the yellow god-第29章

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them；　〃dog　should　not　eat　dog〃　or　the　human　being　his　own　kind。

The　chief　answered　that　there　was　a　great　deal　in　what　he　said；　which
on　his　return　he　would　lay　before　his　head　men。　Indeed　Alan；　to　his
astonishment；　discovered　that　Jeekie　had　been　quite　right　when　he
alleged　that　these　people；　so　terrible　in　their　mode　of　life；　were　yet
〃kind　and　gentle　at　heart。〃　They　preyed　upon　mankind　because　for
centuries　it　had　been　their　custom　so　to　do；　but　if　anyone　had　been
there　to　show　them　a　better　way；　he　grew　sure　that　they　would　follow
it　gladly。　At　least　they　were　brave　and　loyal　and　even　after　their
first　fear　of　the　white　man　had　worn　off；　fulfilled　their　promises
without　a　murmur。　Once；　indeed；　when　he　chanced　to　have　gone　for　a
walk　unarmed　and　to　be　charged　by　a　bull　elephant；　these　Ogula　ran　at
the　brute　with　their　spears　and　drove　it　away；　a　rescue　in　which　one
of　them　lost　his　life；　for　the　〃rogue〃　caught　and　killed　him。

So　the　days　went　on　while　they　paddled　leisurely　up　the　river；　Alan
employing　the　time　by　taking　lessons　in　the　Asiki　tongue　from　Jeekie；
a　language　which　he　had　been　studying　ever　since　he　left　England。　The
task　was　not　easy；　as　he　had　no　books　and　Jeekie　himself　after　some
thirty　years　of　absence；　was　doubtful　as　to　many　of　its　details。　Still
being　a　linguist　by　nature　and　education　and　finding　in　the　tongue
similarities　to　other　African　dialects　which　he　knew；　he　was　now　able
to　speak　it　a　little；　in　a　halting　fashion。

On　the　fifth　day　of　their　ascent　of　the　river；　they　came　to　a
tributary　that　flowed　into　it　from　the　north；　up　which　the　Ogula　said
they　must　proceed　to　reach　Asiki…land。　The　stream　was　narrow　and
sluggish；　widening　out　here　and　there　into　great　swamps　through　which
it　was　not　easy　to　find　a　channel。　Also　the　district　was　so　unhealthy
that　even　several　of　the　Ogula　contracted　fever；　of　which　Alan　cured
them　by　heavy　doses　of　quinine；　for　fortunately　his　travelling
medicine　chest　remained　to　him。　These　cures　were　effected　after　their
chief　suggested　that　they　should　be　thrown　overboard；　or　left　to　die
in　the　swamp　as　useless；　with　the　result　that　the　white　man's　magical
powers　were　thenceforth　established　beyond　doubt　or　cavil。　Indeed　the
poor　Ogula　now　looked　on　him　as　a　god　superior　even　to　Little　Bonsa；
whose　familiar　he　was　supposed　to　be。

The　journey　through　that　swamp　was　very　trying；　since　in　this　wet
season　often　they　could　find　no　place　on　which　to　sleep　at　night；　but
must　stay　in　the　canoe　tormented　by　mosquitoes；　and　in　constant　danger
of　being　upset　by　the　hippopotami　that　lived　there。　Moreover；　as　no
game　was　now　available；　they　were　obliged　to　live　on　these　beasts；
fish　when　they　could　catch　them；　and　wildfowl；　which　sometimes　they
were　unable　to　cook　for　lack　of　fuel。　This　did　not　trouble　the　Ogula；
who　ate　them　raw；　as　did　Jeekie　when　he　was　hungry。　But　Alan　was
obliged　to　starve　until　they　could　make　a　fire。　This　it　was　only
possible　to　do　when　they　found　drift　or　other　wood；　since　at　that
season　the　rank　vegetation　was　in　full　growth。　Also　the　fearful
thunderstorms　which　broke　continually　and　in　a　few　minutes　half　filled
their　canoe　with　water；　made　the　reeds　and　the　soil　on　which　they
grew；　sodden　with　wet。　As　Jeekie　said：

〃This　time　of　year　only　fit　for　duck　and　crocodile。　Human　should
remember　uncontrollable　forces　of　nature　and　wait　till　winter　come　in
due　course；　when　quagmire　bear　sole　of　his　foot。〃

This　elaborate　remark　he　made　to　Alan　during　the　progress　of　a
particularly　fearful　tempest。　The　lightning　blazed　in　the　black　sky
and　seemed　to　strike　all　about　them　like　stabbing　swords　of　fire；　the
thunder　crashed　and　bellowed　as　it　may　be　supposed　that　it　will　do　on
that　day　when　the　great　earth；　worn　out　at　last；　shall　reel　and
stagger　to　its　doom。　The　rain　fell　in　a　straight　and　solid　sheet；　the
tall　reeds　waved　confusedly　like　millions　of　dim　arms　and　while　they
waved；　uttered　a　vast　and　groaning　noise；　the　scared　wildfowl　in　their
terror；　with　screams　and　the　sough　of　wings；　rushed　past　them　in
flocks　a　thousand　strong；　now　seen　and　now　lost　in　the　vapours。　To
keep　their　canoe　afloat　the　poor；　naked　Ogula　oarsmen；　shivering　with
cold　and　fear；　baled　furiously　with　their　hands；　or　bowls　of　hollowed
wood；　and　called　back　to　Alan　to　save　them　as　though　he　were　the
master　of　the　elements。　Even　Jeekie　was　depressed　and　appeared　to　be
offering　up　petitions；　though　whether　these　were　directed　to　Little
Bonsa　or　elsewhere　it　was　impossible　to　know。

