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closely resembles the Norfolk red…pole strain； only it
has horns which generally curve forward over the head；
sometimes to such an extent that they have to be cut
to prevent them from growing into the bones of the
skull； The goats are long…haired； and are used for
eating only； at least I never saw them milked。 As for
the Amahagger cultivation； it is primitive in the
extreme； being all done by means of a spade made of
iron； for these people smelt and work iron。 This spade
is shaped more like a big spearshead than anything
else； and has no shoulder to it on which the foot can
be set。 As a consequence； the labor of digging is very
great。 It is； however； all done by the men； the women；
contrary to the habits of most savage races； being
entirely exempt from manual toil。 But then； as I think
I have said elsewhere； among the Amahagger the weaker
sex has established its rights。
At first we were much puzzled as to the origin and
constitution of this extraordinary race； points upon
which they were singularly uucommunicative。 As the
time went on for the next four days passed without any
striking eventwe learned something from Leo's lady
friend Ustane； who； by the way； stuck to that young
gentleman like his own shadow。 As to origin； they had
none； at least； so far as she was aware。 There were；
however； she informed us； mounds of masonry and many
pillars near the place where _i_ She _i_ lived； which
was called Ko^r； and which the wise said had once been
houses wherein men lived； and it was suggested that
they were descended from these men。 No one； however；
dared go near these great ruins because they were
haunted： they only looked on them from a distance。
Other similar ruins were to be seen； she had heard； in
various parts of the country； that is； wherever one of
the mountains rose above the level of the swamp。 Also
the caves in which they lived had been hollowed out of
the rocks by men； perhaps the same who built the
cities。 They themselves had no written laws； only
custom； which was； however； quite as binding as law。
If any man offended against the custom； he was put to
death by order of the Father of the 〃household。〃 I
asked how he was put to death； and she only smiled；
and said that I might see one day soon。
They had a queen； however。 _i_ She _i_ was their
queen； but she was very rarely seen； perhaps once in
two or three years； when she came forth to pass
sentence on some offenders； and when seen was muffled
up in a big cloak； so that nobody could look upon her
face。 Those who waited upon her were deaf and dumb；
and therefore could tell no tales； but it was reported
that she was lovely as no other woman was lovely； or
ever had been。 It was rumored also that she was
immortal； and had power。 over all things； but she；
Ustane； could say nothing of all that。 What she
believed was that the queen chose a husband from time
to time； and as soon as a female child was born this
husband； who was never again seen； was put to death。
Then the female child grew up and took the place of
the queen when its mother died and had been buried in
the great caves。 But of these matters none could speak
for certain。 Only _i_ She _i_ was obeyed throughout
the length and breadth of the land； and to question
her command was certain death。 _i_ She _i_ kept a
guard； but had no regular army； and to disobey her was
to die。
I asked what size the land was； and how many people
lived in it。 She answered that there were ten
〃households；〃 like this that she knew of； including
the big 〃household；〃 where the queen was； that all the
〃households〃 lived in caves； in places resembling this
stretch of raised country； dotted about in a vast
extent of swamp； which was only to be threaded by
secret paths。 Often the 〃households〃 made war on each
other until _i_ She _i_ sent word that it was to stop；
and then they instantly ceased。 That and the fever
which they caught in crossing the swamps prevented
their numbers from increasing too much。 They had no
connection with any other race； indeed none lived near
them； or were able to thread the vast swamps。 Once an
army from the direction of the great river （presumably
the Zambesi） had attempted to attack them； but they
got lost in the marshes； and at night； seeing the
great balls of fire that move about there； tried to
come to them； thinking that they marked the enemy's
camp； and half of them were drowned。 As for the rest；
they soon died of fever and starvation； not a blow
being struck at them。 The marshes； she told us； were
absolutely impassable except to those who knew the
paths； adding； what I could well believe； that we
should never have reached this place where we then
were had we not been brought thither。
These and many other things we learned from Ustane
during the four days pause before our real adventures
began gave us considerable cause for thought。 The
whole thing was exceedingly remarkable； almost
incredibly so； indeed； and the oddest part of it was
that so far it did more or less correspond to the
ancient writing on the sherd。 And now it appeared that
there was a mysterious queen clothed by rumor with
dread and wonderful attributes； and commonly known by
the impersonal but； to my mind； rather awesome title
of _i_ She _i_ 。 Altogether； I could not make it out；
nor could Leo； though of course he was exceedingly
triumphant over me because I had persistently mocked
at the whole thing。 As for Job； he had long since
abandoned any attempt to call his reason his own； and
left it to drift on the sea of circumstance。 Mahomed；
the Arab； who was； by the way； treated civilly indeed；
but with chilling contempt； by the Amahagger； was； I
discovered； in a great fright； though I could not
quite make out what he was frightened about。 He would
sit crouched in a corner of the cave all day long；
calling upon Allah and the Prophet to protect him。
When I pressed him about it； he said that he was
afraid because these people were not men and women at
all； but devils； and that this was an enchanted land；
and； upon my word； once or twice since then I have
been inclined to agree with him。 And so the time went
on； till the night of the fourth day after Billali had
left； when something happened。
We three and Ustane were sitting round a fire in the
cave just before bedtime； when suddenly the woman； who
had been brooding in silence； rose； and laid her hand
upon Leo's golden curls； and addressed him。 Even now；
when I shut my eyes； I can see her proud； imperial
form； clothed alternately in dense shadow and the red
flickering of the fire； as she stood； the wild centre
of as weird a scene as I ever witnessed； and delivered
herself of the burden of her thoughts and forebodings
in a kind of rhythmical speech that ran something
follows：
＇poem in italics＇
〃Thou art my chosenI have waited
for thee from the beginning！
Thou art very beautiful。 Who hath
hair like unto thee； or skin so
white？
Who hath so strong an arm； who is
so much a man。
Thine eyes are the sky； and the light
in them is the stars。
Thou art perfect and of a happy face；
and my heart turned itself towards thee。
Ay； when mine eyes fell on thee I did
desire thee
Then did I take thee to methou； my
Beloved；
And hold thee fast； lest harm should
come unto thee。
Ay； I did cover thine head with mine
hair； lest the sun should strike it；
And altogether was I thine； and thou
wast altogether mine。
And so it went for a little space； till
Time was in labor with an evil
Day；
And then what befell on that day？
Alas！ my Beloved； I know not！
But I； I saw thee no moreI； I was
lost in the blackness。
And she who is stronger did take thee；
ay； she who is fairer than Ustane。
Yet didst thou turn and call upon me；
and let thine eyes wander in the
darkness。
But； nevertheless； she prevailed by
Beauty； and led thee down horrible
places； And then； ah！ then my Beloved〃
Here this extraordinary woman broke off her speech； or
chant； which was so much musical gibberish to us； for
all that we understood of what she was talking about；
and seemed to fix her flashing eyes upon the deep
shadow before her。 Then in a moment they acquired a
vacant； terrified stare； as though they were striving
to realize some half seen horror。 She lifted her hand
from Leo's head； and pointed into the darkness。 We all
looked； and could see nothing； but she saw something；
or thought she did； and something evidently that
affected even her iron nerves； for； without another
sound； down she fell senseless between us。
Leo； who was growing really attached to this
remarkable young person； was in a great state of alarm
and distress； and I； to be perfectly candid； was in a
condition not far removed from superstitious fear。 The
whole scene was an uncanny one。
Presently； however； she recovered； and sat up with an
extraordinary convulsive shudder。
〃What didst thou mean； Ustane？〃 asked Leo； who； thanks
to years of tuition； spoke Arabic very prettily。
〃Nay； my chosen；〃