Part 24 (2/2)
”-- the devils,” repeated the chief weakly, but O'Sako stared straight ahead and strode on
When the sun blazed furiously on the ri effort, and the broad river was a flood of fire, and long shadows ran through the clearings, Elebi cae He caht with him no evidence of his temporary sojourn in the camps of civilisation Save for his loin cloth, and his robe of panther skin thrown about his shoulders, he was naked
There was a palaver house at the end of the village, a thatched little wattle hut perched on a tiny hill, and the Lord Elebi gathered there his captains and the chief of the village Heago,” and is a fa to speeches-”before the white man came, and when the Arabi came down from the northern countries to steal women and ivory, the people of the Secret River buried their 'points' in a Place of Devils Their women they could not bury, so they lost them Now all the people of the Secret River are dead The Arabi killed some, Bula Matadi killed others, but the sickness killed rown, and in their gardens only the weaver bird speaks Yet I know of this place, for there came to me a vision and a voice that said--”
The rest of the speech from the European standpoint was pure blasphe of a lay preacher, and had an easy delivery
When he had finished, the chief of the village of Tau spoke It was a serious discourse on devils There was no doubt at all that in the forest where the cache was there was a veritable stronghold of devildoum-trees-taller, for they used whole trees for clubs; sos of bees, but all were very potent, very terrible, and reatest acco astray the traveller: ame or copal or rubber, and never came back, because there were a thousand ways in and no way out
Elebi listened gravely
”Devils of course there are,” he said, ”including the Devil, the Old One, who is the ene out of devils-in my holy capacity as a servant of the Word Of the lesser devils I know nothing, though I do not doubt they live Therefore I think it would be better for all if we offered prayer”
On his instruction the party knelt in full view of the village, and Elebi prayed conventionally but with great earnestness that the Powers of Darkness should not prevail, but that the Great Work should go on triumphantly
After which, to make doubly sure, the party sacrificed tls before a squat bete that stood before the chief's door, and a crazy witch-doctor anointed Elebi with huo by way of Ochori,” said Elebi, as soive us food and guides, being a cowardly folk and very fearful”
He took farewell of the old chief and continued his journey, with O'Sako and his warriors behind him So two days passed An hour's distance from the city of the Ochori he called a conference
”Knowing the world,” he said, ”I am acquainted with the Ochori, who are slaves: you shall behold their chief e that one, such as I, who know the ways of white ic, should be received with honour; let us send forward a er to say that the Lord Elebi co”
”That is good talk,” said O'Sako, his lieutenant, and a er was despatched
Elebi with his caravan followed slowly
It is said that Elebi's e came to Bosambo of Monrovia, chief of the Ochori, when he was in the despondenttoo smoothly
It was Bosambo's practice-and one of which his people stood in solish in all moments of crisis, or on any occasion when it was undesirable that his thoughts should be conveyed abroad
He listened in silence, sitting before the door of his hut and ser described the quality of the co visitor, and the unparalleled honour which was to fall upon the Ochori
Said Bosaer”
The ue
”Lord Chief,” he said, ” the ways of whiteof whiteSandi, who married my brother's wife's sister, and is related to ly, ”I have shaken hands with the Great White King ells beyond the big water, and he has given me many presents”