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the hurricane destroyed the dhow。 By the time that we
had finished our meal our clothes were quite dry； and
we hastened to get into them； feeling not a little
refreshed。 Indeed； with the exception of weariness and
a few bruises； none of us were the worse for the
terrifying adventure which had been fatal to all our
companions。 Leo； it is true； had been half drowned；
but that is no great matter to a vigorous young
athlete of five…and…twenty。
After breakfast we started to look about us。 We were
on a strip of dry land about two hundred yards broad
by five hundred long； bordered on one side by the
river； and on the other three by endless desolate
swamps； that stretched as far as the eye could reach。
This strip of land was raised about twenty…five feet
above the plain of the surrounding swamps and the
river level； indeed； it had every appearance of having
been made by the hand of man。
〃This place has been a wharf；〃 said Leo； dogmatically。
〃Nonsense；〃 I answered。 〃Who would be stupid enough to
build a wharf in the middle of these dreadful marshes
in a country inhabited by savages； that is if it is
inhabited at all？〃
〃Perhaps it was not always marsh； and perhaps the
people were not always savage；〃 he said； dryly；
looking down the steep bank for we were standing by
the river。 〃Look there；〃 he went on； pointing to a
spot where the hurricane of the previous night had
torn up one of the magnolia…trees； which had grown on
the extreme edge of the bank just where it sloped down
to the water； by the roots； and lifted a large cake of
earth with them。 〃Is not that stonework？ If not； it is
very like it。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 I said； again； and we clambered down to
the spot； and got between the upturned roots and the
bank。
〃Well？〃 he said。
But I did not answer this time。 I only whistled。 For
there； laid bare by the removal of the earth； was an
undoubted facing of solid stone laid in large blocks
and bound together with brown cement； so hard that I
could make no impression on it with the file in my
shooting…knife。 Nor was this all； seeing something
projecting through the soil at the bottom of the bared
patch of walling； I removed the loose earth with my
hands； and revealed a huge stone ring； a foot or more
in diameter； and about three inches thick。 This fairly
staggered me。
〃Looks rather like a wharf where good…sized vessels
have been moored； does it not； Uncle Horace？〃 said
Leo； with an excited grin。
I tried to say 〃Nonsense〃 again； but the word stuck in
my throatthe ring spoke for itself。 In some past age
vessels _i_ had _i_ been moored there； and this stone
wall was undoubtedly the remnant of a solidly
constructed wharf。 Probably the city to which it had
belonged lay buried beneath the swamp behind it。
〃Begins to look as though there were something in the
story after all； Uncle Horace；〃 said the exultant Leo；
and； reflecting on the mysterious negro's head and the
equally mysterious stonework； I made no direct reply。
〃A country like Africa；〃 I said； 〃is sure to be full
of the relics of long dead and forgotten
civilizations。 Nobody knows the age of the Egyptian
civilization； and very likely it had offshoots。 Then
there were the Babylonians and the Phoenicians； and
the Persians； and all manner of people； all more or
less civilized； to say nothing of the Jews； whom
everybody 'wants' nowadays。 It is possible that they；
or any one of them； may have had colonies or trading…
stations about here。 Remember those buried Persian
cities that the consul showed us at Kilwa。〃
〃Quite so；〃 said Leo； 〃but that is not what you said
before。〃
〃Well； what is to be done now？〃 I asked； turning the
conversation。
As no answer was forthcoming we proceeded to the edge
of the swamp； and looked over it。 It was apparently
boundless； and vast flocks of every sort of waterfowl
came flying from its recesses； till it was sometimes
difficult to see the sky。 Now that the sun was getting
high it drew thin； sickly looking clouds of poisonous
vapor from the surface of the marsh and from the
scummy pools of stagnant water。
〃Two things are clear to me；〃 I said； addressing my
three companions； who stared at this spectacle in
dismay： 〃first； that we can't go across there〃 （I
pointed to the swamp）； 〃and； secondly； that if we stop
here we shall certainly die of fever。〃
〃That's as clear as a haystack； sir；〃 said Job。
〃Very well； then； there are two alternatives before
us。 One is to 'bout ship； and try and run for some
