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Three weeks or so before four men had entered the
marshes of Ko^r； and now two of us were dead； and the
other two had gone through adventures and experiences
so strange and terrible that Death himself hath not a
more fearful countenance。 Three weeksand only three
weeks！ Truly time should be measured by events； and
not by the lapse of hours。 It seemed like thirty years
since we saw the last of our whaleboat。
〃We must strike out for the Zambesi； Leo；〃 I said；
〃but God knows if we shall ever get there。〃
Leo nodded。 He had become very silent of late； and we
started with nothing but the clothes we stood in； a
compass； our revolvers and express rifles； and about
two hundred rounds of ammunition； and so ended the
history of our visit to the ancient ruins of mighty
and imperial Ko^r。
As for the adventures that subsequently befell us；
strange and varied as they were； I have； after
deliberation； determined not to record them here。 In
these pages I have only tried to give a short and
clear account of an occurrence which I believe to be
unprecedented； and this I have done； not with a view
to immediate publication； but merely to put on paper
while they are yet fresh in our memories the details
of our journey and its result； which will； I believe；
prove interesting to the world if ever we determine to
make them public。 This； as at present advised； we do
not intend should be done during our joint lives。
For the rest； it is of no public interest； resembling
as it does the experience of more than one Central
African traveller。 Suffice it to say； that we did；
after incredible hardships and privations； reach the
Zambesi； which proved to be about a hundred and
seventy miles south of where Billali left us。 There we
were for six months imprisoned by a savage tribe； who
believed us to be supernatural beings； chiefly on
account of Leo's youthful face and snow…white hair。
From these people we ultimately escaped； and； crossing
the Zambesi； wandered off southward； where； when on
the point of starvation； we were sufficiently
fortunate to fall in with a half…caste Portuguese
elephant…hunter who had followed a troop of elephants
farther inland than he had ever been before。 This man
treated us most hospitably； and ultimately through his
assistance we； after innumerable sufferings and
adventures； reached Delagoa Bay； more than eighteen
months from the time when we emerged from the marshes
of Ko^r； and the very next day managed to catch one of
the steamboats that run round the Cape to England。 Our
journey home was a prosperous one； and we set our foot
on the quay at Southampton exactly two years from the
date of our departure upon our wild and seemingly
ridiculous quest； and I now write these last words
with Leo leaning over my shoulder in my old room in my
college； the very same into which； some two…and…twenty
years ago； my poor friend Vincey came stumbling on the
memorable night of his death； bearing the iron chest
with him。
And that is the end of this history so far as it
concerns science and the outside world。 What its end
will be as regards Leo and myself is more than I can
guess at。 But we feel that it is not reached yet。 A
story that began more than two thousand years ago may
stretch a long way into the dim and distant future。
Is Leo really a reincarnation of the ancient
Kallikrates of whom the inscription tells？ Or was
Ayesha deceived by some strange hereditary
resemblance？ The reader must form his own opinion on
this as on many other matters。 I have mine； which is
that she made no such mistake。
Often I sit alone at night； staring with； the eyes of
the mind into the blackness of unborn time； and
wondering in what shape and form the great drama will
be finally developed； and where the scene of its next
act will be laid。 And when that final development
ultimately occurs； as I have no doubt it must and will
occur； in obedience to a fate that never swerves and a
purpose that cannot be altered； what will be the part
played therein by that beautiful Egyptian Amenartas；
the princess of the royal race of the Pharaohs； for
the love of whom the Priest Kallikrates broke his vows
to Isis； and； pursued by the inexorable vengeance of
the outraged goddess； fled down the coast of Libya to
meet his doom at Ko^r？
The End