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employing¡¡the¡¡time¡¡by¡¡taking¡¡lessons¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Asiki¡¡tongue¡¡from¡¡Jeekie£»
a¡¡language¡¡which¡¡he¡¡had¡¡been¡¡studying¡¡ever¡¡since¡¡he¡¡left¡¡England¡£¡¡The
task¡¡was¡¡not¡¡easy£»¡¡as¡¡he¡¡had¡¡no¡¡books¡¡and¡¡Jeekie¡¡himself¡¡after¡¡some
thirty¡¡years¡¡of¡¡absence£»¡¡was¡¡doubtful¡¡as¡¡to¡¡many¡¡of¡¡its¡¡details¡£¡¡Still
being¡¡a¡¡linguist¡¡by¡¡nature¡¡and¡¡education¡¡and¡¡finding¡¡in¡¡the¡¡tongue
similarities¡¡to¡¡other¡¡African¡¡dialects¡¡which¡¡he¡¡knew£»¡¡he¡¡was¡¡now¡¡able
to¡¡speak¡¡it¡¡a¡¡little£»¡¡in¡¡a¡¡halting¡¡fashion¡£

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tributary¡¡that¡¡flowed¡¡into¡¡it¡¡from¡¡the¡¡north£»¡¡up¡¡which¡¡the¡¡Ogula¡¡said
they¡¡must¡¡proceed¡¡to¡¡reach¡¡Asiki¡­land¡£¡¡The¡¡stream¡¡was¡¡narrow¡¡and
sluggish£»¡¡widening¡¡out¡¡here¡¡and¡¡there¡¡into¡¡great¡¡swamps¡¡through¡¡which
it¡¡was¡¡not¡¡easy¡¡to¡¡find¡¡a¡¡channel¡£¡¡Also¡¡the¡¡district¡¡was¡¡so¡¡unhealthy
that¡¡even¡¡several¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Ogula¡¡contracted¡¡fever£»¡¡of¡¡which¡¡Alan¡¡cured
them¡¡by¡¡heavy¡¡doses¡¡of¡¡quinine£»¡¡for¡¡fortunately¡¡his¡¡travelling
medicine¡¡chest¡¡remained¡¡to¡¡him¡£¡¡These¡¡cures¡¡were¡¡effected¡¡after¡¡their
chief¡¡suggested¡¡that¡¡they¡¡should¡¡be¡¡thrown¡¡overboard£»¡¡or¡¡left¡¡to¡¡die
in¡¡the¡¡swamp¡¡as¡¡useless£»¡¡with¡¡the¡¡result¡¡that¡¡the¡¡white¡¡man's¡¡magical
powers¡¡were¡¡thenceforth¡¡established¡¡beyond¡¡doubt¡¡or¡¡cavil¡£¡¡Indeed¡¡the
poor¡¡Ogula¡¡now¡¡looked¡¡on¡¡him¡¡as¡¡a¡¡god¡¡superior¡¡even¡¡to¡¡Little¡¡Bonsa£»
whose¡¡familiar¡¡he¡¡was¡¡supposed¡¡to¡¡be¡£

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season¡¡often¡¡they¡¡could¡¡find¡¡no¡¡place¡¡on¡¡which¡¡to¡¡sleep¡¡at¡¡night£»¡¡but
must¡¡stay¡¡in¡¡the¡¡canoe¡¡tormented¡¡by¡¡mosquitoes£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡constant¡¡danger
of¡¡being¡¡upset¡¡by¡¡the¡¡hippopotami¡¡that¡¡lived¡¡there¡£¡¡Moreover£»¡¡as¡¡no
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were¡¡unable¡¡to¡¡cook¡¡for¡¡lack¡¡of¡¡fuel¡£¡¡This¡¡did¡¡not¡¡trouble¡¡the¡¡Ogula£»
who¡¡ate¡¡them¡¡raw£»¡¡as¡¡did¡¡Jeekie¡¡when¡¡he¡¡was¡¡hungry¡£¡¡But¡¡Alan¡¡was
obliged¡¡to¡¡starve¡¡until¡¡they¡¡could¡¡make¡¡a¡¡fire¡£¡¡This¡¡it¡¡was¡¡only
possible¡¡to¡¡do¡¡when¡¡they¡¡found¡¡drift¡¡or¡¡other¡¡wood£»¡¡since¡¡at¡¡that
season¡¡the¡¡rank¡¡vegetation¡¡was¡¡in¡¡full¡¡growth¡£¡¡Also¡¡the¡¡fearful
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their¡¡canoe¡¡with¡¡water£»¡¡made¡¡the¡¡reeds¡¡and¡¡the¡¡soil¡¡on¡¡which¡¡they
grew£»¡¡sodden¡¡with¡¡wet¡£¡¡As¡¡Jeekie¡¡said£º

