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diff --git a/old/5174.txt b/old/5174.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d1bc68b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/5174.txt @@ -0,0 +1,12783 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Allan and the Holy Flower, by H. Rider Haggard + +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: Allan and the Holy Flower + +Author: H. Rider Haggard + +Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5174] +Posting Date: March 23, 2009 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ALLAN AND THE HOLY FLOWER *** + + + + +Produced by John Bickers, and Dagny + + + + + + + + +ALLAN AND THE HOLY FLOWER + +By H. Rider Haggard + +First Published 1915. + + + + + +CHAPTER I + + BROTHER JOHN + +I do not suppose that anyone who knows the name of Allan Quatermain +would be likely to associate it with flowers, and especially with +orchids. Yet as it happens it was once my lot to take part in an orchid +hunt of so remarkable a character that I think its details should not +be lost. At least I will set them down, and if in the after days anyone +cares to publish them, well--he is at liberty to do so. + +It was in the year--oh! never mind the year, it was a long while ago +when I was much younger, that I went on a hunting expedition to the +north of the Limpopo River which borders the Transvaal. My companion was +a gentleman of the name of Scroope, Charles Scroope. He had come out to +Durban from England in search of sport. At least, that was one of his +reasons. The other was a lady whom I will call Miss Margaret Manners, +though that was not her name. + +It seems that these two were engaged to be married, and really attached +to each other. Unfortunately, however, they quarrelled violently about +another gentlemen with whom Miss Manners danced four consecutive dances, +including two that were promised to her fiance at a Hunt ball in Essex, +where they all lived. Explanations, or rather argument, followed. Mr. +Scroope said that he would not tolerate such conduct. Miss Manners +replied that she would not be dictated to; she was her own mistress and +meant to remain so. Mr. Scroope exclaimed that she might so far as he +was concerned. She answered that she never wished to see his face again. +He declared with emphasis that she never should and that he was going to +Africa to shoot elephants. + +What is more, he went, starting from his Essex home the next day without +leaving any address. As it transpired afterwards, long afterwards, had +he waited till the post came in he would have received a letter that +might have changed his plans. But they were high-spirited young people, +both of them, and played the fool after the fashion of those in love. + +Well, Charles Scroope turned up in Durban, which was but a poor place +then, and there we met in the bar of the Royal Hotel. + +"If you want to kill big game," I heard some one say, who it was +I really forget, "there's the man to show you how to do it--Hunter +Quatermain; the best shot in Africa and one of the finest fellows, too." + +I sat still, smoking my pipe and pretending to hear nothing. It is +awkward to listen to oneself being praised, and I was always a shy man. + +Then after a whispered colloquy Mr. Scroope was brought forward and +introduced to me. I bowed as nicely as I could and ran my eye over him. +He was a tall young man with dark eyes and a rather romantic aspect +(that was due to his love affair), but I came to the conclusion that I +liked the cut of his jib. When he spoke, that conclusion was affirmed. I +always think there is a great deal in a voice; personally, I judge by it +almost as much as by the face. This voice was particularly pleasant and +sympathetic, though there was nothing very original or striking in the +words by which it was, so to speak, introduced to me. These were: + +"How do you do, sir. Will you have a split?" + +I answered that I never drank spirits in the daytime, or at least not +often, but that I should be pleased to take a small bottle of beer. + +When the beer was consumed we walked up together to my little house +on which is now called the Berea, the same in which, amongst others, I +received my friends, Curtis and Good, in after days, and there we dined. +Indeed, Charlie Scroope never left that house until we started on our +shooting expedition. + +Now I must cut all this story short, since it is only incidentally that +it has to do with the tale I am going to tell. Mr. Scroope was a rich +man and as he offered to pay all the expenses of the expedition while I +was to take all the profit in the shape of ivory or anything else that +might accrue, of course I did not decline his proposal. + +Everything went well with us on that trip until its unfortunate end. +We only killed two elephants, but of other game we found plenty. It was +when we were near Delagoa Bay on our return that the accident happened. + +We were out one evening trying to shoot something for our dinner, when +between the trees I caught sight of a small buck. It vanished round a +little promontory of rock which projected from the side of the kloof, +walking quietly, not running in alarm. We followed after it. I was the +first, and had just wriggled round these rocks and perceived the buck +standing about ten paces away (it was a bush-bok), when I heard a rustle +among the bushes on the top of the rock not a dozen feet above my head, +and Charlie Scroope's voice calling: + +"Look out, Quatermain! He's coming." + +"Who's coming?" I answered in an irritated tone, for the noise had made +the buck run away. + +Then it occurred to me, all in an instant of course, that a man would +not begin to shout like that for nothing; at any rate when his supper +was concerned. So I glanced up above and behind me. To this moment I can +remember exactly what I saw. There was the granite water-worn boulder, +or rather several boulders, with ferns growing in their cracks of the +maiden-hair tribe, most of them, but some had a silver sheen on the +under side of their leaves. On one of these leaves, bending it down, sat +a large beetle with red wings and a black body engaged in rubbing its +antennae with its front paws. And above, just appearing over the top of +the rock, was the head of an extremely fine leopard. As I write to +seem to perceive its square jowl outlined against the arc of the quiet +evening sky with the saliva dropping from its lips. + +This was the last thing which I did perceive for a little while, since +at that moment the leopard--we call them tigers in South Africa--dropped +upon my back and knocked me flat as a pancake. I presume that it also +had been stalking the buck and was angry at my appearance on the scene. +Down I went, luckily for me, into a patch of mossy soil. + +"All up!" I said to myself, for I felt the brute's weight upon my back +pressing me down among the moss, and what was worse, its hot breath upon +my neck as it dropped its jaws to bite me in the head. Then I heard +the report of Scroope's rifle, followed by furious snarling from the +leopard, which evidently had been hit. Also it seemed to think that I +had caused its injuries, for it seized me by the shoulder. I felt its +teeth slip along my skin, but happily they only fastened in the shooting +coat of tough corduroy that I was wearing. It began to shake me, then +let go to get a better grip. Now, remembering that Scroope only carried +a light, single-barrelled rifle, and therefore could not fire again, +I knew, or thought I knew, that my time had come. I was not exactly +afraid, but the sense of some great, impending chance became very +vivid. I remembered--not my whole life, but one or two odd little things +connected with my infancy. For instance, I seemed to see myself seated +on my mother's knee, playing with a little jointed gold-fish which she +wore upon her watch-chain. + +After this I muttered a word or two of supplication, and, I think, lost +consciousness. If so, it can only have been for a few seconds. Then my +mind returned to me and I saw a strange sight. The leopard and Scroope +were fighting each other. The leopard, standing on one hind leg, for +the other was broken, seemed to be boxing Scroope, whilst Scroope was +driving his big hunting knife into the brute's carcase. They went down, +Scroope undermost, the leopard tearing at him. I gave a wriggle and came +out of that mossy bed--I recall the sucking sound my body made as it +left the ooze. + +Close by was my rifle, uninjured and at full cock as it had fallen from +my hand. I seized it, and in another second had shot the leopard through +the head just as it was about to seize Scroope's throat. + +It fell stone dead on the top of him. One quiver, one contraction of the +claws (in poor Scroope's leg) and all was over. There it lay as though +it were asleep, and underneath was Scroope. + +The difficulty was to get it off him, for the beast was very heavy, but +I managed this at last with the help of a thorn bough I found which some +elephant had torn from a tree. This I used as a lever. There beneath +lay Scroope, literally covered with blood, though whether his own or +the leopard's I could not tell. At first I thought that he was dead, +but after I had poured some water over him from the little stream that +trickled down the rock, he sat up and asked inconsequently: + +"What am I now?" + +"A hero," I answered. (I have always been proud of that repartee.) + +Then, discouraging further conversation, I set to work to get him back +to the camp, which fortunately was close at hand. + +When we had proceeded a couple of hundred yards, he still making +inconsequent remarks, his right arm round my neck and my left arm round +his middle, suddenly he collapsed in a dead faint, and as his weight was +more than I could carry, I had to leave him and fetch help. + +In the end I got him to the tents by aid of the Kaffirs and a blanket, +and there made an examination. He was scratched all over, but the only +serious wounds were a bite through the muscles of the left upper arm and +three deep cuts in the right thigh just where it joins the body, caused +by a stroke of the leopard's claws. I gave him a dose of laudanum to +send him to sleep and dressed these hurts as best I could. For three +days he went on quite well. Indeed, the wounds had begun to heal +healthily when suddenly some kind of fever took him, caused, I suppose, +by the poison of the leopard's fangs or claws. + +Oh! what a terrible week was that which followed! He became delirious, +raving continually of all sorts of things, and especially of Miss +Margaret Manners. I kept up his strength as well as was possible with +soup made from the flesh of game, mixed with a little brandy which I +had. But he grew weaker and weaker. Also the wounds in the thigh began +to suppurate. + +The Kaffirs whom we had with us were of little use in such a case, so +that all the nursing fell on me. Luckily, beyond a shaking, the leopard +had done me no hurt, and I was very strong in those days. Still the lack +of rest told on me, since I dared not sleep for more than half an hour +or so at a time. At length came a morning when I was quite worn out. +There lay poor Scroope turning and muttering in the little tent, and +there I sat by his side, wondering whether he would live to see another +dawn, or if he did, for how long I should be able to tend him. I called +to a Kaffir to bring me my coffee, and just was I was lifting the +pannikin to my lips with a shaking hand, help came. + +It arrived in a very strange shape. In front of our camp were two +thorn trees, and from between these trees, the rays from the rising +sun falling full on him, I saw a curious figure walking towards me in +a slow, purposeful fashion. It was that of a man of uncertain age, for +though the beard and long hair were white, the face was comparatively +youthful, save for the wrinkles round the mouth, and the dark eyes were +full of life and vigour. Tattered garments, surmounted by a torn kaross +or skin rug, hung awkwardly upon his tall, thin frame. On his feet +were veld-schoen of untanned hide, on his back a battered tin case was +strapped, and in his bony, nervous hand he clasped a long staff made +of the black and white wood the natives call _unzimbiti_, on the top +of which was fixed a butterfly net. Behind him were some Kaffirs who +carried cases on their heads. + +I knew him at once, since we had met before, especially on a certain +occasion in Zululand, when he calmly appeared out of the ranks of a +hostile native _impi_. He was one of the strangest characters in all +South Africa. Evidently a gentleman in the true sense of the word, none +knew his history (although I know it now, and a strange story it is), +except that he was an American by birth, for in this matter at times his +speech betrayed him. Also he was a doctor by profession, and to judge +from his extraordinary skill, one who must have seen much practice both +in medicine and in surgery. For the rest he had means, though where +they came from was a mystery, and for many years past had wandered about +South and Eastern Africa, collecting butterflies and flowers. + +By the natives, and I might add by white people also, he was universally +supposed to be mad. This reputation, coupled with his medical skill, +enabled him to travel wherever he would without the slightest fear of +molestation, since the Kaffirs look upon the mad as inspired by God. +Their name for him was "Dogeetah," a ludicrous corruption of the English +word "doctor," whereas white folk called him indifferently "Brother +John," "Uncle Jonathan," or "Saint John." The second appellation he got +from his extraordinary likeness (when cleaned up and nicely dressed) +to the figure by which the great American nation is typified in comic +papers, as England is typified by John Bull. The first and third arose +in the well-known goodness of his character and a taste he was supposed +to possess for living on locusts and wild honey, or their local +equivalents. Personally, however, he preferred to be addressed as +"Brother John." + +Oh! who can tell the relief with which I saw him; an angel from heaven +could scarcely have been more welcome. As he came I poured out a second +jorum of coffee, and remembering that he liked it sweet, put in plenty +of sugar. + +"How do you do, Brother John?" I said, proffering him the coffee. + +"Greeting, Brother Allan," he answered--in those days he affected a kind +of old Roman way of speaking, as I imagine it. Then he took the coffee, +put his long finger into it to test the temperature and stir up the +sugar, drank it off as though it were a dose of medicine, and handed +back the tin to be refilled. + +"Bug-hunting?" I queried. + +He nodded. "That and flowers and observing human nature and the +wonderful works of God. Wandering around generally." + +"Where from last?" I asked. + +"Those hills nearly twenty miles away. Left them at eight in the +evening; walked all night." + +"Why?" I said, looking at him. + +"Because it seemed as though someone were calling me. To be plain, you, +Allan." + +"Oh! you heard about my being here and the trouble?" + +"No, heard nothing. Meant to strike out for the coast this morning. +Just as I was turning in, at 8.5 exactly, got your message and started. +That's all." + +"My message----" I began, then stopped, and asking to see his watch, +compared it with mine. Oddly enough, they showed the same time to within +two minutes. + +"It is a strange thing," I said slowly, "but at 8.5 last night I did try +to send a message for some help because I thought my mate was dying," +and I jerked my thumb towards the tent. "Only it wasn't to you or any +other man, Brother John. Understand?" + +"Quite. Message was expressed on, that's all. Expressed and I guess +registered as well." + +I looked at Brother John and Brother John looked at me, but at the time +we made no further remark. The thing was too curious, that is, unless +he lied. But nobody had ever known him to lie. He was a truthful person, +painfully truthful at times. And yet there are people who do not believe +in prayer. + +"What is it?" he asked. + +"Mauled by leopard. Wounds won't heal, and fever. I don't think he can +last long." + +"What do you know about it? Let me see him." + +Well, he saw him and did wonderful things. That tin box of his was full +of medicines and surgical instruments, which latter he boiled before he +used them. Also he washed his hands till I thought the skin would come +off them, using up more soap than I could spare. First he gave poor +Charlie a dose of something that seemed to kill him; he said he had that +drug from the Kaffirs. Then he opened up those wounds upon his thigh and +cleaned them out and bandaged them with boiled herbs. Afterwards, when +Scroope came to again, he gave him a drink that threw him into a sweat +and took away the fever. The end of it was that in two days' time his +patient sat up and asked for a square meal, and in a week we were able +to begin to carry him to the coast. + +"Guess that message of yours saved Brother Scroope's life," said old +John, as he watched him start. + +I made no answer. Here I may state, however, that through my own men I +inquired a little as to Brother John's movements at the time of what he +called the message. It seemed that he _had_ arranged to march towards +the coast on the next morning, but that about two hours after sunset +suddenly he ordered them to pack up everything and follow him. This they +did and to their intense disgust those Kaffirs were forced to trudge all +night at the heels of Dogeetah, as they called him. Indeed, so weary +did they become, that had they not been afraid of being left alone in an +unknown country in the darkness, they said they would have thrown down +their loads and refused to go any further. + +That is as far as I was able to take the matter, which may be explained +by telepathy, inspiration, instinct, or coincidence. It is one as to +which the reader must form his own opinion. + +During our week together in camp and our subsequent journey to Delagoa +Bay and thence by ship to Durban, Brother John and I grew very intimate, +with limitations. Of his past, as I have said, he never talked, or of +the real object of his wanderings which I learned afterwards, but of his +natural history and ethnological (I believe that is the word) studies he +spoke a good deal. As, in my humble way, I also am an observer of such +matters and know something about African natives and their habits from +practical experience, these subjects interested me. + +Amongst other things, he showed me many of the specimens that he had +collected during his recent journey; insects and beautiful butterflies +neatly pinned into boxes, also a quantity of dried flowers pressed +between sheets of blotting paper, amongst them some which he told me +were orchids. Observing that these attracted me, he asked me if I would +like to see the most wonderful orchid in the whole world. Of course I +said yes, whereon he produced out of one of his cases a flat package +about two feet six square. He undid the grass mats in which it was +wrapped, striped, delicately woven mats such as they make in the +neighbourhood of Zanzibar. Within these was the lid of a packing-case. +Then came more mats and some copies of _The Cape Journal_ spread out +flat. Then sheets of blotting paper, and last of all between two pieces +of cardboard, a flower and one leaf of the plant on which it grew. + +Even in its dried state it was a wondrous thing, measuring twenty-four +inches from the tip of one wing or petal to the tip of the other, by +twenty inches from the top of the back sheath to the bottom of the +pouch. The measurement of the back sheath itself I forget, but it must +have been quite a foot across. In colour it was, or had been, bright +golden, but the back sheath was white, barred with lines of black, and +in the exact centre of the pouch was a single black spot shaped like the +head of a great ape. There were the overhanging brows, the deep recessed +eyes, the surly mouth, the massive jaws--everything. + +Although at that time I had never seen a gorilla in the flesh, I had +seen a coloured picture of the brute, and if that picture had been +photographed on the flower the likeness could not have been more +perfect. + +"What is it?" I asked, amazed. + +"Sir," said Brother John, sometimes he used this formal term when +excited, "it is the most marvellous Cypripedium in the whole earth, and, +sir, I have discovered it. A healthy root of that plant will be worth +L20,000." + +"That's better than gold mining," I said. "Well, have you got the root?" + +Brother John shook his head sadly as he answered: + +"No such luck." + +"How's that as you have the flower?" + +"I'll tell you, Allan. For a year past and more I have been collecting +in the district back of Kilwa and found some wonderful things, yes, +wonderful. At last, about three hundred miles inland, I came to a tribe, +or rather, a people, that no white man had ever visited. They are called +the Mazitu, a numerous and warlike people of bastard Zulu blood." + +"I have heard of them," I interrupted. "They broke north before the days +of Senzangakona, two hundred years or more ago." + +"Well, I could make myself understood among them because they still +talk a corrupt Zulu, as do all the tribes in those parts. At first they +wanted to kill me, but let me go because they thought that I was mad. +Everyone thinks that I am mad, Allan; it is a kind of public delusion, +whereas I think that I am sane and that most other people are mad." + +"A private delusion," I suggested hurriedly, as I did not wish to +discuss Brother John's sanity. "Well, go on about the Mazitu." + +"Later they discovered that I had skill in medicine, and their king, +Bausi, came to me to be treated for a great external tumour. I risked +an operation and cured him. It was anxious work, for if he had died I +should have died too, though that would not have troubled me very much," +and he sighed. "Of course, from that moment I was supposed to be a great +magician. Also Bausi made a blood brotherhood with me, transfusing some +of his blood into my veins and some of mine into his. I only hope he has +not inoculated me with his tumours, which are congenital. So I became +Bausi and Bausi became me. In other words, I was as much chief of the +Mazitu as he was, and shall remain so all my life." + +"That might be useful," I said, reflectively, "but go on." + +"I learned that on the western boundary of the Mazitu territory were +great swamps; that beyond these swamps was a lake called Kirua, and +beyond that a large and fertile land supposed to be an island, with +a mountain in its centre. This land is known as Pongo, and so are the +people who live there." + +"That is a native name for the gorilla, isn't it?" I asked. "At least so +a fellow who had been on the West Coast told me." + +"Indeed, then that's strange, as you will see. Now these Pongo are +supposed to be great magicians, and the god they worship is said to be +a gorilla, which, if you are right, accounts for their name. Or rather," +he went on, "they have two gods. The other is that flower you see there. +Whether the flower with the monkey's head on it was the first god and +suggested the worship of the beast itself, or _vice versa_, I don't +know. Indeed I know very little, just what I was told by the Mazitu and +a man who called himself a Pongo chief, no more." + +"What did they say?" + +"The Mazitu said that the Pongo people are devils who came by the secret +channels through the reeds in canoes and stole their children and women, +whom they sacrificed to their gods. Sometimes, too, they made raids upon +them at night, 'howling like hyenas.' The men they killed and the women +and children they took away. The Mazitu want to attack them but cannot +do so, because they are not water people and have no canoes, and +therefore are unable to reach the island, if it is an island. Also they +told me about the wonderful flower which grows in the place where the +ape-god lives, and is worshipped like the god. They had the story of it +from some of their people who had been enslaved and escaped." + +"Did you try to get to the island?" I asked. + +"Yes, Allan. That is, I went to the edge of the reeds which lie at the +end of a long slope of plain, where the lake begins. Here I stopped for +some time catching butterflies and collecting plants. One night when I +was camped there by myself, for none of my men would remain so near the +Pongo country after sunset, I woke up with a sense that I was no longer +alone. I crept out of my tent and by the light of the moon, which was +setting, for dawn drew near, I saw a man who leant upon the handle of a +very wide-bladed spear which was taller than himself, a big man over six +feet two high, I should say, and broad in proportion. He wore a long, +white cloak reaching from his shoulders almost to the ground. On his +head was a tight-fitting cap with lappets, also white. In his ears were +rings of copper or gold, and on his wrists bracelets of the same metal. +His skin was intensely black, but the features were not at all negroid. +They were prominent and finely-cut, the nose being sharp and the lips +quite thin; indeed of an Arab type. His left hand was bandaged, and on +his face was an expression of great anxiety. Lastly, he appeared to be +about fifty years of age. So still did he stand that I began to wonder +whether he were one of those ghosts which the Mazitu swore the Pongo +wizards send out to haunt their country. + +"For a long while we stared at each other, for I was determined that I +would not speak first or show any concern. At last he spoke in a low, +deep voice and in Mazitu, or a language so similar that I found it easy +to understand. + +"'Is not your name Dogeetah, O White Lord, and are you not a master of +medicine?' + +"'Yes,' I answered, 'but who are you who dare to wake me from my sleep?' + +"'Lord, I am the Kalubi, the Chief of the Pongo, a great man in my own +land yonder.' + +"'Then why do you come here alone at night, Kalubi, Chief of the Pongo?' + +"'Why do _you_ come here alone, White Lord?' he answered evasively. + +"'What do you want, anyway?' I asked. + +"'O! Dogeetah, I have been hurt, I want you to cure me,' and he looked +at his bandaged hand. + +"'Lay down that spear and open your robe that I may see you have no +knife.' + +"He obeyed, throwing the spear to some distance. + +"'Now unwrap the hand.' + +"He did so. I lit a match, the sight of which seemed to frighten him +greatly, although he asked no questions about it, and by its light +examined the hand. The first joint of the second finger was gone. From +the appearance of the stump which had been cauterized and was tied +tightly with a piece of flexible grass, I judged that it had been bitten +off. + +"'What did this?' I asked. + +"'Monkey,' he answered, 'poisonous monkey. Cut off the finger, O +Dogeetah, or tomorrow I die.' + +"'Why do you not tell your own doctors to cut off the finger, you who +are Kalubi, Chief of the Pongo?' + +"'No, no,' he replied, shaking his head. 'They cannot do it. It is not +lawful. And I, I cannot do it, for if the flesh is black the hand must +come off too, and if the flesh is black at the wrist, then the arm must +be cut off.' + +"I sat down on my camp stool and reflected. Really I was waiting for the +sun to rise, since it was useless to attempt an operation in that light. +The man, Kalubi, thought that I had refused his petition and became +terribly agitated. + +"'Be merciful, White Lord,' he prayed, 'do not let me die. I am afraid +to die. Life is bad, but death is worse. O! If you refuse me, I will +kill myself here before you and then my ghost will haunt you till you +die also of fear and come to join me. What fee do you ask? Gold or ivory +or slaves? Say and I will give it.' + +"'Be silent,' I said, for I saw that if he went on thus he would throw +himself into a fever, which might cause the operation to prove fatal. +For the same reason I did not question him about many things I should +have liked to learn. I lit my fire and boiled the instruments--he +thought I was making magic. By the time that everything was ready the +sun was up. + +"'Now,' I said, 'let me see how brave you are.' + +"Well, Allan, I performed that operation, removing the finger at the +base where it joins the hand, as I thought there might be something in +his story of the poison. Indeed, as I found afterwards on dissection, +and can show you, for I have the thing in spirits, there was, for the +blackness of which he spoke, a kind of mortification, I presume, had +crept almost to the joint, though the flesh beyond was healthy enough. +Certainly that Kalubi was a plucky fellow. He sat like a rock and never +even winced. Indeed, when he saw that the flesh was sound he uttered a +great sigh of relief. After it was all over he turned a little faint, so +I gave him some spirits of wine mixed with water which revived him. + +"'O Lord Dogeetah,' he said, as I was bandaging his hand, 'while I live +I am your slave. Yet, do me one more service. In my land there is a +terrible wild beast, that which bit off my finger. It is a devil; it +kills us and we fear it. I have heard that you white men have magic +weapons which slay with a noise. Come to my land and kill me that wild +beast with your magic weapon. I say, Come, Come, for I am terribly +afraid,' and indeed he looked it. + +"'No,' I answered, 'I shed no blood; I kill nothing except butterflies, +and of these only a few. But if you fear this brute why do you not +poison it? You black people have many drugs.' + +"'No use, no use,' he replied in a kind of wail. 'The beast knows +poisons, some it swallows and they do not harm it. Others it will not +touch. Moreover, no black man can do it hurt. It is white, and it has +been known from of old that if it dies at all, it must be by the hand of +one who is white.' + +"'A very strange animal,' I began, suspiciously, for I felt sure that he +was lying to me. But just at that moment I heard the sound of my men's +voices. They were advancing towards me through the giant grass, singing +as they came, but as yet a long way off. The Kalubi heard it also and +sprang up. + +"'I must be gone,' he said. 'None must see me here. What fee, O Lord of +medicine, what fee?' + +"'I take no payment for my medicine,' I said. 'Yet--stay. A wonderful +flower grows in your country, does it not? A flower with wings and a cup +beneath. I would have that flower.' + +"'Who told you of the Flower?' he asked. 'The Flower is holy. Still, O +White Lord, still for you it shall be risked. Oh, return and bring with +you one who can kill the beast and I will make you rich. Return and call +to the reeds for the Kalubi, and the Kalubi will hear and come to you.' + +"Then he ran to his spear, snatched it from the ground and vanished +among the reeds. That was the last I saw, or am ever likely to see, of +him." + +"But, Brother John, you got the flower somehow." + +"Yes, Allan. About a week later when I came out of my tent one morning, +there it was standing in a narrow-mouthed, earthenware pot filled with +water. Of course I meant that he was to send me the plant, roots and +all, but I suppose he understood that I wanted a bloom. Or perhaps he +dared not send the plant. Anyhow, it is better than nothing." + +"Why did you not go into the country and get it for yourself?" + +"For several reasons, Allan, of which the best is that it was +impossible. The Mazitu swear that if anyone sees that flower he is put +to death. Indeed, when they found that I had a bloom of it, they forced +me to move to the other side of the country seventy miles away. So I +thought that I would wait till I met with some companions who would +accompany me. Indeed, to be frank, Allan, it occurred to me that you +were the sort of man who would like to interview this wonderful beast +that bites off people's fingers and frightens them to death," and +Brother John stroked his long, white beard and smiled, adding, "Odd that +we should have met so soon afterwards, isn't it?" + +"Did you?" I replied, "now did you indeed? Brother John, people say +all sorts of things about you, but I have come to the conclusion that +there's nothing the matter with your wits." + +Again he smiled and stroked his long, white beard. + + + + +CHAPTER II + + THE AUCTION ROOM + +I do not think that this conversion about the Pongo savages who were +said to worship a Gorilla and a Golden Flower was renewed until we +reached my house at Durban. Thither of course I took Mr. Charles +Scroope, and thither also came Brother John who, as bedroom +accommodation was lacking, pitched his tent in the garden. + +One night we sat on the step smoking; Brother John's only concession to +human weakness was that he smoked. He drank no wine or spirits; he never +ate meat unless he was obliged, but I rejoice to say that he smoked +cigars, like most Americans, when he could get them. + +"John," said I, "I have been thinking over that yarn of yours and have +come to one or two conclusions." + +"What may they be, Allan?" + +"The first is that you were a great donkey not to get more out of the +Kalubi when you had the chance." + +"Agreed, Allan, but, amongst other things, I am a doctor and the +operation was uppermost in my mind." + +"The second is that I believe this Kalubi had charge of the gorilla-god, +as no doubt you've guessed; also that it was the gorilla which bit off +his finger." + +"Why so?" + +"Because I have heard of great monkeys called _sokos_ that live in +Central East Africa which are said to bite off men's toes and fingers. I +have heard too that they are very like gorillas." + +"Now you mention it, so have I, Allan. Indeed, once I saw a _soko_, +though some way off, a huge, brown ape which stood on its hind legs and +drummed upon its chest with its fists. I didn't see it for long because +I ran away." + +"The third is that this yellow orchid would be worth a great deal of +money if one could dig it up and take it to England." + +"I think I told you, Allan, that I valued it at L20,000, so that +conclusion of yours is not original." + +"The fourth is that I should like to dig up that orchid and get a share +of the L20,000." + +Brother John became intensely interested. + +"Ah!" he said, "now we are getting to the point. I have been wondering +how long it would take you to see it, Allan, but if you are slow, you +are sure." + +"The fifth is," I went on, "that such an expedition to succeed would +need a great deal of money, more than you or I could find. Partners +would be wanted, active or sleeping, but partners with cash." + +Brother John looked towards the window of the room in which Charlie +Scroope was in bed, for being still weak he went to rest early. + +"No," I said, "he's had enough of Africa, and you told me yourself that +it will be two years before he is really strong again. Also there's a +lady in this case. Now listen. I have taken it on myself to write to +that lady, whose address I found out while he didn't know what he was +saying. I have said that he was dying, but that I hoped he might live. +Meanwhile, I added, I thought she would like to know that he did nothing +but rave of her; also that he was a hero, with a big H twice underlined. +My word! I did lay it on about the hero business with a spoon, a real +hotel gravy spoon. If Charlie Scroope knows himself again when he sees +my description of him, well, I'm a Dutchman, that's all. The letter +caught the last mail and will, I hope, reach the lady in due course. Now +listen again. Scroope wants me to go to England with him to look after +him on the voyage--that's what he says. What he means is that he hopes +I might put in a word for him with the lady, if I should chance to +be introduced to her. He offers to pay all my expenses and to give me +something for my loss of time. So, as I haven't seen England since I was +three years old, I think I'll take the chance." + +Brother John's face fell. "Then how about the expedition, Allan?" he +asked. + +"This is the first of November," I answered, "and the wet season in +those parts begins about now and lasts till April. So it would be no use +trying to visit your Pongo friends till then, which gives me plenty of +time to go to England and come out again. If you'll trust that flower +to me I'll take it with me. Perhaps I might be able to find someone who +would be willing to put down money on the chance of getting the plant on +which it grew. Meanwhile, you are welcome to this house if you care to +stay here." + +"Thank you, Allan, but I can't sit still for so many months. I'll go +somewhere and come back." He paused and a dreamy look came into his dark +eyes, then went on, "You see, Brother, it is laid on me to wander and +wander through all this great land until--I know." + +"Until you know what?" I asked, sharply. + +He pulled himself together with a jerk, as it were, and answered with a +kind of forced carelessness. + +"Until I know every inch of it, of course. There are lots of tribes I +have not yet visited." + +"Including the Pongo," I said. "By the way, if I can get the money +together for a trip up there, I suppose you mean to come too, don't +you? If not, the thing's off so far as I am concerned. You see, I am +reckoning on you to get us through the Mazitu and into Pongo-land by the +help of your friends." + +"Certainly I mean to come. In fact, if you don't go, I shall start +alone. I intend to explore Pongo-land even if I never come out of it +again." + +Once more I looked at him as I answered: + +"You are ready to risk a great deal for a flower, John. Or are you +looking for more than a flower? If so, I hope you will tell me the +truth." + +This I said as I was aware that Brother John had a foolish objection to +uttering, or even acting lies. + +"Well, Allan, as you put it like that, the truth is that I heard +something more about the Pongo than I told you up country. It was after +I had operated on that Kalubi, or I would have tried to get in alone. +But this I could not do then as I have said." + +"And what did you hear?" + +"I heard that they had a white goddess as well as a white god." + +"Well, what of it? A female gorilla, I suppose." + +"Nothing, except that goddesses have always interested me. Good night." + +"You are an odd old fish," I remarked after him, "and what is more you +have got something up your sleeve. Well, I'll have it down one day. +Meanwhile, I wonder whether the whole thing is a lie, no; not a lie, an +hallucination. It can't be--because of that orchid. No one can explain +away the orchid. A queer people, these Pongo, with their white god and +goddess and their Holy Flower. But after all Africa is a land of queer +people, and of queer gods too." + + + +And now the story shifts away to England. (Don't be afraid, my +adventurous reader, if ever I have one, it is coming back to Africa +again in a very few pages.) + +Mr. Charles Scroope and I left Durban a day or two after my last +conversation with Brother John. At Cape Town we caught the mail, a +wretched little boat you would think it now, which after a long and +wearisome journey at length landed us safe at Plymouth. Our companions +on that voyage were very dull. I have forgotten most of them, but one +lady I do remember. I imagine that she must have commenced life as a +barmaid, for she had the orthodox tow hair and blowsy appearance. At any +rate, she was the wife of a wine-merchant who had made a fortune at the +Cape. Unhappily, however, she had contracted too great a liking for her +husband's wares, and after dinner was apt to become talkative. For some +reason or other she took a particular aversion to me. Oh! I can see her +now, seated in that saloon with the oil lamp swinging over her head (she +always chose the position under the oil lamp because it showed off +her diamonds). And I can hear her too. "Don't bring any of your +elephant-hunting manners here, Mr. Allan" (with an emphasis on the +Allan) "Quatermain, they are not fit for polite society. You should go +and brush your hair, Mr. Quatermain." (I may explain that my hair sticks +up naturally.) + +Then would come her little husband's horrified "Hush! hush! you are +quite insulting, my dear." + +Oh! why do I remember it all after so many years when I have even +forgotten the people's names? One of those little things that stick in +the mind, I suppose. The Island of Ascension, where we called, sticks +also with its long swinging rollers breaking in white foam, its bare +mountain peak capped with green, and the turtles in the ponds. Those +poor turtles. We brought two of them home, and I used to look at them +lying on their backs in the forecastle flapping their fins feebly. One +of them died, and I got the butcher to save me the shell. Afterwards I +gave it as a wedding present to Mr. and Mrs. Scroope, nicely polished +and lined. I meant it for a work-basket, and was overwhelmed with +confusion when some silly lady said at the marriage, and in the hearing +of the bride and bridegroom, that it was the most beautiful cradle +she had ever seen. Of course, like a fool, I tried to explain, whereon +everybody tittered. + +But why do I write of such trifles that have nothing to do with my +story? + +I mentioned that I had ventured to send a letter to Miss Margaret +Manners about Mr. Charles Scroope, in which I said incidentally that if +the hero should happen to live I should probably bring him home by +the next mail. Well, we got into Plymouth about eight o'clock in the +morning, on a mild, November day, and shortly afterwards a tug arrived +to take off the passengers and mails; also some cargo. I, being an early +riser, watched it come and saw upon the deck a stout lady wrapped in +furs, and by her side a very pretty, fair-haired young woman clad in a +neat serge dress and a pork-pie hat. Presently a steward told me that +someone wished to speak to me in the saloon. I went and found these two +standing side by side. + +"I believe you are Mr. Allan Quatermain," said the stout lady. "Where is +Mr. Scroope whom I understand you have brought home? Tell me at once." + +Something about her appearance and fierce manner of address alarmed me +so much that I could only answer feebly: + +"Below, madam, below." + +"There, my dear," said the stout lady to her companion, "I warned you to +be prepared for the worst. Bear up; do not make a scene before all these +people. The ways of Providence are just and inscrutable. It is your own +temper that was to blame. You should never have sent the poor man off to +these heathen countries." + +Then, turning to me, she added sharply: "I suppose he is embalmed; we +should like to bury him in Essex." + +"Embalmed!" I gasped. "Embalmed! Why, the man is in his bath, or was a +few minutes ago." + +In another second that pretty young lady who had been addressed was +weeping with her head upon my shoulder. + +"Margaret!" exclaimed her companion (she was a kind of heavy aunt), "I +told you not to make a scene in public. Mr. Quatermain, as Mr. Scroope +is alive, would you ask him to be so good as to come here." + +Well, I fetched him, half-shaved, and the rest of the business may be +imagined. It is a very fine thing to be a hero with a big H. Henceforth +(thanks to me) that was Charlie Scroope's lot in life. He has +grandchildren now, and they all think him a hero. What is more, he does +not contradict them. I went down to the lady's place in Essex, a fine +property with a beautiful old house. On the night I arrived there was a +dinner-party of twenty-four people. I had to make a speech about Charlie +Scroope and the leopard. I think it was a good speech. At any rate +everybody cheered, including the servants, who had gathered at the back +of the big hall. + +I remember that to complete the story I introduced several other +leopards, a mother and two three-part-grown cubs, also a wounded +buffalo, and told how Mr. Scroope finished them off one after the other +with a hunting knife. The thing was to watch his face as the history +proceeded. Luckily he was sitting next to me and I could kick him under +the table. It was all very amusing, and very happy also, for these two +really loved each other. Thank God that I, or rather Brother John, was +able to bring them together again. + +It was during that stay of mine in Essex, by the way, that I first met +Lord Ragnall and the beautiful Miss Holmes with whom I was destined to +experience some very strange adventures in the after years. + + + +After this interlude I got to work. Someone told me that there was a +firm in the City that made a business of selling orchids by auction, +flowers which at this time were beginning to be very fashionable among +rich horticulturists. This, thought I, would be the place for me to +show my treasure. Doubtless Messrs. May and Primrose--that was their +world-famed style--would be able to put me in touch with opulent +orchidists who would not mind venturing a couple of thousands on the +chance of receiving a share in a flower that, according to Brother John, +should be worth untold gold. At any rate, I would try. + +So on a certain Friday, about half-past twelve, I sought out the place +of business of Messrs. May and Primrose, bearing with me the golden +Cypripedium, which was now enclosed in a flat tin case. + +As it happened I chose an unlucky day and hour, for on arriving at the +office and asking for Mr. May, I was informed that he was away in the +country valuing. + +"Then I would like to see Mr. Primrose," I said. + +"Mr. Primrose is round at the Rooms selling," replied the clerk, who +appeared to be very busy. + +"Where are the Rooms?" I asked. + +"Out of the door, turn to the left, turn to the left again and under the +clock," said the clerk, and closed the shutter. + +So disgusted was I with his rudeness that I nearly gave up the +enterprise. Thinking better of it, however, I followed the directions +given, and in a minute or two found myself in a narrow passage that led +to a large room. To one who had never seen anything of the sort before, +this room offered a curious sight. The first thing I observed was a +notice on the wall to the effect that customers were not allowed to +smoke pipes. I thought to myself that orchids must be curious flowers +if they could distinguish between the smoke of a cigar and a pipe, and +stepped into the room. To my left was a long table covered with pots of +the most beautiful flowers that I had ever seen; all of them orchids. +Along the wall and opposite were other tables closely packed with +withered roots which I concluded were also those of orchids. To my +inexperienced eye the whole lot did not look worth five shillings, for +they seemed to be dead. + +At the head of the room stood the rostrum, where sat a gentleman with an +extremely charming face. He was engaged in selling by auction so rapidly +that the clerk at his side must have had difficulty in keeping a record +of the lots and their purchasers. In front of him was a horseshoe table, +round which sat buyers. The end of this table was left unoccupied so +that the porters might exhibit each lot before it was put up for sale. +Standing under the rostrum was yet another table, a small one, upon +which were about twenty pots of flowers, even more wonderful than +those on the large table. A notice stated that these would be sold at +one-thirty precisely. All about the room stood knots of men (such ladies +as were present sat at the table), many of whom had lovely orchids +in their buttonholes. These, I found out afterwards, were dealers and +amateurs. They were a kindly-faced set of people, and I took a liking to +them. + +The whole place was quaint and pleasant, especially by contrast with +the horrible London fog outside. Squeezing my small person into a corner +where I was in nobody's way, I watched the proceedings for a while. +Suddenly an agreeable voice at my side asked me if I would like a look +at the catalogue. I glanced at the speaker, and in a sense fell in love +with him at once--as I have explained before, I am one of those to whom +a first impression means a great deal. He was not very tall, though +strong-looking and well-made enough. He was not very handsome, though +none so ill-favoured. He was just an ordinary fair young Englishman, +four or five-and-twenty years of age, with merry blue eyes and one of +the pleasantest expressions that I ever saw. At once I felt that he +was a sympathetic soul and full of the milk of human kindness. He was +dressed in a rough tweed suit rather worn, with the orchid that seemed +to be the badge of all this tribe in his buttonhole. Somehow the costume +suited his rather pink and white complexion and rumpled fair hair, which +I could see as he was sitting on his cloth hat. + +"Thank you, no," I answered, "I did not come here to buy. I know nothing +about orchids," I added by way of explanation, "except a few I have seen +growing in Africa, and this one," and I tapped the tin case which I held +under my arm. + +"Indeed," he said. "I should like to hear about the African orchids. +What is it you have in the case, a plant or flowers?" + +"One flower only. It is not mine. A friend in Africa asked me to--well, +that is a long story which might not interest you." + +"I'm not sure. I suppose it must be a Cymbidium scape from the size." + +I shook my head. "That's not the name my friend mentioned. He called it +a Cypripedium." + +The young man began to grow curious. "One Cypripedium in all that large +case? It must be a big flower." + +"Yes, my friend said it is the biggest ever found. It measures +twenty-four inches across the wings, petals I think he called them, and +about a foot across the back part." + +"Twenty-four inches across the petals and a foot across the dorsal +sepal!" said the young man in a kind of gasp, "and a Cypripedium! Sir, +surely you are joking?" + +"Sir," I answered indignantly, "I am doing nothing of the sort. Your +remark is tantamount to telling me that I am speaking a falsehood. But, +of course, for all I know, the thing may be some other kind of flower." + +"Let me see it. In the name of the goddess Flora let me see it!" + +I began to undo the case. Indeed it was already half-open when two other +gentlemen, who had either overheard some of our conversation or noted my +companion's excited look, edged up to us. I observed that they also wore +orchids in their buttonholes. + +"Hullo! Somers," said one of them in a tone of false geniality, "what +have you got there?" + +"What has your friend got there?" asked the other. + +"Nothing," replied the young man who had been addressed as Somers, +"nothing at all; that is--only a case of tropical butterflies." + +"Oh! butterflies," said No. 1 and sauntered away. But No. 2, a +keen-looking person with the eye of a hawk, was not so easily satisfied. + +"Let us see these butterflies," he said to me. + +"You can't," ejaculated the young man. "My friend is afraid lest the +damp should injure their colours. Ain't you, Brown?" + +"Yes, I am, Somers," I replied, taking his cue and shutting the tin case +with a snap. + +Then the hawk-eyed person departed, also grumbling, for that story about +the damp stuck in his throat. + +"Orchidist!" whispered the young man. "Dreadful people, orchidists, so +jealous. Very rich, too, both of them. Mr. Brown--I hope that is your +name, though I admit the chances are against it." + +"They are," I replied, "my name is Allan Quatermain." + +"Ah! much better than Brown. Well, Mr. Allan Quatermain, there's a +private room in this place to which I have admittance. Would you mind +coming with that----" here the hawk-eyed gentleman strolled past again, +"that case of butterflies?" + +"With pleasure," I answered, and followed him out of the auction chamber +down some steps through the door to the left, and ultimately into a +little cupboard-like room lined with shelves full of books and ledgers. + +He closed the door and locked it. + +"Now," he said in a tone of the villain in a novel who at last has +come face to face with the virtuous heroine, "now we are alone. Mr. +Quatermain, let me see--those butterflies." + +I placed the case on a deal table which stood under a skylight in the +room. I opened it; I removed the cover of wadding, and there, +pressed between two sheets of glass and quite uninjured after all its +journeyings, appeared the golden flower, glorious even in death, and by +its side the broad green leaf. + +The young gentleman called Somers looked at it till I thought his eyes +would really start out of his head. He turned away muttering something +and looked again. + +"Oh! Heavens," he said at last, "oh! Heavens, is it possible that such +a thing can exist in this imperfect world? You haven't faked it, Mr. +Half--I mean Quatermain, have you?" + +"Sir," I said, "for the second time you are making insinuations. Good +morning," and I began to shut up the case. + +"Don't be offhanded," he exclaimed. "Pity the weaknesses of a poor +sinner. You don't understand. If only you understood, you would +understand." + +"No," I said, "I am bothered if I do." + +"Well, you will when you begin to collect orchids. I'm not mad, really, +except perhaps on this point, Mr. Quatermain,"--this in a low and +thrilling voice--"that marvellous Cypripedium--your friend is right, it +is a Cypripedium--is worth a gold mine." + +"From my experience of gold mines I can well believe that," I said +tartly, and, I may add, prophetically. + +"Oh! I mean a gold mine in the figurative and colloquial sense, not as +the investor knows it," he answered. "That is, the plant on which it +grew is priceless. Where is the plant, Mr. Quatermain?" + +"In a rather indefinite locality in Africa east by south," I replied. "I +can't place it to within three hundred miles." + +"That's vague, Mr. Quatermain. I have no right to ask it, seeing that +you know nothing of me, but I assure you I am respectable, and in short, +would you mind telling me the story of this flower?" + +"I don't think I should," I replied, a little doubtfully. Then, after +another good look at him, suppressing all names and exact localities, +I gave him the outline of the tale, explaining that I wanted to find +someone who would finance an expedition to the remote and romantic spot +where this particular Cypripedium was believed to grow. + +Just as I finished my narrative, and before he had time to comment on +it, there came a violent knocking at the door. + +"Mr. Stephen," said a voice, "are you there, Mr. Stephen?" + +"By Jove! that's Briggs," exclaimed the young man. "Briggs is my +father's manager. Shut up the case, Mr. Quatermain. Come in, Briggs," he +went on, unlocking the door slowly. "What is it?" + +"It is a good deal," replied a thin and agitated person who thrust +himself through the opening door. "Your father, I mean Sir Alexander, +has come to the office unexpectedly and is in a nice taking because he +didn't find you there, sir. When he discovered that you had gone to the +orchid sale he grew furious, sir, furious, and sent me to fetch you." + +"Did he?" replied Mr. Somers in an easy and unruffled tone. "Well, tell +Sir Alexander I am coming at once. Now please go, Briggs, and tell him I +am coming at once." + +Briggs departed not too willingly. + +"I must leave you, Mr. Quatermain," said Mr. Somers as he shut the door +behind him. "But will you promise me not to show that flower to anyone +until I return? I'll be back within half an hour." + +"Yes, Mr. Somers. I'll wait half an hour for you in the sale room, and I +promise that no one shall see that flower till you return." + +"Thank you. You are a good fellow, and I promise you shall lose nothing +by your kindness if I can help it." + +We went together into the sale room, where some thought suddenly struck +Mr. Somers. + +"By Jove!" he said, "I nearly forgot about that Odontoglossum. Where's +Woodden? Oh! come here, Woodden, I want to speak to you." + +The person called Woodden obeyed. He was a man of about fifty, +indefinite in colouring, for his eyes were very light-blue or grey and +his hair was sandy, tough-looking and strongly made, with big hands that +showed signs of work, for the palms were horny and the nails worn down. +He was clad in a suit of shiny black, such as folk of the labouring +class wear at a funeral. I made up my mind at once that he was a +gardener. + +"Woodden," said Mr. Somers, "this gentleman here has got the most +wonderful orchid in the whole world. Keep your eye on him and see that +he isn't robbed. There are people in this room, Mr. Quatermain, who +would murder you and throw your body into the Thames for that flower," +he added, darkly. + +On receipt of this information Woodden rocked a little on his feet as +though he felt the premonitory movements of an earthquake. It was a +habit of his whenever anything astonished him. Then, fixing his pale +eye upon me in a way which showed that my appearance surprised him, he +pulled a lock of his sandy hair with his thumb and finger and said: + +"'Servant, sir, and where might this horchid be?" + +I pointed to the tin case. + +"Yes, it's there," went on Mr. Somers, "and that's what you've got to +watch. Mr. Quatermain, if anyone attempts to rob you, call for Woodden +and he will knock them down. He's my gardener, you know, and entirely to +be trusted, especially if it is a matter of knocking anyone down." + +"Aye, I'll knock him down surely," said Woodden, doubling his great fist +and looking round him with a suspicious eye. + +"Now listen, Woodden. Have you looked at that Odontoglossum Pavo, and if +so, what do you think of it?" and he nodded towards a plant which stood +in the centre of the little group that was placed on the small table +beneath the auctioneer's desk. It bore a spray of the most lovely white +flowers. On the top petal (if it is a petal), and also on the lip of +each of these rounded flowers was a blotch or spot of which the general +effect was similar to the iridescent eye on the tail feathers of a +peacock, whence, I suppose, the flower was named "Pavo," or Peacock. + +"Yes, master, and I think it the beautifullest thing that ever I saw. +There isn't a 'glossum in England like that there 'glossum Paving," +he added with conviction, and rocked again as he said the word. "But +there's plenty after it. I say they're a-smelling round that blossom +like, like--dawgs round a rat hole. And" (this triumphantly) "they don't +do that for nothing." + +"Quite so, Woodden, you have got a logical mind. But, look here, we must +have that 'Pavo' whatever it costs. Now the Governor has sent for me. +I'll be back presently, but I might be detained. If so, you've got to +bid on my behalf, for I daren't trust any of these agents. Here's your +authority," and he scribbled on a card, "Woodden, my gardener, has +directions to bid for me.--S.S." "Now, Woodden," he went on, when he +had given the card to an attendant who passed it up to the auctioneer, +"don't you make a fool of yourself and let that 'Pavo' slip through your +fingers." + +In another instant he was gone. + +"What did the master say, sir?" asked Woodden of me. "That I was to get +that there 'Paving' whatever it cost?" + +"Yes," I said, "that's what he said. I suppose it will fetch a good +deal--several pounds." + +"Maybe, sir, can't tell. All I know is that I've got to buy it as you +can bear me witness. Master, he ain't one to be crossed for money. What +he wants, he'll have, that is if it be in the orchid line." + +"I suppose you are fond of orchids, too, Mr. Woodden?" + +"Fond of them, sir? Why, I loves 'em!" (Here he rocked.) "Don't feel for +nothing else in the same way; not even for my old woman" (then with a +burst of enthusiasm) "no, not even for the master himself, and I'm fond +enough of him, God knows! But, begging your pardon, sir" (with a pull +at his forelock), "would you mind holding that tin of yours a little +tighter? I've got to keep an eye on that as well as on 'O. Paving,' and +I just see'd that chap with the tall hat alooking at it suspicious." + +After this we separated. I retired into my corner, while Woodden took +his stand by the table, with one eye fixed on what he called the "O. +Paving" and the other on me and my tin case. + +An odd fish truly, I thought to myself. Positive, the old woman; +Comparative, his master; Superlative, the orchid tribe. Those were his +degrees of affection. Honest and brave and a good fellow though, I bet. + +The sale languished. There were so many lots of one particular sort of +dried orchid that buyers could not be found for them at a reasonable +price, and many had to be bought in. At length the genial Mr. Primrose +in the rostrum addressed the audience. + +"Gentlemen," he said, "I quite understand that you didn't come here +to-day to buy a rather poor lot of Cattleya Mossiae. You came to buy, +or to bid for, or to see sold the most wonderful Odontoglossum that has +ever been flowered in this country, the property of a famous firm of +importers whom I congratulate upon their good fortune in having obtained +such a gem. Gentlemen, this miraculous flower ought to adorn a royal +greenhouse. But there it is, to be taken away by whoever will pay the +most for it, for I am directed to see that it will be sold without +reserve. Now, I think," he added, running his eye over the company, +"that most of our great collectors are represented in this room to-day. +It is true that I do not see that spirited and liberal young orchidist, +Mr. Somers, but he has left his worthy head-gardener, Mr. Woodden, than +whom there is no finer judge of an orchid in England" (here Woodden +rocked violently) "to bid for him, as I hope, for the glorious flower of +which I have been speaking. Now, as it is exactly half-past one, we will +proceed to business. Smith, hand the 'Odontoglossum Pavo' round, that +everyone may inspect its beauties, and be careful you don't let it fall. +Gentlemen, I must ask you not to touch it or to defile its purity with +tobacco smoke. Eight perfect flowers in bloom, gentlemen, and four--no, +five more to open. A strong plant in perfect health, six pseudo-bulbs +with leaves, and three without. Two black leads which I am advised +can be separated off at the proper time. Now, what bids for the +'Odontoglossum Pavo.' Ah! I wonder who will have the honour of becoming +the owner of this perfect, this unmatched production of Nature. Thank +you, sir--three hundred. Four. Five. Six. Seven in three places. Eight. +Nine. Ten. Oh! gentlemen, let us get on a little faster. Thank you, +sir--fifteen. Sixteen. It is against you, Mr Woodden. Ah! thank you, +seventeen." + +There came a pause in the fierce race for "O. Pavo," which I occupied in +reducing seventeen hundred shillings to pounds sterling. + +My word! I thought to myself, L85 is a goodish price to pay for one +plant, however rare. Woodden is acting up to his instructions with a +vengeance. + +The pleading voice of Mr. Primrose broke in upon my meditations. + +"Gentlemen, gentlemen!" he said, "surely you are not going to allow the +most wondrous production of the floral world, on which I repeat there +is no reserve, to be knocked down at this miserable figure. Come, come. +Well, if I must, I must, though after such a disgrace I shall get no +sleep to-night. One," and his hammer fell for the first time. "Think, +gentlemen, upon my position, think what the eminent owners, who with +their usual delicacy have stayed away, will say to me when I am obliged +to tell them the disgraceful truth. Two," and his hammer fell a second +time. "Smith, hold up that flower. Let the company see it. Let them know +what they are losing." + +Smith held up the flower at which everybody glared. The little ivory +hammer circled round Mr. Primrose's head. It was about to fall, when a +quiet man with a long beard who hitherto had not joined in the bidding, +lifted his head and said softly: + +"Eighteen hundred." + +"Ah!" exclaimed Mr. Primrose, "I thought so. I thought that the owner of +the greatest collection in England would not see this treasure slip from +his grasp without a struggle. Against you, Mr. Woodden." + +"Nineteen, sir," said Woodden in a stony voice. + +"Two thousand," echoed the gentleman with the long beard. + +"Twenty-one hundred," said Woodden. + +"That's right, Mr. Woodden," cried Mr. Primrose, "you are indeed +representing your principal worthily. I feel sure that you do not mean +to stop for a few miserable pounds." + +"Not if I knows it," ejaculated Woodden. "I has my orders and I acts up +to them." + +"Twenty-two hundred," said Long-beard. + +"Twenty-three," echoed Woodden. + +"Oh, damn!" shouted Long-beard and rushed from the room. + +"'Odontoglossum Pavo' is going for twenty-three hundred, only +twenty-tree hundred," cried the auctioneer. "Any advance on twenty-three +hundred? What? None? Then I must do my duty. One. Two. For the last +time--no advance? Three. Gone to Mr. Woodden, bidding for his principal, +Mr. Somers." + +The hammer fell with a sharp tap, and at this moment my young friend +sauntered into the room. + +"Well, Woodden," he said, "have they put the 'Pavo' up yet?" + +"It's up and it's down, sir. I've bought him right enough." + +"The deuce you have! What did it fetch?" + +Woodden scratched his head. + +"I don't rightly know, sir, never was good at figures, not having much +book learning, but it's twenty-three something." + +"L23? No, it would have brought more than that. By Jingo! it must be +L230. That's pretty stiff, but still, it may be worth it." + +At this moment Mr. Primrose, who, leaning over his desk, was engaged in +animated conversation with an excited knot of orchid fanciers, looked +up: + +"Oh! there you are, Mr. Somers," he said. "In the name of all this +company let me congratulate you on having become the owner of the +matchless 'Odontoglossum Pavo' for what, under all the circumstances, I +consider the quite moderate price of L2,300." + +Really that young man took it very well. He shivered slightly and turned +a little pale, that is all. Woodden rocked to and fro like a tree about +to fall. I and my tin box collapsed together in the corner. Yes, I was +so surprised that my legs seemed to give way under me. People began to +talk, but above the hum of the conversation I heard young Somers say in +a low voice: + +"Woodden, you're a born fool." Also the answer: "That's what my mother +always told me, master, and she ought to know if anyone did. But what's +wrong now? I obeyed orders and bought 'O. Paving.'" + +"Yes. Don't bother, my good fellow, it's my fault, not yours. I'm the +born fool. But heavens above! how am I to face this?" Then, recovering +himself, he strolled up to the rostrum and said a few words to the +auctioneer. Mr. Primrose nodded, and I heard him answer: + +"Oh, that will be all right, sir, don't bother. We can't expect an +account like this to be settled in a minute. A month hence will do." + +Then he went on with the sale. + + + + +CHAPTER III + + SIR ALEXANDER AND STEPHEN + +It was just at this moment that I saw standing by me a fine-looking, +stout man with a square, grey beard and a handsome, but not very +good-tempered face. He was looking about him as one does who finds +himself in a place to which he is not accustomed. + +"Perhaps you could tell me, sir," he said to me, "whether a gentleman +called Mr. Somers is in this room. I am rather short-sighted and there +are a great many people." + +"Yes," I answered, "he has just bought the wonderful orchid called +'Odontoglossum Pavo.' That is what they are all talking about." + +"Oh, has he? Has he indeed? And pray what did he pay for the article?" + +"A huge sum," I answered. "I thought it was two thousand three hundred +shillings, but it appears it was L2,300." + +The handsome, elderly gentleman grew very red in the face, so red that +I thought he was going to have a fit. For a few moments he breathed +heavily. + +"A rival collector," I thought to myself, and went on with the story +which, it occurred to me, might interest him. + +"You see, the young gentleman was called away to an interview with his +father. I heard him instruct his gardener, a man named Woodden, to buy +the plant at any price." + +"At any price! Indeed. Very interesting; continue, sir." + +"Well, the gardener bought it, that's all, after tremendous competition. +Look, there he is packing it up. Whether his master meant him to go as +far as he did I rather doubt. But here he comes. If you know him----" + +The youthful Mr. Somers, looking a little pale and _distrait_, strolled +up apparently to speak to me; his hands were in his pockets and an +unlighted cigar was in his mouth. His eyes fell upon the elderly +gentleman, a sight that caused him to shape his lips as though to +whistle and drop the cigar. + +"Hullo, father," he said in his pleasant voice. "I got your message +and have been looking for you, but never thought that I should find you +here. Orchids aren't much in your line, are they?" + +"Didn't you, indeed!" replied his parent in a choked voice. "No, I +haven't much use for--this stinking rubbish," and he waved his umbrella +at the beautiful flowers. "But it seems that you have, Stephen. +This little gentlemen here tells me you have just bought a very fine +specimen." + +"I must apologize," I broke in, addressing Mr. Somers. "I had not the +slightest idea that this--big gentleman," here the son smiled faintly, +"was your intimate relation." + +"Oh! pray don't, Mr. Quatermain. Why should you not speak of what will +be in all the papers. Yes, father, I have bought a very fine specimen, +the finest known, or at least Woodden has on my behalf, while I was +hunting for you, which comes to the same thing." + +"Indeed, Stephen, and what did you pay for this flower? I have heard a +figure, but think that there must be some mistake." + +"I don't know what you heard, father, but it seems to have been knocked +down to me at L2,300. It's a lot more than I can find, indeed, and I was +going to ask you to lend me the money for the sake of the family credit, +if not for my own. But we can talk about that afterwards." + +"Yes, Stephen, we can talk of that afterwards. In fact, as there is no +time like the present, we will talk of it now. Come to my office. +And, sir" (this was to me) "as you seem to know something of the +circumstances, I will ask you to come also; and you too, Blockhead" +(this was to Woodden, who just then approached with the plant). + +Now, of course, I might have refused an invitation conveyed in such a +manner. But, as a matter of fact, I didn't. I wanted to see the thing +out; also to put in a word for young Somers, if I got the chance. So +we all departed from that room, followed by a titter of amusement from +those of the company who had overheard the conversation. In the street +stood a splendid carriage and pair; a powdered footman opened its door. +With a ferocious bow Sir Alexander motioned to me to enter, which I did, +taking one of the back seats as it gave more room for my tin case. Then +came Mr. Stephen, then Woodden bundled in holding the precious plant +in front of him like a wand of office, and last of all, Sir Alexander, +having seen us safe, entered also. + +"Where to, sir?" asked the footman. + +"Office," he snapped, and we started. + +Four disappointed relatives in a funeral coach could not have been more +silent. Our feelings seemed to be too deep for words. Sir Alexander, +however, did make one remark and to me. It was: + +"If you will remove the corner of that infernal tin box of yours from my +ribs I shall be obliged to you, sir." + +"Your pardon," I exclaimed, and in my efforts to be accommodating, +dropped it on his toe. I will not repeat the remark he made, but I may +explain that he was gouty. His son suddenly became afflicted with a +sense of the absurdity of the situation. He kicked me on the shin, he +even dared to wink, and then began to swell visibly with suppressed +laughter. I was in agony, for if he had exploded I do not know what +would have happened. Fortunately, at this moment the carriage stopped at +the door of a fine office. Without waiting for the footman Mr. Stephen +bundled out and vanished into the building--I suppose to laugh in +safety. Then I descended with the tin case; then, by command, followed +Woodden with the flower, and lastly came Sir Alexander. + +"Stop here," he said to the coachman; "I shan't be long. Be so good as +to follow me, Mr. What's-your-name, and you, too, Gardener." + +We followed, and found ourselves in a big room luxuriously furnished +in a heavy kind of way. Sir Alexander Somers, I should explain, was an +enormously opulent bullion-broker, whatever a bullion-broker may be. In +this room Mr. Stephen was already established; indeed, he was seated on +the window-sill swinging his leg. + +"Now we are alone and comfortable," growled Sir Alexander with sarcastic +ferocity. + +"As the boa-constrictor said to the rabbit in the cage," I remarked. + +I did not mean to say it, but I had grown nervous, and the thought leapt +from my lips in words. Again Mr. Stephen began to swell. He turned his +face to the window as though to contemplate the wall beyond, but I +could see his shoulders shaking. A dim light of intelligence shone in +Woodden's pale eyes. About three minutes later the joke got home. He +gurgled something about boa-constrictors and rabbits and gave a short, +loud laugh. As for Sir Alexander, he merely said: + +"I did not catch your remark, sir, would you be so good as to repeat +it?" + +As I appeared unwilling to accept the invitation, he went on: + +"Perhaps, then, you would repeat what you told me in that sale-room?" + +"Why should I?" I asked. "I spoke quite clearly and you seemed to +understand." + +"You are right," replied Sir Alexander; "to waste time is useless." He +wheeled round on Woodden, who was standing near the door still holding +the paper-wrapped plant in front of him. "Now, Blockhead," he shouted, +"tell me why you brought that thing." + +Woodden made no answer, only rocked a little. Sir Alexander reiterated +his command. This time Woodden set the plant upon a table and replied: + +"If you're aspeaking to me, sir, that baint my name, and what's more, if +you calls me so again, I'll punch your head, whoever you be," and very +deliberately he rolled up the sleeves on his brawny arms, a sight at +which I too began to swell with inward merriment. + +"Look here, father," said Mr. Stephen, stepping forward. "What's the use +of all this? The thing's perfectly plain. I did tell Woodden to buy the +plant at any price. What is more I gave him a written authority which +was passed up to the auctioneer. There's no getting out of it. It +is true it never occurred to me that it would go for anything like +L2,300--the odd L300 was more my idea, but Woodden only obeyed his +orders, and ought not to be abused for doing so." + +"There's what I call a master worth serving," remarked Woodden. + +"Very well, young man," said Sir Alexander, "you have purchased this +article. Will you be so good as to tell me how you propose it should be +paid for." + +"I propose, father, that you should pay for it," replied Mr. Stephen +sweetly. "Two thousand three hundred pounds, or ten times that amount, +would not make you appreciably poorer. But if, as is probable, you take +a different view, then I propose to pay for it myself. As you know a +certain sum of money came to me under my mother's will in which you have +only a life interest. I shall raise the amount upon that security--or +otherwise." + +If Sir Alexander had been angry before, now he became like a mad bull +in a china shop. He pranced round the room; he used language that should +not pass the lips of any respectable merchant of bullion; in short, he +did everything that a person in his position ought not to do. When he +was tired he rushed to a desk, tore a cheque from a book and filled it +in for a sum of L2,300 to bearer, which cheque he blotted, crumpled up +and literally threw at the head of his son. + +"You worthless, idle young scoundrel," he bellowed. "I put you in this +office here that you may learn respectable and orderly habits and in due +course succeed to a very comfortable business. What happens? You don't +take a ha'porth of interest in bullion-broking, a subject of which I +believe you to remain profoundly ignorant. You don't even spend your +money, or rather my money, upon any gentleman-like vice, such as +horse-racing, or cards, or even--well, never mind. No, you take to +flowers, miserable, beastly flowers, things that a cow eats and clerks +grow in back gardens." + +"An ancient and Arcadian taste. Adam is supposed to have lived in a +garden," I ventured to interpolate. + +"Perhaps you would ask your friend with the stubbly hair to remain +quiet," snorted Sir Alexander. "I was about to add, although for the +sake of my name I meet your debts, that I have had enough of this kind +of thing. I disinherit you, or will do if I live till 4 p.m. when the +lawyer's office shuts, for thank God! there are no entailed estates, and +I dismiss you from the firm. You can go and earn your living in any +way you please, by orchid-hunting if you like." He paused, gasping for +breath. + +"Is that all, father?" asked Mr. Stephen, producing a cigar from his +pocket. + +"No, it isn't, you cold-blooded young beggar. That house you occupy at +Twickenham is mine. You will be good enough to clear out of it; I wish +to take possession." + +"I suppose, father, I am entitled to a week's notice like any other +tenant," said Mr. Stephen, lighting the cigar. "In fact," he added, "if +you answer no, I think I shall ask you to apply for an ejection order. +You will understand that I have arrangements to make before taking a +fresh start in life." + +"Oh! curse your cheek, you--you--cucumber!" raged the infuriated +merchant prince. Then an inspiration came to him. "You think more of an +ugly flower than of your father, do you? Well, at least I'll put an end +to that," and he made a dash at the plant on the table with the evident +intention of destroying the same. + +But the watching Woodden saw. With a kind of lurch he interposed his big +frame between Sir Alexander and the object of his wrath. + +"Touch 'O. Paving' and I knocks yer down," he drawled out. + +Sir Alexander looked at "O. Paving," then he looked at Woodden's +leg-of-mutton fist, and--changed his mind. + +"Curse 'O. Paving,'" he said, "and everyone who has to do with it," and +swung out of the room, banging the door behind him. + +"Well, that's over," said Mr. Stephen gently, as he fanned himself with +a pocket-handkerchief. "Quite exciting while it lasted, wasn't it, Mr. +Quatermain--but I have been there before, so to speak. And now what do +you say to some luncheon? Pym's is close by, and they have very good +oysters. Only I think we'll drive round by the bank and hand in this +cheque. When he's angry my parent is capable of anything. He might even +stop it. Woodden, get off down to Twickenham with 'O. Pavo.' Keep it +warm, for it feels rather like frost. Put it in the stove for to-night +and give it a little, just a little tepid water, but be careful not to +touch the flower. Take a four-wheeled cab, it's slow but safe, and mind +you keep the windows up and don't smoke. I shall be home for dinner." + +Woodden pulled his forelock, seized the pot in his left hand, and +departed with his right fist raised--I suppose in case Sir Alexander +should be waiting for him round the corner. + +Then we departed also and, after stopping for a minute at the bank +to pay in the cheque, which I noted, notwithstanding its amount, was +accepted without comment, ate oysters in a place too crowded to allow of +conversation. + +"Mr. Quatermain," said my host, "it is obvious that we cannot talk here, +and much less look at that orchid of yours, which I want to study at +leisure. Now, for a week or so at any rate I have a roof over my head, +and in short, will you be my guest for a night or two? I know nothing +about you, and of me you only know that I am the disinherited son of a +father, to whom I have failed to give satisfaction. Still it is possible +that we might pass a few pleasant hours together talking of flowers and +other things; that is, if you have no previous engagement." + +"I have none," I answered. "I am only a stranger from South Africa +lodging at an hotel. If you will give me time to call for my bag, I will +pass the night at your house with pleasure." + +By the aid of Mr. Somers' smart dog-cart, which was waiting at a city +mews, we reached Twickenham while there was still half an hour of +daylight. The house, which was called Verbena Lodge, was small, a +square, red-brick building of the early Georgian period, but the gardens +covered quite an acre of ground and were very beautiful, or must have +been so in summer. Into the greenhouse we did not enter, because it was +too late to see the flowers. Also, just when we came to them, Woodden +arrived in his four-wheeled cab and departed with his master to see to +the housing of "O. Pavo." + +Then came dinner, a very pleasant meal. My host had that day been turned +out upon the world, but he did not allow this circumstance to interfere +with his spirits in the least. Also he was evidently determined to +enjoy its good things while they lasted, for his champagne and port were +excellent. + +"You see, Mr. Quatermain," he said, "it's just as well we had the row +which has been boiling up for a long while. My respected father has made +so much money that he thinks I should go and do likewise. Now I don't +see it. I like flowers, especially orchids, and I hate bullion-broking. +To me the only decent places in London are that sale-room where we met +and the Horticultural Gardens." + +"Yes," I answered rather doubtfully, "but the matter seems a little +serious. Your parent was very emphatic as to his intentions, and after +this kind of thing," and I pointed to the beautiful silver and the port, +"how will you like roughing it in a hard world?" + +"Don't think I shall mind a bit; it would be rather a pleasant change. +Also, even if my father doesn't alter his mind, as he may, for he likes +me at bottom because I resemble my dear mother, things ain't so very +bad. I have got some money that she left me, L6,000 or L7,000, and I'll +sell that 'Odontoglossum Pavo' for what it will fetch to Sir Joshua +Tredgold--he was the man with the long beard who you tell me ran up +Woodden to over L2,000--or failing him to someone else. I'll write +about it to-night. I don't think I have any debts to speak of, for the +Governor has been allowing me L3,000 a year, at least that is my share +of the profits paid to me in return for my bullion-broking labours, and +except flowers, I have no expensive tastes. So the devil take the past, +here's to the future and whatever it may bring," and he polished off the +glass of port he held and laughed in his jolly fashion. + +Really he was a most attractive young man, a little reckless, it is +true, but then recklessness and youth mix well, like brandy and soda. + +I echoed the toast and drank off my port, for I like a good glass of +wine when I can get it, as would anyone who has had to live for months +on rotten water, although I admit that agrees with me better than the +port. + +"Now, Mr. Quatermain," he went on, "if you have done, light your pipe +and let's go into the other room and study that Cypripedium of yours. I +shan't sleep to-night unless I see it again first. Stop a bit, though, +we'll get hold of that old ass, Woodden, before he turns in." + +"Woodden," said his master, when the gardener had arrived, "this +gentleman, Mr. Quatermain, is going to show you an orchid that is ten +times finer than 'O. Pavo!'" + +"Beg pardon, sir," answered Woodden, "but if Mr. Quatermain says that, +he lies. It ain't in Nature; it don't bloom nowhere." + +I opened the case and revealed the golden Cypripedium. Woodden stared at +it and rocked. Then he stared again and felt his head as though to make +sure it was on his shoulders. Then he gasped. + +"Well, if that there flower baint made up, it's a MASTER ONE! If I could +see that there flower ablowing on the plant I'd die happy." + +"Woodden, stop talking, and sit down," exclaimed his master. "Yes, +there, where you can look at the flower. Now, Mr. Quatermain, will +you tell us the story of that orchid from beginning to end. Of course +omitting its habitat if you like, for it isn't fair to ask that secret. +Woodden can be trusted to hold his tongue, and so can I." + +I remarked that I was sure they could, and for the next half-hour talked +almost without interruption, keeping nothing back and explaining that +I was anxious to find someone who would finance an expedition to search +for this particular plant; as I believed, the only one of its sort that +existed in the world. + +"How much will it cost?" asked Mr. Somers. + +"I lay it at L2,000," I answered. "You see, we must have plenty of men +and guns and stores, also trade goods and presents." + +"I call that cheap. But supposing, Mr. Quatermain, that the expedition +proves successful and the plant is secured, what then?" + +"Then I propose that Brother John, who found it and of whom I have told +you, should take one-third of whatever it might sell for, that I as +captain of the expedition should take one-third, and that whoever finds +the necessary money should take the remaining third." + +"Good! That's settled." + +"What's settled?" I asked. + +"Why, that we should divide in the proportions you named, only I bargain +to be allowed to take my whack in kind--I mean in plant, and to have the +first option of purchasing the rest of the plant at whatever value may +be agreed upon." + +"But, Mr. Somers, do you mean that you wish to find L2,000 and make this +expedition in person?" + +"Of course I do. I thought you understood that. That is, if you will +have me. Your old friend, the lunatic, you and I will together seek for +and find this golden flower. I say that's settled." + +On the morrow accordingly, it was settled with the help of a document, +signed in duplicate by both of us. + +Before these arrangements were finally concluded, however, I insisted +that Mr. Somers should meet my late companion, Charlie Scroope, when +I was not present, in order that the latter might give him a full +and particular report concerning myself. Apparently the interview +was satisfactory, at least so I judged from the very cordial and even +respectful manner in which young Somers met me after it was over. Also I +thought it my duty to explain to him with much clearness in the presence +of Scroope as a witness, the great dangers of such an enterprise as that +on which he proposed to embark. I told him straight out that he must be +prepared to find his death in it from starvation, fever, wild beasts or +at the hands of savages, while success was quite problematical and very +likely would not be attained. + +"_You_ are taking these risks," he said. + +"Yes," I answered, "but they are incident to the rough trade I follow, +which is that of a hunter and explorer. Moreover, my youth is past, +and I have gone through experiences and bereavements of which you know +nothing, that cause me to set a very slight value on life. I care little +whether I die or continue in the world for some few added years. Lastly, +the excitement of adventure has become a kind of necessity for me. I +do not think that I could live in England for very long. Also I'm a +fatalist. I believe that when my time comes I must go, that this hour is +foreordained and that nothing I can do will either hasten or postpone it +by one moment. Your circumstances are different. You are quite young. +If you stay here and approach your father in a proper spirit, I have +no doubt but that he will forget all the rough words he said to you the +other day, for which indeed you know you gave him some provocation. Is +it worth while throwing up such prospects and undertaking such +dangers for the chance of finding a rare flower? I say this to my own +disadvantage, since I might find it hard to discover anyone else who +would risk L2,000 upon such a venture, but I do urge you to weigh my +words." + +Young Somers looked at me for a little while, then he broke into one of +his hearty laughs and exclaimed, "Whatever else you may be, Mr. Allan +Quatermain, you are a gentleman. No bullion-broker in the City could +have put the matter more fairly in the teeth of his own interests." + +"Thank you," I said. + +"For the rest," he went on, "I too am tired of England and want to +see the world. It isn't the golden Cypripedium that I seek, although I +should like to win it well enough. That's only a symbol. What I seek are +adventure and romance. Also, like you I am a fatalist. God chose His own +time to send us here, and I presume that He will choose His own time to +take us away again. So I leave the matter of risks to Him." + +"Yes, Mr. Somers," I replied rather solemnly. "You may find adventure +and romance, there are plenty of both in Africa. Or you may find a +nameless grave in some fever-haunted swamp. Well, you have chosen, and I +like your spirit." + +Still I was so little satisfied about this business, that a week or so +before we sailed, after much consideration, I took it upon myself to +write a letter to Sir Alexander Somers, in which I set forth the whole +matter as clearly as I could, not blinking the dangerous nature of our +undertaking. In conclusion, I asked him whether he thought it wise to +allow his only son to accompany such an expedition, mainly because of a +not very serious quarrel with himself. + +As no answer came to this letter I went on with our preparations. +There was money in plenty, since the re-sale of "O. Pavo" to Sir Joshua +Tredgold, at some loss, had been satisfactorily carried out, which +enabled me to invest in all things needful with a cheerful heart. Never +before had I been provided with such an outfit as that which preceded us +to the ship. + +At length the day of departure came. We stood on the platform at +Paddington waiting for the Dartmouth train to start, for in those days +the African mail sailed from that port. A minute or two before the train +left, as we were preparing to enter our carriage I caught sight of +a face that I seemed to recognise, the owner of which was evidently +searching for someone in the crowd. It was that of Briggs, Sir +Alexander's clerk, whom I had met in the sale-room. + +"Mr. Briggs," I said as he passed me, "are you looking for Mr. Somers? +If so, he is in here." + +The clerk jumped into the compartment and handed a letter to Mr. Somers. +Then he emerged again and waited. Somers read the letter and tore off a +blank sheet from the end of it, on which he hastily wrote some words. He +passed it to me to give to Briggs, and I could not help seeing what was +written. It was: "Too late now. God bless you, my dear father. I hope +we may meet again. If not, try to think kindly of your troublesome and +foolish son, Stephen." + +In another minute the train had started. + +"By the way," he said, as we steamed out of the station, "I have heard +from my father, who enclosed this for you." + +I opened the envelope, which was addressed in a bold, round hand that +seemed to me typical of the writer, and read as follows: + + + "My Dear Sir,--I appreciate the motives which caused you to write + to me and I thank you very heartily for your letter, which shows + me that you are a man of discretion and strict honour. As you + surmise, the expedition on which my son has entered is not one + that commends itself to me as prudent. Of the differences between + him and myself you are aware, for they came to a climax in your + presence. Indeed, I feel that I owe you an apology for having + dragged you into an unpleasant family quarrel. Your letter only + reached me to-day having been forwarded to my place in the country + from my office. I should have at once come to town, but + unfortunately I am laid up with an attack of gout which makes it + impossible for me to stir. Therefore, the only thing I can do is + to write to my son hoping that the letter which I send by a + special messenger will reach him in time and avail to alter his + determination to undertake this journey. Here I may add that + although I have differed and do differ from him on various points, + I still have a deep affection for my son and earnestly desire his + welfare. The prospect of any harm coming to him is one upon which + I cannot bear to dwell. + + "Now I am aware that any change of his plans at this eleventh hour + would involve you in serious loss and inconvenience. I beg to + inform you formally, therefore, that in this event I will make + good everything and will in addition write off the L2,000 which I + understand he has invested in your joint venture. It may be, + however, that my son, who has in him a vein of my own obstinacy, + will refuse to change his mind. In that event, under a Higher + Power I can only commend him to your care and beg that you will + look after him as though he were your own child. I can ask and you + can do no more. Tell him to write me as opportunity offers, as + perhaps you will too; also that, although I hate the sight of + them, I will look after the flowers which he has left at the house + at Twickenham.