I've never discussed politics with you, Homer, partly
+because I haven't wanted to reveal my own. But now the question comes
+up. What is your position, ultimately, speaking on a world-wide basis?"
+
+Homer looked at him quizzically, trying to get at what was behind the
+other's words. "I don't belong to any political party," he said slowly.
+
+Abe said evenly, "I do, Homer. I'm a Party member."
+
+Crawford was beginning to get it. "If you mean do I ultimately support
+the program of the Soviet Complex, the answer is definitely no. Whether
+or not it's desirable for Russia or for China, is up to the Russians and
+Chinese to decide. But I don't believe it's desirable for such advanced
+countries as the United States and most of Western Europe. We've got
+large problems that need answering, but the commies don't supply the
+answers so far as I'm concerned."
+
+"I see," Abe said. He was far, far different than the laughing, beatnik
+jabbering, youngster he had always seemed. "That's not so good."
+
+"Why not?" Homer demanded. His eyes went to where Isobel sat, her face
+strained at all this, but he could read nothing in her expression, and
+she said nothing.
+
+Abe said, "Because, admittedly, North Africa isn't ready for a communist
+program as yet. It's in too primitive a condition. However, it's
+progressing fast, fantastically fast, and the coming of El Hassan is
+going to speed things up still more."
+
+Abe said deliberately, "Possibly twenty years from now the area _will_
+be ready for a communist program. And at that time we don't want
+somebody with El Hassan's power and prestige against us. We take the
+long view, Homer, and it dictates that El Hassan has to be secretly on
+the Party's side."
+
+Homer was nodding. "I see. So that's why you shot at me in Timbuktu."
+
+Abe's eyes went wary. He said, "I didn't know you knew."
+
+Crawford nodded. "It just came to me. It had to be you. Supposedly, you
+broke into the mosque from the back at the same moment I came in the
+front. Actually, you were already inside." Homer grunted. "Besides, it
+would have been awfully difficult for anyone else to have doped that
+bottle of cognac on me. What I couldn't understand, and still can't, was
+motive. We've been in the clutch together more than once, Abe."
+
+"That's right, Homer, but there are some things so important that
+friendship goes by the board. I could see as far back as that meeting
+something that hadn't occurred to either you or the others. You were a
+born El Hassan. I figured it was necessary to get you out of the way and
+put one of our own--perhaps me, even--in your place. No ill feelings,
+Homer. In fact, now I've just given you your chance. You could come in
+with us--"
+
+Even as he was speaking, his eyes moved in a way Homer Crawford
+recognized. He'd seen Abe Baker in action often enough. A gun flicked
+out of an under-the-arm holster, but Crawford moved in anticipation. The
+flat of his hand darted forward, chopped and the hand weapon was on the
+floor.
+
+As Isobel screamed, Abe countered the attack. He reached forward in a
+jujitsu maneuver, grabbed a coat sleeve and a handful of suit coat. He
+twisted quickly, threw the other man over one hip and to the floor.
+
+But Homer Crawford was already expertly rolling with the fall, rolling
+out to get a fresh start.
+
+Abe Baker knew that in the long go, in spite of his somewhat greater
+heft, he wouldn't be able to take his former chief in the other man's
+own field. Now he threw himself on the other, on the floor. Legs and
+arms tangled in half realized, quickly defeated holds and maneuvers.
+
+Abe called, "Quick, Isobel, the gun. Get the gun and cover him."
+
+She shook her head, desperately. "Oh no. No!"
+
+Abe bit out, his teeth grinding under the punishment he was taking,
+"That's an order, _Comrade Cunningham_! Get the gun!"
+
+"No. No, I can't!" She turned and fled the room.
+
+Abe muttered an obscenity, bridged and crabbed out of the desperate
+position he was in. And now his fingers were but a few inches from the
+weapon. He stretched.
+
+Homer Crawford, heavy veins in his own forehead from his exertions,
+panted, "Abe, I can't let you get that gun. Call it quits."
+
+"Can't, Homer," Abe gritted. His fingers were a few fractions of an inch
+from the weapon.
+
+Crawford panted, "Abe, there's just one thing I can do. A karate blow.
+_I_ can chop your windpipe with the side of my hand. Abe, if I do, only
+immediate surgery could save your--"
+
+Abe's fingers closed about the gun and Crawford, calling on his last
+resources, lashed out. He could feel the cartilage collapse, a sound of
+air, for a moment, almost like a shriek filled the room.
+
+The gun was meaningless now. Homer Crawford, his face agonized, was on
+his knees beside the other who was threshing on the floor. "Abe," he
+groaned. "You made me."
+
+Abe Baker's face was quickly going ashen in his impossible quest for
+oxygen. For a last second there was a gleam in his eyes and his lips
+moved. Crawford bent down. He wasn't sure, but he thought that somehow
+the other found enough air to get out a last, "Crazy man."
+
+When it was over, Homer Crawford stood again, and looked down at the
+body, his face expressionless.
+
+From behind him a voice said, "So I got here too late."
+
+Crawford turned. It was Elmer Allen, gun in hand.
+
+Homer Crawford said dully, "What are you doing here?"
+
+Elmer looked at the body, then back at his chief. "Bey figured out what
+must have happened at the mosque there in Timbuktu. We didn't know what
+might be motivating Abe, but we got here as quick as we could."
+
+"He was a commie," Crawford said dully. "Evidently, the Party decided I
+stood in its way. Where are the others?"
+
+"Scouring the town to find you."
+
+Crawford said wearily, "Find the others and bring them here. We've got
+to get rid of poor Abe, there, and then I've got something to tell you."
+
+"Very well, chief," Elmer said, holstering his gun. "Oh, just one thing
+before I go. You know that chap Rex Donaldson? Well, we had some
+discussion after you left. This'll probably surprise you Homer,
+but--hold onto your hat, as you Americans say--Donaldson thinks you
+ought to _become_ El Hassan. And Bey, Kenny and I agree."
+
+Crawford said, "We'll talk about it later, Elmer."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+He knocked at her door and a moment later she came. She saw who it was,
+opened for him and returned to the room beyond. She had obviously been
+crying.
+
+Homer Crawford said, but with no reproach in his voice, "You should have
+helped me, to be consistent."
+
+"I knew you'd win."
+
+"Nevertheless, once you'd switched sides, you should have attempted to
+help me. If you had, maybe Abe would still be alive."
+
+She took a quick agonized breath, and sat down in one of the two chairs,
+her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She said, "I ... I've known Abe
+since my early teens."
+
+He said nothing.
+
+"In college, he was the cell leader. He enlisted me into the Party."
+
+Crawford still didn't speak.
+
+She said defiantly, "He was an idealist, Homer."
+
+"I know that," Crawford said. "And along with it, he's saved my life, on
+at least three different occasions in the past few years. He was a good
+man."
+
+It was her turn to hold silence.
+
+Homer hit the palm of his left hand with the fist of his right. "That's
+what so many don't realize. They think this is all a kind of cowboys and
+Indians affair. The good guys and the bad guys fighting it out. And, of
+course, all the good guys are on our side and their side is composed of
+bad guys. They don't realize that many, even most, of the enemy are
+fighting for an ideal, too--and are willing to die for it, or do things
+sometimes even harder than dying."
+
+He paced the floor for an agonized moment, before adding. "The fact that
+the ideal is a false one--or so, at least, is my opinion--is beside the
+point."
+
+He suddenly dropped it and switched subjects. "This isn't as much a
+surprise to me as you possibly think, Isobel. There was only one way
+that episode in Timbuktu could have taken place. Abe was waiting for me
+to pass that mosque. But I had to pass. I had to be _fingered_ as the
+old gangster expression had it. And you led me into the ambush."
+
+He looked down at her. "But what changed his mind? Why did he offer,
+tonight, to let me take over the El Hassan leadership?"
+
+Isobel said, her voice low. "In Timbuktu, when Abe saw the way things
+were going, he realized you'd have to be liquidated, otherwise El Hassan
+would be a leader the Party couldn't control. He tried to eliminate you,
+and then tried again with the cognac. Last night, however, he checked
+with local party leaders and they decided that he'd acted too
+precipitately. They suggested you be given the opportunity to line up
+with the Party."
+
+"And if I didn't?" Homer said.
+
+"Then you were to be liquidated."
+
+"So the finger is still on me, eh?"
+
+"Yes, you'll have to be careful."
+
+He looked full into her face. "How do you stand now?"
+
+She returned his frank look. "I'm the first follower to dedicate her
+services to El Hassan."
+
+"So you want to come along?"
+
+"Yes," she said simply.
+
+"And you remember what Abe said? That in the end the Hero invariably
+gets clobbered? Sooner or later, North Africa will outgrow the need for
+a Hero to follow and then ... then El Hassan and his closest followers
+have a good chance of winding up before a firing squad."
+
+"Yes, I know that."
+
+Homer Crawford ran his hand back over his short hair, wearily. "O.K.,
+Isobel. Your first instructions are to contact those two friends of
+yours, Jake Armstrong and Cliff Jackson. Try to convert them."
+
+"What are you going to be doing ... El Hassan?"
+
+"I'm going over to the Reunited Nations to resign from the African
+Development Project. I have a sneaking suspicion that in the future they
+will not always be seeing eye to eye with El Hassan. Nor will the other
+organizations currently helping to advance Africa--whilst still at the
+same time keeping their own irons in the fire. Possibly the commies
+won't be the only ones in favor of liquidating El Hassan's assets."
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Black Man's Burden, by Dallas McCord Reynolds
+
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+      The Project Gutenberg eBook of Black Man's Burden, by Mack Reynolds.
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+<pre>
+
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Black Man's Burden, by Dallas McCord Reynolds
+
+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: Black Man's Burden
+
+Author: Dallas McCord Reynolds
+
+Illustrator: Schoenherr
+
+Release Date: May 15, 2010 [EBook #32390]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BLACK MAN'S BURDEN ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<h1>BLACK MAN'S BURDEN</h1>
+
+<h2>BY MACK REYNOLDS</h2>
+
+<h3>Illustrated by Schoenherr</h3>
+
+
+<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Analog Science Fact &amp;
+Fiction December 1961 and January 1962. Extensive research did not
+uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was
+renewed.]</p>
+
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<h2>CONTENTS</h2>
+
+<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. -->
+<h3>
+<a href="#I">I</a><br />
+<a href="#II">II</a><br />
+<a href="#III">III</a><br />
+<a href="#IV">IV</a><br />
+<a href="#V">V</a><br />
+<a href="#VI">VI</a><br />
+<a href="#VII">VII</a><br />
+<a href="#VIII">VIII</a><br />
+</h3>
+<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. -->
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"Take up the white man's burden<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Send forth the best ye breed...."<br /></span>
+</div><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">&mdash;Kipling<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+
+
+
+<div class="figcenter">
+<img src="images/illus1.jpg" alt=""/>
+</div>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<h2><a name="I" id="I"></a>I</h2>
+
+
+<p>The two-vehicle caravan emerged from the sandy wastes of the <i>erg</i> and
+approached the small encampment of Taitoq Tuareg which consisted of
+seven goat leather tents. They were not unanticipated, the camp's scouts
+had noted the strange pillars of high-flung dust which were set up by
+the air rotors an hour earlier and for the past fifteen minutes they had
+been visible to all.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote"><p>The turmoil in Africa is only beginning&mdash;and it must grow worse
+before it's better. Not until the people of Africa know they are
+Africans&mdash;not warring tribesmen&mdash;will there be peace....</p></div>
+
+
+<p>Moussa-ag-Amastan, headman of the clan, awaited the newcomers at first
+with a certain trepidation in spite of his warrior blood. Although he
+hadn't expressed himself thus to his followers, his first opinion had
+been that the unprecedented pillars were djinn come out of the erg for
+no good purpose. It wasn't until they were quite close that it could be
+seen the vehicles bore resemblance to those of the Rouma which were of
+recent years spreading endlessly through the lands of the Ahaggar Tuareg
+and beggaring those who formerly had conducted the commerce of the
+Sahara.</p>
+
+<p>But the vehicles traveling through the sand dunes! That had been the
+last advantage of the camel. No wheeled vehicle could cross the vast
+stretches of the ergs, they must stick to the hard ground, to the
+tire-destroying gravel.</p>
+
+<p>They came to a halt and Moussa-ag-Amastan drew up his teguelmoust
+turban-veil even closer about his eyes. He had no desire to let the
+newcomers witness his shocked surprise at the fact that the desert
+lorries had no wheels, floated instead without support, and now that
+they were at a standstill settled gently to earth.</p>
+
+<p>There was further surprise when the five who issued forth from the two
+seemingly clumsy vehicles failed to be Rouma. They looked more like the
+Teda to the south, and the Targui's eyes thinned beneath his
+teguelmoust. Since the French had pulled out their once dreaded Camel
+Corps there had been somewhat of a renaissance of violence between
+traditional foes.</p>
+
+<p>However, the newcomers, though dark as Negro Bela slaves, wore Tuareg
+dress, loose baggy trousers of dark indigo-blue cotton cloth, a loose,
+nightgownlike white cotton shirt, and over this a <i>gandoura</i> outer
+garment. Above all, they wore the teguelmoust though they were
+shockingly lax in keeping it properly up about the mouth.</p>
+
+<p>Moussa-ag-Amastan knew that he was backed by ten or more of his
+clansmen, half of whom bore rifles, the rest Tuareg broadswords,
+Crusader-like with their two edges, round points and flat rectangular
+cross-members. Only two of the strangers seemed armed and they
+negligently bore their smallish guns in the crooks of their arms. The
+clan leader spoke at strength, then, but he said the traditional "<i>La
+bas</i>."</p>
+
+<p>"There is no evil," repeated the foremost of the newcomers. His Tamabeq,
+the Berber language of the Tuareg confederations, seemed perfect.</p>
+
+<p>Moussa-ag-Amastan said, "What do you do in the lands of the Taitoq
+Tuareg?"</p>
+
+<p>The stranger, a tall, handsome man with a dominating though pleasant
+personality, indicated the vehicles with a sweep of his hand. "We are
+Enaden, itinerant smiths. As has ever been our wont, we travel from
+encampment to encampment to sell our products and to make repair upon
+your metal possessions."</p>
+
+<p>Enaden! The traveling smiths of the Ahaggar, and indeed of the whole
+Sahara, were a despised and ragged lot at best. Few there were that ever
+possessed more than a small number of camels, a sprinkling of goats,
+perhaps a sheep or two. But these seemed as rich as Roumas, as Europeans
+or Americans.</p>
+
+<p>Moussa-ag-Amastan muttered, "You jest with us at your peril, stranger."
+He pointed an aged but still strong hand at the vehicles. "Enaden do not
+own such as these."</p>
+
+<p>The newcomer shrugged. "I am Omar ben Crawf and these are my followers,
+Abrahim el Bakr Ma el Ainin, Keni Ballalou and Bey-ag-Akhamouk. We come
+today from Tamanrasset and we are smiths, as we can prove. As is known,
+there is high pay to be earned by working in the oil fields, at the dams
+on the Niger, in the afforestation projects, in the sinking of the new
+wells whose pumps utilize the rays of the sun, in the developing of the
+great new oases. There is much Rouma money to be made in such work and
+my men and I have brought these vehicles specially built in the new
+factories in Dakar for desert use."</p>
+
+<p>"Slave work!" one of Moussa-ag-Amastan's kinsmen sneered.</p>
+
+<p>Omar ben Crawf shrugged in obvious amusement, but there was a warmth and
+vitality in the man that quickly affected even strangers. "Perhaps," he
+said. "But times change, as every man knows and today there no longer
+need be hunger, nor illness, nor any want&mdash;if a man will but work a
+fraction of each day."</p>
+
+<p>"Work is for slaves," Moussa-ag-Amastan barked.</p>
+
+<p>The newcomer refused to argue. "But all slaves have been freed, and
+where in the past this meant nothing since the Bela had no place to go,
+no way to live save with his owner, today it is different and any man
+can go and find work on the many projects that grow everywhere. So the
+slaves slip away from the Tuareg, and the Teda and Chaamba. Soon there
+will be no more slaves to do the work about your encampments. And then
+what, man of the desert?"</p>
+
+<p>"We'll fight!" Moussa-ag-Amastan growled. "We Tuareg are warriors,
+bedouin, free men. We will never be slaves."</p>
+
+<p>"<i>Inshallah.</i> If God wills it," the smith agreed politely.</p>
+
+<p>"Show us your wares," the old chieftain snapped. "We chatter like women.
+Talk can wait until the evening meal and in the men's quarters of my
+tent." He approached the now parked vehicles and his followers crowded
+after him. From the tents debouched women and children. The children
+were completely nude, and the Tuareg women were unveiled for such are
+the customs of the Ahaggar Tuareg that the men go veiled but women do
+not.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>One of the lorries was so constructed that a side could be raised in
+such fashion to display a wide variety of tools, weapons, household
+utensils, and textiles. Ohs and ahs punctuated the air, women being the
+same in every land. Two of the smiths brought forth metal-working
+equipment of strange design and set up shop to one side. A broken bolt
+on an aged Lebel rifle was quickly repaired, a copper cooking pot
+brazed, some harness tinkered with.</p>
+
+<p>Of a sudden, Moussa-ag-Amastan said, "But your women, your families,
+where are they?"</p>
+
+<p>The one who had been introduced as Abrahim el Bakr, an open-faced man
+whose constant smiling seemed to take a full ten years off what must
+have been his age, explained. "On the big projects, one can find
+employment only if he allows his children to attend the new schools. So
+our wives and children remain near Tamanrasset while the children learn
+the lore of books."</p>
+
+<p>"Rouma schools!" one of the warriors sneered.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, no. There are few Roumas remaining in all the land now," the smith
+said easily. "Those that are left serve us in positions our people as
+yet cannot hold, in construction of the dams, in the bringing of trees
+to the desert, but soon, even they will be unneeded."</p>
+
+<p>"<i>Our</i> people?" Moussa-ag-Amastan rumbled ungraciously. "You are smiths.
+The smiths have no people. You are neither Kel Rela, Tégehé Mellet,
+Taitoq, nor even Teda, Chaambra, or Ouled Tidrarin."</p>
+
+<p>One of the smiths said easily, "In the great new construction camps, in
+the new towns, with their many ways to work and become rich, the tribes
+are breaking up. Tuareg works next to Teda and a Moor next to a former
+Haratin serf." He added, as though unthinkingly, even as he displayed an
+aluminum pan to a wide-eyed Tuareg matron, "Indeed, even the clans break
+up and often Tuareg marries Arab or Sudanese or Rifs down from the
+north ... or even we Enaden."</p>
+
+<p>The clansmen were suddenly silent, in shocked surprise.</p>
+
+<p>"That cannot be true!" the elderly chief snapped.</p>
+
+<p>Omar ben Crawf looked at him mildly. "Why should my follower lie?"</p>
+
+<p>"I do not know, but we will talk of it later, away from the women and
+children who should not hear such abominations." The chief switched
+subjects. "But you have no flocks with you. How are we to pay for these
+things, these services?"</p>
+
+<p>"With money."</p>
+
+<p>The old man's face, what little could be seen through his teguelmoust,
+darkened. "We have little money in the Ahaggar."</p>
+
+<p>The one named Omar nodded. "But we are short of meat and will buy
+several goats and perhaps a lamb, a chicken, eggs. Then, too, as you
+have noted, we have left our women at home. We will need the services of
+cooks, some one to bring water. We will hire servants."</p>
+
+<p>The other said gruffly, "There are some Bela who will serve you."</p>
+
+<p>The smith seemed taken aback. "Verily, El Hassan has stated that the
+product of the labor of the slave is accursed."</p>
+
+<p>"El Hassan! Who is El Hassan and why should the work of a slave be
+accursed?"</p>
+
+<p>One of the tribesmen said, "I have heard of this El Hassan. Rumors of
+his teachings spread through the land. He is to lead us all, Tuareg,
+Arab and Sudanese, until we are all as rich as Roumas."</p>
+
+<p>Omar said, "It is well known that the Roumas and especially the
+Americans are all rich as Emirs but none of them ever possess slaves.
+The bedouin have slaves but fail to prosper. Verily, the product of the
+labor of the slave is accursed."</p>
+
+<p>"Madness," Moussa-ag-Amastan muttered. "If you do not let our slave
+women do your tasks, then they will remain undone. No Tuareg woman will
+work."</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>But the headman of his clan was wrong.</p>
+
+<p>The smiths remained four days in all, and the abundance of their
+products was too much. What verbal battles might have taken place in the
+tent of Moussa-ag-Amastan, and in those of his followers, the smiths
+couldn't know, but Tuareg women are not dominated by their men. On the
+second day, three Tuareg women applied for the position of servants, at
+surprisingly high pay. Envy ran roughshod when they later displayed the
+textiles and utensils they purchased with their wages.</p>
+
+<p>Nor could the aged Tuareg chief prevent in the evening discussions
+between the men, a thorough pursuing of the new ideas sweeping through
+the Ahaggar. Though these strangers proclaimed themselves lowly
+Enaden&mdash;itinerant desert smiths&mdash;they were obviously not to be dismissed
+as a caste little higher than Haratin serfs. Even the first night they
+were invited to the tent of Moussa-ag-Amastan to share the dinner of
+shorba soup, cous cous and the edible paste <i>kaboosh</i>, made of cheese,
+butter and spices. It was an adequate desert meal, meat being eaten not
+more than a few times a year by such as the Taitoq Tuareg who couldn't
+afford to consume the animals upon which they lived.</p>
+
+<p>After mint tea, one of the younger Tarqui leaned forward. He said, "You
+have brought strange news, oh Enaden of wealth, and we would know more.
+We of the Ahaggar hear little from outside."</p>
+
+<p>Moussa-ag-Amastan scowled at his clansman, for his presumption, but Omar
+answered, his voice sincere and carrying conviction. "The world moves
+fast, men of the desert, and the things that were verily true even
+yesterday, have changed today."</p>
+
+<p>"To the sorrow of the Tuareg!" snapped Moussa-ag-Amastan.</p>
+
+<p>The other looked at him. "Not always, old one. Surely in your youth you
+remember when such diseases as the one the Roumas once called the
+disease of Venus, ran rampant through the tribes. When trachoma, the
+sickness of the eyes, was known as the scourge of the Sahara. When half
+the children, not only of Bela slaves and Haratin serfs, but also of the
+Surgu noble clans, died before the age of ten."</p>
+
+<p>"Admittedly, the magic of the Roumas cured many such ills," an older
+warrior growled.</p>
+
+<p>"Not their magic, their learning," the smith named El Ma el Ainin put
+in. "And, verily, now the schools are open to all the people."</p>
+
+<p>"Schools are not for such as the Bela and Haratin," the clan chief
+protested. "The Koran should not be taught to slaves."</p>
+
+<p>El Ma el Ainin said gently, "The Koran is not taught at all in the new
+schools, old one. The teachings of the Prophet are still made known to
+those interested, in the schools connected with the mosques, but only
+the teachings of science are made in the new schools."</p>
+
+<p>"The teachings of the Rouma!" a Tuareg protested, carefully slipping his
+glass of tea beneath his teguelmoust so that he could drink without his
+mouth being obscenely revealed.</p>
+
+<p>Omar ben Crawf laughed. "That is what we have allowed the Roumas to have
+us believe for much too long," he stated. "El Hassan has proven
+otherwise. Much of the wisdom of science has its roots in the lands of
+Asia and of Africa. The Roumas were savages in skins while the earliest
+civilizations were being developed in Africa and Asia Minor. Hardly a
+science now developed by the Roumas of Europe and America but had its
+beginning with us." He turned to the elderly chief.</p>
+
+<p>"You Tuareg are of Berber background. But a few centuries ago, the
+Berbers of Morocco, known as the Moors to the Rouma, leavened only with
+a handful of Jews and Arabs, built up in Spain the highest civilization
+in all the world of that time. We would be foolish, we of Africa, to
+give credit to the Rouma for so much of what our ancestors presented to
+the world."</p>
+
+<p>The Tuareg were astonished. They had never heard such words.</p>
+
+<p>Moussa-ag-Amastan was not appeased. "You sound like a Rouma, yourself,"
+he said. "Where have you learned of all this?"</p>
+
+<p>The smiths chuckled their amusement.</p>
+
+<p>Abrahim el Bakr said, "Verily, old one, have you ever seen a black
+Rouma?"</p>
+
+<p>Omar ben Crawf, the headman of the smiths, went on. "El Hassan has
+proclaimed great new beliefs that spread through all North Africa, and
+eventually, <i>Inshallah</i>, throughout the continent. Through his great
+learning he has assimilated the wisdom of all the prophets, all the
+wisemen of all the world, and proclaims their truths."</p>
+
+<p>The Tuareg chief was becoming increasingly irritated. Such talk as this
+was little short of blasphemy to his ears, but the fascination of the
+discussion was beyond him to ignore. And he knew that even if he did his
+young men, in particular, would only seek out the strangers on their own
+and then he would not be present to mitigate their interest. In spite of
+himself, now he growled, "What beliefs? What truths? I know not of this
+El Hassan of whom you speak."</p>
+
+<p>Omar said slowly, "Among them, the teachings of a great wise man from a
+far land. That all men should be considered equal in the eyes of society
+and should have equal right to life, liberty and the pursuit of
+happiness."</p>
+
+<p>"Equal!" one of the warriors ejaculated. "This is not wisdom, but
+nonsense. No two men are equal."</p>
+
+<p>Omar waggled a finger negatively. "Like so many, you fail to explore the
+teaching. Obviously, no man of wisdom would contend that all men are
+equally tall, or strong, or wise, or cunning, nor even fortunate. <i>No</i>
+two men are equal in such regards. But all men should have equal right
+to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, whatever that might mean
+to him as an individual."</p>
+
+<p>One of the Tuareg said slyly, "And the murderer of one of your kinsmen,
+should he, too, have life and liberty, in the belief of El Hassan?"</p>
+
+<p>"Obviously, the community must protect itself against those who would
+destroy the life or liberty of others. The murderer of a kinsman of
+mine, as well as any other man, myself included, should be subject
+equally to the same law."</p>
+
+<p>It was a new conception to members of a tribal society such as that of
+the Ahaggar Tuareg. They stirred under both its appeal and its negation
+of all they knew. A man owed alliance to his immediate family, to his
+clan, his tribe, then to the Tuareg confederation&mdash;in decreasing degree.
+Beyond that, all were enemies, as all men knew.</p>
+
+<p>One protested slowly, seeking out his words, "Your El Hassan preaches
+this equality, but surely the wiser man and the stronger man will soon
+find his way to the top in any land, in any tribe, even in the nations
+of the Rouma."</p>
+
+<p>Omar shrugged. "Who could contend otherwise? But each man should be free
+to develop his own possibilities, be they strength of arm or of brain.
+Let no man exploit another, nor suppress another's abilities. If a Bela
+slave has more ability than a Surgu Tuareg noble, let him profit to the
+full by his gifts."</p>
+
+<p>There was a cold silence.</p>
+
+<p>Omar finished gently by saying, "Or so El Hassan teaches, and so they
+teach in the new schools in Tamanrasset and Gao, in Timbuktu and Reggan,
+in the big universities at Kano, Dakar, Bamako, Accra and Abidian. And
+throughout North Africa the wave of the future flows over the land."</p>
+
+<p>"It is a flood of evil," Moussa-ag-Amastan said definitely.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>But in spite of the antagonism of the clan headman and of the older
+Tuareg warriors, the stories of the smiths continued to spread. It was
+not even beyond them to discuss, long and quietly, with the Bela slaves
+the ideas of the mysterious El Hassan, and to talk of the plentiful
+jobs, the high wages, at the dams, the new oases, and in the
+afforestation projects.</p>
+
+<p>Somehow the news of their presence spread, and another clan of nomad
+Tuareg arrived and pitched their tents, to handle the wares of the
+smiths and to bring their metal work for repair. And to listen to their
+disturbing words.</p>
+
+<p>As amazing as any of the new products was the solar powered, portable
+television set which charged its batteries during the daylight hours and
+then flashed on its screen the images and the voices and music of
+entertainers and lecturers, teachers and storytellers, for all to see.
+In the beginning it had been difficult, for the eye of the desert man is
+not trained to pick up a picture. He has never seen one, and would not
+recognize his own photograph. But in time, it came to them.</p>
+
+<p>The programs originated in Tamanrasset and in Salah, in Zinder and Fort
+Lamy and one of the smiths revealed that the mysterious waves, that fed
+the device its programs, were bounced off tiny moons which the Rouma had
+rocketed up into the sky for that purpose. A magic understandable only
+to marabouts and such, without doubt.</p>
+
+<p>At the end of their period of stay, the smiths, to the universal
+surprise of all, gave the mystery device to two sisters, kinswomen of
+Moussa-ag-Amastan, who were particularly interested in the teachers and
+lecturers who told of the new world aborning. The gift was made in the
+full understanding that all should be allowed to listen and watch, and
+it was clear that if ever the set needed repair it was to be left
+untinkered with and taken to Tamanrasset or the nearest larger
+settlement where it would be fixed free of charge.</p>
+
+<p>There were many strange features about the smiths, as each man could
+see. Among others, were their strange weapons. There had been some soft
+whispered discussion among the warriors in the first two days of their
+stay about relieving the strangers of their obviously desirable
+possessions&mdash;after all, they weren't kinsmen, not even Tuareg. But on
+the second day, the always smiling one named Abrahim el Bakr had been on
+the outskirts of the <i>erg</i> when a small group of gazelle were flushed.
+The graceful animals took off at a prohibitive rifle range, as usual,
+but Abrahim el Bakr had thrown his small, all but tiny weapon to his
+shoulder and <i>flic flic flic</i>, with a sound no greater than the cracking
+of a ground nut, had knocked over three of them before the others had
+disappeared around a dune.</p>
+
+<p>Obviously, the weapons of the smiths were as great as their learning and
+their new instruments. It was discouraging to a raider by instinct.</p>
+
+<p>Then, too, there was the strangeness of the night talks their leader was
+known to have with his secret <i>Kambu</i> fetish which was able to answer
+him in a squeaky but distinct voice in some unknown tongue, obviously a
+language of the djinn. The <i>Kambu</i> was worn on a strap on Omar's wrist,
+and each night at a given hour he was wont to withdraw to his tent and
+there confer.</p>
+
+<p>On the fourth night, obviously, he was given instruction by the <i>Kambu</i>
+for in the morning, at first light, the smiths hurriedly packed, broke
+camp, made their good-byes to Moussa-ag-Amastan and the others and were
+off.</p>
+
+<p>Moussa-ag-Amastan was glad to see them go. They were quite the most
+disturbing element to upset his people in many seasons. He wondered at
+the advisability of making their usual summer journey to the Tuareg
+sedentary centers. He had a feeling that if the clan got near enough to
+such centers as Zinder to the south, or Touggourt to the north, there
+would be wholesale desertion of the Bela, and, for that matter, even of
+some of his younger warriors and their wives.</p>
+
+<div class="figleft">
+<img src="images/illus3.jpg" alt=""/>
+</div>
+
+<p>However, there was no putting off indefinitely exposure to this danger.
+Even in such former desert centers as Tessalit and In Salah, the
+irrigation projects were of such magnitude that there was a great labor
+shortage. But always, of course, as the smiths had said, if you worked
+at the projects your children must needs attend the schools. And that
+way lay disaster!</p>
+
+<p>The five smiths took out overland in the direction of Djanet on the
+border of what had once been known as Libya and famed for its cliffs
+which tower over twenty-five hundred feet above the town. Their solar
+powered, air cushion, hover-lorries, threw up their clouds of dust and
+sand to right and left, but they made good time over the <i>erg</i>. A good
+hovercraft driver could do much to even out a rolling landscape,
+changing his altitude from a few inches here to as much as twenty-five
+feet there, given, of course, enough power in his solar batteries,
+although that was little problem in this area where clouds were
+sometimes not seen for years on end.</p>
+
+<p>This was back of the beyond, the wasteland of earth. Only the interior
+of the Arabian peninsula and the Gobi could compete and, of course, even
+the Gobi was beginning to be tamed under the afforestation efforts of
+the teeming multitudes of China who had suffered its disastrous storms
+down through the millennia.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>Omar checked and checked again with the instrument on his wrist, asking
+and answering, his voice worried.</p>
+
+<p>Finally they pulled up beside a larger than usual wadi and Omar ben
+Crawf stared thoughtfully out over it. The one they had named Abrahim el
+Bakr stood beside him and the others slightly to the rear.</p>
+
+<p>Abrahim el Bakr nodded, for once his face unsmiling. "Those cats'll come
+down here," he said. "Nothing else would make sense, not even to an
+Egyptian."</p>
+
+<p>"I think you're right," Omar growled. He said over his shoulder, "Bey,
+get the trucks out of sight, over that dune. Elmer, you and Kenny set
+the gun up over there. Solid slugs, and try to avoid their cargo. We
+don't want to set off a Fourth of July here. Bey, when you're finished
+with the trucks, take that Tommy-Noiseless of yours and flank them from
+over behind those rocks. Take a couple of clips extra, for good
+luck&mdash;you won't need them, though."</p>
+
+<p>"How many are there supposed to be?" Abrahim el Bakr asked, his voice
+empty of humor now.</p>
+
+<p>"Eight half-trucks, two armed jeeps, or land-rovers, one or the other.
+Probably about forty men, Abe."</p>
+
+<p>"All armed," Abe said flatly.</p>
+
+<p>"Um-m-m. Listen, that's them coming. Right down the <i>wadi</i>. Get going
+men. Abe, you cover me."</p>
+
+<p>Abe Bakr looked at him. "Wha'd'ya mean, cover you, man? You slipped all
+the way round the bend? Listen, let me plant a couple quick land mines
+to stop 'em and we'll get ourselves behind these rocks and blast those
+cats half way back to Cairo."</p>
+
+<p>"We'll warn them as per orders."</p>
+
+<p>"Crazy man, like you're the boss, Homer," Abe growled. "But why'd I ever
+leave New Jersey?" He made his way to the right, to the top of the
+wadi's bank and behind a clump of thorny bush. He made himself
+comfortable, the light Tommy-Noiseless with its clip of two hundred .10
+caliber, ultra-high velocity shells resting before him on a flat rock
+outcropping. He thoughtfully flicked the selector to the explosive side
+of the clip. Let Homer Crawford say what he would about not setting off
+a Fourth of July, but if he needed covering in the moments to come, he'd
+need it bad.</p>
+
+<p>The chips were down now.</p>
+
+<p>The convoy, the motors growling their protests of the hard going even
+here at the gravel bottomed wadi river bed, made its way toward them at
+a pace of approximately twenty kilometers per hour.</p>
+
+<p>The lead jeep&mdash;Skoda manufacture, Homer Crawford noted cynically&mdash;was
+some thirty meters in advance. It drew to a halt upon seeing him and a
+turbaned Arab Union trooper swung a Brenn gun in his direction.</p>
+
+<p>An officer stood up in the jeep and yelled at Crawford in Arabic.</p>
+
+<p>The American took a deep breath and said in the same language, "You're
+out of your own territory."</p>
+
+<p>The officer's face went poker-expressionless. He looked at the lone
+figure, dressed in the garb of the Tuareg, even to the turban-veil which
+covers all but the eyes of these notorious Apaches of the Sahara.</p>
+
+<p>"This is no affair of yours," the lieutenant said. "Who are you?"</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford said very clearly, "Sahara Division, African Development
+Project, Reunited Nations. You're far out of your own territory,
+lieutenant. I'll have to report you, and also to demand that you turn
+and go back to your origin."</p>
+
+<p>The lieutenant flicked his hand, and the trooper behind the Brenn gun
+sighted the weapon and tightened his trigger finger.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford dropped to the ground and rolled desperately for a slight
+depression that would provide cover. He could have saved himself the
+resultant bruises and scratches. Before the Brenn gun spoke even once,
+there was a <i>Götterdammerung</i> of sound and the three occupants of the
+jeep, driver, lieutenant and gunner were swept from the vehicle in a
+nauseating obscenity of exploding flesh, uniform cloth, blood and bone.</p>
+
+<div class="figleft">
+<img src="images/illus2.jpg" alt=""/>
+</div>
+
+<p>To the side, Abe Bakr behind his thorn bush and rock vantage point
+turned the barrel of his Tommy-Noiseless to the first of the half
+tracks. Already Arab Union troopers were debouching from them, some
+firing at random and at unseen targets. However, the so-called Enaden
+smiths were well concealed, their weapons silenced except for the
+explosion of the tiny shells upon reaching their target.</p>
+
+<p>It wasn't much of a fight. The recoilless automatic rifle manned by
+Elmer Allen and Kenny Ballalou swept the wadi, swept it of life, at
+least, but hardly swept it clean. What few individuals were left, in
+what little shelter was to be found in the dry river's bottom, were
+picked off easily, if not neatly by the high velocity automatics in the
+hands of Abe Bakr and Bey-ag-Akhamouk.</p>
+
+<p>Afterwards, the five of them, standing at the side of the wadi, stared
+down at their work.</p>
+
+<p>Elmer Allen muttered a bitter four-letter obscenity. He had once headed
+a pacifist group at the University in Kingston, Jamaica. Now his teeth
+were bared, as they always were when he went into action. He hated it.</p>
+
+<p>Of them all, Bey-ag-Ahkamouk was the least moved by the slaughter. He
+grumbled, "Guns, explosives, mortar, flame throwers. If there is
+anything in the world my people don't need in the way of <i>aid</i>, it's
+weapons."</p>
+
+<p>"Our people," Homer Crawford said absently, his eyes&mdash;taking in the
+scene beneath them&mdash;empty, as though unseeing. He hated the need for
+killing, almost as badly as did Elmer Allen.</p>
+
+<p>Bey looked at him, scowling slightly, but said nothing. There had been
+mild rebuke in his leader's voice.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," Abe Bakr said with a tone of mock finality in his voice, as
+though he was personally wiping his hands of the whole affair, "how are
+you going to explain all this jazz to headquarters, man?"</p>
+
+<p>Homer said flatly, "We were attacked by this unidentified group of, ah,
+gun runners, from some unknown origin. We defended ourselves, to the
+best of our ability."</p>
+
+<p>Elmer Allen looked at the once human mess below them. "We certainly
+did," he muttered, scowling.</p>
+
+<p>"Crazy man," Abe said, nodding his agreement to the alibi.</p>
+
+<p>The others didn't bother to speak. Homer Crawford's unit was well knit.</p>
+
+<p>He said after a moment. "Abe, you and Kenny get some dynamite and plant
+it in this wadi wall in a few spots. We'll want to bury this whole mess.
+It wouldn't do for someone to come along and blow himself up on some of
+these scattered land mines, or find himself a bazooka or something to
+use on his nearest blood-feud neighbor."</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="II" id="II"></a>II</h2>
+
+
+<p>The young woman known as Izubahil was washing clothes in the Niger with
+the rest but slightly on the outskirts of the chattering group of women,
+which was fitting since she was both a comparative stranger and as yet
+unselected by any man to grace his household. Which, in a way, was
+passingly strange since she was comely enough. Clad as the rest with
+naught but a wrap of colored cloth about her hips, her face and figure
+were openly to be seen. Her complexion was not quite so dark as most.
+She came from up-river, so she said, the area of the Songhoi, but by the
+looks of her there was more than average Arab or Berber blood in her
+veins. Her lips and nose were thinner than those of her neighbors.</p>
+
+<p>Yes, it was strange that no man had taken her, though it was said that
+in her shyness she repulsed any advances made by either the young men,
+or their wealthier elders who could afford more than one wife. She was a
+nothing-woman, really, come out of the desert alone, and without
+relatives to protect her interests, but still she repulsed the advances
+of those who would honor her with a place in their house, or tent.</p>
+
+<p>She had come out of the desert, it was known, with her handful of
+possessions done up in a packet, and had quietly and unobtrusively taken
+her place in the Negro community of Gao. Little better than a slave or
+Gabibi serf, she made her meager living doing small tasks for the
+better-off members of the community.</p>
+
+<p>But she knew her place, was dutifully shy and quiet spoken, and in the
+town or in the presence of men, wore her haik and veil. Yes, it was
+passing strange that she found no man. On the face of it, she was
+getting no younger, surely she must be into her twenties.</p>
+
+<p>Up to their knees in the waters of the Niger, out beyond the point where
+the dugout canoes were pulled up to the bank, their ends resting on the
+shore, they pounded their laundry. Laughing, chattering, gossiping. Life
+was perhaps poor, but still life was good.</p>
+
+<p>Someone pretended to see a crocodile and there was a wild scampering for
+the shore. And then high laughter when the jest was revealed. Actually,
+all the time they had known it a jest, since it was their most popular
+one&mdash;there were seldom crocodiles this far north in the Niger bend.</p>
+
+<p>There was a stir as two men dressed in the clothes of the Rouma
+approached the river bank. It was not forbidden, but good manners called
+for males to refrain from this area while the woman bathed and washed
+their laundry, without veil or upper garments. These mean were obviously
+shameless, and probably had come to stare. From their dress, their faces
+and their bearing, they were strangers. Possibly Senegalese, up from the
+area near Dakar, products of the new schools and the new industries
+mushrooming there. Strange things were told of the folk who gave up the
+old ways, worked on the dams and the other new projects, sent their
+little ones to the schools, and submitted to the needle pricks which
+seemed to compose so much of the magic medicine being taught in the
+medical schools by the Rouma witchmen.</p>
+
+<p>One of them spoke now in Songhoi, the <i>lingua franca</i> of the vicinity.
+Shamelessly he spoke to them, although none were his women, nor even his
+tribal kin. None looked at him.</p>
+
+<p>"We seek a single woman, an unwed woman, who would work for pay and
+learn the new ways."</p>
+
+<p>They continued their laundry, not looking up, but their chatter dribbled
+away.</p>
+
+<p>"She must drop the veil," the man continued clearly, "and give up the
+haik and wear the new clothes. But she will be well paid, and taught to
+read and be kept in the best of comfort and health."</p>
+
+<p>There was a low gasp from several of the younger women, but one of the
+eldest looked up in distaste. "Wear the clothes of the Rouma!" she said
+indignantly. "Shameless ones!"</p>
+
+<p>The man's voice was testy. He himself was dressed in the clothing worn
+always by the Rouma, when the Rouma had controlled the Niger bend. He
+said, "These are not the clothes of the Rouma, but the clothes of
+civilized people everywhere."</p>
+
+<p>The women's attention went back to their washing. Two or three of them
+giggled.</p>
+
+<p>The elderly woman said, "There are none here who will go with you, for
+whatever shameless purpose you have in your mind."</p>
+
+<p>But Izubahil, the strange girl come out of the desert from the north,
+spoke suddenly. "I will," she said.</p>
+
+<p>There was a gasp, and all looked at her in wide-eyed alarm. She began
+making her way to the shore, her unfinished washing still in hand.</p>
+
+<p>The stranger said clearly, "And drop the veil, discard the haik for the
+new clothing, and attend the schools?"</p>
+
+<p>There was another gasp as Izubahil said definitely, "Yes, all these
+things." She looked back at the women. "So that I may learn all these
+new ways."</p>
+
+<p>The more elderly sniffed and turned their backs in scorn, but the
+younger stared after her in some amazement and until she disappeared
+with the two strangers into one of the buildings which had formerly
+housed the French Administration officers back in the days when the area
+was known as the French Sudan.</p>
+
+<p>Inside, the boy strangers turned to her and the one who had spoken at
+the river bank said in English, "How goes it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Heavens to Betsy," Isobel Cunningham said with a grin, "get me a drink.
+If I'd known majoring in anthropology was going to wind up with my doing
+a strip tease with a bunch of natives in the Niger River, I would have
+taken up Home Economics, like my dear old mother wanted!"</p>
+
+<p>They laughed with her and Jacob Armstrong, the older of the two, went
+over to a sideboard and mixed her a cognac and soda. "Ice?" he said.</p>
+
+<p>"Brother, you said it," she told him. "Where can I change out of these
+rags?"</p>
+
+<p>"On you they look good," Clifford Jackson told her. He looked
+surprisingly like the Joe Louis of several decades earlier.</p>
+
+<p>"That's enough out of you, wise guy," Isobel told him. "Why doesn't
+somebody dream up a role for me where I can be a rich paramount chief's
+favorite wife, or something? Be loaded down with gold and jewelry, that
+sort of thing."</p>
+
+<p>Jake brought her the drink. "Your clothes are in there," he told her,
+motioning with his head to an inner room. "It wouldn't do the job," he
+added. "What we're giving them is the old Cinderella story." He looked
+at his watch. "If we get under way, we can take the jet to Kabara and go
+into your act there. It's been nearly six months since Kabara and
+they'll be all set for the second act."</p>
+
+<p>She knocked back the brandy and made her way to the other room, saying
+over her shoulder, "Be with you in a minute."</p>
+
+<p>"Not that much of a hurry," Cliff called. "Take your time, gal, there's
+a bath in there. You'll probably want one after a week of living the way
+you've been."</p>
+
+<p>"Brother!" she agreed.</p>
+
+<p>Jake was making himself a drink. He said easily to Cliff Jackson,
+"That's a fine girl. I'd hate her job. We get the easy deal on this
+assignment."</p>
+
+<p>Cliff said, "You said it, Nigger. How about mixing me a drink, too?"</p>
+
+<p>"Nigger!" Jake said in mock indignation. "Look who's talking." His voice
+took on a burlesque of a Southern drawl. "Man when the Good Lawd was
+handin' out <i>cullahs</i>, you musta thought he said <i>umbrellahs</i>, and said
+give me a nice black one."</p>
+
+<p>Cliff laughed with him and said, "Where do we plant poor Isobel next?"</p>
+
+<p>Jake thought about it. "I don't know. The kid's been putting in a lot of
+time. I think after about a week in Kabara we ought to go on down to
+Dakar and suggest she be given another assignment for a while. Some of
+the girls, working out of our AFAA office don't do anything except drive
+around in recent model cars, showing off the advantages of emancipation,
+tossing money around like tourists, and living it up in general."</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>On the flight up-river to Kabara, Isobel Cunningham went through the
+notes she'd taken on that town. It was also on the Niger, and the
+assignment had been almost identical to the Gao one. In fact, she'd gone
+through the same routine in Ségou, Ké-Macina, Mopti, Gôundam and Bourem,
+above Gao, and Ansongo, Tillabéri and Niamey below. She was stretching
+her luck, if you asked her. Sooner or later she was going to run into
+someone who knew her from a past performance.</p>
+
+<p>Well, let the future take care of the future. She looked over at Cliff
+Jackson who was piloting the jet and said, "What're the latest
+developments? Obviously, I haven't seen a paper or heard a broadcast for
+over a week."</p>
+
+<p>Cliff shrugged his huge shoulders. "Not much. More trouble with the
+Portuguese down in the south."</p>
+
+<p>Jake rumbled, "There's going to be a bloodbath there before it's over."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel said thoughtfully, "There's been some hope that fundamental
+changes might take place in Lisbon."</p>
+
+<p>Jake grunted his skepticism. "In that case the bloodbath would take
+place there instead of in Africa." He added, "Which is all right with
+me."</p>
+
+<p>"What else?" Isobel said.</p>
+
+<p>"Continued complications in the Congo."</p>
+
+<p>"That's hardly news."</p>
+
+<p>"But things are going like clockwork in the west. Kenya, Uganda,
+Tanganyika." Cliff took his right hand away from the controls long
+enough to make a circle with its thumb and index finger. "Like
+clockwork. Fifty new fellows from the University of Chicago came in last
+week to help with the rural education development and twenty or so men
+from Johns Hopkins in Baltimore have wrangled a special grant for a new
+medical school."</p>
+
+<p>"All ... Negroes?"</p>
+
+<p>"What else?"</p>
+
+<p>Jake said suddenly, "Tell her about the Cubans."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel frowned. "Cubans?"</p>
+
+<p>"Over in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan area. They were supposedly helping
+introduce modern sugar refining methods&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Why supposedly?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why not?"</p>
+
+<p>"All right, go on," Isobel said.</p>
+
+<p>Cliff Jackson said slowly, "Somebody shot them up. Killed several,
+wounded most of the others."</p>
+
+<p>The girl's eyes went round. "Who ... and why?"</p>
+
+<p>The pilot shifted his heavy shoulders again.</p>
+
+<p>Jake said, "Nobody seems to know, but the weapons were modern. Plenty
+modern." He twisted in his bucket seat, uncomfortably. "Listen, have you
+heard anything about some character named El Hassan?"</p>
+
+<p>Isobel turned to face him. "Why, yes. The people there in Gao mentioned
+him. Who is he?"</p>
+
+<p>"That's what I'd like to know," Jake said. "What did they say?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, mostly supposed words of wisdom that El Hassan was alleged to have
+made with. I get it that he's some, well you wouldn't call him a
+nationalist since he's international in his appeal, but he's evidently
+preaching union of all Africans. I get an undercurrent of
+anti-Europeanism in general, but not overdone." Isobel's expressive face
+went thoughtful. "As a matter of fact, his program seems to coincide
+largely with our own, so much so that from time to time when I had
+occasion to drop a few words of propaganda into a conversation, I'd
+sometimes credit it to him."</p>
+
+<p>Cliff looked over at her and chuckled. "That's a coincidence," he said.
+"I've been doing the same thing. An idea often carries more weight with
+these people if it's attributed to somebody with a reputation."</p>
+
+<p>Jake, the older of the three said: "Well, I can't find out anything
+about him. Nobody seems to know if he's an Egyptian, a Nigerian, a
+MOR ... or an Eskimo, for that matter."</p>
+
+<p>"Did you check with headquarters?"</p>
+
+<p>"So far they have nothing on him, except for some other inquiries from
+field workers."</p>
+
+<p>Below them, the river was widening out to the point where it resembled
+swampland more than a waterway. There were large numbers of waterbirds,
+and occasional herds of hippopotami. Isobel didn't express her thoughts,
+but a moment of doubt hit her. What would all this be like when the dams
+were finished, the waters of this third largest of Africa's rivers,
+ninth largest of the world's, under control?</p>
+
+<p>She pointed. "There's Kabara." The age-old river port lay below them.