¡¨This¡¡time¡¡of¡¡year¡¡only¡¡fit¡¡for¡¡duck¡¡and¡¡crocodile¡£¡¡Human¡¡should
remember¡¡uncontrollable¡¡forces¡¡of¡¡nature¡¡and¡¡wait¡¡till¡¡winter¡¡come¡¡in
due¡¡course£»¡¡when¡¡quagmire¡¡bear¡¡sole¡¡of¡¡his¡¡foot¡£¡¨

This¡¡elaborate¡¡remark¡¡he¡¡made¡¡to¡¡Alan¡¡during¡¡the¡¡progress¡¡of¡¡a
particularly¡¡fearful¡¡tempest¡£¡¡The¡¡lightning¡¡blazed¡¡in¡¡the¡¡black¡¡sky
and¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡strike¡¡all¡¡about¡¡them¡¡like¡¡stabbing¡¡swords¡¡of¡¡fire£»¡¡the
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tall¡¡reeds¡¡waved¡¡confusedly¡¡like¡¡millions¡¡of¡¡dim¡¡arms¡¡and¡¡while¡¡they
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flocks¡¡a¡¡thousand¡¡strong£»¡¡now¡¡seen¡¡and¡¡now¡¡lost¡¡in¡¡the¡¡vapours¡£¡¡To
keep¡¡their¡¡canoe¡¡afloat¡¡the¡¡poor£»¡¡naked¡¡Ogula¡¡oarsmen£»¡¡shivering¡¡with
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wood£»¡¡and¡¡called¡¡back¡¡to¡¡Alan¡¡to¡¡save¡¡them¡¡as¡¡though¡¡he¡¡were¡¡the
master¡¡of¡¡the¡¡elements¡£¡¡Even¡¡Jeekie¡¡was¡¡depressed¡¡and¡¡appeared¡¡to¡¡be
offering¡¡up¡¡petitions£»¡¡though¡¡whether¡¡these¡¡were¡¡directed¡¡to¡¡Little
Bonsa¡¡or¡¡elsewhere¡¡it¡¡was¡¡impossible¡¡to¡¡know¡£

As¡¡for¡¡Alan£»¡¡the¡¡heart¡¡was¡¡out¡¡of¡¡him¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡true¡¡that¡¡so¡¡far¡¡he¡¡had
escaped¡¡fever¡¡or¡¡other¡¡sickness£»¡¡which¡¡in¡¡itself¡¡was¡¡wonderful£»¡¡but¡¡he
was¡¡chilled¡¡through¡¡and¡¡through¡¡and¡¡practically¡¡had¡¡eaten¡¡nothing¡¡for
two¡¡days£»¡¡and¡¡very¡¡little¡¡for¡¡a¡¡week£»¡¡since¡¡his¡¡stomach¡¡turned¡¡from
half¡­cooked¡¡hippopotamus¡¡fat¡¡and¡¡wildfowl¡£¡¡Moreover£»¡¡they¡¡had¡¡lost¡¡the
channel¡¡and¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡be¡¡wandering¡¡aimlessly¡¡through¡¡a¡¡wilderness¡¡of
reeds¡¡broken¡¡here¡¡and¡¡there¡¡by¡¡lines¡¡of¡¡deeper¡¡water¡£

