the ivory child-第35部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


caravan　is　now　out　of　your　reach　with　two　of　the　white　lords　and　many

of　such　tubes　which　deal　death；　like　that　which　we　have　surrendered　to

you。　Therefore　because　we　are　helpless；　do　not　think　that　the　Child　is

helpless。　Jana　must　have　been　asleep；　O　King；　or　you　would　have　set

your　trap　better。〃



I　thought　that　this　coolly　insolent　speech　would　have　produced　some

outburst；　but　in　fact　it　seemed　to　have　an　opposite　effect。　Making　no

reply　to　it；　Simba　said　almost　humbly：



〃I　come　to　drink　the　cup　of　peace　with　you　and　the　white　lord；　O

Prophet。　Afterwards　we　can　talk。　Give　me　water；　slave。〃



Then　a　man　filled　the　great　ivory　cup　with　water　from　the　skin　he

carried。　Simba　took　it　and　having　sprinkled　a　little　upon　the　ground；

I　suppose　as　an　offering；　drank　from　the　cup；　doubtless　to　show　that

it　was　not　poisoned。　Watching　carefully；　I　made　sure　that　he　swallowed

what　he　drank　by　studying　the　motions　of　his　throat。　Then　he　handed

the　cup　with　a　bow　to　Mar？t；　who　with　a　still　deeper　bow　passed　it　to

me。　Being　absolutely　parched　I　absorbed　about　a　pint　of　it；　and

feeling　a　new　man；　passed　the　horn　to　Mar？t；　who　swallowed　the　rest。

Then　it　was　filled　again　for　our　three　White　Kendah；　the　King　first

tasting　the　water　as　before；　after　which　Mar？t　and　I　had　a　second

pull。



When　at　length　our　thirst　was　satisfied；　horses　were　brought　to　us；

serviceable　and　docile　little　beasts　with　sheepskins　for　saddles　and

loops　of　hide　for　stirrups。　On　these　we　mounted　and　for　the　next　three

hours　rode　across　the　plain；　surrounded　by　a　strong　escort　and　with　an

armed　Black　Kendah　running　on　each　side　of　our　horses　and　holding　in

his　hand　a　thong　attached　to　the　ring　of　the　bridle；　no　doubt　to

prevent　any　attempt　to　escape。



Our　road　ran　past　but　not　through　some　villages　whence　we　saw　many

women　and　children　staring　at　us；　and　through　beautiful　crops　of

mealies　and　other　sorts　of　grain　that　in　this　country　were　now　just

ripening。　The　luxuriant　appearance　of　these　crops　suggested　that　the

rains　must　have　been　plentiful　and　the　season　all　that　could　be

desired。　From　some　of　the　villages　by　the　track　arose　a　miserable

sound　of　wailing。　Evidently　their　inhabitants　had　already　heard　that

certain　of　their　menkind　had　fallen　in　that　morning's　fight。



At　the　end　of　the　third　hour　we　began　to　enter　the　great　forest　which

I　had　seen　when　first　we　looked　down　on　Kendahland。　It　was　filled　with

splendid　trees；　most　of　them　quite　strange　to　me；　but　perhaps　because

of　the　denseness　of　their　overshadowing　crowns　there　was　comparatively

no　undergrowth。　The　general　effect　of　the　place　was　very　gloomy；　since

little　light　could　pass　through　the　interlacing　foliage　of　the　tops　of

those　mighty　trees。



Towards　evening　we　came　to　a　clearing　in　this　forest；　it　may　have　been

four　or　five　miles　in　diameter；　but　whether　it　was　natural　or

artificial　I　am　not　sure。　I　think；　however；　that　it　was　probably　the

former　for　two　reasons：　the　hollow　nature　of　the　ground；　which　lay　a

good　many　feet　lower　than　the　surrounding　forest；　and　the　wonderful

fertility　of　the　soil；　which　suggested　that　it　had　once　been　deposited

upon　an　old　lake　bottom。　Never　did　I　see　such　crops　as　those　that　grew

upon　that　clearing；　they　were　magnificent。



Wending　our　way　along　the　road　that　ran　through　the　tall　corn；　for

here　every　inch　was　cultivated；　we　came　suddenly　upon　the　capital　of

the　Black　Kendah；　which　was　known　as　Simba　Town。　It　was　a　large　place；

somewhat　different　from　any　other　African　settlement　with　which　I　am

acquainted；　inasmuch　as　it　was　not　only　stockaded　but　completely

surrounded　by　a　broad　artificial　moat　filled　with　water　from　a　stream

that　ran　through　the　centre　of　the　town；　over　which　moat　there　were

four　timber　bridges　placed　at　the　cardinal　points　of　the　compass。

These　bridges　were　strong　enough　to　bear　horses　or　stock；　but　so　made

that　in　the　event　of　attack　they　could　be　destroyed　in　a　few　minutes。



Riding　through　the　eastern　gate；　a　stout　timber　structure　on　the

farther　side　of　the　corresponding　bridge；　where　the　king　was　received

with　salutes　by　an　armed　guard；　we　entered　one　of　the　main　streets　of

the　town　which　ran　from　north　to　south　and　from　east　to　west。　It　was

broad　and　on　either　side　of　it　were　the　dwellings　of　the　inhabitants

set　close　together　because　the　space　within　the　stockade　was　limited。

These　were　not　huts　but　square　buildings　of　mud　with　flat　roofs　of