+Cliff slapped one of his controls with the heel of his hand and the
+craft began to sink earthward.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>They took up quarters in the new hotel which adjoined the new elementary
+school, and Isobel immediately went into her routine.</p>
+
+<p>Dressed and shod immaculately, her head held high in confidence, she
+spent considerable time mingling with the more backward of the natives
+and especially the women. Six months ago, she had given a performance
+similar to that she had just finished in Gao, several hundred miles down
+river.</p>
+
+<p>Now she renewed old acquaintances, calling them by name&mdash;after checking
+her notes. Invariably, their eyes bugged. Their questions came thick,
+came fast in the slurring Songhoi and she answered them in detail. They
+came quickly under her intellectual domination. Her poise, her obvious
+well being, flabbergasted them.</p>
+
+<p>In all, they spent a week in the little river town, but even the first
+night Isobel slumped wearily in the most comfortable chair of their
+small suite's living room.</p>
+
+<p>She kicked off her shoes, and wiggled weary toes.</p>
+
+<p>"If my mother could see me now," she complained. "After giving her all
+to get the apple of her eye through school, her wayward daughter winds
+up living with two men in the wilds of deepest Africa." She twisted her
+mouth puckishly.</p>
+
+<p>Cliff grunted, poking around in a bag for the bottle of cognac he
+couldn't remember where he had packed. "Huh!" he said. "The next time
+you write her you might mention the fact that both of them are
+continually proposing to you and you brush it all off as a big joke."</p>
+
+<p>"Huh, indeed!" Isobel answered him. "Proposing, or propositioning? If
+either of you two Romeos ever rattle the doorknob of my room at night
+again, you're apt to get a bullet through it."</p>
+
+<p>Jake winced. "Wasn't me. Look at my gray hair, Isobel. I'm old enough to
+be your daddy."</p>
+
+<p>"Sugar daddy, I suppose," she said mockingly.</p>
+
+<p>"Wasn't me either," Cliff said, criss-crossing his heart and pointing
+upward.</p>
+
+<p>"Huh!" said Isobel again, but she was really in no mood for their usual
+banter. "Listen," she said, "what're we accomplishing with all this
+masquerade?"</p>
+
+<p>Cliff had found the French brandy. He poured three stiff ones and handed
+drinks to Isobel and Jake.</p>
+
+<p>He knew he wasn't telling her anything, but he said, "We're a king-size
+rumor campaign, that's what we are. We're breaking down institutions the
+sneaky way." He added reflectively. "A kinder way, though, than some."</p>
+
+<p>"But this ... what did you call it earlier, Jake?... this Cinderella act
+I go through perpetually. What good does it do, really? I contact only a
+few hundreds of people at most. And there are millions here in Mali
+alone."</p>
+
+<p>"There are other teams, too," Jake said mildly. "Several hundreds of us
+doing one thing or another."</p>
+
+<p>"A drop in the bucket," Isobel said, her piquant sepian face registering
+weariness.</p>
+
+<p>Cliff sipped his brandy, shaking his big head even as he did so. "No,"
+he said. "It's a king-size rumor campaign and it's amazing how effective
+they can be. Remember the original dirty-rumor campaigns back in the
+States? Suppose two laundry firms were competing. One of them, with a
+manager on the conscience-less side, would hire two or three
+professional rumor spreaders. They'd go around dropping into bars,
+barber shops, pool rooms. Sooner or later, they'd get a chance to drop
+some line such as <i>did you hear about them discovering that two lepers
+worked at the Royal Laundry</i>? You can imagine the barbers, the
+bartenders, and such professional gossips, passing on the good word."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel laughed, but unhappily. "I don't recognize myself in the
+description."</p>
+
+<p>Cliff said earnestly, "Sure, only few score women in each town you put
+on your act, really witness the whole thing. But think how they pass it
+on. Each one of them tells the story of the miracle. A waif comes out of
+the desert. Without property, without a husband or family, without
+kinsfolk. Shy, dirty, unwanted. Then she's offered a good position if
+she'll drop the veil, discard the haik, and attend the new schools. So
+off she goes&mdash;everyone thinking to her disaster. Hocus-pocus, six months
+later she returns, obviously prosperous, obviously healthy, obviously
+well adjusted. Fine. The story spreads for miles around. Nothing is so
+popular as the Cinderella story, and that's the story you're putting
+over. It's a natural."</p>
+
+<p>"I hope so," Isobel said. "Sometimes I think I'm helping put over a
+gigantic hoax on these people. Promising something that won't be
+delivered."</p>
+
+<p>Jake looked at her unhappily. "I've thought the same thing, sometimes,
+but what are you going to be with people at this stage of
+development&mdash;<i>subtle</i>?"</p>
+
+<p>Isobel dropped it. She held out her glass for more cognac. "I hope
+there's something decent to eat in this place. Do you realize what I've
+been putting into my tummy this past week?"</p>
+
+<p>Cliff shuddered.</p>
+
+<p>Isobel patted her abdomen. "At least it keeps my figure in trim."</p>
+
+<p>"Um-m-m," Jake pretended to leer heavily.</p>
+
+<p>Isobel chuckled at him in a return to good humor. "Hyena," she accused.</p>
+
+<p>"Hyena?" Jake said.</p>
+
+<p>"Sure, there aren't any wolves in these parts," she explained. "How long
+are we going to be here?"</p>
+
+<p>The two men looked at each other. Cliff said, "Well, we'd like to finish
+out the week. Guy named Homer Crawford has been passing around the word
+to hold a meeting in Timbuktu the end of this week."</p>
+
+<p>"Crawford?"</p>
+
+<p>"Homer Crawford, some kind of sociologist from the University of
+Michigan, I understand. He's connected with the Reunited Nations African
+Development Project, heads one of their cloak and dagger teams."</p>
+
+<p>Jake grunted. "Sociologist? I also understand that he put in a hitch
+with the Marines and spent kind of a shady period of two years fighting
+with the FLN in Algeria."</p>
+
+<p>"On what side?" Cliff said interestedly.</p>
+
+<p>"Darn if I know."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel said, "Well, we have nothing to do with the Reunited Nations."</p>
+
+<p>Cliff shook his large head negatively. "Of course not, but Crawford
+seems to think it'd be a good idea if some of us in the field would get
+together and ... well, have sort of a bull session."</p>
+
+<p>Jake growled, "We don't have much in the way of co-operation on the
+higher levels. Everybody seems to head out in all directions on their
+own. It can get chaotic. Maybe in the field we could give each other a
+few pointers. For one, I'd like to find out if any of the rest of these
+jokers know anything about that affair with the Cubans over in the
+Sudan."</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose it can't hurt," Isobel admitted. "In fact, it might be fun
+swapping experiences with some of these characters. Frankly, though, the
+stories I've heard about the African Development teams aren't any too
+palatable. They seem to be a ruthless bunch."</p>
+
+<p>Jake looked down into his glass. "It's a ruthless country," he murmured.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>Dolo Anah, as he approached the ten Dogon villages of the Canton de
+Sangha, was first thought to be a small bird in the sky. As he drew
+nearer, it was decided, instead, that he was a larger creature of the
+air, perhaps a vulture, though who had ever seen such a vulture? As he
+drew nearer still, it was plain that in size he was more nearly an
+ostrich than vulture, but who had ever heard of a flying ostrich, and
+besides&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>No! It was a man! But who in all the Dogon had ever witnessed such a
+<i>juju</i> man? One whose flailing limbs enabled him to fly!</p>
+
+<p>The ten villages of the Dogon are perched on the rim of the Falaise de
+Bandiagara. The cliffs are over three hundred feet high and the villages
+are similar to Mesa Verde of Colorado, and as unaccessible, as
+impregnable to attack.</p>
+
+<p>But hardly impregnable to arrival by helio-hopper.</p>
+
+<p>When Dolo Anah landed in the tiny square of the village of Irčli, the
+first instinct of Amadijuč the village witchman was to send post haste
+to summon the Kanaga dancers, but then despair overwhelmed him. Against
+powers such as this, what could prevail? Besides, Amadijuč had not
+arrived at his position of influence and affluence through other than
+his own true abilities. Secretly, he rather doubted the efficacy of even
+the supposedly most potent witchcraft.</p>
+
+<p>But this!</p>
+
+<p>Dolo Anah unstrapped himself from the one man helio-hopper's small
+bicyclelike seat, folded the two rotors back over the rest of the craft,
+and then deposited the seventy-five pound vehicle in a corner, between
+two adobe houses. He knew perfectly well that the local inhabitants
+would die a thousand deaths of torture rather than approach, not to
+speak of touching it.</p>
+
+<p>Looking to neither right nor left, walking arrogantly and carrying only
+a small bag&mdash;undoubtedly housing his <i>gris gris</i>, as Amadijuč could well
+imagine&mdash;Dolo Anah headed for the largest house. Since the whole village
+was packed, bug-eyed, into the square watching him there were no
+inhabitants within.</p>
+
+<p>He snapped back over his shoulder, "Summon all the headmen of all the
+villages, and all of their eldest sons; summon all the Hogons and all
+the witchmen. Immediately! I would speak with them and issue orders."</p>
+
+<p>He was a small man, clad only in a loincloth, and could well have been a
+Dogon himself. Surely he was black as a Dogon, clad as a Dogon, and he
+spoke the native language which is a tongue little known outside the
+semi-desert land of Dogon covered with its sand, rocks, scrub bush and
+baobab trees. It is not a land which sees many strangers.</p>
+
+<p>The headmen gathered with trepidation. All had seen the juju man descend
+from the skies. It had been with considerable relief that most had noted
+that he finally sank to earth in the village of Irčli instead of their
+own. But now all were summoned. Those among them who were Kanaga dancers
+wore their masks and costumes, and above all their gris gris charms, but
+it was a feeble gesture. Such magic as this was unknown. To fly through
+the air <i>personally</i>!</p>
+
+<p>Dolo Anah was seated to one end of the largest room of the largest house
+of Irčli when they crowded in to answer his blunt summons. He was seated
+cross-legged on the floor and staring at the ground before him.</p>
+
+<p>The others seemed tongue-tied, both headmen and Hogons, the highly
+honored elders of the Dogon people. So Amadijuč as senior witchman took
+over the responsibility of addressing this mystery juju come out of the
+skies.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, powerful stranger, how is your health?"</p>
+
+<p>"Good," Dolo Anah said.</p>
+
+<p>"How is the health of thy wife?"</p>
+
+<p>"Good."</p>
+
+<p>"How is the health of thy children?"</p>
+
+<p>"Good."</p>
+
+<p>"How is the health of thy mother?"</p>
+
+<p>"Good."</p>
+
+<p>"How is the health of thy father?"</p>
+
+<p>"Good."</p>
+
+<p>"How is the health of thy kinswomen?"</p>
+
+<p>"Good."</p>
+
+<p>"How is the health of thy kinsmen?"</p>
+
+<p>"Good."</p>
+
+<p>To the traditional greeting of the Dogon, Amadijuč added hopefully,
+"Welcome to the villages of Sangha."</p>
+
+<p>His voice registering nothing beyond the impatience which had marked it
+from the beginning, Dolo Anah repeated the routine.</p>
+
+<p>"Men of Sangha," he snapped, "how is your health?"</p>
+
+<p>"Good," they chorused.</p>
+
+<p>"How is the health of thy wives?"</p>
+
+<p>"Good!"</p>
+
+<p>"How is the health of thy children?"</p>
+
+<p>"Good!"</p>
+
+<p>"How is the health of thy mothers?"</p>
+
+<p>"Good!"</p>
+
+<p>"How is the health of thy fathers?"</p>
+
+<p>"Good!"</p>
+
+<p>"How is the health of thy kinswomen?"</p>
+
+<p>"Good!"</p>
+
+<p>"How is the health of thy kinsmen?"</p>
+
+<p>"Good!"</p>
+
+<p>"I accept thy welcome," Dolo Anah bit out. "And now heed me well for I
+am known as Dolo Anah and I have instructions from above for the people
+of the Dogon."</p>
+
+<p>Sweat glistened on the faces and bodies of the assembled Dogon headmen,
+their uncharacteristically silent witchmen, the Hogons and the sons of
+the headmen.</p>
+
+<p>"Speak, oh juju come out of the sky," Amadijuč fluttered, but proud of
+his ability to find speech at all when all the others were stricken dumb
+with fear.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>Dolo Anah stared down at the ground before him. The others, their eyes
+fascinated as though by a cobra preparing to strike its death, focused
+on the spot as well.</p>
+
+<p>Dolo Anah raised a hand very slowly and very gently and a sigh went
+through his audience. The dirt on the hut floor had stirred. It stirred
+again and slowly, ever so slowly, up through the floor emerged a milky,
+translucent ball. When it had fully emerged, Dolo Anah took it up in his
+hands and stared at it for a long moment.</p>
+
+<p>It came to sudden light and a startled gasp flushed over the room, a
+gasp shared by even the witchmen, Amadijuč included.</p>
+
+<p>Dolo Anah looked up at them. "Each of you must come in turn and look
+into the ball," he said.</p>
+
+<p>Faltering, though all eyes were turned to him, Amadijuč led the way. His
+eyes rounded, he stared, and they widened still further. For within,
+mystery upon mystery, men danced in seeming celebration. It was as
+though it was a funeral party but of dimensions never known before, for
+there were scores of Kanaga dancers, and, yes, above all other wonders,
+some of the dancers were Dogon, without doubt, but others were Mosse and
+others were even Tellum!</p>
+
+<p>Amadijuč turned away, shaken, and Dolo Anah spoke sharply, "The rest,
+one by one."</p>
+
+<p>They came. The headmen, the Hogons, the witchmen and finally the sons of
+the headmen, and each in turn stared into the ball and saw the tiny men
+within, doing their dance of celebration, Dogon, Mosse and Tellum
+together.</p>
+
+<p>When all had seen, Dolo Anah placed the ball back on the ground and
+stared at it and slowly it returned to from whence it came, and Dolo
+Anah gently spread dust over the spot. When the floor was as it had
+been, he looked up at them, his eyes striking.</p>
+
+<p>"What did you see?" he spoke sharply to Amadijuč.</p>
+
+<p>There was a tremor in the village witchman's voice. "Oh juju, come out
+of the sky, I saw a great festival and Dogon danced with their enemies
+the Mosse and the Tellum&mdash;and, all seemed happy beyond belief."</p>
+
+<p>The stranger looked piercingly at the rest. "And what did you see?"</p>
+
+<p>Some mumbled, "The same. The same," and others, terrified still, could
+only nod.</p>
+
+<p>"That is the message I have come to give you. You will hold a great
+conference with the people of the Tellum and the people of the Mosse and
+there will be a great celebration and no longer will there be Dogon,
+Mosse and Tellum, but all will be one. And there will be trade, and
+there will be marriage between the tribes, and no longer will there be
+three tribes, but only one people and no longer will the headmen and
+witchmen of the tribes resist the coming of the new schools, and all the
+young people will attend."</p>
+
+<p>Amadijuč muttered, "But, great juju come out of the sky, these are our
+blood enemies. For longer than the memory of the grandfathers of our
+eldest Hogon we have carried the blood feud with Tellum and Mosse."</p>
+
+<p>"No longer," Dolo Anah said flatly.</p>
+
+<p>Amadijuč held shaking hands out in supplication, to this dominating juju
+come out of the skies. "But they will not heed us. Tellum and Mosse have
+hated the Dogon for all time. They will wreak their vengeance on any
+delegation come to make such suggestions to them."</p>
+
+<p>"I fly to see their headmen and witchmen immediately," Dolo Anah bit out
+decisively. "They will heed my message." His tone turned dangerous. "As
+will the headmen and witchmen of the Dogon. If any fail to obey the
+message from above, their eyes will lose sight, their tongues become
+dumb, and their bellies will crawl with worms."</p>
+
+<p>Amadijuč's face went ashen.</p>
+
+<p>At long last the headman of all the Sangha villages spoke up, his voice
+trembling its fear. "But the schools, oh great juju&mdash;as all the Dogon
+have decided, in tribal conference&mdash;the schools are evil for our youth.
+They teach not the old ways&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Dolo Anah cut him short with the chop of a commanding hand. "The old
+ways are fated to die. Already they die. The new ways are the ways of
+the schools."</p>
+
+<p>Amazed at his own temerity, the head chief spoke once more. "But, since
+the coming of the French, we have rejected the schools."</p>
+
+<p>Dolo Anah looked at him in scorn. "These will not be schools of the
+French. They will be the schools of Bantu, Berber, Sudanese and all the
+other peoples of the land. And when your young people have attended the
+schools and learned their wisdom they in turn will teach in the schools
+and in all the land there will be wisdom and good life. Now I have
+spoken and all of you will withdraw save only the sons of the headmen."</p>
+
+<p>They withdrew, making a point each and every one not to turn their backs
+to this bringer of disastrous news and leaving only the terror-stricken
+young men behind them.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>When all were gone save the dozen youngsters, Dolo Anah looked at them
+contemplatively. He shrugged finally and said, pointing with his finger,
+"You, you and you may leave. The others will remain." The three darted
+out, glad of the reprieve.</p>
+
+<p>He looked at the remainder. "Be unafraid," he snapped. "There is no
+reason to fear me. Your fathers and the Hogons and the so-called
+witchmen, are fools, nothing-men. Fools and cowards, because they are
+impressed by foolish tricks."</p>
+
+<p>He pointed suddenly. "You, there, what is your name?"</p>
+
+<p>The youth stuttered, "Hinnan."</p>
+
+<p>"Very well, Hinnan. Did you see me approach by the air?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes ... yes ... juju man."</p>
+
+<p>"Don't call me a juju man. There is no such thing as juju. It is
+nonsense made by the cunning to fool the stupid, as you will learn when
+you attend the schools."</p>
+
+<p>Hinnan took courage. "But I saw you fly."</p>
+
+<p>"Have you never seen the great aircraft of the white men of Europe and
+America go flying over? Or have none of you witnessed these craft
+sitting on the ground at Mopti or Niamey. Surely some of you have
+journeyed to Mopti."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, but they are great craft. And you flew alone and without the great
+wings and propellers of the white-man's aircraft."</p>
+
+<p>Dolo Anah chuckled. "My son, I flew in a helio-hopper as they are
+called. They are the smallest of all aircraft, but they are not magic.
+They are made in the factories of the lands of Europe and America and
+after you have finished school and have found a position for yourself in
+the new industries that spread through Africa, then you will be able to
+purchase one quite cheaply, if you so desire. Others among you might
+even learn to build them, themselves."</p>
+
+<p>Hinnan and the others gasped.</p>
+
+<p>Dolo Anah went on. "And observe this." He dug into the ground before him
+and revealed the crystal ball that had magically appeared before. He
+showed to them the little elevator device beneath it which he
+manipulated with a small rubber bulb which pumped air underneath.</p>
+
+<p>One or two of them ventured a scornful laugh, at the obviousness of the
+trick.</p>
+
+<p>Dolo Anah took up the ball and unscrewed the base. Inside were a
+delicate arrangement of film on a continuous spool so that the scene
+played over and over again, and a combination of batteries and bulbs to
+project the scene on the ball's surface. He explained, in patient
+detail, the workings of the supposed magic ball. Two of the boys had
+seen movies on trips to Mopti, the others had heard of them.</p>
+
+<p>Finally one, highly encouraged now, as were the others, said, "But why
+do you show us this and shame us for our foolishness?"</p>
+
+<p>Dolo Anah nodded encouragement at the teen-ager. "I do not shame you, my
+son, but your fathers and the Hogons and the so-called witchmen. For
+long ages the Dogon have been led by the oldest members of the tribe,
+the Hogons. This can be nonsense because in spite of your traditions age
+does not necessarily bring wisdom. In fact, senility as it is called can
+bring childish nonsense. A people should be governed by the wisest and
+best among them, not by tradition, by often silly beliefs handed down
+from one generation to another."</p>
+
+<p>Hinnan, who was eldest son of the head chief, said, "But why do you tell
+us this, after shaming our fathers and the old men of the Dogon?"</p>
+
+<p>For the first time since the elders had left, Dolo Anah's eyes gleamed
+as before. "Because you will be the leaders of the Dogon tomorrow, most
+like. And it is necessary to learn these great truths. That you attend
+the schools and bring to the Dogon tomorrow what they did not have
+yesterday, and do not have today."</p>
+
+<p>"But suppose we tell them of how you have deceived them?" the other
+articulate Dogon lad said.</p>
+
+<p>Dolo Anah chuckled and shook his head. "They will not believe you, boy.
+They will be afraid to believe you. And besides, men are almost
+everywhere the same. It is difficult for an older man to learn from a
+younger one, especially his own son. It is vanity, but it is true." His
+mouth twisted in memory. "When I was a lad myself, on the beaches of an
+island far from here in the Bahamas, my father beat me on more than one
+occasion, indignant that I should wish to attend the white man's
+schools, while he and his father before him had been fishermen. Beneath
+his indignation was the fear that one day I would excel him."</p>
+
+<p>"You are right," Hinnan said uncomfortably, "they would not believe us."
+Instinctively, the son of the head chief assumed leadership of the
+others. "We will keep this secret between us," he said to them.</p>
+
+<p>Dolo Anah came to his feet, yawned, stretched his legs and began to pack
+his gadgets into the small valise he carried. "Good luck, boys," he said
+unthinkingly in English.</p>
+
+<p>As he left the hut, he emerged into a respectfully cleared area around
+the hut. Without looking left or right he approached his folded
+helio-hopper, made the few adjustments that were needed to make it
+air-borne, strapped himself into the tiny saddle, flicked the start
+control and to the accompaniment of a gasp from the entire village of
+Irčli, took off in a swoop.</p>
+
+<p>In a matter of moments, he had disappeared to the north in the direction
+of the Mosse villages.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="III" id="III"></a>III</h2>
+
+
+<p>The Emir Alhaji Mohammadu, the Galadima Dawakin, Kudo of Kano, boiled
+furiously within as his gold plated Rolls Royce progressed through the
+Saba N'Gari section of town, the quarter outside the dirt walls of the
+millennium old city. He rode seated alone in the middle of the rear seat
+and his single counselor sat beside the chauffeur. Before them, a jeep
+load of his bodyguard, dressed in their uniforms of red and green,
+cleared the way. Another jeep followed similarly laden.</p>
+
+<p>They entered through one of the ancient gates and swept up the principal
+street. They stopped before the recently constructed luxury hotel in the
+center of town and the bodyguard leapt from the jeeps and took positions
+to each side of the entry. The counselor popped out from his side of the
+car and beat the chauffeur to the task of opening the Emir's door.</p>
+
+<p>Emir Alhaji Mohammadu was a tall man and a heavy one, his white robed
+figure towered some six and a half feet and his scales put him over the
+three hundred mark. He was in his mid fifties and almost a quarter
+century of autocratic position had marked his face with permanent scowl.
+He stomped now into the western style hotel.</p>
+
+<p>His counselor, Ahmadu Abdullah, had already procured the information
+necessary to locate the source of the Emir's ire and now scurried before
+his chief, leading the way to the suite occupied by the mysterious
+strangers. He banged heavily on the door, then stepped behind his master
+as it opened.</p>
+
+<p>One of the strangers, clad western style, opened the door and stepped
+aside courteously motioning to the large inner room. The Emir strutted
+arrogantly inside and stared in high irritation at the second and elder
+stranger who sat there at a heavy table. This one came to his feet, but
+there was no sign of acknowledgment of the Emir's rank. It was not too
+long a time before that men prostrated themselves in Alhaji Mohammadu's
+presence.</p>
+
+<p>He looked at them. Though both were of dark complexion, there seemed no
+manner of typing them. Certainly they were neither Hausa nor Fulani,
+there being no signs of Hamitic features, but neither were they Ibo or
+Yoruba from farther south. The Emir's eyes narrowed and he wondered if
+these two were Nigerians at all!</p>
+
+<p>He barked at them in Hausa and the older answered him in the same
+language, though there seemed a certain awkwardness in its use.</p>
+
+<p>Emir Alhaji Mohammadu blared, "You dare summon me, Kudo of this city?
+You presume&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>They had resumed seats behind the table and the two of them looked at
+him questioningly. The older one interrupted with a gently raised hand.
+"Why did you come?"</p>
+
+<p>Still glaring, the Emir turned to the cringing Ahmadu Abdullah and
+motioned curtly for the counselor to speak. Meanwhile, the ruler's eyes
+went around the room, decided that the couch was the only seat that
+would accommodate his bulk, and descended upon it.</p>
+
+<p>Ahmadu Abdullah brought a paper from the folds of his robes. "This lying
+letter. This shameless attack upon the Galadima Dawakin!"</p>
+
+<p>The younger stranger said mildly, "If the charges contained there are
+incorrect, then why did you come?"</p>
+
+<p>The Emir rumbled dangerously, ignoring the question. "What is your
+purpose? I am not a patient man. There has never been need for my
+patience."</p>
+
+<p>The spokesman of the two, the older, leaned back in his chair and said
+carefully, "We have come to demand your resignation and self-exile."</p>
+
+<p>A vein beat suddenly and wildly at the gigantic Emir's temple and for a
+full minute the potentate was speechless with outrage.</p>
+
+<p>Ahmadu Abdullah said quickly, "Fantastic! Ridiculous! The Galadima
+Dawakin is lawful ruler and religious potentate of three million devoted
+followers. You are lying strangers come to cause dissention among the
+people of Kano and&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>The spokesman for the newcomers took up a sheaf of papers from the table
+and said, his voice emotionless, "The reason you came here at our
+request is because the charges made in that letter you bear are valid
+ones. For a quarter century, you, Alhaji Mohammadu, have milked your
+people to your own profit. You have lived like a god on the wealth you
+have extracted from them. You have gone far, far beyond the legal and
+even traditional demands you have on the local population. Funds
+supposedly to be devoted to education, sanitation, roads, hospitals and
+a multitude of other developments that would improve this whole
+benighted area, have gone into your private pocket. In short, you have
+been a cancer on your people for the better part of your life."</p>
+
+<p>"All lies!" roared the Kudo.</p>
+
+<p>The other shook his head. "No. We have carefully gathered proof. We can
+submit evidence to back every charge we have made. Above all, we can
+prove the existence of large sums of money you have smuggled out of the
+country to Switzerland, London and New York to create a reserve for
+yourself in case of emergency. Needless to say, these funds, too, were
+originally meant for the betterment of the area."</p>
+
+<p>The Emir's eyes were narrow with hate. "Who are you? Whom do you
+represent?"</p>
+
+<p>"What difference does it make? This is of no importance."</p>
+
+<p>"You represent my son, Alhaji Fodio! This is what comes of his studies
+in England and America. This is what comes of his leaving Kano and
+spending long years in Lagos among those unbeliever communists in the
+south!"</p>
+
+<p>The younger stranger chuckled easily. "That is about the last tag I
+would hang on your son's associates," he said in English.</p>
+
+<p>But the older stranger was nodding. "It is true that we hope your son
+will take over the Emirate. He represents progress. Frankly, his plans
+are to end the office as soon as the people are educated to the point
+where they can accept such change."</p>
+
+<p>"End the office!" the Emir snarled. "For a thousand years my
+ancestors&mdash;"</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>The spokesman of the strangers shook his head wearily. "Your ancestors
+conquered this area less than two centuries ago in a jehad led by Othman
+Dan. Since then, you Fulani have feudalistically dominated the Hausa,
+but that is coming to an end."</p>
+
+<p>The Emir had come to his feet again, in his rage, and now he towered
+over the table behind which the two sat as though about to physically
+attack them. "You speak as fools," he raged.</p>
+
+<p>"Are you so stupid as to believe that these matters you have brought up
+are understandable to my people? Have you ever seen my people?" He
+sneered in a caricature of humor. "My people in their grass and bush
+huts? With not one man in a whole village who can add sums higher than
+those he can work out on his fingers? With not one man who can read the
+English tongue, nor any other? Would you explain to these the matters of
+transferring gold to the Zürich banks? Would you explain to these what
+is involved in accepting dash from road contractors and from politicians
+in Lagos?"</p>
+
+<p>He sneered at them again. "And do you realize that I am church as well
+as state? That I represent their God to my people? Do you think they
+would take your word against <i>mine</i>, their Kudo?"</p>
+
+<p>In talking, he had brought a certain calm back to himself. Now he felt
+reassured at his own words. He wound it up. "You are fools to believe my
+people could understand such matters."</p>
+
+<p>"Then actually, you don't deny them?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why should I bother?" the Emir chuckled heavily.</p>
+
+<p>"That you have taken for personal use the large sums granted this area
+from a score of sources for roads, hospitals, schools, sanitation,
+agricultural modernization?"</p>
+
+<p>"Of course I don't deny it. This is my land. I am the Kudo, the Emir,
+the Galadima Dawakin. Whatever I choose to do in Kano and to all my
+people is right because I wish it. Schools? I don't want them corrupting
+my people. Hospitals for these Hausa serfs? Nonsense! Roads? They are
+bad for they allow the people to get about too easily and that leads to
+their exchanging ideas and schemes and leads to their corruption. Have I
+appropriated all such sums for my own use? Yes! I admit it. Yes! But you
+cannot prove it to such as my people, you who represent my son. So
+be-gone from Kano. If you are here tomorrow, you will be arrested by the
+same men of my bodyguard who even now seek my son, Alhaji Fodio. When he
+is captured, it will be of interest to revive some of the methods of
+execution of my ancestors."</p>
+
+<p>The Emir turned on his heel to stalk from the room but the older of the
+two murmured, "One moment, please."</p>
+
+<p>Alhaji Mohammadu paused, his face dark in scowl again.</p>
+
+<p>The spokesman said agreeably, "It is true that your people, and
+particularly your Hausa serfs, have no understanding of international
+finance nor of national corruption methods such as the taking of <i>dash</i>.
+However, they are susceptible to other proof." The other man raised his
+voice. "John!"</p>
+
+<p>From an inner room came another stranger, making their total number
+three. He was grinning and in one hand held a contraption which boasted
+a conglomeration of lenses, switches, microphones, wires and triggers.
+"Got it perfectly," he said. You'd think it had all been rehearsed.</p>
+
+<p>While the Emir and his counselor stared in amazement, the spokesman of
+the strangers said, "How long before you can project?"</p>
+
+<p>"Almost immediately."</p>
+
+<p>The other young man left the room and returned with what was obviously a
+movie projector. He set it up at one end of the table, pointed at a
+white wall, and plugged it in to a convenient outlet.</p>
+
+<p>Before the Emir had managed to control himself beyond the point of
+saying any more than, "What is all this?" the cameraman had brought a
+magazine of film from his instrument and inserted it in the projector.</p>
+
+<p>The photographer said conversationally, to the hulking potentate, "You'd
+be amazed at the advances in cinema these past few years. Film speed,
+immediate development, portable sound equipment. You'd be amazed."</p>
+
+<p>Someone flicked out the greater part of the room's light. The projector
+buzzed and on the wall was thrown a re-enactment of everything that had
+been said and done in the room for the past ten minutes.</p>
+
+<p>When it was over, the lights went on again.</p>
+
+<p>The spokesman said conversationally, "I assume that if this film were
+shown throughout the villages, even your Hausa serfs would be convinced
+that throughout your reign you have systematically robbed them."</p>
+
+<p>Emir Alhaji Mohammadu, the Galadima Dawakin, Kudo of Kano, his face in
+shock, turned and stumbled from the room.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>The gymkhana, or fantasia as it is called in nearby Morocco, was under
+full swing before Abd-el-Kader and the camel- and horse-mounted warriors
+of his Ouled Touameur clan came dashing in, rifles held high and with
+great firing into the air. The Ouled Touameur were the noblest clan of
+the Ouled Allouch tribe of the Berazga division of the Chaambra nomad
+confederation&mdash;the noblest and the least disciplined. There were
+whispered rumors going about the conference as to the identity of the
+mysterious raiders who were preying upon the new oases, the oil and road
+building camps and the endless other new projects springing up, all but
+magically, throughout the northwestern Sahara.</p>
+
+<p>The gymkhana was in full swing with racing and feasting, and
+storytellers and conjurers, jugglers and marabouts. And in the air was
+the acrid distinctive odor of <i>kif</i>, for though Mohammed forbade alcohol
+to the faithful he had naught to say about the uses of <i>cannabis sativa</i>
+and what is a great festival without the smoking of <i>kif</i> and the eating
+of <i>majoun</i>?</p>
+
+<p>The tribes of the Chaambra were widely represented, Berazga and Mouadhi,
+Bou Rouba and Ouled Fredj, and there was even a heavy sprinkling of the
+sedentary Zenatas come down from the towns of Metlili, El Oued and El
+Goléo. Then, of course, were the Haratin serfs, of mixed Arab-Negro
+blood, and the Negroes themselves, until recently openly called slaves,
+but now&mdash;amusingly&mdash;named servants.</p>
+
+<p>The Chaambra were meeting for a great ceremonial gymkhanas, but also, as
+was widely known, for a <i>djemaa el kebar</i> council of elders and chiefs,
+for there were many problems throughout the Western Erg and the areas of
+Mzab and Bourara. Nor was it secret only to the inner councils that the
+meeting had been called by Abd-el-Kader, of Shorfu blood, direct
+descendent of the Prophet through his daughter Fatima, and symbol to the
+young warriors of Chaambra spirit.</p>
+
+<p>Of all the Ouled Touameur clan Abd-el-Kader alone refrained from
+discharging his gun into the air as they dashed into the inner circle of
+khaima tents which centered the gymkhana and provided council chambers,
+dining hall and sleeping quarters for the tribal and clan heads.
+Instead, and with head arrogantly high, he slipped from his stallion
+tossing the reins to a nearby Zenata and strode briskly to the largest
+of the tents and disappeared inside.</p>
+
+<p><i>Bismillah!</i> but Adb-el-Kader was a figure of a man! From his turban,
+white as the snows of the Atlas, to his yellow leather boots, he wore
+the traditional clothing of the Chaambra and wore them with pride. Not
+for Abd-el-Kader the new clothing from the Rouma cities to the north,
+nor even the new manufactures from Dakar, Accra, Lagos and the other
+mushrooming centers to the south.</p>
+
+<p>His weapons alone paid homage to the new ways. And each fighting man
+within eyesight noted that it was not a rifle slung over the shoulder of
+Abd-el-Kader but a sub-machine gun. Bismillah! This could not have been
+so back in the days when the French Camel Corps ruled the land with its
+hand of iron.</p>
+
+<p>The djemaa el kebar was already in session, seated in a great circle on
+the rug and provided with glasses of mint tea and some with water pipes.
+They looked up at the entrance of the warrior clan chieftain.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>El Aicha, who was of Maraboutic ancestry and hence a holy man as well as
+elder of the Ouled Fredj, spoke first as senior member of the
+conference. "We have heard reports that are disturbing of recent months,
+Abd-el-Kader. Reports of activities amongst the Ouled Touameur. We would
+know more of the truth of these. But also we have high interest in your
+reason for summoning the djemaa el kebar at such a time of year."</p>
+
+<p>Abd-el-Kader made a brief gesture of obeisance to the Chaambra leader, a
+gesture so brief as to verge on disrespect. He said, his voice clear and
+confident, as befits a warrior chief, "Disturbing only to the old and
+unvaliant, O El Aicha."</p>
+
+<p>The old man looked at him for a long, unblinking moment. As a youth, he
+had fought at the Battle of Tit when the French Camel Corps had broken
+forever the military power of the Ahaggar Tuareg. El Aicha was no
+coward. There were murmurings about the circle of elders.</p>
+
+<p>But when El Aicha spoke again, his voice was level. "Then speak to us,
+Abd-el-Kader. It is well known that your voice is heard ever more by the
+young men, particularly by the bolder of the young men."</p>
+
+<p>The fighting man remained standing, his legs slightly spread. The Arab,
+like the Amerind, likes to make speech in conference, and eloquence is
+well held by the Chaambra.</p>
+
+<p>"Long years ago, and only shortly after the death of the Prophet, the
+Chaambra resided, so tell the scribes, in the hills of far away Syria.
+But when the word of Islam was heard and the true believers began to
+race their strength throughout all the world, the Chaambra came here to
+the deserts of Africa and here we have remained. Long centuries it took
+us to gain control of the wide areas of the northern and western desert
+and many were the battles we fought with our traditional enemies the
+Tuareg and the Moors before we controlled all the land between the Atlas
+and the Niger and from what is now known as Tunisia to Mauritania."</p>
+
+<p>All nodded. This was tribal history.</p>
+
+<p>Abd-el-Kader held up four fingers on which to enumerate. "The Chaambra
+were ever men. Warriors, bedouin; not for us the cities and villages of
+the Zenatas, and the miserable Haratin serfs. We Chaambra have ever been
+men of the tent, warriors, conquerors!"</p>
+
+<p>El Aicha still nodded. "That was before," he murmured.</p>
+
+<p>"That will always be!" Abd-el-Kader insisted. His four fingers were
+spread and he touched the first one. "Our life was based upon, one, war
+and the spoils of war." He touched the second finger. "Two, the toll we
+extracted from the caravans that passed from Timbuktu to the north and
+back again. Three, from our own caravans which covered the desert trails
+from Tripoli to Dakar and from Marrakech to Kano. And fourth"&mdash;he
+touched his last finger&mdash;"from our flocks which fed us in the
+wilderness." He paused to let this sink in.</p>
+
+<p>"All this is verily true," muttered one of the elders, a <i>so-what</i>
+quality in his voice.</p>
+
+<p>Abd-el-Kader's tone soured. "Then came the French with their weapons and
+their multitudes of soldiers and their great wealth with which to pursue
+the expenses of war. And one by one the Tuareg and the Teda to the south
+and the Moors and Nemadi, yes, and even the Chaambra fell before the
+onslaughts of the Camel Corps and their wild-dog Foreign Legion." He
+held up his four fingers again and counted them off. "The four legs upon
+which our life was based were broken. War and its spoils was prevented
+us. The tolls we charged caravans to cross our land were forbidden. And
+then, shortly after, came the motor trucks which crossed the desert in a
+week, where formerly the journey took as much as a year. Our camel
+caravans became meaningless."</p>
+
+<p>Again all nodded. "Verily, the world changes," someone muttered.</p>
+
+<p>The warrior leader's voice went dramatic. "We were left with naught but
+our flocks, and now even they are fated to end."</p>
+
+<p>The elderly nomads stirred and some scowled.</p>
+
+<p>"At every water hole in the desert teams of the new irrigation
+development dig their wells, install their pumps which bring power from
+the sun, plant trees, bring in Haratin and former slaves&mdash;<i>our</i>
+slaves&mdash;to cultivate the new oases. And we are forbidden the water for
+the use of our goats and sheep and camels."</p>
+
+<p>"Besides," one of the clan chiefs injected, "they tell us that the goat
+is the curse of North Africa, nibbling as it does the bark of small
+trees, and they attempt to purchase all goats until soon there will be
+few, if any, in all the land."</p>
+
+<p>"So our young people," Abd-el-Kader pressed on, "stripped of our former
+way of life, go to the new projects, enroll in the schools, take work in
+the new oases or on the roads, and disappear from the sight of their
+kinsmen." He came to a sudden halt and all but glared at them,
+maintaining his silence until El Aicha stirred.</p>
+
+<p>"And&mdash;?" El Aicha said. This was all obviously but preliminary.</p>
+
+<p>Abd-el-Kader spoke softly now, and there was a different drama in his
+voice. "And now," he said, "the French are gone. All the Rouma, save a
+handful, are gone. In the south the English are gone from the lands of
+the blacks, such as Nigeria and Ghana, Sierra Leone and Gambia. The
+Italians are gone from Libya and Somaliland and the Spanish from Rio de
+Oro. Nor will they ever return for in the greatest council of all the
+Rouma they have decided to leave Africa to the African."</p>
+
+<p>They all stirred again and some muttered and Abd-el-Kader pushed his
+point. "The Chaambra are warriors born. Never serfs! Never slaves! Never
+have we worked for any man. Our ancestors carved great empires by the
+sword." His voice lowered again. "And now, once more, it is possible to
+carve such an empire."</p>
+
+<p>He swept his eyes about their circle. "Chiefs of the Chaambra, there is
+no force in all the Sahara to restrain us. Let others work on the roads,
+planting the new trees in the new oases, damming the great Niger, and
+all the rest of it. We will sweep over them, and dominate all. We, the
+Chaambra, will rule, while those whom Allah intended to drudge, do so.
+We, the Chosen of Allah, will fulfill our destiny!"</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>Abd-el-Kader left it there and crossed his arms on his chest, staring at
+them challengingly.</p>
+
+<p>Finally El Aicha directed his eyes across the circle of listeners at two
+who had sat silently through it all, their burnooses covering their
+heads and well down over their eyes. He said, "And what do you say to
+all this?"</p>
+
+<p>"Time to go into your act, man," Abe Bakr muttered, under his breath.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford came to his feet and pushed back the hood of the
+burnoose. He looked over at the headman of the Ouled Touameur warrior
+clan, whose face was darkening.</p>
+
+<p>In Arabic, Crawford said, "I have sought you for some time,
+Abd-el-Kader. You are an illusive man."</p>
+
+<p>"Who are you, Negro?" the fighting man snapped.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford grinned at the other. "You look as though you have a bit of
+Negro blood in your own veins. In fact, I doubt if there's a so-called
+Arab in all North Africa, unless he's just recently arrived, whose
+family hasn't down through the centuries mixed its blood with the local
+people they conquered."</p>
+
+<p>"You lie!"</p>
+
+<p>Abe chuckled from the background. The Chaambra leader was at least as
+dark of complexion as the American Negro. Not that it made any
+difference one way or the other.</p>
+
+<p>"We shall see who is the liar here," Homer Crawford said flatly. "You
+asked who I am. I am known as Omar ben Crawf and I am headman of a team
+of the African Development Project of the Reunited Nations. As you have
+said, Abd-el-Kader, this great council of the headmen of all the nations
+of the world&mdash;not just the Rouma&mdash;has decided that Africa must be left
+to the Africans. But that does not mean it has lost all interest in
+these lands. It has no intention, warrior of the Chaambra, to allow such
+as you to disrupt the necessary progress Africa must make if it is not
+to become a danger to the shaky peace of the world."</p>
+
+<p>Abd-el-Kader's eyes darted about the tent. So far as he could see, the
+other was backed only by his single henchman. The warrior chief gained
+confidence. "Power is for those who can assert it. Some will rule. It
+has always been so. Here in the Western Erg, the Chaambra will rule, and
+I, Abd-el-Kader will lead them!"</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford was shaking his head, almost sadly it seemed. "No," he
+said. "The day of rule by the gun is over. It must be over because at
+long last man's weapons have become so great that he must not trust
+himself with them. In the new world which is still aborning so that half
+the nations of earth are in the pains of labor, government must be by
+the most wise and most capable."</p>
+
+<p>In a deft move the sub-machine gun's sling slipped from the desert man's
+shoulder and the short, vicious gun was in hand. "The strong will always
+rule!" the Arab shouted. "Time was when the French conquered the
+Chaambra, but the French have allowed their strength to ebb away, and
+now, armed with such weapons as these, we of the Sahara will again
+assert our birthright as the Chosen of Allah!"</p>
+
+<p>Abe Baker chuckled. "That cat sure can lay on a speech, man." As though
+magically, a snub-nosed hand weapon of unique design appeared in his
+dark hand.</p>
+
+<p>El Aicha's voice was suddenly strong and harsh. "There shall be no
+violence at a djemaa el kebar."</p>
+
+<p>Homer ignored the automatic weapon in the hands of the excited Arab. He
+said, and there was still a sad quality in his voice. "The gun you carry
+is a nothing-weapon, desert man. When the French conquered this land
+more than a century ago they were armed with single-shot rifles which
+were still far in advance of your own long barrelled flintlocks. Today,
+you are proud of that tommy gun you carry, and, indeed, it has the fire
+power of a company of the Foreign Legion of a century past. However,
+believe me, Abd-el-Kader, it is a nothing-weapon compared to those that
+will be brought against the Chaambra if they heed your words."</p>
+
+<p>The desert leader put back his head and laughed his scorn.</p>
+
+<p>He chopped his laughter short and snapped, more to the council of chiefs
+than to the stranger. "Then we will seize such weapons and use them
+against those who would oppose us. In the end it is the strong who win
+in war, and the Rouma have gone soft, as all men know. I, Abd-el-Kader
+will have these two killed and then I shall announce to the assembled
+tribes the new jedah, a Holy War to bring the Chosen of Allah once again
+to their rightful position in the Sahara."</p>
+
+<p>"Man," Abe Baker murmured pleasantly, "you're going to be one awful
+disappointed cat before long."</p>
+
+<p>El Aicha said mildly, "Such decisions are for the djemaa el kebar to
+make, O Abd-el-Kader, not for a single chief of the Ouled Touameur."</p>
+
+<p>The desert warrior chief sneered openly at the old man. "Decisions are
+made by those with the strength to enforce them. The young men of the
+Chaambra support me, and my men surround this tent."</p>
+
+<p>"So do mine," Homer Crawford said decisively. "And I have come to arrest
+you and take you to Columb-Béchar where you will be tried for your
+participation in recent raids on various development projects."</p>
+
+<p>El Aicha repeated his earlier words. "There shall be no violence at a
+djemaa el kebar."</p>
+
+<p>The Ouled Touameur chief's eyes had narrowed. "You are not strong enough
+to take me."</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>In English, Abe Baker said, "Like maybe these young followers of this
+cat need an example laid on them, man."</p>
+
+<p>"I'm afraid you're right," Crawford growled disgustedly.</p>
+
+<p>The younger American came to his feet. "I'll take him on," Abe said.</p>
+
+<p>"No, he's nearer to my size," Crawford grunted. He turned to El Aicha,
+and said in Arabic, "I demand the right of a stranger in your camp to a
+trial by combat."</p>
+
+<p>"On what grounds?" the old man scowled.</p>
+
+<p>"That my manhood has been spat upon by this warrior who does his
+fighting with his loud mouth."</p>
+
+<p>The assembled chiefs looked to Abd-el-Kader, and a rustling sigh went
+through them. A hundred times the wiry desert chieftain had proven
+himself the most capable fighter in the tribes. A hundred times he had
+proven it and there were dead and wounded in the path he had cut for
+himself.</p>
+
+<p>Abd-el-Kader laughed aloud again. "Swords, in the open before the
+ascan."</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford shrugged. "Swords, in the open before the assembled
+Chaambra so that they may see how truly weak is the one who calls
+himself so strong."</p>
+
+<p>Abe said worriedly, in English, "Listen, man, you been checked out on
+swords?"</p>
+
+<p>"They're the traditional weapon in the Arab <i>code duello</i>," Homer said,
+with a wry grin. "Nothing else would do."</p>
+
+<p>"Man, you sound like you've been blasting pot and got yourself as high
+as those cats out there with their <i>kif</i>. This Abd-el-Kader was probably
+raised with a sword in his hand."</p>
+
+<p>Abd-el-Kader smiling triumphantly, had spun on his heel and made his way
+through the tent's entrance. Now they could hear him shouting orders.</p>
+
+<p>El Aicha looked up at Homer Crawford from where he sat. His voice
+without inflection, he said, "Hast thou a sword, Omar ben Crawf?"</p>
+
+<p>"No," Crawford said.</p>
+
+<p>The elderly tribal leader said, "Then I shall loan you mine." He
+hesitated momentarily, before adding, "Never before has hand other than
+mine wielded it." And finally, simply, "Never has it been drawn to
+commit dishonor."</p>
+
+<p>"I am honored."</p>
+
+<p>Outside, the rumors had spread fast and already a great arena was
+forming by the packed lines of Chaambra nomads. At the tent entrance,
+Elmer Allen, his face worried, said, his English in characteristic
+Jamaican accent, "What did you chaps do?"</p>
+
+<p>"Duel," Abe growled apprehensively. "This joker here has challenged
+their top swordsman to a fight."</p>
+
+<p>Elmer said hurriedly, "See here, gentlemen, the hovercraft are parked
+over behind that tent. We can be there in two minutes and away from&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Crawford's eyes went from Elmer Allen to Abe Baker and then back again.
+He chuckled, "I don't think you two think I'm going to win this fight,"
+he said.</p>
+
+<p>"What do you know about swordsmanship?" Elmer Allen said accusingly.</p>
+
+<p>"Practically nothing. A little bayonet practice quite a few years ago."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, great," Abe muttered.</p>
+
+<p>Elmer said hurriedly, "See here, Homer, I was on the college fencing
+team and&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Crawford grinned at him. "Too late, friend."</p>
+
+<p>As they talked, they made their way to the large circle of men. In its
+center, Abd-el-Kader was stripping to his waist, meanwhile laughingly
+shouting his confidence to his Ouled Touameur tribesmen and to the other
+Chaambra of fighting age. No one seemed to doubt the final issue.
+Beneath his white burnoose he wore a gandoura of lightweight woolen
+cloth and beneath that a longish undershirt of white cotton, similar to
+that of the Tuareg but with shorter and less voluminous sleeves. This
+the desert fighter retained.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford stripped down too, nude to the waist. His body was in excellent
+trim, muscles bunching under the ebony skin. A Haratin servant came up
+bearing El Aicha's sword.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford pulled it from the scabbard. It was of scimitar type, the
+weapon which had once conquered half the known world.</p>
+
+<p>From within the huge circle of men, Abd-el-Kader swung his own blade in
+flashing arcs and called out something undoubtedly insulting, but which
+was lost in the babble of the multitude.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, here we go," Crawford grunted. "You fellows better station
+yourselves around just on the off chance that those Ouled Touameur
+bully-boys don't like the decision."</p>
+
+<p>"We'll worry about that," Abe said unhappily. "You just see you get out
+of this in one piece. Anything happens to you and the head office'll
+make me head of this team&mdash;and frankly, man I don't want the job."</p>
+
+<p>Homer grinned at him, and began pushing his way through to the center.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>The Arab cut a last switch in the air, with his whistling blade and
+started forward, in practiced posture. Homer awaited him, legs spread
+slightly, his hands extended slightly, the sword held at the ready but
+with point low.</p>
+
+<p>Abe Baker growled, unhappily, "He said he didn't know anything about the
+swords, and the way he holds it bears him out. That Arab'll cut Homer to
+ribbons. Maybe we ought to do something about it." As usual, under
+stress, he'd dropped his beatnik patter.</p>
+
+<p>Elmer Allen looked at him. "Such as what? There are at least three
+thousand of these tribesmen chaps here watching their favorite sport.
+What did you have in mind doing?"</p>
+
+<p>Abd-el-Kader hadn't remained the victor of a score of similar duels
+through making such mistakes as underestimating his foe. In spite of the
+black stranger's seeming ignorance of his weapon, the Arab had no
+intention of being sucked into a trap. He advanced with care.</p>
+
+<p>His sword darted forward, quickly, experimentally, and Homer Crawford
+barely caught its razor edge on his own.</p>
+
+<p>Save for his own four companions, the crowd laughed aloud. None among
+them were so clumsy as this.</p>
+
+<p>The Ouled Touameur chief was convinced. He stepped in fast, the blade
+flicked in and out in a quick feint, then flicked in again. Homer
+Crawford countered clumsily.</p>
+
+<div class="figright">
+<img src="images/illus5.jpg" alt=""/>
+</div>
+
+<p>And then there was a roar as the American's blade left his hand and flew
+high in the air to come to the ground again a score of feet behind the
+desert swordsman.</p>
+
+<p>For a brief moment Abd-el-Kader stepped back to observe his foe, and
+there was mockery in his face. "So thy manhood has been spat upon by one
+who fights only with his mouth! Almost, braggart, I am inclined to give
+you your life so that you may spend the rest of it in shame. Now die,
+unbeliever!"</p>
+
+<p>Crawford stood hopelessly, in a semicrouch, his hands still slightly
+forward. The Arab came in fast, his sword at the ready for the death
+stroke.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly, the American moved forward and then jumped a full yard into
+the air, feet forward and into the belly of the advancing Arab. The
+heavily shod right foot struck at the point in the abdomen immediately
+below the sternum, the solar plexus, and the left was as low as the
+groin. In a motion that was almost a bounce off the other's body,
+Crawford came lithely back to his feet, jumped back two steps, crouched
+again.</p>
+
+<p>But Abd-el-Kader was through, his eyes popping agony, his body writhing
+on the ground. The whole thing, from the time the Arab had advanced on
+the disarmed man for the kill, hadn't taken five seconds.</p>
+
+<p>His groans were the only sounds which broke the unbelieving silence of
+the Chaambra tribesmen. Homer Crawford picked up the fallen leader's
+sword and then strolled over and retrieved that of El Aicha. Ignoring
+Abd-el-Kader, he crossed to where the tribal elders had assembled to
+watch the fight and held out the borrowed sword to its owner.</p>
+
+<p>El Aicha sheathed it while looking into Homer Crawford's face. "It has
+still never been drawn to commit dishonor."</p>
+
+<p>"My thanks," Crawford said.</p>
+
+<p>Over the noise of the crowd which now was beginning to murmur its
+incredulity at their champion's fantastic defeat, came the voice of Abe
+Baker swearing in Arabic and yelling for a way to be cleared for him. He
+was driving one of the hovercraft.</p>
+
+<p>He drew it up next to the still agonized Abd-el-Kader and got out
+accompanied by Bey-ag-Akhamouk. Silently and without undue roughness
+they picked up the fallen clan chief and put him into the back of the
+hover-lorry, ignoring the crowd.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford came up and said in English, "All right, let's get out of
+here. Don't hurry, but on the other hand don't let's prolong it. One of
+those Ouled Touameur might collect himself to the point of deciding he
+ought to rescue his leader."</p>
+
+<p>Abe looked at him disgustedly. "Like, where'd you learn that little
+party trick, man?"</p>
+
+<p>Crawford yawned. "I said I didn't know anything about swords. You didn't
+ask me about judo. I once taught judo in the Marines."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, why didn't you take him sooner? He like to cut your head off with
+that cheese knife before you landed on him."</p>
+
+<p>"I couldn't do it sooner. Not until he knocked the sword out of my hand.
+Until then it was a sword fight. But as soon as I had no sword then in
+the eyes of every Chaambra present, I had the right to use any method
+possible to save myself."</p>
+
+<p>Bey-ag-Akhamouk looked up at the sun to check the time. "We better speed
+it up if we want to get this man to Columb-Béchar and then get on down
+over the desert to Timbuktu and that meeting."</p>
+
+<p>"Let's go," Homer said. The second hovercraft joined them, driven by
+Elmer Allen, and they made their way through the staring, but
+motionless, crowds of Chaambra.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="IV" id="IV"></a>IV</h2>
+
+
+<p>Once the city of Timbuktu was more important in population, in commerce,
+in learning than the London, the Paris or the Rome of the time. It was
+the crossroads where African traffic, east and west, met African
+traffic, north and south; Timbuktu dominated all. In its commercial
+houses accumulated the wealth of Africa; in its universities and mosques
+the wisdom of Greece, Rome, Byzantium and the Near East&mdash;at a time when
+such learning was being destroyed in Dark Ages beset Europe.</p>
+
+<p>Timbuktu's day lasted but two or three hundred years at most. By the
+middle of the Twentieth Century it had deteriorated into what looked
+nothing so much as a New Mexico ghost town, built largely of adobe. Its
+palaces and markets has melted away to caricatures of their former
+selves, its universities were a memory of yesteryear, its population
+fallen off to a few thousands. Not until the Niger Projects, the dams
+and irrigation projects, of the latter part of the Twentieth Century did
+the city begin to regain a semblance of its old importance.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford's team had come down over the Tanezrouft route, Reggan,
+Bidon Cinq and Tessalit; that of Isobel Cunningham, Jacob Armstrong and
+Clifford Jackson, up from Timbuktu's Niger River port of Kabara. They
+met in the former great market square, bordered on two sides by the one
+time French Administration buildings.</p>
+
+<p>Isobel reacted first. "Abe!" she yelled, pointing accusingly at him.</p>
+
+<p>Abe Baker pretended to cringe, then reacted. "Isobel! Somebody <i>told</i> me
+you were over here!"</p>
+
+<p>She ran over the heavy sand, which drifted through the streets, to the
+hovercraft in which he had just pulled up. He popped out to meet her,
+grinning widely.</p>
+
+<p>"Why didn't you look me up?" she said accusingly, presenting a cheek to
+be kissed.</p>
+
+<p>"In Africa, man?" he laughed. "Kinda big, Africa. Like, I didn't know if
+you were in the Sahara, or maybe down in Angola, or wherever."</p>
+
+<p>She frowned. "Heaven forbid."</p>
+
+<p>Abe turned to the others of his team who had crowded up behind him. It
+had been a long time since any of them had seen other than native women.</p>
+
+<p>"Isobel," he said, "I hate to do this, but let me introduce you to Homer
+Crawford, my immediate boss and slave driver, late of the University of
+Michigan where he must've found out where the body was&mdash;they gave him a
+doctorate. Then here's Elmer Allen, late of Jamaica&mdash;British West
+Indies, not Long Island&mdash;all he's got is a master's, also in sociology.
+And this is Kenneth Ballalou, hails from San Francisco, I don't think
+Kenny ever went to school, but he seems to speak every language ever."
+Abe turned to his final companion. "And this is our sole <i>real</i> African,
+Bey-ag-Akhamouk, of Tuareg blood, so beware, they don't call the Tuareg
+the Apaches of the Sahara for nothing."</p>
+
+<p>Bey pretended to wince as he held out his hand. "Since Abe seems to be
+an education snob, I might as well mention the University of Minnesota
+and my Political Science."</p>
+
+<p>Jake Armstrong and Cliff Jackson had come up behind Isobel, and were now
+introduced in turn. The older man said, "A Tuareg in a Reunited Nations
+team? Not that it makes any difference to me, but I thought there was
+some sort of policy."</p>
+
+<p>"I was taken to the States when I was three," Bey said. "I'm an American
+citizen."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel was chattering, in animation, with Abe Baker. It developed they'd
+both been reporters on the school paper at Columbia. At least, they'd
+both started as reporters, Isobel had wound up editor.</p>
+
+<p>Since their introduction, Homer Crawford had been vaguely frowning at
+her. Now he said, "I've been trying to place where I'd seen you before.
+Now I know. Some photographs of Lena Horne, she was&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Isobel dropped a mock curtsy. "Thank you, kind sir, you don't have to
+tell me about Lena Horne, she's a favorite. I have scads of tapes of
+her."</p>
+
+<p>"Brother," Elmer Allen said dourly, "how's anybody going to top that?
+Homer's got the inside track now. Let's get over to this meeting. By the
+cars, helio-copters and hovercraft around here, you got more of a
+turnout than I expected, Homer."</p>
+
+<p>The meeting was held in what had once been an assembly chamber of the
+officials of the former <i>Cercle de Tombouctou</i>, when this had all been
+part of French Sudan. It was the only room in the vicinity which would
+comfortably hold all of them.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>Elmer Allen had been right, there was something like a hundred persons
+present, almost all men but with a sprinkling of women, such as Isobel.
+More than half were in native costume running the gamut from Nigeria to
+Morocco and from Mauritania to Ethiopia. They were a competent looking,
+confident voiced gathering.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford knocked with a knuckle on the table that stood at the
+head of the hall and called for silence. "Sorry we're late," he said,
+"Particularly in view of the fact that the idea of this meeting
+originated with my team. We had some difficulty with a nomad raider, up
+in Chaambra country."</p>
+
+<p>Someone from halfway back in the hall said bitterly, "I suppose in
+typical African Development Project style, you killed the poor man."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said dryly, "<i>Poor man</i> isn't too accurate a description of the
+gentleman involved. However, he is at present in jail awaiting trial."
