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asking for some breakfast。 Job and Ustane got him on
to the bottom； or rather the sacking of a litter；
which was removed from its pole for that purpose； and
with the aid of old Billali carried him out into the
shade at the mouth of the cave； from which； by the
way； every trace of the slaughter of the previous
night had now been removed； and there we all
breakfasted； and indeed spent that day； and most of
the two following ones。
On the third morning Job and myself were practically
recovered。 Leo also was so much better that I yielded
to Billali's often expressed entreaty； and agreed to
start at once upon our journey to Ko^r； which we were
told was the name of the place where the mysterious
_i_ She _i_ lived； though I still feared for its
effects upon Leo； and especially lest the motion
should cause his wound； which was scarcely skinned
over； to break open again。 Indeed； had it not been for
Billali's evident anxiety to get off； which led us to
suspect that some difficulty or danger might threaten
us if we did not comply with it； I would not have
consented to go。
CHAPTER X
SPECULATIONS
WITHIN an hour of our finally deciding to start； five
litters were brought up to the door of the cave； each
accompanied by four regular bearers and two spare
hands； also a band of about fifty armed Amahagger； who
were to form the escort and carry the baggage。 Three
of these litters； of course； were for us； and one for
Billali； who； I was immensely relieved to hear； was to
be our companion； while the fifth I presumed was for
the use of Ustane。
〃Does the lady go with us； my father？〃 I asked of
Billali； as he stood superintending things generally。
He shrugged his shoulders as he answered；
〃If she wills。 In this country the women do what they
please。 We worship them； and give them their way；
because without them the world could not go on； they
are the source of life。〃
〃Ah；〃 I said； the matter never having struck me quite
in that light before。
〃We worship them；〃 he went on； 〃up to a certain point；
till at last they get unbearable； which；〃 he added；
〃they do about every second generation。〃
〃And then what do you do？〃 I asked； with curiosity。
〃Then；〃 he answered； with a faint smile； 〃we rise； and
kill the old ones as an example to the young ones； and
to show them that we are the strongest。 My poor wife
was killed in that way three years ago。 It was very
sad； but； to tell thee the truth； my son； life has
been happier since； for my age protects me from the
young ones。〃
〃In short；〃 I replied； quoting the saying of a great
man whose wisdom has not yet lightened the darkness of
the Amahagger； 〃thou hast found thy position one of
greater freedom and less responsibility。〃
This phrase puzzled him a little at first from its
vagueness； though I think my translation hit off its
sense very well； but at last he saw it； and
appreciated it。
〃Yes； yes； my Baboon；〃 he said； 〃I see it now； but all
the 'responsibilities' are killed； at least some of
them are； and that is why there are so few old women
about just now。 Well； they brought it on themselves。
As for this girl；〃 he went on； in a graver tone； 〃I
know not what to say。 She is a brave girl； and she
loves the Lion （Leo）； thou sawest how she clung to
him； and saved his life。 Also； she is； according to
our custom； wed to him； and has a right to go where he
goes； unless；〃 he added； significantly； 〃 _i_ She _i_
would say her no； for her word overrides all rights。〃
〃And if _i_ She _i_ bade her leave him； and the girl
refused？ What then？〃
〃If；〃 he said； with a shrug； 〃the hurricane bids the
tree to bend； and it will not； what happens？〃
And then； without waiting for an answer； he turned and
walked to his litter； and in ten minutes from that
time we were all well under way。
It took us an hour and more to cross the cup of the
volcanic plain； and another half…hour or so to climb
the edge on the farther side。 Once there； however； the
view was a very fine one。 Before us was a long steep
slope of grassy plain； broken here and there by clumps
of trees mostly of the thorn tribe。 At the bottom of
this gentle slope； some nine or ten miles away； we
could make out a dim sea of marsh； over which the foul
vapors hung like smoke about a city。 It was easy going
for the bearers down the slopes； and by midday we had
reached the borders of the dismal swamp。 Here we
halted to eat our midday meal； and then； following a
winding and devious path； plunged into the morass。