port in the whale…boat； which would be a sufficiently
risky proceeding； and the other to sail or row on up
the river； and see where we come to。〃
〃I don't know what you are going to do；〃 said Leo；
setting his mouth； 〃but I am going up that river。〃
Job turned up the whites of his eyes and groaned； and
the Arab murmured 〃Allah；〃 and groaned also。 As for
me； I remarked sweetly that as we seemed to be between
the devil and the deep sea； it did not much matter
where we went。 But in reality I was as anxious to
proceed as Leo。 The colossal negro's head and the
stone wharf had excited my curiosity to an extent of
which I was secretly ashamed； and I was prepared to
gratify it at any cost。 Accordingly； having carefully
fitted the mast； restowed the boat； and got out our
rifles； we embarked。 Fortunately the wind was blowing
on shore from the ocean； so we were able to hoist the
sail。 Indeed； we afterwards found out that as a
general rule the wind set on shore from daybreak for
some hours； and off shore again at sunset； and the
explanation that I offer of this is； that when the
earth is cooled by the dew and the night the hot air
rises； and the draught rushes in from the sea till the
sun has once more heated it through。 At least that
appeared to be the rule here。
Taking advantage of this favoring wind； we sailed
merrily up the river for three or four hours。 Once we
came across a school of hippopotami； which rose； and
bellowed dreadfully at us within ten or a dozen
fathoms of the boat； much to Job's alarm； and； I will
confess； to my own。 These were the first hippopotami
that we had ever seen； and； to judge by their
insatiable curiosity； I should judge that we were the
first white men that they had ever seen。 Upon my word
l once or twice thought that they were coming into the
boat to gratify it。 Leo wanted to fire at them； but I
dissuaded him； fearing the consequences。 Also we saw
hundreds of crocodiles basking on the muddy banks； and
thousands upon thousands of waterfowl。 Some of these
we shot； and among them was a wild goose； which； in
addition to the sharp curved spurs on its wings； had a
spur about three quarters of an inch long growing from
the skull just between the eyes。 We never shot another
like it； so I do not know if it was a 〃sport〃 or a
distinct species。 In the latter case this incident may
interest naturalists。 Job named it the Unicorn Goose。
About midday the sun grew intensely hot； and the
stench drawn up by it from the marshes which the river
drains was something too awful； and caused us
instantly to swallow precautionary doses of quinine。
Shortly afterwards the breeze died away altogether；
and； as rowing our heavy boat against stream in the
heat was out of the question； we were thankful enough
to get under the shade of a group of treesa species
of willowthat grew by the edge of the river； and lie
there and gasp till at length the approach of sunset
put a period to our miseries。 Seeing what appeared to
be an open space of water straight ahead of us； we
determined to row there before settling what to do for
the night。 Just as we were about to loosen the boat；
however； a beautiful water…buck； with great horns
curving forward； and a white stripe across the rump；
came down to the river to drink； without perceiving us
hidden away within fifty yards under the willows。 Leo
was the first to catch sight of it； and being an
ardent sportsman； thirsting for the blood of big game；
about which he had been dreaming for months； he
instantly stiffened all over； and pointed like a
setter dog。 Seeing what was the matter； I handed him
his express rifle； at the same time taking my own。
〃Now then；〃 I whispered； 〃mind you don't miss。〃
〃Miss！〃 he whispered back； contemptuously； 〃I could
not miss it if I tried。〃
He lifted the rifle； and the roan…colored buck； having
drunk his fill； raised his head and looked out across
the river。 He was standing right against the sunset
sky on a little eminence； or ridge of ground； which
ran across the swamp； evidently a favorite path for
game； and there was something very beautiful about
him。 Indeed； I do not think that if I live to a
hundred I shall ever forget that desolate and yet most
fascinating scene； it is stamped upon my memory。 To
the right and left were wide stretches of lonely；
death…breeding swamp； unbroken and unrelieved so far
as the eye could reach； except here and there by ponds
of black and peaty water that； mirror…like； flashed up
the red rays of the setting sun。 Behind us and before
stretched the