-- + + "Your obliged servant, ALEXANDER SOMERS." + + +This letter touched me much, and indeed made me feel very uncomfortable. +Without a word I handed it to my companion, who read it through +carefully. + +"Nice of him about the orchids," he said. "My dad has a good heart, +although he lets his temper get the better of him, having had his own +way all his life." + +"Well, what will you do?" I asked. + +"Go on, of course. I've put my hand to the plough and I am not going +to turn back. I should be a cur if I did, and what's more, whatever +he might say he'd think none the better of me. So please don't try to +persuade me, it would be no good." + +For quite a while afterwards young Somers seemed to be comparatively +depressed, a state of mind that in his case was rare indeed. At last, +he studied the wintry landscape through the carriage window and +said nothing. By degrees, however, he recovered, and when we reached +Dartmouth was as cheerful as ever, a mood that I could not altogether +share. + +Before we sailed I wrote to Sir Alexander telling him exactly how things +stood, and so I think did his son, though he never showed me the letter. + +At Durban, just as we were about to start up country, I received an +answer from him, sent by some boat that followed us very closely. In +it he said that he quite understood the position, and whatever happened +would attribute no blame to me, whom he should always regard with +friendly feelings. He told me that, in the event of any difficulty or +want of money, I was to draw on him for whatever might be required, and +that he had advised the African Bank to that effect. Further, he added, +that at least his son had shown grit in this matter, for which he +respected him. + +And now for a long while I must bid good-bye to Sir Alexander Somers and +all that has to do with England. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + MAVOVO AND HANS + +We arrived safely at Durban at the beginning of March and took up our +quarters at my house on the Berea, where I expected that Brother John +would be awaiting us. But no Brother John was to be found. The old, lame +Griqua, Jack, who looked after the place for me and once had been one of +my hunters, said that shortly after I went away in the ship, Dogeetah, +as he called him, had taken his tin box and his net and walked off +inland, he knew not where, leaving, as he declared, no message or letter +behind him. The cases full of butterflies and dried plants were also +gone, but these, I found he had shipped to some port in America, by a +sailing vessel bound for the United States which chanced to put in at +Durban for food and water. As to what had become of the man himself I +could get no clue. He had been seen at Maritzburg and, according to some +Kaffirs whom I knew, afterwards on the borders of Zululand, where, so +far as I could learn, he vanished into space. + +This, to say the least of it, was disconcerting, and a question arose +as to what was to be done. Brother John was to have been our guide. He +alone knew the Mazitu people; he alone had visited the borders of the +mysterious Pongo-land, I scarcely felt inclined to attempt to reach that +country without his aid. + +When a fortnight had gone by and still there were no signs of him, +Stephen and I held a solemn conference. I pointed out the difficulties +and dangers of the situation to him and suggested that, under the +circumstances, it might be wise to give up this wild orchid-chase and go +elephant-hunting instead in a certain part of Zululand, where in those +days these animals were still abundant. + +He was inclined to agree with me, since the prospect of killing +elephants had attractions for him. + +"And yet," I said, after reflection, "it's curious, but I never remember +making a successful trip after altering plans at the last moment, that +is, unless one was driven to it." + +"I vote we toss up," said Somers; "it gives Providence a chance. Now +then, heads for the Golden Cyp, and tails for the elephants." + +He spun a half-crown into the air. It fell and rolled under a great, +yellow-wood chest full of curiosities that I had collected, which +it took all our united strength to move. We dragged it aside and not +without some excitement, for really a good deal hung upon the chance, I +lit a match and peered into the shadow. There in the dust lay the coin. + +"What is it?" I asked of Somers, who was stretched on his stomach on the +chest. + +"Orchid--I mean head," he answered. "Well, that's settled, so we needn't +bother any more." + +The next fortnight was a busy time for me. As it happened there was a +schooner in the bay of about one hundred tons burden which belonged to +a Portuguese trader named Delgado, who dealt in goods that he carried +to the various East African ports and Madagascar. He was a +villainous-looking person whom I suspected of having dealings with the +slave traders, who were very numerous and a great power in those days, +if indeed he were not one himself. But as he was going to Kilwa whence +we proposed to start inland, I arranged to make use of him to carry our +party and the baggage. The bargain was not altogether easy to strike for +two reasons. First, he did not appear to be anxious that we should hunt +in the districts at the back of Kilwa, where he assured me there was no +game, and secondly, he said that he wanted to sail at once. However, I +overcame his objections with an argument he could not resist--namely, +money, and in the end he agreed to postpone his departure for fourteen +days. + +Then I set about collecting our men, of whom I had made up my mind there +must not be less than twenty. Already I had sent messengers summoning +to Durban from Zululand and the upper districts of Natal various hunters +who had accompanied me on other expeditions. To the number of a dozen or +so they arrived in due course. I have always had the good fortune to be +on the best of terms with my Kaffirs, and where I went they were ready +to go without asking any questions. The man whom I had selected to be +their captain under me was a Zulu of the name of Mavovo. He was a +short fellow, past middle age, with an enormous chest. His strength was +proverbial; indeed, it was said that he could throw an ox by the horns, +and myself I have seen him hold down the head of a wounded buffalo that +had fallen, until I could come up and shoot it. + +When I first knew Mavovo he was a petty chief and witch doctor in +Zululand. Like myself, he had fought for the Prince Umbelazi in the +great battle of the Tugela, a crime which Cetewayo never forgave him. +About a year afterwards he got warning that he had been smelt out as a +wizard and was going to be killed. He fled with two of his wives and a +child. The slayers overtook them before he could reach the Natal border, +and stabbed the elder wife and the child of the second wife. They were +four men, but, made mad by the sight, Mavovo turned on them and killed +them all. Then, with the remaining wife, cut to pieces as he was, he +crept to the river and through it to Natal. Not long after this wife +died also; it was said from grief at the loss of her child. Mavovo did +not marry again, perhaps because he was now a man without means, for +Cetewayo had taken all his cattle; also he was made ugly by an assegai +wound which had cut off his right nostril. Shortly after the death of +his second wife he sought me out and told me he was a chief without a +kraal and wished to become my hunter. So I took him on, a step which I +never had any cause to regret, since although morose and at times given +to the practice of uncanny arts, he was a most faithful servant and +brave as a lion, or rather as a buffalo, for a lion is not always brave. + +Another man whom I did not send for, but who came, was an old Hottentot +named Hans, with whom I had been more or less mixed up all my life. +When I was a boy he was my father's servant in the Cape Colony and my +companion in some of those early wars. Also he shared some very terrible +adventures with me which I have detailed in the history I have written +of my first wife, Marie Marais. For instance, he and I were the only +persons who escaped from the massacre of Retief and his companions by +the Zulu king, Dingaan. In the subsequence campaigns, including the +Battle of the Blood River, he fought at my side and ultimately received +a good share of captured cattle. After this he retired and set up a +native store at a place called Pinetown, about fifteen miles out of +Durban. Here I am afraid he got into bad ways and took to drink more or +less; also to gambling. At any rate, he lost most of his property, +so much of it indeed that he scarcely knew which way to turn. Thus it +happened that one evening when I went out of the house where I had been +making up my accounts, I saw a yellow-faced white-haired old fellow +squatted on the verandah smoking a pipe made out of a corn-cob. + +"Good day, Baas," he said, "here am I, Hans." + +"So I see," I answered, rather coldly. "And what are you doing here, +Hans? How can you spare time from your drinking and gambling at Pinetown +to visit me here, Hans, after I have not seen you for three years?" + +"Baas, the gambling is finished, because I have nothing more to stake, +and the drinking is done too, because but one bottle of Cape Smoke makes +me feel quite ill next morning. So now I only take water and as little +of that as I can, water and some tobacco to cover up its taste." + +"I am glad to hear it, Hans. If my father, the Predikant who baptised +you, were alive now, he would have much to say about your conduct as +indeed I have no doubt he will presently when you have gone into a +hole (i.e., a grave). For there in the hole he will be waiting for you, +Hans." + +"I know, I know, Baas. I have been thinking of that and it troubles me. +Your reverend father, the Predikant, will be very cross indeed with me +when I join him in the Place of Fires where he sits awaiting me. So I +wish to make my peace with him by dying well, and in your service, Baas. +I hear that the Baas is going on an expedition. I have come to accompany +the Baas." + +"To accompany me! Why, you are old, you are not worth five shillings a +month and your _scoff_ (food). You are a shrunken old brandy cask that +will not even hold water." + +Hans grinned right across his ugly face. + +"Oh! Baas, I am old, but I am clever. All these years I have been +gathering wisdom. I am as full of it as a bee's nest is with honey when +the summer is done. And, Baas, I can stop those leaks in the cask." + +"Hans, it is no good, I don't want you. I am going into great danger. I +must have those about me whom I can trust." + +"Well, Baas, and who can be better trusted than Hans? Who warned you +of the attack of the Quabies on Maraisfontein, and so saved the life +of----" + +"Hush!" I said. + +"I understand. I will not speak the name. It is holy not to be +mentioned. It is the name of one who stands with the white angels before +God; not to be mentioned by poor drunken Hans. Still, who stood at your +side in that great fight? Ah! it makes me young again to think of it, +when the roof burned; when the door was broken down; when we met the +Quabies on the spears; when you held the pistol to the head of the Holy +One whose name must not be mentioned, the Great One who knew how to die. +Oh! Baas, our lives are twisted up together like the creeper and the +tree, and where you go, there I must go also. Do not turn me away. I ask +no wages, only a bit of food and a handful of tobacco, and the light of +your face and a word now and again of the memories that belong to both +of us. I am still very strong. I can shoot well--well, Baas, who was it +that put it into your mind to aim at the tails of the vultures on the +Hill of Slaughter yonder in Zululand, and so saved the lives of all the +Boer people, and of her whose holy name must not be mentioned? Baas, you +will not turn me away?" + +"No," I answered, "you can come. But you will swear by the spirit of my +father, the Predikant, to touch no liquor on this journey." + +"I swear by his spirit and by that of the Holy One," and he flung +himself forward on to his knees, took my hand and kissed it. Then he +rose and said in a matter-of-fact tone, "If the Baas can give me two +blankets, I shall thank him, also five shillings to buy some tobacco +and a new knife. Where are the Baas's guns? I must go to oil them. I +beg that the Baas will take with him that little rifle which is named +_Intombi_ (Maiden), the one with which he shot the vultures on the Hill +of Slaughter, the one that killed the geese in the Goose Kloof when I +loaded for him and he won the great match against the Boer whom Dingaan +called Two-faces." + +"Good," I said. "Here are the five shillings. You shall have the +blankets and a new gun and all things needful. You will find the guns in +the little back room and with them those of the Baas, my companion, who +also is your master. Go see to them." + +At length all was ready, the cases of guns, ammunition, medicines, +presents and food were on board the _Maria_. So were four donkeys that +I had bought in the hope that they would prove useful, either to ride +or as pack beasts. The donkey, be it remembered, and man are the only +animals which are said to be immune from the poisonous effects of the +bite of tsetse fly, except, of course, the wild game. It was our last +night at Durban, a very beautiful night of full moon at the end of +March, for the Portugee Delgado had announced his intention of sailing +on the following afternoon. Stephen Somers and I were seated on the +stoep smoking and talking things over. + +"It is a strange thing," I said, "that Brother John should never have +turned up. I know that he was set upon making this expedition, not only +for the sake of the orchid, but also for some other reason of which he +would not speak. I think that the old fellow must be dead." + +"Very likely," answered Stephen (we had become intimate and I called him +Stephen now), "a man alone among savages might easily come to grief +and never be heard of again. Hark! What's that?" and he pointed to some +gardenia bushes in the shadow of the house near by, whence came a sound +of something that moved. + +"A dog, I expect, or perhaps it is Hans. He curls up in all sorts of +places near to where I may be. Hans, are you there?" + +A figure arose from the gardenia bushes. + +"_Ja_, I am here, Baas." + +"What are you doing, Hans?" + +"I am doing what the dog does, Baas--watching my master." + +"Good," I answered. Then an idea struck me. "Hans, you have heard of the +white Baas with the long beard whom the Kaffirs call Dogeetah?" + +"I have heard of him and once I saw him, a few moons ago passing +through Pinetown. A Kaffir with him told me that he was going over the +Drakensberg to hunt for things that crawl and fly, being quite mad, +Baas." + +"Well, where is he now, Hans? He should have been here to travel with +us." + +"Am I a spirit that I can tell the Baas whither a white man has +wandered. Yet, stay. Mavovo may be able to tell. He is a great doctor, +he can see through distance, and even now, this very night his Snake +of divination has entered into him and he is looking into the future, +yonder, behind the house. I saw him form the circle." + +I translated what Hans said to Stephen, for he had been talking in +Dutch, then asked him if he would like to see some Kaffir magic. + +"Of course," he answered, "but it's all bosh, isn't it?" + +"Oh, yes, all bosh, or so most people say," I answered evasively. +"Still, sometimes these _Inyangas_ tell one strange things." + +Then, led by Hans, we crept round the house to where there was a +five-foot stone wall at the back of the stable. Beyond this wall, within +the circle of some huts where my Kaffirs lived, was an open space with +an ant-heap floor where they did their cooking. Here, facing us, sat +Mavovo, while in a ring around him were all the hunters who were to +accompany us; also Jack, the lame Griqua, and the two house-boys. In +front of Mavovo burned a number of little wood fires. I counted them and +found that there were fourteen, which, I reflected, was the exact +number of our hunters, plus ourselves. One of the hunters was engaged +in feeding these fires with little bits of stick and handfuls of +dried grass so as to keep them burning brightly. The others sat round +perfectly silent and watched with rapt attention. Mavovo himself looked +like a man who is asleep. He was crouched on his haunches with his big +head resting almost upon his knees. About his middle was a snake-skin, +and round his neck an ornament that appeared to be made of human teeth. +On his right side lay a pile of feathers from the wings of vultures, and +on his left a little heap of silver money--I suppose the fees paid by +the hunters for whom he was divining. + +After we had watched him for some while from our shelter behind the wall +he appeared to wake out of his sleep. First he muttered; then he looked +up to the moon and seemed to say a prayer of which I could not catch +the words. Next he shuddered three times convulsively and exclaimed in a +clear voice: + +"My Snake has come. It is within me. Now I can hear, now I can see." + +Three of the little fires, those immediately in front of him, were +larger than the others. He took up his bundle of vultures' feathers, +selected one with care, held it towards the sky, then passed it through +the flame of the centre one of the three fires, uttering as he did so, +my native name, Macumazana. Withdrawing it from the flame he examined +the charred edges of the feather very carefully, a proceeding that +caused a cold shiver to go down my back, for I knew well that he was +inquiring of his "Spirit" what would be my fate upon this expedition. +How it answered, I cannot tell, for he laid the feather down and +took another, with which he went through the same process. This time, +however, the name he called out was Mwamwazela, which in its shortened +form of Wazela, was the Kaffir appellation that the natives had given +to Stephen Somers. It means a Smile, and no doubt was selected for him +because of his pleasant, smiling countenance. + +Having passed it through the right-hand fire of the three, he examined +it and laid it down. + +So it went on. One after another he called out the names of the hunters, +beginning with his own as captain; passed the feather which represented +each of them through the particular fire of his destiny, examined +and laid it down. After this he seemed to go to sleep again for a few +minutes, then woke up as a man does from a natural slumber, yawned and +stretched himself. + +"Speak," said his audience, with great anxiety. "Have you seen? Have you +heard? What does your Snake tell you of me? Of me? Of me? Of me?" + +"I have seen, I have heard," he answered. "My Snake tells me that this +will be a very dangerous journey. Of those who go on it six will die by +the bullet, by the spear or by sickness, and others will be hurt." + +"_Ow?_" said one of them, "but which will die and which will come out +safe? Does not your Snake tell you that, O Doctor?" + +"Yes, of course my Snake tells me that. But my Snake tells me also +to hold my tongue on the matter, lest some of us should be turned to +cowards. It tells me further that the first who should ask me more, will +be one of those who must die. Now do you ask? Or you? Or you? Or you? +Ask if you will." + +Strange to say no one accepted the invitation. Never have I seen a body +of men so indifferent to the future, at least to every appearance. One +and all they seemed to come to the conclusion that so far as they were +concerned it might be left to look after itself. + +"My Snake told me something else," went on Mavovo. "It is that if among +this company there is any jackal of a man who, thinking that he might be +one of the six to die, dreams to avoid his fate by deserting, it will be +of no use. For then my Snake will point him out and show me how to deal +with him." + +Now with one voice each man present there declared that desertion from +the lord Macumazana was the last thing that could possibly occur to him. +Indeed, I believe that those brave fellows spoke truth. No doubt they +put faith in Mavovo's magic after the fashion of their race. Still the +death he promised was some way off, and each hoped he would be one of +the six to escape. Moreover, the Zulu of those days was too accustomed +to death to fear its terrors over much. + +One of them did, however, venture to advance the argument, which +Mavovo treated with proper contempt, that the shillings paid for this +divination should be returned by him to the next heirs of such of them +as happened to decease. Why, he asked, should these pay a shilling in +order to be told that they must die? It seemed unreasonable. + +Certainly the Zulu Kaffirs have a queer way of looking at things. + +"Hans," I whispered, "is your fire among those that burn yonder?" + +"Not so, Baas," he wheezed back into my ear. "Does the Baas think me a +fool? If I must die, I must die; if I am to live, I shall live. Why +then should I pay a shilling to learn what time will declare? Moreover, +yonder Mavovo takes the shillings and frightens everybody, but tells +nobody anything. _I_ call it cheating. But, Baas, do you and the Baas +Wazela have no fear. You did not pay shillings, and therefore Mavovo, +though without doubt he is a great _Inyanga_, cannot really prophesy +concerning you, since his Snake will not work without a fee." + +The argument seems remarkably absurd. Yet it must be common, for now +that I come to think of it, no gipsy will tell a "true fortune" unless +her hand is crossed with silver. + +"I say, Quatermain," said Stephen idly, "since our friend Mavovo seems +to know so much, ask him what has become of Brother John, as Hans +suggested. Tell me what he says afterwards, for I want to see +something." + +So I went through the little gate in the wall in a natural kind of way, +as though I had seen nothing, and appeared to be struck by the sight of +the little fires. + +"Well, Mavovo," I said, "are you doing doctor's work? I thought that it +had brought you into enough trouble in Zululand." + +"That is so, _Baba_," replied Mavovo, who had a habit of calling me +"father," though he was older than I. "It cost me my chieftainship and +my cattle and my two wives and my son. It made of me a wanderer who +is glad to accompany a certain Macumazana to strange lands where many +things may befall me, yes," he added with meaning, "even the last of all +things. And yet a gift is a gift and must be used. You, _Baba_, have a +gift of shooting and do you cease to shoot? You have a gift of wandering +and can you cease to wander?" + +He picked up one of the burnt feathers from the little pile by his side +and looked at it attentively. "Perhaps, _Baba_, you have been told--my +ears are very sharp, and I thought I heard some such words floating +through the air just now--that we poor Kaffir _Inyangas_ can prophesy +nothing true unless we are paid, and perhaps that is a fact so far +as something of the moment is concerned. And yet the Snake in the +_Inyanga_, jumping over the little rock which hides the present from it, +may see the path that winds far and far away through the valleys, across +the streams, up the mountains, till it is lost in the 'heaven above.' +Thus on this feather, burnt in my magic fire, I seem to see something of +your future, O my father Macumazana. Far and far your road runs," and he +drew his finger along the feather. "Here is a journey," and he flicked +away a carbonised flake, "here is another, and another, and another," +and he flicked off flake after flake. "Here is one that is very +successful, it leaves you rich; and here is yet one more, a wonderful +journey this in which you see strange things and meet strange people. +Then"--and he blew on the feather in such a fashion that all the charred +filaments (Brother John says that _laminae_ is the right word for them) +fell away from it--"then, there is nothing left save such a pole as some +of my people stick upright on a grave, the Shaft of Memory they call it. +O, my father, you will die in a distant land, but you will leave a great +memory behind you that will live for hundreds of years, for see how +strong is this quill over which the fire has had no power. With some of +these others it is quite different," he added. + +"I daresay," I broke in, "but, Mavovo, be so good as to leave me out of +your magic, for I don't at all want to know what is going to happen to +me. To-day is enough for me without studying next month and next year. +There is a saying in our holy book which runs: 'Sufficient to the day is +its evil.'" + +"Quite so, O Macumazana. Also that is a very good saying as some of +those hunters of yours are thinking now. Yet an hour ago they were +forcing their shillings on me that I might tell them of the future. And +_you_, too, want to know something. You did not come through that gate +to quote to me the wisdom of your holy book. What is it, _Baba_? Be +quick, for my Snake is getting very tired. He wishes to go back to his +hole in the world beneath." + +"Well, then," I answered in rather a shamefaced fashion, for Mavovo had +an uncanny way of seeing into one's secret motives, "I should like to +know, if you can tell me, which you can't, what has become of the white +man with the long beard whom you black people call Dogeetah? He should +have been here to go on this journey with us; indeed, he was to be our +guide and we cannot find him. Where is he and why is he not here?" + +"Have you anything about you that belonged to Dogeetah, Macumazana?" + +"No," I answered; "that is, yes," and from my pocket I produced the +stump of pencil that Brother John had given me, which, being economical, +I had saved up ever since. Mavovo took it, and after considering it +carefully as he had done in the case of the feathers, swept up a pile +of ashes with his horny hand from the edge of the largest of the little +fires, that indeed which had represented myself. These ashes he patted +flat. Then he drew on them with the point of the pencil, tracing what +seemed to me to be the rough image of a man, such as children scratch +upon whitewashed walls. When he had finished he sat up and contemplated +his handiwork with all the satisfaction of an artist. A breeze had risen +from the sea and was blowing in little gusts, so that the fine ashes +were disturbed, some of the lines of the picture being filled in and +others altered or enlarged. + +For a while Mavovo sat with his eyes shut. Then he opened them, studied +the ashes and what remained of the picture, and taking a blanket that +lay near by, threw it over his own head and over the ashes. Withdrawing +it again presently he cast it aside and pointed to the picture which +was now quite changed. Indeed, in the moonlight, it looked more like a +landscape than anything else. + +"All is clear, my father," he said in a matter-of-fact voice. "The white +wanderer, Dogeetah, is not dead. He lives, but he is sick. Something is +the matter with one of his legs so that he cannot walk. Perhaps a bone +is broken or some beast has bitten him. He lies in a hut such as Kaffirs +make, only this hut has a verandah round it like your stoep, and there +are drawings on the wall. The hut is a long way off, I don't know +where." + +"Is that all?" I asked, for he paused. + +"No, not all. Dogeetah is recovering. He will join us in that country +whither we journey, at a time of trouble. That is all, and the fee is +half-a-crown." + +"You mean one shilling," I suggested. + +"No, my father Macumazana. One shilling for simple magic such as +foretelling the fate of common black people. Half-a-crown for very +difficult magic that has to do with white people, magic of which only +great doctors, like me, Mavovo, are the masters." + +I gave him the half-crown and said: + +"Look here, friend Mavovo, I believe in you as a fighter and a hunter, +but as a magician I think you are a humbug. Indeed, I am so sure of it +that if ever Dogeetah turns up at a time of trouble in that land whither +we are journeying, I will make you a present of that double-barrelled +rifle of mine which you admired so much." + +One of his rare smiles appeared upon Mavovo's ugly face. + +"Then give it to me now, _Baba_," he said, "for it is already earned. My +Snake cannot lie--especially when the fee is half-a-crown." + +I shook my head and declined, politely but with firmness. + +"Ah!" said Mavovo, "you white men are very clever and think that you +know everything. But it is not so, for in learning so much that is new, +you have forgotten more that is old. When the Snake that is in you, +Macumazana, dwelt in a black savage like me a thousand thousand years +ago, you could have done and did what I do. But now you can only mock +and say, 'Mavovo the brave in battle, the great hunter, the loyal man, +becomes a liar when he blows the burnt feather, or reads what the wind +writes upon the charmed ashes.'" + +"I do not say that you are a liar, Mavovo, I say that you are deceived +by your own imaginings. It is not possible that man can know what is +hidden from man." + +"Is it indeed so, O Macumazana, Watcher by Night? Am I, Mavovo, the +pupil of Zikali, the Opener of Roads, the greatest of wizards, indeed +deceived by my own imaginings? And has man no other eyes but those in +his head, that he cannot see what is hidden from man? Well, you say so +and all we black people know that you are very clever, and why should I, +a poor Zulu, be able to see what you cannot see? Yet when to-morrow one +sends you a message from the ship in which we are to sail, begging you +to come fast because there is trouble on the ship, then bethink you of +your words and my words, and whether or no man can see what is hidden +from man in the blackness of the future. Oh! that rifle of yours is mine +already, though you will not give it to me now, you who think that I +am a cheat. Well, my father Macumazana, because you think I am a cheat, +never again will I blow the feather or read what the wind writes upon +the ashes for you or any who eat your food." + +Then he rose, saluted me with uplifted right hand, collected his little +pile of money and bag of medicines and marched off to the sleeping hut. + +On our way round the house we met my old lame caretaker, Jack. + +"_Inkoosi_," he said, "the white chief Wazela bade me say that he and +the cook, Sam, have gone to sleep on board the ship to look after the +goods. Sam came up just now and fetched him away; he says he will show +you why to-morrow." + +I nodded and passed on, wondering to myself why Stephen had suddenly +determined to stay the night on the _Maria_. + + + + +CHAPTER V + + HASSAN + +I suppose it must have been two hours after dawn on the following +morning that I was awakened by knocks upon the door and the voice of +Jack saying that Sam, the cook, wanted to speak to me. + +Wondering what he could be doing there, as I understood he was sleeping +on the ship, I called out that he was to come in. Now this Sam, I should +say, hailed from the Cape, and was a person of mixed blood. The original +stock, I imagine, was Malay which had been crossed with Indian coolie. +Also, somewhere or other, there was a dash of white and possibly, but of +this I am not sure, a little Hottentot. The result was a person of +few vices and many virtues. Sammy, I may say at once, was perhaps the +biggest coward I ever met. He could not help it, it was congenital, +though, curiously enough, this cowardice of his never prevented him from +rushing into fresh danger. Thus he knew that the expedition upon which +I was engaged would be most hazardous; remembering his weakness I +explained this to him very clearly. Yet that knowledge did not deter him +from imploring that he might be allowed to accompany me. Perhaps this +was because there was some mutual attachment between us, as in the case +of Hans. Once, a good many years before, I had rescued Sammy from a +somewhat serious scrape by declining to give evidence against him. I +need not enter into the details, but a certain sum of money over which +he had control had disappeared. I will merely say, therefore, that at +the time he was engaged to a coloured lady of very expensive tastes, +whom in the end he never married. + +After this, as it chanced, he nursed me through an illness. Hence the +attachment of which I have spoken. + +Sammy was the son of a native Christian preacher, and brought up upon +what he called "The Word." He had received an excellent education for a +person of his class, and in addition to many native dialects with which +a varied career had made him acquainted, spoke English perfectly, though +in the most bombastic style. Never would he use a short word if a long +one came to his hand, or rather to his tongue. For several years of his +life he was, I believe, a teacher in a school at Capetown where coloured +persons received their education; his "department," as he called it, +being "English Language and Literature." + +Wearying of or being dismissed from his employment for some reason that +he never specified, he had drifted up the coast to Zanzibar, where he +turned his linguistic abilities to the study of Arabic and became the +manager or head cook of an hotel. After a few years he lost this billet, +I know not how or why, and appeared at Durban in what he called a +"reversed position." Here it was that we met again, just before my +expedition to Pongo-land. + +In manners he was most polite, in disposition most religious; I believe +he was a Baptist by faith, and in appearance a small, brown dandy of +a man of uncertain age, who wore his hair parted in the middle and, +whatever the circumstances, was always tidy in his garments. + +I took him on because he was in great distress, an excellent cook, the +best of nurses, and above all for the reason that, as I have said, +we were in a way attached to each other. Also, he always amused me +intensely, which goes for something on a long journey of the sort that I +contemplated. + +Such in brief was Sammy. + +As he entered the room I saw that his clothes were very wet and asked +him at once if it were raining, or whether he had got drunk and been +sleeping in the damp grass. + +"No, Mr. Quatermain," he answered, "the morning is extremely fine, and +like the poor Hottentot, Hans, I have abjured the use of intoxicants. +Though we differ on much else, in this matter we agree." + +"Then what the deuce is up?" I interrupted, to cut short his flow of +fine language. + +"Sir, there is trouble on the ship" (remembering Mavovo I started at +these words) "where I passed the night in the company of Mr. Somers at +his special request." (It was the other way about really.) "This +morning before the dawn, when he thought that everybody was asleep, the +Portuguese captain and some of his Arabs began to weigh the anchor quite +quietly; also to hoist the sails. But Mr. Somers and I, being very much +awake, came out of the cabin and he sat upon the capstan with a revolver +in his hand, saying--well, sir, I will not repeat what he said." + +"No, don't. What happened then?" + +"Then, sir, there followed much noise and confusion. The Portugee and +the Arabs threatened Mr. Somers, but he, sir, continued to sit upon +the capstan with the stern courage of a rock in a rushing stream, and +remarked that he would see them all somewhere before they touched it. +After this, sir, I do not know what occurred, since while I watched from +the bulwarks someone knocked me head over heels into the sea and being +fortunately, a good swimmer, I gained the shore and hurried here to +advise you." + +"And did you advise anyone else, you idiot?" I asked. + +"Yes, sir. As I sped along I communicated to an officer of the port that +there was the devil of a mess upon the _Maria_ which he would do well to +investigate." + +By this time I was in my shirt and trousers and shouting to Mavovo and +the others. Soon they arrived, for as the costume of Mavovo and his +company consisted only of a moocha and a blanket, it did not take them +long to dress. + +"Mavovo," I began, "there is trouble on the ship----" + +"O _Baba_," he interrupted with something resembling a grin, "it is very +strange, but last night I dreamed that I told you----" + +"Curse your dreams," I said. "Gather the men and go down--no, that won't +work, there would be murder done. Either it is all over now or it is +all right. Get the hunters ready; I come with them. The luggage can be +fetched afterwards." + +Within less than an hour we were at that wharf off which the _Maria_ +lay in what one day will be the splendid port of Durban, though in +those times its shipping arrangements were exceedingly primitive. A +strange-looking band we must have been. I, who was completely dressed, +and I trust tidy, marched ahead. Next came Hans in the filthy wide-awake +hat which he usually wore and greasy corduroys and after him the +oleaginous Sammy arrayed in European reach-me-downs, a billy-cock and a +bright blue tie striped with red, garments that would have looked very +smart had it not been for his recent immersion. After him followed the +fierce-looking Mavovo and his squad of hunters, all of whom wore the +"ring" or _isicoco_, as the Zulus call it; that is, a circle of polished +black wax sewn into their short hair. They were a grim set of fellows, +but as, according to a recent law it was not allowable for them to +appear armed in the town, their guns had already been shipped, while +their broad stabbing spears were rolled up in their sleeping mats, the +blades wrapped round with dried grass. + +Each of them, however, bore in his hand a large knobkerry of red-wood, +and they marched four by four in martial fashion. It is true that when +we embarked on the big boat to go to the ship much of their warlike +ardour evaporated, since these men, who feared nothing on the land, were +terribly afraid of that unfamiliar element, the water. + +We reached the _Maria_, an unimposing kind of tub, and climbed aboard. +On looking aft the first thing that I saw was Stephen seated on the +capstan with a pistol in his hand, as Sammy had said. Near by, leaning +on the bulwark was the villainous-looking Portugee, Delgado, apparently +in the worst of tempers and surrounded by a number of equally +villainous-looking Arab sailors clad in dirty white. In front was the +Captain of the port, a well-known and esteemed gentleman of the name +of Cato, like myself a small man who had gone through many adventures. +Accompanied by some attendants, he was seated on the after-skylight, +smoking, with his eyes fixed upon Stephen and the Portugee. + +"Glad to see you, Quatermain," he said. "There's some row on here, but +I have only just arrived and don't understand Portuguese, and the +gentleman on the capstan won't leave it to explain." + +"What's up, Stephen?" I asked, after shaking Mr. Cato by the hand. + +"What's up?" replied Somers. "This man," and he pointed to Delgado, +"wanted to sneak out to sea with all our goods, that's all, to say +nothing of me and Sammy, whom, no doubt, he'd have chucked overboard, +as soon as he was out of sight of land. However, Sammy, who knows +Portuguese, overheard his little plans and, as you see, I objected." + +Well, Delgado was asked for his version of the affair, and, as I +expected, explained that he only intended to get a little nearer to the +bar and there wait till we arrived. Of course he lied and knew that we +were aware of the fact and that his intention had been to slip out to +sea with all our valuable property, which he would sell after having +murdered or marooned Stephen and the poor cook. But as nothing could be +proved, and we were now in strong enough force to look after ourselves +and our belongings, I did not see the use of pursuing the argument. So I +accepted the explanation with a smile, and asked everybody to join in a +morning nip. + +Afterwards Stephen told me that while I was engaged with Mavovo on the +previous night, a message had reached him from Sammy who was on board +the ship in charge of our belongings, saying that he would be glad of +some company. Knowing the cook's nervous nature, fortunately enough +he made up his mind at once to go and sleep upon the _Maria_. In the +morning trouble arose as Sammy had told me. What he did not tell me was +that he was not knocked overboard, as he said, but took to the water of +his own accord, when complications with Delgado appeared imminent. + +"I understand the position," I said, "and all's well that ends well. But +it's lucky you thought of coming on board to sleep." + +After this everything went right. I sent some of the men back in the +charge of Stephen for our remaining effects, which they brought safely +aboard, and in the evening we sailed. Our voyage up to Kilwa was +beautiful, a gentle breeze driving us forward over a sea so calm that +not even Hans, who I think was one of the worst sailors in the world, +or the Zulu hunters were really sick, though as Sammy put it, they +"declined their food." + +I think it was on the fifth night of our voyage, or it may have been +the seventh, that we anchored one afternoon off the island of Kilwa, not +very far from the old Portuguese fort. Delgado, with whom we had little +to do during the passage, hoisted some queer sort of signal. In response +a boat came off containing what he called the Port officials, a band of +cut-throat, desperate-looking, black fellows in charge of a +pock-marked, elderly half-breed who was introduced to us as the Bey +Hassan-ben-Mohammed. That Mr. Hassan-ben-Mohammed entirely disapproved +of our presence on the ship, and especially of our proposed landing +at Kilwa, was evident to me from the moment that I set eyes upon his +ill-favoured countenance. After a hurried conference with Delgado, he +came forward and addressed me in Arabic, of which I could not understand +a word. Luckily, however, Sam the cook, who, as I think I said, was a +great linguist, had a fair acquaintance with this tongue, acquired, it +appears, while at the Zanzibar hotel; so, not trusting Delgado, I called +on him to interpret. + +"What is he saying, Sammy?" I asked. + +He began to talk to Hassan and replied presently: + +"Sir, he makes you many compliments. He says that he has heard what a +great man who are from his friend, Delgado, also that you and Mr. Somers +are English, a nation which he adores." + +"Does he?" I exclaimed. "I should never have thought it from his looks. +Thank him for his kind remarks and tell him that we are going to land +here and march up country to shoot." + +Sammy obeyed, and the conversation went on somewhat as follows: + +"With all humility I (i.e. Hassan) request you not to land. This country +is not a fit place for such noble gentlemen. There is nothing to eat and +no head of game has been seen for years. The people in the interior +are savages of the worst sort, whom hunger has driven to take to +cannibalism. I would not have your blood upon my head. I beg of you, +therefore, to go on in this ship to Delagoa Bay, where you will find a +good hotel, or to any other place you may select." + +A.Q.: "Might I ask you, noble sir, what is your position at Kilwa, that +you consider yourself responsible for our safety?" + +H.: "Honoured English lord, I am a trader here of Portuguese +nationality, but born of an Arab mother of high birth and brought up +among that people. I have gardens on the mainland, tended by my native +servants who are as children to me, where I grow palms and cassava +and ground nuts and plantains and many other kinds of produce. All +the tribes in this district look upon me as their chief and venerated +father." + +A.Q.: "Then, noble Hassan, you will be able to pass us through them, +seeing that we are peaceful hunters who wish to harm no one." + +(A long consultation between Hassan and Delgado, during which I ordered +Mavovo to bring his Zulus on deck with their guns.) + +H.: "Honoured English lord, I cannot allow you to land." + +A.Q.: "Noble son of the Prophet, I intend to land with my friend, my +followers, my donkeys and my goods early to-morrow morning. If I can +do so with your leave I shall be glad. If not----" and I glanced at the +fierce group of hunters behind me. + +H.: "Honoured English lord, I shall be grieved to use force, but let me +tell you that in my peaceful village ashore I have at least a hundred +men armed with rifles, whereas here I see under twenty." + +A.Q., after reflection and a few words with Stephen Somers: "Can you +tell me, noble sir, if from your peaceful village you have yet sighted +the English man-of-war, _Crocodile_; I mean the steamer that is engaged +in watching for the dhows of wicked slavers? A letter from her captain +informed me that he would be in these waters by yesterday. Perhaps, +however, he has been delayed for a day or two." + +If I had exploded a bomb at the feet of the excellent Hassan its effect +could scarcely have been more remarkable than that of this question. He +turned--not pale, but a horrible yellow, and exclaimed: + +"English man-of-war! _Crocodile_! I thought she had gone to Aden to +refit and would not be back at Zanzibar for four months." + +A.Q.: "You have been misinformed, noble Hassan. She will not refit till +October. Shall I read you the letter?" and I produced a piece of paper +from my pocket. "It may be interesting since my friend, the captain, +whom you remember is named Flowers, mentions you in it. He says----" + +Hassan waved his hand. "It is enough. I see, honoured lord, that you are +a man of mettle not easily to be turned from your purpose. In the name +of God the Compassionate, land and go wheresoever you like." + +A.Q.: "I think that I had almost rather wait until the _Crocodile_ comes +in." + +H.: "Land! Land! Captain Delgado, get up the cargo and man your boat. +Mine too is at the service of these lords. You, Captain, will like to +get away by this night's tide. There is still light, Lord Quatermain, +and such hospitality as I can offer is at your service." + +A.Q.: "Ah! I knew Bey Hassan, that you were only joking with me when you +said that you wished us to go elsewhere. An excellent jest, truly, from +one whose hospitality is so famous. Well, to fall in with your wishes, +we will come ashore this evening, and if the Captain Delgado chances to +sight the Queen's ship _Crocodile_ before he sails, perhaps he will be +so good as to signal to us with a rocket." + +"Certainly, certainly," interrupted Delgado, who up to this time had +pretended that he understood no English, the tongue in which I was +speaking to the interpreter, Sammy. + +Then he turned and gave orders to his Arab crew to bring up our +belongings from the hold and to lower the _Maria's_ boat. + +Never did I see goods transferred in quicker time. Within half an hour +every one of our packages was off that ship, for Stephen Somers kept a +count of them. Our personal baggage went into the _Maria's_ boat, and +the goods together with the four donkeys which were lowered on to the +top of them, were rumbled pell-mell into the barge-like punt belonging +to Hassan. Here also I was accommodated, with about half of our people, +the rest taking their seats in the smaller boat under the charge of +Stephen. + +At length all was ready and we cast off. + +"Farewell, Captain," I cried to Delgado. "If you should sight the +_Crocodile_----" + +At this point Delgado broke into such a torrent of bad language in +Portuguese, Arabic and English that I fear the rest of my remarks never +reached him. + +As we rowed shorewards I observed that Hans, who was seated near to me +under the stomach of a jackass, was engaged in sniffing at the sides and +bottom of the barge, as a dog might do, and asked him what he was about. + +"Very odd smell in this boat," he whispered back in Dutch. "It stinks of +Kaffir man, just like the hold of the _Maria_. I think this boat is used +to carry slaves." + +"Be quiet," I whispered back, "and stop nosing at those planks." But to +myself I thought, Hans is right, we are in a nest of slave-traders, and +this Hassan is their leader. + +We rowed past the island, on which I observed the ruins of an old +Portuguese fort and some long grass-roofed huts, where, I reflected, the +slaves were probably kept until they could be shipped away. Observing my +glance fixed upon these, Hassan hastened to explain, through Sammy, that +they were storehouses in which he dried fish and hides, and kept goods. + +"How interesting!" I answered. "Further south we dry hides in the sun." + +Crossing a narrow channel we arrived at a rough jetty where we +disembarked, whence we were led by Hassan not to the village which I now +saw upon our left, but to a pleasant-looking, though dilapidated +house that stood a hundred yards from the shore. Something about the +appearance of this house impressed me with the idea that it was never +built by slavers; the whole look of the place with its verandah and +garden suggested taste and civilisation. Evidently educated people had +designed it and resided here. I glanced about me and saw, amidst a grove +of neglected orange trees that were surrounded with palms of some +age, the ruins of a church. About this there was no doubt, for there, +surmounted by a stone cross, was a little pent-house in which still hung +the bell that once summoned the worshippers to prayer. + +"Tell the English lord," said Hassan to Sammy, "that these buildings +were a mission station of the Christians, who abandoned them more than +twenty years ago. When I came here I found them empty." + +"Indeed," I answered, "and what were the names of those who dwelt in +them?" + +"I never heard," said Hassan; "they had been gone a long while when I +came." + +Then we went up to the house, and for the next hour and more were +engaged with our baggage which was piled in a heap in what had been the +garden and in unpacking and pitching two tents for the hunters which I +caused to be placed immediately in front of the rooms that were assigned +to us. Those rooms were remarkable in their way. Mine had evidently +been a sitting chamber, as I judged from some such broken articles of +furniture, that appeared to be of American make. That which Stephen +occupied had once served as a sleeping-place, for the bedstead of iron +still remained there. Also there were a hanging bookcase, now fallen, +and some tattered remnants of books. One of these, that oddly enough was +well-preserved, perhaps because the white ants or other creatures did +not like the taste of its morocco binding, was a Keble's _Christian +Year_, on the title-page of which was written, "To my dearest Elizabeth +on her birthday, from her husband." I took the liberty to put it in my +pocket. On the wall, moreover, still hung the small watercolour picture +of a very pretty young woman with fair hair and blue eyes, in the corner +of which picture was written in the same handwriting as that in the +book, "Elizabeth, aged twenty." This also I annexed, thinking that it +might come in useful as a piece of evidence. + +"Looks as if the owners of this place had left it in a hurry, +Quatermain," said Stephen. + +"That's it, my boy. Or perhaps they didn't leave; perhaps they stopped +here." + +"Murdered?" + +I nodded and said, "I dare say friend Hassan could tell us something +about the matter. Meanwhile as supper isn't ready yet, let us have a +look at that church while it is light." + +We walked through the palm and orange grove to where the building stood +finely placed upon a mound. It was well-constructed of a kind of coral +rock, and a glance showed us that it had been gutted by fire; the +discoloured walls told their own tale. The interior was now full of +shrubs and creepers, and an ugly, yellowish snake glided from what had +been the stone altar. Without, the graveyard was enclosed by a broken +wall, only we could see no trace of graves. Near the gateway, however, +was a rough mound. + +"If we could dig into that," I said, "I expect we should find the bones +of the people who inhabited this place. Does that suggest anything to +you, Stephen?" + +"Nothing, except that they were probably killed." + +"You should learn to draw inferences. It is a useful art, especially in +Africa. It suggests to me that, if you are right, the deed was not done +by natives, who would never take the trouble to bury the dead. Arabs, +on the contrary, might do so, especially if there were any bastard +Portuguese among them who called themselves Christians. But whatever +happened must have been a long while ago," and I pointed to a self-sown +hardwood tree growing from the mound which could scarcely have been less +than twenty years old. + +We returned to the house to find that our meal was ready. Hassan had +asked us to dine with him, but for obvious reasons I preferred that +Sammy should cook our food and that he should dine with us. He appeared +full of compliments, though I could see hate and suspicion in his eye, +and we fell to on the kid that we had bought from him, for I did not +wish to accept any gifts from this fellow. Our drink was square-face +gin, mixed with water that I sent Hans to fetch with his own hands from +the stream that ran by the house, lest otherwise it should be drugged. + +At first Hassan, like a good Mohammedan, refused to touch any spirits, +but as the meal went on he politely relented upon this point, and I +poured him out a liberal tot. The appetite comes in eating, as the +Frenchman said, and the same thing applies to drinking. So at least it +was in Hassan's case, who probably thought that the quantity swallowed +made no difference to his sin. After the third dose of square-face he +grew quite amiable and talkative. Thinking the opportunity a good one, +I sent for Sammy, and through him told our host that we were anxious to +hire twenty porters to carry our packages. He declared that there was +not such a thing as a porter within a hundred miles, whereon I gave him +some more gin. The end of it was that we struck a bargain, I forget for +how much, he promising to find us twenty good men who were to stay with +us for as long as we wanted them. + +Then I asked him about the destruction of the mission station, but +although he was half-drunk, on this point he remained very close. All he +would say was that he had heard that twenty years ago the people called +the Mazitu, who were very fierce, had raided right down to the coast and +killed those who dwelt there, except a white man and his wife who had +fled inland and never been seen again. + +"How many of them were buried in that mound by the church?" I asked +quickly. + +"Who told you they were buried there?" he replied, with a start, but +seeing his mistake, went on, "I do not know what you mean. I never heard +of anyone being buried. Sleep well, honoured lords, I must go and see to +the loading of my goods upon the _Maria_." Then rising, he salaamed and +walked, or rather rolled, away. + +"So the _Maria_ hasn't sailed after all," I said, and whistled in a +certain fashion. Instantly Hans crept into the room out of the darkness, +for this was my signal to him. + +"Hans," I said, "I hear sounds upon that island. Slip down to the shore +and spy out what is happening. No one will see you if you are careful." + +"No, Baas," he answered with a grin, "I do not think that anyone will +see Hans if he is careful, especially at night," and he slid away as +quietly as he had come. + +Now I went out and spoke to Mavovo, telling him to keep a good watch +and to be sure that every man had his gun ready, as I thought that these +people were slave-traders and might attack us in the night. + +In that event, I said, they were to fall back upon the stoep, but not to +fire until I gave the word. + +"Good, my father," he answered. "This is a lucky journey; I never +thought there would be hope of war so soon. My Snake forgot to mention +it the other night. Sleep safe, Macumazana. Nothing that walks shall +reach you while we live." + +"Don't be so sure," I answered, and we lay down in the bedroom with our +clothes on and our rifles by our sides. + +The next thing I remember was someone shaking me by the shoulder. I +thought it was Stephen, who had agreed to keep awake for the first part +of the night and to call me at one in the morning. Indeed, he was awake, +for I could see the glow from the pipe he smoked. + +"Baas," whispered the voice of Hans, "I have found out everything. They +are loading the _Maria_ with slaves, taking them in big boats from the +island." + +"So," I answered. "But how did you get here? Are the hunters asleep +without?" + +He chuckled. "No, they are not asleep; they look with all their eyes and +listen with all their ears, yet old Hans passed through them; even the +Baas Somers did not hear him." + +"That I didn't," said Stephen; "thought a rat was moving, no more." + +I stepped through the place where the door had been on to the stoep. +By the light of the fire which the hunters had lit without I could see +Mavovo sitting wide awake, his gun upon his knees, and beyond him two +sentries. I called him and pointed to Hans. + +"See," I said, "what good watchmen you are when one can step over your +heads and enter my room without your knowing it!" + +Mavovo looked at the Hottentot and felt his clothes and boots to see +whether they were wet with the night dew. + +"_Ow!_" he exclaimed in a surly voice, "I said that nothing which walks +could reach you, Macumazana, but this yellow snake has crawled between +us on his belly. Look at the new mud that stains his waistcoat." + +"Yet snakes can bite and kill," answered Hans with a snigger. "Oh! you +Zulus think that you are very brave, and shout and flourish spears and +battleaxes. One poor Hottentot dog is worth a whole impi of you after +all. No, don't try to strike me, Mavovo the warrior, since we both serve +the same master in our separate ways. When it comes to fighting I will +leave the matter to you, but when it is a case of watching or spying, +do you leave it to Hans. Look here, Mavovo," and he opened his hand in +which was a horn snuff-box such as Zulus sometimes carry in their ears. +"To whom does this belong?" + +"It is mine," said Mavovo, "and you have stolen it." + +"Yes," jeered Hans, "it is yours. Also I stole it from your ear as I +passed you in the dark. Don't you remember that you thought a gnat had +tickled you and hit up at your face?" + +"It is true," growled Mavovo, "and you, snake of a Hottentot, are great +in your own low way. Yet next time anything tickles me, I shall strike, +not with my hand, but with a spear." + +Then I turned them both out, remarking to Stephen that this was a good +example of the eternal fight between courage and cunning. After this, as +I was sure that Hassan and his friends were too busy to interfere with +us that night, we went to bed and slept the sleep of the just. + +When I got up the next morning I found that Stephen Somers had already +risen and gone out, nor did he appear until I was half through my +breakfast. + +"Where on earth have you been?" I asked, noting that his clothes were +torn and covered with wet moss. + +"Up the tallest of those palm trees, Quatermain. Saw an Arab climbing +one of them with a rope and got another Arab to teach me the trick. It +isn't really difficult, though it looks alarming." + +"What in the name of goodness----" I began. + +"Oh!" he interrupted, "my ruling passion. Looking through the glasses I +thought I caught sight of an orchid growing near the crown, so went +up. It wasn't an orchid after all, only a mass of yellow pollen. But I +learned something for my pains. Sitting in the top of that palm I saw +the _Maria_ working out from under the lee of the island. Also, far +away, I noted a streak of smoke, and watching it through the glasses, +made out what looked to me uncommonly like a man-of-war steaming slowly +along the coast. In fact, I am sure it was, and English too. Then the +mist came up and I lost sight of them." + +"My word!" I said, "that will be the _Crocodile_. What I told our host, +Hassan, was not altogether bunkum. Mr. Cato, the port officer at Durban, +mentioned to me that the _Crocodile_ was expected to call there within +the next fortnight to take in stores after a slave-hunting cruise down +the coast. Now it would be odd if she chanced to meet the _Maria_ and +asked to have a look at her cargo, wouldn't it?" + +"Not at all, Quatermain, for unless one or the other of them changes her +course that is just what she must do within the next hour or so, and I +jolly well hope she will. I haven't forgiven that beast, Delgado, the +trick he tried to play on us by slipping away with our goods, to say +nothing of those poor devils of slaves. Pass the coffee, will you?" + +For the next ten minutes we ate in silence, for Stephen had an excellent +appetite and was hungry after his morning climb. + +Just as we finished our meal Hassan appeared, looking even more +villainous than he had done the previous day. I saw also that he was +in a truculent mood, induced perhaps by the headache from which he was +evidently suffering as a result of his potations. Or perhaps the fact +that the _Maria_ had got safe away with the slaves, as he imagined +unobserved by us, was the cause of the change of his demeanour. A third +alternative may have been that he intended to murder us during the +previous night and found no safe opportunity of carrying out his amiable +scheme. + +We saluted him courteously, but without salaaming in reply he asked me +bluntly through Sammy when we intended to be gone, as such "Christian +dogs defiled his house," which he wanted for himself. + +I answered, as soon as the twenty bearers whom he had promised us +appeared, but not before. + +"You lie," he said. "I never promised you bearers; I have none here." + +"Do you mean that you shipped them all away in the _Maria_ with the +slaves last night?" I asked, sweetly. + +My reader, have you ever taken note of the appearance and proceedings +of a tom-cat of established age and morose disposition when a little +dog suddenly disturbs it on the prowl? Have you observed how it contorts +itself into arched but unnatural shapes, how it swells visibly to almost +twice its normal size, how its hair stands up and its eyes flash, and +the stream of unmentionable language that proceeds from its open mouth? +If so, you will have a very good idea of the effect produced upon Hassan +by this remark of mine. The fellow looked as though he were going to +burst with rage. He rolled about, his bloodshot eyes seemed to protrude, +he cursed us horribly, he put his hand upon the hilt of the great knife +he wore, and finally he did what the tom-cat does, he spat. + +Now, Stephen was standing with me, looking as cool as a cucumber and +very much amused, and being, as it chanced, a little nearer to Hassan +than I was, received the full benefit of this rude proceeding. My word! +didn't it wake him up. He said something strong, and the next second +flew at the half-breed like a tiger, landing him a beauty straight upon +the nose. Back staggered Hassan, drawing his knife as he did so, but +Stephen's left in the eye caused him to drop it, as he dropped himself. +I pounced upon the knife, and since it was too late to interfere, for +the mischief had been done, let things take their course and held back +the Zulus who had rushed up at the noise. + +Hassan rose and, to do him credit, came on like a man, head down. His +great skull caught Stephen, who was the lighter of the two, in the chest +and knocked him over, but before the Arab could follow up the advantage, +he was on his feet again. Then ensued a really glorious mill. Hassan +fought with head and fists and feet, Stephen with fists alone. Dodging +his opponent's rushes, he gave it to him as he passed, and soon his +coolness and silence began to tell. Once he was knocked over by a hooked +one under the jaw, but in the next round he sent the Arab literally +flying head over heels. Oh! how those Zulus cheered, and I, too, danced +with delight. Up Hassan came again, spitting out several teeth and, +adopting new tactics, grabbed Stephen round the middle. To and fro they +swung, the Arab trying to kick the Englishman with his knees and to bite +him also, till the pain reminded him of the absence of his front teeth. +Once he nearly got him down--nearly, but not quite, for the collar by +which he had gripped him (his object was to strangle) burst and, at that +juncture, Hassan's turban fell over his face, blinding him for a moment. + +Then Stephen gripped him round the middle with his left arm and with his +right pommelled him unmercifully till he sank in a sitting position to +the ground and held up his hand in token of surrender. + +"The noble English lord has beaten me," he gasped. + +"Apologise!" yelled Stephen, picking up a handful of mud, "or I shove +this down your dirty throat." + +He seemed to understand. At any rate, he bowed till his forehead touched +the ground, and apologised very thoroughly. + +"Now that is over," I said cheerfully to him, "so how about those +bearers?" + +"I have no bearers," he answered. + +"You dirty liar," I exclaimed; "one of my people has been down to your +village there and says it is full of men." + +"Then go and take them for yourself," he replied, viciously, for he knew +that the place was stockaded. + +Now I was in a fix. It was all very well to give a slave-dealer the +thrashing he deserved, but if he chose to attack us with his Arabs we +should be in a poor way. Watching me with the eye that was not bunged +up, Hassan guessed my perplexity. + +"I have been beaten like a dog," he said, his rage returning to him with +his breath, "but God is compassionate and just, He will avenge in due +time." + +The words had not left his lips for one second when from somewhere out +at sea there floated the sullen boom of a great gun. At this moment, +too, an Arab rushed up from the shore, crying: + +"Where is the Bey Hassan?" + +"Here," I said, pointing at him. + +The Arab stared until I thought his eyes would drop out, for the Bey +Hassan was indeed a sight to see. Then he gabbled in a frightened voice: + +"Captain, an English man-of-war is chasing the _Maria_." + +Boom went the great gun for the second time. Hassan said nothing, but +his jaw dropped, and I saw that he had lost exactly three teeth. + +"That is the _Crocodile_," I remarked slowly, causing Sammy to +translate, and as I spoke, produced from my inner pocket a Union Jack +which I had placed there after I heard that the ship was sighted. +"Stephen," I went on as I shook it out, "if you have got your wind, +would you mind climbing up that palm tree again and signalling with this +to the _Crocodile_ out at sea?" + +"By George! that's a good idea," said Stephen, whose jovial face, +although swollen, was now again wreathed in smiles. "Hans, bring me a +long stick and a bit of string." + +But Hassan did not think it at all a good idea. + +"English lord," he gasped, "you shall have the bearers. I will go to +fetch them." + +"No, you won't," I said, "you will stop here as a hostage. Send that +man." + +Hassan uttered some rapid orders and the messenger sped away, this time +towards the stockaded village on the right. + +As he went another messenger arrived, who also stared amazedly at the +condition of his chief. + +"Bey--if you are the Bey," he said, in a doubtful voice, for by now +the amiable face of Hassan had begun to swell and colour, "with the +telescope we have seen that the English man-of-war has sent a boat and +boarded the _Maria_." + +"God is great!" muttered the discomfited Hassan, "and Delgado, who is a +thief and a traitor from his mother's breast, will tell the truth. The +English sons of Satan will land here. All is finished; nothing is left +but flight. Bid the people fly into the bush and take the slaves--I mean +their servants. I will join them." + +"No, you won't," I interrupted, through Sammy; "at any rate, not at +present. You will come with us." + +The miserable Hassan reflected, then he asked: + +"Lord Quatermain" (I remember the title, because it is the nearest I +ever got, or am likely to get, to the peerage), "if I furnish you with +the twenty bearers and accompany you for some days on your journey +inland, will you promise not to signal to your countrymen on the ship +and bring them ashore?" + +"What do you think?" I asked of Stephen. + +"Oh!" he answered, "I think I'd agree. This scoundrel has had a pretty +good dusting, and if once the _Crocodile_ people land, there'll be an +end of our expedition. As sure as eggs are eggs they will carry us off +to Zanzibar or somewhere to give evidence before a slave court. Also +nothing will be gained, for by the time the sailors get here, all these +rascals will have bolted, except our friend, Hassan. You see it isn't +as though we were sure he would be hung. He'd probably escape after all. +International law, subject of a foreign Power, no direct proof--that +kind of thing, you know." + +"Give me a minute or two," I said, and began to reflect very deeply. + +Whilst I was thus engaged several things happened. I saw twenty natives +being escorted towards us, doubtless the bearers who had been promised; +also I saw many others, accompanied by other natives, flying from the +village into the bush. Lastly, a third messenger arrived, who announced +that the _Maria_ was sailing away, apparently in charge of a prize-crew, +and that the man-of-war was putting about as though to accompany her. +Evidently she had no intention of effecting a landing upon what was, +nominally at any rate, Portuguese territory. Therefore, if anything was +to be done, we must act at once. + +Well, the end of it was that, like a fool, I accepted Stephen's advice +and did nothing, always the easiest course and generally that which +leads to most trouble. Ten minutes afterwards I changed my mind, but +then it was too late; the _Crocodile_ was out of signalling distance. +This was subsequent to a conversation with Hans. + +"Baas," said that worthy, in his leery fashion, "I think you have made a +mistake. You forget that these yellow devils in white robes who have +run away will come back again, and that when you return from up country, +they may be waiting for you. Now if the English man-of-war had destroyed +their town, and their slave-sheds, they might have gone somewhere else. +However," he added, as an afterthought, glancing at the disfigured +Hassan, "we have their captain, and of course you mean to hang him, +Baas. Or if you don't like to, leave it to me. I can hang men very well. +Once, when I was young, I helped the executioner at Cape Town." + +"Get out," I said, but, nevertheless, I knew that Hans was right. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + + THE SLAVE ROAD + +The twenty bearers having arrived, in charge of five or six Arabs armed +with guns, we went to inspect them, taking Hassan with us, also +the hunters. They were a likely lot of men, though rather thin and +scared-looking, and evidently, as I could see from their physical +appearance and varying methods of dressing the hair, members of +different tribes. Having delivered them, the Arabs, or rather one of +them, entered into excited conversation with Hassan. As Sammy was not +at hand I do not know what was said, although I gathered that they were +contemplating his rescue. If so, they gave up the idea and began to run +away as their companions had done. One of them, however, a bolder fellow +than the rest, turned and fired at me. He missed by some yards, as I +could tell from the sing of the bullet, for these Arabs are execrable +shots. Still his attempt at murder irritated me so much that I +determined he should not go scot-free. I was carrying the little rifle +called "Intombi," that with which, as Hans had reminded me, I shot the +vultures at Dingaan's kraal many years before. Of course, I could have +killed the man, but this I did not wish to do. Or I could have shot him +through the leg, but then we should have had to nurse him or leave him +to die! So I selected his right arm, which was outstretched as he fled, +and at about fifty paces put a bullet through it just above the elbow. + +"There," I said to the Zulus as I saw it double up, "that low fellow +will never shoot at anyone again." + +"Pretty, Macumazana, very pretty!" said Mavovo, "but as you can aim so +well, why not have chosen his head? That bullet is half-wasted." + +Next I set to work to get into communication with the bearers, who +thought, poor devils, that they had been but sold to a new master. Here +I may explain that they were slaves not meant for exportation, but men +kept to cultivate Hassan's gardens. Fortunately I found that two of them +belonged to the Mazitu people, who it may be remembered are of the +same blood as the Zulus, although they separated from the parent stock +generations ago. These men talked a dialect that I could understand, +though at first not very easily. The foundation of it was Zulu, but it +had become much mixed with the languages of other tribes whose women the +Mazitu had taken to wife. + +Also there was a man who could speak some bastard Arabic, sufficiently +well for Sammy to converse with him. + +I asked the Mazitus if they knew the way back to their country. They +answered yes, but it was far off, a full month's journey. I told them +that if they would guide us thither, they should receive their freedom +and good pay, adding that if the other men served us well, they also +should be set free when we had done with them. On receiving this +information the poor wretches smiled in a sickly fashion and looked at +Hassan-ben-Mohammed, who glowered at them and us from the box on which +he was seated in charge of Mavovo. + +How can we be free while that man lives, their look seemed to say. As +though to confirm their doubts Hassan, who understood or guessed what +was passing, asked by what right we were promising freedom to his +slaves. + +"By right of that," I answered, pointing to the Union Jack which Stephen +still had in his hand. "Also we will pay you for them when we return, +according as they have served us." + +"Yes," he muttered, "you will pay me for them when you return, or +perhaps before that, Englishman." + +It was three o'clock in the afternoon before we were able to make a +start. There was so much to be arranged that it might have been wiser +to wait till the morrow, had we not determined that if we could help it +nothing would induce us to spend another night in that place. Blankets +were served out to each of the bearers who, poor naked creatures, seemed +quite touched at the gift of them; the loads were apportioned, having +already been packed at Durban in cases such as one man could carry. The +pack saddles were put upon the four donkeys which proved to be none the +worse for their journey, and burdens to a weight of about 100 lbs. each +fixed on them in waterproof hide bags, besides cooking calabashes and +sleeping mats which Hans produced from somewhere. Probably he stole them +out of the deserted village, but as they were necessary to us I confess +I asked no questions. Lastly, six or eight goats which were wandering +about were captured to take with us for food till we could find game. +For these I offered to pay Hassan, but when I handed him the money he +threw it down in a rage, so I picked it up and put it in my pocket again +with a clear conscience. + +At length everything was more or less ready, and the question arose as +to what was to be done with Hassan. The Zulus, like Hans, wished to kill +him, as Sammy explained to him in his best Arabic. Then this murderous +fellow showed what a coward he was at heart. He flung himself upon his +knees, he wept, he invoked us in the name of the Compassionate Allah +who, he explained, was after all the same God that we worshipped, till +Mavovo, growing impatient of the noise, threatened him with his kerry, +whereon he became silent. The easy-natured Stephen was for letting him +go, a plan that seemed to have advantages, for then at least we should +be rid of his abominable company. After reflection, however, I decided +that we had better take him along with us, at any rate for a day or so, +to hold as a hostage in case the Arabs should follow and attack us. At +first he refused to stir, but the assegai of one of the Zulu hunters +pressed gently against what remained of his robe, furnished an argument +that he could not resist. + +At length we were off. I with the two guides went ahead. Then came the +bearers, then half of the hunters, then the four donkeys in charge of +Hans and Sammy, then Hassan and the rest of the hunters, except Mavovo, +who brought up the rear with Stephen. Needless to say, all our rifles +were loaded, and generally we were prepared for any emergency. The only +path, that which the guides said we must follow, ran by the seashore +for a few hundred yards and then turned inland through Hassan's village +where he lived, for it seemed that the old mission house was not used by +him. As we marched along a little rocky cliff--it was not more than ten +feet high--where a deep-water channel perhaps fifty yards in breadth +separated the mainland from the island whence the slaves had been loaded +on to the _Maria_, some difficulty arose about the donkeys. One of these +slipped its load and another began to buck and evinced an inclination to +leap into the sea with its precious burden. The rearguard of hunters ran +to get hold of it, when suddenly there was a splash. + +The brute's in! I thought to myself, till a shout told me that not +the ass, but Hassan had departed over the cliff's edge. Watching his +opportunity and being, it was clear, a first-rate swimmer, he had flung +himself backwards in the midst of the confusion and falling into deep +water, promptly dived. About twenty yards from the shore he came up for +a moment, then dived again heading for the island. I dare say I could +have potted him through the head with a snap shot, but somehow I did +not like to kill a man swimming for his life as though he were a +hippopotamus or a crocodile. Moreover, the boldness of the manoeuvre +appealed to me. So I refrained from firing and called to the others to +do likewise. + +As our late host approached the shore of the island I saw Arabs running +down the rocks to help him out of the water. Either they had not left +the place, or had re-occupied it as soon as H.M.S. _Crocodile_ had +vanished with her prize. As it was clear that to recapture Hassan would +involve an attack upon the garrison of the island which we were in no +position to carry out, I gave orders for the march to be resumed. These, +the difficulty with the donkey having been overcome, were obeyed at +once. + +It was fortunate that we did not delay, for scarcely had the caravan got +into motion when the Arabs on the island began to fire at us. Luckily no +one was hit, and we were soon round a point and under cover; also their +shooting was as bad as usual. One missile, however, it was a pot-leg, +struck a donkey-load and smashed a bottle of good brandy and a tin of +preserved butter. This made me angry, so motioning to the others to +proceed I took shelter behind a tree and waited till a torn and dirty +turban, which I recognised as that of Hassan, poked up above a rock. +Well, I put a bullet through that turban, for I saw the thing fly, but +unfortunately, not through the head beneath it. Having left this P.P.C. +card on our host, I bolted from the rock and caught up the others. + +Presently we passed round the village; through it I would not go for +fear of an ambuscade. It was quite a big place, enclosed with a strong +fence, but hidden from the sea by a rise in the intervening land. In the +centre was a large eastern-looking house, where doubtless Hassan +dwelt with his harem. After we had gone a little way further, to my +astonishment I saw flames breaking out from the palm-leaf roof of this +house. At the time I could not imagine how this happened, but when, +a day or two later, I observed Hans wearing a pair of large and very +handsome gold pendants in his ears and a gold bracelet on his wrist, and +found that he and one of the hunters were extremely well set up in the +matter of British sovereigns--well, I had my doubts. In due course +the truth came out. He and the hunter, an adventurous spirit, slipped +through a gate in the fence without being observed, ran across the +deserted village to the house, stole the ornaments and money from the +women's apartments and as they departed, fired the place "in exchange +for the bottle of good brandy," as Hans explained. + +I was inclined to be angry, but after all, as we had been fired on, +Hans's exploit became an act of war rather than a theft. So I made him +and his companion divide the gold equally with the rest of the hunters, +who no doubt had kept their eyes conveniently shut, not forgetting +Sammy, and said no more. They netted L8 apiece, which pleased them very +much. In addition to this I gave L1 each, or rather goods to that value, +to the bearers as their share of the loot. + +Hassan, I remarked, was evidently a great agriculturist, for the gardens +which he worked by slave labour were beautiful, and must have brought +him in a large revenue. + +Passing through these gardens we came to sloping land covered with bush. +Here the track was not too good, for the creepers hampered our progress. +Indeed, I was very glad when towards sunset we reached the crest of a +hill and emerged upon a tableland which was almost clear of trees and +rose gradually till it met the horizon. In that bush we might easily +have been attacked, but in this open country I was not so much afraid, +since the loss to the Arabs would have been great before we were +overpowered. As a matter of fact, although spies dogged us for days no +assault was ever attempted. + +Finding a convenient place by a stream we camped for the night, but as +it was so fine, did not pitch the tents. Afterwards I was sorry that +we had not gone further from the water, since the mosquitoes bred by +millions in the marshes bordering the stream gave us a dreadful time. On +poor Stephen, fresh from England, they fell with peculiar ferocity, with +the result that in the morning what between the bruises left by Hassan +and their bites, he was a spectacle for men and angels. Another thing +that broke our rest was the necessity of keeping a strict watch in case +the slave-traders should elect to attack us in the hours of darkness; +also to guard against the possibility of our bearers running away and +perhaps stealing the goods. It is true that before they went to sleep I +explained to them very clearly that any of them who attempted to give us +the slip would certainly be seen and shot, whereas if they remained with +us they would be treated with every kindness. They answered through the +two Mazitu that they had nowhere to go, and did not wish to fall again +into the power of Hassan, of whom they spoke literally with shudders, +pointing the while to their scarred backs and the marks of the slave +yokes upon their necks. Their protestations seemed and indeed proved to +be sincere, but of this of course we could not then be sure. + +As I was engaged at sunrise in making certain that the donkeys had not +strayed and generally that all was well, I noted through the thin mist +a little white object, which at first I thought was a small bird sitting +on an upright stick about fifty yards from the camp. I went towards it +and discovered that it was not a bird but a folded piece of paper stuck +in a cleft wand, such as natives often use for the carrying of letters. +I opened the paper and with great difficulty, for the writing within was +bad Portuguese, read as follows: + + + "English Devils.--Do not think that you have escaped me. I know + where you are going, and if you live through the journey it will + be but to die at my hands after all. I tell you that I have at my + command three hundred brave men armed with guns who worship Allah + and thirst for the blood of Christian dogs. With these I will + follow, and if you fall into my hands alive, you shall learn what + it is to die by fire or pinned over ant-heaps in the sun. Let us + see if your English man-of-war will help you then, or your false + God either. Misfortune go with you, white-skinned robbers of + honest men!" + + +This pleasing epistle was unsigned, but its anonymous author was not +hard to identify. I showed it to Stephen who was so infuriated at its +contents that he managed to dab some ammonia with which he was treating +his mosquito bites into his eye. When at length the pain was soothed by +bathing, we concocted this answer: + + + "Murderer, known among men as Hassan-ben-Mohammed--Truly we sinned + in not hanging you when you were in our power. Oh! wolf who grows + fat upon the blood of the innocent, this is a fault that we shall + not commit again. Your death is near to you and we believe at our + hands. Come with all your villains whenever you will. The more + there are of them the better we shall be pleased, who would rather + rid the world of many fiends than of a few, + + "Till we meet again, Allan Quatermain, + Stephen Somers." + + +"Neat, if not Christian," I said when I had read the letter over. + +"Yes," replied Stephen, "but perhaps just a little bombastic in tone. If +that gentleman did arrive with three hundred armed men--eh?" + +"Then, my boy," I answered, "in this way or in that we shall thrash him. +I don't often have an inspiration, but I've got one now, and it is to +the effect that Mr. Hassan has not very long to live and that we shall +be intimately connected with his end. Wait till you have seen a slave +caravan and you will understand my feelings. Also I know these gentry. +That little prophecy of ours will get upon his nerves and give him a +foretaste of things. Hans, go and set this letter in that cleft stick. +The postman will call for it before long." + + + +As it happened, within a few days we did see a slave caravan, some of +the merchandise of the estimable Hassan. + +We had been making good progress through a beautiful and healthy +country, steering almost due west, or rather a little to the north of +west. The land was undulating and rich, well-watered and only bush-clad +in the neighbourhood of the streams, the higher ground being open, of +a park-like character, and dotted here and there with trees. It was +evident that once, and not very long ago, the population had been dense, +for we came to the remains of many villages, or rather towns with large +market-places. Now, however, these were burned with fire, or deserted, +or occupied only by a few old bodies who got a living from the overgrown +gardens. These poor people, who sat desolate and crooning in the sun, or +perhaps worked feebly at the once fertile fields, would fly screaming +at our approach, for to them men armed with guns must of necessity be +slave-traders. + +Still from time to time we contrived to catch some of them, and through +one member of our party or the other to get at their stories. Really it +was all one story. The slaving Arabs, on this pretext or on that, had +set tribe against tribe. Then they sided with the stronger and conquered +the weaker by aid of their terrible guns, killing out the old folk and +taking the young men, women and children (except the infants whom they +butchered) to be sold as slaves. It seemed that the business had begun +about twenty years before, when Hassan-ben-Mohammed and his companions +arrived at Kilwa and drove away the missionary who had built a station +there. + +At first this trade was extremely easy and profitable, since the +raw material lay near at hand in plenty. By degrees, however, the +neighbouring communities had been worked out. Countless numbers of them +were killed, while the pick of the population passed under the slave +yoke, and those of them who survived, vanished in ships to unknown +lands. Thus it came about that the slavers were obliged to go further +afield and even to conduct their raids upon the borders of the territory +of the great Mazitu people, the inland race of Zulu origin of whom I +have spoken. According to our informants, it was even rumoured that they +proposed shortly to attack these Mazitus in force, relying on their guns +to give them the victory and open to them a new and almost inexhaustible +store of splendid human merchandise. Meanwhile they were cleaning out +certain small tribes which hitherto had escaped them, owing to the fact +that they had their residence in bush or among difficult hills. + +The track we followed was the recognised slave road. Of this we soon +became aware by the numbers of skeletons which we found lying in the +tall grass at its side, some of them with heavy slave-sticks still upon +their wrists. These, I suppose, had died from exhaustion, but others, as +their split skulls showed had been disposed of by their captors. + +On the eighth day of our march we struck the track of a slave caravan. +It had been travelling towards the coast, but for some reason or other +had turned back. This may have been because its leaders had been warned +of the approach of our party. Or perhaps they had heard that another +caravan, which was at work in a different district, was drawing near, +bringing its slaves with it, and wished to wait for its arrival in order +that they might join forces. + +The spoor of these people was easy to follow. First we found the body +of a boy of about ten. Then vultures revealed to us the remains of two +young men, one of whom had been shot and the other killed by a blow from +an axe. Their corpses were roughly hidden beneath some grass, I know not +why. A mile or two further on we heard a child wailing and found it by +following its cries. It was a little girl of about four who had been +pretty, though now she was but a living skeleton. When she saw us she +scrambled away on all fours like a monkey. Stephen followed her, while +I, sick at heart, went to get a tin of preserved milk from our +stores. Presently I heard him call to me in a horrified voice. Rather +reluctantly, for I knew that he must have found something dreadful, +I pushed my way through the bush to where he was. There, bound to the +trunk of a tree, sat a young woman, evidently the mother of the child, +for it clung to her leg. + +Thank God she was still living, though she must have died before another +day dawned. We cut her loose, and the Zulu hunters, who are kind folk +enough when they are not at war, carried her to camp. In the end with +much trouble we saved the lives of that mother and child. I sent for the +two Mazitus, with whom I could by now talk fairly well, and asked them +why the slavers did these things. + +They shrugged their shoulders and one of them answered with a rather +dreadful laugh: + +"Because, Chief, these Arabs, being black-hearted, kill those who can +walk no more, or tie them up to die. If they let them go they might +recover and escape, and it makes the Arabs sad that those who have been +their slaves should live to be free and happy." + +"Does it? Does it indeed?" exclaimed Stephen with a snort of rage that +reminded me of his father. "Well, if ever I get a chance I'll make them +sad with a vengeance." + +Stephen was a tender-hearted young man, and for all his soft and +indolent ways, an awkward customer when roused. + +Within forty-eight hours he got his chance, thus: That day we camped +early for two reasons. The first was that the woman and child we had +rescued wee so weak they could not walk without rest, and we had no men +to spare to carry them; the second that we came to an ideal spot to +pass the night. It was, as usual, a deserted village through which ran a +beautiful stream of water. Here we took possession of some outlying huts +with a fence round them, and as Mavovo had managed to shoot a fat eland +cow and her half-grown calf, we prepared to have a regular feast. Whilst +Sammy was making some broth for the rescued woman, and Stephen and I +smoked our pipes and watched him, Hans slipped through the broken gate +of the thorn fence, or _boma_, and announced that Arabs were coming, two +lots of them with many slaves. + +We ran out to look and saw that, as he had said, two caravans were +approaching, or rather had reached the village, but at some distance +from us, and were now camping on what had once been the market-place. +One of these was that whose track we had followed, although during the +last few hours of our march we had struck away from it, chiefly because +we could not bear such sights as I have described. It seemed to comprise +about two hundred and fifty slaves and over forty guards, all black men +carrying guns, and most of them by their dress Arabs, or bastard Arabs. +In the second caravan, which approached from another direction, were not +more than one hundred slaves and about twenty or thirty captors. + +"Now," I said, "let us eat our dinner and then, if you like, we will +go to call upon those gentlemen, just to show that we are not afraid +of them. Hans, get the flag and tie it to the top of that tree; it will +show them to what country we belong." + +Up went the Union Jack duly, and presently through our glasses we saw +the slavers running about in a state of excitement; also we saw the poor +slaves turn and stare at the bit of flapping bunting and then begin to +talk to each other. It struck me as possible that someone among their +number had seen a Union Jack in the hands of an English traveller, or +had heard of it as flying upon ships or at points on the coast, and what +it meant to slaves. Or they may have understood some of the remarks of +the Arabs, which no doubt were pointed and explanatory. At any rate, +they turned and stared till the Arabs ran among them with sjambocks, +that is, whips of hippopotamus hide, and suppressed their animated +conversation with many blows. + +At first I thought that they would break camp and march away; indeed, +they began to make preparations to do this, then abandoned the idea, +probably because the slaves were exhausted and there was no other water +they could reach before nightfall. In the end they settled down and lit +cooking fires. Also, as I observed, they took precautions against attack +by stationing sentries and forcing the slaves to construct a _boma_ of +thorns about their camp. + +"Well," said Stephen, when we had finished our dinner, "are you ready +for that call?" + +"No!" I answered, "I do not think that I am. I have been considering +things, and concluded that we had better leave well alone. By this time +those Arabs will know all the story of our dealings with their worthy +master, Hassan, for no doubt he has sent messengers to them. Therefore, +if we go to their camp, they may shoot us at sight. Or, if they receive +us well, they may offer hospitality and poison us, or cut our throats +suddenly. Our position might be better, still it is one that I believe +they would find difficult to take. So, in my opinion, we had better stop +still and await developments." + +Stephen grumbled something about my being over-cautious, but I took no +heed of him. One thing I did do, however. Sending for Hans, I told him +to take one of the Mazitu--I dared not risk them both for they were our +guides--and another of the natives whom we had borrowed from Hassan, +a bold fellow who knew all the local languages, and creep down to the +slavers' camp as soon as it was quite dark. There I ordered him to find +out what he could, and if possible to mix with the slaves and explain +that we were their friends. Hans nodded, for this was exactly the kind +of task that appealed to him, and went off to make his preparations. + +Stephen and I also made some preparations in the way of strengthening +our defences, building large watch-fires and setting sentries. + +The night fell, and Hans with his companions departed stealthily as +snakes. The silence was intense, save for the occasional wailings of +the slaves, which now and again broke out in bursts of melancholy sound, +"_La-lu-La-lua!_" and then died away, to be followed by horrid screams +as the Arabs laid their lashes upon some poor wretch. Once too, a shot +was fired. + +"They have seen Hans," said Stephen. + +"I think not," I answered, "for if so there would have been more than +one shot. Either it was an accident or they were murdering a slave." + +After this nothing more happened for a long while, till at length Hans +seemed to rise out of the ground in front of me, and behind him I saw +the figures of the Mazitu and the other man. + +"Tell your story," I said. + +"Baas, it is this. Between us we have learned everything. The Arabs know +all about you and what men you have. Hassan has sent them orders to kill +you. It is well that you did not go to visit them, for certainly you +would have been murdered. We crept near and overheard their talk. They +purpose to attack us at dawn to-morrow morning unless we leave this +place before, which they will know of as we are being watched." + +"And if so, what then?" I asked. + +"Then, Baas, they will attack as we are making up the caravan, or +immediately afterwards as we begin to march." + +"Indeed. Anything more, Hans?" + +"Yes, Baas. These two men crept among the slaves and spoke with +them. They are very sad, those slaves, and many of them have died of +heart-pain because they have been taken from their homes and do not know +where they are going. I saw one die just now; a young woman. She +was talking to another woman and seemed quite well, only tired, till +suddenly she said in a loud voice, 'I am going to die, that I may come +back as a spirit and bewitch these devils till they are spirits too.' +Then she called upon the fetish of her tribe, put her hands to her +breast and fell down dead. At least," added Hans, spitting reflectively, +"she did not fall quite down because the slave-stick held her head off +the ground. The Arabs were very angry, both because she had cursed them +and was dead. One of them came and kicked her body and afterwards shot +her little boy who was sick, because the mother had cursed them. But +fortunately he did not see us, because we were in the dark far from the +fire." + +"Anything more, Hans?" + +"One thing, Baas. These two men lent the knives you gave them to two +of the boldest among the slaves that they might cut the cords of the +slave-sticks and the other cords with which they were tied, and then +pass them down the lines, that their brothers might do the same. But +perhaps the Arabs will find it out, and then the Mazitu and the other +must lose their knives. That is all. Has the Baas a little tobacco?" + +"Now, Stephen," I said when Hans had gone and I had explained +everything, "there are two courses open to us. Either we can try to give +these gentlemen the slip at once, in which case we must leave the woman +and child to their fate, or we can stop where we are and wait to be +attacked." + +"I won't run," said Stephen sullenly; "it would be cowardly to desert +that poor creature. Also we should have a worse chance marching. +Remember Hans said that they are watching us." + +"Then you would wait to be attacked?" + +"Isn't there a third alternative, Quatermain? To attack them?" + +"That's the idea," I said. "Let us send for Mavovo." + +Presently he came and sat down in front of us, while I set out the case +to him. + +"It is the fashion of my people to attack rather than to be attacked, +and yet, my father, in this case my heart is against it. Hans" (he +called him _Inblatu_, a Zulu word which means Spotted Snake, that was +the Hottentot's Kaffir name) "says that there are quite sixty of the +yellow dogs, all armed with guns, whereas we have not more than fifteen, +for we cannot trust the slave men. Also he says that they are within a +strong fence and awake, with spies out, so that it will be difficult to +surprise them. But here, father, we are in a strong fence and cannot be +surprised. Also men who torture and kill women and children, except in +war must, I think, be cowards, and will come on faintly against good +shooting, if indeed they come at all. Therefore, I say, 'Wait till +the buffalo shall either charge or run.' But the word is with you, +Macumazana, wise Watcher-by-Night, not with me, your hunter. Speak, you +who are old in war, and I will obey." + +"You argue well," I answered; "also another reason comes to my mind. +Those Arab brutes may get behind the slaves, of whom we should butcher +a lot without hurting them. Stephen, I think we had better see the thing +through here." + +"All right, Quatermain. Only I hope that Mavovo is wrong in thinking +that those blackguards may change their minds and run away." + +"Really, young man, you are becoming very blood-thirsty--for an orchid +grower," I remarked, looking at him. "Now, for my part, I devoutly hope +that Mavovo is right, for let me tell you, if he isn't it may be a nasty +job." + +"I've always been peaceful enough up to the present," replied Stephen. +"But the sight of those unhappy wretches of slaves with their heads cut +open, and of the woman tied to a tree to starve----" + +"Make you wish to usurp the functions of God Almighty," I said. "Well, +it is a natural impulse and perhaps, in the circumstances, one that will +not displease Him. And now, as we have made up our minds what we are +going to do, let's get to business so that these Arab gentlemen may find +their breakfast ready when they come to call." + + + + +CHAPTER VII + + THE RUSH OF THE SLAVES + +Well, we did all that we could in the way of making ready. After we had +strengthened the thorn fence of our _boma_ as much as possible and lit +several large fires outside of it to give us light, I allotted his place +to each of the hunters and saw that their rifles were in order and that +they had plenty of ammunition. Then I made Stephen lie down to sleep, +telling him that I would wake him to watch later on. This, however, +I had no intention of doing as I wanted him to rise fresh and with a +steady nerve on the occasion of his first fight. + +As soon as I saw that his eyes were shut I sat down on a box to think. +To tell the truth, I was not altogether happy in my mind. To begin with +I did not know how the twenty bearers would behave under fire. They +might be seized with panic and rush about, in which case I determined to +let them out of the _boma_ to take their chance, for panic is a catching +thing. + +A worse matter was our rather awkward position. There were a good many +trees round the camp among which an attacking force could take cover. +But what I feared much more than this, or even than the reedy banks of +the stream along which they could creep out of reach of our bullets, was +a sloping stretch of land behind us, covered with thick grass and scrub +and rising to a crest about two hundred yards away. Now if the Arabs got +round to this crest they would fire straight into our _boma_ and make it +untenable. Also if the wind were in their favour, they might burn us out +or attack under the clouds of smoke. As a matter of fact, by the special +mercy of Providence, none of these things happened, for a reason which I +will explain presently. + +In the case of a night, or rather a dawn attack, I have always found +that hour before the sky begins to lighten very trying indeed. As a rule +everything that can be done is done, so that one must sit idle. Also +it is then that both the physical and the moral qualities are at their +lowest ebb, as is the mercury in the thermometer. The night is dying, +the day is not yet born. All nature feels the influence of that hour. +Then bad dreams come, then infants wake and call, then memories of +those who are lost to us arise, then the hesitating soul often takes its +plunge into the depths of the Unknown. It is not wonderful, therefore, +that on this occasion the wheels of Time drave heavily for me. I knew +that the morning was at hand by many signs. The sleeping bearers turned +and muttered in their sleep, a distant lion ceased its roaring and +departed to its own place, an alert-minded cock crew somewhere, and our +donkeys rose and began to pull at their tether-ropes. As yet, however, +it was quite dark. Hans crept up to me; I saw his wrinkled, yellow face +in the light of the watch-fire. + +"I smell the dawn," he said and vanished again. + +Mavovo appeared, his massive frame silhouetted against the blackness. + +"Watcher-by-Night, the night is done," he said. "If they come at all, +the enemy should soon be here." + +Saluting, he too passed away into the dark, and presently I heard the +sounds of spear-blades striking together and of rifles being cocked. + +I went to Stephen and woke him. He sat up yawning, muttered something +about greenhouses; then remembering, said: + +"Are those Arabs coming? We are in for a fight at last. Jolly, old +fellow, isn't it?" + +"You are a jolly old fool!" I answered inconsequently; and marched off +in a rage. + +My mind was uneasy about this inexperienced young man. If anything +should happen to him, what should I say to his father? Well, in that +event, it was probable that something would happen to me too. Very +possibly we should both be dead in an hour. Certainly I had no intention +of allowing myself to be taken alive by those slaving devils. Hassan's +remarks about fires and ant-heaps and the sun were too vividly impressed +upon my memory. + +In another five minutes everybody was up, though it required kicks to +rouse most of the bearers from their slumbers. They, poor men, were +accustomed to the presence of Death and did not suffer him to disturb +their sleep. Still I noted that they muttered together and seemed +alarmed. + +"If they show signs of treachery, you must kill them," I said to Mavovo, +who nodded in his grave, silent fashion. + +Only we left the rescued slave-woman and her child plunged in the stupor +of exhaustion in a corner of the camp. What was the use of disturbing +her? + +Sammy, who seemed far from comfortable, brought two pannikins of coffee +to Stephen and myself. + +"This is a momentous occasion, Messrs. Quatermain and Somers," he said +as he gave us the coffee, and I noted that his hand shook and his teeth +chattered. "The cold is extreme," he went on in his copybook English by +way of explaining these physical symptoms which he saw I had observed. +"Mr. Quatermain, it is all very well for you to paw the ground and smell +the battle from afar, as is written in the Book of Job. But I was not +brought up to the trade and take it otherwise. Indeed I wish I was back +at the Cape, yes, even within the whitewashed walls of the Place of +Detention." + +"So do I," I muttered, keeping my right foot on the ground with +difficulty. + +But Stephen laughed outright and asked: + +"What will you do, Sammy, when the fighting begins?" + +"Mr. Somers," he answered, "I have employed some wakeful hours in making +a hole behind that tree-trunk, through which I hope bullets will not +pass. There, being a man of peace, I shall pray for our success." + +"And if the Arabs get in, Sammy?" + +"Then, sir, under Heaven, I shall trust to the fleetness of my legs." + +I could stand it no longer, my right foot flew up and caught Sammy in +the place at which I had aimed. He vanished, casting a reproachful look +behind him. + +Just then a terrible clamour arose in the slavers' camp which hitherto +had been very silent, and just then also the first light of dawn glinted +on the barrels of our guns. + +"Look out!" I cried, as I gulped down the last of my coffee, "there's +something going on there." + +The clamour grew louder and louder till it seemed to fill the skies with +a concentrated noise of curses and shrieking. Distinct from it, as it +were, I heard shouts of alarm and rage, and then came the sounds of +gunshots, yells of agony and the thud of many running feet. By now +the light was growing fast, as it does when once it comes in these +latitudes. Three more minutes, and through the grey mist of the dawn +we saw dozens of black figures struggling up the slope towards us. Some +seemed to have logs of wood tied behind them, others crawled along on +all fours, others dragged children by the hand, and all yelled at the +top of their voices. + +"The slaves are attacking us," said Stephen, lifting his rifle. + +"Don't shoot," I cried. "I think they have broken loose and are taking +refuge with us." + +I was right. These unfortunates had used the two knives which our men +smuggled to them to good purpose. Having cut their bonds during the +night they were running to seek the protection of the Englishmen and +their flag. On they surged, a hideous mob, the slave-sticks still fast +to the necks of many of them, for they had not found time or opportunity +to loose them all, while behind came the Arabs firing. The position +was clearly very serious, for if they burst into our camp, we should +be overwhelmed by their rush and fall victims to the bullets of their +captors. + +"Hans," I cried, "take the men who were with you last night and try +to lead those slaves round behind us. Quick! Quick now before we are +stamped flat." + +Hans darted away, and presently I saw him and the two other men running +towards the approaching crowd, Hans waving a shirt or some other white +object to attract their attention. At the time the foremost of them had +halted and were screaming, "Mercy, English! Save us, English!" having +caught sight of the muzzles of our guns. + +This was a fortunate occurrence indeed, for otherwise Hans and his +companions could never have stopped them. The next thing I saw was the +white shirt bearing away to the left on a line which led past the fence +of our _boma_ into the scrub and high grass behind the camp. After it +struggled and scrambled the crowd of slaves like a flock of sheep after +the bell-wether. To them Hans's shirt was a kind of "white helmet of +Navarre." + +So that danger passed by. Some of the slaves had been struck by the Arab +bullets or trodden down in the rush or collapsed from weakness, and at +those of them who still lived the pursuers were firing. One woman, who +had fallen under the weight of the great slave-stick which was fastened +about her throat, was crawling forward on her hands and knees. An Arab +fired at her and the bullet struck the ground under her stomach but +without hurting her, for she wriggled forward more quickly. I was sure +that he would shoot again, and watched. Presently, for by now the light +was good, I saw him, a tall fellow in a white robe, step from behind the +shelter of a banana-tree about a hundred and fifty yards away, and take +a careful aim at the woman. But I too took aim and--well, I am not bad +at this kind of snap-shooting when I try. That Arab's gun never went +off. Only he went up two feet or more into the air and fell backwards, +shot through the head which was the part of his person that I had +covered. + +The hunters uttered a low "_Ow!_" of approval, while Stephen, in a sort +of ecstasy, exclaimed: + +"Oh! what a heavenly shot!" + +"Not bad, but I shouldn't have fired it," I answered, "for they haven't +attacked us yet. It is a kind of declaration of war, and," I added, as +Stephen's sun-helmet leapt from his head, "there's the answer. Down, all +of you, and fire through the loopholes." + +Then the fight began. Except for its grand finale it wasn't really +much of a fight when compared with one or two we had afterwards on this +expedition. But, on the other hand, its character was extremely awkward +for us. The Arabs made one rush at the beginning, shouting on Allah as +they came. But though they were plucky villains they did not repeat that +experiment. Either by good luck or good management Stephen knocked +over two of them with his double-barrelled rifle, and I also emptied +my large-bore breech-loader--the first I ever owned--among them, not +without results, while the hunters made a hit or two. + +After this the Arabs took cover, getting behind trees and, as I had +feared, hiding in the reeds on the banks of the stream. Thence they +harassed us a great deal, for amongst them were some very decent shots. +Indeed, had we not taken the precaution of lining the thorn fence with a +thick bank of earth and sods, we should have fared badly. As it was, one +of the hunters was killed, the bullet passing through the loophole +and striking him in the throat as he was about to fire, while the +unfortunate bearers who were on rather higher ground, suffered a good +deal, two of them being dispatched outright and four wounded. After this +I made the rest of them lie flat on the ground close against the fence, +in such a fashion that we could fire over their bodies. + +Soon it became evident that there were more of these Arabs than we had +thought, for quite fifty of them were firing from different places. +Moreover, by slow degrees they were advancing with the evident object +of outflanking us and gaining the high ground behind. Some of them, of +course, we stopped as they rushed from cover to cover, but this kind of +shooting was as difficult as that at bolting rabbits across a woodland +ride, and to be honest, I must say that I alone was much good at the +game, for here my quick eye and long practice told. + +Within an hour the position had grown very serious indeed, so much so +that we found it necessary to consider what should be done. I pointed +out that with our small number a charge against the scattered riflemen, +who were gradually surrounding us, would be worse than useless, while +it was almost hopeless to expect to hold the _boma_ till nightfall. +Once the Arabs got behind us, they could rake us from the higher ground. +Indeed, for the last half-hour we had directed all our efforts to +preventing them from passing this _boma_, which, fortunately, the stream +on the one side and a stretch of quite open land on the other made it +very difficult for them to do without more loss than they cared to face. + +"I fear there is only one thing for it," I said at length, during +a pause in the attack while the Arabs were either taking counsel or +waiting for more ammunition, "to abandon the camp and everything and +bolt up the hill. As those fellows must be tired and we are all good +runners, we may save our lives in that way." + +"How about the wounded," asked Stephen, "and the slave-woman and child?" + +"I don't know," I answered, looking down. + +Of course I did know very well, but here, in an acute form, arose the +ancient question: Were we to perish for the sake of certain individuals +in whom we had no great interest and whom we could not save by remaining +with them? If we stayed where we were our end seemed fairly certain, +whereas if we ran for it, we had a good chance of escape. But this +involved the desertion of several injured bearers and a woman and +child whom we had picked up starving, all of whom would certainly be +massacred, save perhaps the woman and child. + +As these reflections flitted through my brain I remembered that a +drunken Frenchman named Leblanc, whom I had known in my youth and who +had been a friend of Napoleon, or so he said, told me that the great +emperor when he was besieging Acre in the Holy Land, was forced to +retreat. Being unable to carry off his wounded men, he left them in +a monastery on Mount Carmel, each with a dose of poison by his side. +Apparently they did not take the poison, for according to Leblanc, who +said he was present there (not as a wounded man), the Turks came and +butchered them. So Napoleon chose to save his own life and that of his +army at the expense of his wounded. But, after all, I reflected, he +was no shining example to Christian men and I hadn't time to find any +poison. In a few words I explained the situation to Mavovo, leaving out +the story of Napoleon, and asked his advice. + +"We must run," he answered. "Although I do not like running, life is +more than stores, and he who lives may one day pay his debts." + +"But the wounded, Mavovo; we cannot carry them." + +"I will see to them, Macumazana; it is the fortune of war. Or if they +prefer it, we can leave them--to be nursed by the Arabs," which of +course was just Napoleon and his poison over again. + +I confess that I was about to assent, not wishing that I and Stephen, +especially Stephen, should be potted in an obscure engagement with some +miserable slave-traders, when something happened. + +It will be remembered that shortly after dawn Hans, using a shirt for a +flag, had led the fugitive slaves past the camp up to the hill behind. +There he and they had vanished, and from that moment to this we had seen +nothing of him or them. Now of a sudden he reappeared still waving the +shirt. After him rushed a great mob of naked men, two hundred of them +perhaps, brandishing slave-sticks, stones and the boughs of trees. When +they had almost reached the _boma_ whence we watched them amazed, they +split into two bodies, half of them passing to our left, apparently +under the command of the Mazitu who had accompanied Hans to the +slave-camp, and the other half to the right following the old Hottentot +himself. I stared at Mavovo, for I was too thunderstruck to speak. + +"Ah!" said Mavovo, "that Spotted Snake of yours" (he referred to Hans), +"is great in his own way, for he has even been able to put courage into +the hearts of slaves. Do you not understand, my father, that they are +about to attack those Arabs, yes, and to pull them down, as wild dogs do +a buffalo calf?" + +It was true: this was the Hottentot's superb design. Moreover, it +succeeded. Up on the hillside he had watched the progress of the fight +and seen how it must end. Then, through the interpreter who was with +him, he harangued those slaves, pointing out to them that we, their +white friends, were about to be overwhelmed, and that they must either +strike for themselves, or return to the yoke. Among them were some who +had been warriors in their own tribes, and through these he stirred the +others. They seized the slave-sticks from which they had been freed, +pieces of rock, anything that came to their hands, and at a given signal +charged, leaving only the women and children behind them. + +Seeing them come the scattered Arabs began to fire at them, killing +some, but thereby revealing their own hiding-places. At these the slaves +rushed. They hurled themselves upon the Arabs; they tore them, they +dashed out their brains in such fashion that within another five minutes +quite two-thirds of them were dead; and the rest, of whom we took some +toll with our rifles as they bolted from cover, were in full flight. + +It was a terrible vengeance. Never did I witness a more savage scene +than that of these outraged men wreaking their wrongs upon their +tormentors. I remember that when most of the Arabs had been killed and +a few were escaped, the slaves found one, I think it was the captain of +the gang, who had hidden himself in a little patch of dead reeds washed +up by the stream. Somehow they managed to fire these; I expect that +Hans, who had remained discreetly in the background after the fighting +began, emerged when it was over and gave them a match. In due course out +came the wretched Arab. Then they flung themselves on him as marching +ants do upon a caterpillar, and despite his cries for mercy, tore him to +fragments, literally to fragments. Being what they were, it was hard +to blame them. If we had seen our parents shot, our infants pitilessly +butchered, our homes destroyed and our women and children marched off +in the slave-sticks to be sold into bondage, should we not have done the +same? I think so, although we are not ignorant savages. + +Thus our lives were saved by those whom we had tried to save, and for +once justice was done even in those dark parts of Africa, for in that +time they were dark indeed. Had it not been for Hans and the courage +which he managed to inspire into the hearts of these crushed blacks, I +have little doubt but that before nightfall we should have been dead, +for I do not think that any attempt at retreat would have proved +successful. And if it had, what would have happened to us in that wild +country surrounded by enemies and with only the few rounds of ammunition +that we could have carried in our flight? + +"Ah! Baas," said the Hottentot a little while later, squinting at me +with his bead-like eyes, "after all you did well to listen to my prayer +and bring me with you. Old Hans is a drunkard, yes, or at least he used +to be, and old Hans gambles, yes, and perhaps old Hans will go to hell. +But meanwhile old Hans can think, as he thought one day before the +attack on Maraisfontein, as he thought one day on the Hill of Slaughter +by Dingaan's kraal, and as he thought this morning up there among the +bushes. Oh! he knew how it must end. He saw that those dogs of Arabs +were cutting down a tree to make a bridge across that deep stream and +get round to the high ground at the back of you, whence they would +have shot you all in five minutes. And now, Baas, my stomach feels very +queer. There was no breakfast on the hillside and the sun was very +hot. I think that just one tot of brandy--oh! I know, I promised not to +drink, but if _you_ give it me the sin is yours, not mine." + +Well, I gave him the tot, a stiff one, which he drank quite neat, +although it was against my principles, and locked up the bottle +afterwards. Also I shook the old fellow's hand and thanked him, which +seemed to please him very much, for he muttered something to the effect +that it was nothing, since if I had died he would have died too, and +therefore he was thinking of himself, not of me. Also two big tears +trickled down his snub nose, but these may have been produced by the +brandy. + +Well, we were the victors and elated as may be imagined, for we knew +that the few slavers who had escaped would not attack us again. Our +first thought was for food, for it was now past midday and we were +starving. But dinner presupposed a cook, which reminded us of Sammy. +Stephen, who was in such a state of jubilation that he danced rather +than walked, the helmet with a bullet-hole through it stuck ludicrously +upon the back of his head, started to look for him, and presently called +to me in an alarmed voice. I went to the back of the camp and, staring +into a hole like a small grave, that had been hollowed behind a solitary +thorn tree, at the bottom of which lay a huddled heap, I found him. It +was Sammy to all appearance. We got hold of him, and up he came, limp, +senseless, but still holding in his hand a large, thick Bible, bound in +boards. Moreover, in the exact centre of this Bible was a bullet-hole, +or rather a bullet which had passed through the stout cover and buried +itself in the paper behind. I remember that the point of it reached to +the First Book of Samuel. + +As for Sammy himself, he seemed to be quite uninjured, and indeed after +we had poured some water on him--he was never fond of water--he revived +quickly enough. Then we found out what had happened. + +"Gentlemen," he said, "I was seated in my place of refuge, being as I +have told you a man of peace, enjoying the consolation of religion"--he +was very pious in times of trouble. "At length the firing slackened, and +I ventured to peep out, thinking that perhaps the foe had fled, holding +the Book in front of my face in case of accidents. After that I remember +no more." + +"No," said Stephen, "for the bullet hit the Bible and the Bible hit your +head and knocked you silly." + +"Ah!" said Sammy, "how true is what I was taught that the Book shall be +a shield of defence to the righteous. Now I understand why I was moved +to bring the thick old Bible that belonged to my mother in heaven, +and not the little thin one given to me by the Sunday school teacher, +through which the ball of the enemy would have passed." + +Then he went off to cook the dinner. + +Certainly it was a wonderful escape, though whether this was a direct +reward of his piety, as he thought, is another matter. + +As soon as we had eaten, we set to work to consider our position, of +which the crux was what to do with the slaves. There they sat in groups +outside the fence, many of them showing traces of the recent conflict, +and stared at us stupidly. Then of a sudden, as though with one voice, +they began to clamour for food. + +"How are we to feed several hundred people?" asked Stephen. + +"The slavers must have done it somehow," I answered. "Let's go and +search their camp." + +So we went, followed by our hungry clients, and, in addition to many +more things, to our delight found a great store of rice, mealies and +other grain, some of which was ground into meal. Of this we served out +an ample supply together with salt, and soon the cooking pots were full +of porridge. My word! how those poor creatures did eat, nor, although +it was necessary to be careful, could we find it in our hearts to stint +them of the first full meal that had passed their lips after weeks +of starvation. When at length they were satisfied we addressed them, +thanking them for their bravery, telling them that they were free and +asking what they meant to do. + +Upon this point they seemed to have but one idea. They said that they +would come with us who were their protectors. Then followed a great +_indaba_, or consultation, which really I have not time to set out. +The end of it was that we agreed that so many of them as wished should +accompany us till they reached country that they knew, when they would +be at liberty to depart to their own homes. Meanwhile we divided up the +blankets and other stores of the Arabs, such as trade goods and beads, +among them, and then left them to their own devices, after placing a +guard over the foodstuffs. For my part I hoped devoutly that in the +morning we should find them gone. + +After this we returned to our _boma_ just in time to assist at a sad +ceremony, that of the burial of my hunter who had been shot through the +head. His companions had dug a deep hole outside the fence and within +a few yards of where he fell. In this they placed him in a sitting +position with his face turned towards Zululand, setting by his side two +gourds that belonged to him, one filled with water and the other with +grain. Also they gave him a blanket and his two assegais, tearing the +blanket and breaking the handles of the spears, to "kill" them as they +said. Then quietly enough they threw in the earth about him and filled +the top of the hole with large stones to prevent the hyenas from digging +him up. This done, one by one, they walked past the grave, each man +stopping to bid him farewell by name. Mavovo, who came last, made a +little speech, telling the deceased to _namba kachle_, that is, go +comfortably to the land of ghosts, as, he added, no doubt he would do +who had died as a man should. He requested him, moreover, if he returned +as a spirit, to bring good and not ill-fortune on us, since otherwise +when he, Mavovo, became a spirit in his turn, he would have words to say +to him on the matter. In conclusion, he remarked that as his, Mavovo's +Snake, had foretold this event at Durban, a fact with which the deceased +would now be acquainted he, the said deceased, could never complain of +not having received value for the shilling he had paid as a divining +fee. + +"Yes," exclaimed one of the hunters with a note of anxiety in his voice, +"but your Snake mentioned six of us to you, O doctor!" + +"It did," replied Mavovo, drawing a pinch of snuff up his uninjured +nostril, "and our brother there was the first of the six. Be not afraid, +the other five will certainly join him in due course, for my Snake must +speak the truth. Still, if anyone is in a hurry," and he glared round +the little circle, "let him stop and talk with me alone. Perhaps I could +arrange that his turn----" here he stopped, for they were all gone. + +"Glad _I_ didn't pay a shilling to have my fortune told by Mavovo," said +Stephen, when we were back in the _boma_, "but why did they bury his +pots and spears with him?" + +"To be used by the spirit on its journey," I answered. "Although they do +not quite know it, these Zulus believe, like all the rest of the world, +that man lives on elsewhere." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + THE MAGIC MIRROR + +I did not sleep very well that night, for now that the danger was over +I found that the long strain of it had told upon my nerves. Also there +were many noises. Thus, the bearers who were shot had been handed over +to their companions, who disposed of them in a simple fashion, namely by +throwing them into the bush where they attracted the notice of hyenas. +Then the four wounded men who lay near to me groaned a good deal, or +when they were not groaning uttered loud prayers to their local gods. +We had done the best we could for these unlucky fellows. Indeed, that +kind-hearted little coward, Sammy, who at some time in his career served +as a dresser in a hospital, had tended their wounds, none of which were +mortal, very well indeed, and from time to time rose to minister to +them. + +But what disturbed me most was the fearful hubbub which came from +the camp below. Many of the tropical African tribes are really +semi-nocturnal in their habits, I suppose because there the night is +cooler than the day, and on any great occasion this tendency asserts +itself. + +Thus every one of these freed slaves seemed to be howling his loudest to +an accompaniment of clashing iron pots or stones, which, lacking their +native drums, they beat with sticks. + +Moreover, they had lit large fires, about which they flitted in an +ominous and unpleasant fashion, that reminded me of some mediaeval +pictures of hell, which I had seen in an old book. + +At last I could stand it no longer, and kicking Hans who, curled up like +a dog, slept at my feet, asked him what was going on. His answer caused +me to regret the question. + +"Plenty of those slaves cannibal men, Baas. Think they eat the Arabs and +like them very much," he said with a yawn, then went to sleep again. + +I did not continue the conversation. + +When at length we made a start on the following morning the sun was high +over us. Indeed, there was a great deal to do. The guns and ammunition +of the dead Arabs had to be collected; the ivory, of which they carried +a good store, must be buried, for to take it with us was impossible, and +the loads apportioned.[*] Also it was necessary to make litters for the +wounded, and to stir up the slaves from their debauch, into the nature +of which I made no further inquiries, was no easy task. On mustering +them I found that a good number had vanished during the night, where +to I do not know. Still a mob of well over two hundred people, a +considerable portion of whom were women and children, remained, whose +one idea seemed to be to accompany us wherever we might wander. So with +this miscellaneous following at length we started. + +[*] To my sorrow we never saw this ivory again.--A.Q. + +To describe our adventures during the next month would be too long if +not impossible, for to tell the truth, after the lapse of so many years, +these have become somewhat entangled in my mind. Our great difficulty +was to feed such a multitude, for the store of rice and grain, upon +which we were quite unable to keep a strict supervision, they soon +devoured. Fortunately the country through which we passed, at this time +of the year (the end of the wet season) was full of game, of which, +travelling as we did very slowly, we were able to shoot a great deal. +But this game killing, delightful as it may be to the sportsman, +soon palled on us as a business. To say nothing of the expenditure of +ammunition, it meant incessant work. + +Against this the Zulu hunters soon began to murmur, for, as Stephen and +I could rarely leave the camp, the burden of it fell on them. Ultimately +I hit upon this scheme. Picking out thirty or forty of the likeliest men +among the slaves, I served out to each of them ammunition and one of the +Arab guns, in the use of which we drilled them as best we could. Then +I told them that they must provide themselves and their companions with +meat. Of course accidents happened. One man was accidentally shot and +three others were killed by a cow elephant and a wounded buffalo. But in +the end they learned to handle their rifles sufficiently well to supply +the camp. Moreover, day by day little parties of the slaves disappeared, +I presume to seek their own homes, so that when at last we entered the +borders of the Mazitu country there were not more than fifty of them +left, including seventeen of those whom we had taught to shoot. + +Then it was that our real adventures began. + +One evening, after three days' march through some difficult bush in +which lions carried off a slave woman, killed one of the donkeys and +mauled another so badly that it had to be shot, we found ourselves upon +the edge of a great grassy plateau that, according to my aneroid, was +1,640 feet above sea level. + +"What place is this?" I asked of the two Mazitu guides, those same men +whom we had borrowed from Hassan. + +"The land of our people, Chief," they answered, "which is bordered on +one side by the bush and on the other by the great lake where live the +Pongo wizards." + +I looked about me at the bare uplands that already were beginning to +turn brown, on which nothing was visible save vast herds of buck such as +were common further south. A dreary prospect it was, for a slight rain +was falling, accompanied by mist and a cold wind. + +"I do not see your people or their kraals," I said; "I only see grass +and wild game." + +"Our people will come," they replied, rather nervously. "No doubt even +now their spies watch us from among the tall grass or out of some hole." + +"The deuce they do," I said, or something like it, and thought no more +of the matter. When one is in conditions in which anything _may_ happen, +such as, so far as I am concerned, have prevailed through most of my +life, one grows a little careless as to what _will_ happen. For my part +I have long been a fatalist, to a certain extent. I mean I believe that +the individual, or rather the identity which animates him, came out from +the Source of all life a long while, perhaps hundreds of thousands or +millions of years ago, and when his career is finished, perhaps hundreds +of thousands or millions of years hence, or perhaps to-morrow, will +return perfected, but still as an individual, to dwell in or with that +Source of Life. I believe also that his various existences, here or +elsewhere, are fore-known and fore-ordained, although in a sense he may +shape them by the action of his free will, and that nothing which he can +do will lengthen or shorten one of them by a single hour. Therefore, so +far as I am concerned, I have always acted up to the great injunction of +our Master and taken no thought for the morrow. + +However, in this instance, as in many others of my experience, the +morrow took plenty of thought for itself. Indeed, before the dawn, Hans, +who never seemed really to sleep any more than a dog does, woke me up +with the ominous information that he heard a sound which he thought was +caused by the tramp of hundreds of marching men. + +"Where?" I asked, after listening without avail--to look was useless, +for the night was dark as pitch. + +He put his ear to the ground and said: + +"There." + +I put _my_ ear to the ground, but although my senses are fairly acute, +could hear nothing. + +Then I sent for the sentries, but these, too, could hear nothing. After +this I gave the business up and went to sleep again. + +However, as it proved, Hans was quite right; in such matters he +generally was right, for his senses were as keen as those of any wild +beast. At dawn I was once more awakened, this time by Mavovo, who +reported that we were being surrounded by a regiment, or regiments. I +rose and looked out through the mist. There, sure enough, in dim and +solemn outline, though still far off, I perceived rank upon rank of men, +armed men, for the light glimmered faintly upon their spears. + +"What is to be done, Macumazana?" asked Mavovo. + +"Have breakfast, I think," I answered. "If we are going to be killed +it may as well be after breakfast as before," and calling the trembling +Sammy, I instructed him to make the coffee. Also I awoke Stephen and +explained the situation to him. + +"Capital!" he answered. "No doubt these are the Mazitu, and we have +found them much more easily than we expected. People generally take such +a lot of hunting for in this confounded great country." + +"That's not such a bad way of looking at things," I answered, "but would +you be good enough to go round the camp and make it clear that not on +any account is anyone to fire without orders. Stay, collect all the guns +from those slaves, for heaven knows what they will do with them if they +are frightened!" + +Stephen nodded and sauntered off with three or four of the hunters. +While he was gone, in consultation with Mavovo, I made certain little +arrangements of my own, which need not be detailed. They were designed +to enable us to sell our lives as dearly as possible, should things come +to the worst. One should always try to make an impression upon the enemy +in Africa, for the sake of future travellers if for no other reason. + +In due course Stephen and the hunters returned with the guns, or most of +them, and reported that the slave people were in great state of terror, +and showed a disposition to bolt. + +"Let them bolt," I answered. "They would be of no use to us in a row +and might even complicate matters. Call in the Zulus who are watching at +once." + +He nodded, and a few minutes later I heard--for the mist which hung +about the bush to the east of the camp was still too dense to allow +of my seeing anything--a clamour of voices, followed by the sound of +scuttling feet. The slave people, including our bearers, had gone, every +one of them. They even carried away the wounded. Just as the soldiers +who surrounded us were completing their circle they bolted between the +two ends of it and vanished into the bush out of which we had marched +on the previous evening. Often since then I have wondered what became +of them. Doubtless some perished, and the rest worked their way back +to their homes or found new ones among other tribes. The experiences of +those who escaped must be interesting to them if they still live. I can +well imagine the legends in which these will be embodied two or three +generations hence. + +Deducting the slave people and the bearers whom we had wrung out of +Hassan, we were now a party of seventeen, namely eleven Zulu hunters +including Mavovo, two white men, Hans and Sammy, and the two Mazitus +who had elected to remain with us, while round us was a great circle of +savages which closed in slowly. + +As the light grew--it was long in coming on that dull morning--and +the mist lifted, I examined these people, without seeming to take any +particular notice of them. They were tall, much taller than the average +Zulu, and slighter in their build, also lighter in colour. Like the +Zulus they carried large hide shields and one very broad-bladed spear. +Throwing assegais seemed to be wanting, but in place of them I saw +that they were armed with short bows, which, together with a quiver +of arrows, were slung upon their backs. The officers wore a short +skin cloak or kaross, and the men also had cloaks, which I found out +afterwards were made from the inner bark of trees. + +They advanced in the most perfect silence and very slowly. Nobody said +anything, and if orders were given this must have been done by signs. I +could not see that any of them had firearms. + +"Now," I said to Stephen, "perhaps if we shot and killed some of those +fellows, they might be frightened and run away. Or they might not; or if +they did they might return." + +"Whatever happened," he remarked sagely, "we should scarcely be welcome +in their country afterwards, so I think we had better do nothing unless +we are obliged." + +I nodded, for it was obvious that we could not fight hundreds of +men, and told Sammy, who was perfectly livid with fear, to bring the +breakfast. No wonder he was afraid, poor fellow, for we were in great +danger. These Mazitu had a bad name, and if they chose to attack us we +should all be dead in a few minutes. + +The coffee and some cold buck's flesh were put upon our little +camp-table in front of the tent which we had pitched because of the +rain, and we began to eat. The Zulu hunters also ate from a bowl of +mealie porridge which they had cooked on the previous night, each of +them with his loaded rifle upon his knees. Our proceedings appeared +to puzzle the Mazitu very much indeed. They drew quite near to us, to +within about forty yards, and halted there in a dead circle, staring at +us with their great round eyes. It was like a scene in a dream; I shall +never forget it. + +Everything about us appeared to astonish them, our indifference, the +colour of Stephen and myself (as a matter of fact at that date Brother +John was the only white man they had ever seen), our tent and our two +remaining donkeys. Indeed, when one of these beasts broke into a bray, +they showed signs of fright, looking at each other and even retreating a +few paces. + +At length the position got upon my nerves, especially as I saw that +some of them were beginning to fiddle with their bows, and that their +General, a tall, one-eyed old fellow, was making up his mind to do +something. I called to one of the two Mazitus, whom I forgot to say we +had named Tom and Jerry, and gave him a pannikin of coffee. + +"Take that to the captain there with my good wishes, Jerry, and ask him +if he will drink with us," I said. + +Jerry, who was a plucky fellow, obeyed. Advancing with the steaming +coffee, he held it under the Captain's nose. Evidently he knew the man's +name, for I heard him say: + +"O Babemba, the white lords, Macumazana and Wazela, ask if you will +share their holy drink with them?" + +I could perfectly understand the words, for these people spoke a dialect +so akin to Zulu that by now it had no difficulty for me. + +"Their holy drink!" exclaimed the old fellow, starting back. "Man, it is +hot red-water. Would these white wizards poison me with _mwavi_?" + +Here I should explain that _mwavi_ or _mkasa_, as it is sometimes +called, is the liquor distilled from the inner bark of a sort of +mimosa tree or sometimes from a root of the strychnos tribe, which is +administered by the witch-doctors to persons accused of crime. If it +makes them sick they are declared innocent. If they are thrown into +convulsions or stupor they are clearly guilty and die, either from the +effects of the poison or afterwards by other means. + +"This is no _mwavi_, O Babemba," said Jerry. "It is the divine liquor +that makes the white lords shoot straight with their wonderful guns +which kill at a thousand paces. See, I will swallow some of it," and he +did, though it must have burnt his tongue. + +Thus encouraged, old Babemba sniffed at the coffee and found it +fragrant. Then he called a man, who from his peculiar dress I took to be +a doctor, made him drink some, and watched the results, which were that +the doctor tried to finish the pannikin. Snatching it away indignantly +Babemba drank himself, and as I had half-filled the cup with sugar, +found the mixture good. + +"It is indeed a holy drink," he said, smacking his lips. "Have you any +more of it?" + +"The white lords have more," said Jerry. "They invite you to eat with +them." + +Babemba stuck his finger into the tin, and covering it with the sediment +of sugar, sucked and reflected. + +"It's all right," I whispered to Stephen. "I don't think he'll kill us +after drinking our coffee, and what's more, I believe he is coming to +breakfast." + +"This may be a snare," said Babemba, who now began to lick the sugar out +of the pannikin. + +"No," answered Jerry with creditable resource; "though they could easily +kill you all, the white lords do not hurt those who have partaken of +their holy drink, that is unless anyone tries to harm them." + +"Cannot you bring some more of the holy drink here?" he asked, giving a +final polish to the pannikin with his tongue. + +"No," said Jerry, "if you want it you must go there. Fear nothing. Would +I, one of your own people, betray you?" + +"True!" exclaimed Babemba. "By your talk and your face you are a Mazitu. +How came you--well, we will speak of that afterwards. I am very thirsty. +I will come. Soldiers, sit down and watch, and if any harm happens to +me, avenge it and report to the king." + +Now, while all this was going on, I had made Hans and Sammy open one of +the boxes and extract therefrom a good-sized mirror in a wooden +frame with a support at the back so that it could be stood anywhere. +Fortunately it was unbroken; indeed, our packing had been so careful +that none of the looking-glasses or other fragile things were injured. +To this mirror I gave a hasty polish, then set it upright upon the +table. + +Old Babemba came along rather suspiciously, his one eye rolling over us +and everything that belonged to us. When he was quite close it fell +upon the mirror. He stopped, he stared, he retreated, then drawn by his +overmastering curiosity, came on again and again stood still. + +"What is the matter?" called his second in command from the ranks. + +"The matter is," he answered, "that here is great magic. Here I see +myself walking towards myself. There can be no mistake, for one eye is +gone in my other self." + +"Advance, O Babemba," cried the doctor who had tried to drink all +the coffee, "and see what happens. Keep your spear ready, and if your +witch-self attempts to harm you, kill it." + +Thus encouraged, Babemba lifted his spear and dropped it again in a +great hurry. + +"That won't do, fool of a doctor," he shouted back. "My other self lifts +a spear also, and what is more all of you who should be behind are in +front of me. The holy drink has made me drunk; I am bewitched. Save me!" + +Now I saw that the joke had gone too far, for the soldiers were +beginning to string their bows in confusion. Luckily at this moment, the +sun at length came out almost opposite to us. + +"O Babemba," I said in a solemn voice, "it is true that this magic +shield, which we have brought as a gift to you, gives you another self. +Henceforth your labours will be halved, and your pleasures doubled, for +when you look into this shield you will be not one but two. Also it +has other properties--see," and lifting the mirror I used it as a +heliograph, flashing the reflected sunlight into the eyes of the long +half-circle of men in front of us. My word! didn't they run. + +"Wonderful!" exclaimed old Babemba, "and can I learn to do that also, +white lord?" + +"Certainly," I answered, "come and try. Now, hold it so while I say +the spell," and I muttered some hocus-pocus, then directed it towards +certain of the Mazitu who were gathering again. "There! Look! Look! +You have hit them in the eye. You are a master of magic. They run, +they run!" and run they did indeed. "Is there anyone yonder whom you +dislike?" + +"Yes, plenty," answered Babemba with emphasis, "especially that +witch-doctor who drank nearly all the holy drink." + +"Very well; by-and-by I will show you how you can burn a hole in him +with this magic. No, not now, not now. For a while this mocker of the +sun is dead. Look," and dipping the glass beneath the table I produced +it back first. "You cannot see anything, can you?" + +"Nothing except wood," replied Babemba, staring at the deal slip with +which it was lined. + +Then I threw a dish-cloth over it and, to change the subject, offered +him another pannikin of the "holy drink" and a stool to sit on. + +The old fellow perched himself very gingerly upon the stool, which was +of the folding variety, stuck the iron-tipped end of his great spear in +the ground between his knees and took hold of the pannikin. Or rather +he took hold of a pannikin and not the right one. So ridiculous was his +appearance that the light-minded Stephen, who, forgetting the perils +of the situation, had for the last minute or two been struggling with +inward laughter, clapped down his coffee on the table and retired into +the tent, where I heard him gurgling in unseemly merriment. It was this +coffee that in the confusion of the moment Sammy gave to old Babemba. +Presently Stephen reappeared, and to cover his confusion seized the +pannikin meant for Babemba and drank it, or most of it. Then Sammy, +seeing his mistake, said: + +"Mr. Somers, I regret that there is an error. You are drinking from the +cup which that stinking savage has just licked clean." + +The effect was dreadful and instantaneous, for then and there Stephen +was violently sick. + +"Why does the white lord do that?" asked Babemba. "Now I see that you +are truly deceiving me, and that what you are giving me to swallow is +nothing but hot _mwavi_, which in the innocent causes vomiting, but that +in those who mean evil, death." + +"Stop that foolery, you idiot," I muttered to Stephen, kicking him on +the shins, "or you'll get our throats cut." Then, collecting myself with +an effort, I said: + +"Oh! not at all, General. This white lord is the priest of the holy +drink and--what you see is a religious rite." + +"Is it so," said Babemba. "Then I hope that the rite is not catching." + +"Never," I replied, proffering him a biscuit. "And now, General Babemba, +tell me, why do you come against us with about five hundred armed men?" + +"To kill you, white lords--oh! how hot is this holy drink, yet pleasant. +You said that it was not catching, did you not? For I feel----" + +"Eat the cake," I answered. "And why do you wish to kill us? Be so good +as to tell me the truth now, or I shall read it in the magic shield +which portrays the inside as well as the out," and lifting the cloth I +stared at the glass. + +"If you can read my thoughts, white lord, why trouble me to tell them?" +asked Babemba sensibly enough, his mouth full of biscuit. "Still, as +that bright thing may lie, I will set them out. Bausi, king of our +people, has sent me to kill you, because news has reached him that you +are great slave dealers who come hither with guns to capture the Mazitus +and take them away to the Black Water to be sold and sent across it +in big canoes that move of themselves. Of this he has been warned by +messengers from the Arab men. Moreover, we know that it is true, for +last night you had with you many slaves who, seeing our spears, ran away +not an hour ago." + +Now I stared hard at the looking-glass and answered coolly: + +"This magic shield tells a somewhat different story. It says that your +king, Bausi, for whom by the way we have many things as presents, told +you to lead us to him with honour, that we might talk over matters with +him." + +The shot was a good one. Babemba grew confused. + +"It is true," he stammered, "that--I mean, the king left it to my +judgment. I will consult the witch-doctor." + +"If he left it to your judgment, the matter is settled," I said, "since +certainly, being so great a noble, you would never try to murder those +of whose holy drink you have just partaken. Indeed if you did so," I +added in a cold voice, "you would not live long yourself. One secret +word and that drink will turn to _mwavi_ of the worst sort inside of +you." + +"Oh! yes, white lord, it is settled," exclaimed Babemba, "it is settled. +Do not trouble the secret word. I will lead you to the king and you +shall talk with him. By my head and my father's spirit you are safe from +me. Still, with your leave, I will call the great doctor, Imbozwi, +and ratify the agreement in his presence, and also show him the magic +shield." + +So Imbozwi was sent for, Jerry taking the message. Presently he arrived. +He was a villainous-looking person of uncertain age, humpbacked like +the picture of Punch, wizened and squint-eyed. His costume was of +the ordinary witch-doctor type being set off with snake skins, fish +bladders, baboon's teeth and little bags of medicine. To add to his +charms a broad strip of pigment, red ochre probably, ran down his +forehead and the nose beneath, across the lips and chin, ending in a red +mark the size of a penny where the throat joins the chest. His woolly +hair also, in which was twisted a small ring of black gum, was soaked +with grease and powdered blue. It was arranged in a kind of horn, +coming to a sharp point about five inches above the top of the skull. +Altogether he looked extremely like the devil. What was more, he was a +devil in a bad temper, for the first words he said embodied a reproach +to us for not having asked him to partake of our "holy drink" with +Babemba. + +We offered to make him some more, but he refused, saying that we should +poison him. + +Then Babemba set the matter out, rather nervously I thought, for +evidently he was afraid of this old wizard, who listened in complete +silence. When Babemba explained that without the king's direct order it +would be foolish and unjustifiable to put to death such magicians as +we were, Imbozwi spoke for the first time, asking why he called us +magicians. + +Babemba instanced the wonders of the shining shield that showed +pictures. + +"Pooh!" said Imbozwi, "does not calm water or polished iron show +pictures?" + +"But this shield will make fire," said Babemba. "The white lords say it +can burn a man up." + +"Then let it burn me up," replied Imbozwi with ineffable contempt, "and +I will believe that these white men are magicians worthy to be kept +alive, and not common slave-traders such as we have often heard of." + +"Burn him, white lords, and show him that I am right," exclaimed the +exasperated Babemba, after which they fell to wrangling. Evidently they +were rivals, and by this time both of them had lost their tempers. + +The sun was now very hot, quite sufficiently so to enable us to give +Mr. Imbozwi a taste of our magic, which I determined he should have. +Not being certain whether an ordinary mirror would really reflect enough +heat to scorch, I drew from my pocket a very powerful burning-glass +which I sometimes used for the lighting of fires in order to save +matches, and holding the mirror in one hand and the burning-glass in +the other, I worked myself into a suitable position for the experiment. +Babemba and the witch-doctor were arguing so fiercely that neither +of them seemed to notice what I was doing. Getting the focus right, +I directed the concentrated spark straight on to Imbozwi's greased +top-knot, where I knew he would feel nothing, my plan being to char +a hole in it. But as it happened this top-knot was built up round +something of a highly inflammable nature, reed or camphor-wood, I +expect. At any rate, about thirty seconds later the top-knot was burning +like a beautiful torch. + +"_Ow!