Presently the path； at any rate to our unaccustomed
eyes； grew so faint as to be almost indistinguishable
from those made by the aquatic beasts and birds； and
it is to this day a mystery to me how our bearers
found their way across the marshes。 Ahead of the
cavalcade marched two men with long poles； which they
now and again plunged into the ground before them； the
reason of this being that the nature of the soil
frequently changed from causes with which I am not
acquainted； so that places which might be safe enough
to cross one month would certainly swallow the
wayfarer the next。 Never did I see a more dreary and
depressing scene。 Miles on miles of quagmire； varied
only by bright green strips of comparatively solid
ground； and by deep and sullen pools fringed with tall
rushes； in which the bitterns boomed and the frogs
croaked incessantly； miles on miles of it without a
break； unless the fever fog can be called a break。 The
only life in this great morass was that of the aquatic
birds； and the animals that fed on them； of both of
which there were vast numbers。 Geese； cranes； ducks；
teal； coot； snipe； and plover swarmed all around us；
many being of varieties that were quite new to me； and
all so tame that one could almost have knocked them
over with a stick。 Among these birds I especially
noticed a very beautiful variety of painted snipe；
almost the size of woodcock； and with a flight more
resembling that bird's than an English snipe's。 In the
pools； too； was a species of small alligator or
enormous iguana； I do not know which； that fed；
Billali told me； upon the waterfowl； also large
quantities of a hideous black water snake； of which
the bite is very dangerous； though not； I gathered； so
deadly as a cobra's or a puff adder's。 The bullfrogs
were also very large； and with voices proportionate to
their size； and as for the mosquitoesthe
〃musqueteers；〃 as Job called themthey were； if
possible； even worse than they had been on the river；
and tormented us greatly。 Undoubtedly； however； the
worst feature of the swamp was the awful smell of
rotting vegetation that hung about it； which was at
times positively overpowering； and the malarious
exhalations that accompanied it； which we were of
course obliged to breathe。
On we went through it all； till at last the sun sank
in sullen splendor just as we reached a spot of rising
ground about two acres in extenta little oasis of
dry in the midst of the miry wildernesswhere Billali
announced that we were to camp。 The camping； however；
turned out to be a very simple process； and consisted；
in fact； in sitting down on the ground round a scanty
fire made of dry reeds and some wood that had been
brought with us。 However； we made the best we could of
it； and smoked and ate with such appetite as the smell
of damp； stifling heat would allow； for it was very
hot on this low land； and yet； oddly enough； chilly at
times。 But； however hot it was； we were glad enough to
keep near the fire； because we found that the
mosquitoes did not like the smoke。 Presently we rolled
ourselves up in our blankets and tried to go to sleep；
but so far as I was concerned the bullfrogs； and the
extraordinary roaring and alarming sound produced by
hundreds of snipe hovering high in the air； made sleep
an impossibility； to say nothing of our other
discomforts。 I turned and looked at Leo； who was next
to me； he was dozing； but his face had a flushed
appearance that I did not like； and by the flickering
firelight I saw Ustane； who was lying on the other
side of him； raise herself from time to time upon her
elbow； and look at him anxiously enough； However； I
could do nothing for him for we had all already taken
a good dose of quinine； which was the only preventive
we had； so I lay and watched the stars come out by
thousands； till all the immense arch of heaven was
sewn with glittering points； and every point a world！
Here was a glorious sight by which man might well
measure his own insignificance！ Soon I gave up
thinking about it； for the mind wearies easily when it
strives to grapple with the Infinite； and to trace the
footsteps of the Almighty as he strides from sphere to
sphere； or deduce his purpose from his works。 Such
things are not for us to know。 Knowledge is to the
strong； and we are weak。 Too much wisdom would
perchance blind our imperfect sight； and too much
strength would make us drunk； and overweight our
feeble reason till it fell； and we were drowned in the
depths of our own vanity。 For what is the first result
of