According¡¡the¡¡Ogula¡¡they¡¡should¡¡have¡¡reached¡¡the¡¡confines¡¡of¡¡the¡¡great
lake¡¡several¡¡days¡¡before¡¡and¡¡landed¡¡on¡¡healthful¡¡rising¡¡ground¡¡that
was¡¡part¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Asiki¡¡territory¡£¡¡But¡¡this¡¡had¡¡not¡¡happened£»¡¡and¡¡now¡¡he
doubted¡¡whether¡¡it¡¡ever¡¡would¡¡happen¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡more¡¡likely¡¡that¡¡they
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ball¡¡and¡¡shot¡¡cartridges¡¡which¡¡they¡¡had¡¡saved¡¡in¡¡their¡¡flight¡¡were¡¡now
exhausted¡£¡¡Not¡¡one¡¡was¡¡left£»¡¡nothing¡¡was¡¡left¡¡except¡¡their¡¡revolvers
with¡¡some¡¡charges£»¡¡which¡¡of¡¡course¡¡were¡¡quite¡¡useless¡¡for¡¡the¡¡killing
of¡¡game¡£¡¡Therefore¡¡they¡¡were¡¡in¡¡a¡¡fair¡¡way¡¡to¡¡die¡¡of¡¡hunger£»¡¡for¡¡here
if¡¡fish¡¡existed£»¡¡they¡¡refused¡¡to¡¡be¡¡caught¡¡and¡¡nought¡¡remained¡¡for
them¡¡to¡¡fill¡¡themselves¡¡with¡¡except¡¡water¡¡slugs£»¡¡and¡¡snails¡¡which¡¡the
boatmen¡¡were¡¡already¡¡gathering¡¡and¡¡crunching¡¡up¡¡in¡¡their¡¡great¡¡teeth¡£
Or£»¡¡perhaps¡¡the¡¡Ogula£»¡¡forgetting¡¡friendship¡¡under¡¡the¡¡pressure¡¡of
necessity£»¡¡would¡¡murder¡¡them¡¡as¡¡they¡¡slept¡¡andrevert¡¡to¡¡their¡¡usual
diet¡£

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the¡¡rains¡£¡¡No¡¡wonder¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Asiki¡¡remained¡¡a¡¡secret¡¡and¡¡hidden
people¡¡when¡¡their¡¡frontier¡¡was¡¡protected¡¡by¡¡such¡¡a¡¡marsh¡¡as¡¡this¡¡upon
the¡¡one¡¡side¡¡and£»¡¡as¡¡he¡¡understood£»¡¡by¡¡impassable¡¡mountains¡¡upon¡¡the
other¡£

There¡¡came¡¡a¡¡lull¡¡in¡¡the¡¡tempest¡¡and¡¡the¡¡boatmen¡¡began¡¡to¡¡get¡¡the
better¡¡of¡¡the¡¡water£»¡¡which¡¡now¡¡was¡¡up¡¡to¡¡their¡¡knees¡£¡¡Alan¡¡asked
Jeekie¡¡if¡¡he¡¡thought¡¡it¡¡was¡¡over£»¡¡but¡¡that¡¡worthy¡¡shook¡¡his¡¡white¡¡head
mournfully£»¡¡causing¡¡the¡¡spray¡¡to¡¡fly¡¡as¡¡from¡¡a¡¡twirling¡¡mop£»¡¡and
replied£º

¡¨Can't¡¡say£»¡¡cats¡¡and¡¡dogs¡¡not¡¡tumble¡¡so¡¡many¡¡for¡¡present£»¡¡only¡¡pups
and¡¡kitties¡¡left£»¡¡so¡¡to¡¡speak£»¡¡but¡¡think¡¡there¡¡plenty¡¡more¡¡up¡¡there£»¡¨
and¡¡he¡¡nodded¡¡at¡¡the¡¡portentous¡¡fire¡­laced¡¡cloud¡¡which¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡be
spreading¡¡over¡¡them£»¡¡its¡¡black¡¡edges¡¡visible¡¡even¡¡through¡¡the¡¡gloom¡£

¡¨Bad¡¡business£»¡¡I¡¡am¡¡afraid£»¡¡Jeekie¡£¡¡Shouldn't¡¡have¡¡brought¡¡you¡¡here£»
or¡¡those¡¡poor¡¡beggars¡¡either£»¡¨¡¡and¡¡he¡¡looked¡¡at¡¡the¡¡scared£»¡¡frozen
Ogula¡£¡¡¡¨I¡¡begin¡¡to¡¡wonder¡¨

