Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-10

80
More imaginary washing more bending;
more prayers. The primrose light faded.
The tip of the red sun appeared above
the edge of a cloudlesS world, and thus
another day was born.
Our caravan at length passed Beida,
the last grass village we would see for
weeks. Henceforth We were to live on
the land.
At the end of the first mile we became
conscious Of a strange cavalcade that
followed In wake. It was as though
the village had come up by the roots
and decided to join Us. Old men, young
men, boys and donkeys!
"Meat-hunters," I suggested.
do they think we're running a butch
er shop?" said Lake.
"Once," I reminded him, BENJAMIN
Franklin Of Philadelphia said, Fish and
guests go bad in three days That Is a
maxim, even in Philadelphia. Down
here a leg of oribi goes bad in three
hours-while guests may linger. We
can't use all the meat. Let EN- come"
That afternoon We camped at a pool-a
pretty, rushy dingle, known as Regefba-
while nearby the villagers of Beida pre-
pared to spend the night. At intervals
of 10 miles or so these pools appeared
In the dry bed of the binder River with
mathematical precision. Springs fed
them, no doubt, for they never dried up;
they were amazing GASES In the midst
of Sun-baked barrenness.
This particular pool waS alive with
crocodiles. They trimmed its sandy
edges, as they lay summing themselves,
like eyelaShes around a watery eye. We
'Strafed" one as he slept. At once the
Arabs became hysterical. They seemed
to hold a peculiar aversion for croco-
diles. One strapping young man, in
particular, became very emotional. He
jibbered and slobbered, bit his knuckles
and shook in every limb. Then, when
the "croc" with q few spasmodic wrig-
giles managed to slip into the water, he
was in after it up to his neck, feeling
for 1t with his bare feet In the z of
the bottom.
It seemed a suicidal act, yet in time
he was followed by other boys until the
water looked like a collegiate swimming
pool. And while they did not find the
"croc," none of the "crocs" found them,
which was a relief.
This was u first introduction to the
boy. Yak. He was rechristened at once,
"Wild Bill"
While the sun was hot our ground
sheet was draped above us like an avn
ing. In its luxurious shade we lolled
like potentates. Later, when the earth
was dark, 1t was lowered and spread on
the ground as usual.
Accompanied by Wild Bill and the
three crackers we had taken with us,
we strayed over the countryside at
sunset, committing nuiSances on wart
hogs and oribi. The wild life about us
began to multiply. The hunting frenzy
possessed us-Arabs and Nordic alike.
We had found a common denomination;
differences of creed and color vanished.
m Nur. an efficient, dignified Arab If
there ever was one, grabbed my head in
both hands and screwed it violently
around until I could see the same dim
shape he could. For the moment our
motives were identical. We were killers.
AS each fantastic animal appeared, I
f1red. The air reverberated. The ground
shook with hoof-beats. The Arabs
oanced inc uttered pungent Arabian
oaths: In another language r too swore
and danced with no less violence.
Inc last one disappeared into the
purple shadows. They were gone. In
the gathering darkness we pursued them
like wolves with the tang of blood in
their noStrilS until the chase became
futile.
Then we stumbled home in the dark.
once more we became normal human
beings, slipping again into our respec-
i've social grooves. For my part, as the
blood-lust cooled, I found myself walk
ing through the dark clad in nothing
u a flannel shirt and a pair of hob
nailed boots.
THAT night, as the Shikaris lined up
for the usual confab, they were
more alert than usual.
Whats wrong?" we inquired of
Abdu, their leader.
"Abyssinsans now any time" he
answered. "Shikaris want the gentle
men to eat dinner while it is light from
now on"
"Yes?"
Because, with lamps burning on the
table, the Abyssinians see them far off.
They creep up So" he dramatized an
AbysSinian creep-"and shoot us all
from the bushes"
Now. what do you think of that?"
said Lake.
I'VE can't let these boys think we're
scared of Abyssinians, 7 suggested, "or
they may get a touch Of religion some
night and do ON skull tapping on their
own account"
"Tell EN-" said Lake, turning to Alb
du, that we eat at our regular time
we always eat at our regular time. We
burn the shamadans on the table-that,s
what they're for, and If any assassins
come fooling around this camp we'll have
the English send up a gun boat and
blow 'em up"
Eyes, sir" answered Abdu.
Suddenly, far toward the south, there
were three deep, t~hunderous roars, end
the mellowing effect of distance, the air
seemed to pulse and vibrate with their
hollow, throaty echoes. As they died