some　kind　of　cement。　Evidently　they　were　built　upon　the　model　of

Oriental　and　North　African　houses　of　which　some　debased　tradition

remained　with　these　people。　Thus　a　stairway　or　ladder　ran　from　the

interior　to　the　roof　of　each　house；　whereon　its　inhabitants　were

accustomed；　as　I　discovered　afterwards；　to　sleep　during　a　good　part　of

the　year；　also　to　eat　in　the　cool　of　the　day。　Many　of　them　were

gathered　there　now　to　watch　us　pass；　men；　women；　and　children；　all

except　the　little　ones　decently　clothed　in　long　garments　of　various

colours；　the　women　for　the　most　part　in　white　and　the　men　in　a　kind　of

bluish　linen。



I　saw　at　once　that　they　had　already　heard　of　the　fight　and　of　the

considerable　losses　which　their　people　had　sustained；　for　their

reception　of　us　prisoners　was　most　unfriendly。　Indeed　the　men　shook

their　fists　at　us；　the　women　screamed　out　curses；　while　the　children

stuck　out　their　tongues　in　token　of　derision　or　defiance。　Most　of

these　demonstrations；　however；　were　directed　at　Mar？t　and　his

followers；　who　only　smiled　indifferently。　At　me　they　stared　in　wonder

not　unmixed　with　fear。



A　quarter　of　a　mile　or　so　from　the　gate　we　came　to　an　inner　enclosure；

that　answered　to　the　South　African　cattle　kraal；　surrounded　by　a　dry

ditch　and　a　timber　palisade　outside　of　which　was　planted　a　green　fence

of　some　shrub　with　long　white　thorns。　Here　we　passed　through　more

gates；　to　find　ourselves　in　an　oval　space；　perhaps　five　acres　in

extent。　Evidently　this　served　as　a　market　ground；　but　all　around　it

were　open　sheds　where　hundreds　of　horses　were　stabled。　No　cattle

seemed　to　be　kept　there；　except　a　few　that　with　sheep　and　goats　were

driven　in　every　day　for　slaughter　purposes　at　a　shambles　at　the　north

end；　from　the　great　stock　kraals　built　beyond　the　forest　to　the　south；

where　they　were　safe　from　possible　raiding　by　the　White　Kendah。



A　tall　reed　fence　cut　off　the　southern　end　of　this　marketplace；

outside　of　which　we　were　ordered　to　dismount。　Passing　through　yet

another　gate　we　found　within　the　fence　a　large　hut　or　house　built　on

the　same　model　as　the　others　in　the　town；　which　Mar？t　whispered　to　me

was　that　of　the　king。　Behind　it　were　smaller　houses　in　which　lived　his

queen　and　women；　good…looking　females；　who　advanced　to　meet　him　with

obsequious　bows。　To　the　right　and　left　were　two　more　buildings　of

about　equal　size；　one　of　which　was　occupied　by　the　royal　guard　and　the

other　was　the　guest…house　whither　we　were　conducted。



It　proved　to　be　a　comfortable　dwelling　about　thirty　feet　square　but

containing　only　one　room；　with　various　huts　behind　it　that　served　for

cooking　and　other　purposes。　In　one　of　these　the　three　camelmen　were

placed。　Immediately　on　our　arrival　food　was　brought　to　us；　a　lamb　or

kid　roasted　whole　upon　a　wooden　platter；　and　some　green　mealie…cobs

boiled　upon　another　platter；　also　water　to　drink　and　wash　with　in

earthenware　jars　of　sun…dried　clay。



I　ate　heartily；　for　I　was　starving。　Then；　as　it　was　useless　to　attempt

precautions　against　murder；　without　any　talk　to　my　fellow　prisoner；

for　which　we　were　both　too　tired；　I　threw　myself　down　on　a　mattress

stuffed　with　corn　husks　in　a　corner　of　the　hut；　drew　a　skin　rug　over

me　and；　having　commended　myself　to　the　protection　of　the　Power　above；

fell　fast　asleep。







CHAPTER　XII



THE　FIRST　CURSE



The　next　thing　I　remember　was　feeling　upon　my　face　the　sunlight　that

poured　through　a　window…place　which　was　protected　by　immovable　wooden

bars。　For　a　while　I　lay　still；　reflecting　as　memory　returned　to　me

upon　all　the　events　of　the　previous　day　and　upon　my　present　unhappy

position。　Here　I　was　a　prisoner　in　the　hands　of　a　horde　of　fierce

savages　who　had　every　reason　to　hate　me；　for　though　this　was　done　in

self…defence；　had　I　not　killed　a　number　of　their　people　against　whom

personally　I　had　no　quarrel？　It　was　true　that　their　king　had　promised

me　safety；　but　what　reliance　could　be　put　upon　the　word　of　such　a　man？

Unless　something　occurred　to　save　me；　without　doubt　my　days　were

numbered。　In　this　way　or　in　that　I　should　be　murdered；　which　served　me

right　for　ever　entering　upon　such　a　business。



The　only　satisfactory　point　in　the　story　was　that；　for　the　present　at

any　rate；　Ragnall　and　Savage　had　escaped；　though　doubtless　sooner　or

later　fate　would　overtake　them　also。　I　was　sure　that　they　had　escaped；

since　two　of　the　camelmen　with　us　had　informed　Mar？t　that　they　saw

them　swept　away　surrounded　by　our　people　and　quite　unharmed。　Now