+He got back to the meeting. "I had originally thought of this being an
+informal get-together of a score or so of us, but in view of the numbers
+I suggest we appoint a temporary chairman."</p>
+
+<p>"You're doing all right," Jake Armstrong said from the second row of
+chairs.</p>
+
+<p>"I second that," an unknown called from further back.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford shrugged. His manner had a cool competence. "All right. If
+there is no objection, I'll carry on until the meeting decides, if it
+ever does, that there is need of elected officers."</p>
+
+<p>"I object." In the third row a white haired, but Prussian-erect man had
+come to his feet. "I wish to know the meaning of this meeting. I object
+to it being held at all."</p>
+
+<p>Abe Baker called to him, "Dad, how can you object to it being held if
+you don't know what it's for?"</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford said, "Suppose I briefly sum up our mutual situation and
+if there are any motions to be made&mdash;including calling the meeting
+quits&mdash;or decisions to come to, we can start from there."</p>
+
+<p>There was a murmur of assent. The objector sat down in a huff.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford looked out over them. "I don't know most of you. The word of
+this meeting must have spread from one group or team to another. So what
+I'll do is start from the beginning, saying little at first with which
+you aren't already familiar, but we'll lay a foundation."</p>
+
+<p>He went on. "This situation which we find in Africa is only a part of a
+world-wide condition. Perhaps to some, particularly in the Western World
+as they call it, Africa isn't of primary importance. But, needless to
+say, it is to we here in the field. Not too many years ago, at the same
+period the African colonies were bursting their bonds and achieving
+independence, an international situation was developing that threatened
+future peace. The rich nations were getting richer, the poor were
+getting poorer, and the rate of this change was accelerating. The
+reasons were various. The population growth in the backward countries,
+unhampered by birth control and rocketing upward due to new sanitation,
+new health measures, and the conquest of a score of diseases that have
+bedeviled man down through the centuries, was fantastic. Try as they
+would to increase per capita income in the have-not nations, population
+grew faster than new industry and new agricultural methods could keep
+up. On top of that handicap was another; the have-not nations were so
+far behind economically that they couldn't get going. Why build a
+bicycle factory in Morocco which might be able to turn out bikes for,
+say, fifty dollars apiece, when you could buy them from automated
+factories in Europe, Japan or the United States for twenty-five
+dollars?"</p>
+
+<p>Most of his audience were nodding agreement, some of them impatiently,
+as though wanting him to get on with it.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford continued. "For a time aid to these backward nations was left
+in the hands of the individual nations&mdash;especially to the United States
+and Russia. However, in spite of speeches of politicians to the
+contrary, governments are not motivated by humanitarian purposes. The
+government of a country does what it does for the benefit of the ruling
+class of that country. That was the reason it was appointed the
+government. Any government that doesn't live up to this dictum soon
+stops being the government."</p>
+
+<p>"That isn't always so," somebody called.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford grinned. "Bear with me a while," he said. "We can debate
+till the Niger freezes over&mdash;later on."</p>
+
+<p>He went on. "For instance, the United States would <i>aid</i> Country X with
+a billion dollars at, say four per cent interest, stipulating that the
+money be spent in America. This is aid? It certainly is for American
+business. But then our friends the Russians come along and loan the same
+country a billion rubles at a very low interest rate and with supposedly
+no strings attached, to build, say, a railroad. Very fine indeed, but
+first of all the railroad, built Russian style and with Russian
+equipment, soon needs replacements, new locomotives, more rolling stock.
+Where must it come from? Russia, of course. Besides that, in order to
+build and run the railroad it became necessary to send Russian
+technicians to Country X and also to send students from Country X to
+Moscow to study Russian technology so that they could operate the
+railroad." Crawford's voice went wry. "Few countries, other than commie
+ones, much desire to have their students study in Moscow."</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>There was a slight stirring in his audience and Homer Crawford grinned
+slightly. "You'll pardon me if in this little summation, I step on a few
+ideological toes&mdash;of both East and West.</p>
+
+<p>"Needless to say, under these conditions of <i>aid</i> in short order the
+economies of various countries fell under the domination of the two
+great collossi. At the same time the other have nations including Great
+Britain, France, Germany and the newly awakening China, began to realize
+that unless they got into the <i>aid</i> act that they would disappear as
+competitors for the tremendous markets in the newly freed former
+colonial lands. Also along in here it became obvious that philanthropy
+with a mercenary basis doesn't always work out to the benefit of the
+receiver and the world began to take measures to administer aid more
+efficiently and through world bodies rather than national ones.</p>
+
+<p>"But there was still another problem, particularly here in Africa. The
+newly freed former colonies were wary of the nations that had formerly
+owned them and often for good reasons, always remembering that
+governments are not motivated by humanitarian reasons. England did not
+free India because her heart bled for the Indian people, nor did France
+finally free Algeria because the French conscience was stirred with
+thoughts of Freedom, Equality and Fraternity."</p>
+
+<p>A voice broke in from halfway down the hall, a voice heavy with British
+accent. "I say, why did you Yanks free the Philippines?"</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford laughed, as did several other Americans present. "That's
+the first time I've ever been called a Yankee," he said. "But the point
+is well taken. By freeing the islands we washed our hands of the
+responsibility of such expensive matters as their health and education,
+and at the same time we granted freedom we made military and economic
+treaties which perpetuated our fundamental control of the Philippines.</p>
+
+<p>"The point is made. The distrust of the European and the white man as a
+whole was prevalent, especially here in Africa. However, and
+particularly in Africa, the citizens of the new countries were almost
+unbelievably uneducated, untrained, incapable of engineering their own
+destiny. In whole nations there was not a single lawyer or&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"That's no handicap," somebody called.</p>
+
+<p>There was laughter through the hall.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford laughed, too, and nodded as though in solemn agreement.
+"However, there were also no doctors, engineers, scientists. There were
+whole nations without a single college graduate."</p>
+
+<p>He paused and his eyes swept the hall. "That's where we came in. Most of
+us here this afternoon are from the States, however, also represented to
+my knowledge are British West Indians, a Canadian or two, at least one
+Panamanian, and possibly some Cubans. Down in the southern part of the
+continent I know of teams working in the Portuguese areas who are
+Brazilian in background. All of us, of course, are Africans racially,
+but few if any of us know from what part of Africa his forebears came.
+My own grandfather was born a slave in Mississippi and didn't know his
+father; my grandmother was already a hopeless mixture of a score of
+African tribes.</p>
+
+<p>"That, I assume, is the story of most if not all of us. Our ancestors
+were wrenched from the lands of their birth and shipped under conditions
+worse than cattle to the New World." He added simply, "Now we return."</p>
+
+<p>There was a murmur throughout his listeners, but no one interrupted.</p>
+
+<p>"When the great powers of Europe arbitrarily split up Africa in the
+Nineteenth Century they didn't bother with race, tribe, not even
+geographic boundaries. Largely they seemed to draw their boundary lines
+with ruler and pencil on a Mercator projection. Often, not only were
+native nations split in twain but even tribes and clans, and sometimes
+split not only one way but two or three. It was chaotic to the old
+tribal system. Of course, when the white man left various efforts were
+made from the very start to join that which had been torn apart a
+century earlier. Right here in this area, Senegal and what was then
+French Sudan merged to form the short-lived Mali Federation. Ghana and
+French Guinea formed a shaky alliance. More successful was the
+federation of Kenya, Tanganyika, Uganda and Zanzibar, which of course,
+has since grown.</p>
+
+<p>"But there were fantastic difficulties. Many of the old tribal
+institutions had been torn down, but new political institutions had been
+introduced only in a half-baked way. African politicians, supposedly
+'democratically' elected, had no intention of facing the possibility of
+giving up their individual powers by uniting with their neighbors. Not
+only had the Africans been divided tribally but now politically as well.
+But obviously, so long as they continued to be Balkanized the chances of
+rapid progress were minimized.</p>
+
+<p>"Other difficulties were manifold. So far as socio-economics were
+concerned, African society ran the scale from bottom to top. The Bushmen
+of the Ermelo district of the Transvaal and the Kalahari are stone age
+people still&mdash;savages. Throughout the continent we find tribes at an
+ethnic level which American Anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan called
+barbarism. In some places we find socio-economic systems based on
+chattle slavery, elsewhere feudalism. In comparatively few areas,
+Casablanca, Algiers, Dakar, Cairo and possibly the Union we find a
+rapidly expanding capitalism.</p>
+
+<p>"Needless to say, if Africa was to progress, to increase rapidly her per
+capita income, to depart the ranks of the have-nots and become have
+nations, these obstacles had to be overcome. That is why we are here."</p>
+
+<p>"Speak for yourself, Mr. Crawford," the white haired objector of ten
+minutes earlier, bit out.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>Homer Crawford nodded. "You are correct, sir. I should have said that is
+the reason the teams of the Reunited Nations African Development Project
+are here. I note among us various members of this project besides those
+belonging to my own team, by the way. However, most of you are under
+other auspices. We of the Reunited Nations teams are here because as
+Africans racially but not nationally, we have no affiliation with clan,
+tribe or African nation. We are free to work for Africa's progress
+without prejudice. Our job is to remove obstacles wherever we find them.
+To break up log jams. To eliminate prejudices against the steps that
+must be taken if Africa is to run down the path of progress, rather than
+to crawl. We usually operate in teams of about half a dozen. There are
+hundreds of such teams in North Africa alone."</p>
+
+<p>He rapped his knuckle against the small table behind which he stood.
+"Which brings us to the present and to the purpose of suggesting this
+meeting. Most of you are operating under other auspices than the
+Reunited Nations. Many of you duplicate some of our work. It occurred to
+me, and my team mates, that it might be a good idea for us to get
+together and see if there is ground for co-operation."</p>
+
+<p>Jake Armstrong called out, "What kind of co-operation?"</p>
+
+<p>Crawford shrugged. "How would I know? Largely, I don't even know who you
+represent, or the exact nature of the tasks you are trying to perform. I
+suggest that each group of us represented here, stand up and announce
+their position. Possibly, it will lead to something of value."</p>
+
+<p>"I make that a motion," Cliff Jackson said.</p>
+
+<p>"Second," Elmer Allen called out.</p>
+
+<p>The majority were in favor.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford sat down behind the table, saying, "Who'll start off?"</p>
+
+<p>Armstrong said, "Isobel, you're better looking than I am. They'd rather
+look at you. You present our story."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel came to her feet and shot him a scornful glance. "Lazy," she
+said.</p>
+
+<p>Jake Armstrong grinned at her. "Make it good."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel took her place next to the table at which Crawford sat and faced
+the others.</p>
+
+<p>She looked at the chairman from the side of her eyes and said, "After
+that allegedly <i>brief</i> summation Mr. Crawford made, I have a sneaking
+suspicion that we'll be here until next week unless I set a new
+precedent and cut the position of the Africa for Africans Association
+shorter."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel got her laugh, including one from Homer Crawford, and went on.</p>
+
+<p>"Anyway, I suppose most of you know of the AFAA and possibly many of you
+belong to it, or at least contribute. We've been called the African
+Zionist organization and perhaps that's not too far off. We are largely,
+but not entirely an American association. We send out our teams, such as
+the one my colleagues and I belong to, in order to speed up progress
+and, as our chairman put it, eliminate prejudices against the steps that
+must be taken if Africa is to run down the path of progress instead of
+crawl. We also advocate that Americans and other non-African-born
+Negroes, educated in Europe and the Americas, return to Africa to help
+in its struggles. We find positions for any such who are competent,
+preferably doctors, educators, scientists and technicians, but also
+competent mechanics, construction workers and so forth. We operate a
+school in New York where we teach native languages and lingua franca
+such as Swahili and Songhai, in preparation for going to Africa. We
+raise our money largely from voluntary contributions, and largely from
+American Negroes although we have also had government grants, donations
+from foundations, and from individuals of other racial backgrounds. I
+suppose that sums it up."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel smiled at them, returned to her chair to applause, probably due
+as much to her attractive appearance as her words.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said, "When we began this meeting we had an objection that it
+be held at all. I wonder if we might hear from that gentleman next?"</p>
+
+<p>The white haired, ramrod erect, man stood next to his chair, not
+bothering to come to the head of the room. "You may indeed," he snapped.
+"I am Bishop Manning of the United Negro Missionaries, an organization
+attempting to accomplish the only truly important task that cries for
+completion on this largely godless continent. Accomplish this, and all
+else will fall into place."</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford said, "I assume you refer to the conversion of the
+populace."</p>
+
+<p>"I do indeed. And the work others do is meaningless until that has been
+accomplished. We are bringing religion to Africa, but not through white
+missionaries who in the past lived <i>off</i> the natives, but through Negro
+missionaries who live <i>with</i> them. I call upon all of you to give up
+your present occupations and come to our assistance."</p>
+
+<p>Elmer Allan's voice was sarcastic. "These people need less superstition,
+not more."</p>
+
+<p>The bishop spun on him. "I am not speaking of superstition, young man!"</p>
+
+<p>Elmer Allen said. "All religions are superstitions, except one's own."</p>
+
+<p>"And yours?" the Bishop barked.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm an agnostic."</p>
+
+<p>The bishop snorted his disgust and made his way to the door. There he
+turned and had his last word. "All you do is meaningless. I pray you,
+again, give it up and join in the Lord's work."</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford nodded to him. "Thank you, Bishop Manning. I'm sure we
+will all consider your words." When the older man was gone, he looked
+out over the hall again. "Well, who is next?"</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>A thus far speechless member of the audience, seated in the first row,
+came to his feet. His face was serious and strained, the face of a man
+who pushes himself beyond the point of efficiency in the vain effort to
+accomplish more by expenditure of added hours.</p>
+
+<p>He came to the front and said, "Since I'm possibly the only one here who
+also has objections to the reason for calling this meeting, I might as
+well have my say now." He half turned to Crawford, and continued. "Mr.
+Chairman, my name is Ralph Sandell and I'm an officer in the Sahara
+Afforestation Project, which, as you know, is also under the auspices of
+the Reunited Nations, though not having any other connection with your
+own organization."</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford nodded. "We know of your efforts, but why do you object
+to calling this meeting?" He seemed mystified.</p>
+
+<p>"Because, like Bishop Manning, I think your efforts misdirected. I think
+you are expending tremendous sums of money and the work of tens of
+thousands of good men and women, in directions which in the long run
+will hardly count."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford leaned back in surprise, waiting for the other's reasoning.</p>
+
+<p>Ralph Sandell obliged. "As the chairman pointed out, the problem of
+population explosion is a desperate one. Even today, with all the
+efforts of the Reunited Nations and of the individual countries involved
+in African aid, the population of this continent is growing at a pace
+that will soon outstrip the arable portion of the land. Save only
+Antarctica, Africa has the smallest arable percentage of land of any of
+the continents.</p>
+
+<p>"The task of the Afforestation Project is to return the Sahara to the
+fertile land it once was. The job is a gargantuan one, but ultimately
+quite possible. Here in the south we are daming the Niger, running our
+irrigation projects farther and farther north. From the Mauritania area
+on the Atlantic we are pressing inland, using water purification and
+solar pumps to utilize the ocean. In the mountains of Morocco, the water
+available is being utilized more efficiently than ever before, and the
+sands being pushed back. We are all familiar with Egypt's ever
+increasingly successful efforts to exploit the Nile. In the Sahara
+itself, the new solar pumps are utilizing wells to an extent never
+dreamed of before. The oases are increasing in a geometric progression
+both in number and in size." He was caught up in his own enthusiasm.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said, interestedly, "It's a fascinating project. How long do
+you estimate it will be before the job is done?"</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps a century. As the trees go in by the tens of millions, there
+will be a change in climate. Forest begets moisture which in turn allows
+for more forest." He turned back to the audience as a whole. "In time we
+will be able to farm these million upon million of acres of fertile
+land. First it must go into forest, then we can return to field
+agriculture when climate and soil have been restored. This is our prime
+task! This is our basic need. I call upon all of you for your support
+and that of your organizations if you can bring their attention to the
+great need. The tasks you have set yourselves are meaningless in the
+face of this greater one. Let us be practical."</p>
+
+<p>"Crazy man," Abe Baker said aloud. "Let's be practical and cut out all
+this jazz." The youthful New Yorker came to his feet. "First of all you
+just mentioned it was going to take a century, even though it's going
+like a geometric progression. Geometric progressions get going kind of
+slow, so I imagine that your scheme for making the Sahara fertile again,
+won't really be under full steam until more than halfway through that
+century of yours, and not really ripping ahead until, maybe two thirds
+of the way. Meanwhile, what's going to happen?"</p>
+
+<p>"I beg your pardon!" Ralph Sandell said stiffly.</p>
+
+<p>"That's all right," Abe Baker grinned at him. "The way they figure,
+population doubles every thirty years, under the present rate of
+increase. They figure there'll be three billion in the world by 1990,
+then by 2020 there would be six billions, and in 2050, twelve billions
+and twenty-four by the time your century was up. Old boy, I suggest the
+addition of a Sahara of rich agricultural land a century from now
+wouldn't be of much importance."</p>
+
+<p>"Ridiculous!"</p>
+
+<p>"You mean me, or you?" Abe grinned. "I once read an article by Donald
+Kingsbury. It's reprinted these days because it finished off the subject
+once and for all. He showed with mathematical rigor that given the
+present rate of human population increase, and an absolutely unlimited
+technology that allowed instantaneous intergalactical transportation and
+the ability to convert anything and everything into food, including
+interstellar dust, stars, planets, everything, it would take only seven
+thousand years to turn the total mass of the total universe into human
+flesh!"</p>
+
+<p>The Sahara Afforestation official gaped at him.</p>
+
+<p>The room rocked with laughter.</p>
+
+<p>Irritated, Sandell snapped again, "Ridiculous!"</p>
+
+<p>"It sure is, man," Abe grinned. "And the point is that the job is
+educating the people and freeing them to the point where they can
+develop their potentialities. Educate the African and he will see the
+same need that does the intelligent European, American, or Russian for
+that matter, to limit our population growth." He sat down again, and
+there was a scattering of applause and more laughter.</p>
+
+<p>Sandell, still glowering, took his seat, too.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford, who'd been hard put not to join in the amusement, said,
+"Thanks to both of you for some interesting points. Now, who's next? Who
+else do we have here?"</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>When no one else answered, a smallish man, dressed in the costume of the
+Dogon, to the south, came to his feet and to the head of the room.</p>
+
+<p>In a clipped British accent, he said, "Rex Donaldson, of Nassau, the
+Bahamas, in the service of Her Majesty's Government and the British
+Commonwealth. I have no team. Although our tasks are largely similar to
+those of the African Development Project, we field men of the African
+Department usually work as individuals. My native pseudonym is usually
+Dolo Anah."</p>
+
+<p>He looked out over the rest. "I have no objection to such meetings as
+this. If nothing else, it gives chaps a bit of an opportunity to air
+grievances. I personally have several and may as well state them now.
+Among other things, it becomes increasingly clear that though some of
+the organizations represented here are supposedly of the Reunited
+Nations, actually they are dominated by Yankees. The Yankees are seeping
+in everywhere." He looked at Isobel. "Yes, such groups as your Africa
+for Africans Association has high flown slogans, but wherever you go,
+there go Yankee ideas, Yankee products, Yankee schools."</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford's eyebrows went up. "What is your solution? The fact is
+that the United States has a hundred or more times the educated Negroes
+than any other country."</p>
+
+<p>Donaldson said, doggedly, "The British Commonwealth has done more than
+any other element in bringing progress to Africa. She should be given
+the lead in developing the continent. A good first step would be to make
+the pound sterling legal tender throughout the continent. And, as things
+are now, there are some <i>seven hundred</i> different languages, not
+counting dialects. I suggest that English be made the lingua franca
+of&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>An excitable type, who had been first to join in the laughter at
+Sandell, now jumped to his feet. "<i>Un moment, Monsieur!</i> The French
+Community long dominated a far greater portion of Africa than the
+British flag flew over. Not to mention that it was the most advanced
+portion. If any language was to become the lingua franca of all Africa,
+French would be more suitable. Your ultimate purpose, Mr. Donaldson, is
+obvious. You and your Commonwealth African Department wish to dominate
+for political and economic reasons!"</p>
+
+<p>He turned to the others and spread his hands in a Gallic gesture. "I
+introduce myself, Pierre Dupaine, operative of the African Affairs
+sector of the French Community."</p>
+
+<p>"Ha!" Donaldson snorted. "Getting the French out of Africa was like
+pulling teeth. It took donkey's years. And now look. This chap wants to
+bring them back again."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford was knuckling the table. "Gentlemen, Gentlemen," he yelled. He
+finally had them quieted.</p>
+
+<p>Wryly he said, "May I ask if we have a representative from the
+government of the United States?"</p>
+
+<p>A lithe, inordinately well dressed young man rose from his seat in the
+rear of the hall. "Frederic Ostrander, C.I.A.," he said. "I might as
+well tell you now, Crawford, and you other American citizens here, this
+meeting will not meet with the approval of the State Department."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford's eyes went up. "How do you know?"</p>
+
+<p>The C.I.A. man said evenly, "We've already had reports that this
+conference was going to be held. I might as well inform you that a
+protest is being made to the Sahara Division of the African Development
+Project."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said, "I suppose that is your privilege, sir. Now, in accord
+with the reason for this meeting, can you tell us why your organization
+is present in Africa and what it hopes to achieve?"</p>
+
+<p>Ostrander looked at him testily. "Why not? There has been considerable
+infiltration of all of these African development organizations by
+subversive elements...."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Brother," Cliff Jackson said.</p>
+
+<p>"... And it is not the policy of the State Department to stand idly by
+while the Soviet Complex attempts to draw Africa from the ranks of the
+free world."</p>
+
+<p>Elmer Allen said disgustedly, "Just what part of Africa would you really
+consider part of the Free World?"</p>
+
+<p>The C.I.A. man stared at him coldly. "You know what I mean," he rapped.
+"And I might add, we are familiar with your record, Mr. Allen."</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford said, "You've made a charge which is undoubtedly as
+unpalatable to many of those present as it is to me. Can you
+substantiate it? In my experience in the Sahara there is little, if any,
+following of the Soviet Complex."</p>
+
+<p>An agreeing murmur went through the room.</p>
+
+<p>Ostrander bit out, "Then who is subsidizing this El Hassan?"</p>
+
+<p>Rex Donaldson, the British Commonwealth man, came to his feet. "That was
+a matter I was going to bring up before this meeting."</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford, fully accompanied by Abe Baker and the rest of their
+team, even Elmer Allen, burst into uncontrolled laughter.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="V" id="V"></a>V</h2>
+
+
+<p>When Homer Crawford, Abe Baker, Kenny Ballalou, Elmer Allen and
+Bey-ag-Akhamouk had laughed themselves out, Frederic Ostrander, the
+C.I.A. operative stared at them in anger. "What's so funny?" he snapped.</p>
+
+<p>From his seat in the middle of the hall, Pierre Dupaine, operative for
+the French Community, said worriedly, "<i>Messieurs</i>, this El Hassan is
+not amusing. I, too, have heard of him. His followers are evidently
+sweeping through the Sahara. Everywhere I hear of him."</p>
+
+<p>There was confirming murmur throughout the rest of the gathering.</p>
+
+<p>Still chuckling, Homer Crawford said, a hand held up for quiet, "Please,
+everyone. Pardon the amusement of my teammates and myself. You see,
+there is no such person as El Hassan."</p>
+
+<p>"To the contrary!" Ostrander snapped.</p>
+
+<p>"No, please," Crawford said, grinning ruefully. "You see, my team
+<i>invented</i> him, some time ago."</p>
+
+<p>Ostrander could only stare, and for once his position was backed by
+everyone in the hall, Crawford's team excepted.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said doggedly, "It came about like this. These people need a
+hero. It's in their nomad tradition. They need a leader to follow. Given
+a leader, as history has often demonstrated, and the nomad will perform
+miracles. We wished to spread the program of the African Development
+Project. Such items as the need to unite, to break down the old
+boundaries of clan and tribe and even nation, the freeing of the slave
+and serf, the upgrading of women's position, the dropping of the veil
+and haik, the need to educate the youth, the desirability of taking jobs
+on the projects and to take up land on the new oases. But since we
+usually go about disguised as Enaden itinerant smiths, a poorly thought
+of caste, our ideas weren't worth much. So we invented El Hassan and
+everything we said we ascribed to him, this mysterious hero who was
+going to lead all North Africa to Utopia."</p>
+
+<p>Jake Armstrong stood up and said, sheepishly, "I suppose that my team
+unknowingly added to this. We heard about this mysterious El Hassan and
+he seemed largely to be going in the same direction, and for the same
+reason&mdash;to give the rumors we were spreading weight&mdash;we ascribed the
+things we said to him."</p>
+
+<p>Somebody farther back in the hall laughed and said, "So did I!"</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford extended his hands in the direction of Ostrander, palms
+upward. "I'm sorry, sir. But there seems to be your mysterious
+subversive."</p>
+
+<p>Angered, Ostrander snapped, "Then you admit that it was you, yourself,
+who have been spreading these subversive ideas?"</p>
+
+<p>"Now, wait a minute," Crawford snapped in return. "I admit only to those
+slogans and ideas promulgated by the African Development Project. If any
+so-called subversive ideas have been ascribed to El Hassan, it has not
+been through my team. Frankly, I rather doubt that they have. These
+people aren't at any ethnic period where the program of the Soviet
+Complex would appeal. They're largely in a ritual-taboo tribal society
+and no one alleging any alliance whatsoever to Marx would contend that
+you can go from that primitive a culture to what the Soviets call
+communism."</p>
+
+<p>"I'll take this up with my department chief," Ostrander said angrily.
+"You haven't heard the last of it, Crawford." He sat down abruptly.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford looked out over the room. "Anybody else we haven't heard from?"</p>
+
+<p>A middle-aged, heavy-set, Western dressed man came to his feet and
+cleared his throat. "Dr. Warren Harding Smythe, American Medical Relief.
+I assume that most of you have heard of us. An organization supported
+partially by government grant, partially by contributions by private
+citizens and institutions, as is that of Miss Isobel Cunningham's Africa
+for Africans Association." He added grimly, "But there the resemblance
+ends."</p>
+
+<p>He looked at Homer Crawford. "I am to be added to the number not in
+favor of this conference. In fact, I am opposed to the presence of most
+of you here in Africa."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford nodded. "You certainly have a right to your opinion, doctor.
+Will you elucidate?"</p>
+
+<p>Dr. Smythe had worked his way to the front of the room, now he looked
+out over the assemblage defiantly. "I am not at all sure that the task
+most of you work at is a desirable one. As you know, my own organization
+is at work bringing medical care to Africa. We build hospitals, clinics,
+above all medical schools. Not a single one of our hospitals but is a
+school at the same time."</p>
+
+<p>Abe Baker growled, "Everybody knows and values your work, Doc, but
+what's this bit about being opposed to ours?"</p>
+
+<p>Smythe looked at him distastefully. "You people are seeking to destroy
+the culture of these people, and, overnight thrust them into the
+pressures of Twentieth Century existence. As a medical doctor, I do not
+think them capable of assimilating such rapid change and I fear for
+their mental health."</p>
+
+<p>There was a prolonged silence.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said finally, "What is the alternative to the problems I
+presented in my summation of the situation that confronts the world due
+to the backward conditions of such areas as Africa?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know, it isn't my field."</p>
+
+<p>There was another silence.</p>
+
+<p>Elmer Allen said finally, uncomfortably, "It <i>is</i> our field, Dr.
+Smythe."</p>
+
+<p>Smythe turned to him, his face still holding its distaste. "I understand
+that the greater part of you are sociologists, political scientists and
+such. Frankly, ladies and gentlemen, I do not think of the social
+sciences as exact ones."</p>
+
+<p>He looked around the room and added, deliberately, "In view of the
+condition of the world, I do not have a great deal of respect for the
+product of your efforts."</p>
+
+<p>There was an uncomfortable stirring throughout the audience.</p>
+
+<p>Clifford Jackson said unhappily, "We do what we must do, doctor. We do
+what we can."</p>
+
+<p>Smythe eyed him. He said, "Some years ago I was impressed by a paragraph
+by a British writer named Huxley. So impressed that I copied it and have
+carried it with me. I'll read it now."</p>
+
+<p>The heavy-set doctor took out his wallet, fumbled in it for a moment and
+finally brought forth an aged, many times folded, piece of yellowed
+paper.</p>
+
+<p>He cleared his throat, then read:</p>
+
+<p>"<i>To the question</i> quis custodiet custodes?&mdash;<i>who will mount guard over
+our guardians, who will engineer the engineers?&mdash;the answer is a bland
+denial that they need any supervision. There seems to be a touching
+belief among certain Ph.Ds in sociology that Ph.Ds in sociology will
+never be corrupted by power. Like Sir Galahad's, their strength is the
+strength of ten because their heart is pure&mdash;and their heart is pure
+because they are scientists and have taken six thousand hours of social
+studies. Alas, high education is not necessarily a guarantee of higher
+virtue, or higher political wisdom.</i>"</p>
+
+<p>The doctor finished and returned to his seat, his face still
+uncompromising.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>Homer Crawford chuckled ruefully. "The point is well taken, I suppose.
+However, so was the one expressed by Mr. Jackson. We do what we must,
+and what we can." His eyes went over the assembly. "Is there any other
+group from which we haven't heard?"</p>
+
+<p>When there was silence, he added, "No group from the Soviet Complex?"</p>
+
+<p>Ostrander, the C.I.A. operative, snorted. "Do you think they would admit
+it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Or from the Arab Union?" Crawford pursued. "Whether or not the Soviet
+Complex has agents in this part of Africa, we know that the Arab Union,
+backed by Islam everywhere, has. Frankly, we of the African Development
+Project seldom see eye to eye with them which results in considerable
+discussion at Reunited Nations meetings."</p>
+
+<p>There was continued silence.</p>
+
+<p>Elmer Allen came to his feet and looked at Ostrander, his face surly. "I
+am not an advocate of what the Soviets are currently calling communism,
+however, I think a point should be made here."</p>
+
+<p>Ostrander stared back at him unblinkingly.</p>
+
+<p>Allen snorted, "I know what you're thinking. When I was a student I
+signed a few peace petitions, that sort of thing. How&mdash;or why they
+bothered&mdash;the C.I.A. got hold of that information, I don't know, but as
+a Jamaican I am a bit ashamed of Her Majesty's Government. But all this
+is beside the point."</p>
+
+<p>"What is your point, Elmer?" Crawford said. "You speak, of course, as an
+individual not as an employee of the Reunited Nations nor even as a
+member of my team."</p>
+
+<p>"Our team," Elmer Allen reminded him. He frowned at his chief, as though
+surprised at Crawford's stand. But then he looked back at the rest. "I
+don't like the fact that the C.I.A. is present at all. I grow
+increasingly weary of the righteousness of the prying for what it calls
+subversion. The latest definition of subversive seems to be any chap who
+doesn't vote either Republican or Democrat in the States, or
+Conservative in England."</p>
+
+<p>Ostrander grunted scorn.</p>
+
+<p>Allen looked at him again. "So far as this job is concerned&mdash;and by the
+looks of things, most of us will be kept busy at it for the rest of our
+lives&mdash;I am not particularly favorable to the position of either side in
+this never-warming cold war between you and the Soviet Complex. I have
+suspected for some time that neither of you actually want an ending of
+it. For different reasons, possibly. So far as the States are concerned,
+I suspect an end of your fantastic military budgets would mean a
+collapse of your economy. So far as the Soviets are concerned, I suspect
+they use the continual <i>threat</i> of attack by the West to keep up their
+military and police powers and suppress the freedom of their people.
+Wasn't it an old adage of the Romans that if you feared trouble at home,
+stir up war abroad? At any rate, I'd like to have it on the record that
+I protest the Cold War being dragged into our work in Africa&mdash;by either
+side."</p>
+
+<p>"All right, Elmer," Crawford said, "you're on record. Is that all?"</p>
+
+<p>"That's all," Elmer Allen said. He sat down abruptly.</p>
+
+<p>"Any comment, Mr. Ostrander?" Crawford said.</p>
+
+<p>Ostrander grunted, "Fuzzy thinking." Didn't bother with anything more.</p>
+
+<p>The chairman looked out over the hall. "Any further discussion, any
+motions?" He smiled and added, "Anything&mdash;period?"</p>
+
+<p>Finally Jake Armstrong came to his feet. He said, "I don't agree with
+everything Mr. Allen just said; however, there was one item where I'll
+follow along. The fact that most of us will be busy at this job for the
+rest of our lives&mdash;if we stick. With this in mind, the fact that we have
+lots of time, I make the following proposal. This meeting was called to
+see if there was any prospect of we field workers co-operating on a
+field worker's level, if we could in any way help each other, avoid
+duplication of effort, that sort of thing. I suggest now that this
+meeting be adjourned and that all of us think it over and discuss it
+with the other teams, the other field workers in our respective
+organizations. I propose further that another meeting be held within the
+year and that meanwhile Mr. Crawford be elected chairman of the group
+until the next gathering, and that Miss Cunningham be elected secretary.
+We can all correspond with Mr. Crawford, until the time of the next
+meeting, giving him such suggestions as might come to us. When he sees
+fit to call the next meeting, undoubtedly he will have some concrete
+proposals to put before us."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel said, <i>sotto voce</i>, "Secretaries invariably do all the work, why
+is it that men always nominate a woman for the job?"</p>
+
+<p>Jake grinned at her, "I'll never tell." He sat down.</p>
+
+<p>"I'll make that a motion," Rex Donaldson clipped out.</p>
+
+<p>"Second," someone else called.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford said, "All in favor?"</p>
+
+<p>Those in favor predominated considerably.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>They broke up into small groups for a time, debating it out, and then
+most left for various places for lunch.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford, separated from the other members of his team, in the
+animated discussions that went on about him, finally left the
+fascinating subject of what had happened to the Cuban group in Sudan,
+and who had done it, and went looking for his own lunch.</p>
+
+<p>He strolled down the sand-blown street in the general direction of the
+smaller market, in the center of Timbuktu, passing the aged, wind
+corroded house which had once sheltered Major Alexander Gordon Laing,
+first white man to reach the forbidden city in the year 1826. Laing
+remained only three days before being murdered by the Tuareg who
+controlled the town at that time. There was a plaque on the door
+revealing those basic facts. Crawford had read elsewhere that the city
+was not captured until 1893 by a Major Joffre, later to become a Marshal
+of France and a prominent Allied leader in the First World War.</p>
+
+<p>By chance he met Isobel in front of the large community butcher shop,
+still operated in the old tradition by the local Gabibi and Fulbe,
+formerly Songhoi serfs. He knew of a Syrian operated restaurant nearby,
+and since she hadn't eaten either they made their way there.</p>
+
+<p>The menu was limited largely to local products. Timbuktu was still
+remote enough to make transportation of frozen foodstuffs exorbitant.
+While they looked at the bill of fare he told her a story about his
+first trip to the city some years ago while he was still a student.</p>
+
+<p>He had visited the local American missionary and had dinner with the
+family in their home. They had canned plums for desert and Homer had
+politely commented upon their quality. The missionary had said that they
+should be good, he estimated the quart jar to be worth something like
+one hundred dollars. It seems that some kindly old lady in Iowa,
+figuring that missionaries in such places as Timbuktu must be in dire
+need of her State Fair prize winning canned plums, shipped off a box of
+twelve quarts to missionary headquarters in New York. At that time,
+France still owned French Sudan, so it was necessary for the plums to be
+sent to Paris, and thence, eventually to Dakar. At Dakar they were
+shipped through Senegal to Bamako by narrow gauge railroad which ran
+periodically. In Bamako they had to wait for an end to the rainy season
+so roads would be passable. By this time, a few of the jars had
+fermented and blown up, and a few others had been pilfered. When the
+roads were dry enough, a desert freight truck took the plums to Mopti,
+on the Niger River where they waited again until the river was high
+enough that a tug pulling barges could navigate, by slow stages, down to
+Kabara. By this time, one or two jars had been broken by inexpert
+handling and more pilfered. In Kabara they were packed onto a camel and
+taken to Timbuktu and delivered to the missionary. Total time elapsed
+since leaving Iowa? Two years. Total number of jars that got through?
+One.</p>
+
+<p>Isobel looked at Homer Crawford when he finished the story, and laughed.
+"Why in the world didn't that missionary society refuse the old lady's
+gift?"</p>
+
+<p>He laughed in return and shrugged. "They couldn't. She might get into a
+huff and not mention them in her will. Missionary societies can't afford
+to discourage gifts."</p>
+
+<p>She made her selection from the menu, and told the waiter in French, and
+then settled back. She resumed the conversation. "The cost of
+maintaining a missionary in this sort of country must have been
+fantastic."</p>
+
+<p>"Um-m-m," Crawford growled. "I sometimes wonder how many millions upon
+millions of dollars, pounds and francs have been plowed into this
+continent on such projects. This particular missionary wasn't a medical
+man and didn't even run a school and in the six years he was here didn't
+make a single convert."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel said, "Which brings us to our own pet projects. Homer&mdash;I can call
+you Homer, I suppose, being your brand new secretary...."</p>
+
+<p>He grinned at her. "I'll make that concession."</p>
+
+<p>"... What's your own dream?"</p>
+
+<p>He broke some bread, automatically doing it with his left hand, as
+prescribed in the Koran. They both noticed it, and both laughed.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm conditioned," he said.</p>
+
+<p>"Me, too," Isobel admitted. "It's all I can do to use a knife and fork."</p>
+
+<p>He went back to her question, scowling. "My dream? I don't know. Right
+now I feel a little depressed about it all. When Elmer Allen spoke about
+spending the rest of our lives on this job, I suddenly realized that was
+about it. And, you know"&mdash;he looked up at her&mdash;"I don't particularly
+like Africa. I'm an American."</p>
+
+<p>She looked at him oddly. "Then why stay here?"</p>
+
+<p>"Because there's so much that needs to be done."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, you're right and what Cliff Jackson said to the doctor was
+correct, too. We all do what we must do and what we can do."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, that brings us back to your question. What is my own dream? I'm
+afraid I'm too far along in life to acquire new ones, and my basic dream
+is an American one."</p>
+
+<p>"And that is&mdash;?" Isobel prompted.</p>
+
+<p>He shrugged again, slightly uncomfortable under the scrutiny of this
+pretty girl. "I'm a sociologist, Isobel. I suppose I seek Utopia."</p>
+
+<p>She frowned at him as though disappointed. "Is Utopia possible?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, but there is always the search for it. It's a goal that recedes as
+you approach, which is as it should be. Heaven help mankind if we ever
+achieve it; we'll be through because there will be no place to go, and
+man needs to strive."</p>
+
+<p>They had finished their soup and the entree had arrived. Isobel picked
+at it, her ordinarily smooth forehead wrinkled. "The way I see it,
+Utopia is not heaven. Heaven is perfect, but Utopia is an engineering
+optimum, the best-possible-human-techniques. Therefore we will not have
+<i>perfect</i> justice in Utopia, nor will <i>everyone</i> get the exactly proper
+treatment. We design for optimum&mdash;not perfection. But granting this,
+then attainment is possible."</p>
+
+<p>She took a bite of the food before going on thoughtfully. "In fact, I
+wonder if, during man's history, he hasn't obtained his Utopias from
+time to time. Have you ever heard the adage that any form of government
+works fine and produces a Utopia provided it is managed by wise,
+benevolent and competent rulers?" She laughed and said mischievously,
+"Both Heaven and Hell are traditionally absolute monarchies&mdash;despotisms.
+The form of government evidently makes no difference, it's who runs it
+that determines."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford was shaking his head. "I've heard the adage but I don't accept
+it. Under certain socio-economic conditions the best of men, and the
+wisest, could do little if they had the wrong form of government.
+Suppose, for instance, you had a government which was a
+military-theocracy which is more or less what existed in Mexico at the
+time of the Cortez conquest. Can you imagine such a government working
+efficiently if the socio-economic system had progressed to the point
+where there were no longer wars and where practically everyone were
+atheists, or, at least, agnostics?"</p>
+
+<p>She had to laugh at his ludicrous example. "That's a rather silly
+situation, isn't it? Such wise, benevolent men, would change the
+governmental system."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford pushed his point. "Not necessarily. Here's a better example.
+Immediately following the American Revolution, some of the best, wisest
+and most competent men the political world has ever seen were at the
+head of the government of Virginia. Such men as Jefferson, Madison,
+Monroe, Washington. Their society was based on chattel slavery and they
+built a Utopia <i>for themselves</i> but certainly not for the slaves who
+out-numbered them. Not that they weren't kindly and good men. A man of
+Jefferson's caliber, I am sure, would have done anything in the world
+for those darkies of his&mdash;except get off their backs. Except to grant
+them the liberty and the right to pursue happiness that he demanded for
+himself. He was blinded by self interest, and the interests of his
+class."</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps they didn't want liberty," Isobel mused. "Slavery isn't
+necessarily an unhappy life."</p>
+
+<p>"I never thought it was. And I'm the first to admit that at a certain
+stage in the evolution of society, it was absolutely necessary. If
+society was to progress, then there had to be a class that was freed
+from daily drudgery of the type forced on primitive man if he was to
+survive. They needed the leisure time to study, to develop, to invent.
+With the products of their studies, they were able to advance all
+society. However, so long as slavery is maintained, be it necessary or
+not, you have no Utopia. There is no Utopia so long as one man denies
+another his liberty be it under chattel slavery, feudalism, or
+whatever."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel said dryly, "I see why you say your Utopia will never be reached,
+that it continually recedes."</p>
+
+<p>He laughed, ruefully. "Don't misunderstand. I think that particular goal
+can and will be reached. My point was that by the time we reach it,
+there will be a new goal."</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>The girl, finished with her main dish, sat back in her chair, and looked
+at him from the side of her eyes, as though wondering whether or not he
+could take what she was about to say in the right way. She said, slowly,
+"You know, with possibly a few exceptions, you can't enslave a man if he
+doesn't want to be a slave. For instance, the white man was never able
+to enslave the Amerind; he died before he would become a slave. The
+majority of Jefferson's slaves <i>wanted to be slaves</i>. If there were
+those among them that had the ability to revolt against slave
+psychology, a Jefferson would quickly promote such. A valuable human
+being will be treated in a manner proportionate to his value. A wise,
+competent, trustworthy slave became the major domo of the master's
+estate&mdash;with privileges and authority actually greater than that of free
+employees of the master."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford thought about that for a moment. "I'll take that," he said.
+"What's the point you're trying to make?"</p>
+
+<p>"I, too, was set a-thinking by some of the things said at the meeting,
+Homer. In particular, what Dr. Smythe had to say. Homer, are we sure
+these people <i>want</i> the things we are trying to give them?"</p>
+
+<p>He looked at her uncomfortably. "No they don't," he said bluntly.
+"Otherwise we wouldn't be here, either your AFAA or my African
+Development Project. We utilize persuasion, skullduggery, and even force
+to subvert their institutions, to destroy their present culture. Yes.
+I've known this a long time."</p>
+
+<p>"Then how do you justify your being here?"</p>
+
+<p>He grinned sourly. "Let's put it this way. Take the new government in
+Egypt. They send the army into some of the small back-country towns with
+bayoneted rifles, and orders to use them if necessary. The villagers are
+forced to poison their ancient village wells&mdash;one of the highest of
+imaginable crimes in such country, imposed on them ruthlessly. Then they
+are forced to dig new ones in new places that are not intimately
+entangled with their own sewage drainage. Naturally they hate the
+government. In other towns, the army has gone in and, at gun point,
+forced the parents to give up their children, taken the children away
+in trucks and 'imprisoned' them in schools. Look, back in the States
+we have trouble with the Amish, who don't want their children to
+be taught modern ways. What sort of reaction do you think the
+tradition-ritual-tabu-tribesmen of the six thousand year old Egyptian
+culture have to having modern education imposed on their children?"</p>
+
+<p>Isobel was frowning at him.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford wound it up. "That's the position we're in. That's what we're
+doing. Giving them things they need, in spite of the fact they don't
+want them."</p>
+
+<p>"But <i>why</i>?"</p>
+
+<p>He said, "You know the answer to that as well as I do. It's like giving
+medical care to Typhoid Mary, in spite of the fact that she didn't want
+it and didn't believe such things as typhoid microbes existed. We had to
+protect the community against her. In the world today, such backward
+areas as Africa are potential volcanoes. We've got to deal with them
+before they erupt."</p>
+
+<p>The waiter came with the bill and Homer took it.</p>
+
+<p>Isobel said, "Let's go Dutch on that."</p>
+
+<p>He grinned at her. "Consider it a donation to the AFAA."</p>
+
+<p>Out on the street again, they walked slowly in the direction of the old
+administration buildings where both had left their means of
+transportation.</p>
+
+<p>Isobel, who was frowning thoughtfully, evidently over the things that
+had been said, said, "Let's go this way. I'd like to see the old Great
+Mosque, in the Dyingerey Ber section of town. It's always fascinated
+me."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said, looking at her and appreciating her attractiveness, all
+over again, "You know Timbuktu quite well, don't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"I've just finished a job down in Kabara, and it's only a few miles
+away."</p>
+
+<p>"Just what sort of thing do you do?"</p>
+
+<p>She shrugged and made a moue. "Our little team concentrates on breaking
+down the traditional position of women in these cultures. To get them to
+drop the veil, go to school. That sort of thing. It's a long story
+and&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford suddenly and violently pushed her to the side and to the
+ground and at the same time dropped himself and rolled frantically to
+the shelter of an adobe wall which had once been part of a house but now
+was little more than waist high.</p>
+
+<p>"Down!" he yelled at her.</p>
+
+<p>She bug-eyed him as though he had gone suddenly mad.</p>
+
+<p>There was a heavy, stub-nosed gun suddenly in his hand. He squirmed
+forward on elbows and belly, until he reached the corner.</p>
+
+<p>"What's the matter?" she blurted.</p>
+
+<p>He said grimly, "See those three holes in the wall above you?"</p>
+
+<p>She looked up, startled.</p>
+
+<p>He said, grimly, "They weren't there a moment ago."</p>
+
+<p>What he was saying, dawned upon her. "But ... but I heard no shots."</p>
+
+<p>He cautiously peered around the wall, and was rewarded with a puff of
+sand inches from his face. He pulled his head back and his lips thinned
+over his teeth. He said to her, "Efficiently silenced guns have been
+around for quite a spell. Whoever that is, is up there in the mosque.
+Listen, beat your way around by the back streets and see if you can find
+the members of my team, especially Abe Baker or Bey-ag-Akhamouk. Tell
+them what happened and that I think I've got the guy pinned down. That
+mosque is too much out in the open for him to get away without my seeing
+him."</p>
+
+<p>"But ... but who in the world would want to shoot you, Homer?"</p>
+
+<p>"Search me," he growled. "My team has never operated in this immediate
+area."</p>
+
+<p>"But then, it must be someone who was at the meeting."</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="VI" id="VI"></a>VI</h2>
+
+
+<p>"That is was," Homer said grimly. "Now, go see if you can find my lads,
+will you? This joker is going to fall right into our laps. It's going to
+be interesting to find out who hates the idea of African development so
+much that they're willing to commit assassination."</p>
+
+<p>But it didn't work out that way.</p>
+
+<p>Isobel found the other teammates one by one, and they came hurrying up
+from different directions to the support of their chief. They had been a
+team for years and operating as they did and where they did, each man
+survived only by selfless co-operation with all the others. In action,
+they operated like a single unit, their ability to co-operate almost as
+though they had telepathic communication.</p>
+
+<p>From where he lay, Homer Crawford could see Bey-ag-Akhamouk,
+Tommy-Noiseless in hands, snake in from the left, running low and
+reaching a vantage point from which he could cover one flank of the
+ancient adobe mosque. Homer waved to him and Bey made motions to
+indicate that one of the others was coming in from the other side.</p>
+
+<p>Homer waited for a few more minutes, then waved to Bey to cover him. The
+streets were empty at this time of midday when the Sahara sun drove the
+town's occupants into the coolness of dark two-foot-thick walled houses.
+It was as though they were operating in a ghost town. Homer came to his
+feet and handgun in fist made a dash for the front entrance.</p>
+
+<p>Bey's light automatic <i>flic flic flicked</i> its excitement and dust and
+dirt enveloped the wall facing Crawford. Homer reached the doorway,
+stood there for a full two minutes while he caught his breath. From the
+side of his eye he could see Elmer Allen, his excellent teeth bared as
+always when the Jamaican went into action, come running up to the right
+in that half crouch men automatically go into in combat, instinctively
+presenting as small a target as possible. He was evidently heading for a
+side door or window.</p>
+
+<p>The object now was to refrain from killing the sniper. The important
+thing was to be able to question him. Perhaps here was the answer to the
+massacre of the Cubans. Homer took another deep breath, smashed the door
+open with a heavy shoulder and dashed inward and immediately to one
+side. At the same moment, Abe Baker, Tommy-Noiseless in hand, came in
+from the rear door, his eyes darting around trying to pierce the gloom
+of the unlighted building.</p>
+
+<p>Elmer Allen erupted through a window, rolled over on the floor and came
+to rest, his gun trained.</p>
+
+<p>"Where is he?" Abe snapped.</p>
+
+<p>Homer motioned with his head. "Must be up in the remains of the
+minaret."</p>
+
+<p>Abe got to the creaking, age-old stairway first. In cleaning out a
+hostile building, the idea is to move fast and keep on the move. Stop,
+and you present a target.</p>
+
+<p>But there was no one in the minaret.</p>
+
+<p>"Got away," Homer growled. His face was puzzled. "I felt sure we'd have
+him."</p>
+
+<p>Bey-ag-Akhamouk entered. He grunted his disappointment. "What happened,
+anyway? That girl Isobel said a sniper took some shots at you and you
+figure it must've been somebody at the meeting."</p>
+
+<p>"Somebody at the meeting?" Abe said blankly. "What kind of jazz is that?
+You flipping, man?"</p>
+
+<p>Homer looked at him strangely.</p>
+
+<p>"Who else could it be, Abe? We've never operated this far south. None of
+the inhabitants in this area even know us, and it certainly couldn't
+have been an attempt at robbery."</p>
+
+<p>"There were some cats at that meeting didn't appreciate our ideas, man,
+but I can't see that old preacher or Doc Smythe trying to put the slug
+on you."</p>
+
+<p>Kenny Ballalou came in on the double, gun in hand, his face anxious.</p>
+
+<p>Abe said sarcastically, "Man, we'd all be dead if we had to wait on
+you."</p>
+
+<p>"That girl Isobel. She said somebody took a shot at the chief."</p>
+
+<p>Homer explained it, sourly. A sniper had taken a few shots at him, then
+managed to get away.</p>
+
+<p>Isobel entered, breathless, followed by Jake Armstrong.</p>
+
+<p>Abe grunted, "Let's hold another convention. This is like old home town
+week."</p>
+
+<p>Her eyes went from one of them to the other. "You're not hurt?"</p>
+
+<p>"Nobody hurt, but the cat did all the shooting got away," Abe said
+unhappily.</p>
+
+<p>Jake said, and his voice was worried, "Isobel told me what happened. It
+sounds insane."</p>
+
+<p>They discussed it for a while and got exactly nowhere. Their
+conversation was interrupted by a clicking at Homer Crawford's wrist. He
+looked down at the tiny portable radio.</p>
+
+<p>"Excuse me for a moment," he said to the others and went off a dozen
+steps or so to the side.</p>
+
+<p>They looked after him.</p>
+
+<p>Elmer Allen said sourly, "Another assignment. What we need is a union."</p>
+
+<p>Abe adopted the idea. "Man! Time and a half for overtime."</p>
+
+<p>"With a special cost of living clause&mdash;" Kenny Ballalou added.</p>
+
+<p>"And housing and dependents allotment!" Abe crowed.</p>
+
+<p>They all looked at him.</p>
+
+<p>Bey tried to imitate the other's beatnik patter. "Like, you got any
+dependents, man?"</p>
+
+<p>Abe made a mark in the sand on the mosque's floor with the toe of his
+shoe, like a schoolboy up before the principal for an infraction of
+rules, and registered embarrassment. "Well, there's that cute little
+Tuareg girl up north."</p>
+
+<p>"Ha!" Isobel said. "And all these years you've been leading me on."</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford returned and his face was serious. "That does it," he
+muttered disgustedly. "The fat's in the fire."</p>
+
+<p>"Like, what's up, man?"</p>
+
+<p>Crawford looked at his right-hand man. "There are demonstrations in
+Mopti. Riots."</p>
+
+<p>"Mopti?" Jake Armstrong said, surprised. "Our team was working there
+just a couple of months ago. I thought everything was going fine in
+Mopti."</p>
+
+<p>"They're going fine, all right," Crawford growled. "So well, that the
+local populace wants to speed up even faster."</p>
+
+<p>They were all looking their puzzlement at him.</p>
+
+<p>"The demonstrations are in favor of El Hassan."</p>
+
+<p>Their faces turned blank. Crawford's eyes swept his teammates. "Our
+instructions are to get down there and do what we can to restore order.
