the ivory child-第31节

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staring　straight　in　front　of　him　as　though　he　looked　at　something　we

could　not　see。



Thus　we　covered　hundreds　of　miles；　not　less　than　five　hundred　at　the

least；　reckoning　our　progress　at　only　thirty　miles　a　day；　including

stoppages。　For　occasionally　we　stopped　at　the　water…holes　or　small

oases；　where　the　camels　drank　and　rested。　Indeed；　these　were　so

conveniently　arranged　that　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　once　there

must　have　been　some　established　route　running　across　these　wastelands

to　the　south；　of　which　the　traditional　knowledge　remained　with　the

Kendah　people。　If　so；　it　had　not　been　used　for　generations；　for　save

those　of　one　or　two　that　had　died　on　the　outward　march；　we　saw　no

skeletons　of　camels　or　other　beasts；　or　indeed　any　sign　of　man。　The

place　was　an　absolute　wilderness　where　nothing　lived　except　a　few

small　mammals　at　the　oases　and　the　birds　that　passed　over　it　in　the

air　on　their　way　to　more　fertile　regions。　Of　these；　by　the　way；　I　saw

many　that　are　known　both　to　Europe　and　Africa；　especially　ducks　and

cranes；　also　storks　that；　for　aught　I　can　say；　may　have　come　from　far…

off；　homely　Holland。



At　last　the　character　of　the　country　began　to　change。　Grass　appeared

on　its　lower…lying　stretches；　then　bushes；　then　occasional　trees　and

among　the　trees　a　few　buck。　Halting　the　caravan　I　crept　out　and　shot

two　of　these　buck　with　a　right　and　left；　a　feat　that　caused　our　grave

escort　to　stare　in　a　fashion　which　showed　me　that　they　had　never　seen

anything　of　the　sort　done　before。



That　night；　while　we　were　eating　the　venison　with　relish；　since　it　was

the　first　fresh　meat　that　we　had　tasted　for　many　a　day；　I　observed

that　the　disposition　of　our　camp　was　different　from　its　common　form。

Thus　it　was　smaller　and　placed　on　an　eminence。　Also　the　camels　were

not　allowed　to　graze　where　they　would　as　usual；　but　were　kept　within　a

limited　area　while　their　riders　were　arranged　in　groups　outside　of

them。　Further；　the　stores　were　piled　near　our　tents；　in　the　centre；

with　guards　set　over　them。　I　asked　Har？t　and　Mar？t；　who　were　sharing

our　meal；　the　reason　of　these　alterations。



〃It　is　because　we　are　on　the　borders　of　the　Kendah　country；〃　answered

old　Har？t。　〃Four　days'　more　march　will　bring　us　there；　Macumazana。〃



〃Then　why　should　you　take　precautions　against　your　own　people？　Surely

they　will　welcome　you。〃



〃With　spears　perhaps。　Macumazana；　learn　that　the　Kendah　are　not　one

but　two　people。　As　you　may　have　heard　before；　we　are　the　White　Kendah；

but　there　are　also　Black　Kendah　who　outnumber　us　many　times　over；

though　in　the　beginning　we　from　the　north　conquered　them；　or　so　says

our　history。　The　White　Kendah　have　their　own　territory；　but　as　there

is　no　other　road；　to　reach　it　we　must　pass　through　that　of　the　Black

Kendah；　where　it　is　always　possible　that　we　may　be　attacked；

especially　as　we　bring　strangers　into　the　land。〃



〃How　is　it　then　that　the　Black　Kendah　allow　you　to　live　at　all；　Har？t；

if　they　are　so　much　the　more　numerous？〃



〃Because　of　fear；　Macumazana。　They　fear　our　wisdom　and　the　decrees　of

the　Heavenly　Child　spoken　through　the　mouth　of　its　oracle；　which；　if

it　is　offended；　can　bring　a　curse　upon　them。　Still；　if　they　find　us

outside　our　borders　they　may　kill　us；　if　they　can；　as　we　may　kill　them

if　we　find　them　within　our　borders。〃



〃Indeed；　Har？t。　Then　it　looks　to　me　as　though　there　were　a　war

breeding　between　you。〃



〃A　war　is　breeding；　Macumazana；　the　last　great　war　in　which　either　the

White　Kendah　or　the　Black　Kendah　must　perish。　Or　perhaps　both　will　die

together。　Maybe　that　is　the　real　reason　why　we　have　asked　you　to　be

our　guest；　Macumazana；〃　and　with　their　usual　courteous　bows；　both　of

them　rose　and　departed　before　I　could　reply。



〃You　see　how　it　stands；〃　I　said　to　Ragnall。　〃We　have　been　brought　here

to　fight　for　our　friends；　Har？t；　Mar？t　and　Co。；　against　their

rebellious　subjects；　or　rather　the　king　who　reigns　jointly　with　them。〃



〃It　looks　like　it；〃　he　replied　quietly；　〃but　doubtless　we　shall　find

out　the　truth　in　time　and　meanwhile　speculation　is　no　good。　Do　you　go

to　bed；　Quatermain；　I　will　watch　till　midnight　and　then　wake　you。〃



That　night　passed　in　safety。　Next　day　we　marched　before　the　dawn；

passing　through　country　that　grew　continually　better　watered　and　more

fertile；　though　it　was　still　open　plain　but　sloping　upwards　ever　more

steeply。　On　this　plain　I　saw　herds　of　antelopes　and　what　in　the

distance　looked　like　cattle；　but　no　human　being。　Before　evening　we

camped　where　there　was　good　water　and　plenty　of　food　for　the　camels。



While　the　camp　was　being　set　Har？t　came　and　invited　us　to　follow　him

to　the　outposts；　whence　he　said　we　should　see　a　view。　We　walked　with

him；　a　matter　of　not　more　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　to　the　head　of　that

