Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-07-20
III
THE FEAST, AND AFTER!


impression upon anybody who beheld 1t
more because of what it suggested, and
seemed to forcshadow, than for what il
revealed, it was announced 10 Us that a
feast would be held that evening in our
honor. did my best to get out of it
saying that we were modest people, and
cared little for feasts, but my remarks be
ing received with the silence of displeas
ure. | thought it wisest to hold my tongue.
Accordingly, just before shutdown,
was informed that everything was ready,
and, accompanied by Job, went into the
cave. where | met Leo, who was, ae usual,
followed by Ustane. These two had been
out walking somewhere, and knew moth
inc of the projected fesuvity till that
moment When Ustane heard of 1t saw
an expression of horror spring up upon her
handsome features Turning; She caught
a man who was passing by the cave by
the arm, and askei him something in an
imperious tone His answer seemed to
reassure her little, for she looked Ieliey-
"a, though far from satisfied. Next she
appeared to attempt some remonstrapce
with the man, who was a person in au
thority but he spoke angrily to her and
shook her off and then changing his mind
led her by the arm, and sat her down be
tween himself and another man in the
circle around the fire, and perceived
that for some ason Of her own she
thought it best to submit
The fire in the cave was an unusually
bic one that night and in large circle
round it were gathered about thirty five
men and two women, Ustane and the
woman to avoid whom Job had played
the role of another Scriptural character.
The men were sitting IN perfect silence,
as was their custom, each with his great
spear stuck upright behind him IN "a socket
cut i'm the rock for thas purpose. Only
one or two wore the yellowish linen gar
ment of which ! have spoken; the rest
had nothing except the leopards skin
about the middle,
What's up now, sir?' said Job, doubt
fully. "Bless us and save Us, there's
that woman again, Now surely she can't
be after me- seeing that | have given her
no encouragement. They give me the
creeps, the whole lot of them and that's a
fact. Why, look, they have asked Ma
homed to dine, too There, that lady of
mine is talking to him in a. NICE and civil
way as possible Well I'm glad in ism
me, that's all.
We looked up, and sure enough the
woman in question had risen, and was es-
counting the wretch Mahomed from the
corner where, overcome by some acute
prescience of horror he had been seated,
shivering, and calling on Allah, lie APP
pesred unwilling enough to come, II for
no other reason, perhaps because 1T was
an unaCCustOmed honor, for hitherto his
food had been given to him apart. Amy
way, could see that he was in state Of
great terror, for his lettering legs would
scarcely support his stout, Bulky FORM
and | think il was rather owing TO the re.
sources of barbarism behind him, in the
shape Of "A hugh Amahagger with a pro
pOrtiOnatcly hugh spear than 10 the Sc
ductiOn of the lady who led him by the
hand that he consented 10 come at all.
"Well, | said 10 the others, 81 don't at
all like the look of things, but ! suppose
lows got your revolvers on? because, if So
you had better see that they are loaded
Il have, sir said Job, tapping his Colt
"but Mr. Leo has only got his hunting
knife though that is big enough, surely -
Feeling that it would not do 10 wait
while the missing weapon was fetched
we advanced boldly, and seated ourselves
In line, with our backs against the side
Of the cave.
As soon as we were seated, an earthen
ware Jar was passed round containing "a
fermentcd fluid. of by no means unpleas-
ant taste though apt TO turn upon the
stomach. made of crushed gran-nOt
Indian corn, but small brown grain that
grows upon the stem in clusters, not un
like that which in the southern part of
Africa is known by the name of KafTer
corn. The vase IN which this liquid was
handed round was very curious and as il
snore or less rescmbled many hundreds Of
Others IN use among the Amahaggcr.
may rs well describe IT. These vases are
Of a of very ancient manufacture, and of
ali sizes None such can have been made
i'm the country for hundreds, or rather
thousands, of years. They are found in
the rock tombs, of which shall give a
description in their proper place, and my
own belief is that after the fashion of the
Egyptians with whom the former inhabi-
tents of this country may have had some
connection, they were used to receive the
viscera Of the dead. Leo, however, is Of
the opinion that, like the Elruscan amph-
ore they were merely placed there for the
spiritual use of the deceased They are
mostly two handled. aud of all sizes, some
being nearly three feet in height and run
ming from that down TO so many inches
In shape they vary, but are all exceeding
" beautiful and graceful. being made of "A
very fine black ware, not lustrous, but
slightly rough On this groundwork were
inlaid figures much more graceful and
life like than any other | have seen on
antique vases. Some Of these inlaid pic
lures represented love scenes with child
like simplicity and freedom of manner
which would not commend itself TO the
taste of the present day. Others again
were pictures of maidens dancing, and
Others again were hunting scenes. For
instance, the very vase from which we
were now drinking had on one side most
spirited drawing of men, apparently
white in color, attacking bull elephant
with spears, while on the reverse was a
"A r