¡¨Never¡¡wonder£»¡¡Major£»¡¨¡¡broke¡¡in¡¡Jeekie¡¡in¡¡alarm¡£¡¡¡¨If¡¡wonder£»¡¡not¡¡live£»
if¡¡wonder£»¡¡not¡¡be¡¡born£»¡¡too¡¡much¡¡wonder¡¡about¡¡everywhere¡£¡¡Can't
understand¡¡nothing£»¡¡so¡¡give¡¡it¡¡up¡£¡¡Say£»¡¡'Right¡­O¡¡and¡¡devil
hindermost£¡'¡¡Very¡¡good¡¡motto¡¡for¡¡biped¡¡in¡¡tight¡¡place¡£¡¡Better¡¡drown
here¡¡than¡¡in¡¡City¡¡bucket¡¡shop¡£¡¡But¡¡no¡¡drown¡£¡¡Should¡¡be¡¡dead¡¡long¡¡ago£»
but¡¡Little¡¡Bonsa¡¡play¡¡the¡¡game£»¡¡she¡¡not¡¡want¡¡to¡¡sink¡¡in¡¡stinking¡¡swamp
when¡¡so¡¡near¡¡her¡¡happy¡¡home¡£¡¡Come¡¡out¡¡all¡¡right¡¡somehow£»¡¡as¡¡from
dwarf¡£¡¡Every¡¡cloud¡¡have¡¡silver¡¡lining£»¡¡Major£»¡¡even¡¡that¡¡black¡¡chap¡¡up
there¡£¡¡Oh£¡¡¡my¡¡golly£¡¡¨

This¡¡last¡¡exclamation¡¡was¡¡wrung¡¡from¡¡Jeekie's¡¡lips¡¡by¡¡a¡¡sudden
development¡¡of¡¡¡¨forces¡¡of¡¡Nature¡¨¡¡which¡¡astonished¡¡even¡¡him¡£¡¡Instead
of¡¡a¡¡silver¡¡lining¡¡the¡¡¡¨black¡¡chap¡¨¡¡exhibited¡¡one¡¡of¡¡gold¡£¡¡In¡¡an
instant¡¡it¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡turn¡¡to¡¡acres¡¡of¡¡flame£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡as¡¡though¡¡the
heavens¡¡had¡¡taken¡¡fire¡£¡¡A¡¡flash¡¡or¡¡a¡¡thunderbolt¡¡struck¡¡the¡¡water
within¡¡ten¡¡yards¡¡of¡¡their¡¡canoe£»¡¡causing¡¡the¡¡boatmen¡¡to¡¡throw
themselves¡¡upon¡¡their¡¡faces¡¡through¡¡shock¡¡or¡¡terror¡£¡¡Then¡¡came¡¡the
hurricane£»¡¡which¡¡fortunately¡¡was¡¡so¡¡strong¡¡that¡¡it¡¡permitted¡¡no¡¡more
rain¡¡to¡¡fall¡£¡¡The¡¡tall¡¡reeds¡¡were¡¡beaten¡¡flat¡¡beneath¡¡its¡¡breath£»¡¡the
canoe¡¡was¡¡seized¡¡in¡¡its¡¡grip¡¡and¡¡whirled¡¡round¡¡and¡¡round£»¡¡then¡¡driven
forward¡¡like¡¡an¡¡arrow¡£¡¡Only¡¡the¡¡weight¡¡of¡¡the¡¡men¡¡and¡¡the¡¡water¡¡in¡¡it
prevented¡¡it¡¡from¡¡oversetting¡£¡¡Dense¡¡darkness¡¡fell¡¡upon¡¡them¡¡and
although¡¡they¡¡could¡¡see¡¡no¡¡star£»¡¡they¡¡knew¡¡that¡¡it¡¡must¡¡be¡¡night¡£¡¡On
they¡¡rushed£»¡¡driven¡¡by¡¡that¡¡shrieking¡¡gale£»¡¡and¡¡all¡¡about¡¡and¡¡around
them¡¡this¡¡wall¡¡of¡¡darkness¡£¡¡No¡¡one¡¡spoke£»¡¡for¡¡hope¡¡was¡¡abandoned£»¡¡and
if¡¡they¡¡had£»¡¡their¡¡voices¡¡could¡¡not¡¡have¡¡been¡¡heard¡£¡¡The¡¡last¡¡thing
that¡¡Alan¡¡remembered¡¡was¡¡feeling¡¡Jeekie¡¡dragging¡¡a¡¡grass¡¡mat¡¡over¡¡him
to¡¡protect¡¡him¡¡a¡¡little¡¡if¡¡he¡¡could¡£¡¡Then¡¡his¡¡senses¡¡wavered£»¡¡as¡¡does
a¡¡dying¡¡lamp¡£¡¡He¡¡thought¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡back¡¡in¡¡what¡¡Jeekie¡¡had¡¡rudely
called¡¡¡¨City¡¡bucket¡¡shop£»¡¨¡¡bargaining¡¡across¡¡the¡¡telephone¡¡wire£»¡¡upon
which¡¡came¡¡all¡¡the¡¡sounds¡¡of¡¡the¡¡infernal¡¡regions£»¡¡with¡¡a¡¡financial
paper¡¡for¡¡an¡¡article¡¡on¡¡a¡¡Little¡¡Bonsa¡¡Syndicate¡¡that¡¡he¡¡proposed¡¡to
float¡£¡¡He¡¡thought¡¡he¡¡was¡¡in¡¡The¡¡Court¡¡woods¡¡with¡¡Barbara£»¡¡only¡¡the
birds¡¡in¡¡the¡¡trees¡¡sang¡¡so¡¡unnaturally¡¡loud¡¡that¡¡he¡¡could¡¡not¡¡hear¡¡her
voice£»¡¡and¡¡she¡¡wore¡¡Little¡¡Bonsa¡¡on¡¡her¡¡head¡¡as¡¡a¡¡bonnet¡£¡¡Then¡¡she
departed¡¡in¡¡flame£»¡¡leaving¡¡him¡¡and¡¡Death¡¡alone¡£