As　for　Alan；　the　heart　was　out　of　him。　It　is　true　that　so　far　he　had
escaped　fever　or　other　sickness；　which　in　itself　was　wonderful；　but　he
was　chilled　through　and　through　and　practically　had　eaten　nothing　for
two　days；　and　very　little　for　a　week；　since　his　stomach　turned　from
half…cooked　hippopotamus　fat　and　wildfowl。　Moreover；　they　had　lost　the
channel　and　seemed　to　be　wandering　aimlessly　through　a　wilderness　of
reeds　broken　here　and　there　by　lines　of　deeper　water。

According　the　Ogula　they　should　have　reached　the　confines　of　the　great
lake　several　days　before　and　landed　on　healthful　rising　ground　that
was　part　of　the　Asiki　territory。　But　this　had　not　happened；　and　now　he
doubted　whether　it　ever　would　happen。　It　was　more　likely　that　they
would　come　to　their　deaths；　there　in　the　marsh；　especially　as　the　few
ball　and　shot　cartridges　which　they　had　saved　in　their　flight　were　now
exhausted。　Not　one　was　left；　nothing　was　left　except　their　revolvers
with　some　charges；　which　of　course　were　quite　useless　for　the　killing
of　game。　Therefore　they　were　in　a　fair　way　to　die　of　hunger；　for　here
if　fish　existed；　they　refused　to　be　caught　and　nought　remained　for
them　to　fill　themselves　with　except　water　slugs；　and　snails　which　the
boatmen　were　already　gathering　and　crunching　up　in　their　great　teeth。
Or；　perhaps　the　Ogula；　forgetting　friendship　under　the　pressure　of
necessity；　would　murder　them　as　they　slept　andrevert　to　their　usual
diet。

Jeekie　was　right；　he　should　have　remembered　the　〃uncontrollable　forces
of　Nature。〃　Only　a　madman　would　have　undertaken　such　an　expedition　in
the　rains。　No　wonder　that　the　Asiki　remained　a　secret　and　hidden
people　when　their　frontier　was　protected　by　such　a　marsh　as　this　upon
the　one　side　and；　as　he　understood；　by　impassable　mountains　upon　the
other。

There　came　a　lull　in　the　tempest　and　the　boatmen　began　to　get　the
better　of　the　water；　which　now　was　up　to　their　knees。　Alan　asked
Jeekie　if　he　thought　it　was　over；　but　that　worthy　shook　his　white　head
mournfully；　causing　the　spray　to　fly　as　from　a　twirling　mop；　and
replied：

〃Can't　say；　cats　and　dogs　not　tumble　so　many　for　present；　only　pups
and　kitties　left；　so　to　speak；　but　think　there　plenty　more　up　there；〃
and　he　nodded　at　the　portentous　fire…laced　cloud　which　seemed　to　be
spreading　over　them；　its　black　edges　visible　even　through　the　gloom。

〃Bad　business；　I　am　afraid；　Jeekie。　Shouldn't　have　brought　you　here；
or　those　poor　beggars　either；〃　and　he　looked　at　the　scared；　frozen
Ogula。　〃I　begin　to　wonder〃

〃Never　wonder；　Major；〃　broke　in　Jeekie　in　alarm。　〃If　wonder；　not　live；
if　wonder；　not　be　born；　too　much　wonder　about　everywhere。　Can't
understand　nothing；　so　give　it　up。　Say；　'Right…O　and　devil
hindermost！'　Very　good　motto　for　biped　in　tight　place。　Better　drown
here　than　in　City　bucket　shop。　But　no　drown。　Should　be　dead　long　ago；
but　Little　Bonsa　play　the　game；　she　not　want　to　sink　in　stinking　swamp
when　so　near　her　happy　home。　Come　out　all　right　somehow；　as　from
dwarf。　Every　cloud　have　silver　lining；　Major；　even　that　black　chap　up
there。　Oh！　my　golly！〃

This　last　exclamation　was　wrung　from　Jeekie's　lips　by　a　sudden
development　of　〃forces　of　Nature〃　which　astonished　even　him。　Instead
of　a　silver　lining　the　〃black　chap〃　exhibited　one　of　gold。　In　an
instant　it　seemed　to　turn　to　acres　of　flame；　it　was　as　though　the
heavens　had　taken　fire。　A　flash　or　a　thunderbolt　struck　the　water
within　ten　yards　of　their　canoe；　causing　the　boatmen　to　throw
themselves　upon　their　faces　through　shock　or　terror。　Then　came　the
hurricane；　which　fortunately　was　so　strong　that　it　permitted　no　more
rain　to　fall。　The　tall　reeds　were　beaten　flat　b