the ivory child-第21章

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escort　might　be　necessary；　to　meet　us　on　the　banks　of　that　river　at　a

spot　which　was　known　to　both　of　us。　These　words　the　messengers

promised　to　deliver　for　a　fee　of　five　head　of　cattle　apiece；　to　be

paid　on　their　return；　or　to　their　families　if　they　died　on　the　road；

which　cattle　we　purchased　and　left　in　charge　of　a　chief；　who　was　their

kinsman。　As　it　happened　two　of　the　poor　fellows　did　die；　one　of　them

of　cold　in　a　swamp　through　which　they　took　a　short　cut；　and　the　other

at　the　teeth　of　a　hungry　lion。　The　third；　however；　won　through　and

delivered　the　message。



After　resting　for　a　fortnight　in　the　northern　parts　of　Zululand；　to

give　time　to　our　wayworn　oxen　to　get　some　flesh　on　their　bones　in　the

warm　bushveld　where　grass　was　plentiful　even　in　the　dry　season；　we

trekked　forward　by　a　route　known　to　Hans　and　myself。　Indeed　it　was　the

same　which　we　had　followed　on　our　journey　from　Mazituland　after　our

expedition　in　search　for　the　Holy　Flower。



We　took　with　us　a　small　army　of　Zulu　bearers。　This；　although　they　were

difficult　to　feed　in　a　country　where　no　corn　could　be　bought；　proved

fortunate　in　the　end；　since　so　many　of　our　cattle　died　from　tsetse

bite　that　we　were　obliged　to　abandon　one　of　the　wagons；　which　meant

that　the　goods　it　contained　must　be　carried　by　men。　At　length　we

reached　the　banks　of　the　river；　and　camped　there　one　night　by　three

tall　peaks　of　rock　which　the　natives　called　〃The　Three　Doctors；〃　where

I　had　instructed　the　messengers　to　tell　the　Mazitu　to　meet　us。　For

four　days　we　remained　here；　since　rains　in　the　interior　had　made　the

river　quite　impassable。　Every　morning　I　climbed　the　tallest　of　the

〃Doctors〃　and　with　my　glasses　looked　over　its　broad　yellow　flood；

searching　the　wide；　bush…clad　land　beyond　in　the　hope　of　discovering

the　Mazitu　advancing　to　meet　us。　Not　a　man　was　to　be　seen；　however；

and　on　the　fourth　evening；　as　the　river　had　now　become　fordable；　we

determined　that　we　would　cross　on　the　morrow；　leaving　the　remaining

wagon；　which　it　was　impossible　to　drag　over　its　rocky　bottom；　to　be

taken　back　to　Natal　by　our　drivers。



Here　a　difficulty　arose。　No　promise　of　reward　would　induce　any　of　our

Zulu　bearers　even　to　wet　their　feet　in　the　waters　of　this　River　Luba；

which　for　some　reason　that　I　could　not　extract　from　them　they　declared

to　be　/tagati/；　that　is；　bewitched；　to　people　of　their　blood。　When　I

pointed　out　that　three　Zulus　had　already　undertaken　to　cross　it；　they

answered　that　those　men　were　half…breeds；　so　that　for　them　it　was　only

half　bewitched；　but　they　thought　that　even　so　one　or　more　of　them

would　pay　the　penalty　of　death　for　this　rash　crime。



It　chanced　that　this　happened；　for；　as　I　have　said；　two　of　the　poor

fellows　did　die；　though　not；　I　think；　owing　to　the　magical　properties

of　the　waters　of　the　Luba。　This　is　how　African　superstitions　are　kept

alive。　Sooner　or　later　some　saying　of　the　sort　fulfils　itself　and　then

the　instance　is　remembered　and　handed　down　for　generations；　while

other　instances　in　which　nothing　out　of　the　common　has　occurred　are

not　heeded；　or　are　forgotten。



This　decision　on　the　part　of　those　stupid　Zulus　put　us　in　an　awkward


fix；　since　it　was　impossible　for　us　to　carry　over　all　our　baggage　and

ammunition　without　help。　Therefore　glad　was　I　when　before　dawn　on　the

fifth　morning　the　nocturnal　Hans　crept　into　the　wagon；　in　the　after

part　of　which　Ragnall　and　I　were　sleeping；　and　informed　us　that　he

heard　men's　voices　on　the　farther　side　of　the　river；　though　how　he

could　hear　anything　above　that　roar　of　water　passed　my　comprehension。