+Come on, let's go. I'm going to have to see if I can arrange some
+transportation. It'd take us two days to get there in our outfits."</p>
+
+<p>Jake Armstrong said, "Wait a minute, Homer. My team was heading back for
+Dakar for a rest and new assignments. We'd be passing Mopti anyway. How
+many of you are there, five? If you don't haul too much luggage with
+you; we could give you a lift."</p>
+
+<p>"Great," Homer told him. "We'll take you up on that. Abe, Elmer, let's
+get going. We'll have to repack. Bey, Kenny, see about finding some
+place we can leave the lorries until we come back. This job shouldn't
+take more than a few days at most."</p>
+
+<p>"Huh," Abe said. "I hope you got plans, man. How do you go about
+stopping demonstrations in favor of a legend you created yourself?"</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>Mopti, also on the Niger, lies approximately three hundred kilometers to
+the south and slightly west of Timbuktu, as the bird flies. However, one
+does not travel as the bird flies in the Niger bend. Not even when one
+goes by aircraft. A forced landing in the endless swamps, bogs, shallow
+lakes and river tributaries which make up the Niger at this point, would
+be suicidal. The whole area is more like the Florida Everglades than a
+river, and a rescue team would be hard put to find your wreckage. There
+are no roads, no railroads. Traffic follows the well marked navigational
+route of the main channel.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford had been sitting quietly next to Cliff Jackson who was
+piloting. Isobel and Jake Armstrong were immediately behind them and Abe
+and the rest of Crawford's team took up the remainder of the aircraft's
+eight seats. Abe was regaling the others with his customary chaff.</p>
+
+<p>Out of a clear sky, Crawford said bitterly, "Has it occurred to any of
+you that what we're doing here in North Africa is committing genocide?"</p>
+
+<p>The others stared at him, taken aback. Isobel said, "I beg your pardon?"</p>
+
+<p>"Genocide," Crawford said bitterly. "We're doing here much what the
+white men did when they cleared the Amerinds from the plains, the
+mountains and forests of North America."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel, Cliff and Jake frowned their puzzlement. Abe said, "Man, you
+just don't make sense. And, among other things, there're more Indians in
+the United States than there was when Columbus landed."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford shook his head. "No. They're a different people. Those cultures
+that inhabited the United States when the first white men came, are
+gone." He shook his head as though soured by his thoughts. "Take the
+Sioux. They had a way of life based on the buffalo. So the whites
+deliberately exterminated the buffalo. It made the plains Indians'
+culture impossible. A culture based on buffalo herds cannot exist if
+there are no buffalo."</p>
+
+<p>"I keep telling you, man, there's more Sioux now than there were then."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford still shook his head. "But they're a different people, a
+different race, a different culture. A mere fraction, say ten per cent,
+of the original Sioux, might have adapted to the new life. The others
+beat their heads out against the new ways. They fought&mdash;the Sitting Bull
+wars took place after the buffalo were already gone&mdash;they drank
+themselves to death on the white man's firewater, they committed
+suicide; in a dozen different ways they called it quits. Those that
+survived, the ten per cent, were the exceptions. They were able to
+adapt. They had a built-in genetically-conferred self discipline enough
+to face the new problems. Possibly eighty per cent of their children
+couldn't face the new problems either and they in turn went under. But
+by now, a hundred years later, the majority of the Sioux nation have
+probably adapted. But, you see, the point I'm trying to make? They're
+not the <i>real</i> Sioux, the original Sioux; they're a new breed. The
+plains living, buffalo based culture, Sioux are all dead. The white men
+killed them."</p>
+
+<p>Jake Armstrong was scowling. "I get your point, but what has it to do
+with our work here in North Africa?"</p>
+
+<p>"We're doing the same thing to the Tuareg, the Teda and the Chaambra,
+and most of the others in the area in which we operate. The type of
+human psychology that's based on the nomad life can't endure settled
+community living. Wipe out the nomad way of life and these human beings
+must die."</p>
+
+<p>Abe said, unusually thoughtful, "I see what you mean, man. <i>Fish gotta
+swim, bird gotta fly</i>&mdash;and nomad gotta roam. He flips if he doesn't."</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford pursued it. "Sure, there'll be Tuareg afterward ... but
+all descended from the fraction of deviant Tuareg who were so
+abnormal&mdash;speaking from the Tuareg viewpoint&mdash;that they liked settled
+community life." He rubbed a hand along his jawbone, unhappily. "Put it
+this way. Think of them as a tribe of genetic claustrophobes. No matter
+what a claustrophobe promises, he can't work in a mine. He has no choice
+but to break his promise and escape ... or kill himself trying."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel was staring at him. "What you say, is disturbing, Homer. I didn't
+come to Africa to destroy a people."</p>
+
+<p>He looked back at her, oddly. "None of us did."</p>
+
+<p>Cliff said from behind the aircraft's controls, "If you believe what
+you're saying, how do you justify being here yourself?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know," Crawford said unhappily. "I don't know what started me
+on this kick, but I seem to have been doing more inner searching this
+past week or so than I have in the past couple of decades. And I don't
+seem to come up with much in the way of answers."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, man," Abe said. "If you find any, let us know."</p>
+
+<p>Jake said, his voice warm, "Look Homer, don't beat yourself about this.
+What you say figures, but you've got to take it from this angle. The
+plains Indians had to go. The world is developing too fast for a few
+thousand people to tie up millions of acres of some of the most fertile
+farm land anywhere, because they needed it for their game&mdash;the
+buffalo&mdash;to run on."</p>
+
+<p>"Um-m-m," Homer said, his voice lacking conviction.</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe it's unfortunate the <i>way</i> it was done. The story of the
+American's dealing with the Amerind isn't a pretty one, and usually
+comfortably ignored when we pat ourselves on the back these days and
+tell ourselves what a noble, honest, generous and peace loving people we
+are. But it did have to be done, and the job we're doing in North Africa
+has to be done, too."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said softly, "And sometimes it isn't very pretty either."</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>Mopti as a town had grown. Once a small river port city of about five
+thousand population, it had been a river and caravan crossroads somewhat
+similar to Timbuktu, and noted in particular for its spice market and
+its Great Mosque, probably the largest building of worship ever made of
+mud. Plastered newly at least twice a year with fresh adobe, at a
+distance of only a few hundred feet the Great Mosque, in the middle of
+the day and in the glare of the Sudanese sun, looks as though made of
+gold. From the air it is more attractive than the grandest Gothic
+cathedrals of Europe.</p>
+
+<p>Isobel pointed. "There, the Great Mosque."</p>
+
+<p>Elmer Allen said, "Yes, and there. See those mobs?" He looked at Homer
+Crawford and said sourly, "Let's try and remember who it was who first
+thought of the El Hassan idea. Then we can blame it on him."</p>
+
+<p>Kenny Ballalou grumbled, "We all thought about it. Remember, we pulled
+into Tessalit and found that prehistoric refrigerator that worked on
+kerosene and there were a couple of dozen quarts of Norwegian beer, of
+all things, in it."</p>
+
+<p>"And we bought them all," Abe recalled happily. "Man, we hung one on."</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford said to Cliff, "The Mopti airport is about twelve miles
+over to the east of the town."</p>
+
+<p>"Yeah, I know. Been here before," Cliff said. He called back to
+Ballalou, "And then what happened?"</p>
+
+<p>"We took the beer out into the desert and sat on a big dune. You can
+just begin to see the Southern Cross from there. Hangs right on the
+horizon. Beautiful."</p>
+
+<p>Bey said, "I've never heard Kenny wax poetic before. I don't know which
+sounds more lyrical, though, that cold beer or the Southern Cross."</p>
+
+<p>Kenny said, "Anyway, that's when El Hassan was dreamed up. We kicked the
+idea around until the beer was all gone. And when we awoke in the
+morning, complete with hangover, we had the gimmick which we hung all
+our propaganda on."</p>
+
+<p>"El Hassan is turning out to be a hangover all right," Elmer Allen
+grunted, choosing to misinterpret his teammate's words. He peered down
+below. "And there the poor blokes are, rioting in favor of the product
+of those beer bottles."</p>
+
+<p>"It was crazy beer, man," Abe protested. "Real crazy."</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford said, "I wish headquarters had more information to give
+us on this. All they said was there were demonstrations in favor of El
+Hassan and they were afraid if things went too far that some of the hard
+work that's been done here the past ten years might dissolve in the
+excitement; Dogon, Mosse, Tellum, Sonrai start fighting among each
+other."</p>
+
+<p>Jake Armstrong said, "That's not my big worry. I'm afraid some ambitious
+lad will come along and supply what these people evidently want."</p>
+
+<p>"How's that?" Cliff said.</p>
+
+<p>"They want a leader. Someone to come out of the wilderness and lead them
+to the promised land." The older man grumbled sourly. "All your life you
+figure you're in favor of democracy. You devote your career to expanding
+it. Then you come to a place like North Africa. You're just kidding
+yourself. Democracy is meaningless here. They haven't got to the point
+where they can conceive of it."</p>
+
+<p>"And&mdash;" Elmer Allen prodded.</p>
+
+<p>Jake Armstrong shrugged. "When it comes to governments and social
+institutions people usually come up with what they want, sooner or
+later. If those mobs down there want a leader, they'll probably wind up
+with one." He grunted deprecation. "And then probably we'll be able to
+say, Heaven help them."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel puckered her lips. "A leader isn't necessarily a misleader,
+Jake."</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps not necessarily," he said. "However, it's an indication of how
+far back these people are, how much work we've still got to do, when
+that's what they're seeking."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I'm landing," Cliff said. "The airport looks free of any kind of
+manifestations."</p>
+
+<p>"That's a good word," Abe said. "Manifestations. Like, I'll have to
+remember that one. Man's been to school and all that jazz."</p>
+
+<p>Cliff grinned at him. "Where'd you like to get socked, beatnik?"</p>
+
+<p>"About two feet above my head," Abe said earnestly.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>The aircraft had hardly come to a halt before Homer Crawford clipped
+out, "All right, boys, time's a wasting. Bey, you and Kenny get over to
+those administration buildings and scare us up some transportation. Use
+no more pressure than you have to. Abe, you and Elmer start getting our
+equipment out of the luggage&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Jake Armstrong said suddenly, "Look here, Homer, do you need any help?"</p>
+
+<p>Crawford looked at him questioningly.</p>
+
+<p>Jake said, "Isobel, Cliff, what do you think?"</p>
+
+<p>Isobel said quickly, "I'm game. I don't know what they'll say back at
+AFAA headquarters, though. Our co-operating with a Sahara Development
+Project team."</p>
+
+<p>Cliff scowled. "I don't know. Frankly, I took this job purely for the
+dough, and as outlined it didn't include getting roughed up in some riot
+that doesn't actually concern the job."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, come along, Cliff," Isobel urged. "It'll give you some experience
+you don't know when you'll be able to use."</p>
+
+<p>He shrugged his acceptance, grudgingly.</p>
+
+<p>Jake Armstrong looked back at Homer Crawford. "If you need us, we're
+available."</p>
+
+<p>"Thanks," Crawford said briefly, and turned off the unhappy stare he'd
+been giving Cliff. "We can use all the manpower we can get. You people
+ever worked with mobs before?"</p>
+
+<p>Bey and Kenny climbed from the plane and made their way at a trot toward
+the airport's administration buildings. Abe and Elmer climbed out, too,
+and opened the baggage compartment in the rear of the aircraft.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, no," Jake Armstrong said.</p>
+
+<p>"It's quite a technique. Mostly you have to play it by ear, because
+nothing is so changeable as the temper of a mob. Always keep in mind
+that to begin with, at least, only a small fraction of the crowd is
+really involved in what's going on. Possibly only one out of ten is
+interested in the issue. The rest start off, at least, as idle
+observers, watching the fun. That's one of the first things you've got
+to control. Don't let the innocent bystanders become excited and get
+into the spirit of it all. Once they do, then you've got a mess on your
+hands."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel, Jake and Cliff listened to him in fascination.</p>
+
+<p>Cliff said uncomfortably, "Well, what do we do to get the whole thing
+back to tranquillity? What I mean is, how do we end these
+demonstrations?"</p>
+
+<p>"We bore them to tears," Homer growled.</p>
+
+<p>They looked at him blankly.</p>
+
+<p>"We assume leadership of the whole thing and put up speakers."</p>
+
+<p>Jake protested, "You sound as though you're sustaining not placating
+it."</p>
+
+<p>"We put up speakers and they speak and speak, and speak. It's almost
+like a fillibuster. You don't say anything particularly interesting, and
+certainly nothing exciting. You agree with the basic feeling of the
+demonstrating mob, certainly you say nothing to antagonize them. In this
+case we speak in favor of El Hassan and his great, and noble, and
+inspiring, and so on and so forth, teachings. We speak in not too loud a
+voice, so that those in the rear have a hard time hearing, if they can
+hear at all."</p>
+
+<p>Cliff said worriedly, "Suppose some of the hotheads get tired of this
+and try to take over?"</p>
+
+<p>Homer said evenly, "We have a couple of bully boys in the crowd to take
+care of them."</p>
+
+<p>Jake twisted his mouth, in objection. "Might that not strike the spark
+that would start up violence?"</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford grinned and began climbing out of the plane. "Not with
+the weapons we use."</p>
+
+<p>"Weapons!" Isobel snapped. "Do you intend to use weapons on those poor
+people? Why, it was you yourself, you and your team, who started this
+whole El Hassan movement. I'm shocked. I've heard about your reputation,
+you and the Sahara Development Project teams. Your ruthlessness&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Crawford chuckled ruefully and held up a hand to stem the tide. "Hold
+it, hold it," he said. "These are special weapons, and, after all, we've
+got to keep those crowds together long enough to bore them to the point
+where they go home."</p>
+
+<p>Abe came up with an armful of what looked something like tent-poles.
+"The quarterstaffs, eh, Homer?"</p>
+
+<p>"Um-m-m," Crawford said. "Under the circumstances."</p>
+
+<p>"Quarterstaffs?" Cliff Jackson ejaculated.</p>
+
+<p>Abe grinned at him. "Man, just call them pilgrim's staffs. The least
+obnoxious looking weapon in the world." He looked at Cliff and Jake.
+"You two cats been checked out on quarterstaffs?"</p>
+
+<p>Jake said, "The more I talk to you people, the less I seem to understand
+what's going on. Aren't quarterstaffs what, well, Robin Hood and his
+Merry Men used to fight with?"</p>
+
+<p>"That's right," Homer said. He took one from Abe and grasping it
+expertly with two hands whirled it about, getting its balance. Then
+suddenly, he drooped, leaning on it as a staff. His face expressed
+weariness. His youth and virility seemed to drop away and suddenly he
+was an aged religious pilgrim as seen throughout the Moslem world.</p>
+
+<p>"I'll be damned," Cliff blurted. "Oop, sorry Isobel."</p>
+
+<p>"I'll be damned, too," Isobel said. "What in the world can you do with
+that, Homer? I was thinking in terms of you mowing those people down
+with machine guns or something."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford stood erect again laughingly, and demonstrated. "It's probably
+the most efficient handweapon ever devised. The weapon of the British
+yeoman. With one of these you can disarm a swordsman in a matter of
+seconds. A good man with a quarterstaff can unhorse a knight in armor
+and batter him to death, in a minute or so. The only other handweapon
+capable of countering it is another quarterstaff. Watch this, with the
+favorable two-hand leverage the ends of the staff can be made to move at
+invisibly high speeds."</p>
+
+<p>Bey and Kenny drove up in an aged wheeled truck and Abe and Elmer began
+loading equipment.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford looked at Bey who said apologetically, "I had to liberate it.
+Didn't have time for all the dickering the guy wanted to go through."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford grunted and looked at Isobel. "Those European clothes won't do.
+We've got some spare things along. You can improvise. Men and women's
+clothes don't differ that much around here."</p>
+
+<p>"I'll make out all right," Isobel said. "I can change in the plane."</p>
+
+<p>"Hey, Isobel," Abe called out. "Why not dress up like one of these Dogon
+babes?"</p>
+
+<p>"Some chance," Isobel hissed menacingly at him. "A strip tease you want,
+yet. You'll see me in a haik and like it, wise guy."</p>
+
+<p>"Shucks," Abe grinned.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford looked critically at the clothing of Jake and Cliff. "I suppose
+you'll do in western stuff," he said. "After all, this El Hassan is
+supposed to be the voice of the future. A lot of his potential followers
+will already be wearing shirts and pants. Don't look <i>too</i> civilized,
+though."</p>
+
+<p>When Isobel returned, Crawford briefed his seven followers. They were to
+operate in teams of two. One of his men, complete with quarterstaff
+would accompany each of the others. Abe with Jake, Bey with Cliff, and
+he'd be with Isobel. Elmer and Kenny would be the other twosome, and,
+both armed with quarterstaffs would be troubleshooters.</p>
+
+<p>"We're playing it off the cuff," he said. "Do what comes naturally to
+get this thing under control. If you run into each other, co-operate, of
+course. If there's trouble, use your wrist radios." He looked at Abe and
+Bey. "I know you two are packing guns underneath those <i>gandouras</i>. I
+hope you know enough not to use them."</p>
+
+<p>Abe and Bey looked innocent.</p>
+
+<p>Homer turned and led the way into the truck. "O.K., let's get going."</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="VII" id="VII"></a>VII</h2>
+
+
+<p>Driving into town over the dusty, pocked road, Homer gave the newcomers
+to his group more background on the care and control of the genus <i>mob</i>.
+He was obviously speaking through considerable experience.</p>
+
+<p>"Using these quarterstaffs brings to mind some of the other supposedly
+innoxious devices used by police authorities in controlling unruly
+demonstrations," he said. "Some of them are beauties. For instance, I
+was in Tangier when the Moroccans put on their revolution against the
+French and for the return of the Sultan. The rumor went through town
+that the mob was going to storm the French Consulate the next day.
+During the night, the French brought in elements of the Foreign Legion
+and entrenched the consulate grounds. But their commander had another
+problem. Journalists were all over town and so were tourists. Tangier
+was still supposedly an international zone and the French were in no
+position to slaughter the citizens. So they brought in some special
+equipment. One item was a vehicle that looked quite a bit like a
+gasoline truck, but was filled with water and armored against thrown
+cobblestones and such. On the roof of the cabin was what looked
+something like a fifty caliber but which was actually a hose which shot
+water at terrific pressure. When the mob came, the French unlimbered
+this vehicle and all the journalists could say was that the mob was
+dispersed by squirting water on it, which doesn't sound too bad after
+all."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel said, "Well, certainly that's preferable to firing on them."</p>
+
+<p>Homer looked at her oddly. "Possibly. However, I was standing next to
+the Moorish boy who was cut entirely in half by the pressure spray of
+water."</p>
+
+<p>The expression on the girl's face sickened.</p>
+
+<p>Homer said, "They had another interesting device for dispersing mobs. It
+was a noise bomb. The French set off several."</p>
+
+<p>"A noise bomb?" Cliff said. "I don't get it."</p>
+
+<p>"They make a tremendous noise, but do nothing else. However, members of
+the mob who aren't really too interested in the whole thing&mdash;just sort
+of along for the fun&mdash;figure that things are getting earnest and that
+the troops are shelling them. So they remember some business they had
+elsewhere and take off."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel said suddenly, "You like this sort of work, don't you?"</p>
+
+<p>Elmer Allen grunted bitterly.</p>
+
+<p>"No," Homer Crawford said flatly. "I don't. But I like the goal."</p>
+
+<p>"And the end justifies the means?"</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford said slowly, "I've never answered that to my own
+satisfaction. But I'll say this. I've never met a person, no matter how
+idealistic, no matter how much he played lip service to the contention
+that the ends do not justify the means, who did not himself use the
+means he found available to reach the ends he believed correct. It seems
+to be a matter of each man feeling the teaching applies to everyone
+else, but that he is free to utilize any means to achieve his own noble
+ends."</p>
+
+<p>"Man, all that jazz is too much for me," Abe said.</p>
+
+<p>They were entering the outskirts of Mopti. Small groups of obviously
+excited Africans of various tribal groups, were heading for the center
+of town.</p>
+
+<p>"Abe, Jake," Crawford said. "We'll drop you here. Mingle around. We'll
+hold the big meeting in front of the Great Mosque in an hour or so."</p>
+
+<p>"Crazy," Abe said, dropping off the back of the truck which Kenny
+Ballalou, who was driving, brought almost to a complete stop. The older
+Jake followed him.</p>
+
+<p>The rest went on a quarter of a mile and dropped Bey and Cliff.</p>
+
+<p>Homer said to Kenny, "Park the truck somewhere near the spice market.
+Preferably inside some building, if you can. For all we know, they're
+already turning over vehicles and burning them."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford and Isobel dropped off near the pottery market, on the banks of
+the Niger. The milling throngs here were largely women. Elements of half
+a dozen tribes and races were represented.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford stood a moment. He ran a hand back over his short hair
+and looked at her. "I don't know," he muttered. "Now I'm sorry we
+brought you along." He leaned on his staff and looked at her worriedly.
+"You're not very ... ah, husky, are you?"</p>
+
+<p>She laughed at him. "Get about your business, sir knight. I spent nearly
+two weeks living with these people once. I know dozens of them by name.
+Watch this cat operate, as Abe would say."</p>
+
+<p>She darted to one of the over-turned pirogues which had been dragged up
+on the bank from the river, and climbed atop it. She held her hands high
+and began a stream of what was gibberish to Crawford who didn't
+understand Wolof, the Senegalese lingua franca. Some elements of the
+crowd began drifting in her direction. She spoke for a few moments, the
+only words the surprised Homer Crawford could make out were <i>El Hassan</i>.
+And she used them often.</p>
+
+<p>She switched suddenly to Arabic, and he could follow her now. The drift
+of her talk was that word had come through that El Hassan was to make a
+great announcement in the near future and that meanwhile all his people
+were to await his word. But that there was to be a great meeting before
+the Mosque within the hour.</p>
+
+<p>She switched again to Songhoi and repeated substantially what she'd said
+before. By now she had every woman hanging on her words.</p>
+
+<p>A man on the outskirts of the gathering called out in high irritation,
+"But what of the storming of the administration buildings? Our leaders
+have proclaimed the storming of the reactionaries!"</p>
+
+<p>Crawford, leaning heavily on the pilgrim staff, drifted over to the
+other. "Quiet, O young one," he said. "I wish to listen to the words of
+the girl who tells of the teachings of the great El Hassan."</p>
+
+<p>The other turned angrily on him. "Be silent thyself, old man!" He raised
+a hand as though to cuff the American.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford neatly rapped him on the right shin bone with his
+quarterstaff to the other's intense agony. The women who witnessed the
+brief spat dissolved in laughter at the plight of the younger man. Homer
+Crawford drifted away again before the heckler recovered.</p>
+
+<p>He let Isobel handle the bulk of the reverse-rabble rousing. His bit was
+to come later, and as yet he didn't want to reveal himself to the
+throngs.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>They went from one gathering place of women to another. To the spice
+market, to the fish and meat market, to the bathing and laundering
+locations along the river. And everywhere they found animated groups of
+women, Isobel went into her speech.</p>
+
+<p>At one point, while Homer stood idly in the crowd, feeling its temper
+and the extent to which the girl was dominating them, he felt someone
+press next to him.</p>
+
+<p>A voice said, "What is the plan of operation, Yank?"</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford's eyebrows went up and he shot a quick glance at the
+other. It was Rex Donaldson of the Commonwealth African Department. The
+operative who worked as the witchman, Dolo Anah. Crawford was glad to
+see him. This was Donaldson's area of operations, the man must have got
+here almost as soon as Crawford's team, when he had heard of the
+trouble.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said in English, "They've been gathering for an outbreak of
+violence, evidently directed at the Reunited Nations projects
+administration buildings. I've seen a few banners calling for El Hassan
+to come to power, Africa for the Africans, that sort of thing."</p>
+
+<p>The small Bahamian snorted. "You chaps certainly started something with
+this El Hassan farce. What are your immediate plans? How can I
+co-operate with you?"</p>
+
+<p>A teenage boy who had been heckling Isobel, stooped now to pick up some
+dried cow dung. Almost absently, Crawford put his staff between the
+other's legs and tripped him up, when the lad sprawled on his face the
+American rapped him smartly on the head.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said, "Thanks a lot, we can use you, especially since you speak
+Dogon, I don't think any of my group does. We're going to hold a big
+meeting in front of the square and give them a long monotonous talk,
+saying little but sounding as though we're promising a great deal. When
+we've taken most of the steam out of them, we'll locate the ringleaders
+and have a big indoor meeting. My boys will be spotted throughout the
+gang. They'll nominate me to be spokesman, and nominate each other to be
+my committee and we'll be sent to find El Hassan and urge him to take
+power. That should keep them quiet for a while. At least long enough for
+headquarters in Dakar to decide what to do."</p>
+
+<p>"Good Heavens," Donaldson said in admiration. "You Yanks are certainly
+good at this sort of thing."</p>
+
+<p>"Takes practice," Homer Crawford said. "If you want to help, ferret out
+the groups who speak Dogon and give them the word."</p>
+
+<p>Out of a sidestreet came running Abe Baker at the head of possibly two
+or three hundred arm waving, shouting, stick brandishing Africans. A few
+of them had banners which were being waved in such confusion that nobody
+could read the words inscribed. Most of them seemed to be younger men,
+even teen-agers.</p>
+
+<p>"Good Heavens," Donaldson said again.</p>
+
+<p>At first snap opinion, Crawford thought his assistant was being pursued
+and started forward to the hopeless rescue, but then he realized that
+Abe was heading the mob. Waving his staff, the New Yorker was shouting
+slogans, most of which had something to do with "El Hassan" but
+otherwise were difficult to make out.</p>
+
+<p>The small mob charged out of the street and through the square, still
+shouting. Abe began to drop back into the ranks, and then to the edge of
+the charging, gesticulating crowd. Already, though, some of them seemed
+to be slowing up, even stopping and drifting away, puzzlement or
+frustration on their faces.</p>
+
+<p>Those who were still at excitement's peak, charged up another street at
+the other side of the square.</p>
+
+<p>In a few moments, Abe Baker came up to them, breathing hard and wiping
+sweat from his forehead. He grinned wryly. "Man, those cats are way out.
+This is really Endsville." He looked up at where Isobel was haranguing
+her own crowd, which hadn't been fazed by the men who'd charged through
+the square going nowhere. "Look at old Isobel up there. Man, this whole
+town's like a combination of Hyde Park and Union Square. You oughta hear
+old Jake making with a speech."</p>
+
+<p>"What just happened?" Homer asked, motioning with his head to where the
+last elements of the mob Abe'd been leading were disappearing down a
+dead-end street.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, nothing," Abe said, still watching Isobel and grinning at her.
+"Those cats were the nucleus of a bunch wanted to start some action.
+Burn a few cars, raid the library, that sort of jazz. So I took over for
+a while, led them up one street and down the other. I feel like I just
+been star at a track meet."</p>
+
+<p>"Good Heavens," Donaldson said still again.</p>
+
+<p>"They're all scattered around now," Abe explained to him. "Either that
+or their tongues are hanging out to the point they'll have to take five
+to have a beer. They're finished for a while."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel finished her little talk and joined them. "What gives now?" she
+asked.</p>
+
+<p>Rex Donaldson said, "I'd like to stay around and watch you chaps
+operate. It's fascinating. However, I'd better get over to the park.
+That's probably where the greater number of the Dogon will be." He
+grumbled sourly, "I'll roast those blokes with a half dozen bits of
+magic and send them all back to Sangha. It'll be donkey's years before
+they ever show face around here again." He left them.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford looked after him. "Good man," he said.</p>
+
+<p>Abe had about caught his breath. "What gives now, man?" he said. "I
+ought to get back to Jake. He's all alone up near the mosque."</p>
+
+<p>"It's about time all of us got over there," Crawford said. He looked at
+Isobel as they walked. "How does it feel being a sort of reverse agent
+provocateur?"</p>
+
+<p>Her forehead was wrinkled, characteristically. "I suppose it has to be
+done, but frankly, I'm not too sure just what we are doing. Here we go
+about pushing these supposed teachings of El Hassan and when we're taken
+up by the people and they actually attempt to accomplish what we taught
+them, we draw in on the reins."</p>
+
+<p>"Man, you're right," Abe said unhappily. He looked at his chief. "What'd
+you say, Homer?"</p>
+
+<p>"Of course she's right," Crawford growled. "It's just premature, is all.
+There's no program, no plan of action. If there was one, this thing here
+in Mopti might be the spark that united all North Africa. As it is, we
+have to put the damper on it until there is a definite program." He
+added sourly, "I'm just wondering if the Reunited Nations is the
+organization that can come up with one. And, if it isn't, where is there
+one?"</p>
+
+<p>The mosque loomed up before them. The square before it was jam packed
+with milling Africans.</p>
+
+<p>"Great guns," Isobel snorted, "there're more people here than the whole
+population of Mopti. Where'd they all come from?"</p>
+
+<p>"They've been filtering in from the country," Crawford said.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, we'll filter 'em back," Abe promised.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>They spotted a ruckus and could see Elmer Allen in the middle of it, his
+quarterstaff flailing.</p>
+
+<p>"On the double," Homer bit out, and he and Abe broke into a trot for the
+point of conflict. The idea was to get this sort of thing over as
+quickly as possible before it had a chance to spread.</p>
+
+<p>They arrived too late. Elmer was leaning on his staff, as though needing
+it for support, and explaining mildly to two men who evidently were
+friends of a third who was stretched out on the ground, dead to the
+world and with a nasty lump on his shaven head.</p>
+
+<p>Homer came up and said to Elmer, in Songhai, "What has transpired, O
+Holy One?" He made a sign of obeisance to the Jamaican.</p>
+
+<p>The two Africans were taken aback by the term of address. They were
+unprepared to continue further debate, not to speak of physical action,
+against a holy man.</p>
+
+<p>Elmer said with dignity, "He spoke against El Hassan, our great leader."</p>
+
+<p>For a moment the two Africans seemed to be willing to deny that, but Abe
+Baker took up the cue and turned to the crowd that was beginning to
+gather. He held his hands out, palms upward questioningly, "And why
+should these young men beset a Holy One whose only crime is to love El
+Hassan?"</p>
+
+<p>The crowd began to murmur and the two hurriedly picked up their fallen
+companion and took off with him.</p>
+
+<p>Homer said in English, "What really happened?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, this chap was one of the hot heads," Elmer explained. "Wanted some
+immediate action. I gave it to him."</p>
+
+<p>Abe chuckled, "Holy One, yet."</p>
+
+<p>Spotted through the square, holding forth to various gatherings of the
+mob were Jake Armstrong, Kenny Ballalou and Cliff Jackson. Even as Homer
+Crawford sized up the situation and the temper of the throngs of
+tribesmen, Bey entered the square from the far side at the head of two
+or three thousand more, most of whom were already beginning to look
+bored to death from talk, talk, talk.</p>
+
+<p>Isobel came up and looked questioningly at Homer Crawford.</p>
+
+<p>He said, "Abe, get the truck and drive it up before the entrance to the
+mosque. We'll speak from that. Isobel can open the hoe down, get the
+crowd over and then introduce me."</p>
+
+<p>Abe left and Crawford said to Isobel, "Introduce me as Omar ben Crawf,
+the great friend and assistant of El Hassan. Build it up."</p>
+
+<p>"Right," she said.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said, "Elmer first round up the boys and get them spotted
+through the audience. You're the cheerleaders and also the sergeants at
+arms, of course. Nail the hecklers quickly, before they can get
+organized among themselves. In short, the standard deal." He thought a
+moment. "And see about getting a hall where we can hold a meeting of the
+ringleaders, those are the ones we're going to have to cool out."</p>
+
+<p>"Wizard," Elmer said and was gone on his mission.</p>
+
+<p>Isobel and Homer stood for a moment, waiting for Abe and the truck.</p>
+
+<p>She said, "You seem to have this all down pat."</p>
+
+<p>"It's routine," he said absently. "The brain of a mob is no larger than
+that of its minimum member. Any disciplined group, almost no matter how
+small can model it to order."</p>
+
+<p>"Just in case we don't have the opportunity to get together again, what
+happens at the hall meeting of ringleaders? What do Jake, Cliff and I
+do?"</p>
+
+<p>"What comes naturally," Homer said. "We'll elect each other to the most
+important positions. But everybody else that seems to have anything at
+all on the ball will be elected to some committee or other. Give them
+jobs compiling reports to El Hassan or something. Keep them busy. Give
+Reunited Nations headquarters in Dakar time to come up with something."</p>
+
+<p>She said worriedly, "Suppose some of these ringleaders are capable,
+aggressive types and won't stand for us getting all the important
+positions?"</p>
+
+<p>Crawford grunted. "We're <i>more</i> aggressive and more capable. Let my team
+handle that. One of the boys will jump up and accuse the guy of being a
+spy and an enemy of El Hassan, and one of the other boys will bear him
+out, and a couple of others will hustle him out of the hall." Homer
+yawned. "It's all routine, Isobel."</p>
+
+<p>Abe was driving up the truck.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said, "O.K., let's go, gal."</p>
+
+<p>"Roger," she said, climbing first into the back of the vehicle and then
+up onto the roof of the cab.</p>
+
+<p>Isobel held her hands high above her head and in the cab Abe bore down
+on the horn for a long moment.</p>
+
+<p>Isobel shrilled, "Hear what the messenger from El Hassan has come to
+tell us! Hear the friend and devoted follower of El Hassan!"</p>
+
+<p>At the same time, Jake, Kenny, and Cliff discontinued their own
+harangues and themselves headed for the new speaker.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>They stayed for three days and had it well wrapped up in that time. The
+tribesmen, bored when the excitement fell away and it became obvious
+that there were to be no further riots, and certainly no violence,
+drifted back to their villages. The city dwellers returned to the
+routine of daily existence. And the police, who had mysteriously
+disappeared from the streets at the height of the demonstrations, now
+magically reappeared and began asserting their authority somewhat
+truculently.</p>
+
+<p>At the hall meetings, mighty slogans were drafted and endless committees
+formed. The more articulate, the more educated and able of the
+demonstrators were marked out for future reference, but for the moment
+given meaningless tasks to keep them busy and out of trouble.</p>
+
+<p>On the fourth day, Homer Crawford received orders to proceed to Dakar,
+leaving the rest of the team behind to keep an eye on the situation.</p>
+
+<p>Abe groaned, "There's luck for you. Dakar, nearest thing to a good old
+sin city in a thousand miles. And who gets to go? Old sour puss, here.
+Got no more interest in the hot spots&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Homer said, "You can come along, Abe."</p>
+
+<p>Kenny Ballalou said, "Orders were only you, Homer."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford growled, "Yes, but I have a suspicion I'm being called on the
+carpet for one of our recent escapades and I want backing if I need it."
+He added, "Besides, nothing is going to happen here."</p>
+
+<p>"Crazy man," Abe said appreciatively.</p>
+
+<p>Jake said, "We three were planning to head for Dakar today ourselves.
+Isobel, in particular, is exhausted and needs a prolonged rest before
+going out among the natives any more. You might as well continue to let
+us supply your transportation."</p>
+
+<p>"Fine," Homer told him. "Come on Abe, let's get our things together."</p>
+
+<p>"What do we do while you chaps are gone?" Elmer Allen said sourly. "I
+wouldn't mind a period in a city myself."</p>
+
+<p>"Read a book, man," Abe told him. "Improve your mind."</p>
+
+<p>"I've read a book," Elmer said glumly. "Any other ideas?"</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>Dakar is a big, bustling, prosperous and modern city shockingly set down
+in the middle of the poverty that is Africa. It should be, by its
+appearance, on the French Riviera, on the California coast, or possibly
+that of Florida, but it isn't. It's in Senegal, in the area once known
+as French West Africa.</p>
+
+<p>Their aircraft swept in and landed at the busy airport.</p>
+
+<p>They were assigned an African Development Project air-cushion car and
+drove into the city proper.</p>
+
+<p>Dakar boasts some of the few skyscrapers in all Africa. The Reunited
+Nations occupied one of these in its entirety. Dakar was the center of
+activities for the whole Western Sahara and down into the Sudan. Across
+the street from its offices, a street still named Rue des Résistance in
+spite of the fact that the French were long gone, was the Hotel
+Juan-les-Pins.</p>
+
+<div class="figright">
+<img src="images/illus4.jpg" alt=""/>
+</div>
+
+<p>Crawford and Abe Baker had radioed ahead and accommodations were ready
+for them. Their western clothing and other gear had been brought up from
+storage in the cellar.</p>
+
+<p>At the desk, the clerk didn't blink at the Tuareg costume the two still
+wore. This was commonplace. He probably wouldn't have blinked had Isobel
+arrived in the costume of the Dogon. "Your suite is ready, Dr.
+Crawford," he said.</p>
+
+<p>The manager came up and shook hands with an old customer and Homer
+Crawford introduced him to Isobel, Jake and Cliff, requesting he do his
+best for them. He and Abe then made their excuses and headed for the
+paradise of hot water, towels, western drink and the other amenities of
+civilization.</p>
+
+<p>On the way up in the elevator, Abe said happily, "Man, I can just
+<i>taste</i> that bath I'm going to take. Crazy!"</p>
+
+<p>"Personally," Crawford said, trying to reflect some of the other's
+typically lighthearted enthusiasm, "I have in mind a few belts out of a
+bottle of stone-age cognac, then a steak yea big and a flock of French
+fries, followed by vanilla ice cream."</p>
+
+<p>Abe's eyes went round. "Man, you mean we can't get a good dish of cous
+cous in this town?"</p>
+
+<p>"Cous cous," Crawford said in agony.</p>
+
+<p>Abe made his voice so soulful. "With a good dollop of rancid camel
+butter right on top."</p>
+
+<p>Homer laughed as they reached their floor and started for the suite.
+"You make it sound so good, I almost believe you." Inside he said,
+"Dibbers on the first bath. How about phoning down for a bottle of
+Napoleon and some soda and ice? When it comes, just mix me one and bring
+it in, that hand you see emerging from the soap bubbles in that tub,
+will be mine."</p>
+
+<p>"I hear and obey, O Bwana!" Abe said in a servile tone.</p>
+
+<p>By the time they'd cleaned up and had eaten an enormous western style
+meal in the dining room of the Juan-les-Pins, it was well past the hour
+when they could have made contact with their Reunited Nations superiors.
+They had a couple of cognacs in the bar, then, whistling happily, Abe
+Baker went out on the town.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford looked up Isobel, Jake and Cliff who had, sure enough,
+found accommodations in the same hotel.</p>
+
+<p>Isobel stepped back in mock surprise when she saw Crawford in western
+garb. "Heavens to Betsy," she said. "The man is absolutely extinguished
+in a double-breasted charcoal gray."</p>
+
+<p>He tried a scowl and couldn't manage it. "The word is <i>distinguished</i>,
+not extinguished," he said. He looked down at the suit, critically. "You
+know, I feel uncomfortable. I wonder if I'll be able to sit down in a
+chair instead of squatting." He looked at her own evening frock. "Wow,"
+he said.</p>
+
+<p>Cliff Jackson said menacingly, "None of that stuff, Crawford. Isobel has
+already been asked for, let's have no wolfing around."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel said tartly, "Asked for but she didn't answer the summons." She
+took Homer by the arm. "And I just adore extinguish&mdash;oops, I mean
+distinguished looking men."</p>
+
+<p>They trooped laughingly into the hotel cocktail lounge.</p>
+
+<p>The time passed pleasantly. Jake and Cliff were good men in a field
+close to Homer Crawford's heart. Isobel was possibly the most attractive
+woman he'd ever met. They discussed in detail each other's work and all
+had stories of wonder to describe.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford wondered vaguely if there was ever going to be a time,
+in this life of his, for a woman and all that one usually connects
+with womanhood. What was it Elmer Allen had said at the Timbuktu
+meeting? "... <i>most of us will be kept busy the rest of our lives at
+this.</i>"</p>
+
+<p>In his present state of mind, it didn't seem too desirable a prospect.
+But there was no way out for such as Homer Crawford. What had Cliff
+Jackson said at the same meeting? "<i>We do what we must do.</i>" Which, come
+to think of it, didn't jibe too well with Cliff's claim at Mopti to be
+in it solely for the job. Probably the man disguised his basic idealism
+under a cloak of cynicism; if so, he wouldn't be the first.</p>
+
+<p>They said their goodnights early. All of them were used to Sahara hours.
+Up at dawn, to bed shortly after sunset; the desert has little fuel to
+waste on illumination.</p>
+
+<p>In the suite again, Homer Crawford noted that Abe hadn't returned as
+yet. He snorted deprecation. The younger man would probably be out until
+dawn. Dakar had much to offer in the way of civilization's fleshpots.</p>
+
+<p>He took up the bottle of cognac and poured himself a healthy shot,
+wishing that he'd remembered to pick up a paperback at the hotel's
+newsstand before coming to bed.</p>
+
+<p>He swirled the expensive brandy in the glass and brought it to his nose
+to savor the bouquet.</p>
+
+<p>But fifteen-year-old brandy from the cognac district of France should
+not boast a bouquet involving elements of bitter almonds. With an
+automatic startled gesture, Crawford jerked his face away from the
+glass.</p>
+
+<p>He scowled down at it for a long moment, then took up the bottle and
+sniffed it. He wondered how a would-be murderer went about getting hold
+of cyanide in Dakar.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford phoned the desk and got the manager. Somebody had been in
+the suite during his absence. Was there any way of checking?</p>
+
+<p>He didn't expect satisfaction and didn't receive any. The manager, after
+finding that nothing seemed to be missing, seemed to think that perhaps
+Dr. Crawford had made a mistake. Homer didn't bother to tell him about
+the poisoned brandy. He hung up, took the bottle into the bathroom and
+poured it away.</p>
+
+<p>In the way of precautions, he checked the windows to see if there were
+any possibilities of entrance by an intruder, locked the door securely,
+put his handgun beneath his pillow and fell off to sleep. When and if
+Abe returned, he could bang on the door.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>In the morning, clad in American business suits and frankly feeling a
+trifle uncomfortable in them, Homer Crawford and Abraham Baker presented
+themselves at the offices of the African Development Project, Sahara
+Division, of the Reunited Nations. Uncharacteristically, there was no
+waiting in anterooms, no dealing with subordinates. Dr. Crawford and his
+lieutenant were ushered directly to the office of Sven Zetterberg.</p>
+
+<p>Upon their entrance the Swede came to his feet, shook hands abruptly
+with both of them and sat down again. He scowled at Abe and said to
+Homer in excellent English, "It was requested that your team remain in
+Mopti." Then he added, "Sit down, gentlemen."</p>
+
+<p>They took chairs. Crawford said mildly, "Mr. Baker is my right-hand man.
+I assume he'd take over the team if anything happened to me." He added
+dryly, "Besides, there were a few things he felt he had to do about
+town."</p>
+
+<p>Abe cleared his throat but remained silent.</p>
+
+<p>Zetterberg continued to frown but evidently for a different reason now.
+He said, "There have been more complaints about your ... ah ... cavalier
+tactics."</p>
+
+<p>Homer looked at him but said nothing.</p>
+
+<p>Zetterberg said in irritation, "It becomes necessary to warn you almost
+every time you come in contact with this office, Dr. Crawford."</p>
+
+<p>Homer said evenly, "My team and I work in the field Dr. Zetterberg. We
+have to think on our feet and usually come to decisions in split
+seconds. Sometimes our lives are at stake. We do what we think best
+under the conditions. At any time your office feels my efforts are
+misdirected, my resignation is available."</p>
+
+<p>The Swede cleared his throat. "The Arab Union has made a full complaint
+in the Reunited Nations of a group of our men massacring thirty-five of
+their troopers."</p>
+
+<p>Homer said, "They were well into the Ahaggar with a convoy of modern
+weapons, obviously meant for adherents of theirs. Given the opportunity,
+the Arab Union would take over North Africa."</p>
+
+<p>"This is no reason to butcher thirty-five men."</p>
+
+<p>"We were fired upon first," Crawford said.</p>
+
+<p>"That is not the way they tell it. They claim you ambushed them."</p>
+
+<p>Abe put in innocently, "How would the Arab Union know? We didn't leave
+any survivors."</p>
+
+<p>Zetterberg glared at him. "It is not easy, Mr. Baker, for we who do the
+paper work involved in this operation, to account for the activities of
+you hair-trigger men in the field."</p>
+
+<p>"We appreciate your difficulties," Homer said evenly. "But we can only
+continue to do what we think best on being confronted with an
+emergency."</p>
+
+<p>The Swede drummed his fingers on the desk top. "Perhaps I should remind
+you that the policy of this project is to encourage amalgamation of the
+peoples of the area. Possibly, the Arab Union will prove to be the best
+force to accomplish such a union."</p>
+
+<p>Abe grunted.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford was shaking his head. "You don't believe that Dr.
+Zetterberg, and I doubt if there are many non-Moslems who do. Mohammed
+sprung out of the deserts and his religion is one based on the
+surroundings, both physical and socio-economic."</p>
+
+<p>Zetterberg grumbled, argumentatively, though his voice lacked
+conviction, "So did its two sister religions, Judaism and Christianity."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford waggled a finger negatively. "Both of them adapted to changing
+times, with considerable success. Islam has remained the same and in all
+the world there is not one example of a highly developed socio-economic
+system in a Moslem country. The reason is that in your country, and
+mine, and in the other advanced countries of the West, we pay lip
+service to our religions, but we don't let them interfere with our day
+by day life. But the Moslem, like the rapidly disappearing
+ultra-orthodox Jews, lives his religion every day and by the rules set
+down by the Prophet fifteen centuries ago. Everything a Moslem does from
+the moment he gets up in the morning is all mapped out in the Koran.
+What fingers of the hand to eat with, what hand to break bread with&mdash;and
+so on and so forth. It can get ludicrous. You should see the bathroom of
+a wealthy Moslem in some modern city such as Tangier. Mohammed never
+dreamed of such institutions as toilet paper. His followers still obey
+the rules he set down as an alternative."</p>
+
+<p>"What's your point?"</p>
+
+<p>"That North Africa cannot be united under the banner of Islam if she is
+going to progress rapidly. If it ever unites, it will be in spite of
+local religions&mdash;Islam and pagan as well; they hold up the wheels of
+progress."</p>
+
+<p>Zetterberg stared at him. The truth of the matter was that he agreed
+with the American and they both knew it.</p>
+
+<p>He said, "This matter of physically assaulting and then arresting the
+chieftain"&mdash;he looked down at a paper on his desk&mdash;"of the Ouled
+Touameur clan of the Chaambra confederation, Abd-el-Kader. From your
+report, the man was evidently attempting to unify the tribes."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford was shaking his head impatiently. "No. He didn't have
+the ... dream. He was a raider, a racketeer, not a leader of purposeful
+men. Perhaps it's true that these people need a hero to act as a symbol
+for them, but he can't be such as Abd-el-Kader."</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose you're right," the Swede said grudgingly. "See here, have you
+heard reports of a group of Cubans, in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan to help
+with the new sugar refining there, being attacked?"</p>
+
+<p>The eyes of both Crawford and Baker narrowed. There'd been talk about
+this at Timbuktu. "Only a few rumors," Crawford said.</p>
+
+<p>The Swede drummed his desk with his nervous fingers. "The rumors are
+correct. The whole group was either killed or wounded." He said
+suddenly, "You had nothing to do with this, I suppose?"</p>
+
+<p>Crawford held his palms up, in surprise, "My team has never been within
+a thousand miles of Khartoum."</p>
+
+<p>Zetterberg said, "See here, we suspect the Cubans might have supported
+Soviet Complex viewpoints."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford shrugged, "I know nothing about them at all."</p>
+
+<p>Zetterberg said, "Do you think this might be the work of El Hassan and
+his followers?"</p>
+
+<p>Abe started to chuckle something, but Homer shook his head slightly in
+warning and said, "I don't know."</p>
+
+<p>"How did that affair in Mopti turn out, these riots in favor of El
+Hassan?"</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford shrugged. "Routine. Must have been as many as ten
+thousand of them at one point. We used standard tactics in gaining
+control and then dispersing them. I'll have a complete written report to
+you before the day is out."</p>
+
+<p>Zetterberg said, "You've heard about this El Hassan before?"</p>
+
+<p>"Quite a bit."</p>
+
+<p>"From the rumors that have come into this office, he backs neither East
+nor West in international politics. He also seems to agree with your
+summation of the Islamic problem. He teaches separation of Church and
+State."</p>
+
+<p>"They're the same thing in Moslem countries," Abe muttered.</p>
+
+<p>Zetterberg tossed his bombshell out of a clear sky. "Dr. Crawford," he
+snapped, "in spite of the warnings we've had to issue to you repeatedly,
+you are admittedly our best man in the field. We're giving you a new
+assignment. Find this El Hassan and bring him here!"</p>
+
+<p>Zetterberg leaned forward, an expression of somewhat anxious sincerity
+in his whole demeanor.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="VIII" id="VIII"></a>VIII</h2>
+
+
+<p>Abe Baker choked, and then suddenly laughed.</p>
+
+<p>Sven Zetterberg stared at him. "What's so funny?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, nothing," Abe admitted. He looked to Homer Crawford.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said to the Swede carefully, "Why?"</p>
+
+<p>Zetterberg said impatiently, "Isn't it obvious, after the conversation
+we've had here? Possibly this El Hassan is the man we're looking for.
+Perhaps this is the force that will bind North Africa together. Thus
+far, all we've heard about him has been rumor. We don't seem to be able
+to find anyone who has seen him, nor is the exact strength of his
+following known. We'd like to confer with him, before he gets any
+larger."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said carefully, "It's hard to track down a rumor."</p>
+
+<p>"That's why we give the assignment to our best team in the field," the
+Swede told him. "You've got a roving commission. Find El Hassan and
+bring him here to Dakar."</p>
+
+<p>Abe grinned and said, "Suppose he doesn't want to come?"</p>
+
+<p>"Use any methods you find necessary. If you need more manpower, let us
+know. But we must talk to El Hassan."</p>
+
+<p>Homer said, still watching his words, "Why the urgency?"</p>
+
+<p>The Reunited Nations official looked at him for a long moment, as though
+debating whether to let him in on higher policy. "Because, frankly, Dr.
+Crawford, the elements which first went together to produce the African
+Development Project, are, shall we say, becoming somewhat unstuck."</p>
+
+<p>"The glue was never too strong," Abe muttered.</p>
+
+<p>Zetterberg nodded. "The attempt to find competent, intelligent men to
+work for the project, who were at the same time altruistic and
+unaffected by personal or national interests, has always been a
+difficult one. If you don't mind my saying so, we Scandinavians,
+particularly those not affiliated with NATO come closest to filling the
+bill. We have no designs on Africa. It is unfortunate that we have
+practically no Negro citizens who could do field work."</p>
+
+<p>"Are you suggesting other countries have designs on Africa?" Homer said.</p>
+
+<p>For the first time the Swede laughed. A short, choppy laugh. "Are you
+suggesting they haven't? What was that convoy of the Arab Union bringing
+into the Sahara? Guns, with which to forward their cause of taking over
+all North Africa. What were those Cubans doing in Sudan, that someone
+else felt it necessary to assassinate them? What is the program of the
+Soviet Complex as it applies to this area, and how does it differ from
+that of the United States? And how do the ultimate programs of the
+British Commonwealth and the French Community differ from each other and
+from both the United States and Russia?"</p>
+
+<p>"That's why we have a Reunited Nations," Crawford said calmly.</p>
+
+<p>"Theoretically, yes. But it is coming apart at the seams. I sometimes
+wonder if an organization composed of a membership each with its own
+selfish needs can ever really unite in an altruistic task. Remember the
+early days when the Congo was first given her freedom? Supposedly the
+United Nations went in to help. Actually, each element in the United
+Nations had its own irons in the fire, and usually their desires
+differed."</p>
+
+<p>The Swede shrugged hugely. "I don't know, but I am about convinced, and
+so are a good many other officers of this project, that unless we soon
+find a competent leader to act as a symbol around which all North
+Africans can unite, find such a man and back him, that all our work will
+crumble in this area under pressure from outside. That's why we want El
+Hassan."</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford came to his feet, his face in a scowl. "I'll let you know
+by tomorrow, if I can take the assignment," he said.</p>
+
+<p>"Why tomorrow?" the Swede demanded.</p>
+
+<p>"There are some ramifications I have to consider."</p>
+
+<p>"Very well," the Swede said stiffly. He came to his own feet and shook
+hands with them again. "Oh, there's just one other thing. This
+spontaneous meeting you held in Timbuktu with elements from various
+other organizations. How did it come out?"</p>
+
+<p>Crawford was wary. "Very little result, actually."</p>
+
+<p>Zetterberg chuckled. "As I expected. However, we would appreciate it,
+doctor, if you and your team would refrain from such activities in the
+future. You are, after all, hired by the Reunited Nations and owe it all
+your time and allegiance. We have no desire to see you fritter away this
+time with religious fanatics and other crackpot groups."</p>
+
+<p>"I see," Crawford said.</p>
+
+<p>The other laughed cheerfully. "I'm sure you do, Dr. Crawford. A word to
+the wise."</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>They remained silent on the way back to the hotel.</p>
+
+<p>In the lobby they ran into Isobel Cunningham.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford looked at her thoughtfully. He said, "We've got some
+thinking to do and some ideas to bat back and forth. I value your
+opinion and experience, Isobel, could you come up to the suite and sit
+in?"</p>
+
+<p>She tilted her head, looked at him from the side of her eyes. "Something
+big has happened, hasn't it?"</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose so. I don't know. We've got to make some decisions."</p>
+
+<p>"Come on Isobel," Abe said. "You can give us the feminine viewpoint and
+all that jazz."</p>
+
+<p>They started for the elevator and Isobel said to Abe, "If you'd just be
+consistent with that pseudo-beatnik chatter of yours, I wouldn't mind.
+But half the time you talk like an English lit major when you forget to
+put on your act."</p>
+
+<p>"Man," Abe said to her, "maybe I was wrong inviting you to sit in on
+this bull session. I can see you're in a bad mood."</p>
+
+<p>In the living room of the suite, Isobel took an easy-chair and Abe threw
+himself full length on his back on a couch. Homer Crawford paced the
+floor.</p>
+
+<p>"Well?" Isobel said.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said abruptly, "Somebody tried to poison me last night. Got
+into this room somehow and put cyanide in a bottle of cognac Abe and I
+were drinking out of earlier in the evening."</p>
+
+<p>Isobel stared at him. Her eyes went from him to Abe and back.
+"But ... but, why?"</p>
+
+<p>Crawford ran his hand back over his wiry hair in puzzlement. "I ... I
+don't know. That's what's driving me batty. I can't figure out why
+anybody would want to kill me."</p>
+
+<p>"I can," Abe said bluntly. "And that interview we just had with Sven
+Zetterberg just bears me out."</p>
+
+<p>"Zetterberg," Isobel said, surprised. "Is he in Africa?"</p>
+
+<p>Crawford nodded to her question but his eyes were on Abe.</p>
+
+<p>Abe put his hands behind his head and said to the ceiling, "Zetterberg
+just gave Homer's team the assignment of bringing in El Hassan."</p>
+
+<p>"El Hassan? But you boys told us all in Timbuktu that there was no El
+Hassan. You invented him and then the rest of us, more or less
+spontaneously, though unknowingly, took up the falsification and spread
+your work."</p>
+
+<p>"That's right," Crawford said, still looking at Abe.</p>
+
+<p>"But didn't you tell Sven Zetterberg?" Isobel demanded. "He's too big a
+man to play jokes upon."</p>
+
+<p>"No, I didn't and I'm not sure I know why."</p>
+
+<p>"I know why," Abe said. He sat up suddenly and swung his feet around and
+to the floor.</p>
+
+<p>The other two watched him, both frowning.</p>
+
+<p>Abe said slowly, "Homer, you <i>are</i> El Hassan."</p>
+
+<p>His chief scowled at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"</p>
+
+<p>The younger man gestured impatiently. "Figure it out. Somebody else
+already has, the somebody who took a shot at you from that mosque. Look,
+put it all together and it makes sense.</p>
+
+<p>"These North Africans aren't going to make it, not in the short period
+of time that we want them to, unless a leader appears on the scene.
+These people are just beginning to emerge from tribal society. In the
+tribes, people live by rituals and taboos, by traditions. But at the
+next step in the evolution of society they follow a Hero&mdash;and the
+traditions are thrown overboard. It's one step up the ladder of cultural
+evolution. Just for the record, the Heroes almost invariably get
+clobbered in the end, since a Hero must be perfect. Once he is found
+wanting in any respect, he's a false prophet, a cheat, and a new,
+perfect and faultless Hero must be found.</p>
+
+<p>"O.K. At this stage we need a Hero to unite North Africa, but this time
+we need a real super-Hero. In this modern age, the old style one won't
+do. We need one with education, and altruism, one with the dream, as you
+call it. We need a man who has no affiliations, no preferences for
+Tuareg, Teda, Chaambra, Dogon, Moor or whatever. He's got to be truly
+neutral. O.K., you're it. You're an American Negro, educated, competent,
+widely experienced. You're a natural for the job. You speak Arabic,
+French, Tamabeq, Songhai and even Swahili."</p>
+
+<p>Abe stopped momentarily and twisted his face in a grimace. "But there's
+one other thing that's possibly the most important of all. Homer, you're
+a born leader."</p>
+
+<p>"Who <i>me</i>?" Crawford snorted. "I hate to be put in a position where I
+have to lead men, make decisions, that sort of thing.</p>
+
+<p>"That's beside the point. There in Timbuktu you had them in the palm of
+your hand. All except one or two, like Doc Smythe and that missionary.
