`White is their colour.'

`Slay not,' was the reply. `Four suns since was the word brought to me from "She-who-must-be-obeyed," "White men come; if white men come, slay them not." Let them be brought to the land of "She-who-must-be- obeyed." Bring forth the men, and let that which they have with them be brought forth also.'

`Come,' said the man, half leading and half dragging me from the boat, and as he did so I perceived other men doing the same kind office to my companions.

On the bank were gathered a company of some fifty men. In that light all I could make out was that they were armed with huge spears, were very tall, and strongly built, comparatively light in colour, and nude, save for a leopard-skin tied round the middle.

Presently Leo and Job were bundled out and placed beside me.

`What on earth is up?' said Leo, rubbing his eyes.

`Oh, Lord! sir, here's a rum go,' ejaculated Job; and just at that moment a disturbance ensued, and Mahomed came tumbling between us, followed by a shadowy form with an uplifted spear.

`Allah! Allah!' howled Mahomed, feeling that he had little to hope from man, `protect me! protect me!'

`Father, it is a black one,' said a voice. `What said "She-who-must-be-obeyed" about the black one?'

`She said naught; but slay him not. Come hither, my son.'

The man advanced, and the tall shadowy form bent forward and whispered something.

`Yes, yes,' said the other, and chuckled in a rather blood-curdling tone.

`Are the three white men there?' asked the form.

`Yes, they are there.'

`Then bring up that which is made ready for them, and let the men take all that can be brought from the thing which floats.'

Hardly had he spoken when men came running up, carrying on their shoulders neither more nor less than palanquins -- four bearers and two spare men to a palanquin -- and in these it was promptly indicated we were expected to stow ourselves.

`Well!' said Leo, `it is a blessing to find anybody to carry us after having to carry ourselves so long.'

Leo always takes a cheerful view of things.

There being no help for it, after seeing the others into theirs I tumbled into my own litter, and very comfortable I found it. It appeared to be manufactured of cloth woven from grass-fibre, which stretched and yielded to every motion after the body, and, being bound top and bottom to the bearing pole, gave a grateful support to the head and neck.

Scarcely had I settled myself when, accompanying their steps with a monotonous song, the bearers started at a swinging trot. For half an hour or so I lay still, reflecting on the very remarkable experiences that we were going through, and wondering if any of my eminently respectable fossil friends down at Cambridge would believe me if I were to be miraculously set at the familiar dinner-table for the purpose of relating them. I don't want to convey any disrespectful notion or slight when I call those good and learned men fossils, but my experience is that people are apt to fossilise even at a University if they


  By PanEris using Melati.

Previous chapter/page Back Home Email this Search Discuss Bookmark Next chapter/page
Copyright: All texts on Bibliomania are © Bibliomania.com Ltd, and may not be reproduced in any form without our written permission. See our FAQ for more details.