At　the　first　break　of　dawn　again　we　climbed　the　tallest　of　the

〃Doctor〃　rocks　and　stared　into　the　mist。　At　length　it　rolled　away　and

there　on　the　farther　side　of　the　river　I　saw　quite　a　hundred　men　who

by　their　dress　and　spears　I　knew　to　be　Mazitu。　They　saw　me　also　and

raising　a　cheer；　dashed　into　the　water；　groups　of　them　holding　each

other　round　the　middle　to　prevent　their　being　swept　away。　Thereupon

our　silly　Zulus　seized　their　spears　and　formed　up　upon　the　bank。　I

slid　down　the　steep　side　of　the　〃Great　Doctor〃　and　ran　forward；

calling　out　that　these　were　friends　who　came。



〃Friends　or　foes；〃　answered　their　captain　sullenly；　〃it　is　a　pity　that

we　should　walk　so　far　and　not　have　a　fight　with　those　Mazitu　dogs。〃



Well；　I　drove　them　off　to　a　distance；　not　knowing　what　might　happen　if

the　two　peoples　met；　and　then　went　down　to　the　bank。　By　now　the　Mazitu

were　near；　and　to　my　delight　at　the　head　of　them　I　perceived　no　other

than　my　old　friend；　their　chief　general；　Babemba；　a　one…eyed　man　with

whom　Hans　and　I　had　shared　many　adventures。　Through　the　water　he

plunged　with　great　bounds　and　reaching　the　shore；　greeted　me　literally

with　rapture。



〃O　Macumazana；〃　he　said；　〃little　did　I　hope　that　ever　again　I　should

look　upon　your　face。　Welcome　to　you；　a　thousand　welcomes；　and　to　you

too；　Light…in…Darkness；　Lord…of…the…Fire；　Cunning…one　whose　wit　saved

us　in　the　battle　of　the　Gate。　But　where　is　Dogeetah；　where　is　Wazeela；

and　where　are　the　Mother　and　the　Child　of　the　Flower？〃



〃Far　away　across　the　Black　Water；　Babemba；〃　I　answered。　〃But　here　are

two　others　in　place　of　them；〃　and　I　introduced　him　to　Ragnall　and

Savage　by　their　native　names　of　Igeza　and　Bena。



He　contemplated　them　for　a　moment；　then　said：



〃This；〃　pointing　to　Ragnall；　〃is　a　great　lord；　but　this；〃　pointing　to

Savage；　who　was　much　the　better　dressed　of　the　two；　〃is　a　cock　of　the

ashpit　arrayed　in　an　eagle's　feathers；〃　a　remark　I　did　not　translate；

but　one　which　caused　Hans　to　snigger　vacuously。



While　we　breakfasted　on　food　prepared　by　the　〃Cock　of　the　Ashpit；〃　who

amongst　many　other　merits　had　that　of　being　an　excellent　cook；　I　heard

all　the　news。　Bausi　the　king　was　dead　but　had　been　succeeded　by　one　of

his　sons；　also　named　Bausi；　whom　I　remembered。　Beza…Town　had　been

rebuilt　after　the　great　fire　that　destroyed　the　slavers；　and　much　more

strongly　fortified　than　before。　Of　the　slavers　themselves　nothing　more

had　been　seen；　or　of　the　Pongo　either；　though　the　Mazitu　declared　that

their　ghosts；　or　those　of　their　victims；　still　haunted　the　island　in

the　lake。　That　was　all；　except　the　ill　tidings　as　to　two　of　our

messengers　which　the　third；　who　had　returned　with　the　Mazitu；　reported

to　us。



After　breakfast　I　addressed　and　sent　away　our　Zulus；　each　with　a

handsome　present　from　the　trade　goods；　giving　into　their　charge　the

remaining　wagon　and　our　servants；　none　of　whom；　somewhat　to　my　relief；

wished　to　accompany　us　farther。　They　sang　their　song　of　good…bye；

saluted　and　departed　over　the　rise；　still　looking　hungrily　behind　them

at　the　Mazitu；　and　we　were　very　pleased　to　see　the　last　of　them

without　bloodshed　or　trouble。



When　we　had　watched　the　white　tilt　of　the　wagon　vanish；　we　set　to　work

to　get　ourselves　and　our　goods　across　the　river。　This　we　accomplished

safely；　for　the　Mazitu　worked　for　us　like　friends　and　not　as　do　hired

men。　On　the　farther　bank；　however；　it　took　us　two　full　days　so　to

divide　up　the　loads　that　the　bearers　could　carry　them　without　being

overladen。



At　length　all　was　arranged　and　we　started。　Of　the　month's　trek　that

followed　there　is　nothing　to　tell；　except　that　we　completed　it　without

