Evening star., 1923-06-03

shadows fall and the clatter Of bird
life dies away the swamp begins to
hum.
Before we reached the other side
we were assailed by clouds Of raven
Gus mosquitoes. Here darkness was
a friend. for with the fading of day
light, the stinging tsetse had retired.
Eventually we came to a small
clearing with a few huts and a fire
burning in the square. Some one
was monotonously stunning
stringed gourd, baby was whining,
and the men of tie village. squatted
on three-legged STOOLS, were solemnly
taking snuff and laughing over idle
Jokes. :.
The headman dropped the gourd
aud tumbled his stool over.
Peace" he cried. Peace! Mas
ters!
A place was made by the fire. A
gourd of cold water was produced;
and when Ali told the headman 1 had
not eaten, wild honey and banana
wine were brought, which Ali shared
when had had my fill. When I spoke
of my errand, however, several of the
youths by the fire laughed, and the
headman stared with dismay.
"Bwana," he exclaimed desperately.
"I sent no runner. There is no
leopard. We have not seen or heard
cat since last new moon"
X e
TN the next few minutes 1t was
i swiftly divulged that Chaussi. son
of the headman, had journeyed to my
banda hoping to procure a rife Re-
turning, when he realized that his
simple scheme was spoiled, he had
fed in a panic to the forest.
Ali was furiously sarcastic. and the
headman was apologetlc and anxious;
but the youths were secretly amused
at the beating that awaited Chaussi.
At first 1 also was angry. but as ]
sat gazing into the fire, occasionally
lifting my gaze to the ring of dark
faces, with white eyes cleaning in
the reflected light of the red and yell
low flames, the deep shadows press
ing close on all sides, the wall of
the escarpment bending above like
huge thunder clouds, and the stars
peering and twinkling through the
lace-work of the forest, i allowed
myself to sink soothingly beneath
deep waves of primitive emotions.
/ lighted my pipe and told Mzee, the
headman, to continue with his music.
The old man picked up his gourd
again, scowled fiercely for silence and
commenced to pick at the strings.
irL rio VT n
The deep gouard seemed a living
the voice of a satyr; it hummed; 1t
gasped; it choked with laughter; end
my savage friends, first thrusting for
ward the children, rapidly yielded to
the intoxication of the music. / be-
came the center of one of those
strange ngomas that lay bare the
very soul of the savage.
The scene. softened by the shadows,
yet grotesquely illumined by the
fame; the wild music hopelessly beat
ing against the black vastness that
smothered us; my own aloof presence
amazed and amused me with its
strange symbolism.
l thought OF dowager chaperons,
of languid beauties and lissom
by half dollars; of draperies and bot
tied perfumes; of transient beauty
and moneyed worth; of social talents
and those who struggle for the smile
of the favored.
l distinctly heard a fat. half naked
matron urge her simpering daughter
forward. exclaiming under her breath:
do not be little idiot! See how
Mud, the daughter of Hot Work, is
carrying on! Go dancer
And I broke up the ngoma in
burst of laughter.
The next afternoon a long, lean
runner came down from the escarp-
ment with dispatches.
1 set out an hour later with Rob-
bic. my Scotch sergeant, leaving my
boy and Ali behind. sick with fever.
The going was slow at first, because
my foot had become infected by the
Lite of some Venomous insect.
Looking upward at the dark wall
of the escarpment, felt the delight
full sensation. of climbing into the
pages of an old romance. Above, In
the clouds, was the dim abode of
She" land of People of the Mists."
When we reached the edge of the
escarpment a cold wind struck us; SO,
wrapping ourselves in our blankets
we made nests in the long grass and
took our chances with the dark until
~