+And I have an idea even they'd come around. Everybody there felt it.
+They were in favor of anything you suggested. Isobel?"</p>
+
+<p>She nodded, very seriously. "Yes. You have a personality that goes over,
+Homer. I think it would be a rare person who could conceive of you
+cheating, or misleading. You're so obviously sincere, competent and
+intelligent that it, well, <i>projects</i> itself. I noticed it even more in
+Mopti than Timbuktu. You had that city in your palm in a matter of a few
+hours."</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford shifted his shoulders, uncomfortably.</p>
+
+<p>Abe said, "You might dislike the job, but it's a job that needs doing."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford ran his hand around the back of his neck, uncomfortably. "You
+think such a project would get the support of the various teams and
+organizations working North Africa, eh?"</p>
+
+<p>"Practically a hundred per cent. And even if some organizations or even
+countries, with their own row to hoe, tried to buck you, their
+individual members and teams would come over. Why? Because it makes
+sense."</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford said worriedly, "Actually, I've realized this, partially
+subconsciously, for some time. But I didn't put myself in the role.
+I ... I wish there really was an El Hassan. I'd throw my efforts behind
+him."</p>
+
+<p>"There will be an El Hassan," Abe said definitely. "And you can be him."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford stared at Abe, undecided.</p>
+
+<p>Isobel said, suddenly, "I think Abe's right, Homer."</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>Abe seemed to switch the tempo of his talk. He said, "There's just one
+thing, Homer. It's a long range question, but it's an important one."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes?"</p>
+
+<p>"What're your politics?"</p>
+
+<p>"My politics? I haven't any politics here in North Africa."</p>
+
+<p>"I mean back home. I've never discussed politics with you, Homer, partly
+because I haven't wanted to reveal my own. But now the question comes
+up. What is your position, ultimately, speaking on a world-wide basis?"</p>
+
+<p>Homer looked at him quizzically, trying to get at what was behind the
+other's words. "I don't belong to any political party," he said slowly.</p>
+
+<p>Abe said evenly, "I do, Homer. I'm a Party member."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford was beginning to get it. "If you mean do I ultimately support
+the program of the Soviet Complex, the answer is definitely no. Whether
+or not it's desirable for Russia or for China, is up to the Russians and
+Chinese to decide. But I don't believe it's desirable for such advanced
+countries as the United States and most of Western Europe. We've got
+large problems that need answering, but the commies don't supply the
+answers so far as I'm concerned."</p>
+
+<p>"I see," Abe said. He was far, far different than the laughing, beatnik
+jabbering, youngster he had always seemed. "That's not so good."</p>
+
+<p>"Why not?" Homer demanded. His eyes went to where Isobel sat, her face
+strained at all this, but he could read nothing in her expression, and
+she said nothing.</p>
+
+<p>Abe said, "Because, admittedly, North Africa isn't ready for a communist
+program as yet. It's in too primitive a condition. However, it's
+progressing fast, fantastically fast, and the coming of El Hassan is
+going to speed things up still more."</p>
+
+<p>Abe said deliberately, "Possibly twenty years from now the area <i>will</i>
+be ready for a communist program. And at that time we don't want
+somebody with El Hassan's power and prestige against us. We take the
+long view, Homer, and it dictates that El Hassan has to be secretly on
+the Party's side."</p>
+
+<p>Homer was nodding. "I see. So that's why you shot at me in Timbuktu."</p>
+
+<p>Abe's eyes went wary. He said, "I didn't know you knew."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford nodded. "It just came to me. It had to be you. Supposedly, you
+broke into the mosque from the back at the same moment I came in the
+front. Actually, you were already inside." Homer grunted. "Besides, it
+would have been awfully difficult for anyone else to have doped that
+bottle of cognac on me. What I couldn't understand, and still can't, was
+motive. We've been in the clutch together more than once, Abe."</p>
+
+<p>"That's right, Homer, but there are some things so important that
+friendship goes by the board. I could see as far back as that meeting
+something that hadn't occurred to either you or the others. You were a
+born El Hassan. I figured it was necessary to get you out of the way and
+put one of our own&mdash;perhaps me, even&mdash;in your place. No ill feelings,
+Homer. In fact, now I've just given you your chance. You could come in
+with us&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Even as he was speaking, his eyes moved in a way Homer Crawford
+recognized. He'd seen Abe Baker in action often enough. A gun flicked
+out of an under-the-arm holster, but Crawford moved in anticipation. The
+flat of his hand darted forward, chopped and the hand weapon was on the
+floor.</p>
+
+<p>As Isobel screamed, Abe countered the attack. He reached forward in a
+jujitsu maneuver, grabbed a coat sleeve and a handful of suit coat. He
+twisted quickly, threw the other man over one hip and to the floor.</p>
+
+<p>But Homer Crawford was already expertly rolling with the fall, rolling
+out to get a fresh start.</p>
+
+<p>Abe Baker knew that in the long go, in spite of his somewhat greater
+heft, he wouldn't be able to take his former chief in the other man's
+own field. Now he threw himself on the other, on the floor. Legs and
+arms tangled in half realized, quickly defeated holds and maneuvers.</p>
+
+<p>Abe called, "Quick, Isobel, the gun. Get the gun and cover him."</p>
+
+<p>She shook her head, desperately. "Oh no. No!"</p>
+
+<p>Abe bit out, his teeth grinding under the punishment he was taking,
+"That's an order, <i>Comrade Cunningham</i>! Get the gun!"</p>
+
+<p>"No. No, I can't!" She turned and fled the room.</p>
+
+<p>Abe muttered an obscenity, bridged and crabbed out of the desperate
+position he was in. And now his fingers were but a few inches from the
+weapon. He stretched.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford, heavy veins in his own forehead from his exertions,
+panted, "Abe, I can't let you get that gun. Call it quits."</p>
+
+<p>"Can't, Homer," Abe gritted. His fingers were a few fractions of an inch
+from the weapon.</p>
+
+<p>Crawford panted, "Abe, there's just one thing I can do. A karate blow.
+<i>I</i> can chop your windpipe with the side of my hand. Abe, if I do, only
+immediate surgery could save your&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Abe's fingers closed about the gun and Crawford, calling on his last
+resources, lashed out. He could feel the cartilage collapse, a sound of
+air, for a moment, almost like a shriek filled the room.</p>
+
+<p>The gun was meaningless now. Homer Crawford, his face agonized, was on
+his knees beside the other who was threshing on the floor. "Abe," he
+groaned. "You made me."</p>
+
+<p>Abe Baker's face was quickly going ashen in his impossible quest for
+oxygen. For a last second there was a gleam in his eyes and his lips
+moved. Crawford bent down. He wasn't sure, but he thought that somehow
+the other found enough air to get out a last, "Crazy man."</p>
+
+<p>When it was over, Homer Crawford stood again, and looked down at the
+body, his face expressionless.</p>
+
+<p>From behind him a voice said, "So I got here too late."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford turned. It was Elmer Allen, gun in hand.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford said dully, "What are you doing here?"</p>
+
+<p>Elmer looked at the body, then back at his chief. "Bey figured out what
+must have happened at the mosque there in Timbuktu. We didn't know what
+might be motivating Abe, but we got here as quick as we could."</p>
+
+<p>"He was a commie," Crawford said dully. "Evidently, the Party decided I
+stood in its way. Where are the others?"</p>
+
+<p>"Scouring the town to find you."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said wearily, "Find the others and bring them here. We've got
+to get rid of poor Abe, there, and then I've got something to tell you."</p>
+
+<p>"Very well, chief," Elmer said, holstering his gun. "Oh, just one thing
+before I go. You know that chap Rex Donaldson? Well, we had some
+discussion after you left. This'll probably surprise you Homer,
+but&mdash;hold onto your hat, as you Americans say&mdash;Donaldson thinks you
+ought to <i>become</i> El Hassan. And Bey, Kenny and I agree."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford said, "We'll talk about it later, Elmer."</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p>He knocked at her door and a moment later she came. She saw who it was,
+opened for him and returned to the room beyond. She had obviously been
+crying.</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford said, but with no reproach in his voice, "You should have
+helped me, to be consistent."</p>
+
+<p>"I knew you'd win."</p>
+
+<p>"Nevertheless, once you'd switched sides, you should have attempted to
+help me. If you had, maybe Abe would still be alive."</p>
+
+<p>She took a quick agonized breath, and sat down in one of the two chairs,
+her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She said, "I ... I've known Abe
+since my early teens."</p>
+
+<p>He said nothing.</p>
+
+<p>"In college, he was the cell leader. He enlisted me into the Party."</p>
+
+<p>Crawford still didn't speak.</p>
+
+<p>She said defiantly, "He was an idealist, Homer."</p>
+
+<p>"I know that," Crawford said. "And along with it, he's saved my life, on
+at least three different occasions in the past few years. He was a good
+man."</p>
+
+<p>It was her turn to hold silence.</p>
+
+<p>Homer hit the palm of his left hand with the fist of his right. "That's
+what so many don't realize. They think this is all a kind of cowboys and
+Indians affair. The good guys and the bad guys fighting it out. And, of
+course, all the good guys are on our side and their side is composed of
+bad guys. They don't realize that many, even most, of the enemy are
+fighting for an ideal, too&mdash;and are willing to die for it, or do things
+sometimes even harder than dying."</p>
+
+<p>He paced the floor for an agonized moment, before adding. "The fact that
+the ideal is a false one&mdash;or so, at least, is my opinion&mdash;is beside the
+point."</p>
+
+<p>He suddenly dropped it and switched subjects. "This isn't as much a
+surprise to me as you possibly think, Isobel. There was only one way
+that episode in Timbuktu could have taken place. Abe was waiting for me
+to pass that mosque. But I had to pass. I had to be <i>fingered</i> as the
+old gangster expression had it. And you led me into the ambush."</p>
+
+<p>He looked down at her. "But what changed his mind? Why did he offer,
+tonight, to let me take over the El Hassan leadership?"</p>
+
+<p>Isobel said, her voice low. "In Timbuktu, when Abe saw the way things
+were going, he realized you'd have to be liquidated, otherwise El Hassan
+would be a leader the Party couldn't control. He tried to eliminate you,
+and then tried again with the cognac. Last night, however, he checked
+with local party leaders and they decided that he'd acted too
+precipitately. They suggested you be given the opportunity to line up
+with the Party."</p>
+
+<p>"And if I didn't?" Homer said.</p>
+
+<p>"Then you were to be liquidated."</p>
+
+<p>"So the finger is still on me, eh?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, you'll have to be careful."</p>
+
+<p>He looked full into her face. "How do you stand now?"</p>
+
+<p>She returned his frank look. "I'm the first follower to dedicate her
+services to El Hassan."</p>
+
+<p>"So you want to come along?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," she said simply.</p>
+
+<p>"And you remember what Abe said? That in the end the Hero invariably
+gets clobbered? Sooner or later, North Africa will outgrow the need for
+a Hero to follow and then ... then El Hassan and his closest followers
+have a good chance of winding up before a firing squad."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, I know that."</p>
+
+<p>Homer Crawford ran his hand back over his short hair, wearily. "O.K.,
+Isobel. Your first instructions are to contact those two friends of
+yours, Jake Armstrong and Cliff Jackson. Try to convert them."</p>
+
+<p>"What are you going to be doing ... El Hassan?"</p>
+
+<p>"I'm going over to the Reunited Nations to resign from the African
+Development Project. I have a sneaking suspicion that in the future they
+will not always be seeing eye to eye with El Hassan. Nor will the other
+organizations currently helping to advance Africa&mdash;whilst still at the
+same time keeping their own irons in the fire. Possibly the commies
+won't be the only ones in favor of liquidating El Hassan's assets."</p>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Black Man's Burden, by Dallas McCord Reynolds
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BLACK MAN'S BURDEN ***
+
+***** This file should be named 32390-h.htm or 32390-h.zip *****
+This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
+        http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/3/9/32390/
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+</pre>
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+</body>
+</html>
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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Black Man's Burden, by Dallas McCord Reynolds
+
+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: Black Man's Burden
+
+Author: Dallas McCord Reynolds
+
+Illustrator: Schoenherr
+
+Release Date: May 15, 2010 [EBook #32390]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BLACK MAN'S BURDEN ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+BLACK MAN'S BURDEN
+
+BY MACK REYNOLDS
+
+Illustrated by Schoenherr
+
+
+[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Analog Science Fact &
+Fiction December 1961 and January 1962. Extensive research did not
+uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was
+renewed.]
+
+    "Take up the white man's burden
+    Send forth the best ye breed...."
+    --Kipling
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+     The turmoil in Africa is only beginning--and it must grow worse
+     before it's better. Not until the people of Africa know they are
+     Africans--not warring tribesmen--will there be peace....
+
+
+
+
+I
+
+
+The two-vehicle caravan emerged from the sandy wastes of the _erg_ and
+approached the small encampment of Taitoq Tuareg which consisted of
+seven goat leather tents. They were not unanticipated, the camp's scouts
+had noted the strange pillars of high-flung dust which were set up by
+the air rotors an hour earlier and for the past fifteen minutes they had
+been visible to all.
+
+Moussa-ag-Amastan, headman of the clan, awaited the newcomers at first
+with a certain trepidation in spite of his warrior blood. Although he
+hadn't expressed himself thus to his followers, his first opinion had
+been that the unprecedented pillars were djinn come out of the erg for
+no good purpose. It wasn't until they were quite close that it could be
+seen the vehicles bore resemblance to those of the Rouma which were of
+recent years spreading endlessly through the lands of the Ahaggar Tuareg
+and beggaring those who formerly had conducted the commerce of the
+Sahara.
+
+But the vehicles traveling through the sand dunes! That had been the
+last advantage of the camel. No wheeled vehicle could cross the vast
+stretches of the ergs, they must stick to the hard ground, to the
+tire-destroying gravel.
+
+They came to a halt and Moussa-ag-Amastan drew up his teguelmoust
+turban-veil even closer about his eyes. He had no desire to let the
+newcomers witness his shocked surprise at the fact that the desert
+lorries had no wheels, floated instead without support, and now that
+they were at a standstill settled gently to earth.
+
+There was further surprise when the five who issued forth from the two
+seemingly clumsy vehicles failed to be Rouma. They looked more like the
+Teda to the south, and the Targui's eyes thinned beneath his
+teguelmoust. Since the French had pulled out their once dreaded Camel
+Corps there had been somewhat of a renaissance of violence between
+traditional foes.
+
+However, the newcomers, though dark as Negro Bela slaves, wore Tuareg
+dress, loose baggy trousers of dark indigo-blue cotton cloth, a loose,
+nightgownlike white cotton shirt, and over this a _gandoura_ outer
+garment. Above all, they wore the teguelmoust though they were
+shockingly lax in keeping it properly up about the mouth.
+
+Moussa-ag-Amastan knew that he was backed by ten or more of his
+clansmen, half of whom bore rifles, the rest Tuareg broadswords,
+Crusader-like with their two edges, round points and flat rectangular
+cross-members. Only two of the strangers seemed armed and they
+negligently bore their smallish guns in the crooks of their arms. The
+clan leader spoke at strength, then, but he said the traditional "_La
+bas_."
+
+"There is no evil," repeated the foremost of the newcomers. His Tamabeq,
+the Berber language of the Tuareg confederations, seemed perfect.
+
+Moussa-ag-Amastan said, "What do you do in the lands of the Taitoq
+Tuareg?"
+
+The stranger, a tall, handsome man with a dominating though pleasant
+personality, indicated the vehicles with a sweep of his hand. "We are
+Enaden, itinerant smiths. As has ever been our wont, we travel from
+encampment to encampment to sell our products and to make repair upon
+your metal possessions."
+
+Enaden! The traveling smiths of the Ahaggar, and indeed of the whole
+Sahara, were a despised and ragged lot at best. Few there were that ever
+possessed more than a small number of camels, a sprinkling of goats,
+perhaps a sheep or two. But these seemed as rich as Roumas, as Europeans
+or Americans.
+
+Moussa-ag-Amastan muttered, "You jest with us at your peril, stranger."
+He pointed an aged but still strong hand at the vehicles. "Enaden do not
+own such as these."
+
+The newcomer shrugged. "I am Omar ben Crawf and these are my followers,
+Abrahim el Bakr Ma el Ainin, Keni Ballalou and Bey-ag-Akhamouk. We come
+today from Tamanrasset and we are smiths, as we can prove. As is known,
+there is high pay to be earned by working in the oil fields, at the dams
+on the Niger, in the afforestation projects, in the sinking of the new
+wells whose pumps utilize the rays of the sun, in the developing of the
+great new oases. There is much Rouma money to be made in such work and
+my men and I have brought these vehicles specially built in the new
+factories in Dakar for desert use."
+
+"Slave work!" one of Moussa-ag-Amastan's kinsmen sneered.
+
+Omar ben Crawf shrugged in obvious amusement, but there was a warmth and
+vitality in the man that quickly affected even strangers. "Perhaps," he
+said. "But times change, as every man knows and today there no longer
+need be hunger, nor illness, nor any want--if a man will but work a
+fraction of each day."
+
+"Work is for slaves," Moussa-ag-Amastan barked.
+
+The newcomer refused to argue. "But all slaves have been freed, and
+where in the past this meant nothing since the Bela had no place to go,
+no way to live save with his owner, today it is different and any man
+can go and find work on the many projects that grow everywhere. So the
+slaves slip away from the Tuareg, and the Teda and Chaamba. Soon there
+will be no more slaves to do the work about your encampments. And then
+what, man of the desert?"
+
+"We'll fight!" Moussa-ag-Amastan growled. "We Tuareg are warriors,
+bedouin, free men. We will never be slaves."
+
+"_Inshallah._ If God wills it," the smith agreed politely.
+
+"Show us your wares," the old chieftain snapped. "We chatter like women.
+Talk can wait until the evening meal and in the men's quarters of my
+tent." He approached the now parked vehicles and his followers crowded
+after him. From the tents debouched women and children. The children
+were completely nude, and the Tuareg women were unveiled for such are
+the customs of the Ahaggar Tuareg that the men go veiled but women do
+not.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+One of the lorries was so constructed that a side could be raised in
+such fashion to display a wide variety of tools, weapons, household
+utensils, and textiles. Ohs and ahs punctuated the air, women being the
+same in every land. Two of the smiths brought forth metal-working
+equipment of strange design and set up shop to one side. A broken bolt
+on an aged Lebel rifle was quickly repaired, a copper cooking pot
+brazed, some harness tinkered with.
+
+Of a sudden, Moussa-ag-Amastan said, "But your women, your families,
+where are they?"
+
+The one who had been introduced as Abrahim el Bakr, an open-faced man
+whose constant smiling seemed to take a full ten years off what must
+have been his age, explained. "On the big projects, one can find
+employment only if he allows his children to attend the new schools. So
+our wives and children remain near Tamanrasset while the children learn
+the lore of books."
+
+"Rouma schools!" one of the warriors sneered.
+
+"Oh, no. There are few Roumas remaining in all the land now," the smith
+said easily. "Those that are left serve us in positions our people as
+yet cannot hold, in construction of the dams, in the bringing of trees
+to the desert, but soon, even they will be unneeded."
+
+"_Our_ people?" Moussa-ag-Amastan rumbled ungraciously. "You are smiths.
+The smiths have no people. You are neither Kel Rela, Tegehe Mellet,
+Taitoq, nor even Teda, Chaambra, or Ouled Tidrarin."
+
+One of the smiths said easily, "In the great new construction camps, in
+the new towns, with their many ways to work and become rich, the tribes
+are breaking up. Tuareg works next to Teda and a Moor next to a former
+Haratin serf." He added, as though unthinkingly, even as he displayed an
+aluminum pan to a wide-eyed Tuareg matron, "Indeed, even the clans break
+up and often Tuareg marries Arab or Sudanese or Rifs down from the
+north ... or even we Enaden."
+
+The clansmen were suddenly silent, in shocked surprise.
+
+"That cannot be true!" the elderly chief snapped.
+
+Omar ben Crawf looked at him mildly. "Why should my follower lie?"
+
+"I do not know, but we will talk of it later, away from the women and
+children who should not hear such abominations." The chief switched
+subjects. "But you have no flocks with you. How are we to pay for these
+things, these services?"
+
+"With money."
+
+The old man's face, what little could be seen through his teguelmoust,
+darkened. "We have little money in the Ahaggar."
+
+The one named Omar nodded. "But we are short of meat and will buy
+several goats and perhaps a lamb, a chicken, eggs. Then, too, as you
+have noted, we have left our women at home. We will need the services of
+cooks, some one to bring water. We will hire servants."
+
+The other said gruffly, "There are some Bela who will serve you."
+
+The smith seemed taken aback. "Verily, El Hassan has stated that the
+product of the labor of the slave is accursed."
+
+"El Hassan! Who is El Hassan and why should the work of a slave be
+accursed?"
+
+One of the tribesmen said, "I have heard of this El Hassan. Rumors of
+his teachings spread through the land. He is to lead us all, Tuareg,
+Arab and Sudanese, until we are all as rich as Roumas."
+
+Omar said, "It is well known that the Roumas and especially the
+Americans are all rich as Emirs but none of them ever possess slaves.
+The bedouin have slaves but fail to prosper. Verily, the product of the
+labor of the slave is accursed."
+
+"Madness," Moussa-ag-Amastan muttered. "If you do not let our slave
+women do your tasks, then they will remain undone. No Tuareg woman will
+work."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+But the headman of his clan was wrong.
+
+The smiths remained four days in all, and the abundance of their
+products was too much. What verbal battles might have taken place in the
+tent of Moussa-ag-Amastan, and in those of his followers, the smiths
+couldn't know, but Tuareg women are not dominated by their men. On the
+second day, three Tuareg women applied for the position of servants, at
+surprisingly high pay. Envy ran roughshod when they later displayed the
+textiles and utensils they purchased with their wages.
+
+Nor could the aged Tuareg chief prevent in the evening discussions
+between the men, a thorough pursuing of the new ideas sweeping through
+the Ahaggar. Though these strangers proclaimed themselves lowly
+Enaden--itinerant desert smiths--they were obviously not to be dismissed
+as a caste little higher than Haratin serfs. Even the first night they
+were invited to the tent of Moussa-ag-Amastan to share the dinner of
+shorba soup, cous cous and the edible paste _kaboosh_, made of cheese,
+butter and spices. It was an adequate desert meal, meat being eaten not
+more than a few times a year by such as the Taitoq Tuareg who couldn't
+afford to consume the animals upon which they lived.
+
+After mint tea, one of the younger Tarqui leaned forward. He said, "You
+have brought strange news, oh Enaden of wealth, and we would know more.
+We of the Ahaggar hear little from outside."
+
+Moussa-ag-Amastan scowled at his clansman, for his presumption, but Omar
+answered, his voice sincere and carrying conviction. "The world moves
+fast, men of the desert, and the things that were verily true even
+yesterday, have changed today."
+
+"To the sorrow of the Tuareg!" snapped Moussa-ag-Amastan.
+
+The other looked at him. "Not always, old one. Surely in your youth you
+remember when such diseases as the one the Roumas once called the
+disease of Venus, ran rampant through the tribes. When trachoma, the
+sickness of the eyes, was known as the scourge of the Sahara. When half
+the children, not only of Bela slaves and Haratin serfs, but also of the
+Surgu noble clans, died before the age of ten."
+
+"Admittedly, the magic of the Roumas cured many such ills," an older
+warrior growled.
+
+"Not their magic, their learning," the smith named El Ma el Ainin put
+in. "And, verily, now the schools are open to all the people."
+
+"Schools are not for such as the Bela and Haratin," the clan chief
+protested. "The Koran should not be taught to slaves."
+
+El Ma el Ainin said gently, "The Koran is not taught at all in the new
+schools, old one. The teachings of the Prophet are still made known to
+those interested, in the schools connected with the mosques, but only
+the teachings of science are made in the new schools."
+
+"The teachings of the Rouma!" a Tuareg protested, carefully slipping his
+glass of tea beneath his teguelmoust so that he could drink without his
+mouth being obscenely revealed.
+
+Omar ben Crawf laughed. "That is what we have allowed the Roumas to have
+us believe for much too long," he stated. "El Hassan has proven
+otherwise. Much of the wisdom of science has its roots in the lands of
+Asia and of Africa. The Roumas were savages in skins while the earliest
+civilizations were being developed in Africa and Asia Minor. Hardly a
+science now developed by the Roumas of Europe and America but had its
+beginning with us." He turned to the elderly chief.
+
+"You Tuareg are of Berber background. But a few centuries ago, the
+Berbers of Morocco, known as the Moors to the Rouma, leavened only with
+a handful of Jews and Arabs, built up in Spain the highest civilization
+in all the world of that time. We would be foolish, we of Africa, to
+give credit to the Rouma for so much of what our ancestors presented to
+the world."
+
+The Tuareg were astonished. They had never heard such words.
+
+Moussa-ag-Amastan was not appeased. "You sound like a Rouma, yourself,"
+he said. "Where have you learned of all this?"
+
+The smiths chuckled their amusement.
+
+Abrahim el Bakr said, "Verily, old one, have you ever seen a black
+Rouma?"
+
+Omar ben Crawf, the headman of the smiths, went on. "El Hassan has
+proclaimed great new beliefs that spread through all North Africa, and
+eventually, _Inshallah_, throughout the continent. Through his great
+learning he has assimilated the wisdom of all the prophets, all the
+wisemen of all the world, and proclaims their truths."
+
+The Tuareg chief was becoming increasingly irritated. Such talk as this
+was little short of blasphemy to his ears, but the fascination of the
+discussion was beyond him to ignore. And he knew that even if he did his
+young men, in particular, would only seek out the strangers on their own
+and then he would not be present to mitigate their interest. In spite of
+himself, now he growled, "What beliefs? What truths? I know not of this
+El Hassan of whom you speak."
+
+Omar said slowly, "Among them, the teachings of a great wise man from a
+far land. That all men should be considered equal in the eyes of society
+and should have equal right to life, liberty and the pursuit of
+happiness."
+
+"Equal!" one of the warriors ejaculated. "This is not wisdom, but
+nonsense. No two men are equal."
+
+Omar waggled a finger negatively. "Like so many, you fail to explore the
+teaching. Obviously, no man of wisdom would contend that all men are
+equally tall, or strong, or wise, or cunning, nor even fortunate. _No_
+two men are equal in such regards. But all men should have equal right
+to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, whatever that might mean
+to him as an individual."
+
+One of the Tuareg said slyly, "And the murderer of one of your kinsmen,
+should he, too, have life and liberty, in the belief of El Hassan?"
+
+"Obviously, the community must protect itself against those who would
+destroy the life or liberty of others. The murderer of a kinsman of
+mine, as well as any other man, myself included, should be subject
+equally to the same law."
+
+It was a new conception to members of a tribal society such as that of
+the Ahaggar Tuareg. They stirred under both its appeal and its negation
+of all they knew. A man owed alliance to his immediate family, to his
+clan, his tribe, then to the Tuareg confederation--in decreasing degree.
+Beyond that, all were enemies, as all men knew.
+
+One protested slowly, seeking out his words, "Your El Hassan preaches
+this equality, but surely the wiser man and the stronger man will soon
+find his way to the top in any land, in any tribe, even in the nations
+of the Rouma."
+
+Omar shrugged. "Who could contend otherwise? But each man should be free
+to develop his own possibilities, be they strength of arm or of brain.
+Let no man exploit another, nor suppress another's abilities. If a Bela
+slave has more ability than a Surgu Tuareg noble, let him profit to the
+full by his gifts."
+
+There was a cold silence.
+
+Omar finished gently by saying, "Or so El Hassan teaches, and so they
+teach in the new schools in Tamanrasset and Gao, in Timbuktu and Reggan,
+in the big universities at Kano, Dakar, Bamako, Accra and Abidian. And
+throughout North Africa the wave of the future flows over the land."
+
+"It is a flood of evil," Moussa-ag-Amastan said definitely.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+But in spite of the antagonism of the clan headman and of the older
+Tuareg warriors, the stories of the smiths continued to spread. It was
+not even beyond them to discuss, long and quietly, with the Bela slaves
+the ideas of the mysterious El Hassan, and to talk of the plentiful
+jobs, the high wages, at the dams, the new oases, and in the
+afforestation projects.
+
+Somehow the news of their presence spread, and another clan of nomad
+Tuareg arrived and pitched their tents, to handle the wares of the
+smiths and to bring their metal work for repair. And to listen to their
+disturbing words.
+
+As amazing as any of the new products was the solar powered, portable
+television set which charged its batteries during the daylight hours and
+then flashed on its screen the images and the voices and music of
+entertainers and lecturers, teachers and storytellers, for all to see.
+In the beginning it had been difficult, for the eye of the desert man is
+not trained to pick up a picture. He has never seen one, and would not
+recognize his own photograph. But in time, it came to them.
+
+The programs originated in Tamanrasset and in Salah, in Zinder and Fort
+Lamy and one of the smiths revealed that the mysterious waves, that fed
+the device its programs, were bounced off tiny moons which the Rouma had
+rocketed up into the sky for that purpose. A magic understandable only
+to marabouts and such, without doubt.
+
+At the end of their period of stay, the smiths, to the universal
+surprise of all, gave the mystery device to two sisters, kinswomen of
+Moussa-ag-Amastan, who were particularly interested in the teachers and
+lecturers who told of the new world aborning. The gift was made in the
+full understanding that all should be allowed to listen and watch, and
+it was clear that if ever the set needed repair it was to be left
+untinkered with and taken to Tamanrasset or the nearest larger
+settlement where it would be fixed free of charge.
+
+There were many strange features about the smiths, as each man could
+see. Among others, were their strange weapons. There had been some soft
+whispered discussion among the warriors in the first two days of their
+stay about relieving the strangers of their obviously desirable
+possessions--after all, they weren't kinsmen, not even Tuareg. But on
+the second day, the always smiling one named Abrahim el Bakr had been on
+the outskirts of the _erg_ when a small group of gazelle were flushed.
+The graceful animals took off at a prohibitive rifle range, as usual,
+but Abrahim el Bakr had thrown his small, all but tiny weapon to his
+shoulder and _flic flic flic_, with a sound no greater than the cracking
+of a ground nut, had knocked over three of them before the others had
+disappeared around a dune.
+
+Obviously, the weapons of the smiths were as great as their learning and
+their new instruments. It was discouraging to a raider by instinct.
+
+Then, too, there was the strangeness of the night talks their leader was
+known to have with his secret _Kambu_ fetish which was able to answer
+him in a squeaky but distinct voice in some unknown tongue, obviously a
+language of the djinn. The _Kambu_ was worn on a strap on Omar's wrist,
+and each night at a given hour he was wont to withdraw to his tent and
+there confer.
+
+On the fourth night, obviously, he was given instruction by the _Kambu_
+for in the morning, at first light, the smiths hurriedly packed, broke
+camp, made their good-byes to Moussa-ag-Amastan and the others and were
+off.
+
+Moussa-ag-Amastan was glad to see them go. They were quite the most
+disturbing element to upset his people in many seasons. He wondered at
+the advisability of making their usual summer journey to the Tuareg
+sedentary centers. He had a feeling that if the clan got near enough to
+such centers as Zinder to the south, or Touggourt to the north, there
+would be wholesale desertion of the Bela, and, for that matter, even of
+some of his younger warriors and their wives.
+
+However, there was no putting off indefinitely exposure to this danger.
+Even in such former desert centers as Tessalit and In Salah, the
+irrigation projects were of such magnitude that there was a great labor
+shortage. But always, of course, as the smiths had said, if you worked
+at the projects your children must needs attend the schools. And that
+way lay disaster!
+
+The five smiths took out overland in the direction of Djanet on the
+border of what had once been known as Libya and famed for its cliffs
+which tower over twenty-five hundred feet above the town. Their solar
+powered, air cushion, hover-lorries, threw up their clouds of dust and
+sand to right and left, but they made good time over the _erg_. A good
+hovercraft driver could do much to even out a rolling landscape,
+changing his altitude from a few inches here to as much as twenty-five
+feet there, given, of course, enough power in his solar batteries,
+although that was little problem in this area where clouds were
+sometimes not seen for years on end.
+
+This was back of the beyond, the wasteland of earth. Only the interior
+of the Arabian peninsula and the Gobi could compete and, of course, even
+the Gobi was beginning to be tamed under the afforestation efforts of
+the teeming multitudes of China who had suffered its disastrous storms
+down through the millennia.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Omar checked and checked again with the instrument on his wrist, asking
+and answering, his voice worried.
+
+Finally they pulled up beside a larger than usual wadi and Omar ben
+Crawf stared thoughtfully out over it. The one they had named Abrahim el
+Bakr stood beside him and the others slightly to the rear.
+
+Abrahim el Bakr nodded, for once his face unsmiling. "Those cats'll come
+down here," he said. "Nothing else would make sense, not even to an
+Egyptian."
+
+"I think you're right," Omar growled. He said over his shoulder, "Bey,
+get the trucks out of sight, over that dune. Elmer, you and Kenny set
+the gun up over there. Solid slugs, and try to avoid their cargo. We
+don't want to set off a Fourth of July here. Bey, when you're finished
+with the trucks, take that Tommy-Noiseless of yours and flank them from
+over behind those rocks. Take a couple of clips extra, for good
+luck--you won't need them, though."
+
+"How many are there supposed to be?" Abrahim el Bakr asked, his voice
+empty of humor now.
+
+"Eight half-trucks, two armed jeeps, or land-rovers, one or the other.
+Probably about forty men, Abe."
+
+"All armed," Abe said flatly.
+
+"Um-m-m. Listen, that's them coming. Right down the _wadi_. Get going
+men. Abe, you cover me."
+
+Abe Bakr looked at him. "Wha'd'ya mean, cover you, man? You slipped all
+the way round the bend? Listen, let me plant a couple quick land mines
+to stop 'em and we'll get ourselves behind these rocks and blast those
+cats half way back to Cairo."
+
+"We'll warn them as per orders."
+
+"Crazy man, like you're the boss, Homer," Abe growled. "But why'd I ever
+leave New Jersey?" He made his way to the right, to the top of the
+wadi's bank and behind a clump of thorny bush. He made himself
+comfortable, the light Tommy-Noiseless with its clip of two hundred .10
+caliber, ultra-high velocity shells resting before him on a flat rock
+outcropping. He thoughtfully flicked the selector to the explosive side
+of the clip. Let Homer Crawford say what he would about not setting off
+a Fourth of July, but if he needed covering in the moments to come, he'd
+need it bad.
+
+The chips were down now.
+
+The convoy, the motors growling their protests of the hard going even
+here at the gravel bottomed wadi river bed, made its way toward them at
+a pace of approximately twenty kilometers per hour.
+
+The lead jeep--Skoda manufacture, Homer Crawford noted cynically--was
+some thirty meters in advance. It drew to a halt upon seeing him and a
+turbaned Arab Union trooper swung a Brenn gun in his direction.
+
+An officer stood up in the jeep and yelled at Crawford in Arabic.
+
+The American took a deep breath and said in the same language, "You're
+out of your own territory."
+
+The officer's face went poker-expressionless. He looked at the lone
+figure, dressed in the garb of the Tuareg, even to the turban-veil which
+covers all but the eyes of these notorious Apaches of the Sahara.
+
+"This is no affair of yours," the lieutenant said. "Who are you?"
+
+Homer Crawford said very clearly, "Sahara Division, African Development
+Project, Reunited Nations. You're far out of your own territory,
+lieutenant. I'll have to report you, and also to demand that you turn
+and go back to your origin."
+
+The lieutenant flicked his hand, and the trooper behind the Brenn gun
+sighted the weapon and tightened his trigger finger.
+
+Crawford dropped to the ground and rolled desperately for a slight
+depression that would provide cover. He could have saved himself the
+resultant bruises and scratches. Before the Brenn gun spoke even once,
+there was a _Goetterdammerung_ of sound and the three occupants of the
+jeep, driver, lieutenant and gunner were swept from the vehicle in a
+nauseating obscenity of exploding flesh, uniform cloth, blood and bone.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+To the side, Abe Bakr behind his thorn bush and rock vantage point
+turned the barrel of his Tommy-Noiseless to the first of the half
+tracks. Already Arab Union troopers were debouching from them, some
+firing at random and at unseen targets. However, the so-called Enaden
+smiths were well concealed, their weapons silenced except for the
+explosion of the tiny shells upon reaching their target.
+
+It wasn't much of a fight. The recoilless automatic rifle manned by
+Elmer Allen and Kenny Ballalou swept the wadi, swept it of life, at
+least, but hardly swept it clean. What few individuals were left, in
+what little shelter was to be found in the dry river's bottom, were
+picked off easily, if not neatly by the high velocity automatics in the
+hands of Abe Bakr and Bey-ag-Akhamouk.
+
+Afterwards, the five of them, standing at the side of the wadi, stared
+down at their work.
+
+Elmer Allen muttered a bitter four-letter obscenity. He had once headed
+a pacifist group at the University in Kingston, Jamaica. Now his teeth
+were bared, as they always were when he went into action. He hated it.
+
+Of them all, Bey-ag-Ahkamouk was the least moved by the slaughter. He
+grumbled, "Guns, explosives, mortar, flame throwers. If there is
+anything in the world my people don't need in the way of _aid_, it's
+weapons."
+
+"Our people," Homer Crawford said absently, his eyes--taking in the
+scene beneath them--empty, as though unseeing. He hated the need for
+killing, almost as badly as did Elmer Allen.
+
+Bey looked at him, scowling slightly, but said nothing. There had been
+mild rebuke in his leader's voice.
+
+"Well," Abe Bakr said with a tone of mock finality in his voice, as
+though he was personally wiping his hands of the whole affair, "how are
+you going to explain all this jazz to headquarters, man?"
+
+Homer said flatly, "We were attacked by this unidentified group of, ah,
+gun runners, from some unknown origin. We defended ourselves, to the
+best of our ability."
+
+Elmer Allen looked at the once human mess below them. "We certainly
+did," he muttered, scowling.
+
+"Crazy man," Abe said, nodding his agreement to the alibi.
+
+The others didn't bother to speak. Homer Crawford's unit was well knit.
+
+He said after a moment. "Abe, you and Kenny get some dynamite and plant
+it in this wadi wall in a few spots. We'll want to bury this whole mess.
+It wouldn't do for someone to come along and blow himself up on some of
+these scattered land mines, or find himself a bazooka or something to
+use on his nearest blood-feud neighbor."
+
+
+
+
+II
+
+
+The young woman known as Izubahil was washing clothes in the Niger with
+the rest but slightly on the outskirts of the chattering group of women,
+which was fitting since she was both a comparative stranger and as yet
+unselected by any man to grace his household. Which, in a way, was
+passingly strange since she was comely enough. Clad as the rest with
+naught but a wrap of colored cloth about her hips, her face and figure
+were openly to be seen. Her complexion was not quite so dark as most.
+She came from up-river, so she said, the area of the Songhoi, but by the
+looks of her there was more than average Arab or Berber blood in her
+veins. Her lips and nose were thinner than those of her neighbors.
+
+Yes, it was strange that no man had taken her, though it was said that
+in her shyness she repulsed any advances made by either the young men,
+or their wealthier elders who could afford more than one wife. She was a
+nothing-woman, really, come out of the desert alone, and without
+relatives to protect her interests, but still she repulsed the advances
+of those who would honor her with a place in their house, or tent.
+
+She had come out of the desert, it was known, with her handful of
+possessions done up in a packet, and had quietly and unobtrusively taken
+her place in the Negro community of Gao. Little better than a slave or
+Gabibi serf, she made her meager living doing small tasks for the
+better-off members of the community.
+
+But she knew her place, was dutifully shy and quiet spoken, and in the
+town or in the presence of men, wore her haik and veil. Yes, it was
+passing strange that she found no man. On the face of it, she was
+getting no younger, surely she must be into her twenties.
+
+Up to their knees in the waters of the Niger, out beyond the point where
+the dugout canoes were pulled up to the bank, their ends resting on the
+shore, they pounded their laundry. Laughing, chattering, gossiping. Life
+was perhaps poor, but still life was good.
+
+Someone pretended to see a crocodile and there was a wild scampering for
+the shore. And then high laughter when the jest was revealed. Actually,
+all the time they had known it a jest, since it was their most popular
+one--there were seldom crocodiles this far north in the Niger bend.
+
+There was a stir as two men dressed in the clothes of the Rouma
+approached the river bank. It was not forbidden, but good manners called
+for males to refrain from this area while the woman bathed and washed
+their laundry, without veil or upper garments. These mean were obviously
+shameless, and probably had come to stare. From their dress, their faces
+and their bearing, they were strangers. Possibly Senegalese, up from the
+area near Dakar, products of the new schools and the new industries
+mushrooming there. Strange things were told of the folk who gave up the
+old ways, worked on the dams and the other new projects, sent their
+little ones to the schools, and submitted to the needle pricks which
+seemed to compose so much of the magic medicine being taught in the
+medical schools by the Rouma witchmen.
+
+One of them spoke now in Songhoi, the _lingua franca_ of the vicinity.
+Shamelessly he spoke to them, although none were his women, nor even his
+tribal kin. None looked at him.
+
+"We seek a single woman, an unwed woman, who would work for pay and
+learn the new ways."
+
+They continued their laundry, not looking up, but their chatter dribbled
+away.
+
+"She must drop the veil," the man continued clearly, "and give up the
+haik and wear the new clothes. But she will be well paid, and taught to
+read and be kept in the best of comfort and health."
+
+There was a low gasp from several of the younger women, but one of the
+eldest looked up in distaste. "Wear the clothes of the Rouma!" she said
+indignantly. "Shameless ones!"
+
+The man's voice was testy. He himself was dressed in the clothing worn
+always by the Rouma, when the Rouma had controlled the Niger bend. He
+said, "These are not the clothes of the Rouma, but the clothes of
+civilized people everywhere."
+
+The women's attention went back to their washing. Two or three of them
+giggled.
+
+The elderly woman said, "There are none here who will go with you, for
+whatever shameless purpose you have in your mind."
+
+But Izubahil, the strange girl come out of the desert from the north,
+spoke suddenly. "I will," she said.
+
+There was a gasp, and all looked at her in wide-eyed alarm. She began
+making her way to the shore, her unfinished washing still in hand.
+
+The stranger said clearly, "And drop the veil, discard the haik for the
+new clothing, and attend the schools?"
+
+There was another gasp as Izubahil said definitely, "Yes, all these
+things." She looked back at the women. "So that I may learn all these
+new ways."
+
+The more elderly sniffed and turned their backs in scorn, but the
+younger stared after her in some amazement and until she disappeared
+with the two strangers into one of the buildings which had formerly
+housed the French Administration officers back in the days when the area
+was known as the French Sudan.
+
+Inside, the boy strangers turned to her and the one who had spoken at
+the river bank said in English, "How goes it?"
+
+"Heavens to Betsy," Isobel Cunningham said with a grin, "get me a drink.
+If I'd known majoring in anthropology was going to wind up with my doing
+a strip tease with a bunch of natives in the Niger River, I would have
+taken up Home Economics, like my dear old mother wanted!"
+
+They laughed with her and Jacob Armstrong, the older of the two, went
+over to a sideboard and mixed her a cognac and soda. "Ice?" he said.
+
+"Brother, you said it," she told him. "Where can I change out of these
+rags?"
+
+"On you they look good," Clifford Jackson told her. He looked
+surprisingly like the Joe Louis of several decades earlier.
+
+"That's enough out of you, wise guy," Isobel told him. "Why doesn't
+somebody dream up a role for me where I can be a rich paramount chief's
+favorite wife, or something? Be loaded down with gold and jewelry, that
+sort of thing."
+
+Jake brought her the drink. "Your clothes are in there," he told her,
+motioning with his head to an inner room. "It wouldn't do the job," he
+added. "What we're giving them is the old Cinderella story." He looked
+at his watch. "If we get under way, we can take the jet to Kabara and go
+into your act there. It's been nearly six months since Kabara and
+they'll be all set for the second act."
+
+She knocked back the brandy and made her way to the other room, saying
+over her shoulder, "Be with you in a minute."
+
+"Not that much of a hurry," Cliff called. "Take your time, gal, there's
+a bath in there. You'll probably want one after a week of living the way
+you've been."
+
+"Brother!" she agreed.
+
+Jake was making himself a drink. He said easily to Cliff Jackson,
+"That's a fine girl. I'd hate her job. We get the easy deal on this
+assignment."
+
+Cliff said, "You said it, Nigger. How about mixing me a drink, too?"
+
+"Nigger!" Jake said in mock indignation. "Look who's talking." His voice
+took on a burlesque of a Southern drawl. "Man when the Good Lawd was
+handin' out _cullahs_, you musta thought he said _umbrellahs_, and said
+give me a nice black one."
+
+Cliff laughed with him and said, "Where do we plant poor Isobel next?"
+
+Jake thought about it. "I don't know. The kid's been putting in a lot of
+time. I think after about a week in Kabara we ought to go on down to
+Dakar and suggest she be given another assignment for a while. Some of
+the girls, working out of our AFAA office don't do anything except drive
+around in recent model cars, showing off the advantages of emancipation,
+tossing money around like tourists, and living it up in general."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+On the flight up-river to Kabara, Isobel Cunningham went through the
+notes she'd taken on that town. It was also on the Niger, and the
+assignment had been almost identical to the Gao one. In fact, she'd gone
+through the same routine in Segou, Ke-Macina, Mopti, Goundam and Bourem,
+above Gao, and Ansongo, Tillaberi and Niamey below. She was stretching
+her luck, if you asked her. Sooner or later she was going to run into
+someone who knew her from a past performance.
+
+Well, let the future take care of the future. She looked over at Cliff
+Jackson who was piloting the jet and said, "What're the latest
+developments? Obviously, I haven't seen a paper or heard a broadcast for
+over a week."
+
+Cliff shrugged his huge shoulders. "Not much. More trouble with the
+Portuguese down in the south."
+
+Jake rumbled, "There's going to be a bloodbath there before it's over."
+
+Isobel said thoughtfully, "There's been some hope that fundamental
+changes might take place in Lisbon."
+
+Jake grunted his skepticism. "In that case the bloodbath would take
+place there instead of in Africa." He added, "Which is all right with
+me."
+
+"What else?" Isobel said.
+
+"Continued complications in the Congo."
+
+"That's hardly news."
+
+"But things are going like clockwork in the west. Kenya, Uganda,
+Tanganyika." Cliff took his right hand away from the controls long
+enough to make a circle with its thumb and index finger. "Like
+clockwork. Fifty new fellows from the University of Chicago came in last
+week to help with the rural education development and twenty or so men
+from Johns Hopkins in Baltimore have wrangled a special grant for a new
+medical school."
+
+"All ... Negroes?"
+
+"What else?"
+
+Jake said suddenly, "Tell her about the Cubans."
+
+Isobel frowned. "Cubans?"
+
+"Over in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan area. They were supposedly helping
+introduce modern sugar refining methods--"
+
+"Why supposedly?"
+
+"Why not?"
+
+"All right, go on," Isobel said.
+
+Cliff Jackson said slowly, "Somebody shot them up. Killed several,
+wounded most of the others."
+
+The girl's eyes went round. "Who ... and why?"
+
+The pilot shifted his heavy shoulders again.
+
+Jake said, "Nobody seems to know, but the weapons were modern. Plenty
+modern." He twisted in his bucket seat, uncomfortably. "Listen, have you
+heard anything about some character named El Hassan?"
+
+Isobel turned to face him. "Why, yes. The people there in Gao mentioned
+him. Who is he?"
+
+"That's what I'd like to know," Jake said. "What did they say?"
+
+"Oh, mostly supposed words of wisdom that El Hassan was alleged to have
+made with. I get it that he's some, well you wouldn't call him a
+nationalist since he's international in his appeal, but he's evidently
+preaching union of all Africans. I get an undercurrent of
+anti-Europeanism in general, but not overdone." Isobel's expressive face
+went thoughtful. "As a matter of fact, his program seems to coincide
+largely with our own, so much so that from time to time when I had
+occasion to drop a few words of propaganda into a conversation, I'd
+sometimes credit it to him."
+
+Cliff looked over at her and chuckled. "That's a coincidence," he said.
+"I've been doing the same thing. An idea often carries more weight with
+these people if it's attributed to somebody with a reputation."
+
+Jake, the older of the three said: "Well, I can't find out anything
+about him. Nobody seems to know if he's an Egyptian, a Nigerian, a
+MOR ... or an Eskimo, for that matter."
+
+"Did you check with headquarters?"
+
+"So far they have nothing on him, except for some other inquiries from
+field workers."
+
+Below them, the river was widening out to the point where it resembled
+swampland more than a waterway. There were large numbers of waterbirds,
+and occasional herds of hippopotami. Isobel didn't express her thoughts,
+but a moment of doubt hit her. What would all this be like when the dams
+were finished, the waters of this third largest of Africa's rivers,
+ninth largest of the world's, under control?
+
+She pointed. "There's Kabara." The age-old river port lay below them.
+Cliff slapped one of his controls with the heel of his hand and the
+craft began to sink earthward.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+They took up quarters in the new hotel which adjoined the new elementary
+school, and Isobel immediately went into her routine.
+
+Dressed and shod immaculately, her head held high in confidence, she
+spent considerable time mingling with the more backward of the natives
+and especially the women. Six months ago, she had given a performance
+similar to that she had just finished in Gao, several hundred miles down
+river.
+
+Now she renewed old acquaintances, calling them by name--after checking
+her notes. Invariably, their eyes bugged. Their questions came thick,
+came fast in the slurring Songhoi and she answered them in detail. They
+came quickly under her intellectual domination. Her poise, her obvious
+well being, flabbergasted them.
+
+In all, they spent a week in the little river town, but even the first
+night Isobel slumped wearily in the most comfortable chair of their
+small suite's living room.
+
+She kicked off her shoes, and wiggled weary toes.
+
+"If my mother could see me now," she complained. "After giving her all
+to get the apple of her eye through school, her wayward daughter winds
+up living with two men in the wilds of deepest Africa." She twisted her
+mouth puckishly.
+
+Cliff grunted, poking around in a bag for the bottle of cognac he
+couldn't remember where he had packed. "Huh!" he said. "The next time
+you write her you might mention the fact that both of them are
+continually proposing to you and you brush it all off as a big joke."
+
+"Huh, indeed!" Isobel answered him. "Proposing, or propositioning? If
+either of you two Romeos ever rattle the doorknob of my room at night
+again, you're apt to get a bullet through it."
+
+Jake winced. "Wasn't me. Look at my gray hair, Isobel. I'm old enough to
+be your daddy."
+
+"Sugar daddy, I suppose," she said mockingly.
+
+"Wasn't me either," Cliff said, criss-crossing his heart and pointing
+upward.
+
+"Huh!" said Isobel again, but she was really in no mood for their usual
+banter. "Listen," she said, "what're we accomplishing with all this
+masquerade?"
+
+Cliff had found the French brandy. He poured three stiff ones and handed
+drinks to Isobel and Jake.
+
+He knew he wasn't telling her anything, but he said, "We're a king-size
+rumor campaign, that's what we are. We're breaking down institutions the
+sneaky way." He added reflectively. "A kinder way, though, than some."
+
+"But this ... what did you call it earlier, Jake?... this Cinderella act
+I go through perpetually. What good does it do, really? I contact only a
+few hundreds of people at most. And there are millions here in Mali
+alone."
+
+"There are other teams, too," Jake said mildly. "Several hundreds of us
+doing one thing or another."
+
+"A drop in the bucket," Isobel said, her piquant sepian face registering
+weariness.
+
+Cliff sipped his brandy, shaking his big head even as he did so. "No,"
+he said. "It's a king-size rumor campaign and it's amazing how effective
+they can be. Remember the original dirty-rumor campaigns back in the
+States? Suppose two laundry firms were competing. One of them, with a
+manager on the conscience-less side, would hire two or three
+professional rumor spreaders. They'd go around dropping into bars,
+barber shops, pool rooms. Sooner or later, they'd get a chance to drop
+some line such as _did you hear about them discovering that two lepers
+worked at the Royal Laundry_? You can imagine the barbers, the
+bartenders, and such professional gossips, passing on the good word."
+
+Isobel laughed, but unhappily. "I don't recognize myself in the
+description."
+
+Cliff said earnestly, "Sure, only few score women in each town you put
+on your act, really witness the whole thing. But think how they pass it
+on. Each one of them tells the story of the miracle. A waif comes out of
+the desert. Without property, without a husband or family, without
+kinsfolk. Shy, dirty, unwanted. Then she's offered a good position if
+she'll drop the veil, discard the haik, and attend the new schools. So
+off she goes--everyone thinking to her disaster. Hocus-pocus, six months
+later she returns, obviously prosperous, obviously healthy, obviously
+well adjusted. Fine. The story spreads for miles around. Nothing is so
+popular as the Cinderella story, and that's the story you're putting
+over. It's a natural."
+
+"I hope so," Isobel said. "Sometimes I think I'm helping put over a
+gigantic hoax on these people. Promising something that won't be
+delivered."
+
+Jake looked at her unhappily. "I've thought the same thing, sometimes,
+but what are you going to be with people at this stage of
+development--_subtle_?"
+
+Isobel dropped it. She held out her glass for more cognac. "I hope
+there's something decent to eat in this place. Do you realize what I've
+been putting into my tummy this past week?"
+
+Cliff shuddered.
+
+Isobel patted her abdomen. "At least it keeps my figure in trim."
+
+"Um-m-m," Jake pretended to leer heavily.
+
+Isobel chuckled at him in a return to good humor. "Hyena," she accused.
+
+"Hyena?" Jake said.
+
+"Sure, there aren't any wolves in these parts," she explained. "How long
+are we going to be here?"
+
+The two men looked at each other. Cliff said, "Well, we'd like to finish
+out the week. Guy named Homer Crawford has been passing around the word
+to hold a meeting in Timbuktu the end of this week."
+
+"Crawford?"
+
+"Homer Crawford, some kind of sociologist from the University of
+Michigan, I understand. He's connected with the Reunited Nations African
+Development Project, heads one of their cloak and dagger teams."
+
+Jake grunted. "Sociologist? I also understand that he put in a hitch
+with the Marines and spent kind of a shady period of two years fighting
+with the FLN in Algeria."
+
+"On what side?" Cliff said interestedly.
+
+"Darn if I know."
+
+Isobel said, "Well, we have nothing to do with the Reunited Nations."
+
+Cliff shook his large head negatively. "Of course not, but Crawford
+seems to think it'd be a good idea if some of us in the field would get
+together and ... well, have sort of a bull session."
+
+Jake growled, "We don't have much in the way of co-operation on the
+higher levels. Everybody seems to head out in all directions on their
+own. It can get chaotic. Maybe in the field we could give each other a
+few pointers. For one, I'd like to find out if any of the rest of these
+jokers know anything about that affair with the Cubans over in the
+Sudan."