_" said the Kaffirs who were watching. "My Aunt!" exclaimed +Stephen. "Look, look!" shouted Babemba in tones of delight. "Now will +you believe, O blown-out bladder of a man, that there are greater +magicians than yourself in the world?" + +"What is the matter, son of a dog, that you make a mock of me?" +screeched the unfuriated Imbozwi, who alone was unaware of anything +unusual. + +As he spoke some suspicion rose in his mind which caused him to put his +hand to his top-knot, and withdraw it with a howl. Then he sprang up and +began to dance about, which of course only fanned the fire that had now +got hold of the grease and gum. The Zulus applauded; Babemba clapped his +hands; Stephen burst into one of his idiotic fits of laughter. For my +part I grew frightened. Near at hand stood a large wooden pot such as +the Kaffirs make, from which the coffee kettle had been filled, that +fortunately was still half-full of water. I seized it and ran to him. + +"Save me, white lord!" he howled. "You are the greatest of magicians and +I am your slave." + +Here I cut him short by clapping the pot bottom upwards on his burning +head, into which it vanished as a candle does into an extinguisher. +Smoke and a bad smell issued from beneath the pot, the water from which +ran all over Imbozwi, who stood quite still. When I was sure the fire +was out, I lifted the pot and revealed the discomfited wizard, but +without his elaborate head-dress. Beyond a little scorching he was not +in the least hurt, for I had acted in time; only he was bald, for when +touched the charred hair fell off at the roots. + +"It is gone," he said in an amazed voice after feeling at his scalp. + +"Yes," I answered, "quite. The magic shield worked very well, did it +not?" + +"Can you put it back again, white lord?" he asked. + +"That will depend upon how you behave," I replied. + +Then without another word he turned and walked back to the soldiers, +who received him with shouts of laughter. Evidently Imbozwi was not a +popular character, and his discomfiture delighted them. + +Babemba also was delighted. Indeed, he could not praise our magic +enough, and at once began to make arrangements to escort us to the king +at his head town, which was called Beza, vowing that we need fear no +harm at his hands or those of his soldiers. In fact, the only person who +did not appreciate our black arts was Imbozwi himself. I caught a look +in his eye as he marched off which told me that he hated us bitterly, +and reflected to myself that perhaps I had been foolish to use that +burning-glass, although in truth I had not intended to set his head on +fire. + +"My father," said Mavovo to me afterwards, "it would have been better to +let that snake burn to death, for then you would have killed his poison. +I am something of a doctor myself, and I tell you there is nothing our +brotherhood hates so much as being laughed at. You have made a fool of +him before all his people and he will not forget it, Macumazana." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + + BAUSI THE KING + +About midday we made a start for Beza Town where King Bausi lived, which +we understood we ought to reach on the following evening. For some hours +the regiment marched in front, or rather round us, but as we complained +to Babemba of the noise and dust, with a confidence that was quite +touching, he sent it on ahead. First, however, he asked us to pass our +word "by our mothers," which was the most sacred of oaths among many +African peoples, that we would not attempt to escape. I confess that I +hesitated before giving an answer, not being entirely enamoured of the +Mazitu and of our prospects among them, especially as I had discovered +through Jerry that the discomfited Imbozwi had departed from the +soldiers on some business of his own. Had the matter been left to me, +indeed, I should have tried to slip back into the bush over the border, +and there put in a few months shooting during the dry season, while +working my way southwards. This, too, was the wish of the Zulu hunters, +of Hans, and I need not add of Sammy. But when I mentioned the matter to +Stephen, he implored me to abandon the idea. + +"Look here, Quatermain," he said, "I have come to this God-forsaken +country to get that great Cypripedium, and get it I will or die in the +attempt. Still," he added after surveying our rather blank faces, "I +have no right to play with your lives, so if you think the thing +too dangerous I will go on alone with this old boy, Babemba. Putting +everything else aside, I think that one of us ought to visit Bausi's +kraal in case the gentleman who you call Brother John should turn up +there. In short, I have made up my mind, so it is no use talking." + +I lit my pipe, and for quite a time contemplated this obstinate young +man while considering the matter from every point of view. Finally, I +came to the conclusion that he was right and I was wrong. It was true +that by bribing Babemba, or otherwise, there was still an excellent +prospect of effecting a masterly retreat and of avoiding many perils. On +the other hand, we had not come to this wild place in order to retreat. +Further, at whose expense had we come here? At that of Stephen Somers +who wished to proceed. Lastly, to say nothing of the chance of meeting +Brother John, to whom I felt no obligation since he had given us the +slip at Durban, I did not like the idea of being beaten. We had started +out to visit some mysterious savages who worshipped a monkey and a +flower, and we might as well go on till circumstances were too much for +us. After all, dangers are everywhere; those who turn back because of +dangers will never succeed in any life that we can imagine. + +"Mavovo," I said presently, pointing to Stephen with my pipe, "the +_inkoosi_ Wazela does not wish to try to escape. He wishes to go on +to the country of the Pongo people if we can get there. And, Mavovo, +remember that he has paid for everything; we are his hired servants. +Also that he says that if we run back he will walk forward alone with +these Mazitus. Still, if any of you hunters desire to slip off, he will +not look your way, nor shall I. What say you?" + +"I say, Macumazana, that, though young, Wazela is a chief with a great +heart, and that where you and he go, I shall go also, as I think will +the rest of us. I do not like these Mazitu, for if their fathers were +Zulus their mothers were low people. They are bastards, and of the Pongo +I hear nothing but what is evil. Still, no good ox ever turns in the +yoke because of a mud-hole. Let us go on, for if we sink in the swamp +what does it matter? Moreover, my Snake tells me that we shall not sink, +at least not all of us." + +So it was arranged that no effort should be made to return. Sammy, it is +true, wished to do so, but when it came to the point and he was offered +one of the remaining donkeys and as much food and ammunition as he could +carry, he changed his mind. + +"I think it better, Mr. Quatermain," he said, "to meet my end in the +company of high-born, lofty souls than to pursue a lonely career towards +the inevitable in unknown circumstances." + +"Very well put, Sammy," I answered; "so while waiting for the +inevitable, please go and cook the dinner." + +Having laid aside our doubts, we proceeded on the journey comfortably +enough, being well provided with bearers to take the place of those who +had run away. Babemba, accompanied by a single orderly, travelled with +us, and from him we collected much information. It seemed that the +Mazitu were a large people who could muster from five to seven thousand +spears. Their tradition was that they came from the south and were of +the same stock as the Zulus, of whom they had heard vaguely. Indeed, +many of their customs, to say nothing of their language, resembled +those of that country. Their military organisation, however, was not +so thorough, and in other ways they struck me as a lower race. In one +particular, it is true, that of their houses, they were more advanced, +for these, as we saw in the many kraals that we passed, were better +built, with doorways through which one could walk upright, instead of +the Kaffir bee-holes. + +We slept in one of these houses on our march, and should have found +it very comfortable had it not been for the innumerable fleas which at +length drove us out into the courtyard. For the rest, these Mazitu much +resembled the Zulus. They had kraals and were breeders of cattle; they +were ruled by headmen under the command of a supreme chief or king; they +believed in witchcraft and offered sacrifice to the spirits of their +ancestors, also in some kind of a vague and mighty god who dominated the +affairs of the world and declared his will through the doctors. Lastly, +they were, and I dare say still are, a race of fighting men who loved +war and raided the neighbouring peoples upon any and every pretext, +killing their men and stealing their women and cattle. They had their +virtues, too, being kindly and hospitable by nature, though cruel enough +to their enemies. Moreover, they detested dealing in slaves and those +who practised it, saying that it was better to kill a man than to +deprive him of his freedom. Also they had a horror of the cannibalism +which is so common in the dark regions of Africa, and for this reason, +more than any other, loathed the Pongo folk who were supposed to be +eaters of men. + +On the evening of the second day of our march, during which we had +passed through a beautiful and fertile upland country, very well +watered, and except in the valleys, free from bush, we arrived at Beza. +This town was situated on a wide plain surrounded by low hills and +encircled by a belt of cultivated land made beautiful by the crops +of maize and other cereals which were then ripe to harvest. It was +fortified in a way. That is, a tall, unclimbable palisade of timber +surrounded the entire town, which fence was strengthened by prickly +pears and cacti planted on its either side. + +Within this palisade the town was divided into quarters more or +less devoted to various trades. Thus one part of it was called the +Ironsmiths' Quarter; another the Soldiers' Quarter; another the Quarter +of the Land-tillers; another that of the Skin-dressers, and so on. The +king's dwelling and those of his women and dependents were near the +North gate, and in front of these, surrounded by semi-circles of huts, +was a wide space into which cattle could be driven if necessary. This, +however, at the time of our visit, was used as a market and a drilling +ground. + +We entered the town, that must in all have contained a great number of +inhabitants, by the South gate, a strong log structure facing a wooded +slope through which ran a road. Just as the sun was setting we marched +to the guest-huts up a central street lined with the population of the +place who had gathered to stare at us. These huts were situated in the +Soldiers' Quarter, not far from the king's house and surrounded by an +inner fence to keep them private. + +None of the people spoke as we passed them, for the Mazitu are polite by +nature; also it seemed to me that they regarded us with awe tempered +by curiosity. They only stared, and occasionally those of them who were +soldiers saluted us by lifting their spears. The huts into which we were +introduced by Babemba, with whom we had grown very friendly, were good +and clean. + +Here all our belongings, including the guns which we had collected just +before the slaves ran away, were placed in one of the huts over which +a Mazitu mounted guard, the donkeys being tied to the fence at a little +distance. Outside this fence stood another armed Mazitu, also on guard. + +"Are we prisoners here?" I asked of Babemba. + +"The king watches over his guests," he answered enigmatically. "Have +the white lords any message for the king whom I am summoned to see this +night?" + +"Yes," I answered. "Tell the king that we are the brethren of him who +more than a year ago cut a swelling from his body, whom we have arranged +to meet here. I mean the white lord with a long beard who among you +black people is called Dogeetah." + +Babemba started. "You are the brethren of Dogeetah! How comes it then +that you never mentioned his name before, and when is he going to meet +you here? Know that Dogeetah is a great man among us, for with him alone +of all men the king has made blood-brotherhood. As the king is, so is +Dogeetah among the Mazitu." + +"We never mentioned him because we do not talk about everything at once, +Babemba. As to when Dogeetah will meet us I am not sure; I am only sure +that he is coming." + +"Yes, lord Macumazana, but when, when? That is what the king will want +to know and that is what you must tell him. Lord," he added, dropping +his voice, "you are in danger here where you have many enemies, since it +is not lawful for white men to enter this land. If you would save your +lives, be advised by me and be ready to tell the king to-morrow when +Dogeetah, whom he loves, will appear here to vouch for you, and see that +he does appear very soon and by the day you name. Since otherwise when +he comes, if come he does, he may not find you able to talk to him. Now +I, your friend, have spoken and the rest is with you." + +Then without another word he rose, slipped through the door of the hut +and out by the gateway of the fence from which the sentry moved aside +to let him pass. I, too, rose from the stool on which I sat and danced +about the hut in a perfect fury. + +"Do you understand what that infernal (I am afraid I used a stronger +word) old fool told me?" I exclaimed to Stephen. "He says that we must +be prepared to state exactly when that other infernal old fool, Brother +John, will turn up at Beza Town, and that if we don't we shall have our +throats cut as indeed has already been arranged." + +"Rather awkward," replied Stephen. "There are no express trains to Beza, +and if there were we couldn't be sure that Brother John would take one +of them. I suppose there _is_ a Brother John?" he added reflectively. +"To me he seems to be--intimately connected with Mrs. Harris." + +"Oh! there is, or there was," I explained. "Why couldn't the confounded +ass wait quietly for us at Durban instead of fooling off butterfly +hunting to the north of Zululand and breaking his leg or his neck there +if he has done anything of the sort?" + +"Don't know, I am sure. It's hard enough to understand one's own +motives, let alone Brother John's." + +Then we sat down on our stools again and stared at each other. At this +moment Hans crept into the hut and squatted down in front of us. He +might have walked in as there was a doorway, but he preferred to creep +on his hands and knees, I don't know why. + +"What is it, you ugly little toad?" I asked viciously, for that was just +what he looked like; even the skin under his jaw moved like a toad's. + +"The Baas is in trouble?" remarked Hans. + +"I should think he was," I answered, "and so will you be presently when +you are wriggling on the point of a Mazitu spear." + +"They are broad spears that would make a big hole," remarked Hans +again, whereupon I rose to kick him out, for his ideas were, as usual, +unpleasant. + +"Baas," he went on, "I have been listening--there is a very good hole in +this hut for listening if one lies against the wall and pretends to +be asleep. I have heard all and understood most of your talk with that +one-eyed savage and the Baas Stephen." + +"Well, you little sneak, what of it?" + +"Only, Baas, that if we do not want to be killed in this place from +which there is no escape, it is necessary that you should find out +exactly on what day and at what hour Dogeetah is going to arrive." + +"Look here, you yellow idiot," I exclaimed, "if you are beginning +that game too, I'll----" then I stopped, reflecting that my temper was +getting the better of me and that I had better hear what Hans had to say +before I vented it on him. + +"Baas, Mavovo is a great doctor; it is said that his Snake is the +straightest and the strongest in all Zululand save that of his master, +Zikali, the old slave. He told you that Dogeetah was laid up somewhere +with a hurt leg and that he was coming to meet you here; no doubt +therefore he can tell you also _when_ he is coming. I would ask him, but +he won't set his Snake to work for me. So you must ask him, Baas, and +perhaps he will forget that you laughed at his magic and that he swore +you would never see it again." + +"Oh! blind one," I answered, "how do I know that Mavovo's story about +Dogeetah was not all nonsense?" + +Hans stared at me amazed. + +"Mavovo's story nonsense! Mavovo's Snake a liar! Oh! Baas, that is what +comes of being too much a Christian. Now, thanks to your father the +Predikant, I am a Christian too, but not so much that I have forgotten +how to know good magic from bad. Mavovo's Snake a liar, and after he +whom we buried yonder was the first of the hunters whom the feathers +named to him at Durban!" and he began to chuckle in intense amusement, +then added, "Well, Baas, there it is. You must either ask Mavovo, and +very nicely, or we shall all be killed. _I_ don't mind much, for I +should rather like to begin again a little younger somewhere else, but +just think what a noise Sammy will make!" and turning he crept out as he +had crept in. + +"Here's a nice position," I groaned to Stephen when he had gone. "I, +a white man, who, in spite of some coincidences with which I am +acquainted, know that all this Kaffir magic is bosh am to beg a savage +to tell me something of which he _must_ be ignorant. That is, unless we +educated people have got hold of the wrong end of the stick altogether. +It is humiliating; it isn't Christian, and I'm hanged if I'll do it!" + +"I dare say you will be--hanged I mean--whether you do it or whether you +don't," replied Stephen with his sweet smile. "But I say, old fellow, +how do you know it is all bosh? We are told about lots of miracles which +weren't bosh, and if miracles ever existed, why can't they exist now? +But there, I know what you mean and it is no use arguing. Still, if +you're proud, I ain't. I'll try to soften the stony heart of Mavovo--we +are rather pals, you know--and get him to unroll the book of his occult +wisdom," and he went. + +A few minutes later I was called out to receive a sheep which, with +milk, native beer, some corn, and other things, including green forage +for the donkeys, Bausi had sent for us to eat. Here I may remark that +while we were among the Mazitu we lived like fighting cocks. There was +none of that starvation which is, or was, so common in East Africa where +the traveller often cannot get food for love or money--generally because +there is none. + +When this business was settled by my sending a message of thanks to the +king with an intimation that we hoped to wait upon him on the morrow +with a few presents, I went to seek Sammy in order to tell him to kill +and cook the sheep. After some search I found, or rather heard him +beyond a reed fence which divided two of the huts. He was acting as +interpreter between Stephen Somers and Mavovo. + +"This Zulu man declares, Mr. Somers," he said, "that he quite +understands everything you have been explaining, and that it is probable +that we shall all be butchered by this savage Bausi, if we cannot tell +him when the white man, Dogeetah, whom he loves, will arrive here. He +says also that he thinks that by his magic he could learn when this will +happen--if it is to happen at all--(which of course, Mr. Somers, for +your private information only, is a mighty lie of the ignorant heathen). +He adds, however, that he does not care one brass farthing--his actual +expression, Mr. Somers, is 'one grain of corn on a mealie-cob'--about +his or anybody else's life, which from all I have heard of his +proceedings I can well believe to be true. He says in his vulgar +language that there is no difference between the belly of a Mazitu-land +hyena and that of any other hyena, and that the earth of Mazitu-land +is as welcome to his bones as any other earth, since the earth is the +wickedest of all hyenas, in that he has observed that soon or late it +devours everlastingly everything which once it bore. You must forgive me +for reproducing his empty and childish talk, Mr. Somers, but you bade me +to render the words of this savage with exactitude. In fact, Mr. Somers, +this reckless person intimates, in short that some power with which he +is not acquainted--he calls it the 'Strength that makes the Sun to +shine and broiders the blanket of the night with stars' (forgive me for +repeating his silly words), caused him 'to be born into this world, and, +at an hour already appointed, will draw him from this world back into +its dark, eternal bosom, there to be rocked in sleep, or nursed to life +again, according to its unknown will'--I translate exactly, Mr. Somers, +although I do not know what it all means--and that he does not care a +curse when this happens. Still, he says that whereas he is growing old +and has known many sorrows--he alludes here, I gather, to some nigger +wives of his whom another savage knocked on the head; also to a child to +whom he appears to have been attached--you are young with all your days +and, he hopes, joys, before you. Therefore he would gladly do anything +in his power to save your life, because although you are white and he +is black he has conceived an affection for you and looks on you as his +child. Yes, Mr. Somers, although I blush to repeat it, this black +fellow says he looks upon you as his child. He adds, indeed, that if the +opportunity arises, he will gladly give his life to save your life, +and that it cuts his heart in two to refuse you anything. Still he must +refuse this request of yours, that he will ask the creature he calls his +Snake--what he means by that, I don't know, Mr. Somers--to declare +when the white man, named Dogeetah, will arrive in this place. For this +reason, that he told Mr. Quatermain when he laughed at him about his +divinations that he would make no more magic for him or any of you, and +that he will die rather than break his word. That's all, Mr. Somers, and +I dare say you will think--quite enough, too." + +"I understand," replied Stephen. "Tell the chief, Mavovo" (I observed he +laid an emphasis on the word, _chief_) "that I _quite_ understand, and +that I thank him very much for explaining things to me so fully. Then +ask him whether, as the matter is so important, there is no way out of +this trouble?" + +Sammy translated into Zulu, which he spoke perfectly, as I noted without +interpolations or additions. + +"Only one way," answered Mavovo in the intervals of taking snuff. "It is +that Macumazana himself shall ask me to do this thing, Macumazana is my +old chief and friend, and for his sake I will forget what in the case +of others I should always remember. If he will come and ask me, without +mockery, to exercise my skill on behalf of all of us, I will try to +exercise it, although I know very well that he believes it to be but as +an idle little whirlwind that stirs the dust, that raises the dust and +lets it fall again without purpose or meaning, forgetting, as the wise +white men forget, that even the wind which blows the dust is the same +that breathes in our nostrils, and that to it, we also are as is the +dust." + +Now I, the listener, thought for a moment or two. The words of this +fighting savage, Mavovo, even those of them of which I had heard only +the translation, garbled and beslavered by the mean comments of the +unutterable Sammy, stirred my imagination. Who was I that I should dare +to judge of him and his wild, unknown gifts? Who was I that I should +mock at him and by my mockery intimate that I believed him to be a +fraud? + +Stepping through the gateway of the fence, I confronted him. + +"Mavovo," I said, "I have overheard your talk. I am sorry if I laughed +at you in Durban. I do not understand what you call your magic. It is +beyond me and may be true or may be false. Still, I shall be grateful to +you if you will use your power to discover, if you can, whether Dogeetah +is coming here, and if so, when. Now, do as it may please you; I have +spoken." + +"And I have heard, Macumazana, my father. To-night I will call upon my +Snake. Whether it will answer or what it will answer, I cannot say." + +Well, he did call upon his Snake with due and portentous ceremony and, +according to Stephen, who was present, which I declined to be, that +mystic reptile declared that Dogeetah, alias Brother John, would arrive +in Beza Town precisely at sunset on the third day from that night. Now +as he had divined on Friday, according to our almanac, this meant that +we might hope to see him--hope exactly described my state of mind on the +matter--on the Monday evening in time for supper. + +"All right," I said briefly. "Please do not talk to me any more about +this impious rubbish, for I want to go to sleep." + +Next morning early we unpacked our boxes and made a handsome selection +of gifts for the king, Bausi, hoping thus to soften his royal heart. +It included a bale of calico, several knives, a musical box, a cheap +American revolver, and a bundle of tooth-picks; also several pounds +of the best and most fashionable beads for his wives. This truly noble +present we sent to the king by our two Mazitu servants, Tom and Jerry, +who were marched off in the charge of several sentries, for I hoped +that these men would talk to their compatriots and tell them what good +fellows we were. Indeed I instructed them to do so. + +Imagine our horror, therefore, when about an hour later, just as we were +tidying ourselves up after breakfast, there appeared through the gate, +not Tom and Jerry, for they had vanished, but a long line of Mazitu +soldiers each of whom carried one of the articles that we had sent. +Indeed the last of them held the bundle of toothpicks on his fuzzy head +as though it were a huge faggot of wood. One by one they set them down +upon the lime flooring of the verandah of the largest hut. Then their +captain said solemnly: + +"Bausi, the Great Black One, has no need of the white men's gifts." + +"Indeed," I replied, for my dander was up. "Then he won't get another +chance at them." + +The men turned away without more words, and presently Babemba turned up +with a company of about fifty soldiers. + +"The king is waiting to see you, white lords," he said in a voice of +very forced jollity, "and I have come to conduct you to him." + +"Why would he not accept our presents?" I asked, pointing to the row of +them. + +"Oh! that is because of Imbozwi's story of the magic shield. He said he +wanted no gifts to burn his hair off. But, come, come. He will explain +for himself. If the Elephant is kept waiting he grows angry and +trumpets." + +"Does he?" I said. "And how many of us are to come?" + +"All, all, white lord. He wishes to see every one of you." + +"Not me, I suppose?" said Sammy, who was standing close by. "I must stop +to make ready the food." + +"Yes, you too," replied Babemba. "The king would look on the mixer of +the holy drink." + +Well, there was no way out of it, so off we marched, all well armed as I +need not say, and were instantly surrounded by the soldiers. To give an +unusual note to the proceedings I made Hans walk first, carrying on his +head the rejected musical box from which flowed the touching melody of +"Home, Sweet Home." Then came Stephen bearing the Union Jack on a pole, +then I in the midst of the hunters and accompanied by Babemba, then the +reluctant Sammy, and last of all the two donkeys led by Mazitus, for it +seemed that the king had especially ordered that these should be brought +also. + +It was a truly striking cavalcade, the sight of which under any other +circumstances would have made me laugh. Nor did it fail in its effect, +for even the silent Mazitu people through whom we wended our way, were +moved to something like enthusiasm. "Home, Sweet Home" they evidently +thought heavenly, though perhaps the two donkeys attracted them most, +especially when these brayed. + +"Where are Tom and Jerry?" I asked of Babemba. + +"I don't know," he answered; "I think they have been given leave to go +to see their friends." + +Imbozwi is suppressing evidence in our favour, I thought to myself, and +said no more. + +Presently we reached the gate of the royal enclosure. Here to my dismay +the soldiers insisted on disarming us, taking away our rifles, our +revolvers, and even our sheath knives. In vain did I remonstrate, saying +that we were not accustomed to part with these weapons. The answer was +that it was not lawful for any man to appear before the king armed even +with so much as a dancing-stick. Mavovo and the Zulus showed signs of +resisting and for a minute I thought there was going to be a row, which +of course would have ended in our massacre, for although the Mazitus +feared guns very much, what could we have done against hundreds of +them? I ordered him to give way, but for once he was on the point of +disobeying me. Then by a happy thought I reminded him that, according to +his Snake, Dogeetah was coming, and that therefore all would be well. So +he submitted with an ill grace, and we saw our precious guns borne off +we knew not where. + +Then the Mazitu soldiers piled their spears and bows at the gate of the +kraal and we proceeded with only the Union Jack and the musical box, +which was now discoursing "Britannia rules the waves." + +Across the open space we marched to where several broad-leaved trees +grew in front of a large native house. Not far from the door of this +house a fat, middle-aged and angry-looking man was seated on a stool, +naked except for a moocha of catskins about his loins and a string of +large blue beads round his neck. + +"Bausi, the King," whispered Babemba. + +At his side squatted a little hunchbacked figure, in whom I had no +difficulty in recognising Imbozwi, although he had painted his scorched +scalp white with vermillion spots and adorned his snub nose with a +purple tip, his dress of ceremony I presume. Round and behind there were +a number of silent councillors. At some signal or on reaching a given +spot, all the soldiers, including old Babemba, fell upon their hands and +knees and began to crawl. They wanted us to do the same, but here I drew +the line, feeling that if once we crawled we must always crawl. + +So at my word we advanced upright, but with slow steps, in the midst of +all this wriggling humanity and at length found ourselves in the august +presence of Bausi, "the Beautiful Black One," King of the Mazitu. + + + + +CHAPTER X + + THE SENTENCE + +We stared at Bausi and Bausi stared at us. + +"I am the Black Elephant Bausi," he exclaimed at last, worn out by our +solid silence, "and I trumpet! I trumpet! I trumpet!" (It appeared that +this was the ancient and hallowed formula with which a Mazitu king was +wont to open a conversation with strangers.) + +After a suitable pause I replied in a cold voice: + +"We are the white lions, Macumazana and Wazela, and we roar! we roar! we +roar!" + +"I can trample," said Bausi. + +"And we can bite," I said haughtily, though how we were to bite or do +anything else effectual with nothing but a Union Jack, I did not in the +least know. + +"What is that thing?" asked Bausi, pointing to the flag. + +"That which shadows the whole earth," I answered proudly, a remark that +seemed to impress him, although he did not at all understand it, for he +ordered a soldier to hold a palm leaf umbrella over him to prevent it +from shadowing _him_. + +"And that," he asked again, pointing to the music box, "which is not +alive and yet makes a noise?" + +"That sings the war-song of our people," I said. "We sent it to you as a +present and you returned it. Why do you return our presents, O Bausi?" + +Then of a sudden this potentate grew furious. + +"Why do you come here, white men," he asked, "uninvited and against +the law of my land, where only one white man is welcome, my brother +Dogeetah, who cured me of sickness with a knife? I know who you are. You +are dealers in men. You come here to steal my people and sell them into +slavery. You had many slaves with you on the borders of my country, +but you sent them away. You shall die, you shall die, you who call +yourselves lions, and the painted rag which you say shadows the world, +shall rot with your bones. As for that box which sings a war-song, I +will smash it; it shall not bewitch me as your magic shield bewitched my +great doctor, Imbozwi, burning off his hair." + +Then springing up with wonderful agility for one so fat, he knocked the +musical box from Hans' head, so that it fell to the ground and after a +little whirring grew silent. + +"That is right," squeaked Imbozwi. "Trample on their magic, O Elephant. +Kill them, O Black One; burn them as they burned my hair." + +Now things were, I felt, very serious, for already Bausi was looking +about him as though to order his soldiers to make an end of us. So I +said in desperation: + +"O King, you mentioned a certain white man, Dogeetah, a doctor of +doctors, who cured you of sickness with a knife, and called him your +brother. Well, he is our brother also, and it was by his invitation that +we have come to visit you here, where he will meet us presently." + +"If Dogeetah is your friend, then you are my friends," answered Bausi, +"for in this land he rules as I rule, he whose blood flows in my veins, +as my blood flows in his veins. But you lie. Dogeetah is no brother of +slave-dealers, his heart is good and yours are evil. You say that he +will meet you here. When will he meet you? Tell me, and if it is soon, I +will hold my hand and wait to hear his report of you before I put you to +death, for if he speaks well of you, you shall not die." + +Now I hesitated, as well I might, for I felt that looking at our case +from his point of view, Bausi, believing us to be slave-traders, was +not angry without cause. While I was racking my brains for a reply that +might be acceptable to him and would not commit us too deeply, to my +astonishment Mavovo stepped forward and confronted the king. + +"Who are you, fellow?" shouted Bausi. + +"I am a warrior, O King, as my scars show," and he pointed to the +assegai wounds upon his breast and to his cut nostril. "I am a chief of +a people from whom your people sprang and my name is Mavovo, Mavovo who +is ready to fight you or any man whom you may name, and to kill him or +you if you will. Is there one here who wishes to be killed?" + +No one answered, for the mighty-chested Zulu looked very formidable. + +"I am a doctor also," went on Mavovo, "one of the greatest of doctors +who can open the 'Gates of Distance' and read that which is hid in the +womb of the Future. Therefore I will answer your questions which you +put to the lord Macumazana, the great and wise white man whom I serve, +because we have fought together in many battles. Yes, I will be his +Mouth, I will answer. The white man Dogeetah, who is your blood-brother +and whose word is your word among the Mazitu, will arrive here at sunset +on the second day from now. I have spoken." + +Bausi looked at me in question. + +"Yes," I exclaimed, feeling that I must say something and that it did +not much matter what I said, "Dogeetah will arrive here on the second +day from now within half an hour after sunset." + +Something, I know not what, prompted me to allow that extra half-hour, +which in the event, saved all our lives. Now Bausi consulted a while +with the execrable Imbozwi and also with the old one-eyed General +Babemba while we watched, knowing that our fate hung upon the issue. + +At length he spoke. + +"White men," he said, "Imbozwi, the head of the witch-finders here, +whose hair you burnt off by your evil magic, says that it would be +better to kill you at once as your hearts are bad and you are planning +mischief against my people. So I think also. But Babemba my General, +with whom I am angry because he did not obey my orders and put you +to death on the borders of my country when he met you there with your +caravan of slaves, thinks otherwise. He prays me to hold my hand, first +because you have bewitched him into liking you and secondly because if +you should happen to be speaking the truth--which we do not believe--and +to have come here at the invitation of my brother Dogeetah, he, +Dogeetah, would be pained if he arrived and found you dead, nor could +even he bring you to life again. This being so, since it matters little +whether you die now or later, my command is that you be kept prisoners +till sunset of the second day from this, and that then you will be +led out and tied to stakes in the market-place, there to wait till +the approach of darkness, by when you say Dogeetah will be here. If +he arrives and owns you as his brethren, well and good; if he does not +arrive, or disowns you--better still, for then you shall be shot to +death with arrows as a warning to all other stealers of men not to cross +the borders of the Mazitu." + +I listened to this atrocious sentence with horror, then gasped out: + +"We are not stealers of men, O King, we are freers of men, as Tom and +Jerry of your own people could tell you." + +"Who are Tom and Jerry?" he asked, indifferently. "Well, it does not +matter, for doubtless they are liars like the rest of you. I have +spoken. Take them away, feed them well and keep them safe till within an +hour of sunset on the second day from this." + +Then, without giving us any further opportunity of speaking, Bausi rose, +and followed by Imbozwi and his councillors, marched off into his big +hut. We too, were marched off, this time under a double guard commanded +by someone whom I had not seen before. At the gate of the kraal we +halted and asked for the arms that had been taken from us. No answer was +given; only the soldiers put their hands upon our shoulders and thrust +us along. + +"This is a nice business," I whispered to Stephen. + +"Oh! it doesn't matter," he answered. "There are lots more guns in the +huts. I am told that these Mazitus are dreadfully afraid of bullets. So +all we have to do is just to break out and shoot our way through them, +for of course they will run when we begin to fire." + +I looked at him but did not answer, for to tell the truth I felt in no +mood for argument. + +Presently we arrived at our quarters, where the soldiers left us, to +camp outside. Full of his warlike plan, Stephen went at once to the hut +in which the slavers' guns had been stored with our own spare rifles and +all the ammunition. I saw him emerge looking very blank indeed and asked +him what was the matter. + +"Matter!" he answered in a voice that for once really was full of +dismay. "The matter is that those Mazitu have stolen all the guns +and all the ammunition. There's not enough powder left to make a blue +devil." + +"Well," I replied, with the kind of joke one perpetrates under such +circumstances, "we shall have plenty of blue devils without making any +more." + +Truly ours was a dreadful situation. Let the reader imagine it. Within +a little more than forty-eight hours we were to be shot to death with +arrows if an erratic old gentleman who, for aught I knew might be +dead, did not turn up at what was then one of the remotest and most +inaccessible spots in Central Africa. Moreover, our only hope that such +a thing would happen, if hope it could be called, was the prophecy of a +Kaffir witch-doctor. + +To rely on this in any way was so absurd that I gave up thinking of +it and set my mind to considering if there were any possible means of +escape. After hours of reflection I could find none. Even Hans, with +all his experience and nearly superhuman cunning, could suggest none. +We were unarmed and surrounded by thousands of savages, all of whom +save perhaps Babemba, believed us to be slave-traders, a race that very +properly they held in abhorrence, who had visited the country with the +object of stealing their women and children. The king, Bausi, a very +prejudiced fellow, was dead against us. Also by a piece of foolishness +which I now bitterly regretted, as indeed I regretted the whole +expedition, or at any rate entering on it in the absence of Brother +John, we had made an implacable enemy of the head medicine-man, who to +these folk was a sort of Archbishop of Canterbury. Short of a miracle, +there was no hope for us. All that we could do was to say our prayers +and prepare for the end. + +Mavovo, it is true, remained cheerful. His faith in his "Snake" was +really touching. He offered to go through that divination process again +in our presence and demonstrate that there was no mistake. I declined +because I had no faith in divinations, and Stephen also declined, for +another reason, namely that the result might prove to be different, +which, he held, would be depressing. The other Zulus oscillated between +belief and scepticism, as do the unstable who set to work to study the +evidences of Christianity. But Sammy did not oscillate, he literally +howled, and prepared the food which poured in upon us so badly that I +had to turn on Hans to do the cooking, for however little appetite we +might have, it was necessary that we should keep up our strength by +eating. + +"What, Mr. Quatermain," asked Sammy between his tears, "is the use of +dressing viands that our systems will never have time to thoroughly +assimilate?" + +The first night passed somehow, and so did the next day and the next +night which heralded our last morning. I got up quite early and watched +the sunrise. Never, I think, had I realised before what a beautiful +thing the sunrise is, at least not to the extent I did now when I was +saying good-bye to it for ever. Unless indeed there should prove to be +still lovelier sunrises beyond the dark of death! Then I went into +our hut, and as Stephen, who had the nerves of a rhinoceros, was still +sleeping like a tortoise in winter, I said my prayers earnestly enough, +mourned over my sins which proved to be so many that at last I gave up +the job in despair, and then tried to occupy myself by reading the Old +Testament, a book to which I have always been extremely attached. + +As a passage that I lit on described how the prophet Samuel for whom I +could not help reading "Imbozwi," hewed Agag in pieces after Bausi--I +mean Saul--had relented and spared his life, I cannot say that it +consoled me very much. Doubtless, I reflected, these people believe that +I, like Agag, had "made women childless" by my sword, so there remained +nothing save to follow the example of that unhappy king and walk +"delicately" to doom. + +Then, as Stephen was still sleeping--how _could_ he do it, I wondered--I +set to work to make up the accounts of the expedition to date. It had +already cost L1,423. Just fancy expending L1,423 in order to be tied to +a post and shot to death with arrows. And all to get a rare orchid! Oh! +I reflected to myself, if by some marvel I should escape, or if I should +live again in any land where these particular flowers flourish, I would +never even look at them. And as a matter of fact I never have. + +At length Stephen did wake up and, as criminals are reported to do in +the papers before execution, made an excellent breakfast. + +"What's the good of worrying?" he said presently. "I shouldn't if it +weren't for my poor old father. It must have come to this one day, and +the sooner it is over the sooner to sleep, as the song says. When one +comes to think of it there are enormous advantages in sleep, for that's +the only time one is quite happy. Still, I should have liked to see that +Cypripedium first." + +"Oh! drat the Cypripedium!" I exclaimed, and blundered from the hut to +tell Sammy that if he didn't stop his groaning I would punch his head. + +"Jumps! Regular jumps! Who'd have thought it of Quatermain?" I heard +Stephen mutter in the intervals of lighting his pipe. + +The morning went "like lightning that is greased," as Sammy remarked. +Three o'clock came and Mavovo and his following sacrificed a kid to +the spirits of their ancestors, which, as Sammy remarked again, was "a +horrible, heathen ceremony much calculated to prejudice our cause with +Powers Above." + +When it was over, to my delight, Babemba appeared. He looked so pleasant +that I jumped to the conclusion that he brought the best of news +with him. Perhaps that the king had pardoned us, or perhaps--blessed +thought--that Brother John had really arrived before his time. + +But not a bit of it! All he had to say was that he had caused inquiries +to be made along the route that ran to the coast and that certainly +for a hundred miles there was at present no sign of Dogeetah. So as the +Black Elephant was growing more and more enraged under the stirrings +up of Imbozwi, it was obvious that that evening's ceremony must be +performed. Indeed, as it was part of his duty to superintend the +erection of the posts to which we were to be tied and the digging of +our graves at their bases, he had just come to count us again to be sure +that he had not made any mistake as to the number. Also, if there were +any articles that we would like buried with us, would we be so kind as +to point them out and he would be sure to see to the matter. It would be +soon over, and not painful, he added, as he had selected the very best +archers in Beza Town who rarely missed and could, most of them, send an +arrow up to the feather into a buffalo. + +Then he chatted a little about other matters, as to where he should +find the magic shield I had given him, which he would always value as a +souvenir, etc., took a pinch of snuff with Mavovo and departed, saying +that he would be sure to return again at the proper time. + +It was now four o'clock, and as Sammy was quite beyond it, Stephen made +himself some tea. It was very good tea, especially as we had milk to put +in it, although I did not remember what it tasted like till afterwards. + +Now, having abandoned hope, I went into a hut alone to compose myself +to meet my end like a gentleman, and seated there in silence and +semi-darkness my spirit grew much calmer. After all, I reflected, why +should I cling to life? In the country whither I travelled, as the +reader who has followed my adventures will know, were some whom I +clearly longed to see again, notably my father and my mother, and two +noble women who were even more to me. My boy, it is true, remained (he +was alive then), but I knew that he would find friends, and as I was not +so badly off at that time, I had been able to make a proper provision +for him. Perhaps it was better that I should go, seeing that if I lived +on it would only mean more troubles and more partings. + +What was about to befall me of course I could not tell, but I knew then +as I know now, that it was not extinction or even that sleep of which +Stephen had spoken. Perhaps I was passing to some place where at length +the clouds would roll away and I should understand; whence, too, I +should see all the landscape of the past and future, as an eagle does +watching from the skies, and be no longer like one struggling through +dense bush, wild-beast and serpent haunted, beat upon by the storms of +heaven and terrified with its lightnings, nor knowing whither I hewed +my path. Perhaps in that place there would be no longer what St. Paul +describes as another law in my members warring against the law of my +mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin. Perhaps there +the past would be forgiven by the Power which knows whereof we are made, +and I should become what I have always longed to be--good in every sense +and even find open to me new and better roads of service. I take these +thoughts from a note that I made in my pocket-book at the time. + +Thus I reflected and then wrote a few lines of farewell in the fond +and foolish hope that somehow they might find those to whom they were +addressed (I have those letters still and very oddly they read to-day). +This done, I tried to throw out my mind towards Brother John if he still +lived, as indeed I had done for days past, so that I might inform him of +our plight and, I am afraid, reproach him for having brought us to such +an end by his insane carelessness or want of faith. + +Whilst I was still engaged thus Babemba arrived with his soldiers to +lead us off to execution. It was Hans who came to tell me that he was +there. The poor old Hottentot shook me by the hand and wiped his eyes +with his ragged coat-sleeve. + +"Oh! Baas, this is our last journey," he said, "and you are going to +be killed, Baas, and it is all my fault, Baas, because I ought to have +found a way out of the trouble which is what I was hired to do. But +I can't, my head grows so stupid. Oh! if only I could come even with +Imbozwi I shouldn't mind, and I will, I _will_, if I have to return as a +ghost to do it. Well, Baas, you know the Predikant, your father, told +us that we don't go out like a fire, but burn again for always +elsewhere----" + +("I hope not," I thought to myself.) + +"And that quite easily without anything to pay for the wood. So I hope +that we shall always burn together, Baas. And meanwhile, I have brought +you a little something," and he produced what looked like a peculiarly +obnoxious horseball. "You swallow this now and you will never feel +anything; it is a very good medicine that my grandfather's grandfather +got from the Spirit of his tribe. You will just go to sleep as nicely +as though you were very drunk, and wake up in the beautiful fire which +burns without any wood and never goes out for ever and ever, Amen." + +"No, Hans," I said, "I prefer to die with my eyes open." + +"And so would I, Baas, if I thought there was any good in keeping them +open, but I don't, for I can't believe any more in the Snake of that +black fool, Mavovo. If it had been a good Snake, it would have told him +to keep clear of Beza Town, so I will swallow one of these pills and +give the other to the Baas Stephen," and he crammed the filthy mess into +his mouth and with an effort got it down, as a young turkey does a ball +of meal that is too big for its throat. + +Then, as I heard Stephen calling me, I left him invoking a most +comprehensive and polyglot curse upon the head of Imbozwi, to whom he +rightly attributed all our woes. + +"Our friend here says it is time to start," said Stephen, rather +shakily, for the situation seemed to have got a hold of him at last, +and nodding towards old Babemba, who stood there with a cheerful smile +looking as though he were going to conduct us to a wedding. + +"Yes, white lord," said Babemba, "it is time, and I have hurried so as +not to keep you waiting. It will be a very fine show, for the 'Black +Elephant' himself is going to do you the honour to be present, as will +all the people of Beza Town and those for many miles round." + +"Hold your tongue, you old idiot," I said, "and stop your grinning. If +you had been a man and not a false friend you would have got us out of +this trouble, knowing as you do very well that we are no sellers of men, +but rather the enemy of those who do such things." + +"Oh! white lord," said Babemba, in a changed voice, "believe me I only +smile to make you happy up to the end. My lips smile, but I am crying +inside. I know that you are good and have told Bausi so, but he will +not believe me, who thinks that I have been bribed by you. What can I +do against that evil-hearted Imbozwi, the head of the witch-doctors, who +hates you because he thinks you have better magic than he has and who +whispers day and night into the king's ear, telling him that if he does +not kill you, all our people will be slain or sold for slaves, as +you are only the scouts or a big army that is coming. Only last night +Imbozwi held a great divination _indaba_, and read this and a great +deal more in the enchanted water, making the king think he saw it in +pictures, whereas I, looking over his shoulder, could see nothing at +all, except the ugly face of Imbozwi reflected in the water. Also he +swore that his spirit told me that Dogeetah, the king's blood-brother, +being dead, would never come to Beza Town again. I have done my best. +Keep your heart white towards me, O Macumazana, and do not haunt me, +for I tell you I have done my best, and if ever I should get a chance +against Imbozwi, which I am afraid I shan't, as he will poison me first, +I will pay him back. Oh! he shall not die quickly as you will." + +"I wish I could get a chance at him," I muttered, for even in this +solemn moment I could cultivate no Christian spirit towards Imbozwi. + +Feeling that he was honest after all, I shook old Babemba's hand and +gave him the letters I had written, asking him to try and get them to +the coast. Then we started on our last walk. + +The Zulu hunters were already outside the fence, seated on the ground, +chatting and taking snuff. I wondered if this was because they really +believed in Mavovo's confounded Snake, or from bravado, inspired by the +innate courage of their race. When they saw me they sprang to their +feet and, lifting their right hands, gave me a loud and hearty salute +of "Inkoosi! Baba! Inkoosi! Macumazana!" Then, at a signal from Mavovo, +they broke into some Zulu war-chant, which they kept up till we reached +the stakes. Sammy, too, broke into a chant, but one of quite a different +nature. + +"Be quiet!" I said to him. "Can't you die like a man?" + +"No, indeed I cannot, Mr. Quatermain," he answered, and went on howling +for pity in about twenty different languages. + +Stephen and I walked together, he still carrying the Union Jack, of +which no one tried to deprive him. I think the Mazitu believed it was +his fetish. We didn't talk much, though once he said: + +"Well, the love of orchids has brought many a man to a bad end. I wonder +whether the Governor will keep my collection or sell it." + +After this he relapsed into silence, and not knowing and indeed not +caring what would happen to his collection, I made no answer. + +We had not far to go; personally I could have preferred a longer walk. +Passing with our guards down a kind of by-street, we emerged suddenly at +the head of the market-place, to find that it was packed with thousands +of people gathered there to see our execution. I noticed that they were +arranged in orderly companies and that a broad open roadway was left +between them, running to the southern gate of the market, I suppose to +facilitate the movements of so large a crowd. + +All this multitude received us in respectful silence, though Sammy's +howls caused some of them to smile, while the Zulu war-chant appeared to +excite their wonder, or admiration. At the head of the market-place, not +far from the king's enclosure, fifteen stout posts had been planted on +as many mounds. These mounds were provided so that everyone might see +the show and, in part at any rate, were made of soil hollowed from +fifteen deep graves dug almost at the foot of the mounds. Or rather +there were seventeen posts, an extra large one being set at each end of +the line in order to accommodate the two donkeys, which it appeared were +also to be shot to death. A great number of soldiers kept a space +clear in front of the posts. On this space were gathered Bausi, his +councillors, some of his head wives, Imbozwi more hideously painted than +usual, and perhaps fifty or sixty picked archers with strung bows and an +ample supply of arrows, whose part in the ceremony it was not difficult +for us to guess. + +"King Bausi," I said as I was led past that potentate, "you are a +murderer and Heaven Above will be avenged upon you for this crime. If +our blood is shed, soon you shall die and come to meet us where _we_ +have power, and your people shall be destroyed." + +My words seemed to frighten the man, for he answered: + +"I am no murderer. I kill you because you are robbers of men. Moreover, +it is not I who have passed sentence on you. It is Imbozwi here, the +chief of the doctors, who has told me all about you, and whose spirit +says you must die unless my brother Dogeetah appears to save you. If +Dogeetah comes, which he cannot do because he is dead, and vouches for +you, then I shall know that Imbozwi is a wicked liar, and as you were to +die, so he shall die." + +"Yes, yes," screeched Imbozwi. "If Dogeetah comes, as that false wizard +prophesies," and he pointed to Mavovo, "then I shall be ready to die in +your place, white slave-dealers. Yes, yes, then you may shoot _me_ with +arrows." + +"King, take note of those words, and people, take note of those words, +that they may be fulfilled if Dogeetah comes," said Mavovo in a great, +deep voice. + +"I take note of them," answered Bausi, "and I swear by my mother on +behalf of all the people, that they shall be fulfilled--if Dogeetah +comes." + +"Good," exclaimed Mavovo, and stalked on to the stake which had been +pointed out to him. + +As he went he whispered something into Imbozwi's ear that seemed to +frighten that limb of Satan, for I saw him start and shiver. However, he +soon recovered, for in another minute he was engaged in superintending +those whose business it was to lash us to the posts. + +This was done simply and effectively by tying our wrists with a grass +rope behind these posts, each of which was fitted with two projecting +pieces of wood that passed under our arms and practically prevented +us from moving. Stephen and I were given the places of honour in the +middle, the Union Jack being fixed, by his own request, to the top of +Stephen's stake. Mavovo was on my right, and the other Zulus were ranged +on either side of us. Hans and Sammy occupied the end posts respectively +(except those to which the poor jackasses were bound). I noted that Hans +was already very sleepy and that shortly after he was fixed up, his head +dropped forward on his breast. Evidently his medicine was working, and +almost I regretted that I had not taken some while I had the chance. + +When we were all fastened, Imbozwi came round to inspect. Moreover, with +a piece of white chalk he made a round mark on the breast of each of us; +a kind of bull's eye for the archers to aim at. + +"Ah! white man," he said to me as he chalked away at my shooting coat, +"you will never burn anyone's hair again with your magic shield. Never, +never, for presently I shall be treading down the earth upon you in that +hole, and your goods will belong to me." + +I did not answer, for what was the use of talking to this vile brute +when my time was so short. So he passed on to Stephen and began to chalk +him. Stephen, however, in whom the natural man still prevailed, shouted: + +"Take your filthy hands off me," and lifting his leg, which was +unfettered, gave the painted witch-doctor such an awful kick in the +stomach, that he vanished backwards into the grave beneath him. + +"_Ow!_ Well done, Wazela!" said the Zulus, "we hope that you have killed +him." + +"I hope so too," said Stephen, and the multitude of spectators gasped to +see the sacred person of the head witch-doctor, of whom they evidently +went in much fear, treated in such a way. Only Babemba grinned, and even +the king Bausi did not seem displeased. + +But Imbozwi was not to be disposed of so easily, for presently, with the +help of sundry myrmidons, minor witch-doctors, he scrambled out of the +grave, cursing and covered with mud, for it was wet down there. After +that I took no more heed of him or of much else. Seeing that I had only +half an hour to live, as may be imagined, I was otherwise engaged. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + + THE COMING OF DOGEETAH + +The sunset that day was like the sunrise, particularly fine, although +as in the case of the tea, I remembered little of it till afterwards. +In fact, thunder was about, which always produces grand cloud effects in +Africa. + +The sun went down like a great red eye, over which there dropped +suddenly a black eyelid of cloud with a fringe of purple lashes. + +There's the last I shall see of you, my old friend, thought I to myself, +unless I catch you up presently. + +The gloom began to gather. The king looked about him, also at the sky +overhead, as though he feared rain, then whispered something to Babemba, +who nodded and strolled up to my post. + +"White lord," he said, "the Elephant wishes to know if you are ready, as +presently the light will be very bad for shooting?" + +"No," I answered with decision, "not till half an hour after sundown as +was agreed." + +Babemba went to the king and returned to me. + +"White lord, the king says that a bargain is a bargain, and he will keep +to his word. Only you must not then blame him if the shooting is bad, +since of course he did not know that the night would be so cloudy, which +is not usual at this time of year." + +It grew darker and darker, till at length we might have been lost in a +London fog. The dense masses of the people looked like banks, and the +archers, flitting to and fro as they made ready, might have been shadows +in Hades. Once or twice lightning flashed and was followed after a pause +by the distant growling of thunder. The air, too, grew very oppressive. +Dense silence reigned. In all those multitudes no one spoke or stirred; +even Sammy ceased his howling, I suppose because he had become exhausted +and fainted away, as people often do just before they are hanged. It was +a most solemn time. Nature seemed to be adapting herself to the mood of +sacrifice and making ready for us a mighty pall. + +At length I heard the sound of arrows being drawn from their quivers, +and then the squeaky voice of Imbozwi, saying: + +"Wait a little, the cloud will lift. There is light behind it, and it +will be nicer if they can see the arrows coming." + +The cloud did begin to lift, very slowly, and from beneath it flowed a +green light like that in a cat's eye. + +"Shall we shoot, Imbozwi?" asked the voice of the captain of the +archers. + +"Not yet, not yet. Not till the people can watch them die." + +The edge of cloud lifted a little more; the green light turned to a +fiery red thrown by the sunk sun and reflected back upon the earth from +the dense black cloud above. It was as though all the landscape had +burst into flames, while the heaven over us remained of the hue of ink. +Again the lightning flashed, showing the faces and staring eyes of the +thousands who watched, and even the white teeth of a great bat that +flittered past. That flash seemed to burn off an edge of the lowering +cloud and the light grew stronger and stronger, and redder and redder. + +Imbozwi uttered a hiss like a snake. I heard a bow-string twang, and +almost at the same moment the thud of an arrow striking my post just +above my head. Indeed, by lifting myself I could touch it. I shut my +eyes and began to see all sorts of queer things that I had forgotten +for years and years. My brain swam and seemed to melt into a kind of +confusion. Through the intense silence I thought I heard the sound of +some animal running heavily, much as a fat bull eland does when it is +suddenly disturbed. Someone uttered a startled exclamation, which caused +me to open my eyes again. The first thing I saw was the squad of savage +archers lifting their bows--evidently that first arrow had been a kind +of trial shot. The next, looking absolutely unearthly in that terrible +and ominous light, was a tall figure seated on a white ox shambling +rapidly towards us along the open roadway that ran from the southern +gate of the market-place. + +Of course, I knew that I dreamed, for this figure exactly resembled +Brother John. There was his long, snowy beard. There in his hand was his +butterfly net, with the handle of which he seemed to be prodding the ox. +Only he was wound about with wreaths of flowers as were the great horns +of the ox, and on either side of him and before and behind him ran +girls, also wreathed with flowers. It was a vision, nothing else, and I +shut my eyes again awaiting the fatal arrow. + +"Shoot!" screamed Imbozwi. + +"Nay, shoot not!" shouted Babemba. "_Dogeetah is come!_" + +A moment's pause, during which I heard arrows falling to the ground; +then from all those thousands of throats a roar that shaped itself to +the words: + +"Dogeetah! Dogeetah is come to save the white lords." + +I must confess that after this my nerve, which is generally pretty good, +gave out to such an extent that I think I fainted for a few minutes. +During that faint I seemed to be carrying on a conversation with Mavovo, +though whether it ever took place or I only imagined it I am not sure, +since I always forgot to ask him. + +He said, or I thought he said, to me: + +"And now, Macumazana, my father, what have you to say? Does my Snake +stand upon its tail or does it not? Answer, I am listening." + +To which I replied, or seemed to reply: + +"Mavovo, my child, certainly it appears as though your Snake _does_ +stand upon its tail. Still, I hold that all this is a phantasy; that +we live in a land of dream in which nothing is real except those things +which we cannot see or touch or hear. That there is no me and no you +and no Snake at all, nothing but a Power in which we move, that shows us +pictures and laughs when we think them real." + +Whereon Mavovo said, or seemed to say: + +"Ah! at last you touch the truth, O Macumazana, my father. All things +are a shadow and we are shadows in a shadow. But what throws the shadow, +O Macumazana, my father? Why does Dogeetah appear to come hither riding +on a white ox and why do all these thousands think that my Snake stands +so very stiff upon its tail?" + +"I'm hanged if I know," I replied and woke up. + +There, without doubt, _was_ old Brother John with a wreath of flowers--I +noted in disgust that they were orchids--hanging in a bacchanalian +fashion from his dinted sun-helmet over his left eye. He was in a +furious rage and reviling Bausi, who literally crouched before him, and +I was in a furious rage and reviling him. What I said I do not remember, +but he said, his white beard bristling with indignation while he +threatened Bausi with the handle of the butterfly net: + +"You dog! You savage, whom I saved from death and called Brother. What +were you doing to these white men who are in truth my brothers, and to +their followers? Were you about to kill them? Oh! if so, I will forget +my vow, I will forget the bond that binds us and----" + +"Don't, pray don't," said Bausi. "It is all a horrible mistake; I am +not to be blamed at all. It is that witch-doctor, Imbozwi, whom by the +ancient law of the land I must obey in such matters. He consulted his +Spirit and declared that you were dead; also that these white lords +were the most wicked of men, slave-traders with spotted hearts, who came +hither to spy out the Mazitu people and to destroy them with magic and +bullets." + +"Then he lied," thundered Brother John, "and he knew that he lied." + +"Yes, yes, it is evident that he lied," answered Bausi. "Bring him here, +and with him those who serve him." + +Now by the light of the moon which was shining brightly in the heavens, +for the thunder-clouds had departed with the last glow of sunset, +soldiers began an active search for Imbozwi and his confederates. Of +these they caught eight or ten, all wicked-looking fellows hideously +painted and adorned like their master, but Imbozwi himself they could +not find. + +I began to think that in the confusion he had given us the slip, when +presently from the far end of the line, for we were still all tied to +our stakes, I heard the voice of Sammy, hoarse, it is true, but quite +cheerful now, saying: + +"Mr. Quatermain, in the interests of justice, will you inform his +Majesty that the treacherous wizard for whom he is seeking, is now +peeping and muttering at the bottom of the grave which was dug to +receive my mortal remains." + +I did inform his Majesty, and in double-quick time our friend Imbozwi +was once more fished out of a grave by the strong arms of Babemba and +his soldiers, and dragged into the presence of the irate Bausi. + +"Loose the white lords and their followers," said Bausi, "and let them +come here." + +So our bonds were undone and we walked to where the king and Brother +John stood, the miserable Imbozwi and his attendant doctors huddled in a +heap before them. + +"Who is this?" said Bausi to him, pointing at Brother John. "Is it not +he whom you vowed was dead?" + +Imbozwi did not seem to think that the question required an answer, so +Bausi continued: + +"What was the song that you sang in our ears just now--that if Dogeetah +came you would be ready to be shot to death with arrows in the place of +these white lords whose lives you swore away, was it not?" + +Again Imbozwi made no answer, although Babemba called his attention to +the king's query with a vigorous kick. Then Bausi shouted: + +"By your own mouth are you condemned, O liar, and that shall be done +to you which you have yourself decreed," adding almost in the words of +Elijah after he had triumphed over the priests of Baal, "Take away these +false prophets. Let none of them escape. Say you not so, O people?" + +"Aye," roared the multitude fiercely, "take them away." + +"Not a popular character, Imbozwi," Stephen remarked to me in a +reflective voice. "Well, he is going to be served hot on his own toast +now, and serve the brute right." + +"Who is the false doctor now?" mocked Mavovo in the silence +that followed. "Who is about to sup on arrow-heads, O +Painter-of-white-spots?" and he pointed to the mark that Imbozwi had +so gleefully chalked over his heart as a guide to the arrows of the +archers. + +Now, seeing that all was lost, the little humpbacked villain with a +sudden twist caught me by the legs and began to plead for mercy. So +piteously did he plead, that being already softened by the fact of our +wonderful escape from those black graves, my heart was melted in me. I +turned to ask the king to spare his life, though with little hope that +the prayer would be granted, for I saw that Bausi feared and hated the +man and was only too glad of the opportunity to be rid of him. Imbozwi, +however, interpreted my movement differently, since among savages the +turning of the back always means that a petition is refused. Then, in +his rage and despair, the venom of his wicked heart boiled over. He +leapt to his feet, and drawing a big, carved knife from among his +witch-doctor's trappings, sprang at me like a wild cat, shouting: + +"At least you shall come too, white dog!" + +Most mercifully Mavovo was watching him, for that is a good Zulu saying +which declares that "Wizard is Wizard's fate." With one bound he was on +him. Just as the knife touched me--it actually pricked my skin +though without drawing blood, which was fortunate as probably it was +poisoned--he gripped Imbozwi's arm in his grasp of iron and hurled him +to the ground as though he were but a child. + +After this of course all was over. + +"Come away," I said to Stephen and Brother John; "this is no place for +us." + +So we went and gained our huts without molestation and indeed quite +unobserved, for the attention of everyone in Beza Town was fully +occupied elsewhere. From the market-place behind us rose so hideous a +clamour that we rushed into my hut and shut the door to escape or lessen +the sound. It was dark in the hut, for which I was really thankful, for +the darkness seemed to soothe my nerves. Especially was this so when +Brother John said: + +"Friend, Allan Quatermain, and you, young gentleman, whose name I don't +know, I will tell you what I think I never mentioned to you before, +that, in addition to being a doctor, I am a clergyman of the American +Episcopalian Church. Well, as a clergyman, I will ask your leave to +return thanks for your very remarkable deliverance from a cruel death." + +"By all means," I muttered for both of us, and he did so in a most +earnest and beautiful prayer. Brother John may or may not have been +a little touched in the head at this time of his life, but he was +certainly an able and a good man. + +Afterwards, as the shrieks and shouting had now died down to a confused +murmur of many voices, we went and sat outside under the projecting +eaves of the hut, where I introduced Stephen Somers to Brother John. + +"And now," I said, "in the name of goodness, where do you come from tied +up in flowers like a Roman priest at sacrifice, and riding on a bull +like the lady called Europa? And what on earth do you mean by playing +us such a scurvy trick down there in Durban, leaving us without a word +after you had agreed to guide us to this hellish hole?" + +Brother John stroked his long beard and looked at me reproachfully. + +"I guess, Allan," he said in his American fashion, "there is a mistake +somewhere. To answer the last part of your question first, I did not +leave you without a word; I gave a letter to that lame old Griqua +gardener of yours, Jack, to be handed to you when you arrived." + +"Then the idiot either lost it and lied to me, as Griquas will, or he +forgot all about it." + +"That is likely. I ought to have thought of that, Allan, but I didn't. +Well, in that letter I said that I would meet you here, where I should +have been six weeks ago awaiting you. Also I sent a message to Bausi to +warn him of your coming in case I should be delayed, but I suppose that +something happened to it on the road." + +"Why did you not wait and come with us like a sensible man?" + +"Allan, as you ask me straight out, I will tell you, although the +subject is one of which I do not care to speak. I knew that you were +going to journey by Kilwa; indeed it was your only route with a lot +of people and so much baggage, and I did not wish to visit Kilwa." He +paused, then went on: "A long while ago, nearly twenty-three years to be +accurate, I went to live at Kilwa as a missionary with my young wife. I +built a mission station and a church there, and we were happy and fairly +successful in our work. Then on one evil day the Swahili and other Arabs +came in dhows to establish a slave-dealing station. I resisted them, and +the end of it was that they attacked us, killed most of my people and +enslaved the rest. In that attack I received a cut from a sword on the +head--look, here is the mark of it," and drawing his white hair apart he +showed us a long scar that was plainly visible in the moonlight. + +"The blow knocked me senseless just about sunset one evening. When +I came to myself again it was broad daylight and everybody was gone, +except one old woman who was tending me. She was half-crazed with grief +because her husband and two sons had been killed, and another son, a +boy, and a daughter had been taken away. I asked her where my young wife +was. She answered that she, too, had been taken away eight or ten hours +before, because the Arabs had seen the lights of a ship out at sea, and +thought they might be those of a British man-of-war that was known to be +cruising on the coast. On seeing these they had fled inland in a hurry, +leaving me for dead, but killing the wounded before they went. The old +woman herself had escaped by hiding among some rocks on the seashore, +and after the Arabs had gone had crept back to the house and found me +still alive. + +"I asked her where my wife had been taken. She said she did not know, +but some others of our people told her that they had heard the Arabs +say they were going to some place a hundred miles inland, to join their +leader, a half-bred villain named Hassan-ben-Mohammed, to whom they were +carrying my wife as a present. + +"Now we knew this wretch, for after the Arabs landed at Kilwa, but +before actual hostilities broke out between us, he had fallen sick of +smallpox and my wife had helped to nurse him. Had it not been for her, +indeed, he would have died. However, although the leader of the band, +he was not present at the attack, being engaged in some slave-raiding +business in the interior. + +"When I learned this terrible news, the shock of it, or the loss of +blood, brought on a return of insensibility, from which I only awoke +two days later to find myself on board a Dutch trading vessel that was +sailing for Zanzibar. It was the lights of this ship that the Arabs had +seen and mistaken for those of an English man-of-war. She had put into +Kilwa for water, and the sailors, finding me on the verandah of the +house and still living, in the goodness of their hearts carried me on +board. Of the old woman they had seen nothing; I suppose that at their +approach she ran away. + +"At Zanzibar, in an almost dying condition, I was handed over to a +clergyman of our mission, in whose house I lay desperately ill for a +long while. Indeed six months went by before I fully recovered my right +mind. Some people say that I have never recovered it; perhaps you are +one of them, Allan. + +"At last the wound in my skull healed, after a clever English naval +surgeon had removed some bits of splintered bone, and my strength came +back to me. I was and still am an American subject, and in those days we +had no consul at Zanzibar, if there is one there now, of which I am not +sure, and of course no warship. The English made what inquiries they +could for me, but could find out little or nothing, since all the +country about Kilwa was in possession of Arab slave-traders who were +supported by a ruffian who called himself the Sultan of Zanzibar." + +Again he paused, as though overcome by the sadness of his recollections. + +"Did you never hear any more of your wife?" asked Stephen. + +"Yes, Mr. Somers; I heard at Zanzibar from a slave whom our mission +bought and freed, that he had seen a white woman who answered to her +description alive and apparently well, at some place I was unable to +identify. He could only tell me that it was fifteen days' journey from +the coast. She was then in charge of some black people, he did not know +of what tribe, who, he believed, had found her wandering in the bush. +He noted that the black people seemed to treat her with the greatest +reverence, although they could not understand what she said. On the +following day, whilst searching for six lost goats, he was captured by +Arabs who, he heard afterwards, were out looking for this white woman. +The day after the man had told me this, he was seized with inflammation +of the lungs, of which, being in a weak state from his sufferings in +the slave gang, he quickly died. Now you will understand why I was not +particularly anxious to revisit Kilwa." + +"Yes," I said, "we understand that, and a good deal more of which we +will talk later. But, to change the subject, where do you come from now, +and how did you happen to turn up just in the nick of time?" + +"I was journeying here across country by a route I will show you on my +map," he answered, "when I met with an accident to my leg" (here Stephen +and I looked at each other) "which kept me laid up in a Kaffir hut for +six weeks. When I got better, as I could not walk very well I rode upon +oxen that I had trained. That white beast you saw is the last of them; +the others died of the bite of the tsetse fly. A fear which I could +not define caused me to press forward as fast as possible; for the last +twenty-four hours I have scarcely stopped to eat or sleep. When I got +into the Mazitu country this morning I found the kraals empty, except +for some women and girls, who knew me again, and threw these flowers +over me. They told me that all the men had gone to Beza Town for a great +feast, but what the feast was they either did not know or would not +reveal. So I hurried on and arrived in time--thank God in time! It is a +long story; I will tell you the details afterwards. Now we are all too +tired. What's that noise?" + +I listened and recognised the triumphant song of the Zulu hunters, who +were returning from the savage scene in the market-place. Presently +they arrived, headed by Sammy, a very different Sammy from the wailing +creature who had gone out to execution an hour or two before. Now he +was the gayest of the gay, and about his neck were strung certain weird +ornaments which I identified as the personal property of Imbozwi. + +"Virtue is victorious and justice has been done, Mr. Quatermain. These +are the spoils of war," he said, pointing to the trappings of the late +witch-doctor. + +"Oh! get out, you little cur! We want to know nothing more," I said. +"Go, cook us some supper," and he went, not in the least abashed. + +The hunters were carrying between them what appeared to be the body +of Hans. At first I was frightened, thinking that he must be dead, but +examination showed that he was only in a state of insensibility such as +might be induced by laudanum. Brother John ordered him to be wrapped up +in a blanket and laid by the fire, and this was done. + +Presently Mavovo approached and squatted down in front of us. + +"Macumazana, my father," he said quietly, "what words have you for me?" + +"Words of thanks, Mavovo. If you had not been so quick, Imbozwi would +have finished me. As it is, the knife only touched my skin without +breaking it, for Dogeetah has looked to see." + +Mavovo waved his hand as though to sweep this little matter aside, and +asked, looking me straight in the eyes: + +"And what other words, Macumazana? As to my Snake I mean." + +"Only that you were right and I was wrong," I answered shamefacedly. +"Things have happened as you foretold, how or why I do not understand." + +"No, my father, because you white men are so vain" ("blown out" was his +word), "that you think you have all wisdom. Now you have learned that +this is not so. I am content. The false doctors are all dead, my father, +and I think that Imbozwi----" + +I held up my hand, not wishing to hear details. Mavovo rose, and with a +little smile, went about his business. + +"What does he mean about his Snake?" inquired Brother John curiously. + +I told him as briefly as I could, and asked him if he could explain the +matter. He shook his head. + +"The strangest example of native vision that I have ever heard of," he +answered, "and the most useful. Explain! There is no explanation, except +the old one that there are more things in heaven and earth, etc., and +that God gives different gifts to different men." + +Then we ate our supper; I think one of the most joyful meals of which I +have ever partaken. It is wonderful how good food tastes when one never +expected to swallow another mouthful. After it was finished the others +went to bed but, with the still unconscious Hans for my only companion, +I sat for a while smoking by the fire, for on this high tableland the +air was chilly. I felt that as yet I could not sleep; if for no other +reason because of the noise that the Mazitu were making in the town, I +suppose in celebration of the execution of the terrible witch-doctors +and the return of Dogeetah. + +Suddenly Hans awoke, and sitting up, stared at me through the bright +flame which I had recently fed with dry wood. + +"Baas," he said in a hollow voice, "there you are, here I am, and there +is the fire which never goes out, a very good fire. But, Baas, why are +we not inside of it as your father the Predikant promised, instead of +outside here in the cold?" + +"Because you are still in the world, you old fool, and not where you +deserve to be," I answered. "Because Mavovo's Snake was a snake with a +true tongue after all, and Dogeetah came as it foretold. Because we are +all alive and well, and it is Imbozwi with his spawn who are dead upon +the posts. That is why, Hans, as you would have seen for yourself if you +had kept awake, instead of swallowing filthy medicine like a frightened +woman, just because you were afraid of death, which at your age you +ought to have welcomed." + +"Oh! Baas," broke in Hans, "don't tell me that things are so and that +we are really alive in what your honoured father used to call this gourd +full of tears. Don't tell me, Baas, that I made a coward of myself and +swallowed that beastliness--if you knew what it was made of you would +understand, Baas--for nothing but a bad headache. Don't tell me that +Dogeetah came when my eyes were not open to see him, and worst of all, +that Imbozwi and his children were tied to those poles when I was not +able to help them out of the bottle of tears into the fire that burns +for ever and ever. Oh! it is too much, and I swear, Baas, that however +often I have to die, henceforward it shall always be with my eyes open," +and holding his aching head between his hands he rocked himself to and +fro in bitter grief. + +Well might Hans be sad, seeing that he never heard the last of the +incident. The hunters invented a new and gigantic name for him, which +meant "The little-yellow-mouse-who-feeds-on-sleep-while-the-black-rats +eat-up-their-enemies." Even Sammy made a mock of him, showing him the +spoils which he declared he had wrenched unaided from the mighty master +of magic, Imbozwi. As indeed he had--after the said Imbozwi was stone +dead at the stake. + +It was very amusing until things grew so bad that I feared Hans would +kill Sammy, and had to put a stop to the joke. