Part 1 (1/2)
The Ivory Trail
by Talbot Mundy
Chapter One
THE NJO HAPA SONG
Green, ah greener than emeralds are, tree-tops beckon the dhows to land, White, oh whiter than dia is fairer than Zanzibar from the Isles o' the West to the Marquesand
I was old when the world ith youth (All love was lawless then!) Since 'Venture's birth from ends of earth I ha' called the sons of es out In travail sore to know What lure of opiate art can leach Along bare seas from reef to beach Until froo
Red, oh redder than red lips are,noon, Blue, oh bluer thanmonsoon, And there are cloves to smell, and musk, and lemon trees, and cinnamon
--------- The words ”Njo hapa” in the Kiswahili tongue are the equivalent of ”come hither!”
Estimates of ease and affluence vary with the point of view While his older brother lived, Monty had continued in his element, a cavalry officer, his combined incoht require of an English gentleman They say that a finer polo player, a steadier shot on foot at a tiger, or a bolder squadron leader never lived
But to Monty's infinite disgust his brother died childless It is divulging no secret that the income that passed with the title varied between five and seven thousand pounds a year, according as coal was high, and tenants prosperous or not--a mere miserable pittance, of course, for the Earl of Montdidier and Kirkudbrightshi+re; so that all his ventures, and therefore ours, had one avowed end--shekels enough to lift the enerations of soldiers had blazed the Montdidier farounds, to a nation's (and why not the whole earth's) benefit, without replenishi+ng the family funds, and Monty (himself a confirmed and convinced bachelor) was minded when his own ti to the next in line together with sufficient funds to support its dignity
To us--even to Yerkes, fas--he seeilded Croesus He had a trips We never lacked for working capital, but the quest (and, including Yerkes, ere as keen as he) led us into strange places
So behold hi in the lazaretto of Zanzibar, clothed only in slippers, underwear and a long blue dressing-gown We three others were dressed the same, and because it smacked of official restraint we objected noisily; but Monty did not seem to mind much He was rather bored, but unresentful
A French steari and Monty's rank, insured us a friendly reception, the port health authorities elected to be strict and ere given a nice long lazy time in which to cool our heels and order new clothes (Guns, kit, tents, and all but e stood in had gone to the bottom with the German cholera shi+p fro us all this tirumbled Yerkes ”If any one wants my opinion, they're afraid we'd talk if they let us out-- Germans than they are of cholera!
Besides--any fool could know by noe're not sick!”
”Therein that,” ad the song out loud, but for you!” Yerkes added
Monty nodded syood of you, Will, and all that sort of thing”
”You English are so everlastingly afraid of see rather than talk!”
”As a government, perhaps yes,” admitted Monty ”As a people, I fancy not As a people we vary”
”You vary in that respect as much as sardines in a can! I traveled once all the way frolisharrulous! I offered hiarettes, matches, reence--(that's your sole national topic of talk between strangers!)--and all he ever said toto start trouble!”
”He didn't start any, did he?” asked Monty