notable　accidents　and　at　last　reached　the　new　Beza…Town；　which　much

resembled　the　old；　where　we　were　accorded　a　great　public　reception。

Bausi　II　himself　headed　the　procession　which　met　us　outside　the　south

gate　on　that　very　mound　which　we　had　occupied　in　the　great　fight；

where　the　bones　of　the　gallant　Mavovo　and　my　other　hunters　lay　buried。

Almost　did　it　seem　to　me　as　though　I　could　hear　their　deep　voices

joining　in　the　shouts　of　welcome。



That　night；　while　the　Mazitu　feasted　in　our　honour；　we　held　an

/indaba/　in　the　big　new　guest　house　with　Bausi　II；　a　pleasant…faced

young　man；　and　old　Babemba。　The　king　asked　us　how　long　we　meant　to

stay　at　Beza…Town；　intimating　his　hope　that　the　visit　would　be

prolonged。　I　replied；　but　a　few　days；　as　we　were　travelling　far　to　the

north　to　find　a　people　called　the　Kendah　whom　we　wished　to　see；　and

hoped　that　he　would　give　us　bearers　to　carry　our　goods　as　far　as　the

confines　of　their　country。　At　the　name　of　Kendah　a　look　of

astonishment　appeared　upon　their　faces　and　Babemba　said：



〃Has　madness　seized　you；　Macumazana；　that　you　would　attempt　this

thing？　Oh　surely　you　must　be　mad。〃



〃You　thought　us　mad；　Babemba；　when　we　crossed　the　lake　to　Rica　Town；

yet　we　came　back　safely。〃



〃True；　Macumazana；　but　compared　to　the　Kendah　the　Pongo　were　but　as

the　smallest　star　before　the　face　of　the　sun。〃



〃What　do　you　know　of　them　then？〃　I　asked。　〃But　staybefore　you

answer；　I　will　speak　what　I　know；〃　and　I　repeated　what　I　had　learned

from　Hans；　who　confirmed　my　words；　and　from　Har？t　and　Mar？t；　leaving

out；　however；　any　mention　of　their　dealings　with　Lady　Ragnall。



〃It　is　all　true；〃　said　Babemba　when　I　had　finished；　〃for　that　old

woman　of　whom　Light…in…the…Darkness　speaks；　was　one　of　the　wives　of　my

uncle　and　I　knew　her　well。　Hearken！　These　Kendah　are　a　terrible　nation

and　countless　in　number　and　of　all　the　people　the　fiercest。　Their　king

is　called　Simba；　which　means　Lion。　He　who　rules　is　always　called

Simba；　and　has　been　so　called　for　hundreds　of　years。　He　is　of　the

Black　Kendah　whose　god　is　the　elephant　Jana；　but　as　Light…in…Darkness

has　said；　there　are　also　the　White　Kendah　who　are　Arab　men；　the

priests　and　traders　of　the　people。　The　Kendah　will　allow　no　stranger

within　their　doors；　if　one　comes　they　kill　him　by　torment；　or　blind

him　and　turn　him　out　into　the　desert　which　surrounds　their　country；

there　to　die。　These　things　the　old　woman　who　married　my　uncle　told　me；

as　she　told　them　to　Light…in…Darkness；　also　I　have　heard　them　from

others；　and　what　she　did　not　tell　me；　that　the　White　Kendah　are　great

breeders　of　the　beasts　called　camels　which　they　sell　to　the　Arabs　of

the　north。　Go　not　near　them；　for　if　you　pass　the　desert　the　Black

Kendah　will　kill　you；　and　if　you　escape　these；　then　their　king；　Simba；

will　kill　you；　and　if　you　escape　him；　then　their　god　Jana　will　kill

you；　and　if　you　escape　him；　then　their　white　priests　will　kill　you

with　their　magic。　Oh！　long　before　you　look　upon　the　faces　of　those

priests　you　will　be　dead　many　times　over。〃



〃Then　why　did　they　ask　me　to　visit　them；　Babemba？〃



〃I　know　not；　Macumazana；　but　perhaps　because　they　wished　to　make　an

offering　of　you　to　the　god　Jana；　whom　no　spear　can　harm；　no；　nor　even

your　bullets　that　pierce　a　tree。〃



〃I　am　willing　to　make　trial　of　that　matter；〃　I　answered　confidently；

〃and　any　way　we　must　go　to　see　these　things　for　ourselves。〃



〃Yes；〃　echoed　Ragnall；　〃we　must　certainly　go；〃　while　even　Savage；　for

I　had　been　translating　to　them　all　this　while；　nodded　his　head

although　he　looked　as　though　he　would　much　rather　stay　behind。



〃Ask　him　if　there　are　any　snakes　there；　si