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + + BROTHER JOHN'S STORY + +Although I went to bed late I was up before sunrise. Chiefly because I +wished to have some private conversation with Brother John, whom I knew +to be a very early riser. Indeed, he slept less than any man I ever met. + +As I expected, I found him astir in his hut; he was engaged in pressing +flowers by candlelight. + +"John," I said, "I have brought you some property which I think you +have lost," and I handed him the morocco-bound _Christian Year_ and the +water-colour drawing which we had found in the sacked mission house at +Kilwa. + +He looked first at the picture and then at the book; at least, I suppose +he did, for I went outside the hut for a while--to observe the sunrise. +In a few minutes he called me, and when the door was shut, said in an +unsteady voice: + +"How did you come by these relics, Allan?" + +I told him the story from beginning to end. He listened without a word, +and when I had finished said: + +"I may as well tell what perhaps you have guessed, that the picture is +that of my wife, and the book is her book." + +"Is!" I exclaimed. + +"Yes, Allan. I say _is_ because I do not believe that she is dead. I +cannot explain why, any more than I could explain last night how that +great Zulu savage was able to prophesy my coming. But sometimes we can +wring secrets from the Unknown, and I believe that I have won this truth +in answer to my prayers, that my wife still lives." + +"After twenty years, John?" + +"Yes, after twenty years. Why do you suppose," he asked almost fiercely, +"that for two-thirds of a generation I have wandered about among African +savages, pretending to be crazy because these wild people revere the mad +and always let them pass unharmed?" + +"I thought it was to collect butterflies and botanical specimens." + +"Butterflies and botanical specimens! These were the pretext. I have +been and am searching for my wife. You may think it a folly, especially +considering what was her condition when we separated--she was expecting +a child, Allan--but I do not. I believe that she is hidden away among +some of these wild peoples." + +"Then perhaps it would be as well not to find her," I answered, +bethinking me of the fate which had overtaken sundry white women in the +old days, who had escaped from shipwrecks on the coast and become the +wives of Kaffirs. + +"Not so, Allan. On that point I fear nothing. If God has preserved my +wife, He has also protected her from every harm. And now," he went on, +"you will understand why I wish to visit these Pongo--the Pongo who +worship a white goddess!" + +"I understand," I said and left him, for having learned all there was to +know, I thought it best not to prolong a painful conversation. To me +it seemed incredible that this lady should still live, and I feared +the effect upon him of the discovery that she was no more. How full +of romance is this poor little world of ours! Think of Brother John +(Eversley was his real name as I discovered afterwards), and what his +life had been. A high-minded educated man trying to serve his Faith in +the dark places of the earth, and taking his young wife with him, +which for my part I have never considered a right thing to do. Neither +tradition nor Holy Writ record that the Apostles dragged their wives and +families into the heathen lands where they went to preach, although I +believe that some of them were married. But this is by the way. + +Then falls the blow; the mission house is sacked, the husband escapes by +a miracle and the poor young lady is torn away to be the prey of a vile +slave-trader. Lastly, according to the quite unreliable evidence of +some savage already in the shadow of death, she is seen in the charge of +other unknown savages. On the strength of this the husband, playing the +part of a mad botanist, hunts for her for a score of years, enduring +incredible hardships and yet buoyed up by a high and holy trust. To my +mind it was a beautiful and pathetic story. Still, for reasons which I +have suggested, I confess that I hoped that long ago she had returned +into the hands of the Power which made her, for what would be the state +of a young white lady who for two decades had been at the mercy of these +black brutes? + +And yet, and yet, after my experience of Mavovo and his Snake, I did not +feel inclined to dogmatise about anything. Who and what was I, that I +should venture not only to form opinions, but to thrust them down the +throats of others? After all, how narrow are the limits of the knowledge +upon which we base our judgments. Perhaps the great sea of intuition +that surrounds us is safer to float on than are these little islets of +individual experience, whereon we are so wont to take our stand. + +Meanwhile my duty was not to speculate on the dreams and mental +attitudes of others, but like a practical hunter and trader, to carry to +a successful issue an expedition that I was well paid to manage, and to +dig up a certain rare flower root, if I could find it, in the marketable +value of which I had an interest. I have always prided myself upon my +entire lack of imagination and all such mental phantasies, and upon an +aptitude for hard business and an appreciation of the facts of life, +that after all are the things with which we have to do. This is the +truth; at least, I hope it is. For if I were to be _quite_ honest, which +no one ever has been, except a gentleman named Mr. Pepys, who, I think, +lived in the reign of Charles II, and who, to judge from his memoirs, +which I have read lately, did not write for publication, I should have +to admit that there is another side to my nature. I sternly suppress it, +however, at any rate for the present. + +While we were at breakfast Hans who, still suffering from headache and +remorse, was lurking outside the gateway far from the madding crowd +of critics, crept in like a beaten dog and announced that Babemba was +approaching followed by a number of laden soldiers. I was about to +advance to receive him. Then I remembered that, owing to a queer native +custom, such as that which caused Sir Theophilus Shepstone, whom I used +to know very well, to be recognised as the holder of the spirit of the +great Chaka and therefore as the equal of the Zulu monarchs, Brother +John was the really important man in our company. So I gave way and +asked him to be good enough to take my place and to live up to that +station in savage life to which it had pleased God to call him. + +I am bound to say he rose to the occasion very well, being by nature +and appearance a dignified old man. Swallowing his coffee in a hurry, +he took his place at a little distance from us, and stood there in a +statuesque pose. To him entered Babemba crawling on his hands and knees, +and other native gentlemen likewise crawling, also the burdened soldiers +in as obsequious an attitude as their loads would allow. + +"O King Dogeetah," said Babemba, "your brother king, Bausi, returns the +guns and fire-goods of the white men, your children, and sends certain +gifts." + +"Glad to hear it, General Babemba," said Brother John, "although it +would be better if he had never taken them away. Put them down and get +on to your feet. I do not like to see men wriggling on their stomachs +like monkeys." + +The order was obeyed, and we checked the guns and ammunition; also +our revolvers and the other articles that had been taken away from us. +Nothing was missing or damaged; and in addition there were four fine +elephant's tusks, an offering to Stephen and myself, which, as a +business man, I promptly accepted; some karosses and Mazitu weapons, +presents to Mavovo and the hunters, a beautiful native bedstead with +ivory legs and mats of finely-woven grass, a gift to Hans in testimony +to his powers of sleep under trying circumstances (the Zulus roared when +they heard this, and Hans vanished cursing behind the huts), and for +Sammy a weird musical instrument with a request that in future he would +use it in public instead of his voice. + +Sammy, I may add, did not see the joke any more than Hans had done, but +the rest of us appreciated the Mazitu sense of humour very much. + +"It is very well, Mr. Quatermain," he said, "for these black babes and +sucklings to sit in the seat of the scornful. On such an occasion silent +prayers would have been of little use, but I am certain that my loud +crying to Heaven delivered you all from the bites of the heathen +arrows." + +"O Dogeetah and white lords," said Babemba, "the king invites your +presence that he may ask your forgiveness for what has happened, +and this time there will be no need for you to bring arms, since +henceforward no hurt can come to you from the Mazitu people." + +So presently we set out once more, taking with us the gifts that had +been refused. Our march to the royal quarters was a veritable triumphal +progress. The people prostrated themselves and clapped their hands +slowly in salutation as we passed, while the girls and children pelted +us with flowers as though we were brides going to be married. Our road +ran by the place of execution where the stakes, at which I confess I +looked with a shiver, were still standing, though the graves had been +filled in. + +On our arrival Bausi and his councillors rose and bowed to us. Indeed, +the king did more, for coming forward he seized Brother John by the +hand, and insisted upon rubbing his ugly black nose against that of this +revered guest. This, it appeared, was the Mazitu method of embracing, +an honour which Brother John did not seem at all to appreciate. Then +followed long speeches, washed down with draughts of thick native beer. +Bausi explained that his evil proceedings were entirely due to the +wickedness of the deceased Imbozwi and his disciples, under whose +tyranny the land had groaned for long, since the people believed them to +speak "with the voice of 'Heaven Above.'" + +Brother John, on our behalf, accepted the apology, and then read a +lecture, or rather preached a sermon, that took exactly twenty-five +minutes to deliver (he is rather long in the wind), in which he +demonstrated the evils of superstition and pointed to a higher and a +better path. Bausi replied that he would like to hear more of that path +another time which, as he presumed that we were going to spend the rest +of our lives in his company, could easily be found--say during the next +spring when the crops had been sown and the people had leisure on their +hands. + +After this we presented our gifts, which now were eagerly accepted. Then +I took up my parable and explained to Bausi that so far from stopping in +Beza Town for the rest of our lives, we were anxious to press forward +at once to Pongo-land. The king's face fell, as did those of his +councillors. + +"Listen, O lord Macumazana, and all of you," he said. "These Pongo are +horrible wizards, a great and powerful people who live by themselves +amidst the swamps and mix with none. If the Pongo catch Mazitu or folk +of any other tribe, either they kill them or take them as prisoners to +their own land where they enslave them, or sometimes sacrifice them to +the devils they worship." + +"That is so," broke in Babemba, "for when I was a lad I was a slave +to the Pongo and doomed to be sacrificed to the White Devil. It was in +escaping from them that I lost this eye." + +Needless to say, I made a note of this remark, though I did not think +the moment opportune to follow the matter up. If Babemba has once been +to Pongo-land, I reflected to myself, Babemba can go again or show us +the way there. + +"And if we catch any of the Pongo," went on Bausi, "as sometimes we do +when they come to hunt for slaves, we kill them. Ever since the Mazitu +have been in this place there has been hate and war between them and +the Pongo, and if I could wipe out those evil ones, then I should die +happily." + +"That you will never do, O King, while the White Devil lives," said +Babemba. "Have you not heard the Pongo prophecy, that while the White +Devil lives and the Holy Flower blooms, they will live. But when the +White Devil dies and the Holy Flower ceases to bloom, then their women +will become barren and their end will be upon them." + +"Well, I suppose that this White Devil will die some day," I said. + +"Not so, Macumazana. It will never die of itself. Like its wicked +Priest, it has been there from the beginning and will always be there +unless it is killed. But who is there that can kill the White Devil?" + +I thought to myself that I would not mind trying, but again I did not +pursue the point. + +"My brother Dogeetah and lords," exclaimed Bausi, "it is not possible +that you should visit these wizards except at the head of an army. +But how can I send an army with you, seeing that the Mazitu are a land +people and have no canoes in which to cross the great lake, and no trees +whereof to make them?" + +We answered that we did not know but would think the matter over, as we +had come from our own place for this purpose and meant to carry it out. + +Then the audience came to an end, and we returned to our huts, leaving +Dogeetah to converse with his "brother Bausi" on matters connected with +the latter's health. As I passed Babemba I told him that I should like +to see him alone, and he said that he would visit me that evening after +supper. The rest of the day passed quietly, for we had asked that people +might be kept away from our encampment. + +We found Hans, who had not accompanied us, being a little shy of +appearing in public just then, engaged in cleaning the rifles, and this +reminded me of something. Taking the double-barrelled gun of which I +have spoken, I called Mavovo and handed it to him, saying: + +"It is yours, O true prophet." + +"Yes, my father," he answered, "it is mine for a little while, then +perhaps it will be yours again." + +The words struck me, but I did not care to ask their meaning. Somehow I +wanted to hear no more of Mavovo's prophecies. + +Then we dined, and for the rest of that afternoon slept, for all of us, +including Brother John, needed rest badly. In the evening Babemba came, +and we three white men saw him alone. + +"Tell us about the Pongo and this white devil they worship," I said. + +"Macumazana," he answered, "fifty years have gone by since I was in that +land and I see things that happened to me there as through a mist. I +went to fish amongst the reeds when I was a boy of twelve, and tall +men robed in white came in a canoe and seized me. They led me to a town +where there were many other such men, and treated me very well, giving +me sweet things to eat till I grew fat and my skin shone. Then in the +evening I was taken away, and we marched all night to the mouth of a +great cave. In this cave sat a horrible old man about whom danced robed +people, performing the rites of the White Devil. + +"The old man told me that on the following morning I was to be cooked +and eaten, for which reason I had been made so fat. There was a canoe at +the mouth of the cave, beyond which lay water. While all were asleep I +crept to the canoe. As I loosed the rope one of the priests woke up and +ran at me. But I hit him on the head with the paddle, for though only a +boy I was bold and strong, and he fell into the water. He came up again +and gripped the edge of the canoe, but I struck his fingers with the +paddle till he let go. A great wind was blowing that night, tearing off +boughs from the trees which grew upon the other shore of the water. It +whirled the canoe round and round and one of the boughs struck me in the +eye. I scarcely felt it at the time, but afterwards the eye withered. +Or perhaps it was a spear or a knife that struck me in the eye, I do +not know. I paddled till I lost my senses and always that wind blew. The +last thing that I remember was the sound of the canoe being driven +by the gale through reeds. When I woke up again I found myself near a +shore, to which I waded through the mud, scaring great crocodiles. But +this must have been some days later, for now I was quite thin. I fell +down upon the shore, and there some of our people found me and nursed me +till I recovered. That is all." + +"And quite enough too," I said. "Now answer me. How far was the town +from the place where you were captured in Mazitu-land?" + +"A whole day's journey in the canoe, Macumazana. I was captured in the +morning early and we reached the harbour in the evening at a place where +many canoes were tied up, perhaps fifty of them, some of which would +hold forty men." + +"And how far was the town from this harbour?" + +"Quite close, Macumazana." + +Now Brother John asked a question. + +"Did you hear anything about the land beyond the water by the cave?" + +"Yes, Dogeetah. I heard then, or afterwards--for from time to time +rumours reach us concerning these Pongo--that it is an island where +grows the Holy Flower, of which you know, for when last you were here +you had one of its blooms. I heard, too, that this Holy Flower was +tended by a priestess named Mother of the Flower, and her servants, all +of whom were virgins." + +"Who was the priestess?" + +"I do not know, but I heave heard that she was one of those people +who, although their parents are black, are born white, and that if any +females among the Pongo are born white, or with pink eyes, or deaf and +dumb, they are set apart to be the servants of the priestess. But this +priestess must now be dead, seeing that when I was a boy she was already +old, very, very old, and the Pongo were much concerned because there was +no one of white skin who could be appointed to succeed her. Indeed she +_is_ dead, since many years ago there was a great feast in Pongo-land +and numbers of slaves were eaten, because the priests had found +a beautiful new princess who was white with yellow hair and had +finger-nails of the right shape." + +Now I bethought me that this finding of the priestess named "Mother +of the Flower," who must be distinguished by certain personal +peculiarities, resembled not a little that of the finding of the Apis +bull-god, which also must have certain prescribed and holy markings, +by the old Egyptians, as narrated by Herodotus. However, I said nothing +about it at the time, because Brother John asked sharply: + +"And is this priestess also dead?" + +"I do not know, Dogeetah, but I think not. If she were dead I think that +we should have heard some rumour of the Feast of the eating of the dead +Mother." + +"Eating the dead mother!" I exclaimed. + +"Yes, Macumazana. It is the law among the Pongo that, for a certain +sacred reason, the body of the Mother of the Flower, when she dies, must +be partaken of by those who are privileged to the holy food." + +"But the White Devil neither dies nor is eaten?" I said. + +"No, as I have told you, he never dies. It is he who causes others to +die, as if you go to Pongo-land doubtless you will find out," Babemba +added grimly. + +Upon my word, thought I to myself, as the meeting broke up because +Babemba had nothing more to say, if I had my way I would leave +Pongo-land and its white devil alone. Then I remembered how Brother John +stood in reference to this matter, and with a sigh resigned myself to +fate. As it proved it, I mean Fate, was quite equal to the occasion. The +very next morning, early, Babemba turned up again. + +"Lords, lords," he said, "a wonderful thing has happened! Last night we +spoke of the Pongo and now behold! an embassy from the Pongo is here; it +arrived at sunrise." + +"What for?" I asked. + +"To propose peace between their people and the Mazitu. Yes, they ask +that Bausi should send envoys to their town to arrange a lasting peace. +As if anyone would go!" he added. + +"Perhaps some might dare to," I answered, for an idea occurred to me, +"but let us go to see Bausi." + +Half an hour later we were seated in the king's enclosure, that is, +Stephen and I were, for Brother John was already in the royal hut, +talking to Bausi. As we went a few words had passed between us. + +"Has it occurred to you, John," I asked, "that if you really wish to +visit Pongo-land here is perhaps what you would call a providential +opportunity. Certainly none of these Mazitu will go, since they fear +lest they should find a permanent peace--inside of the Pongo. Well, you +are a blood-brother to Bausi and can offer to play the part of Envoy +Extraordinary, with us as the members of your staff." + +"I have already thought of it, Allan," he replied, stroking his long +beard. + +We sat down among a few of the leading councillors, and presently Bausi +came out of his hut accompanied by Brother John, and having greeted us, +ordered the Pongo envoys to be admitted. They were led in at once, tall, +light-coloured men with regular and Semitic features, who were clothed +in white linen like Arabs, and wore circles of gold or copper upon their +necks and wrists. + +In short, they were imposing persons, quite different from ordinary +Central African natives, though there was something about their +appearance which chilled and repelled me. I should add that their spears +had been left outside, and that they saluted the king by folding their +arms upon their breasts and bowing in a dignified fashion. + +"Who are you?" asked Bausi, "and what do you want?" + +"I am Komba," answered their spokesman, quite a young man with flashing +eyes, "the Accepted-of-the-Gods, who, in a day to come that perhaps is +near, will be the Kalubi of the Pongo people, and these are my servants. +I have come here bearing gifts of friendship which are without, by the +desire of the holy Motombo, the High Priest of the gods----" + +"I thought that the Kalubi was the priest of your gods," interrupted +Bausi. + +"Not so. The Kalubi is the King of the Pongo as you are the King of the +Mazitu. The Motombo, who is seldom seen, is King of the spirits and the +Mouth of the gods." + +Bausi nodded in the African fashion, that is by raising the chin, not +depressing it, and Komba went on: + +"I have placed myself in your power, trusting to your honour. You can +kill me if you wish, though that will avail nothing, since there are +others waiting to become Kalubi in my place." + +"Am I a Pongo that I should wish to kill messengers and eat them?" asked +Bausi, with sarcasm, a speech at which I noticed the Pongo envoys winced +a little. + +"King, you are mistaken. The Pongo only eat those whom the White God +has chosen. It is a religious rite. Why should they who have cattle in +plenty desire to devour men?" + +"I don't know," grunted Bausi, "but there is one here who can tell a +different story," and he looked at Babemba, who wriggled uncomfortably. + +Komba also looked at him with his fierce eyes. + +"It is not conceivable," he said, "that anybody should wish to eat one +so old and bony, but let that pass. I thank you, King, for your promise +of safety. I have come here to ask that you should send envoys to confer +with the Kalubi and the Motombo, that a lasting peace may be arranged +between our peoples." + +"Why do not the Kalubi and the Motombo come here to confer?" asked +Bausi. + +"Because it is not lawful that they should leave their land, O King. +Therefore they have sent me who am the Kalubi-to-come. Hearken. There +has been war between us for generations. It began so long ago that only +the Motombo knows of its beginning which he has from the gods. Once the +Pongo people owned all this land and only had their sacred places beyond +the water. Then your forefathers came and fell on them, killing many, +enslaving many and taking their women to wife. Now, say the Motombo and +the Kalubi, in the place of war let there be peace; where there is but +barren sand, there let corn and flowers grow; let the darkness, wherein +men lose their way and die, be changed to pleasant light in which they +can sit in the sun holding each other's hands." + +"Hear, hear!" I muttered, quite moved by this eloquence. But Bausi was +not at all moved; indeed, he seemed to view these poetic proposals with +the darkest suspicion. + +"Give up killing our people or capturing them to be sacrificed to your +White Devil, and then in a year or two we may listen to your words that +are smeared with honey," he said. "As it is, we think that they are +but a trap to catch flies. Still, if there are any of our councillors +willing to visit your Motombo and your Kalubi and hear what they have to +propose, taking the risk of whatever may happen to them there, I do not +forbid it. Now, O my Councillors, speak, not altogether, but one by +one, and be swift, since to the first that speaks shall be given this +honour." + +I think I never heard a denser silence than that which followed this +invitation. Each of the _indunas_ looked at his neighbour, but not one +of them uttered a single word. + +"What!" exclaimed Bausi, in affected surprise. "Do none speak? Well, +well, you are lawyers and men of peace. What says the great general, +Babemba?" + +"I say, O King, that I went once to Pongo-land when I was young, taken +by the hair of my head, to leave an eye there and that I do not wish to +visit it again walking on the soles of my feet." + +"It seems, O Komba, that since none of my people are willing to act as +envoys, if there is to be talk of peace between us, the Motombo and the +Kalubi must come here under safe conduct." + +"I have said that cannot be, O King." + +"If so, all is finished, O Komba. Rest, eat of our food and return to +your own land." + +Then Brother John rose and said: + +"We are blood-brethren, Bausi, and therefore I can speak for you. If you +and your councillors are willing, and these Pongos are willing, I and +my friends do not fear to visit the Motombo and the Kalubi, to talk with +them of peace on behalf of your people, since we love to see new lands +and new races of mankind. Say, Komba, if the king allows, will you +accept us as ambassadors?" + +"It is for the king to name his own ambassadors," answered Komba. "Yet +the Kalubi has heard of the presence of you white lords in Mazitu-land +and bade me say that if it should be your pleasure to accompany the +embassy and visit him, he would give you welcome. Only when the matter +was laid before the Motombo, the oracle spoke thus: + +"'Let the white men come if come they will, or let them stay away. But +if they come, let them bring with them none of those iron tubes, great +or small, whereof the land has heard, that vomit smoke with a noise and +cause death from afar. They will not need them to kill meat, for meat +shall be given to them in plenty; moreover, among the Pongo they will be +safe, unless they offer insult to the god.'" + +These words Komba spoke very slowly and with much emphasis, his piercing +eyes fixed upon my face as though to read the thoughts it hid. As I +heard them my courage sank into my boots. Well, I knew that the Kalubi +was asking us to Pongo-land that we might kill this Great White Devil +that threatened his life, which, I took it, was a monstrous ape. And how +could we face that or some other frightful brute without firearms? My +mind was made up in a minute. + +"O Komba," I said, "my gun is my father, my mother, my wife and all my +other relatives. I do not stir from here without it." + +"Then, white lord," answered Komba, "you will do well to stop in this +place in the midst of your family, since, if you try to bring it with +you to Pongo-land, you will be killed as you set foot upon the shore." + +Before I could find an answer Brother John spoke, saying: + +"It is natural that the great hunter, Macumazana, should not wish to be +parted from what which to him is as a stick to a lame man. But with me +it is different. For years I have used no gun, who kill nothing that +God made, except a few bright-winged insects. I am ready to visit +your country with naught save this in my hand," and he pointed to the +butterfly net that leaned against the fence behind him. + +"Good, you are welcome," said Komba, and I thought that I saw his eyes +gleam with unholy joy. There followed a pause, during which I explained +everything to Stephen, showing that the thing was madness. But here, to +my horror, that young man's mulish obstinacy came in. + +"I say, you know, Quatermain," he said, "we can't let the old boy go +alone, or at least I can't. It's another matter for you who have a son +dependent on you. But putting aside the fact that I mean to get----" +he was about to add, "the orchid," when I nudged him. Of course, it was +ridiculous, but an uneasy fear took me lest this Komba should in some +mysterious way understand what he was saying. "What's up? Oh! I see, +but the beggar can't understand English. Well, putting aside everything +else, it isn't the game, and there you are, you know. If Mr. Brother +John goes, I'll go too, and indeed if he doesn't go, I'll go alone." + +"You unutterable young ass," I muttered in a stage aside. + +"What is it the young white lord says he wishes in our country?" asked +the cold Komba, who with diabolical acuteness had read some of Stephen's +meaning in his face. + +"He says that he is a harmless traveller who would like to study the +scenery and to find out if you have any gold there," I answered. + +"Indeed. Well, he shall study the scenery and we have gold," and he +touched the bracelets on his arm, "of which he shall be given as much +as he can carry away. But perchance, white lords, you would wish to talk +this matter over alone. Have we your leave to withdraw a while, O King?" + +Five minutes later we were seated in the king's "great house" with Bausi +himself and Babemba. Here there was a mighty argument. Bausi implored +Brother John not to go, and so did I. Babemba said that to go would be +madness, as he smelt witchcraft and murder in the air, he who knew the +Pongo. + +Brother John replied sweetly that he certainly intended to avail himself +of this heaven-sent opportunity to visit one of the few remaining +districts in this part of Africa through which he had not yet wandered. +Stephen yawned and fanned himself with a pocket-handkerchief, for the +hut was hot, and remarked that having come so far after a certain rare +flower he did not mean to return empty-handed. + +"I perceive, Dogeetah," said Bausi at last, "that you have some reason +for this journey which you are hiding from me. Still, I am minded to +hold you here by force." + +"If you do, it will break our brotherhood," answered Brother John. "Seek +not to know what I would hide, Bausi, but wait till the future shall +declare it." + +Bausi groaned and gave in. Babemba said that Dogeetah and Wazela were +bewitched, and that I, Macumazana, alone retained my senses. + +"Then that's settled," exclaimed Stephen. "John and I are to go as +envoys to the Pongo, and you, Quatermain, will stop here to look after +the hunters and the stores." + +"Young man," I replied, "do you wish to insult me? After your father +put you in my charge, too! If you two are going, I shall come also, if I +have to do so mother-naked. But let me tell you once and for all in the +most emphatic language I can command, that I consider you a brace of +confounded lunatics, and that if the Pongo don't eat you, it will be +more than you deserve. To think that at my age I should be dragged among +a lot of cannibal savages without even a pistol, to fight some unknown +brute with my bare hands! Well, we can only die once--that is, so far as +we know at present." + +"How true," remarked Stephen; "how strangely and profoundly true!" + +Oh! I could have boxed his ears. + +We went into the courtyard again, whither Komba was summoned with his +attendants. This time they came bearing gifts, or having them borne +for them. These consisted, I remember, of two fine tusks of ivory which +suggested to me that their country could not be entirely surrounded by +water, since elephants would scarcely live upon an island; gold dust +in a gourd and copper bracelets, which showed that it was mineralized; +white native linen, very well woven, and some really beautiful decorated +pots, indicating that the people had artistic tastes. Where did they +get them from, I wonder, and what was the origin of their race? I cannot +answer the question, for I never found out with any certainty. Nor do I +think they knew themselves. + +The _indaba_ was resumed. Bausi announced that we three white men with +a servant apiece (I stipulated for this) would visit Pongo-land as his +envoys, taking no firearms with us, there to discuss terms of peace +between the two peoples, and especially the questions of trade and +intermarriage. Komba was very insistent that this should be included; +at the time I wondered why. He, Komba, on behalf of the Motombo and the +Kalubi, the spiritual and temporal rulers of his land, guaranteed +us safe conduct on the understanding that we attempted no insult or +violence to the gods, a stipulation from which there was no escape, +though I liked it little. He swore also that we should be delivered safe +and sound in the Mazitu country within six days of our having left its +shores. + +Bausi said that it was good, adding that he would send five hundred +armed men to escort us to the place where we were to embark, and to +receive us on our return; also that if any hurt came to us he would wage +war upon the Pongo people for ever until he found means to destroy them. + +So we parted, it being agreed that we were to start upon our journey on +the following morning. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + + RICA TOWN + +As a matter of fact we did not leave Beza Town till twenty-four hours +later than had been arranged, since it took some time for old Babemba, +who was to be in charge of it, to collect and provision our escort of +five hundred men. + +Here, I may mention, that when we got back to our huts we found the two +Mazitu bearers, Tom and Jerry, eating a hearty meal, but looking +rather tired. It appeared that in order to get rid of their favourable +evidence, the ceased witch-doctor, Imbozwi, who for some reason or other +had feared to kill them, caused them to be marched off to a distant part +of the land where they were imprisoned. On the arrival of the news of +the fall and death of Imbozwi and his subordinates, they were set at +liberty, and at once returned to us at Beza Town. + +Of course it became necessary to explain to our servants what we were +about to do. When they understood the nature of our proposed expedition +they shook their heads, and when they learned that we had promised to +leave our guns behind us, they were speechless with amazement. + +"_Kransick! Kransick!_" which means "ill in the skull," or "mad," +exclaimed Hans to the others as he tapped his forehead significantly. +"They have caught it from Dogeetah, one who lives on insects which he +entangles in a net, and carries no gun to kill game. Well, I knew they +would." + +The hunters nodded in assent, and Sammy lifted his arms to Heaven as +though in prayer. Only Mavovo seemed indifferent. Then came the question +of which of them was to accompany us. + +"So far as I am concerned that is soon settled," said Mavovo. "I go with +my father, Macumazana, seeing that even without a gun I am still strong +and can fight as my male ancestors fought with a spear." + +"And I, too, go with the Baas Quatermain," grunted Hans, "seeing that +even without a gun I am cunning, as _my_ female ancestors were before +me." + +"Except when you take medicine, Spotted Snake, and lose yourself in the +mist of sleep," mocked one of the Zulus. "Does that fine bedstead which +the king sent you go with you?" + +"No, son of a fool!" answered Hans. "I'll lend it to you who do not +understand that there is more wisdom within me when I am asleep than +there is in you when you are awake." + +It remained to be decided who the third man should be. As neither +of Brother John's two servants, who had accompanied him on his +cross-country journey, was suitable, one being ill and the other afraid, +Stephen suggested Sammy as the man, chiefly because he could cook. + +"No, Mr. Somers, no," said Sammy, with earnestness. "At this proposal +I draw the thick rope. To ask one who can cook to visit a land where he +will be cooked, is to seethe the offspring in its parent's milk." + +So we gave him up, and after some discussion fixed upon Jerry, a smart +and plucky fellow, who was quite willing to accompany us. The rest of +that day we spent in making our preparations which, if simple, required +a good deal of thought. To my annoyance, at the time I wanted to find +Hans to help me, he was not forthcoming. When at length he appeared I +asked him where he had been. He answered, to cut himself a stick in +the forest, as he understood we should have to walk a long way. Also he +showed me the stick, a long, thick staff of a hard and beautiful kind of +bamboo which grows in Mazitu-land. + +"What do you want that clumsy thing for," I said, "when there are plenty +of sticks about?" + +"New journey, new stick! Baas. Also this kind of wood is full of air and +might help me to float if we are upset into the water." + +"What an idea!" I exclaimed, and dismissed the matter from my mind. + +At dawn, on the following day, we started, Stephen and I riding on the +two donkeys, which were now fat and lusty, and Brother John upon his +white ox, a most docile beast that was quite attached to him. All the +hunters, fully armed, came with us to the borders of the Mazitu country, +where they were to await our return in company with the Mazitu regiment. +The king himself went with us to the west gate of the town, where he +bade us all, and especially Brother John, an affectionate farewell. +Moreover, he sent for Komba and his attendants, and again swore to him +that if any harm happened to us, he would not rest till he had found a +way to destroy the Pongo, root and branch. + +"Have no fear," answered the cold Komba, "in our holy town of Rica we do +not tie innocent guests to stakes to be shot to death with arrows." + +The repartee, which was undoubtedly neat, irritated Bausi, who was not +fond of allusions to this subject. + +"If the white men are so safe, why do you not let them take their guns +with them?" he asked, somewhat illogically. + +"If we meant evil, King, would their guns help them, they being but few +among so many. For instance, could we not steal them, as you did when +you plotted the murder of these white lords. It is a law among the Pongo +that no such magic weapon shall be allowed to enter their land." + +"Why?" I asked, to change the conversation, for I saw that Bausi was +growing very wrath and feared complications. + +"Because, my lord Macumazana, there is a prophecy among us that when a +gun is fired in Pongo-land, its gods will desert us, and the Motombo, +who is their priest, will die. That saying is very old, but until a +little while ago none knew what it meant, since it spoke of 'a hollow +spear that smoked,' and such a weapon was not known to us." + +"Indeed," I said, mourning within myself that we should not be in a +position to bring about the fulfilment of that prophecy, which, as Hans +said, shaking his head sadly, "was a great pity, a very great pity!" + +Three days' march over country that gradually sloped downwards from the +high tableland on which stood Beza Town, brought us to the lake called +Kirua, a word which, I believe, means The Place of the Island. Of the +lake itself we could see nothing, because of the dense brake of tall +reeds which grew out into the shallow water for quite a mile from +the shore and was only pierced here and there with paths made by the +hippopotami when they came to the mainland at night to feed. From a high +mound which looked exactly like a tumulus and, for aught I know, may +have been one, however, the blue waters beyond were visible, and in the +far distance what, looked at through glasses, appeared to be a tree-clad +mountain top. I asked Komba what it might be, and he answered that it +was the Home of the gods in Pongo-land. + +"What gods?" I asked again, whereon he replied like a black Herodotus, +that of these it was not lawful to speak. + +I have rarely met anyone more difficult to pump than that frigid and +un-African Komba. + +On the top of this mound we planted the Union Jack, fixed to the tallest +pole that we could find. Komba asked suspiciously why we did so, and +as I was determined to show this unsympathetic person that there were +others as unpumpable as himself, I replied that it was the god of our +tribe, which we set up there to be worshipped, and that anyone who +tried to insult or injure it, would certainly die, as the witch-doctor, +Imbozwi, and his children had found out. For once Komba seemed a little +impressed, and even bowed to the bunting as he passed by. + +What I did not inform him was that we had set the flag there to be a +sign and a beacon to us in case we should ever be forced to find our way +back to this place unguided and in a hurry. As a matter of fact, this +piece of forethought, which oddly enough originated with the most +reckless of our party, Stephen, proved our salvation, as I shall tell +later on. At the foot of the mound we set our camp for the night, the +Mazitu soldiers under Babemba, who did not mind mosquitoes, making +theirs nearer to the lake, just opposite to where a wide hippopotamus +lane pierced the reeds, leaving a little canal of clear water. + +I asked Komba when and how we were to cross the lake. He said that we +must start at dawn on the following morning when, at this time of the +year, the wind generally blew off shore, and that if the weather were +favourable, we should reach the Pongo town of Rica by nightfall. As to +how we were to do this, he would show me if I cared to follow him. I +nodded, and he led me four or five hundred yards along the edge of the +reeds in a southerly direction. + +As we went, two things happened. The first of these was that a very +large, black rhinoceros, which was sleeping in some bushes, suddenly got +our wind and, after the fashion of these beasts, charged down on us from +about fifty yards away. Now I was carrying a heavy, single-barrelled +rifle, for as yet we and our weapons were not parted. On came the +rhinoceros, and Komba, small blame to him for he only had a spear, +started to run. I cocked the rifle and waited my chance. + +When it was not more than fifteen paces away the rhinoceros threw up its +head, at which, of course, it was useless to fire because of the horn, +and I let drive at the throat. The bullet hit it fair, and I suppose +penetrated to the heart. At any rate, it rolled over and over like a +shot rabbit, and with a single stretch of its limbs, expired almost at +my feet. + +Komba was much impressed. He returned; he stared at the dead rhinoceros +and at the hole in its throat; he stared at me; he stared at the still +smoking rifle. + +"The great beast of the plains killed with a noise!" he muttered. +"Killed in an instant by this little monkey of a white man" (I thanked +him for that and made a note of it) "and his magic. Oh! the Motombo was +wise when he commanded----" and with an effort he stopped. + +"Well, friend, what is the matter?" I asked. "You see there was no need +for you to run. If you had stepped behind me you would have been as safe +as you are now--after running." + +"It is so, lord Macumazana, but the thing is strange to me. Forgive me +if I do not understand." + +"Oh! I forgive you, my lord Kalubi--that is--to be. It is clear that you +have a good deal to learn in Pongo-land." + +"Yes, my lord Macumazana, and so perhaps have you," he replied dryly, +having by this time recovered his nerve and sarcastic powers. + +Then after telling Mavovo, who appeared mysteriously at the sound of the +shot--I think he was stalking us in case of accidents--to fetch men to +cut up the rhinoceros, Komba and I proceeded on our walk. + +A little further on, just by the edge of the reeds, I caught sight of +a narrow, oblong trench dug in a patch of stony soil, and of a rusted +mustard tin half-hidden by some scanty vegetation. + +"What is that?" I asked, in seeming astonishment, though I knew well +what it must be. + +"Oh!" replied Komba, who evidently was not yet quite himself, "that is +where the white lord Dogeetah, Bausi's blood-brother, set his little +canvas house when he was here over twelve moons ago." + +"Really!" I exclaimed, "he never told me he was here." (This was a lie, +but somehow I was not afraid of lying to Komba.) "How do you know that +he was here?" + +"One of our people who was fishing in the reeds saw him." + +"Oh! that explains it, Komba. But what an odd place for him to fish in; +so far from home; and I wonder what he was fishing for. When you have +time, Komba, you must explain to me what it is that you catch amidst the +roots of thick reeds in such shallow water." + +Komba replied that he would do so with pleasure--when he had time. Then, +as though to avoid further conversation he ran forward, and thrusting +the reeds apart, showed me a great canoe, big enough to hold thirty or +forty men, which with infinite labour had been hollowed out of the trunk +of a single, huge tree. This canoe differed from the majority of those +that personally I have seen used on African lakes and rivers, in that it +was fitted for a mast, now unshipped. I looked at it and said it was a +fine boat, whereon Komba replied that there were a hundred such at Rica +Town, though not all of them were so large. + +Ah! thought I to myself as we walked back to the camp. Then, allowing an +average of twenty to a canoe, the Pongo tribe number about two +thousand males old enough to paddle, an estimate which turned out to be +singularly correct. + +Next morning at dawn we started, with some difficulty. To begin with, +in the middle of the night old Babemba came to the canvas shelter under +which I was sleeping, woke me up and in a long speech implored me not to +go. He said he was convinced that the Pongo intended foul play of some +sort and that all this talk of peace was a mere trick to entrap us white +men into the country, probably in order to sacrifice us to its gods for +a religious reason. + +I answered that I quite agreed with him, but that as my companions +insisted upon making this journey, I could not desert them. All that +I could do was to beg him to keep a sharp look-out so that he might be +able to help us in case we got into trouble. + +"Here I will stay and watch for you, lord Macumazana," he answered, "but +if you fall into a snare, am I able to swim through the water like a +fish, or to fly through the air like a bird to free you?" + +After he had gone one of the Zulu hunters arrived, a man named Ganza, +a sort of lieutenant to Mavovo, and sang the same song. He said that +it was not right that I should go without guns to die among devils and +leave him and his companions wandering alone in a strange land. + +I answered that I was much of the same opinion, but that Dogeetah +insisted upon going and that I had no choice. + +"Then let us kill Dogeetah, or at any rate tie him up, so that he can +do no more mischief in his madness," Ganza suggested blandly, whereon I +turned him out. + +Lastly Sammy arrived and said: + +"Mr. Quatermain, before you plunge into this deep well of foolishness, +I beg that you will consider your responsibilities to God and man, and +especially to us, your household, who are now but lost sheep far from +home, and further, that you will remember that if anything disagreeable +should overtake you, you are indebted to me to the extent of two months' +wages which will probably prove unrecoverable." + +I produced a little leather bag from a tin box and counted out to Sammy +the wages due to him, also those for three months in advance. + +To my astonishment he began to weep. "Sir," he said, "I do not seek +filthy lucre. What I mean is that I am afraid you will be killed by +these Pongo, and, alas! although I love you, sir, I am too great a +coward to come and be killed with you, for God made me like that. I pray +you not to go, Mr. Quatermain, because I repeat, I love you, sir." + +"I believe you do, my good fellow," I answered, "and I also am afraid of +being killed, who only seem to be brave because I must. However, I hope +we shall come through all right. Meanwhile, I am going to give this +box and all the gold in it, of which there is a great deal, into your +charge, Sammy, trusting to you, if anything happens to us, to get it +safe back to Durban if you can." + +"Oh! Mr. Quatermain," he exclaimed, "I am indeed honoured, especially +as you know that once I was in jail for--embezzlement--with extenuating +circumstances, Mr. Quatermain. I tell you that although I am a coward, I +will die before anyone gets his fingers into that box." + +"I am sure that you will, Sammy my boy," I said. "But I hope, although +things look queer, that none of us will be called upon to die just yet." + + + +The morning came at last, and the six of us marched down to the canoe +which had been brought round to the open waterway. Here we had to +undergo a kind of customs-house examination at the hands of Komba +and his companions, who seemed terrified lest we should be smuggling +firearms. + +"You know what rifles are like," I said indignantly. "Can you see any in +our hands? Moreover, I give you my word that we have none." + +Komba bowed politely, but suggested that perhaps some "little guns," by +which he meant pistols, remained in our baggage--by accident. Komba was +a most suspicious person. + +"Undo all the loads," I said to Hans, who obeyed with an enthusiasm +which I confess struck me as suspicious. + +Knowing his secretive and tortuous nature, this sudden zeal for openness +seemed almost unnatural. He began by unrolling his own blanket, inside +of which appeared a miscellaneous collection of articles. I remember +among them a spare pair of very dirty trousers, a battered tin cup, a +wooden spoon such as Kaffirs use to eat their _scoff_ with, a bottle +full of some doubtful compound, sundry roots and other native medicines, +an old pipe I had given him, and last but not least, a huge head of +yellow tobacco in the leaf, of a kind that the Mazitu, like the Pongos, +cultivate to some extent. + +"What on earth do you want so much tobacco for, Hans?" I asked. + +"For us three black people to smoke, Baas, or to take as snuff, or to +chew. Perhaps where we are going we may find little to eat, and then +tobacco is a food on which one can live for days. Also it brings sleep +at nights." + +"Oh! that will do," I said, fearing lest Hans, like a second Walter +Raleigh, was about to deliver a long lecture upon the virtue of tobacco. + +"There is no need for the yellow man to take this weed to our land," +interrupted Komba, "for there we have plenty. Why does he cumber himself +with the stuff?" and he stretched out his hand idly as though to take +hold of and examine it closely. + +At this moment, however, Mavovo called attention to his bundle which +he had undone, whether on purpose or by accident, I do not know, and +forgetting the tobacco, Komba turned to attend to him. With a marvellous +celerity Hans rolled up his blanket again. In less than a minute the +lashings were fast and it was hanging on his back. Again suspicion took +me, but an argument which had sprung up between Brother John and Komba +about the former's butterfly net, which Komba suspected of being a +new kind of gun or at least a magical instrument of a dangerous sort, +attracted my notice. After this dispute, another arose over a common +garden trowel that Stephen had thought fit to bring with him. Komba +asked what it was for. Stephen replied through Brother John that it was +to dig up flowers. + +"Flowers!" said Komba. "One of our gods is a flower. Does the white lord +wish to dig up our god?" + +Of course this was exactly what Stephen did desire to do, but not +unnaturally he kept the fact to himself. The squabble grew so hot that +finally I announced that if our little belongings were treated with so +much suspicion, it might be better that we should give up the journey +altogether. + +"We have passed our word that we have no firearms," I said in the most +dignified manner that I could command, "and that should be enough for +you, O Komba." + +Then Komba, after consultation with his companions, gave way. Evidently +he was anxious that we should visit Pongo-land. + +So at last we started. We three white men and our servants seated +ourselves in the stern of the canoe on grass cushions that had been +provided. Komba went to the bows and his people, taking the broad +paddles, rowed and pushed the boat along the water-way made by the +hippopotami through the tall and matted reeds, from which ducks and +other fowl rose in multitudes with a sound like thunder. A quarter of an +hour or so of paddling through these weed-encumbered shallows brought +us to the deep and open lake. Here, on the edge of the reeds a tall +pole that served as a mast was shipped, and a square sail, made of +closely-woven mats, run up. It filled with the morning off-land breeze +and presently we were bowling along at a rate of quite eight miles +the hour. The shore grew dim behind us, but for a long while above the +clinging mists I could see the flag that we had planted on the mound. By +degrees it dwindled till it became a mere speck and vanished. As it grew +smaller my spirits sank, and when it was quite gone, I felt very low +indeed. + +Another of your fool's errands, Allan my boy, I said to myself. I wonder +how many more you are destined to survive. + +The others, too, did not seem in the best of spirits. Brother John +stared at the horizon, his lips moving as though he were engaged in +prayer, and even Stephen was temporarily depressed. Jerry had fallen +asleep, as a native generally does when it is warm and he has nothing +to do. Mavovo looked very thoughtful. I wondered whether he had been +consulting his Snake again, but did not ask him. Since the episode of +our escape from execution by bow and arrow I had grown somewhat afraid +of that unholy reptile. Next time it might foretell our immediate doom, +and if it did I knew that I should believe. + +As for Hans, he looked much disturbed, and was engaged in wildly hunting +for something in the flap pockets of an antique corduroy waistcoat +which, from its general appearance, must, I imagine, years ago have +adorned the person of a British game-keeper. + +"Three," I heard him mutter. "By my great grandfather's spirit! only +three left." + +"Three what?" I asked in Dutch. + +"Three charms, Baas, and there ought to have been quite twenty-four. The +rest have fallen out through a hole that the devil himself made in this +rotten stuff. Now we shall not die of hunger, and we shall not be shot, +and we shall not be drowned, at least none of those things will happen +to me. But there are twenty-one other things that may finish us, as I +have lost the charms to ward them off. Thus----" + +"Oh! stop your rubbish," I said, and fell again into the depths of my +uncomfortable reflections. After this I, too, went to sleep. When I woke +it was past midday and the wind was falling. However, it held while +we ate some food we had brought with us, after which it died away +altogether, and the Pongo people took to their paddles. At my suggestion +we offered to help them, for it occurred to me that we might just as +well learn how to manage these paddles. So six were given to us, and +Komba, who now I noted was beginning to speak in a somewhat imperious +tone, instructed us in their use. At first we made but a poor hand at +the business, but three or four hours' steady practice taught us a good +deal. Indeed, before our journey's end, I felt that we should be quite +capable of managing a canoe, if ever it became necessary for us to do +so. + +By three in the afternoon the shores of the island we were +approaching--if it really was an island, a point that I never cleared +up--were well in sight, the mountain top that stood some miles inland +having been visible for hours. In fact, through my glasses, I had been +able to make out its configuration almost from the beginning of the +voyage. About five we entered the mouth of a deep bay fringed on +either side with forests, in which were cultivated clearings with small +villages of the ordinary African stamp. I observed from the smaller size +of the trees adjacent to these clearings, that much more land had once +been under cultivation here, probably within the last century, and asked +Komba why this was so. + +He answered in an enigmatic sentence which impressed me so much that I +find I entered it verbatim in my notebook. + +"When man dies, corn dies. Man is corn, and corn is man." + +Under this entry I see that I wrote "Compare the saying, 'Bread is the +staff of life.'" + +I could not get any more out of him. Evidently he referred, however, to +a condition of shrinking in the population, a circumstance which he did +not care to discuss. + +After the first few miles the bay narrowed sharply, and at its end came +to a point where a stream of no great breadth fell into it. On either +side of this stream that was roughly bridged in many places stood the +town of Rica. It consisted of a great number of large huts roofed with +palm leaves and constructed apparently of whitewashed clay, or rather, +as we discovered afterwards, of lake mud mixed with chopped straw or +grass. + +Reaching a kind of wharf which was protected from erosion by piles +formed of small trees driven into the mud, to which were tied a fleet +of canoes, we landed just as the sun was beginning to sink. Our approach +had doubtless been observed, for as we drew near the wharf a horn was +blown by someone on the shore, whereon a considerable number of men +appeared. I suppose out of the huts, and assisted to make the canoe +fast. I noted that these all resembled Komba and his companions in +build and features; they were so like each other that, except for the +difference of their ages, it was difficult to tell them apart. They +might all have been members of one family; indeed, this was practically +the case, owing to constant intermarriage carried on for generations. + +There was something in the appearance of these tall, cold, +sharp-featured, white-robed men that chilled my blood, something +unnatural and almost inhuman. Here was nothing of the usual African +jollity. No one shouted, no one laughed or chattered. No one crowded on +us, trying to handle our persons or clothes. No one appeared afraid +or even astonished. Except for a word or two they were silent, merely +contemplating us in a chilling and distant fashion, as though the +arrival of three white men in a country where before no white man had +ever set foot were an everyday occurrence. + +Moreover, our personal appearance did not seem to impress them, for +they smiled faintly at Brother John's long beard and at my stubbly hair, +pointing these out to each other with their slender fingers or with the +handles of their big spears. I remarked that they never used the blade +of the spear for this purpose, perhaps because they thought that we +might take this for a hostile or even a warlike demonstration. It is +humiliating to have to add that the only one of our company who seemed +to move them to wonder or interest was Hans. His extremely ugly and +wrinkled countenance, it was clear, did appeal to them to some extent, +perhaps because they had never seen anything in the least like it +before, or perhaps for another reason which the reader may guess in due +course. + +At any rate, I heard one of them, pointing to Hans, ask Komba whether +the ape-man was our god or only our captain. The compliment seemed to +please Hans, who hitherto had never been looked on either as a god or +a captain. But the rest of us were not flattered; indeed, Mavovo was +indignant, and told Hans outright that if he heard any more such talk he +would beat him before these people, to show them that he was neither a +captain nor a god. + +"Wait till I claim to be either, O butcher of a Zulu, before you +threaten to treat me thus!" ejaculated Hans, indignantly. Then he added, +with his peculiar Hottentot snigger, "Still, it is true that before all +the meat is eaten (i.e. before all is done) you may think me both," a +dark saying which at the time we did not understand. + +When we had landed and collected our belongings, Komba told us to follow +him, and led us up a wide street that was very tidily kept and bordered +on either side by the large huts whereof I have spoken. Each of these +huts stood in a fenced garden of its own, a thing I have rarely seen +elsewhere in Africa. The result of this arrangement was that although as +a matter of fact it had but a comparatively small population, the area +covered by Rica was very great. The town, by the way, was not surrounded +with any wall or other fortification, which showed that the inhabitants +feared no attack. The waters of the lake were their defence. + +For the rest, the chief characteristic of this place was the silence +that brooded there. Apparently they kept no dogs, for none barked, and +no poultry, for I never heard a cock crow in Pongo-land. Cattle and +native sheep they had in abundance, but as they did not fear any enemy, +these were pastured outside the town, their milk and meat being brought +in as required. A considerable number of people were gathered to +observe us, not in a crowd, but in little family groups which collected +separately at the gates of the gardens. + +For the most part these consisted of a man and one or more wives, finely +formed and handsome women. Sometimes they had children with them, but +these were very few; the most I saw with any one family was three, and +many seemed to possess none at all. Both the women and the children, +like the men, were decently clothed in long, white garments, another +peculiarity which showed that these natives were no ordinary African +savages. + +Oh! I can see Rica Town now after all these many years: the wide street +swept and garnished, the brown-roofed, white-walled huts in their +fertile, irrigated gardens, the tall, silent folk, the smoke from the +cooking fires rising straight as a line in the still air, the graceful +palms and other tropical trees, and at the head of the street, far away +to the north, the rounded, towering shape of the forest-clad mountain +that was called House of the Gods. Often that vision comes back to me in +my sleep, or at times in my waking hours when some heavy odour reminds +me of the overpowering scent of the great trumpet-like blooms which hung +in profusion upon broad-leaved bushes that were planted in almost every +garden. + +On we marched till at last we reached a tall, live fence that was +covered with brilliant scarlet flowers, arriving at its gate just as the +last red glow of day faded from the sky and night began to fall. Komba +pushed open the gate, revealing a scene that none of us are likely to +forget. The fence enclosed about an acre of ground of which the back +part was occupied by two large huts standing in the usual gardens. + +In front of these, not more than fifteen paces from the gate, stood +another building of a totally different character. It was about fifty +feet in length by thirty broad and consisted only of a roof supported +upon carved pillars of wood, the spaces between the pillars being filled +with grass mats or blinds. Most of these blinds were pulled down, but +four exactly opposite the gate were open. Inside the shed forty or fifty +men, who wore white robes and peculiar caps and who were engaged in +chanting a dreadful, melancholy song, were gathered on three sides of a +huge fire that burned in a pit in the ground. On the fourth side, that +facing the gate, a man stood alone with his arms outstretched and his +back towards us. + +Of a sudden he heard our footsteps and turned round, springing to the +left, so that the light might fall on us. Now we saw by the glow of the +great fire, that over it was an iron grid not unlike a small bedstead, +and that on this grid lay some fearful object. Stephen, who was a little +ahead, stared, then exclaimed in a horrified voice: + +"My God! it is a woman!" + +In another second the blinds fell down, hiding everything, and the +singing ceased. