Part 17 (1/2)
By degrees the land grew more and more barren and utterly devoid of inhabitants, till at last it e of this desert which rolled aithout apparent limit we ca and beautiful spring of water that for sand
As we could go no farther, for even if we had wished to do so, and were able to find water there, the Mazitu refused to acco what else to do, we camped in the oasis and waited
As it happened, the place was a kind of hunter's paradise, since every kind of gaht, and in the daytirass that at this season of the year grew plentifully upon the edge of the wilderness
Ast other creatures there were elephants in plenty that travelled hither out of the bushlands we had passed, or so that beyond this waste there lay fertile country So nureat beasts indeed that for my part I hoped earnestly that it would prove impossible for us to continue our journey, since I saw that in a few h to et it away As it e only killed a few of theht send back the tusks as presents to Bausi II To slaughter the poor ani unaccustoht of e slew one--by carefully ai at another five paces to its left
For the rest we lived on the fat of the land and, as meat was necessary to us, had asthe various antelope
For fourteen days or so this went on, till at length we grew thoroughly tired of the business, as did the Mazitu, ere so gorged with flesh that they began to desire vegetable food Te rode as far into the desert as we dared, for our horses reain after the rest, but only to return without information The place was just a vast wilderness streith brown stones beautifully polished by the wind-driven sand of ages, and quite devoid of water
After our second trip, on which we suffered severely from thirst, we held a consultation Old Babeer, even for us, as they insisted upon returning home, and inquired e meant to do and e sat here ”like a stone” I answered that aiting for soauides He remarked that the Kendah to the best of his belief lived in a country that was still hundreds of miles away and that, as they did not know of our presence, any cos seemed to be foolish
I retorted that I was not quite so sure of this, since the Kendah see information
”Then, Macumazana, I fear that you will have to wait by yourselves until you discover which of us is right,” he said stolidly
Turning to Ragnall, I asked hi out that to journey into the desert oing, and that to return alone, without the stores which we h the country of the bush However, it was for hi ain he dwelt earnestly upon his secret reasons for wishi+ng to visit these Kendah, hich of course I was already acquainted, as indeed was Savage
”I desire to stay here,” he ended
”Which e will not desert you Nor will Hans desert h he thinks us mad He points out that I came to seek ivory and here about is ivory in plenty for the trouble of taking”
”I an, but I looked at him in such a way that he never finished the sentence
Ultimately we careed to wait threethat period we on our part agreed to return with them to a stretch of atered bush about fifty miles behind us, which we knear shy of approaching our oasis where there was soThere ould kill as much ivory as we could carry, an operation in which they illing to assist for the fun of it, and then go back with them to Mazituland
The three days went by and with every hour that passed e and Hans, while Lord Ragnall became more and more depressed The third afternoon was devoted to a jubilant packing of loads, for in accordance with the terain ere to start backwards on our spoor at dawn upon the morrow Most happily did I lay ht, feeling that at last I was rid of an uncoood by staying on, it would have been another matter
But as I was certain that there was no earthly chance of our finding a the Kendah--if ever we reached theypt, well, I was glad that Providence had been so good as to make it impossible for us to commit suicide by thirst in a desert, or otherwise For, notwithstanding s to the contrary, I was now convinced that this hat had happened to poor Ragnall's wife
That, however, was just what Providence had not done In the ht, to be precise, at exactly two in the , I akened by Hans, who slept at the back of gots, exclaihtened voice,
”Open your eyes and look, Baas There are two _spooks_ waiting to see you outside, Baas”
Very cautiously I lifted ht There, seated about five paces froh, thite-robed figures squatting silent and ihtened Then I bethoughtthat served ot hold of the handle, however, a deep voice said:
”Is it your custouests with bullets?”
Now thought I to myself, who is there in the world who could see a man catch hold of the handle of a pistol in the recesses of a dark place and under a blanket at night, except the owner of that voice which I seeland?
”Yes, Hart,” I answered with an unconcerned yahen the guests coht But as you are here at last, will you be so good as to tell us why you have kept us waiting all this tiement?”
”O Lord Macumazana,” answered Hart, for of course it was he, in quite a perturbed tone, ”I offer to you our huies The truth is that e heard of your arrival at Beza-Toe started, or tried to start, from hundreds of miles away to keep our tryst with you here as we promised ould do But we are mortal, Macumazana, and accidents intervened Thus, e had ascertained the weight of your baggage, ca at a distance Also it was necessary to send forward to dig out a certain well in the desert where they must drink Hence the delay Still, you will admit that we have arrived in ti of that sun which was to light you on your homeay”