+
+"I suppose it can't hurt," Isobel admitted. "In fact, it might be fun
+swapping experiences with some of these characters. Frankly, though, the
+stories I've heard about the African Development teams aren't any too
+palatable. They seem to be a ruthless bunch."
+
+Jake looked down into his glass. "It's a ruthless country," he murmured.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Dolo Anah, as he approached the ten Dogon villages of the Canton de
+Sangha, was first thought to be a small bird in the sky. As he drew
+nearer, it was decided, instead, that he was a larger creature of the
+air, perhaps a vulture, though who had ever seen such a vulture? As he
+drew nearer still, it was plain that in size he was more nearly an
+ostrich than vulture, but who had ever heard of a flying ostrich, and
+besides--
+
+No! It was a man! But who in all the Dogon had ever witnessed such a
+_juju_ man? One whose flailing limbs enabled him to fly!
+
+The ten villages of the Dogon are perched on the rim of the Falaise de
+Bandiagara. The cliffs are over three hundred feet high and the villages
+are similar to Mesa Verde of Colorado, and as unaccessible, as
+impregnable to attack.
+
+But hardly impregnable to arrival by helio-hopper.
+
+When Dolo Anah landed in the tiny square of the village of Ireli, the
+first instinct of Amadijue the village witchman was to send post haste
+to summon the Kanaga dancers, but then despair overwhelmed him. Against
+powers such as this, what could prevail? Besides, Amadijue had not
+arrived at his position of influence and affluence through other than
+his own true abilities. Secretly, he rather doubted the efficacy of even
+the supposedly most potent witchcraft.
+
+But this!
+
+Dolo Anah unstrapped himself from the one man helio-hopper's small
+bicyclelike seat, folded the two rotors back over the rest of the craft,
+and then deposited the seventy-five pound vehicle in a corner, between
+two adobe houses. He knew perfectly well that the local inhabitants
+would die a thousand deaths of torture rather than approach, not to
+speak of touching it.
+
+Looking to neither right nor left, walking arrogantly and carrying only
+a small bag--undoubtedly housing his _gris gris_, as Amadijue could well
+imagine--Dolo Anah headed for the largest house. Since the whole village
+was packed, bug-eyed, into the square watching him there were no
+inhabitants within.
+
+He snapped back over his shoulder, "Summon all the headmen of all the
+villages, and all of their eldest sons; summon all the Hogons and all
+the witchmen. Immediately! I would speak with them and issue orders."
+
+He was a small man, clad only in a loincloth, and could well have been a
+Dogon himself. Surely he was black as a Dogon, clad as a Dogon, and he
+spoke the native language which is a tongue little known outside the
+semi-desert land of Dogon covered with its sand, rocks, scrub bush and
+baobab trees. It is not a land which sees many strangers.
+
+The headmen gathered with trepidation. All had seen the juju man descend
+from the skies. It had been with considerable relief that most had noted
+that he finally sank to earth in the village of Ireli instead of their
+own. But now all were summoned. Those among them who were Kanaga dancers
+wore their masks and costumes, and above all their gris gris charms, but
+it was a feeble gesture. Such magic as this was unknown. To fly through
+the air _personally_!
+
+Dolo Anah was seated to one end of the largest room of the largest house
+of Ireli when they crowded in to answer his blunt summons. He was seated
+cross-legged on the floor and staring at the ground before him.
+
+The others seemed tongue-tied, both headmen and Hogons, the highly
+honored elders of the Dogon people. So Amadijue as senior witchman took
+over the responsibility of addressing this mystery juju come out of the
+skies.
+
+"Oh, powerful stranger, how is your health?"
+
+"Good," Dolo Anah said.
+
+"How is the health of thy wife?"
+
+"Good."
+
+"How is the health of thy children?"
+
+"Good."
+
+"How is the health of thy mother?"
+
+"Good."
+
+"How is the health of thy father?"
+
+"Good."
+
+"How is the health of thy kinswomen?"
+
+"Good."
+
+"How is the health of thy kinsmen?"
+
+"Good."
+
+To the traditional greeting of the Dogon, Amadijue added hopefully,
+"Welcome to the villages of Sangha."
+
+His voice registering nothing beyond the impatience which had marked it
+from the beginning, Dolo Anah repeated the routine.
+
+"Men of Sangha," he snapped, "how is your health?"
+
+"Good," they chorused.
+
+"How is the health of thy wives?"
+
+"Good!"
+
+"How is the health of thy children?"
+
+"Good!"
+
+"How is the health of thy mothers?"
+
+"Good!"
+
+"How is the health of thy fathers?"
+
+"Good!"
+
+"How is the health of thy kinswomen?"
+
+"Good!"
+
+"How is the health of thy kinsmen?"
+
+"Good!"
+
+"I accept thy welcome," Dolo Anah bit out. "And now heed me well for I
+am known as Dolo Anah and I have instructions from above for the people
+of the Dogon."
+
+Sweat glistened on the faces and bodies of the assembled Dogon headmen,
+their uncharacteristically silent witchmen, the Hogons and the sons of
+the headmen.
+
+"Speak, oh juju come out of the sky," Amadijue fluttered, but proud of
+his ability to find speech at all when all the others were stricken dumb
+with fear.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Dolo Anah stared down at the ground before him. The others, their eyes
+fascinated as though by a cobra preparing to strike its death, focused
+on the spot as well.
+
+Dolo Anah raised a hand very slowly and very gently and a sigh went
+through his audience. The dirt on the hut floor had stirred. It stirred
+again and slowly, ever so slowly, up through the floor emerged a milky,
+translucent ball. When it had fully emerged, Dolo Anah took it up in his
+hands and stared at it for a long moment.
+
+It came to sudden light and a startled gasp flushed over the room, a
+gasp shared by even the witchmen, Amadijue included.
+
+Dolo Anah looked up at them. "Each of you must come in turn and look
+into the ball," he said.
+
+Faltering, though all eyes were turned to him, Amadijue led the way. His
+eyes rounded, he stared, and they widened still further. For within,
+mystery upon mystery, men danced in seeming celebration. It was as
+though it was a funeral party but of dimensions never known before, for
+there were scores of Kanaga dancers, and, yes, above all other wonders,
+some of the dancers were Dogon, without doubt, but others were Mosse and
+others were even Tellum!
+
+Amadijue turned away, shaken, and Dolo Anah spoke sharply, "The rest,
+one by one."
+
+They came. The headmen, the Hogons, the witchmen and finally the sons of
+the headmen, and each in turn stared into the ball and saw the tiny men
+within, doing their dance of celebration, Dogon, Mosse and Tellum
+together.
+
+When all had seen, Dolo Anah placed the ball back on the ground and
+stared at it and slowly it returned to from whence it came, and Dolo
+Anah gently spread dust over the spot. When the floor was as it had
+been, he looked up at them, his eyes striking.
+
+"What did you see?" he spoke sharply to Amadijue.
+
+There was a tremor in the village witchman's voice. "Oh juju, come out
+of the sky, I saw a great festival and Dogon danced with their enemies
+the Mosse and the Tellum--and, all seemed happy beyond belief."
+
+The stranger looked piercingly at the rest. "And what did you see?"
+
+Some mumbled, "The same. The same," and others, terrified still, could
+only nod.
+
+"That is the message I have come to give you. You will hold a great
+conference with the people of the Tellum and the people of the Mosse and
+there will be a great celebration and no longer will there be Dogon,
+Mosse and Tellum, but all will be one. And there will be trade, and
+there will be marriage between the tribes, and no longer will there be
+three tribes, but only one people and no longer will the headmen and
+witchmen of the tribes resist the coming of the new schools, and all the
+young people will attend."
+
+Amadijue muttered, "But, great juju come out of the sky, these are our
+blood enemies. For longer than the memory of the grandfathers of our
+eldest Hogon we have carried the blood feud with Tellum and Mosse."
+
+"No longer," Dolo Anah said flatly.
+
+Amadijue held shaking hands out in supplication, to this dominating juju
+come out of the skies. "But they will not heed us. Tellum and Mosse have
+hated the Dogon for all time. They will wreak their vengeance on any
+delegation come to make such suggestions to them."
+
+"I fly to see their headmen and witchmen immediately," Dolo Anah bit out
+decisively. "They will heed my message." His tone turned dangerous. "As
+will the headmen and witchmen of the Dogon. If any fail to obey the
+message from above, their eyes will lose sight, their tongues become
+dumb, and their bellies will crawl with worms."
+
+Amadijue's face went ashen.
+
+At long last the headman of all the Sangha villages spoke up, his voice
+trembling its fear. "But the schools, oh great juju--as all the Dogon
+have decided, in tribal conference--the schools are evil for our youth.
+They teach not the old ways--"
+
+Dolo Anah cut him short with the chop of a commanding hand. "The old
+ways are fated to die. Already they die. The new ways are the ways of
+the schools."
+
+Amazed at his own temerity, the head chief spoke once more. "But, since
+the coming of the French, we have rejected the schools."
+
+Dolo Anah looked at him in scorn. "These will not be schools of the
+French. They will be the schools of Bantu, Berber, Sudanese and all the
+other peoples of the land. And when your young people have attended the
+schools and learned their wisdom they in turn will teach in the schools
+and in all the land there will be wisdom and good life. Now I have
+spoken and all of you will withdraw save only the sons of the headmen."
+
+They withdrew, making a point each and every one not to turn their backs
+to this bringer of disastrous news and leaving only the terror-stricken
+young men behind them.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+When all were gone save the dozen youngsters, Dolo Anah looked at them
+contemplatively. He shrugged finally and said, pointing with his finger,
+"You, you and you may leave. The others will remain." The three darted
+out, glad of the reprieve.
+
+He looked at the remainder. "Be unafraid," he snapped. "There is no
+reason to fear me. Your fathers and the Hogons and the so-called
+witchmen, are fools, nothing-men. Fools and cowards, because they are
+impressed by foolish tricks."
+
+He pointed suddenly. "You, there, what is your name?"
+
+The youth stuttered, "Hinnan."
+
+"Very well, Hinnan. Did you see me approach by the air?"
+
+"Yes ... yes ... juju man."
+
+"Don't call me a juju man. There is no such thing as juju. It is
+nonsense made by the cunning to fool the stupid, as you will learn when
+you attend the schools."
+
+Hinnan took courage. "But I saw you fly."
+
+"Have you never seen the great aircraft of the white men of Europe and
+America go flying over? Or have none of you witnessed these craft
+sitting on the ground at Mopti or Niamey. Surely some of you have
+journeyed to Mopti."
+
+"Yes, but they are great craft. And you flew alone and without the great
+wings and propellers of the white-man's aircraft."
+
+Dolo Anah chuckled. "My son, I flew in a helio-hopper as they are
+called. They are the smallest of all aircraft, but they are not magic.
+They are made in the factories of the lands of Europe and America and
+after you have finished school and have found a position for yourself in
+the new industries that spread through Africa, then you will be able to
+purchase one quite cheaply, if you so desire. Others among you might
+even learn to build them, themselves."
+
+Hinnan and the others gasped.
+
+Dolo Anah went on. "And observe this." He dug into the ground before him
+and revealed the crystal ball that had magically appeared before. He
+showed to them the little elevator device beneath it which he
+manipulated with a small rubber bulb which pumped air underneath.
+
+One or two of them ventured a scornful laugh, at the obviousness of the
+trick.
+
+Dolo Anah took up the ball and unscrewed the base. Inside were a
+delicate arrangement of film on a continuous spool so that the scene
+played over and over again, and a combination of batteries and bulbs to
+project the scene on the ball's surface. He explained, in patient
+detail, the workings of the supposed magic ball. Two of the boys had
+seen movies on trips to Mopti, the others had heard of them.
+
+Finally one, highly encouraged now, as were the others, said, "But why
+do you show us this and shame us for our foolishness?"
+
+Dolo Anah nodded encouragement at the teen-ager. "I do not shame you, my
+son, but your fathers and the Hogons and the so-called witchmen. For
+long ages the Dogon have been led by the oldest members of the tribe,
+the Hogons. This can be nonsense because in spite of your traditions age
+does not necessarily bring wisdom. In fact, senility as it is called can
+bring childish nonsense. A people should be governed by the wisest and
+best among them, not by tradition, by often silly beliefs handed down
+from one generation to another."
+
+Hinnan, who was eldest son of the head chief, said, "But why do you tell
+us this, after shaming our fathers and the old men of the Dogon?"
+
+For the first time since the elders had left, Dolo Anah's eyes gleamed
+as before. "Because you will be the leaders of the Dogon tomorrow, most
+like. And it is necessary to learn these great truths. That you attend
+the schools and bring to the Dogon tomorrow what they did not have
+yesterday, and do not have today."
+
+"But suppose we tell them of how you have deceived them?" the other
+articulate Dogon lad said.
+
+Dolo Anah chuckled and shook his head. "They will not believe you, boy.
+They will be afraid to believe you. And besides, men are almost
+everywhere the same. It is difficult for an older man to learn from a
+younger one, especially his own son. It is vanity, but it is true." His
+mouth twisted in memory. "When I was a lad myself, on the beaches of an
+island far from here in the Bahamas, my father beat me on more than one
+occasion, indignant that I should wish to attend the white man's
+schools, while he and his father before him had been fishermen. Beneath
+his indignation was the fear that one day I would excel him."
+
+"You are right," Hinnan said uncomfortably, "they would not believe us."
+Instinctively, the son of the head chief assumed leadership of the
+others. "We will keep this secret between us," he said to them.
+
+Dolo Anah came to his feet, yawned, stretched his legs and began to pack
+his gadgets into the small valise he carried. "Good luck, boys," he said
+unthinkingly in English.
+
+As he left the hut, he emerged into a respectfully cleared area around
+the hut. Without looking left or right he approached his folded
+helio-hopper, made the few adjustments that were needed to make it
+air-borne, strapped himself into the tiny saddle, flicked the start
+control and to the accompaniment of a gasp from the entire village of
+Ireli, took off in a swoop.
+
+In a matter of moments, he had disappeared to the north in the direction
+of the Mosse villages.
+
+
+
+
+III
+
+
+The Emir Alhaji Mohammadu, the Galadima Dawakin, Kudo of Kano, boiled
+furiously within as his gold plated Rolls Royce progressed through the
+Saba N'Gari section of town, the quarter outside the dirt walls of the
+millennium old city. He rode seated alone in the middle of the rear seat
+and his single counselor sat beside the chauffeur. Before them, a jeep
+load of his bodyguard, dressed in their uniforms of red and green,
+cleared the way. Another jeep followed similarly laden.
+
+They entered through one of the ancient gates and swept up the principal
+street. They stopped before the recently constructed luxury hotel in the
+center of town and the bodyguard leapt from the jeeps and took positions
+to each side of the entry. The counselor popped out from his side of the
+car and beat the chauffeur to the task of opening the Emir's door.
+
+Emir Alhaji Mohammadu was a tall man and a heavy one, his white robed
+figure towered some six and a half feet and his scales put him over the
+three hundred mark. He was in his mid fifties and almost a quarter
+century of autocratic position had marked his face with permanent scowl.
+He stomped now into the western style hotel.
+
+His counselor, Ahmadu Abdullah, had already procured the information
+necessary to locate the source of the Emir's ire and now scurried before
+his chief, leading the way to the suite occupied by the mysterious
+strangers. He banged heavily on the door, then stepped behind his master
+as it opened.
+
+One of the strangers, clad western style, opened the door and stepped
+aside courteously motioning to the large inner room. The Emir strutted
+arrogantly inside and stared in high irritation at the second and elder
+stranger who sat there at a heavy table. This one came to his feet, but
+there was no sign of acknowledgment of the Emir's rank. It was not too
+long a time before that men prostrated themselves in Alhaji Mohammadu's
+presence.
+
+He looked at them. Though both were of dark complexion, there seemed no
+manner of typing them. Certainly they were neither Hausa nor Fulani,
+there being no signs of Hamitic features, but neither were they Ibo or
+Yoruba from farther south. The Emir's eyes narrowed and he wondered if
+these two were Nigerians at all!
+
+He barked at them in Hausa and the older answered him in the same
+language, though there seemed a certain awkwardness in its use.
+
+Emir Alhaji Mohammadu blared, "You dare summon me, Kudo of this city?
+You presume--"
+
+They had resumed seats behind the table and the two of them looked at
+him questioningly. The older one interrupted with a gently raised hand.
+"Why did you come?"
+
+Still glaring, the Emir turned to the cringing Ahmadu Abdullah and
+motioned curtly for the counselor to speak. Meanwhile, the ruler's eyes
+went around the room, decided that the couch was the only seat that
+would accommodate his bulk, and descended upon it.
+
+Ahmadu Abdullah brought a paper from the folds of his robes. "This lying
+letter. This shameless attack upon the Galadima Dawakin!"
+
+The younger stranger said mildly, "If the charges contained there are
+incorrect, then why did you come?"
+
+The Emir rumbled dangerously, ignoring the question. "What is your
+purpose? I am not a patient man. There has never been need for my
+patience."
+
+The spokesman of the two, the older, leaned back in his chair and said
+carefully, "We have come to demand your resignation and self-exile."
+
+A vein beat suddenly and wildly at the gigantic Emir's temple and for a
+full minute the potentate was speechless with outrage.
+
+Ahmadu Abdullah said quickly, "Fantastic! Ridiculous! The Galadima
+Dawakin is lawful ruler and religious potentate of three million devoted
+followers. You are lying strangers come to cause dissention among the
+people of Kano and--"
+
+The spokesman for the newcomers took up a sheaf of papers from the table
+and said, his voice emotionless, "The reason you came here at our
+request is because the charges made in that letter you bear are valid
+ones. For a quarter century, you, Alhaji Mohammadu, have milked your
+people to your own profit. You have lived like a god on the wealth you
+have extracted from them. You have gone far, far beyond the legal and
+even traditional demands you have on the local population. Funds
+supposedly to be devoted to education, sanitation, roads, hospitals and
+a multitude of other developments that would improve this whole
+benighted area, have gone into your private pocket. In short, you have
+been a cancer on your people for the better part of your life."
+
+"All lies!" roared the Kudo.
+
+The other shook his head. "No. We have carefully gathered proof. We can
+submit evidence to back every charge we have made. Above all, we can
+prove the existence of large sums of money you have smuggled out of the
+country to Switzerland, London and New York to create a reserve for
+yourself in case of emergency. Needless to say, these funds, too, were
+originally meant for the betterment of the area."
+
+The Emir's eyes were narrow with hate. "Who are you? Whom do you
+represent?"
+
+"What difference does it make? This is of no importance."
+
+"You represent my son, Alhaji Fodio! This is what comes of his studies
+in England and America. This is what comes of his leaving Kano and
+spending long years in Lagos among those unbeliever communists in the
+south!"
+
+The younger stranger chuckled easily. "That is about the last tag I
+would hang on your son's associates," he said in English.
+
+But the older stranger was nodding. "It is true that we hope your son
+will take over the Emirate. He represents progress. Frankly, his plans
+are to end the office as soon as the people are educated to the point
+where they can accept such change."
+
+"End the office!" the Emir snarled. "For a thousand years my
+ancestors--"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The spokesman of the strangers shook his head wearily. "Your ancestors
+conquered this area less than two centuries ago in a jehad led by Othman
+Dan. Since then, you Fulani have feudalistically dominated the Hausa,
+but that is coming to an end."
+
+The Emir had come to his feet again, in his rage, and now he towered
+over the table behind which the two sat as though about to physically
+attack them. "You speak as fools," he raged.
+
+"Are you so stupid as to believe that these matters you have brought up
+are understandable to my people? Have you ever seen my people?" He
+sneered in a caricature of humor. "My people in their grass and bush
+huts? With not one man in a whole village who can add sums higher than
+those he can work out on his fingers? With not one man who can read the
+English tongue, nor any other? Would you explain to these the matters of
+transferring gold to the Zuerich banks? Would you explain to these what
+is involved in accepting dash from road contractors and from politicians
+in Lagos?"
+
+He sneered at them again. "And do you realize that I am church as well
+as state? That I represent their God to my people? Do you think they
+would take your word against _mine_, their Kudo?"
+
+In talking, he had brought a certain calm back to himself. Now he felt
+reassured at his own words. He wound it up. "You are fools to believe my
+people could understand such matters."
+
+"Then actually, you don't deny them?"
+
+"Why should I bother?" the Emir chuckled heavily.
+
+"That you have taken for personal use the large sums granted this area
+from a score of sources for roads, hospitals, schools, sanitation,
+agricultural modernization?"
+
+"Of course I don't deny it. This is my land. I am the Kudo, the Emir,
+the Galadima Dawakin. Whatever I choose to do in Kano and to all my
+people is right because I wish it. Schools? I don't want them corrupting
+my people. Hospitals for these Hausa serfs? Nonsense! Roads? They are
+bad for they allow the people to get about too easily and that leads to
+their exchanging ideas and schemes and leads to their corruption. Have I
+appropriated all such sums for my own use? Yes! I admit it. Yes! But you
+cannot prove it to such as my people, you who represent my son. So
+be-gone from Kano. If you are here tomorrow, you will be arrested by the
+same men of my bodyguard who even now seek my son, Alhaji Fodio. When he
+is captured, it will be of interest to revive some of the methods of
+execution of my ancestors."
+
+The Emir turned on his heel to stalk from the room but the older of the
+two murmured, "One moment, please."
+
+Alhaji Mohammadu paused, his face dark in scowl again.
+
+The spokesman said agreeably, "It is true that your people, and
+particularly your Hausa serfs, have no understanding of international
+finance nor of national corruption methods such as the taking of _dash_.
+However, they are susceptible to other proof." The other man raised his
+voice. "John!"
+
+From an inner room came another stranger, making their total number
+three. He was grinning and in one hand held a contraption which boasted
+a conglomeration of lenses, switches, microphones, wires and triggers.
+"Got it perfectly," he said. You'd think it had all been rehearsed.
+
+While the Emir and his counselor stared in amazement, the spokesman of
+the strangers said, "How long before you can project?"
+
+"Almost immediately."
+
+The other young man left the room and returned with what was obviously a
+movie projector. He set it up at one end of the table, pointed at a
+white wall, and plugged it in to a convenient outlet.
+
+Before the Emir had managed to control himself beyond the point of
+saying any more than, "What is all this?" the cameraman had brought a
+magazine of film from his instrument and inserted it in the projector.
+
+The photographer said conversationally, to the hulking potentate, "You'd
+be amazed at the advances in cinema these past few years. Film speed,
+immediate development, portable sound equipment. You'd be amazed."
+
+Someone flicked out the greater part of the room's light. The projector
+buzzed and on the wall was thrown a re-enactment of everything that had
+been said and done in the room for the past ten minutes.
+
+When it was over, the lights went on again.
+
+The spokesman said conversationally, "I assume that if this film were
+shown throughout the villages, even your Hausa serfs would be convinced
+that throughout your reign you have systematically robbed them."
+
+Emir Alhaji Mohammadu, the Galadima Dawakin, Kudo of Kano, his face in
+shock, turned and stumbled from the room.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The gymkhana, or fantasia as it is called in nearby Morocco, was under
+full swing before Abd-el-Kader and the camel- and horse-mounted warriors
+of his Ouled Touameur clan came dashing in, rifles held high and with
+great firing into the air. The Ouled Touameur were the noblest clan of
+the Ouled Allouch tribe of the Berazga division of the Chaambra nomad
+confederation--the noblest and the least disciplined. There were
+whispered rumors going about the conference as to the identity of the
+mysterious raiders who were preying upon the new oases, the oil and road
+building camps and the endless other new projects springing up, all but
+magically, throughout the northwestern Sahara.
+
+The gymkhana was in full swing with racing and feasting, and
+storytellers and conjurers, jugglers and marabouts. And in the air was
+the acrid distinctive odor of _kif_, for though Mohammed forbade alcohol
+to the faithful he had naught to say about the uses of _cannabis sativa_
+and what is a great festival without the smoking of _kif_ and the eating
+of _majoun_?
+
+The tribes of the Chaambra were widely represented, Berazga and Mouadhi,
+Bou Rouba and Ouled Fredj, and there was even a heavy sprinkling of the
+sedentary Zenatas come down from the towns of Metlili, El Oued and El
+Goleo. Then, of course, were the Haratin serfs, of mixed Arab-Negro
+blood, and the Negroes themselves, until recently openly called slaves,
+but now--amusingly--named servants.
+
+The Chaambra were meeting for a great ceremonial gymkhanas, but also, as
+was widely known, for a _djemaa el kebar_ council of elders and chiefs,
+for there were many problems throughout the Western Erg and the areas of
+Mzab and Bourara. Nor was it secret only to the inner councils that the
+meeting had been called by Abd-el-Kader, of Shorfu blood, direct
+descendent of the Prophet through his daughter Fatima, and symbol to the
+young warriors of Chaambra spirit.
+
+Of all the Ouled Touameur clan Abd-el-Kader alone refrained from
+discharging his gun into the air as they dashed into the inner circle of
+khaima tents which centered the gymkhana and provided council chambers,
+dining hall and sleeping quarters for the tribal and clan heads.
+Instead, and with head arrogantly high, he slipped from his stallion
+tossing the reins to a nearby Zenata and strode briskly to the largest
+of the tents and disappeared inside.
+
+_Bismillah!_ but Adb-el-Kader was a figure of a man! From his turban,
+white as the snows of the Atlas, to his yellow leather boots, he wore
+the traditional clothing of the Chaambra and wore them with pride. Not
+for Abd-el-Kader the new clothing from the Rouma cities to the north,
+nor even the new manufactures from Dakar, Accra, Lagos and the other
+mushrooming centers to the south.
+
+His weapons alone paid homage to the new ways. And each fighting man
+within eyesight noted that it was not a rifle slung over the shoulder of
+Abd-el-Kader but a sub-machine gun. Bismillah! This could not have been
+so back in the days when the French Camel Corps ruled the land with its
+hand of iron.
+
+The djemaa el kebar was already in session, seated in a great circle on
+the rug and provided with glasses of mint tea and some with water pipes.
+They looked up at the entrance of the warrior clan chieftain.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+El Aicha, who was of Maraboutic ancestry and hence a holy man as well as
+elder of the Ouled Fredj, spoke first as senior member of the
+conference. "We have heard reports that are disturbing of recent months,
+Abd-el-Kader. Reports of activities amongst the Ouled Touameur. We would
+know more of the truth of these. But also we have high interest in your
+reason for summoning the djemaa el kebar at such a time of year."
+
+Abd-el-Kader made a brief gesture of obeisance to the Chaambra leader, a
+gesture so brief as to verge on disrespect. He said, his voice clear and
+confident, as befits a warrior chief, "Disturbing only to the old and
+unvaliant, O El Aicha."
+
+The old man looked at him for a long, unblinking moment. As a youth, he
+had fought at the Battle of Tit when the French Camel Corps had broken
+forever the military power of the Ahaggar Tuareg. El Aicha was no
+coward. There were murmurings about the circle of elders.
+
+But when El Aicha spoke again, his voice was level. "Then speak to us,
+Abd-el-Kader. It is well known that your voice is heard ever more by the
+young men, particularly by the bolder of the young men."
+
+The fighting man remained standing, his legs slightly spread. The Arab,
+like the Amerind, likes to make speech in conference, and eloquence is
+well held by the Chaambra.
+
+"Long years ago, and only shortly after the death of the Prophet, the
+Chaambra resided, so tell the scribes, in the hills of far away Syria.
+But when the word of Islam was heard and the true believers began to
+race their strength throughout all the world, the Chaambra came here to
+the deserts of Africa and here we have remained. Long centuries it took
+us to gain control of the wide areas of the northern and western desert
+and many were the battles we fought with our traditional enemies the
+Tuareg and the Moors before we controlled all the land between the Atlas
+and the Niger and from what is now known as Tunisia to Mauritania."
+
+All nodded. This was tribal history.
+
+Abd-el-Kader held up four fingers on which to enumerate. "The Chaambra
+were ever men. Warriors, bedouin; not for us the cities and villages of
+the Zenatas, and the miserable Haratin serfs. We Chaambra have ever been
+men of the tent, warriors, conquerors!"
+
+El Aicha still nodded. "That was before," he murmured.
+
+"That will always be!" Abd-el-Kader insisted. His four fingers were
+spread and he touched the first one. "Our life was based upon, one, war
+and the spoils of war." He touched the second finger. "Two, the toll we
+extracted from the caravans that passed from Timbuktu to the north and
+back again. Three, from our own caravans which covered the desert trails
+from Tripoli to Dakar and from Marrakech to Kano. And fourth"--he
+touched his last finger--"from our flocks which fed us in the
+wilderness." He paused to let this sink in.
+
+"All this is verily true," muttered one of the elders, a _so-what_
+quality in his voice.
+
+Abd-el-Kader's tone soured. "Then came the French with their weapons and
+their multitudes of soldiers and their great wealth with which to pursue
+the expenses of war. And one by one the Tuareg and the Teda to the south
+and the Moors and Nemadi, yes, and even the Chaambra fell before the
+onslaughts of the Camel Corps and their wild-dog Foreign Legion." He
+held up his four fingers again and counted them off. "The four legs upon
+which our life was based were broken. War and its spoils was prevented
+us. The tolls we charged caravans to cross our land were forbidden. And
+then, shortly after, came the motor trucks which crossed the desert in a
+week, where formerly the journey took as much as a year. Our camel
+caravans became meaningless."
+
+Again all nodded. "Verily, the world changes," someone muttered.
+
+The warrior leader's voice went dramatic. "We were left with naught but
+our flocks, and now even they are fated to end."
+
+The elderly nomads stirred and some scowled.
+
+"At every water hole in the desert teams of the new irrigation
+development dig their wells, install their pumps which bring power from
+the sun, plant trees, bring in Haratin and former slaves--_our_
+slaves--to cultivate the new oases. And we are forbidden the water for
+the use of our goats and sheep and camels."
+
+"Besides," one of the clan chiefs injected, "they tell us that the goat
+is the curse of North Africa, nibbling as it does the bark of small
+trees, and they attempt to purchase all goats until soon there will be
+few, if any, in all the land."
+
+"So our young people," Abd-el-Kader pressed on, "stripped of our former
+way of life, go to the new projects, enroll in the schools, take work in
+the new oases or on the roads, and disappear from the sight of their
+kinsmen." He came to a sudden halt and all but glared at them,
+maintaining his silence until El Aicha stirred.
+
+"And--?" El Aicha said. This was all obviously but preliminary.
+
+Abd-el-Kader spoke softly now, and there was a different drama in his
+voice. "And now," he said, "the French are gone. All the Rouma, save a
+handful, are gone. In the south the English are gone from the lands of
+the blacks, such as Nigeria and Ghana, Sierra Leone and Gambia. The
+Italians are gone from Libya and Somaliland and the Spanish from Rio de
+Oro. Nor will they ever return for in the greatest council of all the
+Rouma they have decided to leave Africa to the African."
+
+They all stirred again and some muttered and Abd-el-Kader pushed his
+point. "The Chaambra are warriors born. Never serfs! Never slaves! Never
+have we worked for any man. Our ancestors carved great empires by the
+sword." His voice lowered again. "And now, once more, it is possible to
+carve such an empire."
+
+He swept his eyes about their circle. "Chiefs of the Chaambra, there is
+no force in all the Sahara to restrain us. Let others work on the roads,
+planting the new trees in the new oases, damming the great Niger, and
+all the rest of it. We will sweep over them, and dominate all. We, the
+Chaambra, will rule, while those whom Allah intended to drudge, do so.
+We, the Chosen of Allah, will fulfill our destiny!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Abd-el-Kader left it there and crossed his arms on his chest, staring at
+them challengingly.
+
+Finally El Aicha directed his eyes across the circle of listeners at two
+who had sat silently through it all, their burnooses covering their
+heads and well down over their eyes. He said, "And what do you say to
+all this?"
+
+"Time to go into your act, man," Abe Bakr muttered, under his breath.
+
+Homer Crawford came to his feet and pushed back the hood of the
+burnoose. He looked over at the headman of the Ouled Touameur warrior
+clan, whose face was darkening.
+
+In Arabic, Crawford said, "I have sought you for some time,
+Abd-el-Kader. You are an illusive man."
+
+"Who are you, Negro?" the fighting man snapped.
+
+Crawford grinned at the other. "You look as though you have a bit of
+Negro blood in your own veins. In fact, I doubt if there's a so-called
+Arab in all North Africa, unless he's just recently arrived, whose
+family hasn't down through the centuries mixed its blood with the local
+people they conquered."
+
+"You lie!"
+
+Abe chuckled from the background. The Chaambra leader was at least as
+dark of complexion as the American Negro. Not that it made any
+difference one way or the other.
+
+"We shall see who is the liar here," Homer Crawford said flatly. "You
+asked who I am. I am known as Omar ben Crawf and I am headman of a team
+of the African Development Project of the Reunited Nations. As you have
+said, Abd-el-Kader, this great council of the headmen of all the nations
+of the world--not just the Rouma--has decided that Africa must be left
+to the Africans. But that does not mean it has lost all interest in
+these lands. It has no intention, warrior of the Chaambra, to allow such
+as you to disrupt the necessary progress Africa must make if it is not
+to become a danger to the shaky peace of the world."
+
+Abd-el-Kader's eyes darted about the tent. So far as he could see, the
+other was backed only by his single henchman. The warrior chief gained
+confidence. "Power is for those who can assert it. Some will rule. It
+has always been so. Here in the Western Erg, the Chaambra will rule, and
+I, Abd-el-Kader will lead them!"
+
+Homer Crawford was shaking his head, almost sadly it seemed. "No," he
+said. "The day of rule by the gun is over. It must be over because at
+long last man's weapons have become so great that he must not trust
+himself with them. In the new world which is still aborning so that half
+the nations of earth are in the pains of labor, government must be by
+the most wise and most capable."
+
+In a deft move the sub-machine gun's sling slipped from the desert man's
+shoulder and the short, vicious gun was in hand. "The strong will always
+rule!" the Arab shouted. "Time was when the French conquered the
+Chaambra, but the French have allowed their strength to ebb away, and
+now, armed with such weapons as these, we of the Sahara will again
+assert our birthright as the Chosen of Allah!"
+
+Abe Baker chuckled. "That cat sure can lay on a speech, man." As though
+magically, a snub-nosed hand weapon of unique design appeared in his
+dark hand.
+
+El Aicha's voice was suddenly strong and harsh. "There shall be no
+violence at a djemaa el kebar."
+
+Homer ignored the automatic weapon in the hands of the excited Arab. He
+said, and there was still a sad quality in his voice. "The gun you carry
+is a nothing-weapon, desert man. When the French conquered this land
+more than a century ago they were armed with single-shot rifles which
+were still far in advance of your own long barrelled flintlocks. Today,
+you are proud of that tommy gun you carry, and, indeed, it has the fire
+power of a company of the Foreign Legion of a century past. However,
+believe me, Abd-el-Kader, it is a nothing-weapon compared to those that
+will be brought against the Chaambra if they heed your words."
+
+The desert leader put back his head and laughed his scorn.
+
+He chopped his laughter short and snapped, more to the council of chiefs
+than to the stranger. "Then we will seize such weapons and use them
+against those who would oppose us. In the end it is the strong who win
+in war, and the Rouma have gone soft, as all men know. I, Abd-el-Kader
+will have these two killed and then I shall announce to the assembled
+tribes the new jedah, a Holy War to bring the Chosen of Allah once again
+to their rightful position in the Sahara."
+
+"Man," Abe Baker murmured pleasantly, "you're going to be one awful
+disappointed cat before long."
+
+El Aicha said mildly, "Such decisions are for the djemaa el kebar to
+make, O Abd-el-Kader, not for a single chief of the Ouled Touameur."
+
+The desert warrior chief sneered openly at the old man. "Decisions are
+made by those with the strength to enforce them. The young men of the
+Chaambra support me, and my men surround this tent."
+
+"So do mine," Homer Crawford said decisively. "And I have come to arrest
+you and take you to Columb-Bechar where you will be tried for your
+participation in recent raids on various development projects."
+
+El Aicha repeated his earlier words. "There shall be no violence at a
+djemaa el kebar."
+
+The Ouled Touameur chief's eyes had narrowed. "You are not strong enough
+to take me."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+In English, Abe Baker said, "Like maybe these young followers of this
+cat need an example laid on them, man."
+
+"I'm afraid you're right," Crawford growled disgustedly.
+
+The younger American came to his feet. "I'll take him on," Abe said.
+
+"No, he's nearer to my size," Crawford grunted. He turned to El Aicha,
+and said in Arabic, "I demand the right of a stranger in your camp to a
+trial by combat."
+
+"On what grounds?" the old man scowled.
+
+"That my manhood has been spat upon by this warrior who does his
+fighting with his loud mouth."
+
+The assembled chiefs looked to Abd-el-Kader, and a rustling sigh went
+through them. A hundred times the wiry desert chieftain had proven
+himself the most capable fighter in the tribes. A hundred times he had
+proven it and there were dead and wounded in the path he had cut for
+himself.
+
+Abd-el-Kader laughed aloud again. "Swords, in the open before the
+ascan."
+
+Homer Crawford shrugged. "Swords, in the open before the assembled
+Chaambra so that they may see how truly weak is the one who calls
+himself so strong."
+
+Abe said worriedly, in English, "Listen, man, you been checked out on
+swords?"
+
+"They're the traditional weapon in the Arab _code duello_," Homer said,
+with a wry grin. "Nothing else would do."
+
+"Man, you sound like you've been blasting pot and got yourself as high
+as those cats out there with their _kif_. This Abd-el-Kader was probably
+raised with a sword in his hand."
+
+Abd-el-Kader smiling triumphantly, had spun on his heel and made his way
+through the tent's entrance. Now they could hear him shouting orders.
+
+El Aicha looked up at Homer Crawford from where he sat. His voice
+without inflection, he said, "Hast thou a sword, Omar ben Crawf?"
+
+"No," Crawford said.
+
+The elderly tribal leader said, "Then I shall loan you mine." He
+hesitated momentarily, before adding, "Never before has hand other than
+mine wielded it." And finally, simply, "Never has it been drawn to
+commit dishonor."
+
+"I am honored."
+
+Outside, the rumors had spread fast and already a great arena was
+forming by the packed lines of Chaambra nomads. At the tent entrance,
+Elmer Allen, his face worried, said, his English in characteristic
+Jamaican accent, "What did you chaps do?"
+
+"Duel," Abe growled apprehensively. "This joker here has challenged
+their top swordsman to a fight."
+
+Elmer said hurriedly, "See here, gentlemen, the hovercraft are parked
+over behind that tent. We can be there in two minutes and away from--"
+
+Crawford's eyes went from Elmer Allen to Abe Baker and then back again.
+He chuckled, "I don't think you two think I'm going to win this fight,"
+he said.
+
+"What do you know about swordsmanship?" Elmer Allen said accusingly.
+
+"Practically nothing. A little bayonet practice quite a few years ago."
+
+"Oh, great," Abe muttered.
+
+Elmer said hurriedly, "See here, Homer, I was on the college fencing
+team and--"
+
+Crawford grinned at him. "Too late, friend."
+
+As they talked, they made their way to the large circle of men. In its
+center, Abd-el-Kader was stripping to his waist, meanwhile laughingly
+shouting his confidence to his Ouled Touameur tribesmen and to the other
+Chaambra of fighting age. No one seemed to doubt the final issue.
+Beneath his white burnoose he wore a gandoura of lightweight woolen
+cloth and beneath that a longish undershirt of white cotton, similar to
+that of the Tuareg but with shorter and less voluminous sleeves. This
+the desert fighter retained.
+
+Crawford stripped down too, nude to the waist. His body was in excellent
+trim, muscles bunching under the ebony skin. A Haratin servant came up
+bearing El Aicha's sword.
+
+Homer Crawford pulled it from the scabbard. It was of scimitar type, the
+weapon which had once conquered half the known world.
+
+From within the huge circle of men, Abd-el-Kader swung his own blade in
+flashing arcs and called out something undoubtedly insulting, but which
+was lost in the babble of the multitude.
+
+"Well, here we go," Crawford grunted. "You fellows better station
+yourselves around just on the off chance that those Ouled Touameur
+bully-boys don't like the decision."
+
+"We'll worry about that," Abe said unhappily. "You just see you get out
+of this in one piece. Anything happens to you and the head office'll
+make me head of this team--and frankly, man I don't want the job."
+
+Homer grinned at him, and began pushing his way through to the center.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The Arab cut a last switch in the air, with his whistling blade and
+started forward, in practiced posture. Homer awaited him, legs spread
+slightly, his hands extended slightly, the sword held at the ready but
+with point low.
+
+Abe Baker growled, unhappily, "He said he didn't know anything about the
+swords, and the way he holds it bears him out. That Arab'll cut Homer to
+ribbons. Maybe we ought to do something about it." As usual, under
+stress, he'd dropped his beatnik patter.
+
+Elmer Allen looked at him. "Such as what? There are at least three
+thousand of these tribesmen chaps here watching their favorite sport.
+What did you have in mind doing?"
+
+Abd-el-Kader hadn't remained the victor of a score of similar duels
+through making such mistakes as underestimating his foe. In spite of the
+black stranger's seeming ignorance of his weapon, the Arab had no
+intention of being sucked into a trap. He advanced with care.
+
+His sword darted forward, quickly, experimentally, and Homer Crawford
+barely caught its razor edge on his own.
+
+Save for his own four companions, the crowd laughed aloud. None among
+them were so clumsy as this.
+
+The Ouled Touameur chief was convinced. He stepped in fast, the blade
+flicked in and out in a quick feint, then flicked in again. Homer
+Crawford countered clumsily.
+
+And then there was a roar as the American's blade left his hand and flew
+high in the air to come to the ground again a score of feet behind the
+desert swordsman.
+
+For a brief moment Abd-el-Kader stepped back to observe his foe, and
+there was mockery in his face. "So thy manhood has been spat upon by one
+who fights only with his mouth! Almost, braggart, I am inclined to give
+you your life so that you may spend the rest of it in shame. Now die,
+unbeliever!"
+
+Crawford stood hopelessly, in a semicrouch, his hands still slightly
+forward. The Arab came in fast, his sword at the ready for the death
+stroke.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Suddenly, the American moved forward and then jumped a full yard into
+the air, feet forward and into the belly of the advancing Arab. The
+heavily shod right foot struck at the point in the abdomen immediately
+below the sternum, the solar plexus, and the left was as low as the
+groin. In a motion that was almost a bounce off the other's body,
+Crawford came lithely back to his feet, jumped back two steps, crouched
+again.
+
+But Abd-el-Kader was through, his eyes popping agony, his body writhing
+on the ground. The whole thing, from the time the Arab had advanced on
+the disarmed man for the kill, hadn't taken five seconds.
+
+His groans were the only sounds which broke the unbelieving silence of
+the Chaambra tribesmen. Homer Crawford picked up the fallen leader's
+sword and then strolled over and retrieved that of El Aicha. Ignoring
+Abd-el-Kader, he crossed to where the tribal elders had assembled to
+watch the fight and held out the borrowed sword to its owner.
+
+El Aicha sheathed it while looking into Homer Crawford's face. "It has
+still never been drawn to commit dishonor."
+
+"My thanks," Crawford said.
+
+Over the noise of the crowd which now was beginning to murmur its
+incredulity at their champion's fantastic defeat, came the voice of Abe
+Baker swearing in Arabic and yelling for a way to be cleared for him. He
+was driving one of the hovercraft.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+He drew it up next to the still agonized Abd-el-Kader and got out
+accompanied by Bey-ag-Akhamouk. Silently and without undue roughness
+they picked up the fallen clan chief and put him into the back of the
+hover-lorry, ignoring the crowd.
+
+Homer Crawford came up and said in English, "All right, let's get out of
+here. Don't hurry, but on the other hand don't let's prolong it. One of
+those Ouled Touameur might collect himself to the point of deciding he
+ought to rescue his leader."
+
+Abe looked at him disgustedly. "Like, where'd you learn that little
+party trick, man?"
+
+Crawford yawned. "I said I didn't know anything about swords. You didn't
+ask me about judo. I once taught judo in the Marines."
+
+"Well, why didn't you take him sooner? He like to cut your head off with
+that cheese knife before you landed on him."
+
+"I couldn't do it sooner. Not until he knocked the sword out of my hand.
+Until then it was a sword fight. But as soon as I had no sword then in
+the eyes of every Chaambra present, I had the right to use any method
+possible to save myself."
+
+Bey-ag-Akhamouk looked up at the sun to check the time. "We better speed
+it up if we want to get this man to Columb-Bechar and then get on down
+over the desert to Timbuktu and that meeting."
+
+"Let's go," Homer said. The second hovercraft joined them, driven by
+Elmer Allen, and they made their way through the staring, but
+motionless, crowds of Chaambra.
+
+
+
+
+IV
+
+
+Once the city of Timbuktu was more important in population, in commerce,
+in learning than the London, the Paris or the Rome of the time. It was
+the crossroads where African traffic, east and west, met African
+traffic, north and south; Timbuktu dominated all. In its commercial
+houses accumulated the wealth of Africa; in its universities and mosques
+the wisdom of Greece, Rome, Byzantium and the Near East--at a time when
+such learning was being destroyed in Dark Ages beset Europe.
+
+Timbuktu's day lasted but two or three hundred years at most. By the
+middle of the Twentieth Century it had deteriorated into what looked
+nothing so much as a New Mexico ghost town, built largely of adobe. Its
+palaces and markets has melted away to caricatures of their former
+selves, its universities were a memory of yesteryear, its population
+fallen off to a few thousands. Not until the Niger Projects, the dams
+and irrigation projects, of the latter part of the Twentieth Century did
+the city begin to regain a semblance of its old importance.
+
+Homer Crawford's team had come down over the Tanezrouft route, Reggan,
+Bidon Cinq and Tessalit; that of Isobel Cunningham, Jacob Armstrong and
+Clifford Jackson, up from Timbuktu's Niger River port of Kabara. They
+met in the former great market square, bordered on two sides by the one
+time French Administration buildings.
+
+Isobel reacted first. "Abe!" she yelled, pointing accusingly at him.
+
+Abe Baker pretended to cringe, then reacted. "Isobel! Somebody _told_ me
+you were over here!"
+
+She ran over the heavy sand, which drifted through the streets, to the
+hovercraft in which he had just pulled up. He popped out to meet her,
+grinning widely.
+
+"Why didn't you look me up?" she said accusingly, presenting a cheek to
+be kissed.
+
+"In Africa, man?" he laughed. "Kinda big, Africa. Like, I didn't know if
+you were in the Sahara, or maybe down in Angola, or wherever."
+
+She frowned. "Heaven forbid."
+
+Abe turned to the others of his team who had crowded up behind him. It
+had been a long time since any of them had seen other than native women.
+
+"Isobel," he said, "I hate to do this, but let me introduce you to Homer
+Crawford, my immediate boss and slave driver, late of the University of
+Michigan where he must've found out where the body was--they gave him a
+doctorate. Then here's Elmer Allen, late of Jamaica--British West
+Indies, not Long Island--all he's got is a master's, also in sociology.
+And this is Kenneth Ballalou, hails from San Francisco, I don't think
+Kenny ever went to school, but he seems to speak every language ever."
+Abe turned to his final companion. "And this is our sole _real_ African,
+Bey-ag-Akhamouk, of Tuareg blood, so beware, they don't call the Tuareg
+the Apaches of the Sahara for nothing."
+
+Bey pretended to wince as he held out his hand. "Since Abe seems to be
+an education snob, I might as well mention the University of Minnesota
+and my Political Science."
+
+Jake Armstrong and Cliff Jackson had come up behind Isobel, and were now
+introduced in turn. The older man said, "A Tuareg in a Reunited Nations
+team? Not that it makes any difference to me, but I thought there was
+some sort of policy."
+
+"I was taken to the States when I was three," Bey said. "I'm an American
+citizen."
+
+Isobel was chattering, in animation, with Abe Baker. It developed they'd
+both been reporters on the school paper at Columbia. At least, they'd
+both started as reporters, Isobel had wound up editor.
+
+Since their introduction, Homer Crawford had been vaguely frowning at
+her. Now he said, "I've been trying to place where I'd seen you before.
+Now I know. Some photographs of Lena Horne, she was--"
+
+Isobel dropped a mock curtsy. "Thank you, kind sir, you don't have to
+tell me about Lena Horne, she's a favorite. I have scads of tapes of
+her."
+
+"Brother," Elmer Allen said dourly, "how's anybody going to top that?
+Homer's got the inside track now. Let's get over to this meeting. By the
+cars, helio-copters and hovercraft around here, you got more of a
+turnout than I expected, Homer."
+
+The meeting was held in what had once been an assembly chamber of the
+officials of the former _Cercle de Tombouctou_, when this had all been
+part of French Sudan. It was the only room in the vicinity which would
+comfortably hold all of them.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Elmer Allen had been right, there was something like a hundred persons
+present, almost all men but with a sprinkling of women, such as Isobel.
+More than half were in native costume running the gamut from Nigeria to
+Morocco and from Mauritania to Ethiopia. They were a competent looking,
+confident voiced gathering.
+
+Homer Crawford knocked with a knuckle on the table that stood at the
+head of the hall and called for silence. "Sorry we're late," he said,
+"Particularly in view of the fact that the idea of this meeting
+originated with my team. We had some difficulty with a nomad raider, up
+in Chaambra country."
+
+Someone from halfway back in the hall said bitterly, "I suppose in
+typical African Development Project style, you killed the poor man."
+
+Crawford said dryly, "_Poor man_ isn't too accurate a description of the
+gentleman involved. However, he is at present in jail awaiting trial."
+He got back to the meeting. "I had originally thought of this being an
+informal get-together of a score or so of us, but in view of the numbers
+I suggest we appoint a temporary chairman."
+
+"You're doing all right," Jake Armstrong said from the second row of
+chairs.
+
+"I second that," an unknown called from further back.
+
+Crawford shrugged. His manner had a cool competence. "All right. If
+there is no objection, I'll carry on until the meeting decides, if it
+ever does, that there is need of elected officers."
+
+"I object." In the third row a white haired, but Prussian-erect man had
+come to his feet. "I wish to know the meaning of this meeting. I object
+to it being held at all."
+
+Abe Baker called to him, "Dad, how can you object to it being held if
+you don't know what it's for?"
+
+Homer Crawford said, "Suppose I briefly sum up our mutual situation and
+if there are any motions to be made--including calling the meeting
+quits--or decisions to come to, we can start from there."
+
+There was a murmur of assent. The objector sat down in a huff.
+
+Crawford looked out over them. "I don't know most of you. The word of
+this meeting must have spread from one group or team to another. So what
+I'll do is start from the beginning, saying little at first with which
+you aren't already familiar, but we'll lay a foundation."
+
+He went on. "This situation which we find in Africa is only a part of a
+world-wide condition. Perhaps to some, particularly in the Western World
+as they call it, Africa isn't of primary importance. But, needless to
+say, it is to we here in the field. Not too many years ago, at the same
+period the African colonies were bursting their bonds and achieving
+independence, an international situation was developing that threatened
+future peace. The rich nations were getting richer, the poor were
+getting poorer, and the rate of this change was accelerating. The
+reasons were various. The population growth in the backward countries,
+unhampered by birth control and rocketing upward due to new sanitation,
+new health measures, and the conquest of a score of diseases that have
+bedeviled man down through the centuries, was fantastic. Try as they
+would to increase per capita income in the have-not nations, population
+grew faster than new industry and new agricultural methods could keep
+up. On top of that handicap was another; the have-not nations were so
+far behind economically that they couldn't get going. Why build a
+bicycle factory in Morocco which might be able to turn out bikes for,
+say, fifty dollars apiece, when you could buy them from automated
+factories in Europe, Japan or the United States for twenty-five
+dollars?"
+
+Most of his audience were nodding agreement, some of them impatiently,
+as though wanting him to get on with it.
+
+Crawford continued. "For a time aid to these backward nations was left
+in the hands of the individual nations--especially to the United States
+and Russia. However, in spite of speeches of politicians to the
+contrary, governments are not motivated by humanitarian purposes. The
+government of a country does what it does for the benefit of the ruling
+class of that country. That was the reason it was appointed the
+government. Any government that doesn't live up to this dictum soon
+stops being the government."
+
+"That isn't always so," somebody called.
+
+Homer Crawford grinned. "Bear with me a while," he said. "We can debate
+till the Niger freezes over--later on."
+
+He went on. "For instance, the United States would _aid_ Country X with
+a billion dollars at, say four per cent interest, stipulating that the
+money be spent in America. This is aid? It certainly is for American
+business. But then our friends the Russians come along and loan the same
+country a billion rubles at a very low interest rate and with supposedly
+no strings attached, to build, say, a railroad. Very fine indeed, but
+first of all the railroad, built Russian style and with Russian
+equipment, soon needs replacements, new locomotives, more rolling stock.
+Where must it come from? Russia, of course. Besides that, in order to
+build and run the railroad it became necessary to send Russian
+technicians to Country X and also to send students from Country X to
+Moscow to study Russian technology so that they could operate the
+railroad." Crawford's voice went wry. "Few countries, other than commie
+ones, much desire to have their students study in Moscow."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+There was a slight stirring in his audience and Homer Crawford grinned
+slightly. "You'll pardon me if in this little summation, I step on a few
+ideological toes--of both East and West.
+
+"Needless to say, under these conditions of _aid_ in short order the
+economies of various countries fell under the domination of the two
+great collossi. At the same time the other have nations including Great
+Britain, France, Germany and the newly awakening China, began to realize
+that unless they got into the _aid_ act that they would disappear as
+competitors for the tremendous markets in the newly freed former
+colonial lands. Also along in here it became obvious that philanthropy
+with a mercenary basis doesn't always work out to the benefit of the
+receiver and the world began to take measures to administer aid more
+efficiently and through world bodies rather than national ones.
+
+"But there was still another problem, particularly here in Africa. The
+newly freed former colonies were wary of the nations that had formerly
+owned them and often for good reasons, always remembering that
+governments are not motivated by humanitarian reasons. England did not
+free India because her heart bled for the Indian people, nor did France
+finally free Algeria because the French conscience was stirred with
+thoughts of Freedom, Equality and Fraternity."
+
+A voice broke in from halfway down the hall, a voice heavy with British
+accent. "I say, why did you Yanks free the Philippines?"
+
+Homer Crawford laughed, as did several other Americans present. "That's
+the first time I've ever been called a Yankee," he said. "But the point
+is well taken. By freeing the islands we washed our hands of the
+responsibility of such expensive matters as their health and education,
+and at the same time we granted freedom we made military and economic
+treaties which perpetuated our fundamental control of the Philippines.
+
+"The point is made. The distrust of the European and the white man as a
+whole was prevalent, especially here in Africa. However, and
+particularly in Africa, the citizens of the new countries were almost
+unbelievably uneducated, untrained, incapable of engineering their own
+destiny. In whole nations there was not a single lawyer or--"
+
+"That's no handicap," somebody called.
+
+There was laughter through the hall.
+
+Homer Crawford laughed, too, and nodded as though in solemn agreement.