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + + THE KALUBI'S OATH + +"Be silent!" I whispered, and all understood my tone if they did not +catch the words. Then steadying myself with an effort, for this hideous +vision, which might have been a picture from hell, made me feel faint, I +glanced at Komba, who was a pace or two in front of us. Evidently he was +much disturbed--the motions of his back told me this--by the sense of +some terrible mistake that he had made. For a moment he stood still, +then wheeled round and asked me if we had seen anything. + +"Yes," I answered indifferently, "we saw a number of men gathered round +a fire, nothing more." + +He tried to search our faces, but luckily the great moon, now almost +at her full, was hidden behind a thick cloud, so that he could not read +them well. I heard him sigh in relief as he said: + +"The Kalubi and the head men are cooking a sheep; it is their custom to +feast together on those nights when the moon is about to change. Follow +me, white lords." + +Then he led us round the end of the long shed at which we did not even +look, and through the garden on its farther side to the two fine huts I +have mentioned. Here he clapped his hands and a woman appeared, I know +not whence. To her he whispered something. She went away and presently +returned with four or five other women who carried clay lamps filled +with oil in which floated a wick of palm fibre. These lamps were set +down in the huts that proved to be very clean and comfortable places, +furnished after a fashion with wooden stools and a kind of low table of +which the legs were carved to the shape of antelope's feet. Also there +was a wooden platform at the end of the hut whereon lay beds covered +with mats and stuffed with some soft fibre. + +"Here you may rest safe," he said, "for, white lords, are you not the +honoured guests of the Pongo people? Presently food" (I shuddered at the +word) "will be brought to you, and after you have eaten well, if it is +your pleasure, the Kalubi and his councillors will receive you in yonder +feast-house and you can talk with them before you sleep. If you need +aught, strike upon that jar with a stick," and he pointed to what looked +like a copper cauldron that stood in the garden of the hut near the +place where the women were already lighting a fire, "and some will wait +on you. Look, here are your goods; none are missing, and here comes +water in which you may wash. Now I must go to make report to the +Kalubi," and with a courteous bow he departed. + +So after a while did the silent, handsome women--to fetch our meal, I +understood one of them to say, and at length we were alone. + +"My aunt!" said Stephen, fanning himself with his pocket-handkerchief, +"did you see that lady toasting? I have often heard of cannibals, those +slaves, for instance, but the actual business! Oh! my aunt!" + +"It is no use addressing your absent aunt--if you have got one. What did +you expect if you would insist on coming to a hell like this?" I asked +gloomily. + +"Can't say, old fellow. Don't trouble myself much with expectations as +a rule. That's why I and my poor old father never could get on. I always +quoted the text 'Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof' to him, +until at length he sent for the family Bible and ruled it out with red +ink in a rage. But I say, do you think that we shall be called upon to +understudy St. Lawrence on that grid?" + +"Certainly, I do," I replied, "and, as old Babemba warned you, you can't +complain." + +"Oh! but I will and I can. And so will you, won't you, Brother John?" + +Brother John woke up from a reverie and stroked his long beard. + +"Since you ask me, Mr. Somers," he said, reflectively, "if it were a +case of martyrdom for the Faith, like that of the saint to whom you have +alluded, I should not object--at any rate in theory. But I confess that, +speaking from a secular point of view, I have the strongest dislike to +being cooked and eaten by these very disagreeable savages. Still, I +see no reason to suppose that we shall fall victims to their domestic +customs." + +I, being in a depressed mood, was about to argue to the contrary, when +Hans poked his head into the hut and said: + +"Dinner coming, Baas, very fine dinner!" + +So we went out into the garden where the tall, impassive ladies were +arranging many wooden dishes on the ground. Now the moon was clear of +clouds, and by its brilliant light we examined their contents. Some +were cooked meat covered with a kind of sauce that made its nature +indistinguishable. As a matter of fact, I believe it was mutton, +but--who could say? Others were evidently of a vegetable nature. For +instance, there was a whole platter full of roasted mealie cobs and +a great boiled pumpkin, to say nothing of some bowls of curdled milk. +Regarding this feast I became aware of a sudden and complete conversion +to those principles of vegetarianism which Brother John was always +preaching to me. + +"I am sure you are quite right," I said to him, nervously, "in holding +that vegetables are the best diet in a hot climate. At any rate I have +made up my mind to try the experiment for a few days," and throwing +manners to the winds, I grabbed four of the upper mealie cobs and the +top of the pumpkin which I cut off with a knife. Somehow I did not seem +to fancy that portion of it which touched the platter, for who knew what +those dishes might have contained and how often they were washed. + +Stephen also appeared to have found salvation on this point, for he, +too, patronized the mealie cobs and the pumpkin; so did Mavovo, and so +did even that inveterate meat-eater, Hans. Only the simple Jerry tackled +the fleshpots of Egypt, or rather of Pongo-land, with appetite, and +declared that they were good. I think that he, being the last of us +through the gateway, had not realized what it was which lay upon the +grid. + +At length we finished our simple meal--when you are very hungry it takes +a long time to fill oneself with squashy pumpkin, which is why I suppose +ruminants and other grazing animals always seem to be eating--and washed +it down with water in preference to the sticky-looking milk which we +left to the natives. + +"Allan," said Brother John to me in a low voice as we lit our pipes, +"that man who stood with his back to us in front of the gridiron was the +Kalubi. Against the firelight I saw the gap in his hand where I cut away +the finger." + +"Well, if we want to get any further, you must cultivate him," I +answered. "But the question is, shall we get further than--that grid? I +believe we have been trapped here to be eaten." + +Before Brother John could reply, Komba arrived, and after inquiring +whether our appetites had been good, intimated that the Kalubi and +head men were ready to receive us. So off we went with the exception of +Jerry, whom we left to watch our things, taking with us the presents we +had prepared. + +Komba led us to the feast-house, where the fire in the pit was out, +or had been covered over, and the grid and its horrible burden had +disappeared. Also now all the mats were rolled up, so that the clear +moonlight flowed into and illuminated the place. Seated in a semicircle +on wooden stools with their faces towards the gateway were the Kalubi, +who occupied the centre, and eight councillors, all of them grey-haired +men. This Kalubi was a tall, thin individual of middle age with, I +think, the most nervous countenance that I ever saw. His features +twitched continually and his hands were never still. The eyes, too, as +far as I could see them in that light, were full of terrors. + +He rose and bowed, but the councillors remained seated, greeting us with +a long-continued and soft clapping of the hands, which, it seemed, was +the Pongo method of salute. + +We bowed in answer, then seated ourselves on three stools that had been +placed for us, Brother John occupying the middle stool. Mavovo and Hans +stood behind us, the latter supporting himself with his large bamboo +stick. As soon as these preliminaries were over the Kalubi +called upon Komba, whom he addressed in formal language as +"You-who-have-passed-the-god," and "You-the-Kalubi-to-be" (I thought I +saw him wince as he said these words), to give an account of his mission +and of how it came about that they had the honour of seeing the white +lords there. + +Komba obeyed. After addressing the Kalubi with every possible title +of honour, such as "Absolute Monarch," "Master whose feet I kiss," +"He whose eyes are fire and whose tongue is a sword," "He at whose nod +people die," "Lord of the Sacrifice, first Taster of the Sacred meat," +"Beloved of the gods" (here the Kalubi shrank as though he had been +pricked with a spear), "Second to none on earth save the Motombo the +most holy, the most ancient, who comes from heaven and speaks with the +voice of heaven," etc., etc., he gave a clear but brief account of all +that had happened in the course of his mission to Beza Town. + +Especially did he narrate how, in obedience to a message which he had +received from the Motombo, he had invited the white lords to Pongo-land, +and even accepted them as envoys from the Mazitu when none would respond +to King Bausi's invitation to fill that office. Only he had stipulated +that they should bring with them none of their magic weapons which +vomited out smoke and death, as the Motombo had commanded. At this +information the expressive countenance of the Kalubi once more betrayed +mental disturbance that I think Komba noted as much as we did. However, +he said nothing, and after a pause, Komba went on to explain that no +such weapons had been brought, since, not satisfied with our word that +this was so, he and his companions had searched our baggage before we +left Mazitu-land. + +Therefore, he added, there was no cause to fear that we should bring +about the fulfilment of the old prophecy that when a gun was fired among +the Pongo the gods would desert the land and the people cease to be a +people. + +Having finished his speech, he sat down in a humble place behind us. +Then the Kalubi, after formally accepting us as ambassadors from Bausi, +King of the Mazitu, discoursed at length upon the advantages which would +result to both peoples from a lasting peace between them. Finally he +propounded the articles of such a peace. These, it was clear, had been +carefully prepared, but to set them out would be useless, since they +never came to anything, and I doubt whether it was intended that they +should. Suffice it to say that they provided for intermarriage, free +trade between the countries, blood-brotherhood, and other things that +I have forgotten, all of which was to be ratified by Bausi taking a +daughter of the Kalubi to wife, and the Kalubi taking a daughter of +Bausi. + +We listened in silence, and when he had finished, after a pretended +consultation between us, I spoke as the Mouth of Brother John, who, +I explained, was too grand a person to talk himself, saying that the +proposals seemed fair and reasonable, and that we should be happy to +submit them to Bausi and his council on our return. + +The Kalubi expressed great satisfaction at this statement, but remarked +incidentally that first of all the whole matter must be laid before the +Motombo for his opinion, without which no State transaction had legal +weight among the Pongo. He added that with our approval he proposed that +we should visit his Holiness on the morrow, starting when the sun was +three hours old, as he lived at a distance of a day's journey from Rica. +After further consultation we replied that although we had little time +to spare, as we understood that the Motombo was old and could not +visit us, we, the white lords, would stretch a point and call on him. +Meanwhile we were tired and wished to go to bed. Then we presented our +gifts, which were gracefully accepted, with an intimation that return +presents would be made to us before we left Pongo-land. + +After this the Kalubi took a little stick and broke it, to intimate that +the conference was at an end, and having bade him and his councillors +good night we retired to our huts. + +I should add, because it has a bearing on subsequent events, that +on this occasion we were escorted, not by Komba, but by two of the +councillors. Komba, as I noted for the first time when we rose to say +good-bye, was no longer present at the council. When he left it I cannot +say, since it will be remembered that his seat was behind us in the +shadow, and none of us saw him go. + + + +"What do you make of all that?" I asked the others when the door was +shut. + +Brother John merely shook his head and said nothing, for in those days +he seemed to be living in a kind of dreamland. + +Stephen answered. "Bosh! Tommy rot! All my eye and my elbow! Those +man-eating Johnnies have some game up their wide sleeves, and whatever +it may be, it isn't peace with the Mazitu." + +"I agree," I said. "If the real object were peace they would have +haggled more, stood out for better terms, or hostages, or something. +Also they would have got the consent of this Motombo beforehand. Clearly +he is the master of the situation, not the Kalubi, who is only his tool; +if business were meant he should have spoken first, always supposing +that he exists and isn't a myth. However, if we live we shall learn, and +if we don't, it doesn't matter, though personally I think we should be +wise to leave Motombo alone and to clear out to Mazitu-land by the first +canoe to-morrow morning." + +"I intend to visit this Motombo," broke in Brother John with decision. + +"Ditto, ditto," exclaimed Stephen, "but it's no use arguing that all +over again." + +"No," I replied with irritation. "It is, as you remark, of no use +arguing with lunatics. So let's go to bed, and as it will probably be +our last, have a good night's sleep." + +"Hear, hear!" said Stephen, taking off his coat and placing it doubled +up on the bed to serve as a pillow. "I say," he added, "stand clear a +minute while I shake this blanket. It's covered with bits of something," +and he suited the action to the word. + +"Bits of something?" I said suspiciously. "Why didn't you wait a minute +to let me see them. I didn't notice any bits before." + +"Rats running about the roof, I expect," said Stephen carelessly. + +Not being satisfied, I began to examine this roof and the clay walls, +which I forgot to mention were painted over in a kind of pattern with +whorls in it, by the feeble light of the primitive lamps. While I was +thus engaged there was a knock on the door. Forgetting all about the +dust, I opened it and Hans appeared. + +"One of these man-eating devils wants to speak to you, Baas. Mavovo +keeps him without." + +"Let him in," I said, since in this place fearlessness seemed our best +game, "but watch well while he is with us." + +Hans whispered a word over his shoulder, and next moment a tall man +wrapped from head to foot in white cloth, so that he looked like a +ghost, came or rather shot into the hut and closed the door behind him. + +"Who are you?" I asked. + +By way of answer he lifted or unwrapped the cloth from about his face, +and I saw that the Kalubi himself stood before us. + +"I wish to speak alone with the white lord, Dogeetah," he said in +a hoarse voice, "and it must be now, since afterwards it will be +impossible." + +Brother John rose and looked at him. + +"How are you, Kalubi, my friend?" he asked. "I see that your wound has +healed well." + +"Yes, yes, but I would speak with you alone." + +"Not so," replied Brother John. "If you have anything to say, you must +say it to all of us, or leave it unsaid, since these lords and I are +one, and that which I hear, they hear." + +"Can I trust them?" muttered the Kalubi. + +"As you can trust me. Therefore speak, or go. Yet, first, can we be +overheard in this hut?" + +"No, Dogeetah. The walls are thick. There is no one on the roof, for I +have looked all round, and if any strove to climb there, we should hear. +Also your men who watch the door would see him. None can hear us save +perhaps the gods." + +"Then we will risk the gods, Kalubi. Go on; my brothers know your +story." + +"My lords," he began, rolling his eyes about him like a hunted creature, +"I am in a terrible pass. Once, since I saw you, Dogeetah, I should have +visited the White God that dwells in the forest on the mountain yonder, +to scatter the sacred seed. But I feigned to be sick, and Komba, the +Kalubi-to-be, 'who has passed the god,' went in my place and returned +unharmed. Now to-morrow, the night of the full moon, as Kalubi, I must +visit the god again and once more scatter the seed and--Dogeetah, he +will kill me whom he has once bitten. He will certainly kill me unless +I can kill him. Then Komba will rule as Kalubi in my stead, and he will +kill you in a way you can guess, by the 'Hot death,' as a sacrifice to +the gods, that the women of the Pongo may once more become the mothers +of many children. Yes, yes, unless we can kill the god who dwells in +the forest, we all must die," and he paused, trembling, while the sweat +dropped from him to the floor. + +"That's pleasant," said Brother John, "but supposing that we kill the +god how would that help us or you to escape from the Motombo and these +murdering people of yours? Surely they would slay us for the sacrilege." + +"Not so, Dogeetah. If the god dies, the Motombo dies. It is known from +of old, and therefore the Motombo watches over the god as a mother over +her child. Then, until a new god is found, the Mother of the Holy Flower +rules, she who is merciful and will harm none, and I rule under her and +will certainly put my enemies to death, especially that wizard Komba." + +Here I thought I heard a faint sound in the air like the hiss of a +snake, but as it was not repeated and I could see nothing, concluded +that I was mistaken. + +"Moreover," he went on, "I will load you with gold dust and any gifts +you may desire, and set you safe across the water among your friends, +the Mazitu." + +"Look here," I broke in, "let us understand matters clearly, and, John, +do you translate to Stephen. Now, friend Kalubi, first of all, who and +what is this god you talk of?" + +"Lord Macumazana, he is a huge ape white with age, or born white, I know +not which. He is twice as big as any man, and stronger than twenty men, +whom he can break in his hands, as I break a reed, or whose heads he can +bite off in his mouth, as he bit off my finger for a warning. For that +is how he treats the Kalubis when he wearies of them. First he bites off +a finger and lets them go, and next he breaks them like a reed, as also +he breaks those who are doomed to sacrifice before the fire." + +"Ah!" I said, "a great ape! I thought as much. Well, and how long has +this brute been a god among you?" + +"I do not know how long. From the beginning. He was always there, as the +Motombo was always there, for they are one." + +"That's a lie any way," I said in English, then went on. "And who is +this Mother of the Holy Flower? Is she also always there, and does she +live in the same place as the ape god?" + +"Not so, lord Macumazana. She dies like other mortals, and is succeeded +by one who takes her place. Thus the present Mother is a white woman of +your race, now of middle age. When she dies she will be succeeded by her +daughter, who also is a white woman and very beautiful. After she dies +another who is white will be found, perhaps one who is of black parents +but born white." + +"How old is this daughter?" interrupted Brother John in a curiously +intent voice, "and who is her father?" + +"The daughter was born over twenty years ago, Dogeetah, after the Mother +of the Flower was captured and brought here. She says that the father +was a white man to whom she was married, but who is dead." + +Brother John's head dropped upon his chest, and his eyes shut as though +he had gone to sleep. + +"As for where the Mother lives," went on the Kalubi, "it is on the +island in the lake at the top of the mountain that is surrounded by +water. She has nothing to do with the White God, but those women who +serve her go across the lake at times to tend the fields where grows the +seed that the Kalubi sows, of which the corn is the White God's food." + +"Good," I said, "now we understand--not much, but a little. Tell us next +what is your plan? How are we to come into the place where this great +ape lives? And if we come there, how are we to kill the beast, seeing +that your successor, Komba, was careful to prevent us from bringing our +firearms to your land?" + +"Aye, lord Macumazana, may the teeth of the god meet in his brain for +that trick; yes, may he die as I know how to make him die. That prophecy +of which he told you is no prophecy from of old. It arose in the land +within the last moon only, though whether it came from Komba or from +the Motombo I know not. None save myself, or at least very few here, had +heard of the iron tubes that throw out death, so how should there be a +prophecy concerning them?" + +"I am sure I don't know, Kalubi, but answer the rest of the question." + +"As to your coming into the forest--for the White God lives in a forest +on the slopes of the mountain, lords--that will be easy since the +Motombo and the people will believe that I am trapping you there to be a +sacrifice, such as they desire for sundry reasons," and he looked at the +plump Stephen in a very suggestive way. "As to how you are to kill the +god without your tubes of iron, that I do not know. But you are very +brave and great magicians. Surely you can find a way." + +Here Brother John seemed to wake up again. + +"Yes," he said, "we shall find a way. Have no fear of that, O Kalubi. We +are not afraid of the big ape whom you call a god. Yet it must be at a +price. We will not kill this beast and try to save your life, save at a +price." + +"What price?" asked the Kalubi nervously. "There are wives and +cattle--no, you do not want the wives, and the cattle cannot be taken +across the lake. There are gold dust and ivory. I have already promised +these, and there is nothing more that I can give." + +"The price is, O Kalubi, that you hand over to us to be taken away +the white woman who is called Mother of the Holy Flower, with her +daughter----" + +"And," interrupted Stephen, to whom I had been interpreting, "the Holy +Flower itself, all of it dug up by the roots." + +When he heard these modest requests the poor Kalubi became like one upon +the verge of madness. + +"Do you understand," he gasped, "do you understand that you are asking +for the gods of my country?" + +"Quite," replied Brother John with calmness; "for the gods of your +country--nothing more nor less." + +The Kalubi made as though he would fly from the hut, but I caught him by +the arm and said: + +"See, friend, things are thus. You ask us, at great danger to ourselves, +to kill one of the gods of your country, the highest of them, in order +to save your life. Well, in payment we ask you to make a present of the +remaining gods of your country, and to see us and them safe across the +lake. Do you accept or refuse?" + +"I refuse," answered the Kalubi sullenly. "To accept would mean the last +curse upon my spirit; that is too horrible to tell." + +"And to refuse means the first curse upon your body; namely, that in a +few hours it must be broken and chewed by a great monkey which you call +a god. Yes, broken and chewed, and afterwards, I think, cooked and eaten +as a sacrifice. Is it not so?" + +The Kalubi nodded his head and groaned. + +"Yet," I went on, "for our part we are glad that you have refused, since +now we shall be rid of a troublesome and dangerous business and return +in safety to Mazitu land." + +"How will you return in safety, O lord Macumazana, you who are doomed to +the 'Hot Death' if you escape the fangs of the god?" + +"Very easily, O Kalubi, by telling Komba, the Kalubi-to-be, of your +plots against this god of yours, and how we have refused to listen to +your wickedness. In fact, I think this may be done at once while you are +here with us, O Kalubi, where perhaps you do not expect to be found. +I will go strike upon the pot without the door; doubtless though it is +late, some will hear. Nay, man, stand you still; we have knives and our +servants have spears," and I made as though to pass him. + +"Lord," he said, "I will give you the Mother of the Holy Flower and her +daughter; aye, and the Holy Flower itself dug up by the roots, and I +swear that if I can, I will set you and them safe across the lake, only +asking that I may come with you, since here I dare not stay. Yet the +curse will come too, but if so, it is better to die of a curse in a day +to be, than to-morrow at the fangs of the god. Oh! why was I born! Why +was I born!" and he began to weep. + +"That is a question many have asked and none have been able to answer, O +friend Kalubi, though mayhap there is an answer somewhere," I replied in +a kind voice. + +For my heart was stirred with pity of this poor wretch mazed and lost in +his hell of superstition; this potentate who could not escape from the +trappings of a hateful power, save by the door of a death too horrible +to contemplate; this priest whose doom it was to be slain by the very +hands of his god, as those who went before him had been slain, and as +those who came after him would be slain. + +"Yet," I went on, "I think you have chosen wisely, and we hold you to +your word. While you are faithful to us, we will say nothing. But +of this be sure--that if you attempt to betray us, we who are not so +helpless as we seem, will betray you, and it shall be you who die, not +us. Is it a bargain?" + +"It is a bargain, white lord, although blame me not if things go wrong, +since the gods know all, and they are devils who delight in human woe +and mock at bargains and torment those who would injure them. Yet, come +what will, I swear to keep faith with you thus, by the oath that may not +be broken," and drawing a knife from his girdle, he thrust out the tip +of his tongue and pricked it. From the puncture a drop of blood fell to +the floor. + +"If I break my oath," he said, "may my flesh grow cold as that blood +grows cold, and may it rot as that blood rots! Aye, and may my spirit +waste and be lost in the world of ghosts as that blood wastes into the +air and is lost in the dust of the world!" + +It was a horrible scene and one that impressed me very much, especially +as even then there fell upon me a conviction that this unfortunate man +was doomed, that a fate which he could not escape was upon him. + +We said nothing, and in another moment he had thrown his white wrappings +over his face and slipped through the door. + +"I am afraid we are playing it rather low down on that jumpy old boy," +said Stephen remorsefully. + +"The white woman, the white woman and her daughter," muttered Brother +John. + +"Yes," reflected Stephen aloud. "One is justified in doing anything to +get two white women out of this hell, if they exist. So one may as well +have the orchid also, for they'd be lonely without it, poor things, +wouldn't they? Glad I thought of that, it's soothing to the conscience." + +"I hope you'll find it so when we are all on that iron grid which I +noticed is wide enough for three," I remarked sarcastically. "Now be +quiet, I want to go to sleep." + +I am sorry to have to add that for the most of that night Want remained +my master. But if I couldn't sleep, I could, or rather was obliged to, +think, and I thought very hard indeed. + +First I reflected on the Pongo and their gods. What were these and why +did they worship them? Soon I gave it up, remembering that the problem +was one which applied equally to dozens of the dark religions of this +vast African continent, to which none could give an answer, and least +of all their votaries. That answer indeed must be sought in the horrible +fears of the unenlightened human heart, which sees death and terror +and evil around it everywhere and, in this grotesque form or in that, +personifies them in gods, or rather in devils who must be propitiated. +For always the fetish or the beast, or whatever it may be, is not +the real object of worship. It is only the thing or creature which is +inhabited by the spirit of the god or devil, the temple, as it were, +that furnishes it with a home, which temple is therefore holy. And these +spirits are diverse, representing sundry attributes or qualities. + +Thus the great ape might be Satan, a prince of evil and blood. The Holy +Flower might symbolise fertility and the growth of the food of man from +the bosom of the earth. The Mother of the Flower might represent mercy +and goodness, for which reason it was necessary that she should be +white in colour, and dwell, not in the shadowed forest, but on a soaring +mountain, a figure of light, in short, as opposed to darkness. Or she +might be a kind of African Ceres, a goddess of the corn and harvest +which were symbolised in the beauteous bloom she tended. Who could tell? +Not I, either then or afterwards, for I never found out. + +As for the Pongo themselves, their case was obvious. They were a dying +tribe, the last descendants of some higher race, grown barren from +intermarriage. Probably, too, they were at first only cannibals +occasionally and from religious reasons. Then in some time of dearth +they became very religious in that respect, and the habit overpowered +them. Among cannibals, at any rate in Africa, as I knew, this dreadful +food is much preferred to any other meat. I had not the slightest doubt +that although the Kalubi himself had brought us here in the wild +hope that we might save him from a terrible death at the hands of the +Beelzebub he served, Komba and the councillors, inspired thereto by the +prophet called Motombo, designed that we should be murdered and eaten as +an offering to the gods. How we were to escape this fate, being unarmed, +I could not imagine, unless some special protection were vouchsafed to +us. Meanwhile, we must go on to the end, whatever it might be. + +Brother John, or to give him his right name, the Reverend John Eversley, +was convinced that the white woman imprisoned in the mountain was none +other than the lost wife for whom he had searched for twenty weary +years, and that the second white woman of whom we had heard that night +was, strange as it might seem, her daughter and his own. Perhaps he +was right and perhaps he was wrong. But even in the latter case, if two +white persons were really languishing in this dreadful land, our path +was clear. We must go on in faith until we saved them or until we died. + + "Our life is granted, not in Pleasure's round, + Or even Love's sweet dream, to lapse, content; + Duty and Faith are words of solemn sound, + And to their echoes must the soul be bent," + +as some one or other once wrote, very nobly I think. Well, there was but +little of "Pleasure's round" about the present entertainment, and any +hope of "Love's sweet dream" seemed to be limited to Brother John (here +I was quite mistaken, as I so often am). Probably the "echoes" would be +my share; indeed, already I seemed to hear their ominous thunder. + +At last I did go to sleep and dreamed a very curious dream. It seemed to +me that I was disembodied, although I retained all my powers of thought +and observation; in fact, dead and yet alive. In this state I hovered +over the people of the Pongo who were gathered together on a great plain +under an inky sky. They were going about their business as usual, and +very unpleasant business it often was. Some of them were worshipping a +dim form that I knew was the devil; some were committing murders; some +were feasting--at that on which they feasted I would not look; some were +labouring or engaged in barter; some were thinking. But I, who had +the power of looking into them, saw within the breast of each a tiny +likeness of the man or woman or child as it might be, humbly bent +upon its knees with hands together in an attitude of prayer, and with +imploring, tear-stained face looking upwards to the black heaven. + +Then in that heaven there appeared a single star of light, and from this +star flowed lines of gentle fire that spread and widened till all the +immense arc was one flame of glory. And now from the pulsing heart of +the Glory, which somehow reminded me of moving lips, fell countless +flakes of snow, each of which followed an appointed path till it lit +upon the forehead of one of the tiny, imploring figures hidden within +those savage breasts, and made it white and clean. + +Then the Glory shrank and faded till there remained of it only +the similitude of two transparent hands stretched out as though in +blessing--and I woke up wondering how on earth I found the fancy to +invent such a vision, and whether it meant anything or nothing. + +Afterwards I repeated it to Brother John, who was a very spiritually +minded as well as a good man--the two things are often quite +different--and asked him to be kind enough to explain. At the time he +shook his head, but some days later he said to me: + +"I think I have read your riddle, Allan; the answer came to me quite of +a sudden. In all those sin-stained hearts there is a seed of good and +an aspiration towards the right. For every one of them also there is at +last mercy and forgiveness, since how could they learn who never had a +teacher? Your dream, Allan, was one of the ultimate redemption of even +the most evil of mankind, by gift of the Grace that shall one day glow +through the blackness of the night in which they wander." + +That is what he said, and I only hope that he was right, since at +present there is something very wrong with the world, especially in +Africa. + +Also we blame the blind savage for many things, but on the balance are +we so much better, considering our lights and opportunities? Oh! +the truth is that the devil--a very convenient word that--is a good +fisherman. He has a large book full of flies of different sizes and +colours, and well he knows how to suit them to each particular fish. But +white or black, every fish takes one fly or the other, and then comes +the question--is the fish that has swallowed the big gaudy lure so much +worse or more foolish than that which has fallen to the delicate white +moth with the same sharp barb in its tail? + +In short, are we not all miserable sinners as the Prayer Book says, and +in the eye of any judge who can average up the elemental differences of +those waters wherein we were bred and are called upon to swim, is there +so much to choose between us? Do we not all need those outstretched +Hands of Mercy which I saw in my dream? + +But there, there! What right has a poor old hunter to discuss things +that are too high for him? + + + + +CHAPTER XV + + THE MOTOMBO + +After my dream I went to sleep again, till I was finally aroused by a +strong ray of light hitting me straight in the eye. + +Where the dickens does that come from? thought I to myself, for these +huts had no windows. + +Then I followed the ray to its source, which I perceived was a small +hole in the mud wall some five feet above the floor. I rose and examined +the said hole, and noted that it appeared to have been freshly made, for +the clay at the sides of it was in no way discoloured. I reflected that +if anyone wanted to eavesdrop, such an aperture would be convenient, and +went outside the hut to pursue my investigations. Its wall, I found, was +situated about four feet from the eastern part of the encircling reed +fence, which showed no signs of disturbance, although there, in the +outer face of the wall, was the hole, and beneath it on the lime +flooring lay some broken fragments of plaster. I called Hans and asked +him if he had kept watch round the hut when the wrapped-up man visited +us during the night. He answered yes, and that he could swear that no +one had come near it, since several times he had walked to the back and +looked. + +Somewhat comforted, though not satisfied, I went in to wake up the +others, to whom I said nothing of this matter since it seemed foolish +to alarm them for no good purpose. A few minutes later the tall, silent +women arrived with our hot water. It seemed curious to have hot water +brought to us in such a place by these very queer kind of housemaids, +but so it was. The Pongo, I may add, were, like the Zulus, very clean in +their persons, though whether they all used hot water, I cannot say. At +any rate, it was provided for us. + +Half an hour later they returned with breakfast, consisting chiefly of +a roasted kid, of which, as it was whole, and therefore unmistakable, +we partook thankfully. A little later the Majestic Komba appeared. +After many compliments and inquiries as to our general health, he asked +whether we were ready to start on our visit to the Motombo who, he +added, was expecting us with much eagerness. I inquired how he knew +that, since we had only arranged to call on him late on the previous +night, and I understood that he lived a day's journey away. But Komba +put the matter by with a smile and a wave of his hand. + +So in due course off we went, taking with us all our baggage, which now +that it had been lightened by the delivery of the presents, was of no +great weight. + +Five minutes' walk along the wide, main street led us to the northern +gate of Rica Town. Here we found the Kalubi himself with an escort of +thirty men armed with spears; I noted that unlike the Mazitu they had no +bows and arrows. He announced in a loud voice that he proposed to do us +the special honour of conducting us to the sanctuary of the Holy One, by +which we understood him to mean the Motombo. When we politely begged him +not to trouble, being in an irritable mood, or assuming it, he told us +rudely to mind our own business. Indeed, I think this irritability was +real enough, which, in the circumstances known to the reader, was not +strange. At any rate, an hour or so later it declared itself in an act +of great cruelty which showed us how absolute was this man's power in +all temporal matters. + +Passing through a little clump of bush we came to some gardens +surrounded by a light fence through which a number of cattle of a small +and delicate breed--they were not unlike Jerseys in appearance--had +broken to enjoy themselves by devouring the crops. This garden, it +appeared, belonged to the Kalubi for the time being, who was furious at +the destruction of its produce by the cattle which also belonged to him. + +"Where is the herd?" he shouted. + +A hunt began--and presently the poor fellow--he was no more than a lad, +was discovered asleep behind a bush. When he was dragged before him the +Kalubi pointed, first to the cattle, then to the broken fence and the +devastated garden. The lad began to mutter excuses and pray for mercy. + +"Kill him!" said the Kalubi, whereon the herd flung himself to the +ground, and clutching him by the ankles, began to kiss his feet, crying +out that he was afraid to die. The Kalubi tried to kick himself free, +and failing in this, lifted his big spear and made an end of the poor +boy's prayers and life at a single stroke. + +The escort clapped their hands in salute or approval, after which four +of them, at a sign, took up the body and started with it at a trot for +Rica Town, where probably that night it appeared upon the grid. Brother +John saw, and his big white beard bristled with indignation like the +hair on the back of an angry cat, while Stephen spluttered something +beginning with "You brute," and lifted his fist as though to knock the +Kalubi down. This, had I not caught hold of him, I have no doubt he +would have done. + +"O Kalubi!" gasped Brother John, "do you not know that blood calls for +blood? In the hour of your own death remember this death." + +"Would you bewitch me, white man?" said the Kalubi, glaring at him +angrily. "If so----" and once more he lifted the spear, but as John +never stirred, held it poised irresolutely. Komba thrust himself between +them, crying: + +"Back, Dogeetah, who dare to meddle with our customs! Is not the Kalubi +Lord of life and death?" + +Brother John was about to answer, but I called to him in English: + +"For Heaven's sake be silent, unless you want to follow the boy. We are +in these men's power." + +Then he remembered and walked away, and presently we marched forward as +though nothing had happened. Only from that moment I do not think that +any of us worried ourselves about the Kalubi and what might befall him. +Still, looking back on the thing, I think that there was this excuse to +be made for the man. He was mad with the fear of death and knew not what +he did. + +All that day we travelled on through a rich, flat country that, as we +could tell from various indications, had once been widely cultivated. +Now the fields were few and far between, and bush, for the most part a +kind of bamboo scrub, was reoccupying the land. About midday we halted +by a water-pool to eat and rest, for the sun was hot, and here the four +men who had carried off the boy's body rejoined us and made some report. +Then we went forward once more towards what seemed to be a curious +and precipitous wall of black cliff, beyond which the volcanic-looking +mountain towered in stately grandeur. By three o'clock we were near +enough to this cliff, which ran east and west as far as the eye could +reach, to see a hole in it, apparently where the road terminated, that +appeared to be the mouth of a cave. + +The Kalubi came up to us, and in a shy kind of way tried to make +conversation. I think that the sight of this mountain, drawing ever +nearer, vividly recalled his terrors and caused him to desire to efface +the bad impression he knew he had made on us, to whom he looked for +safety. Among other things he told us that the hole we saw was the door +of the House of the Motombo. + +I nodded my head, but did not answer, for the presence of this murderous +king made me feel sick. So he went away again, looking at us in a humble +and deprecatory manner. + +Nothing further happened until we reached the remarkable wall of rock +that I have mentioned, which I suppose is composed of some very +hard stone that remained when the softer rock in which it lay was +disintegrated by millions of years of weather or washings by the water +of the lake. Or perhaps its substance was thrown out of the bowels of +the volcano when this was active. I am no geologist, and cannot say, +especially as I lacked time to examine the place. At any rate there it +was, and there in it appeared the mouth of a great cave that I presume +was natural, having once formed a kind of drain through which the lake +overflowed when Pongo-land was under water. + +We halted, staring dubiously at this darksome hole, which no doubt was +the same that Babemba had explored in his youth. Then the Kalubi gave +an order, and some of the soldiers went to huts that were built near the +mouth of the cave, where I suppose guardians or attendants lived, +though of these we saw nothing. Presently they returned with a number of +lighted torches that were distributed among us. This done, we plunged, +shivering (at least, I shivered), into the gloomy recesses of that great +cavern, the Kalubi going before us with half of our escort, and Komba +following behind us with the remainder. + +The floor of the place was made quite smooth, doubtless by the action of +water, as were the walls and roof, so far as we could see them, for it +was very wide and lofty. It did not run straight, but curved about in +the thickness of the cliff. At the first turn the Pongo soldiers set up +a low and eerie chant which they continued during its whole length, that +according to my pacings was something over three hundred yards. On we +wound, the torches making stars of light in the intense blackness, till +at length we rounded a last corner where a great curtain of woven grass, +now drawn, was stretched across the cave. Here we saw a very strange +sight. + +On either side of it, near to the walls, burned a large wood fire that +gave light to the place. Also more light flowed into it from its further +mouth that was not more than twenty paces from the fires. Beyond the +mouth was water which seemed to be about two hundred yards wide, and +beyond the water rose the slopes of the mountain that was covered with +huge trees. Moreover, a little bay penetrated into the cavern, the point +of which bay ended between the two fires. Here the water, which was not +more than six or eight feet wide, and shallow, formed the berthing place +of a good-sized canoe that lay there. The walls of the cavern, from +the turn to the point of the tongue of water, were pierced with four +doorways, two on either side, which led, I presume, to chambers hewn in +the rock. At each of these doorways stood a tall woman clothed in +white, who held in her hand a burning torch. I concluded that these were +attendants set there to guide and welcome us, for after we had passed, +they vanished into the chambers. + +But this was not all. Set across the little bay of water just above the +canoe that floated there was a wooden platform, eight feet or so square, +on either side of which stood an enormous elephant's tusk, bigger indeed +than any I have seen in all my experience, which tusks seemed to be +black with age. Between the tusks, squatted upon rugs of some kind of +rich fur, was what from its shape and attitude I at first took to be a +huge toad. In truth, it had all the appearance of a very bloated toad. +There was the rough corrugated skin, there the prominent backbone (for +its back was towards us), and there were the thin, splayed-out legs. + +We stared at this strange object for quite a long while, unable to make +it out in that uncertain light, for so long indeed, that I grew nervous +and was about to ask the Kalubi what it might be. As my lips opened, +however, it stirred, and with a slow, groping, circular movement turned +itself towards us very slowly. At length it was round, and as the head +came in view all the Pongo from the Kalubi down ceased their low, weird +chant and flung themselves upon their faces, those who had torches still +holding them up in their right hands. + +Oh! what a thing appeared! It was not a toad, but a man that moved upon +all fours. The large, bald head was sunk deep between the shoulders, +either through deformity or from age, for this creature was undoubtedly +very old. Looking at it, I wondered how old, but could form no answer in +my mind. The great, broad face was sunken and withered, like to leather +dried in the sun; the lower lip hung pendulously upon the prominent and +bony jaw. Two yellow, tusk-like teeth projected one at each corner of +the great mouth; all the rest were gone, and from time to time it licked +the white gums with a red-pointed tongue as a snake might do. But the +chief wonder of the Thing lay in its eyes that were large and round, +perhaps because the flesh had shrunk away from them, which gave them +the appearance of being set in the hollow orbits of a skull. These eyes +literally shone like fire; indeed, at times they seemed positively to +blaze, as I have seen a lion's eyes do in the dark. I confess that the +aspect of the creature terrified and for a while paralysed me; to think +that it was human was awful. + +I glanced at the others and saw that they, too, were frightened. Stephen +turned very white. I thought that he was going to be sick again, as +he was after he drank the coffee out of the wrong bowl on the day we +entered Mazitu-land. Brother John stroked his white beard and muttered +some invocation to Heaven to protect him. Hans exclaimed in his +abominable Dutch: + +"_Oh! keek, Baas, da is je lelicher oud deel!_" ("Oh! look, Baas, there +is the ugly old devil himself!") + +Jerry went flat on his face among the Pongo, muttering that he saw Death +before him. Only Mavovo stood firm; perhaps because as a witch-doctor of +repute he felt that it did not become him to show the white feather in +the presence of an evil spirit. + +The toad-like creature on the platform swayed its great head slowly as +a tortoise does, and contemplated us with its flaming eyes. At length +it spoke in a thick, guttural voice, using the tongue that seemed to +be common to this part of Africa and indeed to that branch of the Bantu +people to which the Zulus belong, but, as I thought, with a foreign +accent. + +"So _you_ are the white men come back," it said slowly. "Let me count!" +and lifting one skinny hand from the ground, it pointed with the +forefinger and counted. "One. Tall, with a white beard. Yes, that is +right. Two. Short, nimble like a monkey, with hair that wants no comb; +clever, too, like a father of monkeys. Yes, that is right. Three. +Smooth-faced, young and stupid, like a fat baby that laughs at the sky +because he is full of milk, and thinks that the sky is laughing at him. +Yes, that is right. All three of you are just the same as you used to +be. Do you remember, White Beard, how, while we killed you, you said +prayers to One Who sits above the world, and held up a cross of bone to +which a man was tied who wore a cap of thorns? Do you remember how you +kissed the man with the cap of thorns as the spear went into you? You +shake your head--oh! you are a clever liar, but I will show you that you +are a liar, for I have the thing yet," and snatching up a horn which lay +on the kaross beneath him, he blew. + +As the peculiar, wailing note that the horn made died away, a woman +dashed out of one of the doorways that I have described and flung +herself on her knees before him. He muttered something to her and she +dashed back again to re-appear in an instant holding in her hand a +yellow ivory crucifix. + +"Here it is, here it is," he said. "Take it, White Beard, and kiss it +once more, perhaps for the last time," and he threw the crucifix +to Brother John, who caught it and stared at it amazed. "And do you +remember, Fat Baby, how we caught you? You fought well, very well, +but we killed you at last, and you were good, very good; we got much +strength from you. + +"And do you remember, Father of Monkeys, how you escaped from us by your +cleverness? I wonder where you went to and how you died. I shall not +forget you, for you gave me this," and he pointed to a big white scar +upon his shoulder. "You would have killed me, but the stuff in that iron +tube of yours burned slowly when you held the fire to it, so that I had +time to jump aside and the iron ball did not strike me in the heart as +you meant that it should. Yet, it is still here; oh! yes, I carry it +with me to this day, and now that I have grown thin I can feel it with +my finger." + +I listened astonished to this harangue, which if it meant anything, +meant that we had all met before, in Africa at some time when men used +matchlocks that were fired with a fuse--that is to say, about the year +1700, or earlier. Reflection, however, showed me the interpretation of +this nonsense. Obviously this old priest's forefather, or, if one put +him at a hundred and twenty years of age, and I am sure that he was not +a day less, perhaps his father, as a young man, was mixed up with +some of the first Europeans who penetrated to the interior of Africa. +Probably these were Portuguese, of whom one may have been a priest +and the other two an elderly man and his son, or young brother, or +companion. The manner of the deaths of these people and of what happened +to them generally would of course be remembered by the descendants of +the chief or head medicine-man of the tribe. + +"Where did we meet, and when, O Motombo?" I asked. + +"Not in this land, not in this land, Father of Monkeys," he replied in +his low rumbling voice, "but far, far away towards the west where the +sun sinks in the water; and not in this day, but long, long ago. Twenty +Kalubis have ruled the Pongo since that day; some have ruled for many +years and some have ruled for a few years--that depends upon the will +of my brother, the god yonder," and he chuckled horribly and jerked his +thumb backwards over his shoulder towards the forest on the mountain. +"Yes, twenty have ruled, some for thirty years and none for less than +four." + +"Well, you _are_ a large old liar," I thought to myself, for, taking the +average rule of the Kalubis at ten years, this would mean that we met +him two centuries ago at least. + +"You were clothed otherwise then," he went on, "and two of you wore +hats of iron on the head, but that of White Beard was shaven. I caused a +picture of you to be beaten by the master-smith upon a plate of copper. +I have it yet." + +Again he blew upon his horn; again a woman darted out, to whom he +whispered; again she went to one of the chambers and returned bearing an +object which he cast to us. + +We looked at it. It was a copper or bronze plaque, black, apparently +with age, which once had been nailed on something for there were the +holes. It represented a tall man with a long beard and a tonsured head +who held a cross in his hand; and two other men, both short, who wore +round metal caps and were dressed in queer-looking garments and boots +with square toes. These man carried big and heavy matchlocks, and in the +hand of one of them was a smoking fuse. That was all we could make out +of the thing. + +"Why did you leave the far country and come to this land, O Motombo?" I +asked. + +"Because we were afraid that other white men would follow on your steps +and avenge you. The Kalubi of that day ordered it, though I said No, +who knew that none can escape by flight from what must come when it must +come. So we travelled and travelled till we found this place, and here +we have dwelt from generation to generation. The gods came with us also; +my brother that dwells in the forest came, though we never saw him on +the journey, yet he was here before us. The Holy Flower came too, and +the white Mother of the Flower--she was the wife of one of you, I know +not which." + +"Your brother the god?" I said. "If the god is an ape as we have heard, +how can he be the brother of a man?" + +"Oh! you white men do not understand, but we black people understand. In +the beginning the ape killed my brother who was Kalubi, and his spirit +entered into the ape, making him as a god, and so he kills every other +Kalubi and their spirits enter also into him. Is it not so, O Kalubi of +to-day, you without a finger?" and he laughed mockingly. + +The Kalubi, who was lying on his stomach, groaned and trembled, but made +no other answer. + +"So all has come about as I foresaw," went on the toad-like creature. +"You have returned, as I knew you would, and now we shall learn whether +White Beard yonder spoke true words when he said that his god would be +avenged upon our god. You shall go to be avenged on him if you can, +and then we shall learn. But this time you have none of your iron tubes +which alone we fear. For did not the god declare to us through me that +when the white men came back with an iron tube, then he, the god, would +die, and I, the Motombo, the god's Mouth, would die, and the Holy Flower +would be torn up, and the Mother of the Flower would pass away, and the +people of the Pongo would be dispersed and become wanderers and slaves? +And did he not declare that if the white men came again without their +iron tubes, then certain secret things would happen--oh! ask them not, +in time they shall be known to you, and the people of the Pongo who were +dwindling would again become fruitful and very great? And that is why we +welcome you, white men, who arise again from the land of ghosts, because +through you we, the Pongo, shall become fruitful and very great." + +Of a sudden he ceased his rumbling talk, his head sank back between his +shoulders and he sat silent for a long while, his fierce, sparkling +eyes playing on us as though he would read our very thoughts. If he +succeeded, I hope that mine pleased him. To tell the truth, I was filled +with mixed fear, fury and loathing. Although, of course, I did not +believe a word of all the rubbish he had been saying, which was akin to +much that is evolved by these black-hearted African wizards, I hated the +creature whom I felt to be only half-human. My whole nature sickened at +his aspect and talk. And yet I was dreadfully afraid of him. I felt as +a man might who wakes up to find himself alone with some peculiarly +disgusting Christmas-story kind of ghost. Moreover I was quite sure that +he meant us ill, fearful and imminent ill. Suddenly he spoke again: + +"Who is that little yellow one," he said, "that old one with a face like +a skull," and he pointed to Hans, who had kept as much out of sight as +possible behind Mavovo, "that wizened, snub-nosed one who might be a +child of my brother the god, if ever he had a child? And why, being so +small, does he need so large a staff?" Here he pointed again to Hans's +big bamboo stick. "I think he is as full of guile as a new-filled gourd +with water. The big black one," and he looked at Mavovo, "I do not fear, +for his magic is less than my magic," (he seemed to recognise a brother +doctor in Mavovo) "but the little yellow one with the big stick and the +pack upon his back, I fear him. I think he should be killed." + +He paused and we trembled, for if he chose to kill the poor Hottentot, +how could we prevent him? But Hans, who saw the great danger, called his +cunning to his aid. + +"O Motombo," he squeaked, "you must not kill me for I am the servant of +an ambassador. You know well that all the gods of every land hate and +will be revenged upon those who touch ambassadors or their servants, +whom they, the gods, alone may harm. If you kill me I shall haunt you. +Yes, I shall sit on your shoulder at night and jibber into your ear so +that you cannot sleep, until you die. For though you are old you must +die at last, Motombo." + +"It is true," said the Motombo. "Did I not tell you that he was full of +cunning? All the gods will be avenged upon those who kill ambassadors +or their servants. That"--here he laughed again in his dreadful way--"is +the rights of the gods alone. Let the gods of the Pongo settle it." + +I uttered a sigh of relief, and he went on in a new voice, a dull, +business-like voice if I may so describe it: + +"Say, O Kalubi, on what matter have you brought these white men to speak +with me, the Mouth of the god? Did I dream that it was a matter of a +treaty with the King of the Mazitu? Rise and speak." + +So the Kalubi rose and with a humble air set out briefly and clearly the +reason of our visit to Pongo-land as the envoys of Bausi and the heads +of the treaty that had been arranged subject to the approval of the +Motombo and Bausi. We noted that the affair did not seem to interest the +Motombo at all. Indeed, he appeared to go to sleep while the speech was +being delivered, perhaps because he was exhausted with the invention +of his outrageous falsehoods, or perhaps for other reasons. When it was +finished he opened his eyes and pointed to Komba, saying: + +"Arise, Kalubi-that-is-to-be." + +So Komba rose, and in his cold, precise voice narrated his share in the +transaction, telling how he had visited Bausi, and all that had happened +in connection with the embassy. Again the Motombo appeared to go to +sleep, only opening his eyes once as Komba described how we had been +searched for firearms, whereon he nodded his great head in approval and +licked his lips with his thin red tongue. When Komba had done, he said: + +"The gods tell me that the plan is wise and good, since without new +blood the people of the Pongo will die, but of the end of the matter the +god knows alone, if even he can read the future." + +He paused, then asked sharply: + +"Have you anything more to say, O Kalubi-that-is-to-be? Now of a sudden +the god puts it into my mouth to ask if you have anything more to say?" + +"Something, O Motombo. Many moons ago the god bit _off_ the finger of +our High Lord, the Kalubi. The Kalubi, having heard that a white man +skilled in medicine who could cut off limbs with knives, was in the +country of the Mazitu and camped on the borders of the great lake, took +a canoe and rowed to where the white man was camped, he with the beard, +who is named Dogeetah, and who stands before you. I followed him in +another canoe, because I wished to know what he was doing, also to see +a white man. I hid my canoe and those who went with me in the reeds far +from the Kalubi's canoe. I waded through the shallow water and concealed +myself in some thick reeds quite near to the white man's linen house. +I saw the white man cut off the Kalubi's finger and I heard the Kalubi +pray the white man to come to our country with the iron tubes that +smoke, and to kill the god of whom he was afraid." + +Now from all the company went up a great gasp, and the Kalubi fell down +upon his face again, and lay still. Only the Motombo seemed to show no +surprise, perhaps because he already knew the story. + +"Is that all?" he asked. + +"No, O Mouth of the god. Last night, after the council of which you have +heard, the Kalubi wrapped himself up like a corpse and visited the white +men in their hut. I thought that he would do so, and had made ready. +With a sharp spear I bored a hole in the wall of the hut, working from +outside the fence. Then I thrust a reed through from the fence across +the passage between the fence and the wall, and through the hole in the +hut, and setting my ear to the end of the reed, I listened." + +"Oh! clever, clever!" muttered Hans in involuntary admiration, "and +to think that I looked and looked too low, beneath the reed. Oh! Hans, +though you are old, you have much to learn." + +"Among much else I heard this," went on Komba in sentences so clear and +cold that they reminded me of the tinkle of falling ice, "which I +think is enough, though I can tell you the rest if you wish, O Mouth. +I heard," he said, in the midst of a silence that was positively awful, +"our lord, the Kalubi, whose name is Child of the god, agree with the +white men that they should kill the god--how I do not know, for it was +not said--and that in return they should receive the persons of the +Mother of the Holy Flower and of her daughter, the Mother-that-is-to-be, +and should dig up the Holy Flower itself by the roots and take it away +across the water, together with the Mother and the Mother-that-is-to-be. +That is all, O Motombo." + +Still in the midst of an intense silence, the Motombo glared at the +prostrate figure of the Kalubi. For a long while he glared. Then the +silence was broken, for the wretched Kalubi sprang from the floor, +seized a spear and tried to kill himself. Before the blade touched +him it was snatched from his hand, so that he remained standing, but +weaponless. + +Again there was silence and again it was broken, this time by the +Motombo, who rose from his seat before which he stood, a huge, bloated +object, and roared aloud in his rage. Yes, he roared like a wounded +buffalo. Never would I have believed that such a vast volume of sound +could have proceeded from the lungs of a single aged man. For fully a +minute his furious bellowings echoed down that great cave, while all +the Pongo soldiers, rising from their recumbent position, pointed their +hands, in some of which torches still burned, at the miserable Kalubi +on whom their wrath seemed to be concentrated, rather than on us, and +hissed like snakes. + +Really it might have been a scene in hell with the Motombo playing the +part of Satan. Indeed, his swollen, diabolical figure supported on the +thin, toad-like legs, the great fires burning on either side, the lurid +lights of evening reflected from the still water beyond and glowering +among the tree tops of the mountain, the white-robed forms of the tall +Pongo, bending, every one of them, towards the wretched culprit and +hissing like so many fierce serpents, all suggested some uttermost deep +in the infernal regions as one might conceive them in a nightmare. + +It went on for some time, I don't know how long, till at length the +Motombo picked up his fantastically shaped horn and blew. Thereon the +women darted from the various doorways, but seeing that they were not +wanted, checked themselves in their stride and remained standing so, in +the very attitude of runners about to start upon a race. As the blast +of the horn died away the turmoil was suddenly succeeded by an utter +stillness, broken only by the crackling of the fires whose flames, +of all the living things in that place, alone seemed heedless of the +tragedy which was being played. + +"All up now, old fellow!" whispered Stephen to me in a shaky voice. + +"Yes," I answered, "all up high as heaven, where I hope we are going. +Now back to back, and let's make the best fight we can. We've got the +spears." + +While we were closing in the Motombo began to speak. + +"So you plotted to kill the god, Kalubi-who-_was_," he screamed, "with +these white ones whom you would pay with the Holy Flower and her who +guards it. Good! You shall go, all of you, and talk with the god. And I, +watching here, will learn who dies--you or the god. Away with them!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + + THE GODS + +With a roar the Pongo soldiers leapt on us. I think that Mavovo managed +to get his spear up and kill a man, for I saw one of them fall backwards +and lie still. But they were too quick for the rest of us. In half a +minute we were seized, the spears were wrenched from our hands and we +were thrown headlong into the canoe, all six of us, or rather seven +including the Kalubi. A number of the soldiers, including Komba, who +acted as steersman, also sprang into the canoe that was instantly pushed +out from beneath the bridge or platform on which the Motombo sat and +down the little creek into the still water of the canal or estuary, +or whatever it may be, that separates the wall of rock which the cave +pierces from the base of the mountain. + +As we floated out of the mouth of the cave the toad-like Motombo, who +had wheeled round upon his stool, shouted an order to Komba. + +"O Kalubi," he said, "set the Kalubi-who-_was_ and the three white men +and their three servants on the borders of the forest that is named +House-of-the-god and leave them there. Then return and depart, for here +I would watch alone. When all is finished I will summon you." + +Komba bowed his handsome head and at a sign two of the men got out +paddles, for more were not needed, and with slow and gentle strokes +rowed us across the water. The first thing I noted about this water at +the time was that its blackness was inky, owing, I suppose, to its depth +and the shadows of the towering cliff on one side and of the tall trees +on the other. Also I observed--for in this emergency, or perhaps because +of it, I managed to keep my wits about me--that its banks on either side +were the home of great numbers of crocodiles which lay there like logs. +I saw, further, that a little lower down where the water seemed to +narrow, jagged boughs projected from its surface as though great trees +had fallen, or been thrown into it. I recalled in a numb sort of way +that old Babemba had told us that when he was a boy he had escaped in a +canoe down this estuary, and reflected that it would not be possible for +him to do so now because of those snags. Unless, indeed, he had floated +over them in a time of great flood. + +A couple of minutes or so of paddling brought us to the further shore +which, as I think I have said, was only about two hundred yards from the +mouth of the cave. The bow of the canoe grated on the bank, disturbing a +huge crocodile that vanished into the depths with an angry plunge. + +"Land, white lords, land," said Komba with the utmost politeness, "and +go, visit the god who doubtless is waiting for you. And now, as we shall +meet no more--farewell. You are wise and I am foolish, yet hearken to my +counsel. If ever you should return to the Earth again, be advised by me. +Cling to your own god if you have one, and do not meddle with those of +other peoples. Again farewell." + +The advice was excellent, but at that moment I felt a hate for Komba +which was really superhuman. To me even the Motombo seemed an angel of +light as compared with him. If wishes could have killed, our farewell +would indeed have been complete. + +Then, admonished by the spear points of the Pongo, we landed in the +slimy mud. Brother John went first with a smile upon his handsome +countenance that I thought idiotic under the circumstances, though +doubtless he knew best when he ought to smile, and the wretched Kalubi +came last. Indeed, so great was his shrinking from that ominous +shore, that I believe he was ultimately propelled from the boat by his +successor in power, Komba. Once he had trodden it, however, a spark of +spirit returned to him, for he wheeled round and said to Komba, + +"Remember, O Kalubi, that my fate to-day will be yours also in a day to +come. The god wearies of his priests. This year, next year, or the year +after; he always wearies of his priests." + +"Then, O Kalubi-that-was," answered Komba in a mocking voice as the +canoe was pushed off, "pray to the god for me, that it may be the year +after; pray it as your bones break in his embrace." + +While we watched that craft depart there came into my mind the memory +of a picture in an old Latin book of my father's, which represented the +souls of the dead being paddled by a person named Charon across a river +called the Styx. The scene before us bore a great resemblance to that +picture. There was Charon's boat floating on the dreadful Styx. Yonder +glowed the lights of the world, here was the gloomy, unknown shore. And +we, we were the souls of the dead awaiting the last destruction at the +teeth and claws of some unknown monster, such as that which haunts the +recesses of the Egyptian hell. Oh! the parallel was painfully exact. And +yet, what do you think was the remark of that irrepressible young man +Stephen? + +"Here we are at last, Allan, my boy," he said, "and after all without +any trouble on our own part. I call it downright providential. Oh! isn't +it jolly! Hip, hip, hooray!" + +Yes, he danced about in that filthy mud, threw up his cap and cheered! + +I withered, or rather tried to wither him with a look, muttering the +single word: "Lunatic." + +Providential! Jolly! Well, it's fortunate that some people's madness +takes a cheerful turn. Then I asked the Kalubi where the god was. + +"Everywhere," he replied, waving his trembling hand at the illimitable +forest. "Perhaps behind this tree, perhaps behind that, perhaps a long +way off. Before morning we shall know." + +"What are you going to do?" I inquired savagely. + +"Die," he answered. + +"Look here, fool," I exclaimed, shaking him, "you can die if you like, +but we don't mean to. Take us to some place where we shall be safe from +this god." + +"One is never safe from the god, lord, especially in his own House," and +he shook his silly head and went on, "How can we be safe when there is +nowhere to go and even the trees are too big to climb?" + +I looked at them, it was true. They were huge and ran up for fifty +or sixty feet without a bough. Moreover, it was probable that the god +climbed better than we could. The Kalubi began to move inland in an +indeterminate fashion, and I asked him where he was going. + +"To the burying-place," he answered. "There are spears yonder with the +bones." + +I pricked up my ears at this--for when one has nothing but some clasp +knives, spears are not to be despised--and ordered him to lead on. In +another minute we were walking uphill through the awful wood where the +gloom at this hour of approaching night was that of an English fog. + +Three or four hundred paces brought us to a kind of clearing, where +I suppose some of the monster trees had fallen down in past years and +never been allowed to grow up again. Here, placed upon the ground, were +a number of boxes made of imperishable ironwood, and on the top of each +box sat, or rather lay, a mouldering and broken skull. + +"Kalubi-that-were!" murmured our guide in explanation. "Look, Komba has +made my box ready," and he pointed to a new case with the lid off. + +"How thoughtful of him!" I said. "But show us the spears before it gets +quite dark." He went to one of the newer coffins and intimated that we +should lift off the lid as he was afraid to do so. + +I shoved it aside. There within lay the bones, each of them separate +and wrapped up in something, except of course the skull. With these were +some pots filled apparently with gold dust, and alongside of the pots +two good spears that, being made of copper, had not rusted much. We went +on to other coffins and extracted from them more of these weapons that +were laid there for the dead man to use upon his journey through the +Shades, until we had enough. The shafts of most of them were somewhat +rotten from the damp, but luckily they were furnished with copper +sockets from two and a half to three feet long, into which the wood of +the shaft fitted, so that they were still serviceable. + +"Poor things these to fight a devil with," I said. + +"Yes, Baas," said Hans in a cheerful voice, "very poor. It is lucky that +I have got a better." + +I stared at him; we all stared at him. + +"What do you mean, Spotted Snake?" asked Mavovo. + +"What do you mean, child of a hundred idiots? Is this a time to jest? Is +not one joker enough among us?" I asked, and looked at Stephen. + +"Mean, Baas? Don't you know that I have the little rifle with me, that +which is called _Intombi_, that with which you shot the vultures at +Dingaan's kraal? I never told you because I was sure you knew; also +because if you didn't know it was better that you should not know, for +if _you_ had known, those Pongo _skellums_ (that is, vicious ones) might +have come to know also. And if _they_ had known----" + +"Mad!" interrupted Brother John, tapping his forehead, "quite mad, poor +fellow! Well, in these depressing circumstances it is not wonderful." + +I inspected Hans again, for I agreed with John. Yet he did not look mad, +only rather more cunning than usual. + +"Hans," I said, "tell us where this rifle is, or I will knock you down +and Mavovo shall flog you." + +"Where, Baas! Why, cannot you see it when it is before your eyes?" + +"You are right, John," I said, "he's off it"; but Stephen sprang at Hans +and began to shake him. + +"Leave go, Baas," he said, "or you may hurt the rifle." + +Stephen obeyed in sheer astonishment. Then, oh! then Hans did something +to the end of his great bamboo stick, turned it gently upside down and +out of it slid the barrel of a rifle neatly tied round with greased +cloth and stoppered at the muzzle with a piece of tow! + +I could have kissed him. Yes, such was my joy that I could have kissed +that hideous, smelly old Hottentot. + +"The stock?" I panted. "The barrel isn't any use without the stock, +Hans." + +"Oh! Baas," he answered, grinning, "do you think that I have shot with +you all these years without knowing that a rifle must have a stock to +hold it by?" + +Then he slipped off the bundle from his back, undid the lashings of the +blanket, revealing the great yellow head of tobacco that had excited my +own and Komba's interest on the shores of the lake. This head he tore +apart and produced the stock of the rifle nicely cleaned, a cap set +ready on the nipple, on to which the hammer was let down, with a little +piece of wad between to prevent the cap from being fired by any sudden +jar. + +"Hans," I exclaimed, "Hans, you are a hero and worth your weight in +gold!" + +"Yes, Baas, though you never told me so before. Oh! I made up my mind +that I wouldn't go to sleep in the face of the Old Man (death). Oh! +which of you ought to sleep now upon that bed that Bausi sent me?" he +asked as he put the gun together. "_You_, I think, you great stupid +Mavovo. _You_ never brought a gun. If you were a wizard worth the name +you would have sent the rifles on and had them ready to meet us here. +Oh! will you laugh at me any more, you thick-head of a Zulu?" + +"No," answered Mavovo candidly. "I will give you _sibonga_. Yes, I will +make for you Titles of Praise, O clever Spotted Snake." + +"And yet," went on Hans, "I am not all a hero; I am worth but half my +weight in gold. For, Baas, although I have plenty of powder and bullets +in my pocket, I lost the caps out of a hole in my waistcoat. You +remember, Baas, I told you it was charms I lost. But three remain; no, +four, for there is one on the nipple. There, Baas, there is _Intombi_ +all ready and loaded. And now when the white devil comes you can shoot +him in the eye, as you how to do up to a hundred yards, and send him to +the other devils down in hell. Oh! won't your holy father the Predikant +be glad to see him there." + +Then with a self-satisfied smirk he half-cocked the rifle and handed it +to me ready for action. + +"I thank God!" said Brother John solemnly, "who has taught this poor +Hottentot how to save us." + +"No, Baas John, God never taught me, I taught myself. But, see, it grows +dark. Had we not better light a fire," and forgetting the rifle he began +to look about for wood. + +"Hans," called Stephen after him, "if ever we get out of this, I will +give you L500, or at least my father will, which is the same thing." + +"Thank you, Baas, thank you, though just now I'd rather have a drop of +brandy and--I don't see any wood." + +He was right. Outside of the graveyard clearing lay, it is true, some +huge fallen boughs. But these were too big for us to move or cut. +Moreover, they were so soaked with damp, like everything in this forest, +that it would be impossible to fire them. + +The darkness closed in. It was not absolute blackness, because presently +the moon rose, but the sky was rainy and obscured it; moreover, the huge +trees all about seemed to suck up whatever light there was. We crouched +ourselves upon the ground back to back as near as possible to the centre +of the place, unrolled such blankets as we had to protect us from the +damp and cold, and ate some biltong or dried game flesh and parched +corn, of which fortunately the boy Jerry carried a bagful that had +remained upon his shoulders when he was thrown into the canoe. Luckily I +had thought of bringing this food with us; also a flask of spirits. + +Then it was that the first thing happened. Far away in the forest +resounded a most awful roar, followed by a drumming noise, such a roar +as none of us had ever heard before, for it was quite unlike that of a +lion or any other beast. + +"What is that?" I asked. + +"The god," groaned the Kalubi, "the god praying to the moon with which +he always rises." + +I said nothing, for I was reflecting that four shots, which was all +we had, was not many, and that nothing should tempt me to waste one of +them. Oh! why had Hans put on that rotten old waistcoat instead of the +new one I gave him in Durban? + +Since we heard no more roars Brother John began to question the Kalubi +as to where the Mother of the Flower lived. + +"Lord," answered the man in a distracted way, "there, towards the East. +You walk for a quarter of the sun's journey up the hill, following +a path that is marked by notches cut upon the trees, till beyond +the garden of the god at the top of the mountain more water is found +surrounding an island. There on the banks of the water a canoe is hidden +in the bushes, by which the water may be crossed to the island, where +dwells the Mother of the Holy Flower." + +Brother John did not seem to be quite satisfied with the information, +and remarked that he, the Kalubi, would be able to show us the road on +the morrow. + +"I do not think that I shall ever show you the road," groaned the +shivering wretch. + +At that moment the god roared again much nearer. Now the Kalubi's nerve +gave out altogether, and quickened by some presentiment, he began to +question Brother John, whom he had learned was a priest of an unknown +sort, as to the possibility of another life after death. + +Brother John, who, be it remembered, was a very earnest missionary by +calling, proceeded to administer some compressed religious consolations, +when, quite near to us, the god began to beat upon some kind of very +large and deep drum. He didn't roar this time, he only worked away at +a massed-band military drum. At least that is what it sounded like, and +very unpleasant it was to hear in that awful forest with skulls arranged +on boxes all round us, I can assure you, my reader. + +The drumming ceased, and pulling himself together, Brother John +continued his pious demonstrations. Also just at that time a thick +rain-cloud quite obscured the moon, so that the darkness grew dense. I +heard John explaining to the Kalubi that he was not really a Kalubi, +but an immortal soul (I wonder whether he understood him). Then I became +aware of a horrible shadow--I cannot describe it in any other +way--that was blacker than the blackness, which advanced towards us at +extraordinary speed from the edge of the clearing. + +Next second there was a kind of scuffle a few feet from me, followed by +a stifled yell, and I saw the shadow retreating in the direction from +which it had come. + +"What's the matter?" I asked. + +"Strike a match," answered Brother John; "I think something has +happened." + +I struck a match, which burnt up very well, for the air was quite still. +In the light of it I saw first the anxious faces of our party--how +ghastly they looked!