rise　up　which　we　had　been　travelling　all　day；　and　thence　perceived　one

of　the　most　glorious　prospects　on　which　my　eyes　have　fallen　in　all

great　Africa。　From　where　we　stood　the　land　sloped　steeply　for　a　matter

of　ten　or　fifteen　miles；　till　finally　the　fall　ended　in　a　vast　plain

like　to　the　bottom　of　a　gigantic　saucer；　that　I　presume　in　some　far

time　of　the　world's　history　was　once　an　enormous　lake。　A　river　ran

east　and　west　across　this　plain　and　into　it　fell　tributaries。　Far

beyond　this　river　the　contours　of　the　country　rose　again　till；　many；

many　miles　away；　there　appeared　a　solitary　hill；　tumulus…shaped；　which

seemed　to　be　covered　with　bush。



Beyond　and　surrounding　this　hill　was　more　plain　which　with　the　aid　of

my　powerful　glasses　was；　we　could　see；　bordered　at　last　by　a　range　of

great　mountains；　looking　like　a　blue　line　pencilled　across　the

northern　distance。　To　the　east　and　west　the　plain　seemed　to　be

illimitable。　Obviously　its　soil　was　of　a　most　fertile　character　and

supported　numbers　of　inhabitants；　for　everywhere　we　could　see　their

kraals　or　villages。　Much　of　it　to　the　west；　however；　was　covered　with

dense　forest　with；　to　all　appearance；　a　clearing　in　its　midst。



〃Behold　the　land　of　the　Kendah；〃　said　Har？t。　〃On　this　side　of　the

River　Tava　live　the　Black　Kendah；　on　the　farther　side；　the　White

Kendah。〃



〃And　what　is　that　hill？〃



〃That　is　the　Holy　Mount；　the　Home　of　the　Heavenly　Child；　where　no　man

may　set　foot〃here　he　looked　at　us　meaningly〃save　the　priests　of

the　Child。〃



〃What　happens　to　him　if　he　does？〃　I　asked。



〃He　dies；　my　Lord　Macumazana。〃



〃Then　it　is　guarded；　Har？t？〃



〃It　is　guarded；　not　with　mortal　weapons；　Macumazana；　but　by　the

spirits　that　watch　over　the　Child。〃



As　he　would　say　no　more　on　this　interesting　matter；　I　asked　him　as　to

the　numbers　of　the　Kendah　people；　to　which　he　replied　that　the　Black

Kendah　might　number　twenty　thousand　men　of　arm…bearing　age；　but　the

White　Kendah　not　more　than　two　thousand。



〃Then　no　wonder　you　want　spirits　to　guard　your　Heavenly　Child；〃　I

remarked；　〃since　the　Black　Kendah　are　your　foes　and　with　you　warriors

are　few。〃



At　this　moment　our　conversation　was　interrupted　by　the　arrival　of　a

picket　on　a　camel；　who　reported　something　to　Har？t　which　appeared　to

disturb　him。　I　asked　him　what　was　the　matter。



〃That　is　the　matter；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　a　man　mounted　on　a　rough

pony　who　just　then　appeared　from　behind　some　bushes　about　half　a　mile

away；　galloping　down　the　slope　towards　the　plain。　〃He　is　one　of　the

scouts　of　Simba；　King　of　the　Black　Kendah；　and　he　goes　to　Simba's　town

in　yonder　forest　to　make　report　of　our　arrival。　Return　to　camp；

Macumazana；　and　eat；　for　we　must　march　with　the　rising　of　the　moon。〃



As　soon　as　the　moon　rose　we　marched　accordingly；　although　the　camels；

many　of　which　were　much　worn　with　the　long　journey；　scarcely　had　been

given　time　to　fill　themselves　and　none　to　rest。　All　night　we　marched

down　the　long　slope；　only　halting　for　half　an　hour　before　daylight　to

eat　something　and　rearrange　the　loads　on　the　baggage　beasts；　which

now；　I　noticed；　were　guarded　with　extra　care。　When　we　were　starting

again　Mar？t　came　to　us　and　remarked　with　his　usual　smile；　on　behalf　of

his　brother　Har？t；　who　was　otherwise　engaged；　that　it　might　be　well　if

we　had　our　guns　ready；　since　we　were　entering　the　land　of　the　elephant

Jana　and　〃who　knew　but　that　we　might　meet　him？〃



〃Or　his　worshippers　on　two　legs；〃　I　suggested；　to　which　his　only　reply

was　a　nod。



So　we　got　our　repeating　rifles；　some　of　the　first　that　were　ever　made；

serviceable　but　rather　complicated　weapons　that　fired　five　cartridges。

Hans；　however；　with　my　permission；　armed　himself　with　the　little

Purdey　piece　that　was　named　〃Intombi；〃　the　singe…barrelled；　muzzle…

loading　gun　which　had　done　me　so　much　service　in　earlier　days；　and

even　on　my　last　journey　to　Pongoland。　He　said　that　he　was　accustomed

to　it　and　did　not　understand　these　new…fangled　breechloaders；　also

that　it　was　〃lucky。〃　I　consented　as　I　did　not　think　that　it　made　much

difference　with　what　kind　of　rifle　Hans　was　provided。　As　a　marksman　he