+"However, there were also no doctors, engineers, scientists. There were
+whole nations without a single college graduate."
+
+He paused and his eyes swept the hall. "That's where we came in. Most of
+us here this afternoon are from the States, however, also represented to
+my knowledge are British West Indians, a Canadian or two, at least one
+Panamanian, and possibly some Cubans. Down in the southern part of the
+continent I know of teams working in the Portuguese areas who are
+Brazilian in background. All of us, of course, are Africans racially,
+but few if any of us know from what part of Africa his forebears came.
+My own grandfather was born a slave in Mississippi and didn't know his
+father; my grandmother was already a hopeless mixture of a score of
+African tribes.
+
+"That, I assume, is the story of most if not all of us. Our ancestors
+were wrenched from the lands of their birth and shipped under conditions
+worse than cattle to the New World." He added simply, "Now we return."
+
+There was a murmur throughout his listeners, but no one interrupted.
+
+"When the great powers of Europe arbitrarily split up Africa in the
+Nineteenth Century they didn't bother with race, tribe, not even
+geographic boundaries. Largely they seemed to draw their boundary lines
+with ruler and pencil on a Mercator projection. Often, not only were
+native nations split in twain but even tribes and clans, and sometimes
+split not only one way but two or three. It was chaotic to the old
+tribal system. Of course, when the white man left various efforts were
+made from the very start to join that which had been torn apart a
+century earlier. Right here in this area, Senegal and what was then
+French Sudan merged to form the short-lived Mali Federation. Ghana and
+French Guinea formed a shaky alliance. More successful was the
+federation of Kenya, Tanganyika, Uganda and Zanzibar, which of course,
+has since grown.
+
+"But there were fantastic difficulties. Many of the old tribal
+institutions had been torn down, but new political institutions had been
+introduced only in a half-baked way. African politicians, supposedly
+'democratically' elected, had no intention of facing the possibility of
+giving up their individual powers by uniting with their neighbors. Not
+only had the Africans been divided tribally but now politically as well.
+But obviously, so long as they continued to be Balkanized the chances of
+rapid progress were minimized.
+
+"Other difficulties were manifold. So far as socio-economics were
+concerned, African society ran the scale from bottom to top. The Bushmen
+of the Ermelo district of the Transvaal and the Kalahari are stone age
+people still--savages. Throughout the continent we find tribes at an
+ethnic level which American Anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan called
+barbarism. In some places we find socio-economic systems based on
+chattle slavery, elsewhere feudalism. In comparatively few areas,
+Casablanca, Algiers, Dakar, Cairo and possibly the Union we find a
+rapidly expanding capitalism.
+
+"Needless to say, if Africa was to progress, to increase rapidly her per
+capita income, to depart the ranks of the have-nots and become have
+nations, these obstacles had to be overcome. That is why we are here."
+
+"Speak for yourself, Mr. Crawford," the white haired objector of ten
+minutes earlier, bit out.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Homer Crawford nodded. "You are correct, sir. I should have said that is
+the reason the teams of the Reunited Nations African Development Project
+are here. I note among us various members of this project besides those
+belonging to my own team, by the way. However, most of you are under
+other auspices. We of the Reunited Nations teams are here because as
+Africans racially but not nationally, we have no affiliation with clan,
+tribe or African nation. We are free to work for Africa's progress
+without prejudice. Our job is to remove obstacles wherever we find them.
+To break up log jams. To eliminate prejudices against the steps that
+must be taken if Africa is to run down the path of progress, rather than
+to crawl. We usually operate in teams of about half a dozen. There are
+hundreds of such teams in North Africa alone."
+
+He rapped his knuckle against the small table behind which he stood.
+"Which brings us to the present and to the purpose of suggesting this
+meeting. Most of you are operating under other auspices than the
+Reunited Nations. Many of you duplicate some of our work. It occurred to
+me, and my team mates, that it might be a good idea for us to get
+together and see if there is ground for co-operation."
+
+Jake Armstrong called out, "What kind of co-operation?"
+
+Crawford shrugged. "How would I know? Largely, I don't even know who you
+represent, or the exact nature of the tasks you are trying to perform. I
+suggest that each group of us represented here, stand up and announce
+their position. Possibly, it will lead to something of value."
+
+"I make that a motion," Cliff Jackson said.
+
+"Second," Elmer Allen called out.
+
+The majority were in favor.
+
+Homer Crawford sat down behind the table, saying, "Who'll start off?"
+
+Armstrong said, "Isobel, you're better looking than I am. They'd rather
+look at you. You present our story."
+
+Isobel came to her feet and shot him a scornful glance. "Lazy," she
+said.
+
+Jake Armstrong grinned at her. "Make it good."
+
+Isobel took her place next to the table at which Crawford sat and faced
+the others.
+
+She looked at the chairman from the side of her eyes and said, "After
+that allegedly _brief_ summation Mr. Crawford made, I have a sneaking
+suspicion that we'll be here until next week unless I set a new
+precedent and cut the position of the Africa for Africans Association
+shorter."
+
+Isobel got her laugh, including one from Homer Crawford, and went on.
+
+"Anyway, I suppose most of you know of the AFAA and possibly many of you
+belong to it, or at least contribute. We've been called the African
+Zionist organization and perhaps that's not too far off. We are largely,
+but not entirely an American association. We send out our teams, such as
+the one my colleagues and I belong to, in order to speed up progress
+and, as our chairman put it, eliminate prejudices against the steps that
+must be taken if Africa is to run down the path of progress instead of
+crawl. We also advocate that Americans and other non-African-born
+Negroes, educated in Europe and the Americas, return to Africa to help
+in its struggles. We find positions for any such who are competent,
+preferably doctors, educators, scientists and technicians, but also
+competent mechanics, construction workers and so forth. We operate a
+school in New York where we teach native languages and lingua franca
+such as Swahili and Songhai, in preparation for going to Africa. We
+raise our money largely from voluntary contributions, and largely from
+American Negroes although we have also had government grants, donations
+from foundations, and from individuals of other racial backgrounds. I
+suppose that sums it up."
+
+Isobel smiled at them, returned to her chair to applause, probably due
+as much to her attractive appearance as her words.
+
+Crawford said, "When we began this meeting we had an objection that it
+be held at all. I wonder if we might hear from that gentleman next?"
+
+The white haired, ramrod erect, man stood next to his chair, not
+bothering to come to the head of the room. "You may indeed," he snapped.
+"I am Bishop Manning of the United Negro Missionaries, an organization
+attempting to accomplish the only truly important task that cries for
+completion on this largely godless continent. Accomplish this, and all
+else will fall into place."
+
+Homer Crawford said, "I assume you refer to the conversion of the
+populace."
+
+"I do indeed. And the work others do is meaningless until that has been
+accomplished. We are bringing religion to Africa, but not through white
+missionaries who in the past lived _off_ the natives, but through Negro
+missionaries who live _with_ them. I call upon all of you to give up
+your present occupations and come to our assistance."
+
+Elmer Allan's voice was sarcastic. "These people need less superstition,
+not more."
+
+The bishop spun on him. "I am not speaking of superstition, young man!"
+
+Elmer Allen said. "All religions are superstitions, except one's own."
+
+"And yours?" the Bishop barked.
+
+"I'm an agnostic."
+
+The bishop snorted his disgust and made his way to the door. There he
+turned and had his last word. "All you do is meaningless. I pray you,
+again, give it up and join in the Lord's work."
+
+Homer Crawford nodded to him. "Thank you, Bishop Manning. I'm sure we
+will all consider your words." When the older man was gone, he looked
+out over the hall again. "Well, who is next?"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+A thus far speechless member of the audience, seated in the first row,
+came to his feet. His face was serious and strained, the face of a man
+who pushes himself beyond the point of efficiency in the vain effort to
+accomplish more by expenditure of added hours.
+
+He came to the front and said, "Since I'm possibly the only one here who
+also has objections to the reason for calling this meeting, I might as
+well have my say now." He half turned to Crawford, and continued. "Mr.
+Chairman, my name is Ralph Sandell and I'm an officer in the Sahara
+Afforestation Project, which, as you know, is also under the auspices of
+the Reunited Nations, though not having any other connection with your
+own organization."
+
+Homer Crawford nodded. "We know of your efforts, but why do you object
+to calling this meeting?" He seemed mystified.
+
+"Because, like Bishop Manning, I think your efforts misdirected. I think
+you are expending tremendous sums of money and the work of tens of
+thousands of good men and women, in directions which in the long run
+will hardly count."
+
+Crawford leaned back in surprise, waiting for the other's reasoning.
+
+Ralph Sandell obliged. "As the chairman pointed out, the problem of
+population explosion is a desperate one. Even today, with all the
+efforts of the Reunited Nations and of the individual countries involved
+in African aid, the population of this continent is growing at a pace
+that will soon outstrip the arable portion of the land. Save only
+Antarctica, Africa has the smallest arable percentage of land of any of
+the continents.
+
+"The task of the Afforestation Project is to return the Sahara to the
+fertile land it once was. The job is a gargantuan one, but ultimately
+quite possible. Here in the south we are daming the Niger, running our
+irrigation projects farther and farther north. From the Mauritania area
+on the Atlantic we are pressing inland, using water purification and
+solar pumps to utilize the ocean. In the mountains of Morocco, the water
+available is being utilized more efficiently than ever before, and the
+sands being pushed back. We are all familiar with Egypt's ever
+increasingly successful efforts to exploit the Nile. In the Sahara
+itself, the new solar pumps are utilizing wells to an extent never
+dreamed of before. The oases are increasing in a geometric progression
+both in number and in size." He was caught up in his own enthusiasm.
+
+Crawford said, interestedly, "It's a fascinating project. How long do
+you estimate it will be before the job is done?"
+
+"Perhaps a century. As the trees go in by the tens of millions, there
+will be a change in climate. Forest begets moisture which in turn allows
+for more forest." He turned back to the audience as a whole. "In time we
+will be able to farm these million upon million of acres of fertile
+land. First it must go into forest, then we can return to field
+agriculture when climate and soil have been restored. This is our prime
+task! This is our basic need. I call upon all of you for your support
+and that of your organizations if you can bring their attention to the
+great need. The tasks you have set yourselves are meaningless in the
+face of this greater one. Let us be practical."
+
+"Crazy man," Abe Baker said aloud. "Let's be practical and cut out all
+this jazz." The youthful New Yorker came to his feet. "First of all you
+just mentioned it was going to take a century, even though it's going
+like a geometric progression. Geometric progressions get going kind of
+slow, so I imagine that your scheme for making the Sahara fertile again,
+won't really be under full steam until more than halfway through that
+century of yours, and not really ripping ahead until, maybe two thirds
+of the way. Meanwhile, what's going to happen?"
+
+"I beg your pardon!" Ralph Sandell said stiffly.
+
+"That's all right," Abe Baker grinned at him. "The way they figure,
+population doubles every thirty years, under the present rate of
+increase. They figure there'll be three billion in the world by 1990,
+then by 2020 there would be six billions, and in 2050, twelve billions
+and twenty-four by the time your century was up. Old boy, I suggest the
+addition of a Sahara of rich agricultural land a century from now
+wouldn't be of much importance."
+
+"Ridiculous!"
+
+"You mean me, or you?" Abe grinned. "I once read an article by Donald
+Kingsbury. It's reprinted these days because it finished off the subject
+once and for all. He showed with mathematical rigor that given the
+present rate of human population increase, and an absolutely unlimited
+technology that allowed instantaneous intergalactical transportation and
+the ability to convert anything and everything into food, including
+interstellar dust, stars, planets, everything, it would take only seven
+thousand years to turn the total mass of the total universe into human
+flesh!"
+
+The Sahara Afforestation official gaped at him.
+
+The room rocked with laughter.
+
+Irritated, Sandell snapped again, "Ridiculous!"
+
+"It sure is, man," Abe grinned. "And the point is that the job is
+educating the people and freeing them to the point where they can
+develop their potentialities. Educate the African and he will see the
+same need that does the intelligent European, American, or Russian for
+that matter, to limit our population growth." He sat down again, and
+there was a scattering of applause and more laughter.
+
+Sandell, still glowering, took his seat, too.
+
+Homer Crawford, who'd been hard put not to join in the amusement, said,
+"Thanks to both of you for some interesting points. Now, who's next? Who
+else do we have here?"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+When no one else answered, a smallish man, dressed in the costume of the
+Dogon, to the south, came to his feet and to the head of the room.
+
+In a clipped British accent, he said, "Rex Donaldson, of Nassau, the
+Bahamas, in the service of Her Majesty's Government and the British
+Commonwealth. I have no team. Although our tasks are largely similar to
+those of the African Development Project, we field men of the African
+Department usually work as individuals. My native pseudonym is usually
+Dolo Anah."
+
+He looked out over the rest. "I have no objection to such meetings as
+this. If nothing else, it gives chaps a bit of an opportunity to air
+grievances. I personally have several and may as well state them now.
+Among other things, it becomes increasingly clear that though some of
+the organizations represented here are supposedly of the Reunited
+Nations, actually they are dominated by Yankees. The Yankees are seeping
+in everywhere." He looked at Isobel. "Yes, such groups as your Africa
+for Africans Association has high flown slogans, but wherever you go,
+there go Yankee ideas, Yankee products, Yankee schools."
+
+Homer Crawford's eyebrows went up. "What is your solution? The fact is
+that the United States has a hundred or more times the educated Negroes
+than any other country."
+
+Donaldson said, doggedly, "The British Commonwealth has done more than
+any other element in bringing progress to Africa. She should be given
+the lead in developing the continent. A good first step would be to make
+the pound sterling legal tender throughout the continent. And, as things
+are now, there are some _seven hundred_ different languages, not
+counting dialects. I suggest that English be made the lingua franca
+of--"
+
+An excitable type, who had been first to join in the laughter at
+Sandell, now jumped to his feet. "_Un moment, Monsieur!_ The French
+Community long dominated a far greater portion of Africa than the
+British flag flew over. Not to mention that it was the most advanced
+portion. If any language was to become the lingua franca of all Africa,
+French would be more suitable. Your ultimate purpose, Mr. Donaldson, is
+obvious. You and your Commonwealth African Department wish to dominate
+for political and economic reasons!"
+
+He turned to the others and spread his hands in a Gallic gesture. "I
+introduce myself, Pierre Dupaine, operative of the African Affairs
+sector of the French Community."
+
+"Ha!" Donaldson snorted. "Getting the French out of Africa was like
+pulling teeth. It took donkey's years. And now look. This chap wants to
+bring them back again."
+
+Crawford was knuckling the table. "Gentlemen, Gentlemen," he yelled. He
+finally had them quieted.
+
+Wryly he said, "May I ask if we have a representative from the
+government of the United States?"
+
+A lithe, inordinately well dressed young man rose from his seat in the
+rear of the hall. "Frederic Ostrander, C.I.A.," he said. "I might as
+well tell you now, Crawford, and you other American citizens here, this
+meeting will not meet with the approval of the State Department."
+
+Crawford's eyes went up. "How do you know?"
+
+The C.I.A. man said evenly, "We've already had reports that this
+conference was going to be held. I might as well inform you that a
+protest is being made to the Sahara Division of the African Development
+Project."
+
+Crawford said, "I suppose that is your privilege, sir. Now, in accord
+with the reason for this meeting, can you tell us why your organization
+is present in Africa and what it hopes to achieve?"
+
+Ostrander looked at him testily. "Why not? There has been considerable
+infiltration of all of these African development organizations by
+subversive elements...."
+
+"Oh, Brother," Cliff Jackson said.
+
+"... And it is not the policy of the State Department to stand idly by
+while the Soviet Complex attempts to draw Africa from the ranks of the
+free world."
+
+Elmer Allen said disgustedly, "Just what part of Africa would you really
+consider part of the Free World?"
+
+The C.I.A. man stared at him coldly. "You know what I mean," he rapped.
+"And I might add, we are familiar with your record, Mr. Allen."
+
+Homer Crawford said, "You've made a charge which is undoubtedly as
+unpalatable to many of those present as it is to me. Can you
+substantiate it? In my experience in the Sahara there is little, if any,
+following of the Soviet Complex."
+
+An agreeing murmur went through the room.
+
+Ostrander bit out, "Then who is subsidizing this El Hassan?"
+
+Rex Donaldson, the British Commonwealth man, came to his feet. "That was
+a matter I was going to bring up before this meeting."
+
+Homer Crawford, fully accompanied by Abe Baker and the rest of their
+team, even Elmer Allen, burst into uncontrolled laughter.
+
+
+
+
+V
+
+
+When Homer Crawford, Abe Baker, Kenny Ballalou, Elmer Allen and
+Bey-ag-Akhamouk had laughed themselves out, Frederic Ostrander, the
+C.I.A. operative stared at them in anger. "What's so funny?" he snapped.
+
+From his seat in the middle of the hall, Pierre Dupaine, operative for
+the French Community, said worriedly, "_Messieurs_, this El Hassan is
+not amusing. I, too, have heard of him. His followers are evidently
+sweeping through the Sahara. Everywhere I hear of him."
+
+There was confirming murmur throughout the rest of the gathering.
+
+Still chuckling, Homer Crawford said, a hand held up for quiet, "Please,
+everyone. Pardon the amusement of my teammates and myself. You see,
+there is no such person as El Hassan."
+
+"To the contrary!" Ostrander snapped.
+
+"No, please," Crawford said, grinning ruefully. "You see, my team
+_invented_ him, some time ago."
+
+Ostrander could only stare, and for once his position was backed by
+everyone in the hall, Crawford's team excepted.
+
+Crawford said doggedly, "It came about like this. These people need a
+hero. It's in their nomad tradition. They need a leader to follow. Given
+a leader, as history has often demonstrated, and the nomad will perform
+miracles. We wished to spread the program of the African Development
+Project. Such items as the need to unite, to break down the old
+boundaries of clan and tribe and even nation, the freeing of the slave
+and serf, the upgrading of women's position, the dropping of the veil
+and haik, the need to educate the youth, the desirability of taking jobs
+on the projects and to take up land on the new oases. But since we
+usually go about disguised as Enaden itinerant smiths, a poorly thought
+of caste, our ideas weren't worth much. So we invented El Hassan and
+everything we said we ascribed to him, this mysterious hero who was
+going to lead all North Africa to Utopia."
+
+Jake Armstrong stood up and said, sheepishly, "I suppose that my team
+unknowingly added to this. We heard about this mysterious El Hassan and
+he seemed largely to be going in the same direction, and for the same
+reason--to give the rumors we were spreading weight--we ascribed the
+things we said to him."
+
+Somebody farther back in the hall laughed and said, "So did I!"
+
+Homer Crawford extended his hands in the direction of Ostrander, palms
+upward. "I'm sorry, sir. But there seems to be your mysterious
+subversive."
+
+Angered, Ostrander snapped, "Then you admit that it was you, yourself,
+who have been spreading these subversive ideas?"
+
+"Now, wait a minute," Crawford snapped in return. "I admit only to those
+slogans and ideas promulgated by the African Development Project. If any
+so-called subversive ideas have been ascribed to El Hassan, it has not
+been through my team. Frankly, I rather doubt that they have. These
+people aren't at any ethnic period where the program of the Soviet
+Complex would appeal. They're largely in a ritual-taboo tribal society
+and no one alleging any alliance whatsoever to Marx would contend that
+you can go from that primitive a culture to what the Soviets call
+communism."
+
+"I'll take this up with my department chief," Ostrander said angrily.
+"You haven't heard the last of it, Crawford." He sat down abruptly.
+
+Crawford looked out over the room. "Anybody else we haven't heard from?"
+
+A middle-aged, heavy-set, Western dressed man came to his feet and
+cleared his throat. "Dr. Warren Harding Smythe, American Medical Relief.
+I assume that most of you have heard of us. An organization supported
+partially by government grant, partially by contributions by private
+citizens and institutions, as is that of Miss Isobel Cunningham's Africa
+for Africans Association." He added grimly, "But there the resemblance
+ends."
+
+He looked at Homer Crawford. "I am to be added to the number not in
+favor of this conference. In fact, I am opposed to the presence of most
+of you here in Africa."
+
+Crawford nodded. "You certainly have a right to your opinion, doctor.
+Will you elucidate?"
+
+Dr. Smythe had worked his way to the front of the room, now he looked
+out over the assemblage defiantly. "I am not at all sure that the task
+most of you work at is a desirable one. As you know, my own organization
+is at work bringing medical care to Africa. We build hospitals, clinics,
+above all medical schools. Not a single one of our hospitals but is a
+school at the same time."
+
+Abe Baker growled, "Everybody knows and values your work, Doc, but
+what's this bit about being opposed to ours?"
+
+Smythe looked at him distastefully. "You people are seeking to destroy
+the culture of these people, and, overnight thrust them into the
+pressures of Twentieth Century existence. As a medical doctor, I do not
+think them capable of assimilating such rapid change and I fear for
+their mental health."
+
+There was a prolonged silence.
+
+Crawford said finally, "What is the alternative to the problems I
+presented in my summation of the situation that confronts the world due
+to the backward conditions of such areas as Africa?"
+
+"I don't know, it isn't my field."
+
+There was another silence.
+
+Elmer Allen said finally, uncomfortably, "It _is_ our field, Dr.
+Smythe."
+
+Smythe turned to him, his face still holding its distaste. "I understand
+that the greater part of you are sociologists, political scientists and
+such. Frankly, ladies and gentlemen, I do not think of the social
+sciences as exact ones."
+
+He looked around the room and added, deliberately, "In view of the
+condition of the world, I do not have a great deal of respect for the
+product of your efforts."
+
+There was an uncomfortable stirring throughout the audience.
+
+Clifford Jackson said unhappily, "We do what we must do, doctor. We do
+what we can."
+
+Smythe eyed him. He said, "Some years ago I was impressed by a paragraph
+by a British writer named Huxley. So impressed that I copied it and have
+carried it with me. I'll read it now."
+
+The heavy-set doctor took out his wallet, fumbled in it for a moment and
+finally brought forth an aged, many times folded, piece of yellowed
+paper.
+
+He cleared his throat, then read:
+
+"_To the question_ quis custodiet custodes?--_who will mount guard over
+our guardians, who will engineer the engineers?--the answer is a bland
+denial that they need any supervision. There seems to be a touching
+belief among certain Ph.Ds in sociology that Ph.Ds in sociology will
+never be corrupted by power. Like Sir Galahad's, their strength is the
+strength of ten because their heart is pure--and their heart is pure
+because they are scientists and have taken six thousand hours of social
+studies. Alas, high education is not necessarily a guarantee of higher
+virtue, or higher political wisdom._"
+
+The doctor finished and returned to his seat, his face still
+uncompromising.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Homer Crawford chuckled ruefully. "The point is well taken, I suppose.
+However, so was the one expressed by Mr. Jackson. We do what we must,
+and what we can." His eyes went over the assembly. "Is there any other
+group from which we haven't heard?"
+
+When there was silence, he added, "No group from the Soviet Complex?"
+
+Ostrander, the C.I.A. operative, snorted. "Do you think they would admit
+it?"
+
+"Or from the Arab Union?" Crawford pursued. "Whether or not the Soviet
+Complex has agents in this part of Africa, we know that the Arab Union,
+backed by Islam everywhere, has. Frankly, we of the African Development
+Project seldom see eye to eye with them which results in considerable
+discussion at Reunited Nations meetings."
+
+There was continued silence.
+
+Elmer Allen came to his feet and looked at Ostrander, his face surly. "I
+am not an advocate of what the Soviets are currently calling communism,
+however, I think a point should be made here."
+
+Ostrander stared back at him unblinkingly.
+
+Allen snorted, "I know what you're thinking. When I was a student I
+signed a few peace petitions, that sort of thing. How--or why they
+bothered--the C.I.A. got hold of that information, I don't know, but as
+a Jamaican I am a bit ashamed of Her Majesty's Government. But all this
+is beside the point."
+
+"What is your point, Elmer?" Crawford said. "You speak, of course, as an
+individual not as an employee of the Reunited Nations nor even as a
+member of my team."
+
+"Our team," Elmer Allen reminded him. He frowned at his chief, as though
+surprised at Crawford's stand. But then he looked back at the rest. "I
+don't like the fact that the C.I.A. is present at all. I grow
+increasingly weary of the righteousness of the prying for what it calls
+subversion. The latest definition of subversive seems to be any chap who
+doesn't vote either Republican or Democrat in the States, or
+Conservative in England."
+
+Ostrander grunted scorn.
+
+Allen looked at him again. "So far as this job is concerned--and by the
+looks of things, most of us will be kept busy at it for the rest of our
+lives--I am not particularly favorable to the position of either side in
+this never-warming cold war between you and the Soviet Complex. I have
+suspected for some time that neither of you actually want an ending of
+it. For different reasons, possibly. So far as the States are concerned,
+I suspect an end of your fantastic military budgets would mean a
+collapse of your economy. So far as the Soviets are concerned, I suspect
+they use the continual _threat_ of attack by the West to keep up their
+military and police powers and suppress the freedom of their people.
+Wasn't it an old adage of the Romans that if you feared trouble at home,
+stir up war abroad? At any rate, I'd like to have it on the record that
+I protest the Cold War being dragged into our work in Africa--by either
+side."
+
+"All right, Elmer," Crawford said, "you're on record. Is that all?"
+
+"That's all," Elmer Allen said. He sat down abruptly.
+
+"Any comment, Mr. Ostrander?" Crawford said.
+
+Ostrander grunted, "Fuzzy thinking." Didn't bother with anything more.
+
+The chairman looked out over the hall. "Any further discussion, any
+motions?" He smiled and added, "Anything--period?"
+
+Finally Jake Armstrong came to his feet. He said, "I don't agree with
+everything Mr. Allen just said; however, there was one item where I'll
+follow along. The fact that most of us will be busy at this job for the
+rest of our lives--if we stick. With this in mind, the fact that we have
+lots of time, I make the following proposal. This meeting was called to
+see if there was any prospect of we field workers co-operating on a
+field worker's level, if we could in any way help each other, avoid
+duplication of effort, that sort of thing. I suggest now that this
+meeting be adjourned and that all of us think it over and discuss it
+with the other teams, the other field workers in our respective
+organizations. I propose further that another meeting be held within the
+year and that meanwhile Mr. Crawford be elected chairman of the group
+until the next gathering, and that Miss Cunningham be elected secretary.
+We can all correspond with Mr. Crawford, until the time of the next
+meeting, giving him such suggestions as might come to us. When he sees
+fit to call the next meeting, undoubtedly he will have some concrete
+proposals to put before us."
+
+Isobel said, _sotto voce_, "Secretaries invariably do all the work, why
+is it that men always nominate a woman for the job?"
+
+Jake grinned at her, "I'll never tell." He sat down.
+
+"I'll make that a motion," Rex Donaldson clipped out.
+
+"Second," someone else called.
+
+Homer Crawford said, "All in favor?"
+
+Those in favor predominated considerably.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+They broke up into small groups for a time, debating it out, and then
+most left for various places for lunch.
+
+Homer Crawford, separated from the other members of his team, in the
+animated discussions that went on about him, finally left the
+fascinating subject of what had happened to the Cuban group in Sudan,
+and who had done it, and went looking for his own lunch.
+
+He strolled down the sand-blown street in the general direction of the
+smaller market, in the center of Timbuktu, passing the aged, wind
+corroded house which had once sheltered Major Alexander Gordon Laing,
+first white man to reach the forbidden city in the year 1826. Laing
+remained only three days before being murdered by the Tuareg who
+controlled the town at that time. There was a plaque on the door
+revealing those basic facts. Crawford had read elsewhere that the city
+was not captured until 1893 by a Major Joffre, later to become a Marshal
+of France and a prominent Allied leader in the First World War.
+
+By chance he met Isobel in front of the large community butcher shop,
+still operated in the old tradition by the local Gabibi and Fulbe,
+formerly Songhoi serfs. He knew of a Syrian operated restaurant nearby,
+and since she hadn't eaten either they made their way there.
+
+The menu was limited largely to local products. Timbuktu was still
+remote enough to make transportation of frozen foodstuffs exorbitant.
+While they looked at the bill of fare he told her a story about his
+first trip to the city some years ago while he was still a student.
+
+He had visited the local American missionary and had dinner with the
+family in their home. They had canned plums for desert and Homer had
+politely commented upon their quality. The missionary had said that they
+should be good, he estimated the quart jar to be worth something like
+one hundred dollars. It seems that some kindly old lady in Iowa,
+figuring that missionaries in such places as Timbuktu must be in dire
+need of her State Fair prize winning canned plums, shipped off a box of
+twelve quarts to missionary headquarters in New York. At that time,
+France still owned French Sudan, so it was necessary for the plums to be
+sent to Paris, and thence, eventually to Dakar. At Dakar they were
+shipped through Senegal to Bamako by narrow gauge railroad which ran
+periodically. In Bamako they had to wait for an end to the rainy season
+so roads would be passable. By this time, a few of the jars had
+fermented and blown up, and a few others had been pilfered. When the
+roads were dry enough, a desert freight truck took the plums to Mopti,
+on the Niger River where they waited again until the river was high
+enough that a tug pulling barges could navigate, by slow stages, down to
+Kabara. By this time, one or two jars had been broken by inexpert
+handling and more pilfered. In Kabara they were packed onto a camel and
+taken to Timbuktu and delivered to the missionary. Total time elapsed
+since leaving Iowa? Two years. Total number of jars that got through?
+One.
+
+Isobel looked at Homer Crawford when he finished the story, and laughed.
+"Why in the world didn't that missionary society refuse the old lady's
+gift?"
+
+He laughed in return and shrugged. "They couldn't. She might get into a
+huff and not mention them in her will. Missionary societies can't afford
+to discourage gifts."
+
+She made her selection from the menu, and told the waiter in French, and
+then settled back. She resumed the conversation. "The cost of
+maintaining a missionary in this sort of country must have been
+fantastic."
+
+"Um-m-m," Crawford growled. "I sometimes wonder how many millions upon
+millions of dollars, pounds and francs have been plowed into this
+continent on such projects. This particular missionary wasn't a medical
+man and didn't even run a school and in the six years he was here didn't
+make a single convert."
+
+Isobel said, "Which brings us to our own pet projects. Homer--I can call
+you Homer, I suppose, being your brand new secretary...."
+
+He grinned at her. "I'll make that concession."
+
+"... What's your own dream?"
+
+He broke some bread, automatically doing it with his left hand, as
+prescribed in the Koran. They both noticed it, and both laughed.
+
+"I'm conditioned," he said.
+
+"Me, too," Isobel admitted. "It's all I can do to use a knife and fork."
+
+He went back to her question, scowling. "My dream? I don't know. Right
+now I feel a little depressed about it all. When Elmer Allen spoke about
+spending the rest of our lives on this job, I suddenly realized that was
+about it. And, you know"--he looked up at her--"I don't particularly
+like Africa. I'm an American."
+
+She looked at him oddly. "Then why stay here?"
+
+"Because there's so much that needs to be done."
+
+"Yes, you're right and what Cliff Jackson said to the doctor was
+correct, too. We all do what we must do and what we can do."
+
+"Well, that brings us back to your question. What is my own dream? I'm
+afraid I'm too far along in life to acquire new ones, and my basic dream
+is an American one."
+
+"And that is--?" Isobel prompted.
+
+He shrugged again, slightly uncomfortable under the scrutiny of this
+pretty girl. "I'm a sociologist, Isobel. I suppose I seek Utopia."
+
+She frowned at him as though disappointed. "Is Utopia possible?"
+
+"No, but there is always the search for it. It's a goal that recedes as
+you approach, which is as it should be. Heaven help mankind if we ever
+achieve it; we'll be through because there will be no place to go, and
+man needs to strive."
+
+They had finished their soup and the entree had arrived. Isobel picked
+at it, her ordinarily smooth forehead wrinkled. "The way I see it,
+Utopia is not heaven. Heaven is perfect, but Utopia is an engineering
+optimum, the best-possible-human-techniques. Therefore we will not have
+_perfect_ justice in Utopia, nor will _everyone_ get the exactly proper
+treatment. We design for optimum--not perfection. But granting this,
+then attainment is possible."
+
+She took a bite of the food before going on thoughtfully. "In fact, I
+wonder if, during man's history, he hasn't obtained his Utopias from
+time to time. Have you ever heard the adage that any form of government
+works fine and produces a Utopia provided it is managed by wise,
+benevolent and competent rulers?" She laughed and said mischievously,
+"Both Heaven and Hell are traditionally absolute monarchies--despotisms.
+The form of government evidently makes no difference, it's who runs it
+that determines."
+
+Crawford was shaking his head. "I've heard the adage but I don't accept
+it. Under certain socio-economic conditions the best of men, and the
+wisest, could do little if they had the wrong form of government.
+Suppose, for instance, you had a government which was a
+military-theocracy which is more or less what existed in Mexico at the
+time of the Cortez conquest. Can you imagine such a government working
+efficiently if the socio-economic system had progressed to the point
+where there were no longer wars and where practically everyone were
+atheists, or, at least, agnostics?"
+
+She had to laugh at his ludicrous example. "That's a rather silly
+situation, isn't it? Such wise, benevolent men, would change the
+governmental system."
+
+Crawford pushed his point. "Not necessarily. Here's a better example.
+Immediately following the American Revolution, some of the best, wisest
+and most competent men the political world has ever seen were at the
+head of the government of Virginia. Such men as Jefferson, Madison,
+Monroe, Washington. Their society was based on chattel slavery and they
+built a Utopia _for themselves_ but certainly not for the slaves who
+out-numbered them. Not that they weren't kindly and good men. A man of
+Jefferson's caliber, I am sure, would have done anything in the world
+for those darkies of his--except get off their backs. Except to grant
+them the liberty and the right to pursue happiness that he demanded for
+himself. He was blinded by self interest, and the interests of his
+class."
+
+"Perhaps they didn't want liberty," Isobel mused. "Slavery isn't
+necessarily an unhappy life."
+
+"I never thought it was. And I'm the first to admit that at a certain
+stage in the evolution of society, it was absolutely necessary. If
+society was to progress, then there had to be a class that was freed
+from daily drudgery of the type forced on primitive man if he was to
+survive. They needed the leisure time to study, to develop, to invent.
+With the products of their studies, they were able to advance all
+society. However, so long as slavery is maintained, be it necessary or
+not, you have no Utopia. There is no Utopia so long as one man denies
+another his liberty be it under chattel slavery, feudalism, or
+whatever."
+
+Isobel said dryly, "I see why you say your Utopia will never be reached,
+that it continually recedes."
+
+He laughed, ruefully. "Don't misunderstand. I think that particular goal
+can and will be reached. My point was that by the time we reach it,
+there will be a new goal."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The girl, finished with her main dish, sat back in her chair, and looked
+at him from the side of her eyes, as though wondering whether or not he
+could take what she was about to say in the right way. She said, slowly,
+"You know, with possibly a few exceptions, you can't enslave a man if he
+doesn't want to be a slave. For instance, the white man was never able
+to enslave the Amerind; he died before he would become a slave. The
+majority of Jefferson's slaves _wanted to be slaves_. If there were
+those among them that had the ability to revolt against slave
+psychology, a Jefferson would quickly promote such. A valuable human
+being will be treated in a manner proportionate to his value. A wise,
+competent, trustworthy slave became the major domo of the master's
+estate--with privileges and authority actually greater than that of free
+employees of the master."
+
+Crawford thought about that for a moment. "I'll take that," he said.
+"What's the point you're trying to make?"
+
+"I, too, was set a-thinking by some of the things said at the meeting,
+Homer. In particular, what Dr. Smythe had to say. Homer, are we sure
+these people _want_ the things we are trying to give them?"
+
+He looked at her uncomfortably. "No they don't," he said bluntly.
+"Otherwise we wouldn't be here, either your AFAA or my African
+Development Project. We utilize persuasion, skullduggery, and even force
+to subvert their institutions, to destroy their present culture. Yes.
+I've known this a long time."
+
+"Then how do you justify your being here?"
+
+He grinned sourly. "Let's put it this way. Take the new government in
+Egypt. They send the army into some of the small back-country towns with
+bayoneted rifles, and orders to use them if necessary. The villagers are
+forced to poison their ancient village wells--one of the highest of
+imaginable crimes in such country, imposed on them ruthlessly. Then they
+are forced to dig new ones in new places that are not intimately
+entangled with their own sewage drainage. Naturally they hate the
+government. In other towns, the army has gone in and, at gun point,
+forced the parents to give up their children, taken the children away
+in trucks and 'imprisoned' them in schools. Look, back in the States
+we have trouble with the Amish, who don't want their children to
+be taught modern ways. What sort of reaction do you think the
+tradition-ritual-tabu-tribesmen of the six thousand year old Egyptian
+culture have to having modern education imposed on their children?"
+
+Isobel was frowning at him.
+
+Crawford wound it up. "That's the position we're in. That's what we're
+doing. Giving them things they need, in spite of the fact they don't
+want them."
+
+"But _why_?"
+
+He said, "You know the answer to that as well as I do. It's like giving
+medical care to Typhoid Mary, in spite of the fact that she didn't want
+it and didn't believe such things as typhoid microbes existed. We had to
+protect the community against her. In the world today, such backward
+areas as Africa are potential volcanoes. We've got to deal with them
+before they erupt."
+
+The waiter came with the bill and Homer took it.
+
+Isobel said, "Let's go Dutch on that."
+
+He grinned at her. "Consider it a donation to the AFAA."
+
+Out on the street again, they walked slowly in the direction of the old
+administration buildings where both had left their means of
+transportation.
+
+Isobel, who was frowning thoughtfully, evidently over the things that
+had been said, said, "Let's go this way. I'd like to see the old Great
+Mosque, in the Dyingerey Ber section of town. It's always fascinated
+me."
+
+Crawford said, looking at her and appreciating her attractiveness, all
+over again, "You know Timbuktu quite well, don't you?"
+
+"I've just finished a job down in Kabara, and it's only a few miles
+away."
+
+"Just what sort of thing do you do?"
+
+She shrugged and made a moue. "Our little team concentrates on breaking
+down the traditional position of women in these cultures. To get them to
+drop the veil, go to school. That sort of thing. It's a long story
+and--"
+
+Homer Crawford suddenly and violently pushed her to the side and to the
+ground and at the same time dropped himself and rolled frantically to
+the shelter of an adobe wall which had once been part of a house but now
+was little more than waist high.
+
+"Down!" he yelled at her.
+
+She bug-eyed him as though he had gone suddenly mad.
+
+There was a heavy, stub-nosed gun suddenly in his hand. He squirmed
+forward on elbows and belly, until he reached the corner.
+
+"What's the matter?" she blurted.
+
+He said grimly, "See those three holes in the wall above you?"
+
+She looked up, startled.
+
+He said, grimly, "They weren't there a moment ago."
+
+What he was saying, dawned upon her. "But ... but I heard no shots."
+
+He cautiously peered around the wall, and was rewarded with a puff of
+sand inches from his face. He pulled his head back and his lips thinned
+over his teeth. He said to her, "Efficiently silenced guns have been
+around for quite a spell. Whoever that is, is up there in the mosque.
+Listen, beat your way around by the back streets and see if you can find
+the members of my team, especially Abe Baker or Bey-ag-Akhamouk. Tell
+them what happened and that I think I've got the guy pinned down. That
+mosque is too much out in the open for him to get away without my seeing
+him."
+
+"But ... but who in the world would want to shoot you, Homer?"
+
+"Search me," he growled. "My team has never operated in this immediate
+area."
+
+"But then, it must be someone who was at the meeting."
+
+
+
+
+VI
+
+
+"That is was," Homer said grimly. "Now, go see if you can find my lads,
+will you? This joker is going to fall right into our laps. It's going to
+be interesting to find out who hates the idea of African development so
+much that they're willing to commit assassination."
+
+But it didn't work out that way.
+
+Isobel found the other teammates one by one, and they came hurrying up
+from different directions to the support of their chief. They had been a
+team for years and operating as they did and where they did, each man
+survived only by selfless co-operation with all the others. In action,
+they operated like a single unit, their ability to co-operate almost as
+though they had telepathic communication.
+
+From where he lay, Homer Crawford could see Bey-ag-Akhamouk,
+Tommy-Noiseless in hands, snake in from the left, running low and
+reaching a vantage point from which he could cover one flank of the
+ancient adobe mosque. Homer waved to him and Bey made motions to
+indicate that one of the others was coming in from the other side.
+
+Homer waited for a few more minutes, then waved to Bey to cover him. The
+streets were empty at this time of midday when the Sahara sun drove the
+town's occupants into the coolness of dark two-foot-thick walled houses.
+It was as though they were operating in a ghost town. Homer came to his
+feet and handgun in fist made a dash for the front entrance.
+
+Bey's light automatic _flic flic flicked_ its excitement and dust and
+dirt enveloped the wall facing Crawford. Homer reached the doorway,
+stood there for a full two minutes while he caught his breath. From the
+side of his eye he could see Elmer Allen, his excellent teeth bared as
+always when the Jamaican went into action, come running up to the right
+in that half crouch men automatically go into in combat, instinctively
+presenting as small a target as possible. He was evidently heading for a
+side door or window.
+
+The object now was to refrain from killing the sniper. The important
+thing was to be able to question him. Perhaps here was the answer to the
+massacre of the Cubans. Homer took another deep breath, smashed the door
+open with a heavy shoulder and dashed inward and immediately to one
+side. At the same moment, Abe Baker, Tommy-Noiseless in hand, came in
+from the rear door, his eyes darting around trying to pierce the gloom
+of the unlighted building.
+
+Elmer Allen erupted through a window, rolled over on the floor and came
+to rest, his gun trained.
+
+"Where is he?" Abe snapped.
+
+Homer motioned with his head. "Must be up in the remains of the
+minaret."
+
+Abe got to the creaking, age-old stairway first. In cleaning out a
+hostile building, the idea is to move fast and keep on the move. Stop,
+and you present a target.
+
+But there was no one in the minaret.
+
+"Got away," Homer growled. His face was puzzled. "I felt sure we'd have
+him."
+
+Bey-ag-Akhamouk entered. He grunted his disappointment. "What happened,
+anyway? That girl Isobel said a sniper took some shots at you and you
+figure it must've been somebody at the meeting."
+
+"Somebody at the meeting?" Abe said blankly. "What kind of jazz is that?
+You flipping, man?"
+
+Homer looked at him strangely.
+
+"Who else could it be, Abe? We've never operated this far south. None of
+the inhabitants in this area even know us, and it certainly couldn't
+have been an attempt at robbery."
+
+"There were some cats at that meeting didn't appreciate our ideas, man,
+but I can't see that old preacher or Doc Smythe trying to put the slug
+on you."
+
+Kenny Ballalou came in on the double, gun in hand, his face anxious.
+
+Abe said sarcastically, "Man, we'd all be dead if we had to wait on
+you."
+
+"That girl Isobel. She said somebody took a shot at the chief."
+
+Homer explained it, sourly. A sniper had taken a few shots at him, then
+managed to get away.
+
+Isobel entered, breathless, followed by Jake Armstrong.
+
+Abe grunted, "Let's hold another convention. This is like old home town
+week."
+
+Her eyes went from one of them to the other. "You're not hurt?"
+
+"Nobody hurt, but the cat did all the shooting got away," Abe said
+unhappily.
+
+Jake said, and his voice was worried, "Isobel told me what happened. It
+sounds insane."
+
+They discussed it for a while and got exactly nowhere. Their
+conversation was interrupted by a clicking at Homer Crawford's wrist. He
+looked down at the tiny portable radio.
+
+"Excuse me for a moment," he said to the others and went off a dozen
+steps or so to the side.
+
+They looked after him.
+
+Elmer Allen said sourly, "Another assignment. What we need is a union."
+
+Abe adopted the idea. "Man! Time and a half for overtime."
+
+"With a special cost of living clause--" Kenny Ballalou added.
+
+"And housing and dependents allotment!" Abe crowed.
+
+They all looked at him.
+
+Bey tried to imitate the other's beatnik patter. "Like, you got any
+dependents, man?"
+
+Abe made a mark in the sand on the mosque's floor with the toe of his
+shoe, like a schoolboy up before the principal for an infraction of
+rules, and registered embarrassment. "Well, there's that cute little
+Tuareg girl up north."
+
+"Ha!" Isobel said. "And all these years you've been leading me on."
+
+Homer Crawford returned and his face was serious. "That does it," he
+muttered disgustedly. "The fat's in the fire."
+
+"Like, what's up, man?"
+
+Crawford looked at his right-hand man. "There are demonstrations in
+Mopti. Riots."
+
+"Mopti?" Jake Armstrong said, surprised. "Our team was working there
+just a couple of months ago. I thought everything was going fine in
+Mopti."
+
+"They're going fine, all right," Crawford growled. "So well, that the
+local populace wants to speed up even faster."
+
+They were all looking their puzzlement at him.
+
+"The demonstrations are in favor of El Hassan."
+
+Their faces turned blank. Crawford's eyes swept his teammates. "Our
+instructions are to get down there and do what we can to restore order.
+Come on, let's go. I'm going to have to see if I can arrange some
+transportation. It'd take us two days to get there in our outfits."
+
+Jake Armstrong said, "Wait a minute, Homer. My team was heading back for
+Dakar for a rest and new assignments. We'd be passing Mopti anyway. How
+many of you are there, five? If you don't haul too much luggage with
+you; we could give you a lift."
+
+"Great," Homer told him. "We'll take you up on that. Abe, Elmer, let's
+get going. We'll have to repack. Bey, Kenny, see about finding some
+place we can leave the lorries until we come back. This job shouldn't
+take more than a few days at most."
+
+"Huh," Abe said. "I hope you got plans, man. How do you go about
+stopping demonstrations in favor of a legend you created yourself?"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Mopti, also on the Niger, lies approximately three hundred kilometers to
+the south and slightly west of Timbuktu, as the bird flies. However, one
+does not travel as the bird flies in the Niger bend. Not even when one
+goes by aircraft. A forced landing in the endless swamps, bogs, shallow
+lakes and river tributaries which make up the Niger at this point, would
+be suicidal. The whole area is more like the Florida Everglades than a
+river, and a rescue team would be hard put to find your wreckage. There
+are no roads, no railroads. Traffic follows the well marked navigational
+route of the main channel.
+
+Homer Crawford had been sitting quietly next to Cliff Jackson who was
+piloting. Isobel and Jake Armstrong were immediately behind them and Abe
+and the rest of Crawford's team took up the remainder of the aircraft's
+eight seats. Abe was regaling the others with his customary chaff.
+
+Out of a clear sky, Crawford said bitterly, "Has it occurred to any of
+you that what we're doing here in North Africa is committing genocide?"
+
+The others stared at him, taken aback. Isobel said, "I beg your pardon?"
+
+"Genocide," Crawford said bitterly. "We're doing here much what the
+white men did when they cleared the Amerinds from the plains, the
+mountains and forests of North America."
+
+Isobel, Cliff and Jake frowned their puzzlement. Abe said, "Man, you
+just don't make sense. And, among other things, there're more Indians in
+the United States than there was when Columbus landed."
+
+Crawford shook his head. "No. They're a different people. Those cultures
+that inhabited the United States when the first white men came, are
+gone." He shook his head as though soured by his thoughts. "Take the
+Sioux. They had a way of life based on the buffalo. So the whites
+deliberately exterminated the buffalo. It made the plains Indians'
+culture impossible. A culture based on buffalo herds cannot exist if
+there are no buffalo."
+
+"I keep telling you, man, there's more Sioux now than there were then."
+
+Crawford still shook his head. "But they're a different people, a
+different race, a different culture. A mere fraction, say ten per cent,
+of the original Sioux, might have adapted to the new life. The others
+beat their heads out against the new ways. They fought--the Sitting Bull
+wars took place after the buffalo were already gone--they drank
+themselves to death on the white man's firewater, they committed
+suicide; in a dozen different ways they called it quits. Those that
+survived, the ten per cent, were the exceptions. They were able to
+adapt. They had a built-in genetically-conferred self discipline enough
+to face the new problems. Possibly eighty per cent of their children
+couldn't face the new problems either and they in turn went under. But
+by now, a hundred years later, the majority of the Sioux nation have
+probably adapted. But, you see, the point I'm trying to make? They're
+not the _real_ Sioux, the original Sioux; they're a new breed. The
+plains living, buffalo based culture, Sioux are all dead. The white men
+killed them."
+
+Jake Armstrong was scowling. "I get your point, but what has it to do
+with our work here in North Africa?"
+
+"We're doing the same thing to the Tuareg, the Teda and the Chaambra,
+and most of the others in the area in which we operate. The type of
+human psychology that's based on the nomad life can't endure settled
+community living. Wipe out the nomad way of life and these human beings
+must die."
+
+Abe said, unusually thoughtful, "I see what you mean, man. _Fish gotta
+swim, bird gotta fly_--and nomad gotta roam. He flips if he doesn't."
+
+Homer Crawford pursued it. "Sure, there'll be Tuareg afterward ... but
+all descended from the fraction of deviant Tuareg who were so
+abnormal--speaking from the Tuareg viewpoint--that they liked settled
+community life." He rubbed a hand along his jawbone, unhappily. "Put it
+this way. Think of them as a tribe of genetic claustrophobes. No matter
+what a claustrophobe promises, he can't work in a mine. He has no choice
+but to break his promise and escape ... or kill himself trying."
+
+Isobel was staring at him. "What you say, is disturbing, Homer. I didn't
+come to Africa to destroy a people."
+
+He looked back at her, oddly. "None of us did."
+
+Cliff said from behind the aircraft's controls, "If you believe what
+you're saying, how do you justify being here yourself?"
+
+"I don't know," Crawford said unhappily. "I don't know what started me
+on this kick, but I seem to have been doing more inner searching this
+past week or so than I have in the past couple of decades. And I don't
+seem to come up with much in the way of answers."
+
+"Well, man," Abe said. "If you find any, let us know."
+
+Jake said, his voice warm, "Look Homer, don't beat yourself about this.
+What you say figures, but you've got to take it from this angle. The
+plains Indians had to go. The world is developing too fast for a few
+thousand people to tie up millions of acres of some of the most fertile
+farm land anywhere, because they needed it for their game--the
+buffalo--to run on."
+
+"Um-m-m," Homer said, his voice lacking conviction.
+
+"Maybe it's unfortunate the _way_ it was done. The story of the
+American's dealing with the Amerind isn't a pretty one, and usually
+comfortably ignored when we pat ourselves on the back these days and
+tell ourselves what a noble, honest, generous and peace loving people we
+are. But it did have to be done, and the job we're doing in North Africa
+has to be done, too."
+
+Crawford said softly, "And sometimes it isn't very pretty either."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Mopti as a town had grown. Once a small river port city of about five
+thousand population, it had been a river and caravan crossroads somewhat
+similar to Timbuktu, and noted in particular for its spice market and
+its Great Mosque, probably the largest building of worship ever made of
+mud. Plastered newly at least twice a year with fresh adobe, at a
+distance of only a few hundred feet the Great Mosque, in the middle of
+the day and in the glare of the Sudanese sun, looks as though made of
+gold. From the air it is more attractive than the grandest Gothic
+cathedrals of Europe.
+
+Isobel pointed. "There, the Great Mosque."
+
+Elmer Allen said, "Yes, and there. See those mobs?" He looked at Homer
+Crawford and said sourly, "Let's try and remember who it was who first
+thought of the El Hassan idea. Then we can blame it on him."
+
+Kenny Ballalou grumbled, "We all thought about it. Remember, we pulled
+into Tessalit and found that prehistoric refrigerator that worked on
+kerosene and there were a couple of dozen quarts of Norwegian beer, of
+all things, in it."
+
+"And we bought them all," Abe recalled happily. "Man, we hung one on."
+
+Homer Crawford said to Cliff, "The Mopti airport is about twelve miles
+over to the east of the town."
+
+"Yeah, I know. Been here before," Cliff said. He called back to
+Ballalou, "And then what happened?"
+
+"We took the beer out into the desert and sat on a big dune. You can
+just begin to see the Southern Cross from there. Hangs right on the
+horizon. Beautiful."
+
+Bey said, "I've never heard Kenny wax poetic before. I don't know which
+sounds more lyrical, though, that cold beer or the Southern Cross."
+
+Kenny said, "Anyway, that's when El Hassan was dreamed up. We kicked the
+idea around until the beer was all gone. And when we awoke in the
+morning, complete with hangover, we had the gimmick which we hung all
+our propaganda on."
+
+"El Hassan is turning out to be a hangover all right," Elmer Allen
+grunted, choosing to misinterpret his teammate's words. He peered down
+below. "And there the poor blokes are, rioting in favor of the product
+of those beer bottles."
+
+"It was crazy beer, man," Abe protested. "Real crazy."
+
+Homer Crawford said, "I wish headquarters had more information to give
+us on this. All they said was there were demonstrations in favor of El
+Hassan and they were afraid if things went too far that some of the hard
+work that's been done here the past ten years might dissolve in the
+excitement; Dogon, Mosse, Tellum, Sonrai start fighting among each
+other."
+
+Jake Armstrong said, "That's not my big worry. I'm afraid some ambitious
+lad will come along and supply what these people evidently want."
+
+"How's that?" Cliff said.
+
+"They want a leader. Someone to come out of the wilderness and lead them
+to the promised land." The older man grumbled sourly. "All your life you
+figure you're in favor of democracy. You devote your career to expanding
+it. Then you come to a place like North Africa. You're just kidding
+yourself. Democracy is meaningless here. They haven't got to the point
+where they can conceive of it."
+
+"And--" Elmer Allen prodded.
+
+Jake Armstrong shrugged. "When it comes to governments and social
+institutions people usually come up with what they want, sooner or
+later. If those mobs down there want a leader, they'll probably wind up
+with one." He grunted deprecation. "And then probably we'll be able to
+say, Heaven help them."
+
+Isobel puckered her lips. "A leader isn't necessarily a misleader,
+Jake."
+
+"Perhaps not necessarily," he said. "However, it's an indication of how
+far back these people are, how much work we've still got to do, when
+that's what they're seeking."
+
+"Well, I'm landing," Cliff said. "The airport looks free of any kind of
+manifestations."
+
+"That's a good word," Abe said. "Manifestations. Like, I'll have to
+remember that one. Man's been to school and all that jazz."
+
+Cliff grinned at him. "Where'd you like to get socked, beatnik?"
+
+"About two feet above my head," Abe said earnestly.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The aircraft had hardly come to a halt before Homer Crawford clipped
+out, "All right, boys, time's a wasting. Bey, you and Kenny get over to
+those administration buildings and scare us up some transportation. Use
+no more pressure than you have to. Abe, you and Elmer start getting our
+equipment out of the luggage--"
+
+Jake Armstrong said suddenly, "Look here, Homer, do you need any help?"
+
+Crawford looked at him questioningly.
+
+Jake said, "Isobel, Cliff, what do you think?"
+
+Isobel said quickly, "I'm game. I don't know what they'll say back at
+AFAA headquarters, though. Our co-operating with a Sahara Development
+Project team."
+
+Cliff scowled. "I don't know. Frankly, I took this job purely for the
+dough, and as outlined it didn't include getting roughed up in some riot
+that doesn't actually concern the job."