Alan¡¡awoke¡£¡¡Above¡¡the¡¡sun¡¡shone¡¡hotly£»¡¡warming¡¡him¡¡back¡¡to¡¡life£»¡¡but
in¡¡front¡¡was¡¡a¡¡thick¡¡wall¡¡of¡¡mist¡¡and¡¡rising¡¡beyond¡¡it¡¡in¡¡the¡¡distance
he¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡rugged¡¡swelling¡¡forms¡¡of¡¡mountains¡£¡¡Doubtless¡¡these¡¡had
been¡¡visible¡¡before£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡tall¡¡reeds¡¡through¡¡which¡¡they¡¡travelled
had¡¡hid¡¡the¡¡sight¡¡of¡¡them¡£¡¡He¡¡looked¡¡behind¡¡him¡¡and¡¡there¡¡in¡¡a¡¡heap
lay¡¡the¡¡Ogula¡¡around¡¡their¡¡chief£»¡¡insensible¡¡or¡¡sleeping¡£¡¡He¡¡counted
them¡¡and¡¡found¡¡that¡¡two¡¡were¡¡gone£»¡¡lost¡¡in¡¡the¡¡tempest£»¡¡how¡¡or¡¡where
no¡¡man¡¡ever¡¡learned¡£¡¡He¡¡looked¡¡forward¡¡and¡¡saw¡¡a¡¡peculiar¡¡sight£»¡¡for
in¡¡the¡¡prow¡¡of¡¡the¡¡drifting¡¡canoe¡¡stood¡¡Jeekie¡¡clad¡¡in¡¡the¡¡remains¡¡of
his¡¡white¡¡robe¡¡and¡¡wearing¡¡on¡¡his¡¡head¡¡the¡¡battered¡¡helmet¡¡and¡¡about
his¡¡shoulders¡¡the¡¡torn¡¡fragments¡¡of¡¡green¡¡mosquito¡¡net¡£¡¡While¡¡Alan¡¡was
wondering¡¡strangely¡¡why¡¡he¡¡had¡¡adopted¡¡this¡¡ceremonial¡¡garb£»¡¡from¡¡out
of¡¡the¡¡mist¡¡the

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