--and next the Kalubi who had risen and was waving +his right arm in the air, a right arm that was bloody and _lacked the +hand_. + +"The god has visited me and taken away my hand!" he moaned in a wailing +voice. + +I don't think anybody spoke; the thing was beyond words, but we tried to +bind the poor fellow's arm up by the light of matches. Then we sat down +again and watched. + +The darkness grew still denser as the thick of the cloud passed over the +moon, and for a while the silence, that utter silence of the tropical +forest at night, was broken only by the sound of our breathing, the buzz +of a few mosquitoes, the distant splash of a plunging crocodile and the +stifled groans of the mutilated man. + +Again I saw, or thought I saw--this may have been half an hour +later--that black shadow dart towards us, as a pike darts at a fish in +a pond. There was another scuffle, just to my left--Hans sat between me +and the Kalubi--followed by a single prolonged wail. + +"The king-man has gone," whispered Hans. "I felt him go as though a wind +had blown him away. Where he was there is nothing but a hole." + +Of a sudden the moon shone out from behind the clouds. In its sickly +light about half-way between us and the edge of the clearing, say thirty +yards off, I saw--oh! what did I see! The devil destroying a lost soul. +At least, that is what it looked like. A huge, grey-black creature, +grotesquely human in its shape, had the thin Kalubi in its grip. The +Kalubi's head had vanished in its maw and its vast black arms seemed to +be employed in breaking him to pieces. + +Apparently he was already dead, though his feet, that were lifted off +the ground, still moved feebly. + +I sprang up and covered the beast with the rifle which was cocked, +getting full on to its head which showed the clearest, though this was +rather guesswork, since I could not see distinctly the fore-sight. I +pulled, but either the cap or the powder had got a little damp on +the journey and hung fire for the fraction of a second. In that +infinitesimal time the devil--it is the best name I can give the +thing--saw me, or perhaps it only saw the light gleaming on the barrel. +At any rate it dropped the Kalubi, and as though some intelligence +warned it what to expect, threw up its massive right arm--I remember how +extraordinarily long the limb seemed and that it looked thick as a man's +thigh--in such a fashion as to cover its head. + +Then the rifle exploded and I heard the bullet strike. By the light of +the flash I saw the great arm tumble down in a dead, helpless kind of +way, and next instant the whole forest began to echo with peal upon peal +of those awful roarings that I have described, each of which ended with +a dog-like _yowp_ of pain. + +"You have hit him, Baas," said Hans, "and he isn't a ghost, for he +doesn't like it. But he's still very lively." + +"Close up," I answered, "and hold out the spears while I reload." + +My fear was that the brute would rush on us. But it did not. For all +that dreadful night we saw or heard it no more. Indeed, I began to hope +that after all the bullet had reached some mortal part and that the +great ape was dead. + +At length, it seemed to be weeks afterwards, the dawn broke and revealed +us sitting white and shivering in the grey mist; that is, all except +Stephen, who had gone comfortably to sleep with his head resting on +Mavovo's shoulder. He is a man so equably minded and so devoid of +nerves, that I feel sure he will be one of the last to be disturbed by +the trump of the archangel. At least, so I told him indignantly when at +length we roused him from his indecent slumbers. + +"You should judge things by results, Allan," he said with a yawn. "I'm +as fresh as a pippin while you all look as though you had been to a ball +with twelve extras. Have you retrieved the Kalubi yet?" + +Shortly afterwards, when the mist lifted a little, we went out in a +line to "retrieve the Kalubi," and found--well, I won't describe what we +found. He was a cruel wretch, as the incident of the herd-boy had told +us, but I felt sorry for him. Still, his terrors were over, or at least +I hope so. + +We deposited him in the box that Komba had kindly provided in +preparation for this inevitable event, and Brother John said a prayer +over his miscellaneous remains. Then, after consultation and in the very +worst of spirits, we set out to seek the way to the home of the Mother +of the Flower. The start was easy enough, for a distinct, though very +faint path led from the clearing up the slope of the hill. Afterwards it +became more difficult for the denser forest began. Fortunately very +few creepers grew in this forest, but the flat tops of the huge trees +meeting high above entirely shut out the sky, so that the gloom was +great, in places almost that of night. + +Oh! it was a melancholy journey as, filled with fears, we stole, a +pallid throng, from trunk to trunk, searching them for the notches that +indicated our road, and speaking only in whispers, lest the sound of our +voices should attract the notice of the dreadful god. After a mile or +two of this we became aware that its notice was attracted despite our +precautions, for at times we caught glimpses of some huge grey thing +slipping along parallel to us between the boles of the trees. Hans +wanted me to try a shot, but I would not, knowing that the chances of +hitting it were small indeed. With only three charges, or rather three +caps left, it was necessary to be saving. + +We halted and held a consultation, as a result of which we decided +that there was no more danger in going on than in standing still or +attempting to return. So we went on, keeping close together. To me, as +I was the only one with a rifle, was accorded what I did not at all +appreciate, the honour of heading the procession. + +Another half-mile and again we heard that strange rolling sound which +was produced, I believe, by the great brute beating upon its breast, but +noted that it was not so continuous as on the previous night. + +"Ha!" said Hans, "he can only strike his drum with one stick now. Your +bullet broke the other, Baas." + +A little farther and the god roared quite close, so loudly that the air +seemed to tremble. + +"The drum is all right, whatever may have happened to the sticks," I +said. + +A hundred yards or so more and the catastrophe occurred. We had reached +a spot in the forest where one of the great trees had fallen down, +letting in a little light. I can see it to this hour. There lay the +enormous tree, its bark covered with grey mosses and clumps of a giant +species of maidenhair fern. On our side of it was the open space +which may have measured forty feet across, where the light fell in a +perpendicular ray, as it does through the smoke-hole of a hut. Looking +at this prostrate trunk, I saw first two lurid and fiery eyes that +glowed red in the shadow; and then, almost in the same instant, made +out what looked like the head of a fiend enclosed in a wreath of the +delicate green ferns. I can't describe it, I can only repeat that it +looked like the head of a very large fiend with a pallid face, huge +overhanging eyebrows and great yellow tushes on either side of the +mouth. + +Before I had even time to get the rifle up, with one terrific roar the +brute was on us. I saw its enormous grey shape on the top of the trunk, +I saw it pass me like a flash, running upright as a man does, but with +the head held forward, and noted that the arm nearest to me was swinging +as though broken. Then as I turned I heard a scream of terror and +perceived that it had gripped the poor Mazitu, Jerry, who walked last +but one of our line which was ended by Mavovo. Yes, it had gripped him +and was carrying him off, clasped to its breast with its sound arm. +When I say that Jerry, although a full-grown man and rather inclined to +stoutness, looked like a child in that fell embrace, it will give some +idea of the creature's size. + +Mavovo, who had the courage of a buffalo, charged at it and drove the +copper spear he carried into its side. They all charged like berserkers, +except myself, for even then, thank Heaven! I knew a trick worth two of +that. In three seconds there was a struggling mass in the centre of the +clearing. Brother John, Stephen, Mavovo and Hans were all stabbing at +the enormous gorilla, for it was a gorilla, although their blows seemed +to do it no more harm than pinpricks. Fortunately for them, for its +part, the beast would not let go of Jerry, and having only one sound +arm, could but snap at its assailants, for if it had lifted a foot to +rend them, its top-heavy bulk would have caused it to tumble over. + +At length it seemed to realise this, and hurled Jerry away, knocking +down Brother John and Hans with his body. Then it leapt on Mavovo, who, +seeing it come, placed the copper socket of the spear against his own +breast, with the result that when the gorilla tried to crush him, the +point of the spear was driven into its carcase. Feeling the pain, +it unwound its arm from about Mavovo, knocking Stephen over with the +backward sweep. Then it raised its great hand to crush Mavovo with a +blow, as I believe gorillas are wont to do. + +This was the chance for which I was waiting. Up till that moment I had +not dared to fire, fearing lest I should kill one of my companions. Now +for an instant it was clear of them all, and steadying myself, I aimed +at the huge head and let drive. The smoke thinned, and through it I +saw the gigantic ape standing quite still, like a creature lost in +meditation. + +Then it threw up its sound arm, turned its fierce eyes to the sky, and +uttering one pitiful and hideous howl, sank down dead. The bullet had +entered just behind the ear and buried itself in the brain. + +The great silence of the forest flowed in over us, as it were; for quite +a while no one did or said anything. Then from somewhere down amidst the +mosses I heard a thin voice, the sound of which reminded me of air being +squeezed out of an indiarubber cushion. + +"Very good shot, Baas," it piped up, "as good as that which killed the +king-vulture at Dingaan's kraal, and more difficult. But if the Baas +could pull the god off me I should say--Thank you." + +The "thank you" was almost inaudible, and no wonder, for poor Hans had +fainted. There he lay under the huge bulk of the gorilla, just his nose +and mouth appearing between the brute's body and its arm. Had it not +been for the soft cushion of wet moss in which he reclined, I think that +he would have been crushed flat. + +We rolled the creature off him somehow and poured a little brandy down +his throat, which had a wonderful effect, for in less than a minute he +sat up, grasping like a dying fish, and asked for more. + +Leaving Brother John to examine Hans to see if he was really injured, +I bethought me of poor Jerry and went to look at him. One glance was +enough. He was quite dead. Indeed, he seemed to be crushed out of shape +like a buck that has been enveloped in the coils of a boa-constrictor. +Brother John told me afterwards that both his arms and nearly all +his ribs had been broken in that terrible embrace. Even his spine was +dislocated. + +I have often wondered why the gorilla ran down the line without touching +me or the others, to vent his rage upon Jerry. I can only suggest that +it was because the unlucky Mazitu had sat next to the Kalubi on the +previous night, which may have caused the brute to identify him by smell +with the priest whom he had learned to hate and killed. It is true that +Hans had sat on the other side of the Kalubi, but perhaps the odour of +the Pongo had not clung to him so much, or perhaps it meant to deal with +him after it had done with Jerry. + +When we knew that the Mazitu was past human help and had discovered +to our joy that, save for a few bruises, no one else was really +hurt, although Stephen's clothes were half-torn off him, we made an +examination of the dead god. Truly it was a fearful creature. + +What its exact weight or size may have been we had no means of +ascertaining, but I never saw or heard of such an enormous ape, if a +gorilla is really an ape. It needed the united strength of the five of +us to lift the carcase with a great effort off the fainting Hans and +even to roll it from side to side when subsequently we removed the skin. +I would never have believed that so ancient an animal of its stature, +which could not have been more than seven feet when it stood erect, +could have been so heavy. For ancient undoubtedly it was. The long, +yellow, canine tusks were worn half-away with use; the eyes were sunken +far into the skull; the hair of the head, which I am told is generally +red or brown, was quite white, and even the bare breast, which should +be black, was grey in hue. Of course, it was impossible to say, but one +might easily have imagined that this creature was two hundred years or +more old, as the Motombo had declared it to be. + +Stephen suggested that it should be skinned, and although I saw little +prospect of our being able to carry away the hide, I assented and helped +in the operation on the mere chance of saving so great a curiosity. +Also, although Brother John was restless and murmured something about +wasting time, I thought it necessary that we should have a rest after +our fearful anxieties and still more fearful encounter with this +consecrated monster. So we set to work, and as a result of more than an +hour's toil, dragged off the hide, which was so tough and thick that, +as we found, the copper spears had scarcely penetrated to the flesh. +The bullet that I had put into it on the previous night struck, +we discovered, upon the bone of the upper arm, which it shattered +sufficiently to render that limb useless, if it did not break it +altogether. This, indeed, was fortunate for us, for had the creature +retained both its arms uninjured, it would certainly have killed more +of us in its attack. We were saved only by the fact that when it was +hugging Jerry it had no limb left with which it could strike, and +luckily did not succeed in its attempts to get hold with its tremendous +jaws that had nipped off the Kalubi's hand as easily as a pair of +scissors severs the stalk of a flower. + +When the skin was removed, except that of the hands, which we did not +attempt to touch, we pegged it out, raw side uppermost, to dry in the +centre of the open place where the sun struck. Then, having buried poor +Jerry in the hollow trunk of the great fallen tree, we washed ourselves +with the wet mosses and ate some of the food that remained to us. + +After this we started forward again in much better spirits. Jerry, it +was true, was dead, but so was the god, leaving us happily still alive +and practically untouched. Never more would the Kalubis of Pongo-land +shiver out their lives at the feet of this dreadful divinity who soon or +late must become their executioner, for I believe, with the exception of +two who committed suicide through fear, that no Kalubi was ever known to +have died except by the hand--or teeth--of the god. + +What would I not give to know that brute's history? Could it possibly, +as the Motombo said, have accompanied the Pongo people from their home +in Western or Central Africa, or perhaps have been brought here by them +in a state of captivity? I am unable to answer the question, but it +should be noted that none of the Mazitu or other natives had ever heard +of the existence of more true gorillas in this part of Africa. The +creature, if it had its origin in the locality, must either have been +solitary in its habits or driven away from its fellows, as sometimes +happens to old elephants, which then, like this gorilla, become +fearfully ferocious. + +That is all I can say about the brute, though of course the Pongo had +their own story. According to them it was an evil spirit in the shape +of an ape, which evil spirit had once inhabited the body of an early +Kalubi, and had been annexed by the ape when it killed the said Kalubi. +Also they declared that the reason the creature put all the Kalubis to +death, as well as a number of other people who were offered up to it, +was that it needed "to refresh itself with the spirits of men," by which +means it was enabled to avoid the effects of age. It will be remembered +that the Motombo referred to this belief, of which afterwards I heard +in more detail from Babemba. But if this god had anything supernatural +about it, at least its magic was no shield against a bullet from a +Purdey rifle. + +Only a little way from the fallen tree we came suddenly upon a large +clearing, which we guessed at once must be that "Garden of the god" +where twice a year the unfortunate Kalubis were doomed to scatter the +"sacred seed." It was a large garden, several acres of it, lying on a +shelf, as it were, of the mountain and watered by a stream. Maize grew +in it, also other sorts of corn, while all round was a thick belt of +plantain trees. Of course these crops had formed the food of the god +who, whenever it was hungry, came to this place and helped itself, as we +could see by many signs. The garden was well kept and comparatively free +from weeds. At first we wondered how this could be, till I remembered +that the Kalubi, or someone, had told me that it was tended by the +servants of the Mother of the Flower, who were generally albinos or +mutes. + +We crossed it and pushed on rapidly up the mountain, once more following +an easy and well-beaten path, for now we saw that we were approaching +what we thought must be the edge of a crater. Indeed, our excitement was +so extreme that we did not speak, only scrambled forward, Brother John, +notwithstanding his lame leg, leading at a greater pace than we could +equal. He was the first to reach our goal, closely followed by Stephen. +Watching, I saw him sink down as though in a swoon. Stephen also +appeared astonished, for he threw up his hands. + +I rushed to them, and this was what I saw. Beneath us was a steep slope +quite bare of forest, which ceased at its crest. This slope stretched +downwards for half a mile or more to the lip of a beautiful lake, of +which the area was perhaps two hundred acres. Set in the centre of +the deep blue water of this lake, which we discovered afterwards to +be unfathomable, was an island not more than five and twenty or thirty +acres in extent, that seemed to be cultivated, for on it we could see +fields, palms and other fruit-bearing trees. In the middle of the island +stood a small, near house thatched after the fashion of the country, but +civilized in its appearance, for it was oblong, not round, and encircled +by a verandah and a reed fence. At a distance from this house were a +number of native huts, and in front of it a small enclosure surrounded +by a high wall, on the top of which mats were fixed on poles as though +to screen something from wind or sun. + +"The Holy Flower lives there, you bet," gasped Stephen excitedly--he +could think of nothing but that confounded orchid. "Look, the mats +are up on the sunny side to prevent its scorching, and those palms are +planted round to give it shade." + +"The Mother of the Flower lives there," whispered Brother John, pointing +to the house. "Who is she? Who is she? Suppose I should be mistaken +after all. God, let me not be mistaken, for it would be more than I can +bear." + +"We had better try to find out," I remarked practically, though I am +sure I sympathised with his suspense, and started down the slope at a +run. + +In five minutes or less we reached the foot of it, and, breathless and +perspiring though we were, began to search amongst the reeds and bushes +growing at the edge of the lake for the canoe of which we had been told +by the Kalubi. What if there were none? How could we cross that +wide stretch of deep water? Presently Hans, who, following certain +indications which caught his practised eye, had cast away to the left, +held up his hand and whistled. We ran to him. + +"Here it is, Baas," he said, and pointed to something in a tiny +bush-fringed inlet, that at first sight looked like a heap of dead +reeds. We tore away at the reeds, and there, sure enough, was a canoe of +sufficient size to hold twelve or fourteen people, and in it a number of +paddles. + +Another two minutes and we were rowing across that lake. + +We came safely to the other side, where we found a little landing-stage +made of poles sunk into the lake. We tied up the canoe, or rather I did, +for nobody else remembered to take that precaution, and presently were +on a path which led through the cultivated fields to the house. Here I +insisted upon going first with the rifle, in case we should be suddenly +attacked. The silence and the absence of any human beings suggested to +me that this might very well happen, since it would be strange if we had +not been seen crossing the lake. + +Afterwards I discovered why the place seemed so deserted. It was owing +to two reasons. First, it was now noontime, an hour at which these poor +slaves retired to their huts to eat and sleep through the heat of the +day. Secondly, although the "Watcher," as she was called, had seen +the canoe on the water, she concluded that the Kalubi was visiting the +Mother of the Flower and, according to practice on these occasions, +withdrew herself and everybody else, since the rare meetings of the +Kalubi and the Mother of the Flower partook of the nature of a religious +ceremony and must be held in private. + +First we came to the little enclosure that was planted about with palms +and, as I have described, screened with mats. Stephen ran at it and, +scrambling up the wall, peeped over the top. + +Next instant he was sitting on the ground, having descended from the +wall with the rapidity of one shot through the head. + +"Oh! by Jingo!" he ejaculated, "oh! by Jingo!" and that was all I could +get out of him, though it is true I did not try very hard at the time. + +Not five paces from this enclosure stood a tall reed fence that +surrounded the house. It had a gate also of reeds, which was a little +ajar. Creeping up to it very cautiously, for I thought I heard a voice +within, I peeped through the half-opened gate. Four or five feet away +was the verandah from which a doorway led into one of the rooms of the +house where stood a table on which was food. + +Kneeling on mats upon this verandah were--_two white women_--clothed in +garments of the purest white adorned with a purple fringe, and wearing +bracelets and other ornaments of red native gold. One of these appeared +to be about forty years of age. She was rather stout, fair in colouring, +with blue eyes and golden hair that hung down her back. The other might +have been about twenty. She also was fair, but her eyes were grey and +her long hair was of a chestnut hue. I saw at once that she was tall and +very beautiful. The elder woman was praying, while the other, who knelt +by her side, listened and looked up vacantly at the sky. + +"O God," prayed the woman, "for Christ's sake look in pity upon us two +poor captives, and if it be possible, send us deliverance from this +savage land. We thank Thee Who hast protected us unharmed and in health +for so many years, and we put our trust in Thy mercy, for Thou alone +canst help us. Grant, O God, that our dear husband and father may still +live, and that in Thy good time we may be reunited to him. Or if he be +dead and there is no hope for us upon the earth, grant that we, too, may +die and find him in Thy Heaven." + +Thus she prayed in a clear, deliberate voice, and I noticed that as she +did so the tears ran down her cheeks. "Amen," she said at last, and +the girl by her side, speaking with a strange little accent, echoed the +"Amen." + +I looked round at Brother John. He had heard something and was utterly +overcome. Fortunately enough he could not move or even speak. + +"Hold him," I whispered to Stephen and Mavovo, "while I go in and talk +to these ladies." + +Then, handing the rifle to Hans, I took off my hat, pushed the gate +a little wider open, slipped through it and called attention to my +presence by coughing. + +The two women, who had risen from their knees, stared at me as though +they saw a ghost. + +"Ladies," I said, bowing, "pray do not be alarmed. You see God Almighty +sometimes answers prayers. In short, I am one of--a party--of white +people who, with some trouble, have succeeded in getting to this place +and--and--would you allow us to call on you?" + +Still they stared. At length the elder woman opened her lips. + +"Here I am called the Mother of the Holy Flower, and for a stranger to +speak with the Mother is death. Also if you are a man, how did you reach +us alive?" + +"That's a long story," I answered cheerfully. "May we come in? We will +take the risks, we are accustomed to them and hope to be able to do you +a service. I should explain that three of us are white men, two English +and one--American." + +"American!" she gasped, "American! What is he like, and how is he +named?" + +"Oh!" I replied, for my nerve was giving out and I grew confused, "he is +oldish, with a white beard, rather like Father Christmas in short, and +his Christian name (I didn't dare to give it all at once) is--er--John, +Brother John, we call him. Now I think of it," I added, "he has some +resemblance to your companion there." + +I thought that the lady was going to die, and cursed myself for my +awkwardness. She flung her arm about the girl to save herself from +falling--a poor prop, for she, too, looked as though she were going +to die, having understood some, if not all, of my talk. It must be +remembered that this poor young thing had never even seen a white man +before. + +"Madam, madam," I expostulated, "I pray you to bear up. After living +through so much sorrow it would be foolish to decease of--joy. May +I call in Brother John? He is a clergyman and might be able to say +something appropriate, which I, who am only a hunter, cannot do." + +She gathered herself together, opened her eyes and whispered: + +"Send him here." + +I pushed open the gate behind which the others were clustered. Catching +Brother John, who by now had recovered somewhat, by the arm, I dragged +him forward. The two stood staring at each other, and the young lady +also looked with wide eyes and open mouth. + +"Elizabeth!" said John. + +She uttered a faint scream, then with a cry of "_Husband!_" flung +herself upon his breast. + +I slipped through the gate and shut it fast. + + + +"I say, Allan," said Stephen, when we had retreated to a little +distance, "did you see her?" + +"Her? Who? Which?" I asked. + +"The young lady in the white clothes. She is lovely." + +"Hold your tongue, you donkey!" I answered. "Is this a time to talk of +female looks?" + +Then I went away behind the wall and literally wept for joy. It was one +of the happiest moments of my life, for how seldom things happen as they +should! + +Also I wanted to put up a little prayer of my own, a prayer of +thankfulness and for strength and wit to overcome the many dangers that +yet awaited us. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + + THE HOME OF THE HOLY FLOWER + +Half an hour or so passed, during which I was engaged alternately in +thinking over our position and in listening to Stephen's rhapsodies. +First he dilated on the loveliness of the Holy Flower that he had caught +a glimpse of when he climbed the wall, and secondly, on the beauty of +the eyes of the young lady in white. Only by telling him that he might +offend her did I persuade him not to attempt to break into the sacred +enclosure where the orchid grew. As we were discussing the point, the +gate opened and she appeared. + +"Sirs," she said, with a reverential bow, speaking slowly and in +the drollest halting English, "the mother and the father--yes, the +father--ask, will you feed?" + +We intimated that we would "feed" with much pleasure, and she led the +way to the house, saying: + +"Be not astonished at them, for they are very happy too, and please +forgive our unleavened bread." + +Then in the politest way possible she took me by the hand, and followed +by Stephen, we entered the house, leaving Mavovo and Hans to watch +outside. + +It consisted of but two rooms, one for living and one for sleeping. In +the former we found Brother John and his wife seated on a kind of couch +gazing at each other in a rapt way. I noted that they both looked as +though they had been crying--with happiness, I suppose. + +"Elizabeth," said John as we entered, "this is Mr. Allan Quatermain, +through whose resource and courage we have come together again, and this +young gentleman is his companion, Mr. Stephen Somers." + +She bowed, for she seemed unable to speak, and held out her hand, which +we shook. + +"What be 'resource and courage'?" I heard her daughter whisper to +Stephen, "and why have you none, O Stephen Somers?" + +"It would take a long time to explain," he said with his jolly laugh, +after which I listened to no more of their nonsense. + +Then we sat down to the meal, which consisted of vegetables and a large +bowl of hard-boiled ducks' eggs, of which eatables an ample supply was +carried out to Hans and Mavovo by Stephen and Hope. This, it seemed, was +the name that her mother had given to the girl when she was born in the +hour of her black despair. + +It was an extraordinary story that Mrs. Eversley had to tell, and yet a +short one. + +She _had_ escaped from Hassan-ben-Mohammed and the slave-traders, as the +rescued slave told her husband at Zanzibar before he died, and, after +days of wandering, been captured by some of the Pongo who were scouring +the country upon dark business of their own, probably in search of +captives. They brought her across the lake to Pongo-land and, the former +Mother of the Flower, an albino, having died at a great age, installed +her in the office on this island, which from that day she had never +left. Hither she was led by the Kalubi of the time and some others who +had "passed the god." This brute, however, she had never seen, although +once she heard him roar, for it did not molest them or even appear upon +their journey. + +Shortly after her arrival on the island her daughter was born, on which +occasion some of the women "servants of the Flower" nursed her. From +that moment both she and the child were treated with the utmost care and +veneration, since the Mother of the Flower and the Flower itself being +in some strange way looked upon as embodiments of the natural forces of +fertility, this birth was held to be the best of omens for the dwindling +Pongo race. Also it was hoped that in due course the "Child of the +Flower" would succeed the Mother in her office. So here they dwelt +absolutely helpless and alone, occupying themselves with superintending +the agriculture of the island. Most fortunately also when she was +captured, Mrs. Eversley had a small Bible in her possession which she +had never lost. From this she was able to teach her child to read and +all that is to be learned in the pages of Holy Writ. + +Often I have thought that if I were doomed to solitary confinement +for life and allowed but one book, I would choose the Bible, since, +in addition to all its history and the splendour of its language, +it contains the record of the hope of man, and therefore should be +sufficient for him. So at least it had proved to be in this case. + +Oddly enough, as she told us, like her husband, Mrs. Eversley during all +those endless years had never lost some kind of belief that she would +one day be saved otherwise than by death. + +"I always thought that you still lived and that we should meet again, +John," I heard her say to him. + +Also her own and her daughter's spirits were mysteriously supported, +for after the first shock and disturbance of our arrival we found them +cheerful people; indeed, Miss Hope was quite a merry soul. But then +she had never known any other life, and human nature is very adaptable. +Further, if I may say so, she had grown up a lady in the true sense of +the word. After all, why should she not, seeing that her mother, +the Bible and Nature had been her only associates and sources of +information, if we except the poor slaves who waited on them, most of +whom were mutes. + +When Mrs. Eversley's story was done, we told ours, in a compressed form. +It was strange to see the wonder with which these two ladies listened to +its outlines, but on that I need not dwell. When it was finished I heard +Miss Hope say: + +"So it would seem, O Stephen Somers, that it is you who are saviour to +us." + +"Certainly," answered Stephen, "but why?" + +"Because you see the dry Holy Flower far away in England, and you say, +'I must be Holy Father to that Flower.' Then you pay down shekels (here +her Bible reading came in) for the cost of journey and hire brave hunter +to kill devil-god and bring my old white-head parent with you. Oh yes, +you are saviour," and she nodded her head at him very prettily. + +"Of course," replied Stephen with enthusiasm; "that is, not exactly, +but it is all the same thing, as I will explain later. But, Miss Hope, +meanwhile could you show us the Flower?" + +"Oh! Holy Mother must do that. If you look thereon without her, you +die." + +"Really!" said Stephen, without alluding to his little feat of wall +climbing. + +Well, the end of it was that after a good deal of hesitation, the Holy +Mother obliged, saying that as the god was dead she supposed nothing +else mattered. First, however, she went to the back of the house and +clapped her hands, whereon an old woman, a mute and a very perfect +specimen of an albino native, appeared and stared at us wonderingly. +To her Mrs. Eversley talked upon her fingers, so rapidly that I could +scarcely follow her movements. The woman bowed till her forehead nearly +touched the ground, then rose and ran towards the water. + +"I have sent her to fetch the paddles from the canoe," said Mrs. +Eversley, "and to put my mark upon it. Now none will dare to use it to +cross the lake." + +"That is very wise," I replied, "as we don't want news of our +whereabouts to get to the Motombo." + +Next we went to the enclosure, where Mrs. Eversley with a native knife +cut a string of palm fibres that was sealed with clay on to the door +and one of its uprights in such a fashion that none could enter without +breaking the string. The impression was made with a rude seal that she +wore round her neck as a badge of office. It was a very curious object +fashioned of gold and having deeply cut upon its face a rough image of +an ape holding a flower in its right paw. As it was also ancient, this +seemed to show that the monkey god and the orchid had been from the +beginning jointly worshipped by the Pongo. + +When she had opened the door, there appeared, growing in the centre of +the enclosure, the most lovely plant, I should imagine, that man ever +saw. It measured some eight feet across, and the leaves were dark green, +long and narrow. From its various crowns rose the scapes of bloom. And +oh! those blooms, of which there were about twelve, expanded now in the +flowering season. The measurements made from the dried specimen I have +given already, so I need not repeat them. I may say here, however, that +the Pongo augured the fertility or otherwise of each succeeding year +from the number of the blooms on the Holy Flower. If these were many +the season would prove very fruitful; if few, less so; while if, as +sometimes happened, the plant failed to flower, draught and famine were +always said to follow. Truly those were glorious blossoms, standing as +high as a man, with their back sheaths of vivid white barred with black, +their great pouches of burnished gold and their wide wings also of gold. +Then in the centre of each pouch appeared the ink-mark that did indeed +exactly resemble the head of a monkey. But if this orchid astonished me, +its effect upon Stephen, with whom this class of flower was a mania, may +be imagined. Really he went almost mad. For a long while he glared at +the plant, and finally flung himself upon his knees, causing Miss Hope +to exclaim: + +"What, O Stephen Somers! do you also make sacrifice to the Holy Flower?" + +"Rather," he answered; "I'd--I'd--die for it!" + +"You are likely to before all is done," I remarked with energy, for I +hate to see a grown man make a fool of himself. There's only one thing +in the world which justifies _that_, and it isn't a flower. + +Mavovo and Hans had followed us into the enclosure, and I overheard a +conversation between them which amused me. The gist of it was that Hans +explained to Mavovo that the white people admired this weed--he called +it a weed--because it was like gold, which was the god they really +worshipped, although that god was known among them by many names. +Mavovo, who was not at all interested in the affair, replied with a +shrug that it might be so, though for his part he believed the true +reason to be that the plant produced some medicine which gave courage or +strength. Zulus, I may say, do not care for flowers unless they bear a +fruit that is good to eat. + +When I had satisfied myself with the splendour of these magnificent +blooms, I asked Mrs. Eversley what certain little mounds might be that +were dotted about the enclosure, beyond the circle of cultivated peaty +soil which surrounded the orchid's roots. + +"They are the graves of the Mothers of the Holy Flower," she answered. +"There are twelve of them, and here is the spot chosen for the +thirteenth, which was to have been mine." + +To change the subject I asked another question, namely: If there were +more such orchids growing in the country? + +"No," she replied, "or at least I never heard of any. Indeed, I have +always been told that this one was brought from far away generations +ago. Also, under an ancient law, it is never allowed to increase. Any +shoots it sends up beyond this ring must be cut off by me and destroyed +with certain ceremonies. You see that seed-pod which has been left to +grow on the stalk of one of last year's blooms. It is now ripe, and on +the night of the next new moon, when the Kalubi comes to visit me, +I must with much ritual burn it in his presence, unless it has burst +before he arrives, in which case I must burn any seedlings that may +spring up with almost the same ritual." + +"I don't think the Kalubi will come any more; at least, not while you +are here. Indeed, I am sure of it," I said. + +As we were leaving the place, acting on my general principle of making +sure of anything of value when I get the chance, I broke off that ripe +seed-pod, which was of the size of an orange. No one was looking at the +time, and as it went straight into my pocket, no one missed it. + +Then, leaving Stephen and the young lady to admire this Cypripedium--or +each other--in the enclosure, we three elders returned to the house to +discuss matters. + +"John and Mrs. Eversley," I said, "by Heaven's mercy you are reunited +after a terrible separation of over twenty years. But what is to be +done now? The god, it is true, is dead, and therefore the passage of the +forest will be easy. But beyond it is the water which we have no means +of crossing and beyond the water that old wizard, the Motombo, sits in +the mouth of his cave watching like a spider in its web. And beyond +the Motombo and his cave are Komba, the new Kalubi and his tribe of +cannibals----" + +"Cannibals!" interrupted Mrs. Eversley, "I never knew that they were +cannibals. Indeed, I know little about the Pongo, whom I scarcely ever +see." + +"Then, madam, you must take my word for it that they are; also, as I +believe, that they have every expectation of eating _us_. Now, as I +presume that you do not wish to spend the rest of your lives, which +would probably be short, upon this island, I want to ask how you propose +to escape safely out of the Pongo country?" + +They shook their heads, which were evidently empty of ideas. Only John +stroked his white beard, and inquired mildly: + +"What have you arranged, Allan? My dear wife and I are quite willing to +leave the matter to you, who are so resourceful." + +"Arranged!" I stuttered. "Really, John, under any other +circumstances----" Then after a moment's reflection I called to Hans and +Mavovo, who came and squatted down upon the verandah. + +"Now," I said, after I had put the case to them, "what have _you_ +arranged?" Being devoid of any feasible suggestions, I wished to pass on +that intolerable responsibility. + +"My father makes a mock of us," said Mavovo solemnly. "Can a rat in a +pit arrange how it is to get out with the dog that is waiting at the +top? So far we have come in safety, as the rat does into the pit. Now I +see nothing but death." + +"That's cheerful," I said. "Your turn, Hans." + +"Oh! Baas," replied the Hottentot, "for a while I grew clever again when +I thought of putting the gun _Intombi_ into the bamboo. But now my head +is like a rotten egg, and when I try to shake wisdom out of it my brain +melts and washes from side to side like the stuff in the rotten egg. +Yet, yet, I have a thought--let us ask the Missie. Her brain is young +and not tired, it may hit on something: to ask the Baas Stephen is no +good, for already he is lost in other things," and Hans grinned feebly. + +More to give myself time than for any other reason I called to Miss +Hope, who had just emerged from the sacred enclosure with Stephen, and +put the riddle to her, speaking very slowly and clearly, so that she +might understand me. To my surprise she answered at once. + +"What is a god, O Mr. Allen? Is it not more than man? Can a god be bound +in a pit for a thousand years, like Satan in Bible? If a god want to +move, see new country and so on, who can say no?" + +"I don't quite understand," I said, to draw her out further, although, +in fact, I had more than a glimmering of what she meant. + +"O Allan, Holy Flower there a god, and my mother priestess. If Holy +Flower tired of this land, and want to grow somewhere else, why +priestess not carry it and go too?" + +"Capital idea," I said, "but you see, Miss Hope, there are, or were, two +gods, one of which cannot travel." + +"Oh! that very easy, too. Put skin of god of the woods on to this man," +and she pointed to Hans, "and who know difference? They like as two +brothers already, only he smaller." + +"She's got it! By Jingo, she's got it!" exclaimed Stephen in admiration. + +"What Missie say?" asked Hans, suspiciously. + +I told him. + +"Oh! Baas," exclaimed Hans, "think of the smell inside of that god's +skin when the sun shines on it. Also the god was a very big god, and I +am small." + +Then he turned and made a proposal to Mavovo, explaining that his +stature was much better suited to the job. + +"First will I die," answered the great Zulu. "Am I, who have high blood +in my veins and who am a warrior, to defile myself by wrapping the skin +of a dead brute about me and appear as an ape before men? Propose it to +me again, Spotted Snake, and we shall quarrel." + +"See here, Hans," I said. "Mavovo is right. He is a soldier and very +strong in battle. You also are very strong in your wits, and by doing +this you will make fools of all the Pongo. Also, Hans, it is better that +you should wear the skin of a gorilla for a few hours than that I, your +master, and all these should be killed." + +"Yes, Baas, it is true, Baas; though for myself I almost think that, +like Mavovo, I would rather die. Yet it would be sweet to deceive those +Pongo once again, and, Baas, I won't see you killed just to save myself +another bad smell or two. So, if you wish it, I will become a god." + +Thus through the self-sacrifice of that good fellow, Hans, who is the +real hero of this history, that matter was settled, if anything could +be looked on as settled in our circumstances. Then we arranged that +we would start upon our desperate adventure at dawn on the following +morning. + +Meanwhile, much remained to be done. First, Mrs. Eversley summoned her +attendants, who, to the number of twelve, soon appeared in front of +the verandah. It was very sad to see these poor women, all of whom were +albinos and unpleasant to look on, while quite half appeared to be deaf +and dumb. To these, speaking as a priestess, she explained that the god +who dwelt in the woods was dead, and that therefore she must take the +Holy Flower, which was called "Wife of the god" and make report to the +Motombo of this dreadful catastrophe. Meanwhile, they must remain on the +island and continue to cultivate the fields. + +This order threw the poor creatures, who were evidently much attached +to their mistress and her daughter, into a great state of consternation. +The eldest of them all, a tall, thin old lady with white wool and pink +eyes who looked, as Stephen said, like an Angora rabbit, prostrated +herself and kissing the Mother's foot, asked when she would return, +since she and the "Daughter of the Flower" were all they had to love, +and without them they would die of grief. + +Suppressing her evident emotion as best she could, the Mother replied +that she did not know; it depended on the will of Heaven and the +Motombo. Then to prevent further argument she bade them bring their +picks with which they worked the land; also poles, mats, and +palmstring, and help to dig up the Holy Flower. This was done under +the superintendence of Stephen, who here was thoroughly in his element, +although the job proved far from easy. Also it was sad, for all these +women wept as they worked, while some of them who were not dumb, wailed +aloud. + +Even Miss Hope cried, and I could see that her mother was affected with +a kind of awe. For twenty years she had been guardian of this plant, +which I think she had at last not unnaturally come to look upon with +some of the same veneration that was felt for it by the whole Pongo +people. + +"I fear," she said, "lest this sacrilege should bring misfortune upon +us." + +But Brother John, who held very definite views upon African +superstitions, quoted the second commandment to her, and she became +silent. + +We got the thing up at last, or most of it, with a sufficiency of +earth to keep it alive, injuring the roots as little as possible in the +process. Underneath it, at a depth of about three feet, we found several +things. One of these was an ancient stone fetish that was rudely shaped +to the likeness of a monkey and wore a gold crown. This object, which +was small, I still have. Another was a bed of charcoal, and amongst the +charcoal were some partially burnt bones, including a skull that was +very little injured. This may have belonged to a woman of a low type, +perhaps the first Mother of the Flower, but its general appearance +reminded me of that of a gorilla. I regret that there was neither time +nor light to enable me to make a proper examination of these remains, +which we found it impossible to bring away. + +Mrs. Eversley told me afterwards, however, that the Kalubis had a +tradition that the god once possessed a wife which died before the Pongo +migrated to their present home. If so, these may have been the bones of +that wife. When it was finally clear of the ground on which it had grown +for so many generations, the great plant was lifted on to a large mat, +and after it had been packed with wet moss by Stephen in a most skilful +way, for he was a perfect artist at this kind of work, the mat was +bound round the roots in such a fashion that none of the contents could +escape. Also each flower scape was lashed to a thin bamboo so as to +prevent it from breaking on the journey. Then the whole bundle was +lifted on to a kind of bamboo stretcher that we made and firmly secured +to it with palm-fibre ropes. + +By this time it was growing dark and all of us were tired. + +"Baas," said Hans to me, as we were returning to the house, "would it +not be well that Mavovo and I should take some food and go sleep in the +canoe? These women will not hurt us there, but if we do not, I, who have +been watching them, fear lest in the night they should make paddles of +sticks and row across the lake to warn the Pongo." + +Although I did not like separating our small party, I thought the idea +so good that I consented to it, and presently Hans and Mavovo, armed +with spears and carrying an ample supply of food, departed to the lake +side. + +One more incident has impressed itself upon my memory in connection with +that night. It was the formal baptism of Hope by her father. I never saw +a more touching ceremony, but it is one that I need not describe. + +Stephen and I slept in the enclosure by the packed flower, which he +would not leave out of his sight. It was as well that we did so, since +about twelve o'clock by the light of the moon I saw the door in the wall +open gently and the heads of some of the albino women appear through +the aperture. Doubtless, they had come to steal away the holy plant they +worshipped. I sat up, coughed, and lifted the rifle, whereon they fled +and returned no more. + +Long before dawn Brother John, his wife and daughter were up and making +preparations for the march, packing a supply of food and so forth. +Indeed, we breakfasted by moonlight, and at the first break of day, +after Brother John had first offered up a prayer for protection, +departed on our journey. + +It was a strange out-setting, and I noted that both Mrs. Eversley and +her daughter seemed sad at bidding good-bye to the spot where they had +dwelt in utter solitude and peace for so many years; where one of them, +indeed, had been born and grown up to womanhood. However, I kept on +talking to distract their thoughts, and at last we were off. + +I arranged that, although it was heavy for them, the two ladies, whose +white robes were covered with curious cloaks made of soft prepared bark, +should carry the plant as far as the canoe, thinking it was better that +the Holy Flower should appear to depart in charge of its consecrated +guardians. I went ahead with the rifle, then came the stretcher and the +flower, while Brother John and Stephen, carrying the paddles, brought up +the rear. We reached the canoe without accident, and to our great relief +found Mavovo and Hans awaiting us. I learned, however, that it was +fortunate they had slept in the boat, since during the night the albino +women arrived with the evident object of possessing themselves of it, +and only ran away when they saw that it was guarded. As we were making +ready the canoe those unhappy slaves appeared in a body and throwing +themselves upon their faces with piteous words, or those of them who +could not speak, by signs, implored the Mother not to desert them, till +both she and Hope began to cry. But there was no help for it, so we +pushed off as quickly as we could, leaving the albinos weeping and +wailing upon the bank. + +I confess that I, too, felt compunction at abandoning them thus, but +what could we do? I only trust that no harm came to them, but of course +we never heard anything as to their fate. + +On the further side of the lake we hid away the canoe in the bushes +where we had found it, and began our march. Stephen and Mavovo, being +the two strongest among us, now carried the plant, and although Stephen +never murmured at its weight, how the Zulu did swear after the first few +hours! I could fill a page with his objurgations at what he considered +an act of insanity, and if I had space, should like to do so, for really +some of them were most amusing. Had it not been for his friendship for +Stephen I think that he would have thrown it down. + +We crossed the Garden of the god, where Mrs. Eversley told me the Kalubi +must scatter the sacred seed twice a year, thus confirming the story +that we had heard. It seems that it was then, as he made his long +journey through the forest, that the treacherous and horrid brute which +we had killed, would attack the priest of whom it had grown weary. But, +and this shows the animal's cunning, the onslaught always took place +_after_ he had sown the seed which would in due season produce the food +it ate. Our Kalubi, it is true, was killed before we had reached the +Garden, which seems an exception to the rule. Perhaps, however, the +gorilla knew that his object in visiting it was not to provide for its +needs. Or perhaps our presence excited it to immediate action. + +Who can analyse the motives of a gorilla? + +These attacks were generally spread over a year and a half. On the first +occasion the god which always accompanied the priest to the garden and +back again, would show animosity by roaring at him. On the second he +would seize his hand and bite off one of the fingers, as happened to our +Kalubi, a wound that generally caused death from blood poisoning. If, +however, the priest survived, on the third visit it killed him, for the +most part by crushing his head in its mighty jaws. When making these +visits the Kalubi was accompanied by certain dedicated youths, some of +whom the god always put to death. Those who had made the journey six +times without molestation were selected for further special trials, +until at last only two remained who were declared to have "passed" or +"been accepted by" the god. These youths were treated with great honour, +as in the instance of Komba and on the destruction of the Kalubi, one of +them took his office, which he generally filled without much accident, +for a minimum of ten years, and perhaps much longer. + +Mrs. Eversley knew nothing of the sacramental eating of the remains of +the Kalubi, or of the final burial of his bones in the wooden coffins +that we had seen, for such things, although they undoubtedly happened, +were kept from her. She added, that each of the three Kalubis whom she +had known, ultimately went almost mad through terror at his approaching +end, especially after the preliminary roarings and the biting off of the +finger. In truth uneasy lay the head that wore a crown in Pongo-land, +a crown that, mind you, might not be refused upon pain of death by +torture. Personally, I can imagine nothing more terrible than the +haunted existence of these poor kings whose pomp and power must +terminate in such a fashion. + +I asked her whether the Motombo ever visited the god. She answered, Yes, +once in every five years. Then after many mystic ceremonies he spent a +week in the forest at a time of full moon. One of the Kalubis had told +her that on this occasion he had seen the Motombo and the god sitting +together under a tree, each with his arm round the other's neck and +apparently talking "like brothers." With the exception of certain tales +of its almost supernatural cunning, this was all that I could learn +about the god of the Pongos which I have sometimes been tempted to +believe was really a devil hid in the body of a huge and ancient ape. + +No, there was one more thing which I quote because it bears out +Babemba's story. It seems that captives from other tribes were sometimes +turned into the forest that the god might amuse itself by killing them. +This, indeed, was the fate to which we ourselves had been doomed in +accordance with the hateful Pongo custom. + +Certainly, thought I to myself when she had done, I did a good deed in +sending that monster to whatever dim region it was destined to inhabit, +where I sincerely trust it found all the dead Kalubis and its other +victims ready to give it an appropriate welcome. + + + +After crossing the god's garden, we came to the clearing of the Fallen +Tree, and found the brute's skin pegged out as we had left it, though +shrunken in size. Only it had evidently been visited by a horde of the +forest ants which, fortunately for Hans, had eaten away every particle +of flesh, while leaving the hide itself absolutely untouched, I suppose +because it was too tough for them. I never saw a neater job. Moreover, +these industrious little creatures had devoured the beast itself. +Nothing remained of it except the clean, white bones lying in the exact +position in which we had left the carcase. Atom by atom that marching +myriad army had eaten all and departed on its way into the depths of the +forest, leaving this sign of their passage. + +How I wished that we could carry off the huge skeleton to add to my +collection of trophies, but this was impossible. As Brother John said, +any museum would have been glad to purchase it for hundreds of pounds, +for I do not suppose that its like exists in the world. But it was too +heavy; all I could do was to impress its peculiarities upon my mind by +a close study of the mighty bones. Also I picked out of the upper right +arm, and kept the bullet I had fired when it carried off the Kalubi. +This I found had sunk into and shattered the bone, but without +absolutely breaking it. + +On we went again bearing with us the god's skin, having first stuffed +the head, hands and feet (these, I mean the hands and feet, had been +cleaned out by the ants) with wet moss in order to preserve their shape. +It was no light burden, at least so declared Brother John and Hans, who +bore it between them upon a dead bough from the fallen tree. + +Of the rest of our journey to the water's edge there is nothing to tell, +except that notwithstanding our loads, we found it easier to walk down +that steep mountain side than it had been to ascend the same. Still our +progress was but slow, and when at length we reached the burying-place +only about an hour remained to sunset. There we sat down to rest and +eat, also to discuss the situation. + +What was to be done? The arm of stagnant water lay near to us, but we +had no boat with which to cross to the further shore. And what was that +shore? A cave where a creature who seemed to be but half-human, sat +watching like a spider in its web. Do not let it be supposed that this +question of escape had been absent from our minds. On the contrary, we +had even thought of trying to drag the canoe in which we crossed to +and from the island of the Flower through the forest. The idea was +abandoned, however, because we found that being hollowed from a single +log with a bottom four or five inches thick, it was impossible for us to +carry it so much as fifty yards. What then could we do without a boat? +Swimming seemed to be out of the question because of the crocodiles. +Also on inquiry I discovered that of the whole party Stephen and I alone +could swim. Further there was no wood of which to make a raft. + +I called to Hans and leaving the rest in the graveyard where we knew +that they were safe, we went down to the edge of the water to study the +situation, being careful to keep ourselves hidden behind the reeds and +bushes of the mangrove tribe with which it was fringed. Not that there +was much fear of our being seen, for the day, which had been very hot, +was closing in and a great storm, heralded by black and bellying +clouds, was gathering fast, conditions which must render us practically +invisible at a distance. + +We looked at the dark, slimy water--also at the crocodiles which +sat upon its edge in dozens waiting, eternally waiting, for what, I +wondered. We looked at the sheer opposing cliff, but save where a black +hole marked the cave mouth, far as the eye could see, the water came +up against it, as that of a moat does against the wall of a castle. +Obviously, therefore, the only line of escape ran through this cave, +for, as I have explained, the channel by which I presume Babemba reached +the open lake, was now impracticable. Lastly, we searched to see if +there was any fallen log upon which we could possibly propel ourselves +to the other side, and found--nothing that could be made to serve, no, +nor, as I have said, any dry reeds or brushwood out of which we might +fashion a raft. + +"Unless we can get a boat, here we must stay," I remarked to Hans, who +was seated with me behind a screen of rushes at the water's edge. + +He made no answer, and as I thought, in a sort of subconscious way, +I engaged myself in watching a certain tragedy of the insect world. +Between two stout reeds a forest spider of the very largest sort had +spun a web as big as a lady's open parasol. There in the midst of this +web of which the bottom strands almost touched the water, sat the spider +waiting for its prey, as the crocodiles were waiting on the banks, as +the great ape had waited for the Kalubis, as Death waits for Life, as +the Motombo was waiting for God knows what. + +It rather resembled the Motombo in his cave, did that huge, black +spider with just a little patch of white upon its head, or so I thought +fancifully enough. Then came the tragedy. A great, white moth of the +Hawk species began to dart to and fro between the reeds, and presently +struck the web on its lower side some three inches above the water. Like +a flash that spider was upon it. It embraced the victim with its long +legs to still its tremendous battlings. Next, descending below, it began +to make the body fast, when something happened. From the still surface +of the water beneath poked up the mouth of a very large fish which quite +quietly closed upon the spider and sank again into the depths, taking +with it a portion of the web and thereby setting the big moth free. +With a struggle it loosed itself, fell on to a piece of wood and floated +away, apparently little the worse for the encounter. + +"Did you see that, Baas?" said Hans, pointing to the broken and empty +web. "While you were thinking, I was praying to your reverend father the +Predikant, who taught me how to do it, and he has sent us a sign from +the Place of Fire." + +Even then I could not help laughing to myself as I pictured what my +dear father's face would be like if he were able to hear his convert's +remarks. An analysis of Hans's religious views would be really +interesting, and I only regret that I never made one. But sticking to +business I merely asked: + +"What sign?" + +"Baas, this sign: That web is the Motombo's cave. The big spider is the +Motombo. The white moth is us, Baas, who are caught in the web and going +to be eaten." + +"Very pretty, Hans," I said, "but what is the fish that came up and +swallowed the spider so that the moth fell on the wood and floated +away?" + +"Baas, _you_ are the fish, who come up softly, softly out of the water +in the dark, and shoot the Motombo with the little rifle, and then the +rest of us, who are the moth, fall into the canoe and float away. There +is a storm about to break, Baas, and who will see you swim the stream in +the storm and the night?" + +"The crocodiles," I suggested. + +"Baas, I didn't see a crocodile eat the fish. I think the fish is +laughing down there with the fat spider in its stomach. Also when +there is a storm crocodiles go to bed because they are afraid lest the +lightning should kill them for their sins." + +Now I remembered that I had often heard, and indeed to some extent +noted, that these great reptiles do vanish in disturbed weather, +probably because their food hides away. However that might be, in an +instant I made up my mind. + +As soon as it was quite dark I would swim the water, holding the little +rifle, _Intombi_, above my head, and try to steal the canoe. If the old +wizard was watching, which I hoped might not be the case, well, I +must deal with him as best I could. I knew the desperate nature of the +expedient, but there was no other way. If we could not get a boat we +must remain in that foodless forest until we starved. Or if we returned +to the island of the Flower, there ere long we should certainly be +attacked and destroyed by Komba and the Pongos when they came to look +for our bodies. + +"I'll try it, Hans," I said. + +"Yes, Baas, I thought you would. I'd come, too, only I can't swim and +when I was drowning I might make a noise, because one forgets oneself +then, Baas. But it will be all right, for if it were otherwise I am sure +that your reverend father would have shown us so in the sign. The moth +floated off quite comfortably on the wood, and just now I saw it spread +its wings and fly away. And the fish, ah! how he laughs with that fat +old spider in his stomach!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + + FATE STABS + +We went back to the others whom we found crouched on the ground among +the coffins, looking distinctly depressed. No wonder; night was closing +in, the thunder was beginning to growl and echo through the forest and +rain to fall in big drops. In short, although Stephen remarked that +every cloud has a silver lining, a proverb which, as I told him, I +seemed to have heard before, in no sense could the outlook be considered +bright. + +"Well, Allan, what have you arranged?" asked Brother John, with a faint +attempt at cheerfulness as he let go of his wife's hand. In those days +he always seemed to be holding his wife's hand. + +"Oh!" I answered, "I am going to get the canoe so that we can all row +over comfortably." + +They stared at me, and Miss Hope, who was seated by Stephen, asked in +her usual Biblical language: + +"Have you the wings of a dove that you can fly, O Mr. Allan?" + +"No," I answered, "but I have the fins of a fish, or something like +them, and I can swim." + +Now there arose a chorus of expostulation. + +"You shan't risk it," said Stephen, "I can swim as well as you and I'm +younger. I'll go, I want a bath." + +"That you will have, O Stephen," interrupted Miss Hope, as I thought in +some alarm. "The latter rain from heaven will make you clean." (By now +it was pouring.) + +"Yes, Stephen, you can swim," I said, "but you will forgive me for +saying that you are not particularly deadly with a rifle, and clean +shooting may be the essence of this business. Now listen to me, all of +you. I am going. I hope that I shall succeed, but if I fail it does not +so very much matter, for you will be no worse off than you were before. +There are three pairs of you. John and his wife; Stephen and Miss Hope; +Mavovo and Hans. If the odd man of the party comes to grief, you will +have to choose a new captain, that is all, but while I lead I mean to be +obeyed." + +Then Mavovo, to whom Hans had been talking, spoke. + +"My father Macumazana is a brave man. If he lives he will have done his +duty. If he dies he will have done his duty still better, and, on the +earth or in the under-world among the spirits of our fathers, his name +shall be great for ever; yes, his name shall be a song." + +When Brother John had translated these words, which I thought fine, +there was silence. + +"Now," I said, "come with me to the water's edge, all of you. You will +be in less danger from the lightning there, where are no tall trees. +And while I am gone, do you ladies dress up Hans in that gorilla-skin +as best you can, lacing it on to him with some of that palm-fibre string +which we brought with us, and filling out the hollows and the head with +leaves or reeds. I want him to be ready when I come back with the canoe. + +Hans groaned audibly, but made no objection and we started with our +impedimenta down to the edge of the estuary where we hid behind a clump +of mangrove bushes and tall, feathery reeds. Then I took off some of my +clothes, stripping in fact to my flannel shirt and the cotton pants I +wore, both of which were grey in colour and therefore almost invisible +at night. + +Now I was ready and Hans handed me the little rifle. + +"It is at full cock, Baas, with the catch on," he said, "and carefully +loaded. Also I have wrapped the lining of my hat, which is very full of +grease, for the hair makes grease especially in hot weather, Baas, round +the lock to keep away the wet from the cap and powder. It is not tied, +Baas, only twisted. Give the rifle a shake and it will fall off." + +"I understand," I said, and gripped the gun with my left hand by the +tongue just forward of the hammer, in such a fashion that the horrid +greased rag from Hans's hat was held tight over the lock and cap. Then +I shook hands with the others and when I came to Miss Hope I am proud to +add that she spontaneously and of her own accord imprinted a kiss upon +my mediaeval brow. I felt inclined to return it, but did not. + +"It is the kiss of peace, O Allan," she said. "May you go and return in +peace." + +"Thank you," I said, "but get on with dressing Hans in his new clothes." + +Stephen muttered something about feeling ashamed of himself. Brother +John put up a vigorous and well-directed prayer. Mavovo saluted with the +copper assegai and began to give me _sibonga_ or Zulu titles of praise +beneath his breath, and Mrs. Eversley said: + +"Oh! I thank God that I have lived to see a brave English gentleman +again," which I thought a great compliment to my nation and myself, +though when I afterwards discovered that she herself was English by +birth, it took off some of the polish. + +Next, just after a vivid flash of lightning, for the storm had broken in +earnest now, I ran swiftly to the water's edge, accompanied by Hans, who +was determined to see the last of me. + +"Get back, Hans, before the lightning shows you," I said, as I slid +gently from a mangrove-root into that filthy stream, "and tell them to +keep my coat and trousers dry if they can." + +"Good-bye, Baas," he murmured, and I heard that he was sobbing. "Keep a +good heart, O Baas of Baases. After all, this is nothing to the vultures +of the Hill of Slaughter. _Intombi_ pulled us through then, and so she +will again, for she knows who can hold her straight!" + +That was the last I heard of Hans, for if he said any more, the hiss of +the torrential rain smothered his words. + +Oh! I had tried to "keep a good heart" before the others, but it is +beyond my powers to describe the deadly fright I felt, perhaps the worst +of all my life, which is saying a great deal. Here I was starting on one +of the maddest ventures that was ever undertaken by man. I needn't put +its points again, but that which appealed to me most at the moment +was the crocodiles. I have always hated crocodiles since--well, never +mind--and the place was as full of them as the ponds at Ascension are of +turtles. + +Still I swam on. The estuary was perhaps two hundred yards wide, not +more, no great distance for a good swimmer as I was in those days. But +then I had to hold the rifle above the water with my left hand at +all cost, for if once it went beneath it would be useless. Also I was +desperately afraid of being seen in the lightning flashes, although to +minimise this risk I had kept my dark-coloured cloth hat upon my head. +Lastly there was the lightning itself to fear, for it was fearful and +continuous and seemed to be striking along the water. It was a fact that +a fire-ball or something of the sort hit the surface within a few yards +of me, as though it had aimed at the rifle-barrel and just missed. Or so +I thought, though it may have been a crocodile rising at the moment. + +In one way, or rather, in two, however, I was lucky. The first was the +complete absence of wind which must have raised waves that might have +swamped me and would at any rate have wetted the rifle. The second was +that there was no fear of my losing my path for in the mouth of the cave +I could see the glow of the fires which burned on either side of the +Motombo's seat. They served the same purpose to me as did the lamp of +the lady called Hero to her lover Leander when he swam the Hellespont +to pay her clandestine visits at night. But he had something pleasant to +look forward to, whereas I----! Still, there was another point in common +between us. Hero, if I remember right, was a priestess of the Greek +goddess of love, whereas the party who waited me was also in a religious +line of business. Only, as I firmly believe, he was a priest of the +devil. + +I suppose that swim took me about a quarter-of-an-hour, for I went +slowly to save my strength, although the crocodiles suggested haste. But +thank Heaven they never appeared to complicate matters. Now I was quite +near the cave, and now I was beneath the overhanging roof and in the +shallow water of the little bay that formed a harbour for the canoe. I +stood upon my feet on the rock bottom, the water coming up to my breast, +and peered about me, while I rested and worked my left arm, stiff with +the up-holding of the gun, to and fro. The fires had burnt somewhat low +and until my eyes were freed from the raindrops and grew accustomed to +the light of the place I could not see clearly. + +I took the rag from round the lock of the rifle, wiped the wet off the +barrel with it and let it fall. Then I loosed the catch and by touching +a certain mechanism, made the rifle hair-triggered. Now I looked again +and began to make out things. There was the platform and there, alas! on +it sat the toad-like Motombo. But his back was to me; he was gazing +not towards the water, but down the cave. I hesitated for one fateful +moment. Perhaps the priest was asleep, perhaps I could get the canoe +away without shooting. I did not like the job; moreover, his head was +held forward and invisible, and how was I to make certain of killing him +with a shot in the back? Lastly, if possible, I wished to avoid firing +because of the report. + +At that instant the Motombo wheeled round. Some instinct must have +warned him of my presence, for the silence was gravelike save for the +soft splash of the rain without. As he turned the lightning blazed and +he saw me. + +"It is the white man," he muttered to himself in his hissing whisper, +while I waited through the following darkness with the rifle at my +shoulder, "the white man who shot me long, long ago, and again he has a +gun! Oh! Fate stabs, doubtless the god is dead and I too must die!" + +Then as if some doubt struck him he lifted the horn to summon help. + +Again the lightning flashed and was accompanied by a fearful crack of +thunder. With a prayer for skill, I covered his head and fired by the +glare of it just as the trumpet touched his lips. It fell from his hand. +He seemed to shrink together, and moved no more. + +Oh! thank God, thank God! in this supreme moment of trial the art of +which I am a master had not failed me. If my hand had shaken ever so +little, if my nerves, strained to breaking point, had played me false +in the least degree, if the rag from Hans's hat had not sufficed to keep +away the damp from the cap and powder! Well, this history would never +have been written and there would have been some more bones in the +graveyard of the Kalubis, that is all! + +For a moment I waited, expecting to see the women attendants dart from +the doorways in the sides of the cave, and to hear them sound a shrill +alarm. None appeared, and I guessed that the rattle of the thunder had +swallowed up the crack of the rifle, a noise, be it remembered, that +none of them had ever heard. For an unknown number of years this ancient +creature, I suppose, had squatted day and night upon that platform, +whence, I daresay, it was difficult for him to move. So after they had +wrapped his furs round him at sunset and made up the fires to keep him +warm, why should his women come to disturb him unless he called them +with his horn? Probably it was not even lawful that they should do so. + +Somewhat reassured I waded forward a few paces and loosed the canoe +which was tied by the prow. Then I scrambled into it, and laying down +the rifle, took one of the paddles and began to push out of the creek. +Just then the lightning flared once more, and by it I caught sight of +the Motombo's face that was now within a few feet of my own. It seemed +to be resting almost on his knees, and its appearance was dreadful. In +the centre of the forehead was a blue mark where the bullet had entered, +for I had made no mistake in that matter. The deep-set round eyes were +open and, all their fire gone, seemed to stare at me from beneath the +overhanging brows. The massive jaw had fallen and the red tongue hung +out upon the pendulous lip. The leather-like skin of the bloated cheeks +had assumed an ashen hue still streaked and mottled with brown. + +Oh! the thing was horrible, and sometimes when I am out of sorts, it +haunts me to this day. Yet that creature's blood does not lie heavy on +my mind, of it my conscience is not afraid. His end was necessary to +save the innocent and I am sure that it was well deserved. For he was a +devil, akin to the great god ape I had slain in the forest, to whom, by +the way, he bore a most remarkable resemblance in death. Indeed if their +heads had been laid side by side at a little distance, it would not have +been too easy to tell them apart with their projecting brows, beardless, +retreating chins and yellow tushes at the corners of the mouth. + +Presently I was clear of the cave. Still for a while I lay to at one +side of it against the towering cliff, both to listen in case what I +had done should be discovered, and for fear lest the lightning which was +still bright, although the storm centre was rapidly passing away, should +reveal me to any watchers. + +For quite ten minutes I hid thus, and then, determining to risk it, +paddled softly towards the opposite bank keeping, however, a little +to the west of the cave and taking my line by a certain very tall tree +which, as I had noted, towered up against the sky at the back of the +graveyard. + +As it happened my calculations were accurate and in the end I directed +the bow of the canoe into the rushes behind which I had left my +companions. Just then the moon began to struggle out through the +thinning rain-clouds, and by its light they saw me, and I saw what for +a moment I took to be the gorilla-god himself waddling forward to seize +the boat. There was the dreadful brute exactly as he had appeared in the +forest, except that it seemed a little smaller. + +Then I remembered and laughed and that laugh did me a world of good. + +"Is that you, Baas?" said a muffled voice, speaking apparently from the +middle of the gorilla. "Are you safe, Baas?" + +"Of course," I answered, "or how should I be here?" adding cheerfully, +"Are you comfortable in that nice warm skin on this wet night, Hans?" + +"Oh! Baas," answered the voice, "tell me what happened. Even in this +stink I burn to know." + +"Death happened to the Motombo, Hans. Here, Stephen, give me your hand +and my clothes, and, Mavovo, hold the rifle and the canoe while I put +them on." + +Then I landed and stepping into the reeds, pulled off my wet shirt and +pants, which I stuffed away into the big pockets of my shooting coat, +for I did not want to lose them, and put on the dry things that, +although scratchy, were quite good enough clothing in that warm climate. +After this I treated myself to a good sup of brandy from the flask, and +ate some food which I seemed to require. Then I told them the story, and +cutting short their demonstrations of wonder and admiration, bade them +place the Holy Flower in the canoe and get in themselves. Next with the +help of Hans who poked out his fingers through the skin of the gorilla's +arms, I carefully re-loaded the rifle, setting the last cap on the +nipple. This done, I joined them in the canoe, taking my seat in the +prow and bidding Brother John and Stephen paddle. + +Making a circuit to avoid observation as before, in a very short time +we reached the mouth of the cave. I leant forward and peeped round the +western wall of rock. Nobody seemed to be stirring. There the fires +burned dimly, there the huddled shape of the Motombo still crouched +upon the platform. Silently, silently we disembarked, and I formed our +procession while the others looked askance at the horrible face of the +dead Motombo. + +I headed it, then came the Mother of the Flower, followed by Hans, +playing his part of the god of the forest; then Brother John and Stephen +carrying the Holy Flower. After it walked Hope, while Mavovo brought up +the rear. Near to one of the fires, as I had noted on our first passage +of the cave, lay a pile of the torches which I have already mentioned. +We lit some of them, and at a sign from me, Mavovo dragged the canoe +back into its little dock and tied the cord to its post. Its appearance +there, apparently undisturbed, might, I thought, make our crossing of +the water seem even more mysterious. All this while I watched the doors +in the sides of the cave, expecting every moment to see the women rush +out. But none came. Perhaps they slept, or perhaps they were absent; I +do not know to this day. + +We started, and in solemn silence threaded our way down the windings +of the cave, extinguishing our torches as soon as we saw light at its +inland outlet. At a few paces from its mouth stood a sentry. His +back was towards the cave, and in the uncertain gleams of the moon, +struggling with the clouds, for a thin rain still fell, he never noted +us till we were right on to him. Then he turned and saw, and at the +awful sight of this procession of the gods of his land, threw up his +arms, and without a word fell senseless. Although I never asked, I think +that Mavovo took measures to prevent his awakening. At any rate when I +looked back later on, I observed that he was carrying a big Pongo spear +with a long shaft, instead of the copper weapon which he had taken from +one of the coffins. + +On we marched towards Rica Town, following the easy path by which we had +come. As I have said, the country was very deserted and the inhabitants +of such huts as we passed were evidently fast asleep. Also there were no +dogs in this land to awake them with their barking. Between the cave and +Rica we were not, I think, seen by a single soul. + +Through that long night we pushed on as fast was we could travel, only +stopping now and again for a few minutes to rest the bearers of the Holy +Flower. Indeed at times Mrs. Eversley relieved her husband at this +task, but Stephen, being very strong, carried his end of the stretcher +throughout the whole journey. + +Hans, of course, was much oppressed by the great weight of the gorilla +skin, which, although it had shrunk a good deal, remained as heavy as +ever. But he was a tough old fellow, and on the whole got on better than +might have been expected, though by the time we reached the town he +was sometimes obliged to follow the example of the god itself and +help himself forward with his hands, going on all fours, as a gorilla +generally does. + +We reached the broad, long street of Rica about half an hour before +dawn, and proceeded down it till we were past the Feast-house still +quite unobserved, for as yet none were stirring on that wet morning. +Indeed it was not until we were within a hundred yards of the harbour +that a woman possessed of the virtue, or vice, of early rising, who +had come from a hut to work in her garden, saw us and raised an awful, +piercing scream. + +"The gods!" she screamed. "The gods are leaving the land and taking the +white men with them." + +Instantly there arose a hubbub in the houses. Heads were thrust out of +the doors and people ran into the gardens, every one of whom began to +yell till one might have thought that a massacre was in progress. But as +yet no one came near us, for they were afraid. + +"Push on," I cried, "or all is lost." + +They answered nobly. Hans struggled forward on all fours, for he was +nearly done and his hideous garment was choking him, while Stephen and +Brother John, exhausted though they were with the weight of the great +plant, actually broke into a feeble trot. We came to the harbour and +there, tied to the wharf, was the same canoe in which we had crossed +to Pongo-land. We sprang into it and cut the fastenings with my knife, +having no time to untie them, and pushed off from the wharf. + +By now hundreds of people, among them many soldiers were hard upon and +indeed around us, but still they seemed too frightened to do anything. +So far the inspiration of Hans' disguise had saved us. In the midst of +them, by the light of the rising sun, I recognised Komba, who ran up, a +great spear in his hand, and for a moment halted amazed. + +Then it was that the catastrophe happened which nearly cost us all our +lives. + +Hans, who was in the stern of the canoe, began to faint from exhaustion, +and in his efforts to obtain air, for the heat and stench of the skin +were overpowering him, thrust his head out through the lacings of the +hide beneath the reed-stuffed mask of the gorilla, which fell over +languidly upon his shoulder. Komba saw his ugly little face and knew it +again. + +"It is a trick!" he roared. "These white devils have killed the god and +stolen the Holy Flower and its priestess. The yellow man is wrapped in +the skin of the god. To the boats! To the boats!" + +"Paddle," I shouted to Brother John and Stephen, "paddle for your lives! +Mavovo, help me get up the sail." + +As it chanced on that stormy morning the wind was blowing strongly +towards the mainland. + +We laboured at the mast, shipped it and hauled up the mat sail, but +slowly for we were awkward at the business. By the time that it began +to draw the paddles had propelled us about four hundred yards from the +wharf, whence many canoes, with their sails already set, were starting +in pursuit. Standing in the prow of the first of these, and roaring +curses and vengeance at us, was Komba, the new Kalubi, who shook a great +spear above his head. + +An idea occurred to me, who knew that unless something were done we +must be overtaken and killed by these skilled boatmen. Leaving Mavovo +to attend to the sail, I scrambled aft, and thrusting aside the fainting +Hans, knelt down in the stern of the canoe. There was still one charge, +or rather one cap, left, and I meant to use it. I put up the largest +flapsight, lifted the little rifle and covered Komba, aiming at the +point of his chin. _Intombi_ was not sighted for or meant to use at this +great distance, and only by this means of allowing for the drop of the +bullet, could I hope to hit the man in the body. + +The sail was drawing well now and steadied the boat, also, being still +under the shelter of the land, the water was smooth as that of a pond, +so really I had a very good firing platform. Moreover, weary though I +was, my vital forces rose to the emergency and I felt myself grow rigid +as a statue. Lastly, the light was good, for the sun rose behind me, its +level rays shining full on to my mark. I held my breath and touched the +trigger. The charge exploded sweetly and almost at the instant; as +the smoke drifted to one side, I saw Komba throw up his arms and fall +backwards into the canoe. Then, quite a long while afterwards, or so it +seemed, the breeze brought the faint sound of the thud of that fateful +bullet to our ears. + +Though perhaps I ought not to say so, it was really a wonderful shot +in all the circumstances, for, as I learned afterwards, the ball struck +just where I hoped that it might, in the centre of the breast, piercing +the heart. Indeed, taking everything into consideration, I think that +those four shots which I fired in Pongo-land are the real record of my +career as a marksman. The first at night broke the arm of the gorilla +god and would have killed him had not the charge hung fire and given +him time to protect his head. The second did kill him in the midst of +a great scrimmage when everything was moving. The third, fired by the +glare of lightning after a long swim, slew the Motombo, and the fourth, +loosed at this great distance from a moving boat, was the bane of that +cold-blooded and treacherous man, Komba, who thought that he had trapped +us to Pongo-land to be murdered and eaten as a sacrifice. Lastly there +was always the consciousness that no mistake must be made, since with +but four percussion caps it could not be retrieved. + +I am sure that I could not have done so well with any other rifle, +however modern and accurate it might be. But to this little Purdey +weapon I had been accustomed from my youth, and that, as any marksman +will know, means a great deal. I seemed to know it and it seemed to know +me. It hangs on my wall to this day, although of course I never use it +now in our breech-loading era. Unfortunately, however, a local gunsmith +to whom I sent it to have the lock cleaned, re-browned it and scraped +and varnished the stock, etc., without authority, making it look almost +new again. I preferred it in its worn and scratched condition. + +To return: the sound of the shot, like that of John Peel's horn, aroused +Hans from his sleep. He thrust his head between my legs and saw Komba +fall. + +"Oh! beautiful, Baas, beautiful!" he said faintly. "I am sure that the +ghost of your reverend father cannot kill his enemies more nicely down +there among the Fires. Beautiful!" and the silly old fellow fell to +kissing my boots, or what remained of them, after which I gave him the +last of the brandy. + +This quite brought him to himself again, especially when he was free +from that filthy skin and had washed his head and hands. + +The effect of the death of Komba upon the Pongos was very strange. All +the other canoes clustered round that in which he lay. Then, after a +hurried consultation, they hauled down their sails and paddled back to +the wharf. Why they did this I cannot tell. Perhaps they thought that +he was bewitched, or only wounded and required the attentions of a +medicine-man. Perhaps it was not lawful for them to proceed except under +the guidance of some reserve Kalubi who had "passed the god" and who was +on shore. Perhaps it was necessary, according to their rites, that the +body of their chief should be landed with certain ceremonies. I do not +know. It is impossible to be sure as to the mysterious motives that +actuate many of these remote African tribes. + +At any rate the result was that it gave us a great start and a chance +of life, who must otherwise have died upon the spot. Outside the bay the +breeze blew merrily, taking us across the lake at a spanking pace, until +about midday when it began to fall. Fortunately, however, it did +not altogether drop till three o'clock by which time the coast of +Mazitu-land was comparatively near; we could even distinguish a speck +against the skyline which we knew was the Union Jack that Stephen had +set upon the crest of a little hill. + +During those hours of peace we ate the food that remained to us, washed +ourselves as thoroughly as we could and rested. Well was it, in view of +what followed, that we had this time of repose. For just as the breeze +was failing I looked aft and there, coming up behind us, still holding +the wind, was the whole fleet of Pongo canoes, thirty or forty of them +perhaps, each carrying an average of about twenty men. We sailed on +for as long as we could, for though our progress was but slow, it was +quicker than what we could have made by paddling. Also it was necessary +that we should save our strength for the last trial. + +I remember that hour very well, for in the nervous excitement of it +every little thing impressed itself upon my mind. I remember even the +shape of the clouds that floated over us, remnants of the storm of the +previous night. One was like a castle with a broken-down turret showing +a staircase within; another had a fantastic resemblance to a wrecked +ship with a hole in her starboard bow, two of her masts broken and one +standing with some fragments of sails flapping from it, and so forth. + +Then there was the general aspect of the great lake, especially at a +spot where two currents met, causing little waves which seemed to fight +with each other and fall backwards in curious curves. Also there were +shoals of small fish, something like chub in shape, with round mouths +and very white stomachs, which suddenly appeared upon the surface, +jumping at invisible flies. These attracted a number of birds that +resembled gulls of a light build. They had coal-black heads, white +backs, greyish wings, and slightly webbed feet, pink as coral, with +which they seized the small fish, uttering as they did so, a peculiar +and plaintive cry that ended in a long-drawn _e-e-e_. The father of the +flock, whose head seemed to be white like his back, perhaps from age, +hung above them, not troubling to fish himself, but from time to +time forcing one of the company to drop what he had caught, which he +retrieved before it reached the water. Such are some of the small things +that come back to me, though there were others too numerous and trivial +to mention. + +When the breeze failed us at last we were perhaps something over three +miles from the shore, or rather from the great bed of reeds which at +this spot grow in the shallows off the Mazitu coast to a breadth of +seven or eight hundred yards, where the water becomes too deep for them. +The Pongos were then about a mile and a half behind. But as the wind +favoured them for a few minutes more and, having plenty of hands, they +could help themselves on by paddling, when at last it died to a complete +calm, the distance between us was not more than one mile. This meant +that they must cover four miles of water, while we covered three. + +Letting down our now useless sail and throwing it and the mast overboard +to lighten the canoe, since the sky showed us that there was no more +hope of wind, we began to paddle as hard as we could. Fortunately the +two ladies were able to take their share in this exercise, since they +had learned it upon the Lake of the Flower, where it seemed they kept +a private canoe upon the other side of the island which was used for +fishing. Hans, who was still weak, we set to steer with a paddle aft, +which he did in a somewhat erratic fashion. + +A stern chase is proverbially a long chase, but still the enemy with +their skilled rowers came up fast. When we were a mile from the reeds +they were within half a mile of us, and as we tired the proportion of +distance lessened. When we were two hundred yards from the reeds they +were not more than fifty or sixty yards behind, and then the real +struggle began. + +It was short but terrible. We threw everything we could overboard, +including the ballast stones at the bottom of the canoe and the heavy +hide of the gorilla. This, as it proved, was fortunate, since the thing +sank but slowly and the foremost Pongo boats halted a minute to recover +so precious a relic, checking the others behind them, a circumstance +that helped us by twenty or thirty yards. + +"Over with the plant!" I said. + +But Stephen, looking quite old from exhaustion and with the sweat +streaming from him as he laboured at his unaccustomed paddle, gasped: + +"For Heaven's sake, no, after all we have gone through to get it." + +So I didn't insist; indeed there was neither time nor breath for +argument. + +Now we were in the reeds, for thanks to the flag which guided us, we had +struck the big hippopotamus lane exactly, and the Pongos, paddling +like demons, were about thirty yards behind. Thankful was I that those +interesting people had never learned the use of bows and arrows, and +that their spears were too heavy to throw. By now, or rather some time +before, old Babemba and the Mazitu had seen us, as had our Zulu hunters. +Crowds of them were wading through the shallows towards us, yelling +encouragements as they came. The Zulus, too, opened a rather wild fire, +with the result that one of the bullets struck our canoe and another +touched the brim of my hat. A third, however, killed a Pongo, which +caused some confusion in the ranks of Tusculum. + +But we were done and they came on remorselessly. When their leading boat +was not more than ten yards from us and we were perhaps two hundred from +the shore, I drove my paddle downwards and finding that the water was +less than four feet deep, shouted: + +"Overboard, all, and wade. It's our last chance!" + +We scrambled out of that canoe the prow of which, as I left it the last, +I pushed round across the water-lane to obstruct those of the Pongo. Now +I think all would have gone well had it not been for Stephen, who after +he had floundered forward a few paces in the mud, bethought him of his +beloved orchid. Not only did he return to try to rescue it, he also +actually persuaded his friend Mavovo to accompany him. They got back to +the boat and began to lift the plant out when the Pongo fell upon them, +striking at them with their spears over the width of our canoe. Mavovo +struck back with the weapon he had taken from the Pongo sentry at the +cave mouth, and killed or wounded one of them. Then some one hurled +a ballast stone at him which caught him on the side of the head and +knocked him down into the water, whence he rose and reeled back, almost +senseless, till some of our people got hold of him and dragged him to +the shore. + +So Stephen was left alone, dragging at the great orchid, till a Pongo +reaching over the canoe drove a spear through his shoulder. He let go of +the orchid because he must and tried to retreat. Too late! Half a dozen +or more of the Pongo pushed themselves between the stern or bow of our +canoe and the reeds, and waded forward to kill him. I could not help, +for to tell the truth at the moment I was stuck in a mud-hole made by +the hoof of a hippopotamus, while the Zulu hunters and the Mazitu were +as yet too far off. Surely he must have died had it not been for the +courage of the girl Hope, who, while wading shorewards a little in front +of me, had turned and seen his plight. Back she came, literally bounding +through the water like a leopard whose cubs are in danger. + +Reaching Stephen before the Pongo she thrust herself between him and +them and proceeded to address them with the utmost vigour in their own +language, which of course she had learned from those of the albinos who +were not mutes. + +What she said I could not exactly catch because of the shouts of the +advancing Mazitu. I gathered, however, that she was anathematizing them +in the words of some old and potent curse that was only used by the +guardians of the Holy Flower, which consigned them, body and spirit, +to a dreadful doom. The effect of this malediction, which by the way +neither the young lady nor her mother would repeat to me afterwards, was +certainly remarkable. Those men who heard it, among them the would-be +slayers of Stephen, stayed their hands and even inclined their heads +towards the young priestess, as though in reverence or deprecation, and +thus remained for sufficient time for her to lead the wounded Stephen +out of danger. This she did wading backwards by his side and keeping her +eyes fixed full upon the Pongo. It was perhaps the most curious rescue +that I ever saw. + +The Holy Flower, I should add, they recaptured and carried off, for I +saw it departing in one of their canoes. That was the end of my orchid +hunt and of the money which I hoped to make by the sale of this floral +treasure. I wonder what became of it. I have good reason to believe that +it was never replanted on the Island of the Flower, so perhaps it was +borne back to the dim and unknown land in the depths of Africa whence +the Pongo are supposed to have brought it when they migrated. + +After this incident of the wounding and the rescue of Stephen by the +intrepid Miss Hope, whose interest in him was already strong enough +to induce her to risk her life upon his behalf, all we fugitives were +dragged ashore somehow by our friends. Here, Hans, I and the ladies +collapsed exhausted, though Brother John still found sufficient strength +to do what he could for the injured Stephen and Mavovo. + +Then the Battle of the Reeds began, and a fierce fray it was. The Pongos +who were about equal in numbers to our people, came on furiously, for +they were mad at the death of their god with his priest, the Motombo, +of which I think news had reached them and at the carrying off of the +Mother of the Flower. Springing from their canoes because the waterway +was too narrow for more than one of these to travel at a time, they +plunged into the reeds with the intention of wading ashore. Here their +hereditary enemies, the Mazitu, attacked them under the command of old +Babemba. The struggle that ensued partook more of the nature of a series +of hand-to-hand fights than of a set battle. It was extraordinary to see +the heads of the combatants moving among the reeds as they stabbed at +each other with the great spears, till one went down. There were few +wounded in that fray, for those who fell sank in the mud and water and +were drowned. + +On the whole the Pongo, who were operating in what was almost their +native element, were getting the best of it, and driving the Mazitu +back. But what decided the day against them were the guns of our Zulu +hunters. Although I could not lift a rifle myself I managed to collect +these men round me and to direct their fire, which proved so terrifying +to the Pongos that after ten or a dozen of them had been knocked over, +they began to give back sullenly and were helped into their canoes by +those men who were left in charge of them. + +Then at length at a signal they got out their paddles, and, still +shouting curses and defiance at us, rowed away till they became but +specks upon the bosom of the great lake and vanished. + +Two of the canoes we captured, however, and with them six or seven +Pongos. These the Mazitu wished to put to death, but at the bidding +of Brother John, whose orders, it will be remembered, had the same +authority in Mazitu-land as those of the king, they bound their arms and +made them prisoners instead. + +In about half an hour it was all over, but of the rest of that day I +cannot write, as I think I fainted from utter exhaustion, which was not, +perhaps, wonderful, considering all that we had undergone in the four +and a half days that had elapsed since we first embarked upon the Great +Lake. For constant strain, physical and mental, I recall no such four +days during the whole of my adventurous life. It was indeed wonderful +that we came through them alive. + +The last thing I remember was the appearance of Sammy, looking very +smart, in his blue cotton smock, who, now that the fighting was over, +emerged like a butterfly when the sun shines after rain. + +"Oh! Mr. Quatermain," he said, "I welcome you home again after arduous +exertions and looking into the eyes of bloody war. All the days of +absence, and a good part of the nights, too, while the mosquitoes hunted +slumber, I prayed for your safety like one o'clock, and perhaps, Mr. +Quatermain, that helped to do the trick, for what says poet? Those who +serve and wait are almost as good as those who cook dinner." + +Such were the words which reached and, oddly enough, impressed +themselves upon my darkening brain. Or rather they were part of the +words, excerpts from a long speech that there is no doubt Sammy had +carefully prepared during our absence. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + + THE TRUE HOLY FLOWER + +When I came to myself again it was to find that I had slept fifteen or +sixteen hours, for the sun of a new day was high in the heavens. I was +lying in a little shelter of boughs at the foot of that mound on which +we flew the flag that guided us back over the waters of the Lake Kirua. +Near by was Hans consuming a gigantic meal of meat which he had cooked +over a neighbouring fire. With him, to my delight, I saw Mavovo, his +head bound up, though otherwise but little the worse. The stone, which +probably would have killed a thin-skulled white man, had done no more +than knock him stupid and break the skin of his scalp, perhaps because +the force of it was lessened by the gum man's-ring which, like most +Zulus of a certain age or dignity, he wore woven in his hair. + +The two tents we had brought with us to the lake were pitched not far +away and looked quite pretty and peaceful there in the sunlight. + +Hans, who was watching me out of the corner of his eye, ran to me with +a large pannikin of hot coffee which Sammy had made ready against my +awakening; for they knew that my sleep was, or had become of a natural +order. I drank it to the last drop, and in all my life never did I enjoy +anything more. Then while I began upon some pieces of the toasted meat, +I asked him what had happened. + +"Not much, Baas," he answered, "except that we are alive, who should be +dead. The Maam and the Missie are still asleep in that tent, or at least +the Maam is, for the Missie is helping Dogeetah, her father, to nurse +Baas Stephen, who has an ugly wound. The Pongos have gone and I think +will not return, for they have had enough of the white man's guns. The +Mazitu have buried those of their dead whom they could recover, and have +sent their wounded, of whom there were only six, back to Beza Town on +litters. That is all, Baas." + +Then while I washed, and never did I need a bath more, and put on my +underclothes, in which I had swum on the night of the killing of the +Motombo, that Hans had wrung out and dried in the sun, I asked that +worthy how he was after his adventures. + +"Oh! well enough, Baas," he answered, "now that my stomach is full, +except that my hands and wrists are sore with crawling along the ground +like a babyan (baboon), and that I cannot get the stink of that god's +skin out of my nose. Oh! you don't know what it was: if I had been a +white man it would have killed me. But, Baas, perhaps you did well to +take drunken old Hans with you on this journey after all, for I was +clever about the little gun, wasn't I? Also about your swimming of the +Crocodile Water, though it is true that the sign of the spider and the +moth which your reverend father sent, taught me that. And now we have +got back safe, except for the Mazitu, Jerry, who doesn't matter, +for there are plenty more like him, and the wound in Baas Stephen's +shoulder, and that heavy flower which he thought better than brandy." + +"Yes, Hans," I said, "I did well to take you and you are clever, for had +it not been for you, we should now be cooked and eaten in Pongo-land. I +thank you for your help, old friend. But, Hans, another time please sew +up the holes in your waistcoat pocket. Four caps wasn't much, Hans." + +"No, Baas, but it was enough; as they were all good ones. If there had +been forty you could not have done much more. Oh! your reverend father +knew all that" (my departed parent had become a kind of patron saint to +Hans) "and did not wish this poor old Hottentot to have more to carry +than was needed. He knew you wouldn't miss, Baas, and that there were +only one god, one devil, and one man waiting to be killed." + +I laughed, for Hans's way of putting things was certainly original, and +having got on my coat, went to see Stephen. At the door of the tent I +met Brother John, whose shoulder was dreadfully sore from the rubbing of +the orchid stretcher, as were his hands with paddling, but who otherwise +was well enough and of course supremely happy. + +He told me that he had cleansed and sewn up Stephen's wound, which +appeared to be doing well, although the spear had pierced right through +the shoulder, luckily without cutting any artery. So I went in to see +the patient and found him cheerful enough, though weak from weariness +and loss of blood, with Miss Hope feeding him with broth from a wooden +native spoon. I didn't stop very long, especially after he got on to +the subject of the lost orchid, about which he began to show signs of +excitement. This I allayed as well as I could by telling him that I had +preserved a pod of the seed, news at which he was delighted. + +"There!" he said. "To think that you, Allan, should have remembered to +take that precaution when I, an orchidist, forgot all about it!" + +"Ah! my boy," I answered, "I have lived long enough to learn never to +leave anything behind that I can possibly carry away. Also, although not +an orchidist, it occurred to me that there are more ways of propagating +a plant than from the original root, which generally won't go into one's +pocket." + +Then he began to give me elaborate instructions as to the preservation +of the seed-pod in a perfectly dry and air-tight tin box, etc., at which +point Miss Hope unceremoniously bundled me out of the tent. + +That afternoon we held a conference at which it was agreed that we +should begin our return journey to Beza Town at once, as the place where +we were camped was very malarious and there was always a risk of the +Pongo paying us another visit. + +So a litter was made with a mat stretched over it in which Stephen could +be carried, since fortunately there were plenty of bearers, and our +other simple preparations were quickly completed. Mrs. Eversley and Hope +were mounted on the two donkeys; Brother John, whose hurt leg showed +signs of renewed weakness, rode his white ox, which was now quite fat +again; the wounded hero, Stephen, as I have said, was carried; and I +walked, comparing notes with old Babemba on the Pongo, their manners, +which I am bound to say were good, and their customs, that, as the +saying goes, were "simply beastly." + +How delighted that ancient warrior was to hear again about the sacred +cave, the Crocodile Water, the Mountain Forest and its terrible god, +of the death of which and of the Motombo he made me tell him the +story three times over. At the conclusion of the third recital he said +quietly: + +"My lord Macumazana, you are a great man, and I am glad to have lived if +only to know you. No one else could have done these deeds." + +Of course I was complimented, but felt bound to point out Hans's share +in our joint achievement. + +"Yes, yes," he answered, "the Spotted Snake, Inhlatu, has the cunning to +scheme, but you have the power to do, and what is the use of a brain to +plot without the arm to strike? The two do not go together because the +plotter is not a striker. His mind is different. If the snake had +the strength and brain of the elephant, and the fierce courage of the +buffalo, soon there would be but one creature left in the world. But +the Maker of all things knew this and kept them separate, my lord +Macumazana." + +I thought, and still think, that there was a great deal of wisdom in +this remark, simple as it seems. Oh! surely many of these savages whom +we white men despise, are no fools. + +After about an hour's march we camped till the moon rose which it did +at ten o'clock, when we went on again till near dawn, as it was thought +better that Stephen should travel in the cool of the night. I remember +that our cavalcade, escorted before, behind and on either flank by +the Mazitu troops with their tall spears, looked picturesque and even +imposing as it wound over those wide downs in the lovely and peaceful +light of the moon. + +There is no need for me to set out the details of the rest of our +journey, which was not marked by any incident of importance. + +Stephen bore it very well, and Brother John, who was one of the best +doctors I ever met, gave good reports of him, but I noted that he did +not seem to get any stronger, although he ate plenty of food. Also, Miss +Hope, who nursed him, for her mother seemed to have no taste that way, +informed me that he slept but little, as indeed I found out for myself. + +"O Allan," she said, just before we reached Beza Town, "Stephen, your +son" (she used to call him my son, I don't know why) "is sick. The +father says it is only the spear-hurt, but I tell you it is more than +the spear-hurt. He is sick in himself," and the tears that filled her +grey eyes showed me that she spoke what she believed. As a matter of +fact she was right, for on the night after we reached the town, Stephen +was seized with an attack of some bad form of African fever, which in +his weak state nearly cost him his life, contracted, no doubt, at that +unhealthy Crocodile Water. + +Our reception at Beza was most imposing, for the whole population, +headed by old Bausi himself, came out to meet us with loud shouts of +welcome, from which we had to ask them to desist for Stephen's sake. + +So in the end we got back to our huts with gratitude of heart. Indeed, +we should have been very happy there for a while, had it not been for +our anxiety about Stephen. But it is always thus in the world; who was +ever allowed to eat his pot of honey without finding a fly or perhaps a +cockroach in his mouth? + +In all, Stephen was really ill for about a month. On the tenth day after +our arrival at Beza, according to my diary, which, having little else +to do, I entered up fully at this time, we thought that he would surely +die. Even Brother John, who attended him with the most constant skill, +and who had ample quinine and other drugs at his command, for these we +had brought with us from Durban in plenty, gave up the case. Day and +night the poor fellow raved and always about that confounded orchid, the +loss of which seemed to weigh upon his mind as though it were a whole +sackful of unrepented crimes. + +I really think that he owed his life to a subterfuge, or rather to a +bold invention of Hope's. One evening, when he was at his very worst and +going on like a mad creature about the lost plant--I was present in the +hut at the time alone with him and her--she took his hand and pointing +to a perfectly open space on the floor, said: + +"Look, O Stephen, the flower has been brought back." + +He stared and stared, and then to my amazement answered: + +"By Jove, so it has! But those beggars have broken off all the blooms +except one." + +"Yes," she echoed, "but one remains and it is the finest of them all." + +After this he went quietly to sleep and slept for twelve hours, then +took some food and slept again and, what is more, his temperature went +down to, or a little below, normal. When he finally woke up, as it +chanced, I was again present in the hut with Hope, who was standing +on the spot which she had persuaded him was occupied by the orchid. He +stared at this spot and he stared at her--me he could not see, for I was +behind him--then said in a weak voice: + +"Didn't you tell me, Miss Hope, that the plant was where you are and +that the most beautiful of the flowers was left?" + +I wondered what on earth her answer would be. However, she rose to the +occasion. + +"O Stephen," she replied, in her soft voice and speaking in a way so +natural that it freed her words from any boldness, "it is here, for am +I not its child"--her native appellation, it will be remembered, was +"Child of the Flower." "And the fairest of the flowers is here, too, for +I am that Flower which you found in the island of the lake. O Stephen, I +pray you to trouble no more about a lost plant of which you have seed +in plenty, but make thanks that you still live and that through you +my mother and I still live, who, if you had died, would weep our eyes +away." + +"Through me," he answered. "You mean through Allan and Hans. Also it was +you who saved my life there in the water. Oh! I remember it all now. You +are right, Hope; although I didn't know it, you are the true Holy Flower +that I saw." + +She ran to him and kneeling by his side, gave him her hand, which he +pressed to his pale lips. + +Then I sneaked out of that hut and left them to discuss the lost flower +that was found again. It was a pretty scene, and one that to my mind +gave a sort of spiritual meaning to the whole of an otherwise rather +insane quest. He sought an ideal flower, he found--the love of his life. + +After this, Stephen recovered rapidly, for such love is the best of +medicines--if it be returned. + +I don't know what passed between the pair and Brother John and his wife, +for I never asked. But I noted that from this day forward they began to +treat him as a son. The new relationship between Stephen and Hope seemed +to be tacitly accepted without discussion. Even the natives accepted it, +for old Mavovo asked me when they were going to be married and how many +cows Stephen had promised to pay Brother John for such a beautiful wife. +"It ought to be a large herd," he said, "and of a big breed of cattle." + +Sammy, too, alluded to the young lady in conversation with me, as "Mr. +Somers's affianced spouse." Only Hans said nothing. Such a trivial +matter as marrying and giving in marriage did not interest him. +Or, perhaps, he looked upon the affair as a foregone conclusion and +therefore unworthy of comment. + +We stayed at Bausi's kraal for a full month longer whilst Stephen +recovered his strength. I grew thoroughly bored with the place and so +did Mavovo and the Zulus, but Brother John and his wife did not seem to +mind. Mrs. Eversley was a passive creature, quite content to take things +as they came and after so long an absence from civilization, to bide a +little longer among savages. Also she had her beloved John, at whom she +would sit and gaze by the hour like a cat sometimes does at a person to +whom it is attached. Indeed, when she spoke to him, her voice seemed +to me to resemble a kind of blissful purr. I think it made the old boy +rather fidgety sometimes, for after an hour or two of it he would rise +and go to hunt for butterflies. + +To tell the truth, the situation got a little on my nerves at last, for +wherever I looked I seemed to see there Stephen and Hope making love +to each other, or Brother John and his wife admiring each other, which +didn't leave me much spare conversation. Evidently they thought that +Mavovo, Hans, Sammy, Bausi, Babemba and Co. were enough for me--that is, +if they reflected on the matter at all. So they were, in a sense, for +the Zulu hunters began to get out of hand in the midst of this idleness +and plenty, eating too much, drinking too much native beer, smoking too +much of the intoxicating _dakka_, a mischievous kind of help, and making +too much love to the Mazitu women, which of course resulted in the usual +rows that I had to settle. + +At last I struck and said that we must move on as Stephen was now fit to +travel. + +"Quite so," said Brother John, mildly. "What have you arranged, Allan?" + +With some irritation, for I hated that sentence of Brother John's, I +replied that I had arranged nothing, but that as none of them seemed to +have any suggestions to make, I would go out and talk the matter over +with Hans and Mavovo, which I did. + +I need not chronicle the results of our conference since other +arrangements were being made for us at which I little guessed. + +It all came very suddenly, as great things in the lives of men and +nations sometimes do. Although the Mazitu were of the Zulu family, their +military organization had none of the Zulu thoroughness. For instance, +when I remonstrated with Bausi and old Babemba as to their not keeping +up a proper system of outposts and intelligence, they laughed at me and +answered that they never had been attacked and now that the Pongo had +learnt a lesson, were never likely to be. + +By the way, I see that I have not yet mentioned that at Brother John's +request those Pongos who had been taken prisoners at the Battle of +the Reeds were conducted to the shores of the lake, given one of the +captured canoes and told that they might return to their own happy land. +To our astonishment about three weeks later they reappeared at Beza Town +with this story. + +They said that they had crossed the lake and found Rica still standing, +but utterly deserted. They then wandered through the country and even +explored the Motombo's cave. There they discovered the remains of the +Motombo, still crouched upon his platform, but nothing more. In one hut +of a distant village, however, they came across an old and dying woman +who informed them with her last breath that the Pongos, frightened by +the iron tubes that vomited death and in obedience to some prophecy, +"had all gone back whence they came in the beginning," taking with them +the recaptured "Holy Flower." She had been left with a supply of food +because she was too weak to travel. So, perhaps, that flower grows +again in some unknown place in Africa, but its worshippers will have to +provide themselves with another god of the forest, another Mother of the +Flower, and another high-priest to fill the office of the late Motombo. + +These Pongo prisoners, having now no home, and not knowing where their +people had gone except that it was "towards the north," asked for +leave to settle among the Mazitu, which was granted them. Their story +confirmed me in my opinion that Pongo-land is not really an island, but +is connected on the further side with the continent by some ridge or +swamp. If we had been obliged to stop much longer among the Mazitu, I +would have satisfied myself as to this matter by going to look. But +that chance never came to me until some years later when, under curious +circumstances, I was again destined to visit this part of Africa. + +To return to my story. On the day following this discussion as to our +departure we all breakfasted very early as there was a great deal to +be done. There was a dense mist that morning such as in these Mazitu +uplands often precedes high, hot wind from the north at this season of +the year, so dense indeed that it was impossible to see for more than +a few yards. I suppose that this mist comes up from the great lake in +certain conditions of the weather. We had just finished our breakfast +and rather languidly, for the thick, sultry air left me unenergetic, I +told one of the Zulus to see that the two donkeys and the white ox which +I had caused to be brought into the town in view of our near departure +and tied up by our huts, were properly fed. Then I went to inspect all +the rifles and ammunition, which Hans had got out to be checked +and overhauled. It was at this moment that I heard a far-away and +unaccustomed sound, and asked Hans what he thought it was. + +"A gun, Baas," he answered anxiously. + +Well might he be anxious, for as we both knew, no one in the +neighbourhood had guns except ourselves, and all ours were accounted +for. It is true that we had promised to give the majority of those we +had taken from the slavers to Bausi when we went away, and that I had +been instructing some of his best soldiers in the use of them, but not +one of these had as yet been left in their possession. + +I stepped to a gate in the fence and ordered the sentry there to run to +Bausi and Babemba and make report and inquiries, also to pray them to +summon all the soldiers, of whom, as it happened, there were at the time +not more than three hundred in the town. As perfect peace prevailed, +the rest, according to their custom, had been allowed to go to their +villages and attend to their crops. Then, possessed by a rather +undefined nervousness, at which the others were inclined to laugh, I +caused the Zulus to arm and generally make a few arrangements to meet +any unforeseen crisis. This done I sat down to reflect what would be the +best course to take if we should happen to be attacked by a large force +in that straggling native town, of which I had often studied all the +strategic possibilities. When I had come to my own conclusion I asked +Hans and Mavovo what they thought, and found that they agreed with me +that the only defensible place was outside the town where the road to +the south gate ran down to a rocky wooded ridge with somewhat steep +flanks. It may be remembered that it was by this road and over this +ridge that Brother John had appeared on his white ox when we were about +to be shot to death with arrows at the posts in the market-place. + +Whilst we were still talking two of the Mazitu captains appeared, +running hard and dragging between them a wounded herdsman, who had +evidently been hit in the arm by a bullet. + +This was his story. That he and two other boys were out herding the +king's cattle about half a mile to the north of the town, when suddenly +there appeared a great number of men dressed in white robes, all of whom +were armed with guns. These men, of whom he thought there must be three +or four hundred, began to take the cattle and seeing the three herds, +fired on them, wounding him and killing his two companions. He then +ran for his life and brought the news. He added that one of the men had +called after him to tell the white people that they had come to kill +them and the Mazitu who were their friends and to take away the white +women. + +"Hassan-ben-Mohammed and his slavers!" I said, as Babemba appeared at +the head of a number of soldiers, crying out: + +"The slave-dealing Arabs are here, lord Macumazana. They have crept +on us through the mist. A herald of theirs has come to the north gate +demanding that we should give up you white people and your servants, +and with you a hundred young men and a hundred young women to be sold as +slaves. If we do not do this they say that they will kill all of us save +the unmarried boys and girls, and that you white people they will take +and put to death by burning, keeping only the two women alive. One +Hassan sends this message." + +"Indeed," I answered quietly, for in this fix I grew quite cool as was +usual with me. "And does Bausi mean to give us up?" + +"How can Bausi give up Dogeetah who is his blood brother, and you, his +friend?" exclaimed the old general, indignantly. "Bausi sends me to +his brother Dogeetah that he may receive the orders of the white man's +wisdom, spoken through your mouth, lord Macumazana." + +"Then there's a good spirit in Bausi," I replied, "and these are +Dogeetah's orders spoken through my mouth. Go to Hassan's messengers and +ask him whether he remembers a certain letter which two white men left +for him outside their camp in a cleft stick. Tell him that the time has +now come for those white men to fulfil the promise they made in that +letter and that before to-morrow he will be hanging on a tree. Then, +Babemba, gather your soldiers and hold the north gate of the town for as +long as you can, defending it with bows and arrows. Afterwards retreat +through the town, joining us among the trees on the rocky slope that is +opposite the south gate. Bid some of your men clear the town of all the +aged and women and children and let them pass though the south gate and +take refuge in the wooded country beyond the slope. Let them not tarry. +Let them go at once. Do you understand?" + +"I understand everything, lord Macumazana. The words of Dogeetah shall +be obeyed. Oh! would that we had listened to you and kept a better +watch!" + +He rushed off, running like a young man and shouting orders as he went. + +"Now," I said, "we must be moving." + +We collected all the rifles and ammunition, with some other things, I +am sure I forget what they were, and with the help of a few guards whom +Babemba had left outside our gate started through the town, leading +with us the two donkeys and the white ox. I remember by an afterthought, +telling Sammy, who was looking very uncomfortable, to return to the huts +and fetch some blankets and a couple of iron cooking-pots which might +become necessities to us. + +"Oh! Mr. Quatermain," he answered, "I will obey you, though with fear +and trembling." + +He went and when a few hours afterwards I noted that he had never +reappeared, I came to the conclusion, with a sigh, for I was very fond +of Sammy in a way, that he had fallen into trouble and been killed. +Probably, I thought, "his fear and trembling" had overcome his reason +and caused him to run in the wrong direction with the cooking-pots. + +The first part of our march through the town was easy enough, but after +we had crossed the market-place and emerged into the narrow way that ran +between many lines of huts to the south gate it became more difficult, +since this path was already crowded with hundreds of terrified +fugitives, old people, sick being carried, little boys, girls, and women +with infants at the breast. It was impossible to control these poor +folk; all we could do was to fight our way through them. However, we got +out at last and climbing the slope, took up the best position we could +on and just beneath its crest where the trees and scattered boulders +gave us very fair cover, which we improved upon in every way feasible in +the time at our disposal, by building little breastworks of stone and so +forth. The fugitives who had accompanied us, and those who followed, a +multitude in all, did not stop here, but flowed on along the road and +vanished into the wooded country behind. + +I suggested to Brother John that he should take his wife and daughter +and the three beasts and go with them. He seemed inclined to accept the +idea, needless to say for their sakes, not for his own, for he was a +very fearless old fellow. But the two ladies utterly refused to budge. +Hope said that she would stop with Stephen, and her mother declared that +she had every confidence in me and preferred to remain where she was. +Then I suggested that Stephen should go too, but at this he grew so +angry that I dropped the subject. + +So in the end we established them in a pleasant little hollow by a +spring just over the crest of the rise, where unless our flank were +turned or we were rushed, they would be out of the reach of bullets. +Moreover, without saying anything more we gave to each of them a +double-barrelled and loaded pistol. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + + THE BATTLE OF THE GATE + +By now heavy firing had begun at the north gate of the town, accompanied +by much shouting. The mist was still too thick to enable us to see +anything at first. But shortly after the commencement of the firing +a strong, hot wind, which always followed these mists, got up and +gradually gathered to a gale, blowing away the vapours. Then from the +top of the crest, Hans, who had climbed a tree there, reported that the +Arabs were advancing on the north gate, firing as they came, and that +the Mazitu were replying with their bows and arrows from behind the +palisade that surrounded the town. This palisade, I should state, +consisted of an earthen bank on the top of which tree trunks were set +close together. Many of these had struck in that fertile soil, so that +in general appearance this protective work resembled a huge live fence, +on the outer and inner side of which grew great masses of prickly pear +and tall, finger-like cacti. A while afterwards Hans reported that the +Mazitu were retreating and a few minutes later they began to arrive +through the south gate, bringing several wounded with them. Their +captain said that they could not stand against the fire of the guns and +had determined to abandon the town and make the best fight they could +upon the ridge. + +A little later the rest of the Mazitu came, driving before them all the +non-combatants who remained in the town. With these was King Bausi, in a +terrible state of excitement. + +"Was I not wise, Macumazana," he shouted, "to fear the slave-traders and +their guns? Now they have come to kill those who are old and to take the +young away in their gangs to sell them." + +"Yes, King," I could not help answering, "you were wise. But if you had +done what I said and kept a better look-out Hassan could not have crept +on you like a leopard on a goat." + +"It is true," he groaned; "but who knows the taste of a fruit till he +has bitten it?" + +Then he went to see to the disposal of his soldiers along the ridge, +placing, by my advice, the most of them at each end of the line +to frustrate any attempt to out-flank us. We, for our part, busied +ourselves in serving out those guns which we had taken in the first +fight with the slavers to the thirty or forty picked men whom I had been +instructing in the use of firearms. If they did not do much damage, at +least, I thought, they could make a noise and impress the enemy with the +idea that we were well armed. + +Ten minutes or so later Babemba arrived with about fifty men, all the +Mazitu soldiers who were left in the town. He reported that he had held +the north gate as long as he could in order to gain time, and that the +Arabs were breaking it in. I begged him to order the soldiers to pile +up stones as a defence against the bullets and to lie down behind them. +This he went to do. + +Then, after a pause, we saw a large body of the Arabs who had effected +an entry, advancing down the central street towards us. Some of them +had spears as well as guns, on which they carried a dozen or so of human +heads cut from the Mazitus who had been killed, waving them aloft and +shouting in triumph. It was a sickening sight, and one that made me +grind my teeth with rage. Also I could not help reflecting that ere long +our heads might be upon those spears. Well, if the worst came to the +worst I was determined that I would not be taken alive to be burned in +a slow fire or pinned over an ant-heap, a point upon which the others +agreed with me, though poor Brother John had scruples as to suicide, +even in despair. + +It was just then that I missed Hans and asked where he had gone. +Somebody said that he thought he had seen him running away, whereon +Mavovo, who was growing excited, called out: + +"Ah! Spotted Snake has sought his hole. Snakes hiss, but they do not +charge." + +"No, but sometimes they bite," I answered, for I could not believe that +Hans had showed the white feather. However, he was gone and clearly we +were in no state to send to look for him. + +Now our hope was that the slavers, flushed with victory, would advance +across the open ground of the market-place, which we could sweep with +our fire from our position on the ridge. This, indeed, they began to do, +whereon, without orders, the Mazitu to whom we had given the guns, to +my fury and dismay, commenced to blaze away at a range of about four +hundred yards, and after a good deal of firing managed to kill or wound +two or three men. Then the Arabs, seeing their danger, retreated and, +after a pause, renewed their advance in two bodies. This time, however, +they followed the streets of huts that were built thickly between the +outer palisade of the town and the market-place, which, as it had been +designed to hold cattle in time of need, was also surrounded with a +wooden fence strong enough to resist the rush of horned beasts. On that +day, I should add, as the Mazitu never dreamed of being attacked, all +their stock were grazing on some distant veldt. In this space between +the two fences were many hundreds of huts, wattle and grass built, but +for the most part roofed with palm leaves, for here, in their separate +quarters, dwelt the great majority of the inhabitants of Beza Town, of +which the northern part was occupied by the king, the nobles and the +captains. This ring of huts, which entirely surrounded the market-place +except at the two gateways, may have been about a hundred and twenty +yards in width. + +Down the paths between these huts, both on the eastern and the western +side, advanced the Arabs and half-breeds, of whom there appeared to +be about four hundred, all armed with guns and doubtless trained to +fighting. It was a terrible force for us to face, seeing that although +we may have had nearly as many men, our guns did not total more +than fifty, and most of those who held them were quite unused to the +management of firearms. + +Soon the Arabs began to open fire on us from behind the huts, and a very +accurate fire it was, as our casualties quickly showed, notwithstanding +the stone _schanzes_ we had constructed. The worst feature of the thing +also was that we could not reply with any effect, as our assailants, who +gradually worked nearer, were effectively screened by the huts, and we +had not enough guns to attempt organised volley firing. Although I tried +to keep a cheerful countenance I confess that I began to fear the worst +and even to wonder if we could possibly attempt to retreat. This idea +was abandoned, however, since the Arabs would certainly overtake and +shoot us down. + +One thing I did. I persuaded Babemba to send about fifty men to build +up the southern gate, which was made of trunks of trees and opened +outwards, with earth and the big stones that lay about in plenty. While +this was being done quickly, for the Mazitu soldiers worked at the task +like demons and, being sheltered by the palisade, could not be shot, all +of a sudden I caught sight of four or five wisps of smoke that arose +in quick succession at the north end of the town and were instantly +followed by as many bursts of flame which leapt towards us in the strong +wind. + +Someone was firing Beza Town! In less than an hour the flames, driven by +the gale through hundreds of huts made dry as tinder by the heat, would +reduce Beza to a heap of ashes. It was inevitable, nothing could save +the place! For an instant I thought that the Arabs must have done +this thing. Then, seeing that new fires continually arose in different +places, I understood that no Arabs, but a friend or friends were at +work, who had conceived the idea of _destroying the Arabs with fire_. + +My mind flew to Sammy. Without doubt Sammy had stayed behind to carry +out this terrible and masterly scheme, of which I am sure none of the +Mazitu would have thought, since it involved the absolute destruction +of their homes and property. Sammy, at whom we had always mocked, was, +after all, a great man, prepared to perish in the flames in order to +save his friends! + +Babemba rushed up, pointing with a spear to the rising fire. Now my +inspiration came. + +"Take all your men," I said, "except those who are armed with guns. +Divide them, encircle the town, guard the north gate, though I think +none can win back through the flames, and if any of the Arabs succeed in +breaking through the palisade, kill them." + +"It shall be done," shouted Babemba, "but oh! for the town of Beza where +I was born! Oh! for the town of Beza!" + +"Drat the town of Beza!" I holloaed after him, or rather its native +equivalent. "It is of all our lives that I'm thinking." + +Three minutes later the Mazitu, divided into two bodies, were running +like hares to encircle the town, and though a few were shot as they +descended the slope, the most of them gained the shelter of the palisade +in safety, and there at intervals halted by sections, for Babemba +managed the matter very well. + +Now only we white people, with the Zulu hunters under Mavovo, of whom +there were twelve in all, and the Mazitu armed with guns, numbering +about thirty, were left upon the slope. + +For a little while the Arabs did not seem to realise what had happened, +but engaged themselves in peppering at the Mazitu, who, I think, they +concluded were in full flight. Presently, however, they either heard or +saw. + +Oh! what a hubbub ensued. All the four hundred of them began to shout +at once. Some of them ran to the palisade and began to climb it, but as +they reached the top of the fence were pinned by the Mazitu arrows and +fell backwards, while a few who got over became entangled in the prickly +pears on the further side and were promptly speared. Giving up this +attempt, they rushed back along the lane with the intention of escaping +at the north-gate. But before ever they reached the head of the +market-place the roaring, wind-swept flames, leaping from hut to hut, +had barred their path. They could not face that awful furnace. + +Now they took another counsel and in a great confused body charged down +the market-place to break out at the south gate, and our turn came. How +we raked them as they sped across the open, an easy mark! I know that +I fired as fast as I could using two rifles, swearing the while at Hans +because he was not there to load for me. Stephen was better off in this +respect, for, looking round, to my astonishment I saw Hope, who had +left her mother on the other side of the hill, in the act of capping his +second gun. I should explain that during our stay in Beza Town we had +taught her how to use a rifle. + +I called to him to send her away, but again she would not go, even after +a bullet had pierced her dress. + +Still, all our shooting could not stop that rush of men, made desperate +by the fear of a fiery death. Leaving many stretched out behind them, +the first of the Arabs drew near to the south gate. + +"My father," said Mavovo in my ear, "now the real fighting is going to +begin. The gate will soon be down. _We_ must be the gate." + +I nodded, for if the Arabs once got through, there were enough of them +left to wipe us out five times over. Indeed, I do not suppose that up +to this time they had actually lost more than forty men. A few words +explained the situation to Stephen and Brother John, whom I told to +take his daughter to her mother and wait there with them. The Mazitu I +ordered to throw down their guns, for if they kept these I was sure they +would shoot some of us, and to accompany us, bringing their spears only. + +Then we rushed down the slope and took up our position in a little open +space in front of the gate, that now was tottering to its fall beneath +the blows and draggings of the Arabs. At this time the sight was +terrible and magnificent, for the flames had got hold of the two +half-circles of huts that embraced the market-place, and, fanned by +the blast, were rushing towards us like a thing alive. Above us swept +a great pall of smoke in which floated flakes of fire, so thick that it +hid the sky, though fortunately the wind did not suffer it to sink +and choke us. The sounds also were almost inconceivable, for to the +crackling roar of the conflagration as it devoured hut after hut, were +added the coarse, yelling voices of the half-bred Arabs, as in mingled +rage and terror they tore at the gateway or each other, and the reports +of the guns which many of them were still firing, half at hazard. + +We formed up before the gate, the Zulus with Stephen and myself in front +and the thirty picked Mazitu, commanded by no less a person than Bausi, +the king, behind. We had not long to wait, for presently down the thing +came and over it and the mound of earth and stones we had built beyond, +began to pour a mob of white-robed and turbaned men whose mixed and +tumultuous exit somehow reminded me of the pips and pulp being squeezed +out of a grenadilla fruit. + +I gave the word, and we fired into that packed mass with terrible +effect. Really I think that each bullet must have brought down two or +three of them. Then, at a command from Mavovo, the Zulus threw down +their guns and charged with their broad spears. Stephen, who had got +hold of an assegai somehow, went with them, firing a Colt's revolver as +he ran, while at their backs came Bausi and his thirty tall Mazitu. + +I will confess at once that I did not join in this terrific onslaught. I +felt that I had not weight enough for a scrimmage of the sort, also that +I should perhaps be better employed using my wits outside and watching +for a chance to be of service, like a half-back in a football field, +than in getting my brains knocked out in a general row. Or mayhap my +heart failed me and I was afraid. I dare say, for I have never pretended +to great courage. At any rate, I stopped outside and shot whenever I got +the chance, not without effect, filling a humble but perhaps a useful +part. + +It was really magnificent, that fray. How those Zulus did go in. For +quite a long while they held the narrow gateway and the mound against +all the howling, thrusting mob, much as the Roman called Horatius and +his two friends held the entrance to some bridge or other long ago at +Rome against a great force of I forget whom. They shouted their Zulu +battle-cry of _Laba! Laba!_ that of their regiment, I suppose, for +most of them were men of about the same age, and stabbed and fought and +struggled and went down one by one. + +Back the rest of them were swept; then, led by Mavovo, Stephen and +Bausi, charged again, reinforced with the thirty Mazitu. Now the tongues +of flame met almost over them, the growing fence of prickly pear and +cacti withered and crackled, and still they fought on beneath that arch +of fire. + +Back they were driven again by the mere weight of numbers. I saw Mavovo +stab a man and go down. He rose and stabbed another, then fell again for +he was hard hit. + +Two Arabs rushed to kill him. I shot them both with a right and left, +for fortunately my rifle was just reloaded. He rose once more and killed +a third man. Stephen came to his support and grappling with an Arab, +dashed his head against the gate-post so that he fell. Old Bausi, +panting like a grampus, plunged in with his remaining Mazitu and the +combatants became so confused in the dark gloom of the overhanging smoke +that I could scarcely tell one from the other. Yet the maddened Arabs +were winning, as they must, for how could our small and ever-lessening +company stand against their rush? + +We were in a little circle now of which somehow I found myself the +centre, and they were attacking us on all sides. Stephen got a knock +on the head from the butt end of a gun, and tumbled against me, nearly +upsetting me. As I recovered myself I looked round in despair. + +Now it was that I saw a very welcome sight, namely Hans, yes, the lost +Hans himself, with his filthy hat whereof I noticed even then the frayed +ostrich feathers were smouldering, hanging by a leather strap at the +back of his head. He was shambling along in a sly and silent sort +of way, but at a great rate with his mouth open, beckoning over his +shoulder, and behind him came about one hundred and fifty Mazitu. + +Those Mazitu soon put another complexion upon the affair, for charging +with a roar, they drove back the Arabs, who had no space to develop +their line, straight into the jaws of that burning hell. A little later +the rest of the Mazitu returned with Babemba and finished the job. Only +quite a few of the Arabs got out and were captured after they had thrown +down their guns. The rest retreated into the centre of the market-place, +whither our people followed them. In this crisis the blood of these +Mazitu told, and they stuck to the enemy as Zulus themselves would +certainly have done. + +It was over! Great Heaven! it was over, and we began to count +our losses. Four of the Zulus were dead and two others were badly +wounded--no, three, including Mavovo. They brought him to me leaning on +the shoulder of Babemba and another Mazitu captain. He was a shocking +sight, for he was shot in three places, and badly cut and battered as +well. He looked at me a little while, breathing heavily, then spoke. + +"It was a very good fight, my father," he said. "Of all that I have +fought I can remember none better, although I have been in far greater +battles, which is well as it is my last. I foreknew it, my father, for +though I never told it you, the first death lot that I drew down yonder +in Durban was my own. Take back the gun you gave me, my father. You did +but lend it me for a little while, as I said to you. Now I go to the +Underworld to join the spirits of my ancestors and of those who have +fallen at my side in many wars, and of those women who bore my children. +I shall have a tale to tell them there, my father, and together we will +wait for you--till you, too, die in war!" + +Then he lifted up his arm from the neck of Babemba, and saluted me with +a loud cry of _Baba! Inkosi!_ giving me certain great titles which I +will not set down, and having done so sank to the earth. + +I sent one of the Mazitu to fetch Brother John, who arrived presently +with his wife and daughter. He examined Mavovo and told him straight out +that nothing could help him except prayer. + +"Make no prayers for me, Dogeetah," said the old heathen; "I have +followed my star," (i.e. lived according to my lights) "and am ready to +eat the fruit that I have planted. Or if the tree prove barren, then to +drink of its sap and sleep." + +Waving Brother John aside he beckoned to Stephen. + +"O Wazela!" he said, "you fought very well in that fight; if you go on +as you have begun in time you will make a warrior of whom the Daughter +of the Flower and her children will sing songs after you have come to +join me, your friend. Meanwhile, farewell! Take this assegai of mine and +clean it not, that the red rust thereon may put you in mind of Mavovo, +the old Zulu doctor and captain with whom you stood side by side in the +Battle of the Gate, when, as though they were winter grass, the fire +burnt up the white-robed thieves of men who could not pass our spears." + +Then he waved his hand again, and Stephen stepped aside muttering +something, for he and Mavovo had been very intimate and his voice choked +in his throat with grief. Now the old Zulu's glazing eye fell upon Hans, +who was sneaking about, I think with a view of finding an opportunity of +bidding him a last good-bye. + +"Ah! Spotted Snake," he cried, "so you have come out of your hole now +that the fire has passed it, to eat the burnt frogs in the cinders. It +is a pity that you who are so clever should be a coward, since our lord +Macumazana needed one to load for him on the hill and would have killed +more of the hyenas had you been there." + +"Yes, Spotted Snake, it is so," echoed an indignant chorus of the other +Zulus, while Stephen and I and even the mild Brother John looked at him +reproachfully. + +Now Hans, who generally was as patient under affront as a Jew, for once +lost his temper. He dashed his hat upon the ground, and danced on it; he +spat towards the surviving Zulu hunters; he even vituperated the dying +Mavovo. + +"O son of a fool!" he said, "you pretend that you can see what is hid +from other men, but I tell you that there is a lying spirit in your +lips. You called me a coward because I am not big and strong as you +were, and cannot hold an ox by the horns, but at least there is more +brain in my stomach than in all your head. Where would all of you be now +had it not been for poor Spotted Snake the 'coward,' who twice this day +has saved every one of you, except those whom the Baas's father, the +reverend Predikant, has marked upon the forehead to come and join him in +a place that is even hotter and brighter than that burning town?" + +Now we looked at Hans, wondering what he meant about saving us twice, +and Mavovo said: + +"Speak on quickly, O Spotted Snake, for I would hear the end of your +story. How did you help us in your hole?" + +Hans began to grub about in his pockets, from which finally he produced +a match-box wherein there remained but one match. + +"With this," he said. "Oh! could none of you see that the men of +Hassan had all walked into a trap? Did none of you know that fire burns +thatched houses, and that a strong wind drives it fast and far? While +you sat there upon the hill with your heads together, like sheep waiting +to be killed, I crept away among the bushes and went about my business. +I said nothing to any of you, not even to the Baas, lest he should +answer me, 'No, Hans, there may be an old woman sick in one of those +huts and therefore you must not fire them.' In such matters who does +not know that white people are fools, even the best of them, and in fact +there were several old women, for I saw them running for the gateway. +Well, I crept up by the green fence which I knew would not burn and I +came to the north gate. There was an Arab sentry left there to watch. + +"He fired at me, look! Well for Hans his mother bore him short"; and he +pointed to a hole in the filthy hat. "Then before that Arab could load +again, poor coward Hans got his knife into him from behind. Look!" and +he produced a big blade, which was such as butchers use, from his belt +and showed it to us. "After that it was easy, since fire is a wonderful +thing. You make it small and it grows big of itself, like a child, and +never gets tired, and is always hungry, and runs fast as a horse. I lit +six of them where they would burn quickest. Then I saved the last match, +since we have few left, and came through the gate before the fire ate me +up; me, its father, me the Sower of the Red Seed!" + +We stared at the old Hottentot in admiration, even Mavovo lifted his +dying head and stared. But Hans, whose annoyance had now evaporated, +went on in a jog-trot mechanical voice: + +"As I was returning to find the Baas, if he still lived, the heat of the +fire forced me to the high ground to the west of the fence, so that I +saw what was happening at the south gate, and that the Arab men must +break through there because you who held it were so few. So I ran down +to Babemba and the other captains very quickly, telling them there was +no need to guard the fence any more, and that they must get to the south +gate and help you, since otherwise you would all be killed, and they, +too, would be killed afterwards. Babemba listened to me and started +sending out messengers to collect the others and we got here just in +time. Such is the hole I hid in during the Battle of the Gate, O Mavovo. +That is all the story which I pray that you will tell to the Baas's +reverend father, the Predikant, presently, for I am sure that it will +please him to learn that he did not teach me to be wise and help all +men and always to look after the Baas Allan, to no purpose. Still, I am +sorry that I wasted so many matches, for where shall we get any more now +that the camp is burnt?" and he gazed ruefully at the all but empty box. + +Mavovo spoke once more in a slow, gasping voice. + +"Never again," he said, addressing Hans, "shall you be called Spotted +Snake, O little yellow man who are so great and white of heart. Behold! +I give you a new name, by which you shall be known with honour from +generation to generation. It is 'Light in Darkness.' It is 'Lord of the +Fire.'" + +Then he closed his eyes and fell back insensible. Within a few minutes +he was dead. But those high names with which he christened Hans with his +dying breath, clung to the old Hottentot for all his days. Indeed from +that day forward no native would ever have ventured to call him by any +other. Among them, far and wide, they became his titles of honour. + +The roar of the flames grew less and the tumult within their fiery +circle died away. For now the Mazitu were returning from the last fight +in the market-place, if fight it could be called, bearing in their arms +great bundles of the guns which they had collected from the dead Arabs, +most of whom had thrown down their weapons in a last wild effort to +escape. But between the spears of the infuriated savages on the one hand +and the devouring fire on the other what escape was there for them? +The blood-stained wretches who remained in the camps and towns of the +slave-traders, along the eastern coast of Africa, or in the Isle of +Madagascar, alone could tell how many were lost, since of those who went +out from them to make war upon the Mazitu and their white friends, none +returned again with the long lines of expected captives. They had gone +to their own place, of which sometimes that flaming African city has +seemed to me a symbol. They were wicked men indeed, devils stalking the +earth in human form, without pity, without shame. Yet I could not help +feeling sorry for them at the last, for truly their end was awful. + +They brought the prisoners up to us, and among them, his white +robe half-burnt off him, I recognised the hideous pock-marked +Hassan-ben-Mohammed. + +"I received your letter, written a while ago, in which you promised +to make us die by fire, and, this morning, I received your message, +Hassan," I said, "brought by the wounded lad who escaped from you when +you murdered his companions, and to both I sent you an answer. If none +reached you, look around, for there is one written large in a tongue +that all can read." + +The monster, for he was no less, flung himself upon the ground, praying +for mercy. Indeed, seeing Mrs. Eversley, he crawled to her and catching +hold of her white robe, begged her to intercede for him. + +"You made a slave of me after I had nursed you in the spotted sickness," +she answered, "and tried to kill my husband for no fault. Through you, +Hassan, I have spent all the best years of my life among savages, alone +and in despair. Still, for my part, I forgive you, but oh! may I never +see your face again." + +Then she wrenched herself free from his grasp and went away with her +daughter. + +"I, too, forgive you, although you murdered my people and for twenty +years made my time a torment," said Brother John, who was one of the +truest Christians I have ever known. "May God forgive you also"; and he +followed his wife and daughter. + +Then the old king, Bausi, who had come through that battle with a slight +wound, spoke, saying: + +"I am glad, Red Thief, that these white people have granted you what +you asked--namely, their forgiveness--since the deed is greatly to their +honour and causes me and my people to think them even nobler than we did +before. But, O murderer of men and woman and trafficker in children, I +am judge here, not the white people. Look on your work!" and he pointed +first to the lines of Zulu and Mazitu dead, and then to his burning +town. "Look and remember the fate you promised to us who have never +harmed you. Look! Look! Look! O Hyena of a man!" + +At this point I too went away, nor did I ever ask what became of Hassan +and his fellow-captives. Moreover, whenever any of the natives or Hans +tried to inform me, I bade them hold their tongues. + + + + EPILOGUE + +I have little more to add to this record, which I fear has grown into +quite a long book. Or, at any rate, although the setting of it down has +amused me during the afternoons and evenings of this endless English +winter, now that the spring is come again I seem to have grown weary of +writing. Therefore I shall leave what remains untold to the imagination +of anyone who chances to read these pages. + + + +We were victorious, and had indeed much cause for gratitude who still +lived to look upon the sun. Yet the night that followed the Battle of +the Gate was a sad one, at least for me, who felt the death of my friend +the foresighted hero, Mavovo, of the bombastic but faithful Sammy, and +of my brave hunters more than I can say. Also the old Zulu's prophecy +concerning me, that I too should die in battle, weighed upon me, who +seemed to have seen enough of such ends in recent days and to desire one +more tranquil. + +Living here in peaceful England as I do now, with no present prospect +of leaving it, it does not appear likely that it will be fulfilled. Yet, +after my experience of the divining powers of Mavovo's "Snake"--well, +those words of his make me feel uncomfortable. For when all is said +and done, who can know the future? Moreover, it is the improbable that +generally happens[*] + +[*] As the readers of "Allan Quatermain" will be aware, this prophecy +of the dying Zulu was fulfilled. Mr. Quatermain died at Zuvendis as a +result of the wound he received in the battle between the armies of the +rival Queens.--Editor. + +Further, the climatic conditions were not conducive to cheerfulness, for +shortly after sunset it began to rain and poured for most of the night, +which, as we had little shelter, was inconvenient both to us and to all +the hundreds of the homeless Mazitu. + +However, the rain ceased in due time, and on the following morning +the welcome sun shone out of a clear sky. When we had dried and warmed +ourselves a little in its rays, someone suggested that we should visit +the burned-out town where, except for some smouldering heaps that +had been huts, the fire was extinguished by the heavy rain. More from +curiosity than for any other reason I consented and accompanied by +Bausi, Babemba and many of the Mazitu, all of us, except Brother John, +who remained behind to attend to the wounded, climbed over the debris +of the south gate and walked through the black ruins of the huts, across +the market-place that was strewn with dead, to what had been our own +quarters. + +These were a melancholy sight, a mere heap of sodden and still smoking +ashes. I could have wept when I looked at them, thinking of all the +trade goods and stores that were consumed beneath, necessities for the +most part, the destruction of which must make our return journey one of +great hardship. + +Well, there was nothing to be said or done, so after a few minutes of +contemplation we turned to continue our walk through what had been the +royal quarters to the north gate. Hans, who, I noted, had been ferreting +about in his furtive way as though he were looking for something, and I +were the last to leave. Suddenly he laid his hand upon my arm and said: + +"Baas, listen! I hear a ghost. I think it is the ghost of Sammy asking +us to bury him." + +"Bosh!" I answered, and then listened as hard as I could. + +Now I also seemed to hear something coming from I knew not where, words +which were frequently repeated and which seemed to be: + +"_O Mr. Quatermain, I beg you to be so good as to open the door of this +oven._" + +For a while I thought I must be cracked. However, I called back the +others and we all listened. Of a sudden Hans made a pounce, like a +terrier does at the run of a mole that he hears working underground, and +began to drag, or rather to shovel, at a heap of ashes in front of us, +using a bit of wood as they were still too hot for his hands. Then we +listened again and this time heard the voice quite clearly coming from +the ground. + +"Baas," said Hans, "it is Sammy in the corn-pit!" + +Now I remembered that such a pit existed in front of the huts which, +although empty at the time, was, as is common among the Bantu natives, +used to preserve corn that would not immediately be needed. Once I +myself went through a very tragic experience in one of these pits, +as any who may read the history of my first wife, that I have called +_Marie_, can see for themselves. + +Soon we cleared the place and had lifted the stone, with ventilating +holes in it--well was it for Sammy that those ventilating holes existed; +also that the stone did not fit tight. Beneath was a bottle-shaped and +cemented structure about ten feet deep by, say, eight wide. Instantly +through the mouth of this structure appeared the head of Sammy with his +mouth wide open like that of a fish gasping for air. We pulled him out, +a process that caused him to howl, for the heat had made his skin +very tender, and gave him water which one of the Mazitu fetched from +a spring. Then I asked him indignantly what he was doing in that hole, +while we wasted our tears, thinking that he was dead. + +"Oh! Mr. Quatermain," he said, "I am a victim of too faithful service. +To abandon all these valuable possessions of yours to a rapacious enemy +was more than I could bear. So I put every one of them in the pit, and +then, as I thought I heard someone coming, got in myself and pulled down +the stone. But, Mr. Quatermain, soon afterwards the enemy added arson to +murder and pillage, and the whole place began to blaze. I could hear the +fire roaring above and a little later the ashes covered the exit so that +I could no longer lift the stone, which indeed grew too hot to touch. +Here, then, I sat all night in the most suffocating heat, very much +afraid, Mr. Quatermain, lest the two kegs of gunpowder that were with me +should explode, till at last, just as I had abandoned hope and prepared +to die like a tortoise baked alive by a bushman, I heard your welcome +voice. And Mr. Quatermain, if there is any soothing ointment to spare, I +shall be much obliged, for I am scorched all over." + +"Ah! Sammy, Sammy," I said, "you see what comes of cowardice? On the +hill with us you would not have been scorched, and it is only by the +merest chance of owing to Hans's quick hearing that you were not left to +perish miserably in that hole." + +"That is so, Mr. Quatermain. I plead guilty to the hot impeachment. But +on the hill I might have been shot, which is worse than being scorched. +Also you gave me charge of your goods and I determined to preserve them +even at the risk of personal comfort. Lastly, the angel who watches me +brought you here in time before I was quite cooked through. So all's +well that ends well, Mr. Quatermain, though it is true that for my +part I have had enough of bloody war, and if I live to regain civilized +regions I propose henceforth to follow the art of food-dressing in the +safe kitchen of an hotel; that is, if I cannot obtain a berth as an +instructor in the English tongue!" + +"Yes," I answered, "all's well that ends well, Sammy my boy, and at any +rate you have saved the stores, for which we should be thankful to you. +So go along with Mr. Stephen and get doctored while we haul them out of +that grain-pit." + +Three days later we bid farewell to old Bausi, who almost wept at +parting with us, and the Mazitu, who were already engaged in the +re-building of their town. Mavovo and the other Zulus who died in the +Battle of the Gate, we buried on the ridge opposite to it, raising +a mound of earth over them that thereby they might be remembered in +generations to come, and laying around them the Mazitu who had fallen +in the fight. As we passed that mound on our homeward journey, the +Zulus who remained alive, including two wounded men who were carried +in litters, stopped and saluted solemnly, praising the dead with loud +songs. We white people too saluted, but in silence, by raising our hats. + +By the way, I should add that in this matter also Mavovo's "Snake" did +not lie. He had said that six of his company would be killed upon our +expedition, and six were killed, neither more nor less. + +After much consulting we determined to take the overland route back +to Natal, first because it was always possible that the slave-trading +fraternity, hearing of their terrible losses, might try to attack us +again on the coast, and secondly for the reason that even if they did +not, months or perhaps years might pass before we found a ship at Kilwa, +then a port of ill repute, to carry us to any civilized place. Moreover, +Brother John, who had travelled it, knew the inland road well and had +established friendly relations with the tribes through whose country we +must pass, till we reached the brothers of Zululand, where I was always +welcome. So as the Mazitu furnished us with an escort and plenty +of bearers for the first part of the road and, thanks to Sammy's +stewardship in the corn-pit, we had ample trade goods left to hire +others later on, we made up our minds to risk the longer journey. + +As it turned out this was a wise conclusion, since although it took +four weary months, in the end we accomplished it without any accident +whatsoever, if I except a slight attack of fever from which both Miss +Hope and I suffered for a while. Also we got some good shooting on the +road. My only regret was that this change of plan obliged us to abandon +the tusks of ivory we had captured from the slavers and buried where we +alone could find them. + +Still, it was a dull time for me, who, for obvious reasons, of which I +have already spoken, was literally a fifth wheel to the coach. Hans was +an excellent fellow, and, as the reader knows, quite a genius in his +own way, but night after night in Hans's society began to pall on me at +last, while even his conversation about my "reverend father," who seemed +positively to haunt him, acquired a certain sameness. Of course, we +had other subjects in common, especially those connected with Retief's +massacre, whereof we were the only two survivors, but of these I seldom +cared to speak. They were and still remain too painful. + +Therefore, for my part I was thankful when at last, in Zululand, we fell +in with some traders whom I knew, who hired us one of their wagons. In +this vehicle, abandoning the worn-out donkeys and the white ox, which +we presented to a chief of my acquaintance, Brother John and the ladies +proceeded to Durban, Stephen attending them on a horse that we had +bought, while I, with Hans, attached myself to the traders. + +At Durban a surprise awaited us since, as we trekked into the town, +which at that time was still a small place, whom should we meet but Sir +Alexander Somers, who, hearing that wagons were coming from Zululand, +had ridden out in the hope of obtaining news of us. It seemed that the +choleric old gentleman's anxiety concerning his son had so weighed on +his mind that at length he made up his mind to proceed to Africa to hunt +for him. So there he was. The meeting between the two was affectionate +but peculiar. + +"Hullo, dad!" said Stephen. "Whoever would have thought of seeing you +here?" + +"Hullo, Stephen," said his father. "Whoever would have expected to find +you alive and looking well--yes, very well? It is more than you deserve, +you young ass, and I hope you won't do it again." + +Having delivered himself thus, the old boy seized Stephen by the hair +and solemnly kissed him on the brow. + +"No, dad," answered his son, "I don't mean to do it again, but thanks +to Allan there we've come through all right. And, by the way, let me +introduce you to the lady I am going to marry, also to her father and +mother." + +Well, all the rest may be imagined. They were married a fortnight later +in Durban and a very pleasant affair it was, since Sir Alexander, who +by the way, treated me most handsomely from a business point of +view, literally entertained the whole town on that festive occasion. +Immediately afterwards Stephen, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Eversley +and his father, took his wife home "to be educated," though what that +process consisted of I never heard. Hans and I saw them off at the Point +and our parting was rather sad, although Hans went back the richer +by the L500 which Stephen had promised him. He bought a farm with the +money, and on the strength of his exploits, established himself as a +kind of little chief. Of whom more later--as they say in the pedigree +books. + +Sammy, too, was set up as the proprietor of a small hotel, where +he spent most of his time in the bar dilating to the customers in +magnificent sentences that reminded me of the style of a poem called +"The Essay on Man" (which I once tried to read and couldn't), about +his feats as a warrior among the wild Mazitu and the man-eating, +devil-worshipping Pongo tribes. + +Two years or less afterwards I received a letter, from which I must +quote a passage: + + + "As I told you, my father has given a living which he owns to Mr. + Eversley, a pretty little place where there isn't much for a + parson to do. I think it rather bores my respected parents-in-law. + At any rate, 'Dogeetah' spends a lot of his time wandering about + the New Forest, which is near by, with a butterfly-net and trying + to imagine that he is back in Africa. The 'Mother of the Flower' + (who, after a long course of boot-kissing mutes, doesn't get on + with English servants) has another amusement. There is a small + lake in the Rectory grounds in which is a little island. Here she + has put up a reed fence round a laurustinus bush which flowers at + the same time of year as did the Holy Flower, and within this reed + fence she sits whenever the weather will allow, as I believe going + through 'the rites of the Flower.' At least when I called upon her + there one day, in a boat, I found her wearing a white robe and + singing some mystical native song." + + +Many years have gone by since then. Both Brother John and his wife have +departed to their rest and their strange story, the strangest almost of +all stories, is practically forgotten. Stephen, whose father has also +departed, is a prosperous baronet and rather heavy member of Parliament +and magistrate, the father of many fine children, for the Miss Hope +of old days has proved as fruitful as a daughter of the Goddess of +Fertility, for that was the "Mother's" real office, ought to be. + +"Sometimes," she said to me one day with a laugh, as she surveyed a +large (and noisy) selection of her numerous offspring, "sometimes, O +Allan"--she still retains that trick of speech--"I wish that I were back +in the peace of the Home of the Flower. Ah!" she added with something of +a thrill in her voice, "never can I forget the blue of the sacred lake +or the sight of those skies at dawn. Do you think that I shall see them +again when I die, O Allan?" + +At the time I thought it rather ungrateful of her to speak thus, but +after all human nature is a queer thing and we are all of us attached to +the scenes of our childhood and long at times again to breathe our natal +air. + +I went to see Sir Stephen the other day, and in his splendid greenhouses +the head gardener, Woodden, an old man now, showed me three noble, +long-leaved plants which sprang from the seed of the Holy Flower that I +had saved in my pocket. + +But they have not yet bloomed. + +Somehow I wonder what will happen when they do. It seems to me as though +when once more the glory of that golden bloom is seen of the eyes of +men, the ghosts of the terrible god of the Forest, of the hellish and +mysterious Motombo, and perhaps of the Mother of the Flower herself, +will be there to do it reverence. If so, what gifts will they bring to +those who stole and reared the sacred seed? + + + +P.S.--I shall know ere long, for just as I laid down my pen a triumphant +epistle from Stephen was handed to me in which he writes excitedly that +at length two of the three plants are _showing for flower_. + + Allan Quatermain. + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Allan and the Holy Flower, by H. 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