+
+"Oh, come along, Cliff," Isobel urged. "It'll give you some experience
+you don't know when you'll be able to use."
+
+He shrugged his acceptance, grudgingly.
+
+Jake Armstrong looked back at Homer Crawford. "If you need us, we're
+available."
+
+"Thanks," Crawford said briefly, and turned off the unhappy stare he'd
+been giving Cliff. "We can use all the manpower we can get. You people
+ever worked with mobs before?"
+
+Bey and Kenny climbed from the plane and made their way at a trot toward
+the airport's administration buildings. Abe and Elmer climbed out, too,
+and opened the baggage compartment in the rear of the aircraft.
+
+"Well, no," Jake Armstrong said.
+
+"It's quite a technique. Mostly you have to play it by ear, because
+nothing is so changeable as the temper of a mob. Always keep in mind
+that to begin with, at least, only a small fraction of the crowd is
+really involved in what's going on. Possibly only one out of ten is
+interested in the issue. The rest start off, at least, as idle
+observers, watching the fun. That's one of the first things you've got
+to control. Don't let the innocent bystanders become excited and get
+into the spirit of it all. Once they do, then you've got a mess on your
+hands."
+
+Isobel, Jake and Cliff listened to him in fascination.
+
+Cliff said uncomfortably, "Well, what do we do to get the whole thing
+back to tranquillity? What I mean is, how do we end these
+demonstrations?"
+
+"We bore them to tears," Homer growled.
+
+They looked at him blankly.
+
+"We assume leadership of the whole thing and put up speakers."
+
+Jake protested, "You sound as though you're sustaining not placating
+it."
+
+"We put up speakers and they speak and speak, and speak. It's almost
+like a fillibuster. You don't say anything particularly interesting, and
+certainly nothing exciting. You agree with the basic feeling of the
+demonstrating mob, certainly you say nothing to antagonize them. In this
+case we speak in favor of El Hassan and his great, and noble, and
+inspiring, and so on and so forth, teachings. We speak in not too loud a
+voice, so that those in the rear have a hard time hearing, if they can
+hear at all."
+
+Cliff said worriedly, "Suppose some of the hotheads get tired of this
+and try to take over?"
+
+Homer said evenly, "We have a couple of bully boys in the crowd to take
+care of them."
+
+Jake twisted his mouth, in objection. "Might that not strike the spark
+that would start up violence?"
+
+Homer Crawford grinned and began climbing out of the plane. "Not with
+the weapons we use."
+
+"Weapons!" Isobel snapped. "Do you intend to use weapons on those poor
+people? Why, it was you yourself, you and your team, who started this
+whole El Hassan movement. I'm shocked. I've heard about your reputation,
+you and the Sahara Development Project teams. Your ruthlessness--"
+
+Crawford chuckled ruefully and held up a hand to stem the tide. "Hold
+it, hold it," he said. "These are special weapons, and, after all, we've
+got to keep those crowds together long enough to bore them to the point
+where they go home."
+
+Abe came up with an armful of what looked something like tent-poles.
+"The quarterstaffs, eh, Homer?"
+
+"Um-m-m," Crawford said. "Under the circumstances."
+
+"Quarterstaffs?" Cliff Jackson ejaculated.
+
+Abe grinned at him. "Man, just call them pilgrim's staffs. The least
+obnoxious looking weapon in the world." He looked at Cliff and Jake.
+"You two cats been checked out on quarterstaffs?"
+
+Jake said, "The more I talk to you people, the less I seem to understand
+what's going on. Aren't quarterstaffs what, well, Robin Hood and his
+Merry Men used to fight with?"
+
+"That's right," Homer said. He took one from Abe and grasping it
+expertly with two hands whirled it about, getting its balance. Then
+suddenly, he drooped, leaning on it as a staff. His face expressed
+weariness. His youth and virility seemed to drop away and suddenly he
+was an aged religious pilgrim as seen throughout the Moslem world.
+
+"I'll be damned," Cliff blurted. "Oop, sorry Isobel."
+
+"I'll be damned, too," Isobel said. "What in the world can you do with
+that, Homer? I was thinking in terms of you mowing those people down
+with machine guns or something."
+
+Crawford stood erect again laughingly, and demonstrated. "It's probably
+the most efficient handweapon ever devised. The weapon of the British
+yeoman. With one of these you can disarm a swordsman in a matter of
+seconds. A good man with a quarterstaff can unhorse a knight in armor
+and batter him to death, in a minute or so. The only other handweapon
+capable of countering it is another quarterstaff. Watch this, with the
+favorable two-hand leverage the ends of the staff can be made to move at
+invisibly high speeds."
+
+Bey and Kenny drove up in an aged wheeled truck and Abe and Elmer began
+loading equipment.
+
+Crawford looked at Bey who said apologetically, "I had to liberate it.
+Didn't have time for all the dickering the guy wanted to go through."
+
+Crawford grunted and looked at Isobel. "Those European clothes won't do.
+We've got some spare things along. You can improvise. Men and women's
+clothes don't differ that much around here."
+
+"I'll make out all right," Isobel said. "I can change in the plane."
+
+"Hey, Isobel," Abe called out. "Why not dress up like one of these Dogon
+babes?"
+
+"Some chance," Isobel hissed menacingly at him. "A strip tease you want,
+yet. You'll see me in a haik and like it, wise guy."
+
+"Shucks," Abe grinned.
+
+Crawford looked critically at the clothing of Jake and Cliff. "I suppose
+you'll do in western stuff," he said. "After all, this El Hassan is
+supposed to be the voice of the future. A lot of his potential followers
+will already be wearing shirts and pants. Don't look _too_ civilized,
+though."
+
+When Isobel returned, Crawford briefed his seven followers. They were to
+operate in teams of two. One of his men, complete with quarterstaff
+would accompany each of the others. Abe with Jake, Bey with Cliff, and
+he'd be with Isobel. Elmer and Kenny would be the other twosome, and,
+both armed with quarterstaffs would be troubleshooters.
+
+"We're playing it off the cuff," he said. "Do what comes naturally to
+get this thing under control. If you run into each other, co-operate, of
+course. If there's trouble, use your wrist radios." He looked at Abe and
+Bey. "I know you two are packing guns underneath those _gandouras_. I
+hope you know enough not to use them."
+
+Abe and Bey looked innocent.
+
+Homer turned and led the way into the truck. "O.K., let's get going."
+
+
+
+
+VII
+
+
+Driving into town over the dusty, pocked road, Homer gave the newcomers
+to his group more background on the care and control of the genus _mob_.
+He was obviously speaking through considerable experience.
+
+"Using these quarterstaffs brings to mind some of the other supposedly
+innoxious devices used by police authorities in controlling unruly
+demonstrations," he said. "Some of them are beauties. For instance, I
+was in Tangier when the Moroccans put on their revolution against the
+French and for the return of the Sultan. The rumor went through town
+that the mob was going to storm the French Consulate the next day.
+During the night, the French brought in elements of the Foreign Legion
+and entrenched the consulate grounds. But their commander had another
+problem. Journalists were all over town and so were tourists. Tangier
+was still supposedly an international zone and the French were in no
+position to slaughter the citizens. So they brought in some special
+equipment. One item was a vehicle that looked quite a bit like a
+gasoline truck, but was filled with water and armored against thrown
+cobblestones and such. On the roof of the cabin was what looked
+something like a fifty caliber but which was actually a hose which shot
+water at terrific pressure. When the mob came, the French unlimbered
+this vehicle and all the journalists could say was that the mob was
+dispersed by squirting water on it, which doesn't sound too bad after
+all."
+
+Isobel said, "Well, certainly that's preferable to firing on them."
+
+Homer looked at her oddly. "Possibly. However, I was standing next to
+the Moorish boy who was cut entirely in half by the pressure spray of
+water."
+
+The expression on the girl's face sickened.
+
+Homer said, "They had another interesting device for dispersing mobs. It
+was a noise bomb. The French set off several."
+
+"A noise bomb?" Cliff said. "I don't get it."
+
+"They make a tremendous noise, but do nothing else. However, members of
+the mob who aren't really too interested in the whole thing--just sort
+of along for the fun--figure that things are getting earnest and that
+the troops are shelling them. So they remember some business they had
+elsewhere and take off."
+
+Isobel said suddenly, "You like this sort of work, don't you?"
+
+Elmer Allen grunted bitterly.
+
+"No," Homer Crawford said flatly. "I don't. But I like the goal."
+
+"And the end justifies the means?"
+
+Homer Crawford said slowly, "I've never answered that to my own
+satisfaction. But I'll say this. I've never met a person, no matter how
+idealistic, no matter how much he played lip service to the contention
+that the ends do not justify the means, who did not himself use the
+means he found available to reach the ends he believed correct. It seems
+to be a matter of each man feeling the teaching applies to everyone
+else, but that he is free to utilize any means to achieve his own noble
+ends."
+
+"Man, all that jazz is too much for me," Abe said.
+
+They were entering the outskirts of Mopti. Small groups of obviously
+excited Africans of various tribal groups, were heading for the center
+of town.
+
+"Abe, Jake," Crawford said. "We'll drop you here. Mingle around. We'll
+hold the big meeting in front of the Great Mosque in an hour or so."
+
+"Crazy," Abe said, dropping off the back of the truck which Kenny
+Ballalou, who was driving, brought almost to a complete stop. The older
+Jake followed him.
+
+The rest went on a quarter of a mile and dropped Bey and Cliff.
+
+Homer said to Kenny, "Park the truck somewhere near the spice market.
+Preferably inside some building, if you can. For all we know, they're
+already turning over vehicles and burning them."
+
+Crawford and Isobel dropped off near the pottery market, on the banks of
+the Niger. The milling throngs here were largely women. Elements of half
+a dozen tribes and races were represented.
+
+Homer Crawford stood a moment. He ran a hand back over his short hair
+and looked at her. "I don't know," he muttered. "Now I'm sorry we
+brought you along." He leaned on his staff and looked at her worriedly.
+"You're not very ... ah, husky, are you?"
+
+She laughed at him. "Get about your business, sir knight. I spent nearly
+two weeks living with these people once. I know dozens of them by name.
+Watch this cat operate, as Abe would say."
+
+She darted to one of the over-turned pirogues which had been dragged up
+on the bank from the river, and climbed atop it. She held her hands high
+and began a stream of what was gibberish to Crawford who didn't
+understand Wolof, the Senegalese lingua franca. Some elements of the
+crowd began drifting in her direction. She spoke for a few moments, the
+only words the surprised Homer Crawford could make out were _El Hassan_.
+And she used them often.
+
+She switched suddenly to Arabic, and he could follow her now. The drift
+of her talk was that word had come through that El Hassan was to make a
+great announcement in the near future and that meanwhile all his people
+were to await his word. But that there was to be a great meeting before
+the Mosque within the hour.
+
+She switched again to Songhoi and repeated substantially what she'd said
+before. By now she had every woman hanging on her words.
+
+A man on the outskirts of the gathering called out in high irritation,
+"But what of the storming of the administration buildings? Our leaders
+have proclaimed the storming of the reactionaries!"
+
+Crawford, leaning heavily on the pilgrim staff, drifted over to the
+other. "Quiet, O young one," he said. "I wish to listen to the words of
+the girl who tells of the teachings of the great El Hassan."
+
+The other turned angrily on him. "Be silent thyself, old man!" He raised
+a hand as though to cuff the American.
+
+Homer Crawford neatly rapped him on the right shin bone with his
+quarterstaff to the other's intense agony. The women who witnessed the
+brief spat dissolved in laughter at the plight of the younger man. Homer
+Crawford drifted away again before the heckler recovered.
+
+He let Isobel handle the bulk of the reverse-rabble rousing. His bit was
+to come later, and as yet he didn't want to reveal himself to the
+throngs.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+They went from one gathering place of women to another. To the spice
+market, to the fish and meat market, to the bathing and laundering
+locations along the river. And everywhere they found animated groups of
+women, Isobel went into her speech.
+
+At one point, while Homer stood idly in the crowd, feeling its temper
+and the extent to which the girl was dominating them, he felt someone
+press next to him.
+
+A voice said, "What is the plan of operation, Yank?"
+
+Homer Crawford's eyebrows went up and he shot a quick glance at the
+other. It was Rex Donaldson of the Commonwealth African Department. The
+operative who worked as the witchman, Dolo Anah. Crawford was glad to
+see him. This was Donaldson's area of operations, the man must have got
+here almost as soon as Crawford's team, when he had heard of the
+trouble.
+
+Crawford said in English, "They've been gathering for an outbreak of
+violence, evidently directed at the Reunited Nations projects
+administration buildings. I've seen a few banners calling for El Hassan
+to come to power, Africa for the Africans, that sort of thing."
+
+The small Bahamian snorted. "You chaps certainly started something with
+this El Hassan farce. What are your immediate plans? How can I
+co-operate with you?"
+
+A teenage boy who had been heckling Isobel, stooped now to pick up some
+dried cow dung. Almost absently, Crawford put his staff between the
+other's legs and tripped him up, when the lad sprawled on his face the
+American rapped him smartly on the head.
+
+Crawford said, "Thanks a lot, we can use you, especially since you speak
+Dogon, I don't think any of my group does. We're going to hold a big
+meeting in front of the square and give them a long monotonous talk,
+saying little but sounding as though we're promising a great deal. When
+we've taken most of the steam out of them, we'll locate the ringleaders
+and have a big indoor meeting. My boys will be spotted throughout the
+gang. They'll nominate me to be spokesman, and nominate each other to be
+my committee and we'll be sent to find El Hassan and urge him to take
+power. That should keep them quiet for a while. At least long enough for
+headquarters in Dakar to decide what to do."
+
+"Good Heavens," Donaldson said in admiration. "You Yanks are certainly
+good at this sort of thing."
+
+"Takes practice," Homer Crawford said. "If you want to help, ferret out
+the groups who speak Dogon and give them the word."
+
+Out of a sidestreet came running Abe Baker at the head of possibly two
+or three hundred arm waving, shouting, stick brandishing Africans. A few
+of them had banners which were being waved in such confusion that nobody
+could read the words inscribed. Most of them seemed to be younger men,
+even teen-agers.
+
+"Good Heavens," Donaldson said again.
+
+At first snap opinion, Crawford thought his assistant was being pursued
+and started forward to the hopeless rescue, but then he realized that
+Abe was heading the mob. Waving his staff, the New Yorker was shouting
+slogans, most of which had something to do with "El Hassan" but
+otherwise were difficult to make out.
+
+The small mob charged out of the street and through the square, still
+shouting. Abe began to drop back into the ranks, and then to the edge of
+the charging, gesticulating crowd. Already, though, some of them seemed
+to be slowing up, even stopping and drifting away, puzzlement or
+frustration on their faces.
+
+Those who were still at excitement's peak, charged up another street at
+the other side of the square.
+
+In a few moments, Abe Baker came up to them, breathing hard and wiping
+sweat from his forehead. He grinned wryly. "Man, those cats are way out.
+This is really Endsville." He looked up at where Isobel was haranguing
+her own crowd, which hadn't been fazed by the men who'd charged through
+the square going nowhere. "Look at old Isobel up there. Man, this whole
+town's like a combination of Hyde Park and Union Square. You oughta hear
+old Jake making with a speech."
+
+"What just happened?" Homer asked, motioning with his head to where the
+last elements of the mob Abe'd been leading were disappearing down a
+dead-end street.
+
+"Ah, nothing," Abe said, still watching Isobel and grinning at her.
+"Those cats were the nucleus of a bunch wanted to start some action.
+Burn a few cars, raid the library, that sort of jazz. So I took over for
+a while, led them up one street and down the other. I feel like I just
+been star at a track meet."
+
+"Good Heavens," Donaldson said still again.
+
+"They're all scattered around now," Abe explained to him. "Either that
+or their tongues are hanging out to the point they'll have to take five
+to have a beer. They're finished for a while."
+
+Isobel finished her little talk and joined them. "What gives now?" she
+asked.
+
+Rex Donaldson said, "I'd like to stay around and watch you chaps
+operate. It's fascinating. However, I'd better get over to the park.
+That's probably where the greater number of the Dogon will be." He
+grumbled sourly, "I'll roast those blokes with a half dozen bits of
+magic and send them all back to Sangha. It'll be donkey's years before
+they ever show face around here again." He left them.
+
+Homer Crawford looked after him. "Good man," he said.
+
+Abe had about caught his breath. "What gives now, man?" he said. "I
+ought to get back to Jake. He's all alone up near the mosque."
+
+"It's about time all of us got over there," Crawford said. He looked at
+Isobel as they walked. "How does it feel being a sort of reverse agent
+provocateur?"
+
+Her forehead was wrinkled, characteristically. "I suppose it has to be
+done, but frankly, I'm not too sure just what we are doing. Here we go
+about pushing these supposed teachings of El Hassan and when we're taken
+up by the people and they actually attempt to accomplish what we taught
+them, we draw in on the reins."
+
+"Man, you're right," Abe said unhappily. He looked at his chief. "What'd
+you say, Homer?"
+
+"Of course she's right," Crawford growled. "It's just premature, is all.
+There's no program, no plan of action. If there was one, this thing here
+in Mopti might be the spark that united all North Africa. As it is, we
+have to put the damper on it until there is a definite program." He
+added sourly, "I'm just wondering if the Reunited Nations is the
+organization that can come up with one. And, if it isn't, where is there
+one?"
+
+The mosque loomed up before them. The square before it was jam packed
+with milling Africans.
+
+"Great guns," Isobel snorted, "there're more people here than the whole
+population of Mopti. Where'd they all come from?"
+
+"They've been filtering in from the country," Crawford said.
+
+"Well, we'll filter 'em back," Abe promised.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+They spotted a ruckus and could see Elmer Allen in the middle of it, his
+quarterstaff flailing.
+
+"On the double," Homer bit out, and he and Abe broke into a trot for the
+point of conflict. The idea was to get this sort of thing over as
+quickly as possible before it had a chance to spread.
+
+They arrived too late. Elmer was leaning on his staff, as though needing
+it for support, and explaining mildly to two men who evidently were
+friends of a third who was stretched out on the ground, dead to the
+world and with a nasty lump on his shaven head.
+
+Homer came up and said to Elmer, in Songhai, "What has transpired, O
+Holy One?" He made a sign of obeisance to the Jamaican.
+
+The two Africans were taken aback by the term of address. They were
+unprepared to continue further debate, not to speak of physical action,
+against a holy man.
+
+Elmer said with dignity, "He spoke against El Hassan, our great leader."
+
+For a moment the two Africans seemed to be willing to deny that, but Abe
+Baker took up the cue and turned to the crowd that was beginning to
+gather. He held his hands out, palms upward questioningly, "And why
+should these young men beset a Holy One whose only crime is to love El
+Hassan?"
+
+The crowd began to murmur and the two hurriedly picked up their fallen
+companion and took off with him.
+
+Homer said in English, "What really happened?"
+
+"Oh, this chap was one of the hot heads," Elmer explained. "Wanted some
+immediate action. I gave it to him."
+
+Abe chuckled, "Holy One, yet."
+
+Spotted through the square, holding forth to various gatherings of the
+mob were Jake Armstrong, Kenny Ballalou and Cliff Jackson. Even as Homer
+Crawford sized up the situation and the temper of the throngs of
+tribesmen, Bey entered the square from the far side at the head of two
+or three thousand more, most of whom were already beginning to look
+bored to death from talk, talk, talk.
+
+Isobel came up and looked questioningly at Homer Crawford.
+
+He said, "Abe, get the truck and drive it up before the entrance to the
+mosque. We'll speak from that. Isobel can open the hoe down, get the
+crowd over and then introduce me."
+
+Abe left and Crawford said to Isobel, "Introduce me as Omar ben Crawf,
+the great friend and assistant of El Hassan. Build it up."
+
+"Right," she said.
+
+Crawford said, "Elmer first round up the boys and get them spotted
+through the audience. You're the cheerleaders and also the sergeants at
+arms, of course. Nail the hecklers quickly, before they can get
+organized among themselves. In short, the standard deal." He thought a
+moment. "And see about getting a hall where we can hold a meeting of the
+ringleaders, those are the ones we're going to have to cool out."
+
+"Wizard," Elmer said and was gone on his mission.
+
+Isobel and Homer stood for a moment, waiting for Abe and the truck.
+
+She said, "You seem to have this all down pat."
+
+"It's routine," he said absently. "The brain of a mob is no larger than
+that of its minimum member. Any disciplined group, almost no matter how
+small can model it to order."
+
+"Just in case we don't have the opportunity to get together again, what
+happens at the hall meeting of ringleaders? What do Jake, Cliff and I
+do?"
+
+"What comes naturally," Homer said. "We'll elect each other to the most
+important positions. But everybody else that seems to have anything at
+all on the ball will be elected to some committee or other. Give them
+jobs compiling reports to El Hassan or something. Keep them busy. Give
+Reunited Nations headquarters in Dakar time to come up with something."
+
+She said worriedly, "Suppose some of these ringleaders are capable,
+aggressive types and won't stand for us getting all the important
+positions?"
+
+Crawford grunted. "We're _more_ aggressive and more capable. Let my team
+handle that. One of the boys will jump up and accuse the guy of being a
+spy and an enemy of El Hassan, and one of the other boys will bear him
+out, and a couple of others will hustle him out of the hall." Homer
+yawned. "It's all routine, Isobel."
+
+Abe was driving up the truck.
+
+Crawford said, "O.K., let's go, gal."
+
+"Roger," she said, climbing first into the back of the vehicle and then
+up onto the roof of the cab.
+
+Isobel held her hands high above her head and in the cab Abe bore down
+on the horn for a long moment.
+
+Isobel shrilled, "Hear what the messenger from El Hassan has come to
+tell us! Hear the friend and devoted follower of El Hassan!"
+
+At the same time, Jake, Kenny, and Cliff discontinued their own
+harangues and themselves headed for the new speaker.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+They stayed for three days and had it well wrapped up in that time. The
+tribesmen, bored when the excitement fell away and it became obvious
+that there were to be no further riots, and certainly no violence,
+drifted back to their villages. The city dwellers returned to the
+routine of daily existence. And the police, who had mysteriously
+disappeared from the streets at the height of the demonstrations, now
+magically reappeared and began asserting their authority somewhat
+truculently.
+
+At the hall meetings, mighty slogans were drafted and endless committees
+formed. The more articulate, the more educated and able of the
+demonstrators were marked out for future reference, but for the moment
+given meaningless tasks to keep them busy and out of trouble.
+
+On the fourth day, Homer Crawford received orders to proceed to Dakar,
+leaving the rest of the team behind to keep an eye on the situation.
+
+Abe groaned, "There's luck for you. Dakar, nearest thing to a good old
+sin city in a thousand miles. And who gets to go? Old sour puss, here.
+Got no more interest in the hot spots--"
+
+Homer said, "You can come along, Abe."
+
+Kenny Ballalou said, "Orders were only you, Homer."
+
+Crawford growled, "Yes, but I have a suspicion I'm being called on the
+carpet for one of our recent escapades and I want backing if I need it."
+He added, "Besides, nothing is going to happen here."
+
+"Crazy man," Abe said appreciatively.
+
+Jake said, "We three were planning to head for Dakar today ourselves.
+Isobel, in particular, is exhausted and needs a prolonged rest before
+going out among the natives any more. You might as well continue to let
+us supply your transportation."
+
+"Fine," Homer told him. "Come on Abe, let's get our things together."
+
+"What do we do while you chaps are gone?" Elmer Allen said sourly. "I
+wouldn't mind a period in a city myself."
+
+"Read a book, man," Abe told him. "Improve your mind."
+
+"I've read a book," Elmer said glumly. "Any other ideas?"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Dakar is a big, bustling, prosperous and modern city shockingly set down
+in the middle of the poverty that is Africa. It should be, by its
+appearance, on the French Riviera, on the California coast, or possibly
+that of Florida, but it isn't. It's in Senegal, in the area once known
+as French West Africa.
+
+Their aircraft swept in and landed at the busy airport.
+
+They were assigned an African Development Project air-cushion car and
+drove into the city proper.
+
+Dakar boasts some of the few skyscrapers in all Africa. The Reunited
+Nations occupied one of these in its entirety. Dakar was the center of
+activities for the whole Western Sahara and down into the Sudan. Across
+the street from its offices, a street still named Rue des Resistance in
+spite of the fact that the French were long gone, was the Hotel
+Juan-les-Pins.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Crawford and Abe Baker had radioed ahead and accommodations were ready
+for them. Their western clothing and other gear had been brought up from
+storage in the cellar.
+
+At the desk, the clerk didn't blink at the Tuareg costume the two still
+wore. This was commonplace. He probably wouldn't have blinked had Isobel
+arrived in the costume of the Dogon. "Your suite is ready, Dr.
+Crawford," he said.
+
+The manager came up and shook hands with an old customer and Homer
+Crawford introduced him to Isobel, Jake and Cliff, requesting he do his
+best for them. He and Abe then made their excuses and headed for the
+paradise of hot water, towels, western drink and the other amenities of
+civilization.
+
+On the way up in the elevator, Abe said happily, "Man, I can just
+_taste_ that bath I'm going to take. Crazy!"
+
+"Personally," Crawford said, trying to reflect some of the other's
+typically lighthearted enthusiasm, "I have in mind a few belts out of a
+bottle of stone-age cognac, then a steak yea big and a flock of French
+fries, followed by vanilla ice cream."
+
+Abe's eyes went round. "Man, you mean we can't get a good dish of cous
+cous in this town?"
+
+"Cous cous," Crawford said in agony.
+
+Abe made his voice so soulful. "With a good dollop of rancid camel
+butter right on top."
+
+Homer laughed as they reached their floor and started for the suite.
+"You make it sound so good, I almost believe you." Inside he said,
+"Dibbers on the first bath. How about phoning down for a bottle of
+Napoleon and some soda and ice? When it comes, just mix me one and bring
+it in, that hand you see emerging from the soap bubbles in that tub,
+will be mine."
+
+"I hear and obey, O Bwana!" Abe said in a servile tone.
+
+By the time they'd cleaned up and had eaten an enormous western style
+meal in the dining room of the Juan-les-Pins, it was well past the hour
+when they could have made contact with their Reunited Nations superiors.
+They had a couple of cognacs in the bar, then, whistling happily, Abe
+Baker went out on the town.
+
+Homer Crawford looked up Isobel, Jake and Cliff who had, sure enough,
+found accommodations in the same hotel.
+
+Isobel stepped back in mock surprise when she saw Crawford in western
+garb. "Heavens to Betsy," she said. "The man is absolutely extinguished
+in a double-breasted charcoal gray."
+
+He tried a scowl and couldn't manage it. "The word is _distinguished_,
+not extinguished," he said. He looked down at the suit, critically. "You
+know, I feel uncomfortable. I wonder if I'll be able to sit down in a
+chair instead of squatting." He looked at her own evening frock. "Wow,"
+he said.
+
+Cliff Jackson said menacingly, "None of that stuff, Crawford. Isobel has
+already been asked for, let's have no wolfing around."
+
+Isobel said tartly, "Asked for but she didn't answer the summons." She
+took Homer by the arm. "And I just adore extinguish--oops, I mean
+distinguished looking men."
+
+They trooped laughingly into the hotel cocktail lounge.
+
+The time passed pleasantly. Jake and Cliff were good men in a field
+close to Homer Crawford's heart. Isobel was possibly the most attractive
+woman he'd ever met. They discussed in detail each other's work and all
+had stories of wonder to describe.
+
+Crawford wondered vaguely if there was ever going to be a time,
+in this life of his, for a woman and all that one usually connects
+with womanhood. What was it Elmer Allen had said at the Timbuktu
+meeting? "... _most of us will be kept busy the rest of our lives at
+this._"
+
+In his present state of mind, it didn't seem too desirable a prospect.
+But there was no way out for such as Homer Crawford. What had Cliff
+Jackson said at the same meeting? "_We do what we must do._" Which, come
+to think of it, didn't jibe too well with Cliff's claim at Mopti to be
+in it solely for the job. Probably the man disguised his basic idealism
+under a cloak of cynicism; if so, he wouldn't be the first.
+
+They said their goodnights early. All of them were used to Sahara hours.
+Up at dawn, to bed shortly after sunset; the desert has little fuel to
+waste on illumination.
+
+In the suite again, Homer Crawford noted that Abe hadn't returned as
+yet. He snorted deprecation. The younger man would probably be out until
+dawn. Dakar had much to offer in the way of civilization's fleshpots.
+
+He took up the bottle of cognac and poured himself a healthy shot,
+wishing that he'd remembered to pick up a paperback at the hotel's
+newsstand before coming to bed.
+
+He swirled the expensive brandy in the glass and brought it to his nose
+to savor the bouquet.
+
+But fifteen-year-old brandy from the cognac district of France should
+not boast a bouquet involving elements of bitter almonds. With an
+automatic startled gesture, Crawford jerked his face away from the
+glass.
+
+He scowled down at it for a long moment, then took up the bottle and
+sniffed it. He wondered how a would-be murderer went about getting hold
+of cyanide in Dakar.
+
+Homer Crawford phoned the desk and got the manager. Somebody had been in
+the suite during his absence. Was there any way of checking?
+
+He didn't expect satisfaction and didn't receive any. The manager, after
+finding that nothing seemed to be missing, seemed to think that perhaps
+Dr. Crawford had made a mistake. Homer didn't bother to tell him about
+the poisoned brandy. He hung up, took the bottle into the bathroom and
+poured it away.
+
+In the way of precautions, he checked the windows to see if there were
+any possibilities of entrance by an intruder, locked the door securely,
+put his handgun beneath his pillow and fell off to sleep. When and if
+Abe returned, he could bang on the door.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+In the morning, clad in American business suits and frankly feeling a
+trifle uncomfortable in them, Homer Crawford and Abraham Baker presented
+themselves at the offices of the African Development Project, Sahara
+Division, of the Reunited Nations. Uncharacteristically, there was no
+waiting in anterooms, no dealing with subordinates. Dr. Crawford and his
+lieutenant were ushered directly to the office of Sven Zetterberg.
+
+Upon their entrance the Swede came to his feet, shook hands abruptly
+with both of them and sat down again. He scowled at Abe and said to
+Homer in excellent English, "It was requested that your team remain in
+Mopti." Then he added, "Sit down, gentlemen."
+
+They took chairs. Crawford said mildly, "Mr. Baker is my right-hand man.
+I assume he'd take over the team if anything happened to me." He added
+dryly, "Besides, there were a few things he felt he had to do about
+town."
+
+Abe cleared his throat but remained silent.
+
+Zetterberg continued to frown but evidently for a different reason now.
+He said, "There have been more complaints about your ... ah ... cavalier
+tactics."
+
+Homer looked at him but said nothing.
+
+Zetterberg said in irritation, "It becomes necessary to warn you almost
+every time you come in contact with this office, Dr. Crawford."
+
+Homer said evenly, "My team and I work in the field Dr. Zetterberg. We
+have to think on our feet and usually come to decisions in split
+seconds. Sometimes our lives are at stake. We do what we think best
+under the conditions. At any time your office feels my efforts are
+misdirected, my resignation is available."
+
+The Swede cleared his throat. "The Arab Union has made a full complaint
+in the Reunited Nations of a group of our men massacring thirty-five of
+their troopers."
+
+Homer said, "They were well into the Ahaggar with a convoy of modern
+weapons, obviously meant for adherents of theirs. Given the opportunity,
+the Arab Union would take over North Africa."
+
+"This is no reason to butcher thirty-five men."
+
+"We were fired upon first," Crawford said.
+
+"That is not the way they tell it. They claim you ambushed them."
+
+Abe put in innocently, "How would the Arab Union know? We didn't leave
+any survivors."
+
+Zetterberg glared at him. "It is not easy, Mr. Baker, for we who do the
+paper work involved in this operation, to account for the activities of
+you hair-trigger men in the field."
+
+"We appreciate your difficulties," Homer said evenly. "But we can only
+continue to do what we think best on being confronted with an
+emergency."
+
+The Swede drummed his fingers on the desk top. "Perhaps I should remind
+you that the policy of this project is to encourage amalgamation of the
+peoples of the area. Possibly, the Arab Union will prove to be the best
+force to accomplish such a union."
+
+Abe grunted.
+
+Homer Crawford was shaking his head. "You don't believe that Dr.
+Zetterberg, and I doubt if there are many non-Moslems who do. Mohammed
+sprung out of the deserts and his religion is one based on the
+surroundings, both physical and socio-economic."
+
+Zetterberg grumbled, argumentatively, though his voice lacked
+conviction, "So did its two sister religions, Judaism and Christianity."
+
+Crawford waggled a finger negatively. "Both of them adapted to changing
+times, with considerable success. Islam has remained the same and in all
+the world there is not one example of a highly developed socio-economic
+system in a Moslem country. The reason is that in your country, and
+mine, and in the other advanced countries of the West, we pay lip
+service to our religions, but we don't let them interfere with our day
+by day life. But the Moslem, like the rapidly disappearing
+ultra-orthodox Jews, lives his religion every day and by the rules set
+down by the Prophet fifteen centuries ago. Everything a Moslem does from
+the moment he gets up in the morning is all mapped out in the Koran.
+What fingers of the hand to eat with, what hand to break bread with--and
+so on and so forth. It can get ludicrous. You should see the bathroom of
+a wealthy Moslem in some modern city such as Tangier. Mohammed never
+dreamed of such institutions as toilet paper. His followers still obey
+the rules he set down as an alternative."
+
+"What's your point?"
+
+"That North Africa cannot be united under the banner of Islam if she is
+going to progress rapidly. If it ever unites, it will be in spite of
+local religions--Islam and pagan as well; they hold up the wheels of
+progress."
+
+Zetterberg stared at him. The truth of the matter was that he agreed
+with the American and they both knew it.
+
+He said, "This matter of physically assaulting and then arresting the
+chieftain"--he looked down at a paper on his desk--"of the Ouled
+Touameur clan of the Chaambra confederation, Abd-el-Kader. From your
+report, the man was evidently attempting to unify the tribes."
+
+Crawford was shaking his head impatiently. "No. He didn't have
+the ... dream. He was a raider, a racketeer, not a leader of purposeful
+men. Perhaps it's true that these people need a hero to act as a symbol
+for them, but he can't be such as Abd-el-Kader."
+
+"I suppose you're right," the Swede said grudgingly. "See here, have you
+heard reports of a group of Cubans, in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan to help
+with the new sugar refining there, being attacked?"
+
+The eyes of both Crawford and Baker narrowed. There'd been talk about
+this at Timbuktu. "Only a few rumors," Crawford said.
+
+The Swede drummed his desk with his nervous fingers. "The rumors are
+correct. The whole group was either killed or wounded." He said
+suddenly, "You had nothing to do with this, I suppose?"
+
+Crawford held his palms up, in surprise, "My team has never been within
+a thousand miles of Khartoum."
+
+Zetterberg said, "See here, we suspect the Cubans might have supported
+Soviet Complex viewpoints."
+
+Crawford shrugged, "I know nothing about them at all."
+
+Zetterberg said, "Do you think this might be the work of El Hassan and
+his followers?"
+
+Abe started to chuckle something, but Homer shook his head slightly in
+warning and said, "I don't know."
+
+"How did that affair in Mopti turn out, these riots in favor of El
+Hassan?"
+
+Homer Crawford shrugged. "Routine. Must have been as many as ten
+thousand of them at one point. We used standard tactics in gaining
+control and then dispersing them. I'll have a complete written report to
+you before the day is out."
+
+Zetterberg said, "You've heard about this El Hassan before?"
+
+"Quite a bit."
+
+"From the rumors that have come into this office, he backs neither East
+nor West in international politics. He also seems to agree with your
+summation of the Islamic problem. He teaches separation of Church and
+State."
+
+"They're the same thing in Moslem countries," Abe muttered.
+
+Zetterberg tossed his bombshell out of a clear sky. "Dr. Crawford," he
+snapped, "in spite of the warnings we've had to issue to you repeatedly,
+you are admittedly our best man in the field. We're giving you a new
+assignment. Find this El Hassan and bring him here!"
+
+Zetterberg leaned forward, an expression of somewhat anxious sincerity
+in his whole demeanor.
+
+
+
+
+VIII
+
+
+Abe Baker choked, and then suddenly laughed.
+
+Sven Zetterberg stared at him. "What's so funny?"
+
+"Well, nothing," Abe admitted. He looked to Homer Crawford.
+
+Crawford said to the Swede carefully, "Why?"
+
+Zetterberg said impatiently, "Isn't it obvious, after the conversation
+we've had here? Possibly this El Hassan is the man we're looking for.
+Perhaps this is the force that will bind North Africa together. Thus
+far, all we've heard about him has been rumor. We don't seem to be able
+to find anyone who has seen him, nor is the exact strength of his
+following known. We'd like to confer with him, before he gets any
+larger."
+
+Crawford said carefully, "It's hard to track down a rumor."
+
+"That's why we give the assignment to our best team in the field," the
+Swede told him. "You've got a roving commission. Find El Hassan and
+bring him here to Dakar."
+
+Abe grinned and said, "Suppose he doesn't want to come?"
+
+"Use any methods you find necessary. If you need more manpower, let us
+know. But we must talk to El Hassan."
+
+Homer said, still watching his words, "Why the urgency?"
+
+The Reunited Nations official looked at him for a long moment, as though
+debating whether to let him in on higher policy. "Because, frankly, Dr.
+Crawford, the elements which first went together to produce the African
+Development Project, are, shall we say, becoming somewhat unstuck."
+
+"The glue was never too strong," Abe muttered.
+
+Zetterberg nodded. "The attempt to find competent, intelligent men to
+work for the project, who were at the same time altruistic and
+unaffected by personal or national interests, has always been a
+difficult one. If you don't mind my saying so, we Scandinavians,
+particularly those not affiliated with NATO come closest to filling the
+bill. We have no designs on Africa. It is unfortunate that we have
+practically no Negro citizens who could do field work."
+
+"Are you suggesting other countries have designs on Africa?" Homer said.
+
+For the first time the Swede laughed. A short, choppy laugh. "Are you
+suggesting they haven't? What was that convoy of the Arab Union bringing
+into the Sahara? Guns, with which to forward their cause of taking over
+all North Africa. What were those Cubans doing in Sudan, that someone
+else felt it necessary to assassinate them? What is the program of the
+Soviet Complex as it applies to this area, and how does it differ from
+that of the United States? And how do the ultimate programs of the
+British Commonwealth and the French Community differ from each other and
+from both the United States and Russia?"
+
+"That's why we have a Reunited Nations," Crawford said calmly.
+
+"Theoretically, yes. But it is coming apart at the seams. I sometimes
+wonder if an organization composed of a membership each with its own
+selfish needs can ever really unite in an altruistic task. Remember the
+early days when the Congo was first given her freedom? Supposedly the
+United Nations went in to help. Actually, each element in the United
+Nations had its own irons in the fire, and usually their desires
+differed."
+
+The Swede shrugged hugely. "I don't know, but I am about convinced, and
+so are a good many other officers of this project, that unless we soon
+find a competent leader to act as a symbol around which all North
+Africans can unite, find such a man and back him, that all our work will
+crumble in this area under pressure from outside. That's why we want El
+Hassan."
+
+Homer Crawford came to his feet, his face in a scowl. "I'll let you know
+by tomorrow, if I can take the assignment," he said.
+
+"Why tomorrow?" the Swede demanded.
+
+"There are some ramifications I have to consider."
+
+"Very well," the Swede said stiffly. He came to his own feet and shook
+hands with them again. "Oh, there's just one other thing. This
+spontaneous meeting you held in Timbuktu with elements from various
+other organizations. How did it come out?"
+
+Crawford was wary. "Very little result, actually."
+
+Zetterberg chuckled. "As I expected. However, we would appreciate it,
+doctor, if you and your team would refrain from such activities in the
+future. You are, after all, hired by the Reunited Nations and owe it all
+your time and allegiance. We have no desire to see you fritter away this
+time with religious fanatics and other crackpot groups."
+
+"I see," Crawford said.
+
+The other laughed cheerfully. "I'm sure you do, Dr. Crawford. A word to
+the wise."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+They remained silent on the way back to the hotel.
+
+In the lobby they ran into Isobel Cunningham.
+
+Homer Crawford looked at her thoughtfully. He said, "We've got some
+thinking to do and some ideas to bat back and forth. I value your
+opinion and experience, Isobel, could you come up to the suite and sit
+in?"
+
+She tilted her head, looked at him from the side of her eyes. "Something
+big has happened, hasn't it?"
+
+"I suppose so. I don't know. We've got to make some decisions."
+
+"Come on Isobel," Abe said. "You can give us the feminine viewpoint and
+all that jazz."
+
+They started for the elevator and Isobel said to Abe, "If you'd just be
+consistent with that pseudo-beatnik chatter of yours, I wouldn't mind.
+But half the time you talk like an English lit major when you forget to
+put on your act."
+
+"Man," Abe said to her, "maybe I was wrong inviting you to sit in on
+this bull session. I can see you're in a bad mood."
+
+In the living room of the suite, Isobel took an easy-chair and Abe threw
+himself full length on his back on a couch. Homer Crawford paced the
+floor.
+
+"Well?" Isobel said.
+
+Crawford said abruptly, "Somebody tried to poison me last night. Got
+into this room somehow and put cyanide in a bottle of cognac Abe and I
+were drinking out of earlier in the evening."
+
+Isobel stared at him. Her eyes went from him to Abe and back.
+"But ... but, why?"
+
+Crawford ran his hand back over his wiry hair in puzzlement. "I ... I
+don't know. That's what's driving me batty. I can't figure out why
+anybody would want to kill me."
+
+"I can," Abe said bluntly. "And that interview we just had with Sven
+Zetterberg just bears me out."
+
+"Zetterberg," Isobel said, surprised. "Is he in Africa?"
+
+Crawford nodded to her question but his eyes were on Abe.
+
+Abe put his hands behind his head and said to the ceiling, "Zetterberg
+just gave Homer's team the assignment of bringing in El Hassan."
+
+"El Hassan? But you boys told us all in Timbuktu that there was no El
+Hassan. You invented him and then the rest of us, more or less
+spontaneously, though unknowingly, took up the falsification and spread
+your work."
+
+"That's right," Crawford said, still looking at Abe.
+
+"But didn't you tell Sven Zetterberg?" Isobel demanded. "He's too big a
+man to play jokes upon."
+
+"No, I didn't and I'm not sure I know why."
+
+"I know why," Abe said. He sat up suddenly and swung his feet around and
+to the floor.
+
+The other two watched him, both frowning.
+
+Abe said slowly, "Homer, you _are_ El Hassan."
+
+His chief scowled at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"
+
+The younger man gestured impatiently. "Figure it out. Somebody else
+already has, the somebody who took a shot at you from that mosque. Look,
+put it all together and it makes sense.
+
+"These North Africans aren't going to make it, not in the short period
+of time that we want them to, unless a leader appears on the scene.
+These people are just beginning to emerge from tribal society. In the
+tribes, people live by rituals and taboos, by traditions. But at the
+next step in the evolution of society they follow a Hero--and the
+traditions are thrown overboard. It's one step up the ladder of cultural
+evolution. Just for the record, the Heroes almost invariably get
+clobbered in the end, since a Hero must be perfect. Once he is found
+wanting in any respect, he's a false prophet, a cheat, and a new,
+perfect and faultless Hero must be found.
+
+"O.K. At this stage we need a Hero to unite North Africa, but this time
+we need a real super-Hero. In this modern age, the old style one won't
+do. We need one with education, and altruism, one with the dream, as you
+call it. We need a man who has no affiliations, no preferences for
+Tuareg, Teda, Chaambra, Dogon, Moor or whatever. He's got to be truly
+neutral. O.K., you're it. You're an American Negro, educated, competent,
+widely experienced. You're a natural for the job. You speak Arabic,
+French, Tamabeq, Songhai and even Swahili."
+
+Abe stopped momentarily and twisted his face in a grimace. "But there's
+one other thing that's possibly the most important of all. Homer, you're
+a born leader."
+
+"Who _me_?" Crawford snorted. "I hate to be put in a position where I
+have to lead men, make decisions, that sort of thing.
+
+"That's beside the point. There in Timbuktu you had them in the palm of
+your hand. All except one or two, like Doc Smythe and that missionary.
+And I have an idea even they'd come around. Everybody there felt it.
+They were in favor of anything you suggested. Isobel?"
+
+She nodded, very seriously. "Yes. You have a personality that goes over,
+Homer. I think it would be a rare person who could conceive of you
+cheating, or misleading. You're so obviously sincere, competent and
+intelligent that it, well, _projects_ itself. I noticed it even more in
+Mopti than Timbuktu. You had that city in your palm in a matter of a few
+hours."
+
+Homer Crawford shifted his shoulders, uncomfortably.
+
+Abe said, "You might dislike the job, but it's a job that needs doing."
+
+Crawford ran his hand around the back of his neck, uncomfortably. "You
+think such a project would get the support of the various teams and
+organizations working North Africa, eh?"
+
+"Practically a hundred per cent. And even if some organizations or even
+countries, with their own row to hoe, tried to buck you, their
+individual members and teams would come over. Why? Because it makes
+sense."
+
+Homer Crawford said worriedly, "Actually, I've realized this, partially
+subconsciously, for some time. But I didn't put myself in the role.
+I ... I wish there really was an El Hassan. I'd throw my efforts behind
+him."
+
+"There will be an El Hassan," Abe said definitely. "And you can be him."
+
+Crawford stared at Abe, undecided.
+
+Isobel said, suddenly, "I think Abe's right, Homer."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Abe seemed to switch the tempo of his talk. He said, "There's just one
+thing, Homer. It's a long range question, but it's an important one."
+
+"Yes?"
+
+"What're your politics?"
+
+"My politics? I haven't any politics here in North Africa."
+
+"I mean back home. I've never discussed politics with you, Homer, partly
+because I haven't wanted to reveal my own. But now the question comes
+up. What is your position, ultimately, speaking on a world-wide basis?"
+
+Homer looked at him quizzically, trying to get at what was behind the
+other's words. "I don't belong to any political party," he said slowly.
+
+Abe said evenly, "I do, Homer. I'm a Party member."
+
+Crawford was beginning to get it. "If you mean do I ultimately support
+the program of the Soviet Complex, the answer is definitely no. Whether
+or not it's desirable for Russia or for China, is up to the Russians and
+Chinese to decide. But I don't believe it's desirable for such advanced
+countries as the United States and most of Western Europe. We've got
+large problems that need answering, but the commies don't supply the
+answers so far as I'm concerned."
+
+"I see," Abe said. He was far, far different than the laughing, beatnik
+jabbering, youngster he had always seemed. "That's not so good."
+
+"Why not?" Homer demanded. His eyes went to where Isobel sat, her face
+strained at all this, but he could read nothing in her expression, and
+she said nothing.
+
+Abe said, "Because, admittedly, North Africa isn't ready for a communist
+program as yet. It's in too primitive a condition. However, it's
+progressing fast, fantastically fast, and the coming of El Hassan is
+going to speed things up still more."
+
+Abe said deliberately, "Possibly twenty years from now the area _will_
+be ready for a communist program. And at that time we don't want
+somebody with El Hassan's power and prestige against us. We take the
+long view, Homer, and it dictates that El Hassan has to be secretly on
+the Party's side."
+
+Homer was nodding. "I see. So that's why you shot at me in Timbuktu."
+
+Abe's eyes went wary. He said, "I didn't know you knew."
+
+Crawford nodded. "It just came to me. It had to be you. Supposedly, you
+broke into the mosque from the back at the same moment I came in the
+front. Actually, you were already inside." Homer grunted. "Besides, it
+would have been awfully difficult for anyone else to have doped that
+bottle of cognac on me. What I couldn't understand, and still can't, was
+motive. We've been in the clutch together more than once, Abe."
+
+"That's right, Homer, but there are some things so important that
+friendship goes by the board. I could see as far back as that meeting
+something that hadn't occurred to either you or the others. You were a
+born El Hassan. I figured it was necessary to get you out of the way and
+put one of our own--perhaps me, even--in your place. No ill feelings,
+Homer. In fact, now I've just given you your chance. You could come in
+with us--"
+
+Even as he was speaking, his eyes moved in a way Homer Crawford
+recognized. He'd seen Abe Baker in action often enough. A gun flicked
+out of an under-the-arm holster, but Crawford moved in anticipation. The
+flat of his hand darted forward, chopped and the hand weapon was on the
+floor.
+
+As Isobel screamed, Abe countered the attack. He reached forward in a
+jujitsu maneuver, grabbed a coat sleeve and a handful of suit coat. He
+twisted quickly, threw the other man over one hip and to the floor.
+
+But Homer Crawford was already expertly rolling with the fall, rolling
+out to get a fresh start.
+
+Abe Baker knew that in the long go, in spite of his somewhat greater
+heft, he wouldn't be able to take his former chief in the other man's
+own field. Now he threw himself on the other, on the floor. Legs and
+arms tangled in half realized, quickly defeated holds and maneuvers.
+
+Abe called, "Quick, Isobel, the gun. Get the gun and cover him."
+
+She shook her head, desperately. "Oh no. No!"
+
+Abe bit out, his teeth grinding under the punishment he was taking,
+"That's an order, _Comrade Cunningham_! Get the gun!"
+
+"No. No, I can't!" She turned and fled the room.
+
+Abe muttered an obscenity, bridged and crabbed out of the desperate
+position he was in. And now his fingers were but a few inches from the
+weapon. He stretched.
+
+Homer Crawford, heavy veins in his own forehead from his exertions,
+panted, "Abe, I can't let you get that gun. Call it quits."
+
+"Can't, Homer," Abe gritted. His fingers were a few fractions of an inch
+from the weapon.
+
+Crawford panted, "Abe, there's just one thing I can do. A karate blow.
+_I_ can chop your windpipe with the side of my hand. Abe, if I do, only
+immediate surgery could save your--"
+
+Abe's fingers closed about the gun and Crawford, calling on his last
+resources, lashed out. He could feel the cartilage collapse, a sound of
+air, for a moment, almost like a shriek filled the room.
+
+The gun was meaningless now. Homer Crawford, his face agonized, was on
+his knees beside the other who was threshing on the floor. "Abe," he
+groaned. "You made me."
+
+Abe Baker's face was quickly going ashen in his impossible quest for
+oxygen. For a last second there was a gleam in his eyes and his lips
+moved. Crawford bent down. He wasn't sure, but he thought that somehow
+the other found enough air to get out a last, "Crazy man."
+
+When it was over, Homer Crawford stood again, and looked down at the
+body, his face expressionless.
+
+From behind him a voice said, "So I got here too late."
+
+Crawford turned. It was Elmer Allen, gun in hand.
+
+Homer Crawford said dully, "What are you doing here?"
+
+Elmer looked at the body, then back at his chief. "Bey figured out what
+must have happened at the mosque there in Timbuktu. We didn't know what
+might be motivating Abe, but we got here as quick as we could."
+
+"He was a commie," Crawford said dully. "Evidently, the Party decided I
+stood in its way. Where are the others?"
+
+"Scouring the town to find you."
+
+Crawford said wearily, "Find the others and bring them here. We've got
+to get rid of poor Abe, there, and then I've got something to tell you."
+
+"Very well, chief," Elmer said, holstering his gun. "Oh, just one thing
+before I go. You know that chap Rex Donaldson? Well, we had some
+discussion after you left. This'll probably surprise you Homer,
+but--hold onto your hat, as you Americans say--Donaldson thinks you
+ought to _become_ El Hassan. And Bey, Kenny and I agree."
+
+Crawford said, "We'll talk about it later, Elmer."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+He knocked at her door and a moment later she came. She saw who it was,
+opened for him and returned to the room beyond. She had obviously been
+crying.
+
+Homer Crawford said, but with no reproach in his voice, "You should have
+helped me, to be consistent."
+
+"I knew you'd win."
+
+"Nevertheless, once you'd switched sides, you should have attempted to
+help me. If you had, maybe Abe would still be alive."
+
+She took a quick agonized breath, and sat down in one of the two chairs,
+her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She said, "I ... I've known Abe
+since my early teens."
+
+He said nothing.
+
+"In college, he was the cell leader. He enlisted me into the Party."
+
+Crawford still didn't speak.
+
+She said defiantly, "He was an idealist, Homer."
+
+"I know that," Crawford said. "And along with it, he's saved my life, on
+at least three different occasions in the past few years. He was a good
+man."
+
+It was her turn to hold silence.
+
+Homer hit the palm of his left hand with the fist of his right. "That's
+what so many don't realize. They think this is all a kind of cowboys and
+Indians affair. The good guys and the bad guys fighting it out. And, of
+course, all the good guys are on our side and their side is composed of
+bad guys. They don't realize that many, even most, of the enemy are
+fighting for an ideal, too--and are willing to die for it, or do things
+sometimes even harder than dying."
+
+He paced the floor for an agonized moment, before adding. "The fact that
+the ideal is a false one--or so, at least, is my opinion--is beside the
+point."
+
+He suddenly dropped it and switched subjects. "This isn't as much a
+surprise to me as you possibly think, Isobel. There was only one way
+that episode in Timbuktu could have taken place. Abe was waiting for me
+to pass that mosque. But I had to pass. I had to be _fingered_ as the
+old gangster expression had it. And you led me into the ambush."
+
+He looked down at her. "But what changed his mind? Why did he offer,
+tonight, to let me take over the El Hassan leadership?"
+
+Isobel said, her voice low. "In Timbuktu, when Abe saw the way things
+were going, he realized you'd have to be liquidated, otherwise El Hassan
+would be a leader the Party couldn't control. He tried to eliminate you,
+and then tried again with the cognac. Last night, however, he checked
+with local party leaders and they decided that he'd acted too
+precipitately. They suggested you be given the opportunity to line up
+with the Party."
+
+"And if I didn't?" Homer said.
+
+"Then you were to be liquidated."
+
+"So the finger is still on me, eh?"
+
+"Yes, you'll have to be careful."
+
+He looked full into her face. "How do you stand now?"
+
+She returned his frank look. "I'm the first follower to dedicate her
+services to El Hassan."
+
+"So you want to come along?"
+
+"Yes," she said simply.
+
+"And you remember what Abe said? That in the end the Hero invariably
+gets clobbered? Sooner or later, North Africa will outgrow the need for
+a Hero to follow and then ... then El Hassan and his closest followers
+have a good chance of winding up before a firing squad."
+
+"Yes, I know that."
+
+Homer Crawford ran his hand back over his short hair, wearily. "O.K.,
+Isobel. Your first instructions are to contact those two friends of
+yours, Jake Armstrong and Cliff Jackson. Try to convert them."
+
+"What are you going to be doing ... El Hassan?"
+
+"I'm going over to the Reunited Nations to resign from the African
+Development Project. I have a sneaking suspicion that in the future they
+will not always be seeing eye to eye with El Hassan. Nor will the other
+organizations currently helping to advance Africa--whilst still at the
+same time keeping their own irons in the fire. Possibly the commies
+won't be the only ones in favor of liquidating El Hassan's assets."
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Black Man's Burden, by Dallas McCord Reynolds
+
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