the ivory child-第48章

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with　a　fine　appearance　of　indifference　demanded　an　immediate　answer　to

their　challenge。



〃Can　you　not　guess　it？〃　answered　Har？t。　Then　changing　his　tone　he　drew

himself　to　his　full　height　and　thundered　out　at　them：　〃Get　you　back　to

your　evil　spirit　of　a　god　that　hides　in　the　shape　of　a　beast　of　the

forest　and　to　his　slave　who　calls　himself　a　king；　and　say　to　them：

'Thus　speaks　the　Child　to　his　rebellious　servants；　the　Black　Kendah

dogs：　Swim　my　river　when　you　can；　which　will　not　be　yet；　and　come　up

against　me　when　you　will；　for　whenever　you　come　I　shall　be　ready　for

you。　You　are　already　dead；　O　Jana。　You　are　already　dead；　O　Simba　the

slave。　You　are　scattered　and　lost；　O　dogs　of　the　Black　Kendah；　and　the

home　of　such　of　you　as　remain　shall　be　far　away　in　a　barren　land；

where　you　must　dig　deep　for　water　and　live　upon　the　wild　game　because

there　little　corn　will　grow。'　Now　begone；　and　swiftly；　lest　you　stop

here　for　ever。〃



So　they　turned　and　went；　leaving　me　full　of　admiration　for　the

histrionic　powers　of　Har？t。



I　must　add；　however；　that　being　without　doubt　a　keen　observer　of　the

weather　conditions　of　the　neighbourhood；　he　was　quite　right　about　the

rain　upon　the　mountains；　which　by　the　way　never　extended　to　the

territory　of　the　People　of　the　Child。　As　we　heard　afterwards；　the

flood　came　down　just　as　the　envoys　reached　the　river；　indeed；　one　of

them　was　drowned　in　attempting　its　crossing；　and　for　fourteen　days

after　this　it　remained　impassable　to　an　army。







That　very　evening　we　began　our　preparations　to　meet　an　attack　which

was　now　inevitable。　Putting　aside　the　supposed　rival　powers　of　the

tribal　divinities　worshipped　under　the　names　of　the　Child　and　Jana；

which；　while　they　added　a　kind　of　Homeric　interest　to　the　contest；

could；　we　felt；　scarcely　affect　an　issue　that　must　be　decided　with

cold　steel　and　other　mortal　weapons；　the　position　of　the　White　Kendah

was　serious　indeed。　As　I　think　I　have　said；　in　all　they　did　not　number

more　than　about　two　thousand　men　between　the　ages　of　twenty　and　fifty…

five；　or；　including　lads　between　fourteen　and　twenty　and　old　men　still

able…bodied　between　fifty…five　and　seventy；　say　two　thousand　seven

hundred　capable　of　some　sort　of　martial　service。　To　these　might　be

added　something　under　two　thousand　women；　since　among　this　dwindling

folk；　oddly　enough；　from　causes　that　I　never　ascertained；　the　males

out…numbered　the　females；　which　accounted　for　their　marriage　customs

that　were；　by　comparison　with　those　of　most　African　peoples；

monogamous。　At　any　rate　only　the　rich　among　them　had　more　than　one

wife；　while　the　poor　or　otherwise　ineligible　often　had　none　at　all；

since　inter…marriage　with　other　races　and　above　all　with　the　Black

Kendah　dwelling　beyond　the　river　was　so　strictly　taboo　that　it　was

punishable　with　death　or　expulsion。



Against　this　little　band　the　Black　Kendah　could　bring　up　twenty

thousand　men；　besides　boys　and　aged　persons　who　with　the　women　would

probably　be　left　to　defend　their　own　country；　that　is；　not　less　than

ten　to　one。　Moreover；　all　of　these　enemies　would　be　fighting　with　the

courage　of　despair；　since　quite　three…fourths　of　their　crops　with　many

of　their　cattle　and　sheep　had　been　destroyed　by　the　terrific　hail…

burst　that　I　have　described。　Therefore；　since　no　other　corn　was

available　in　the　surrounding　land；　where　they　dwelt　alone　encircled　by

deserts；　either　they　must　capture　that　of　the　White　Kendah；　or　suffer

terribly　from　starvation　until　a　year　later　when　another　harvest

ripened。



The　only　points　I　could　see　in　favour　of　the　People　of　the　Child　were

that　they　would　fight　on　the　vantage　ground　of　their　mountain

stronghold；　a　formidable　position　if　properly　defended。　Also　they

would　have　the　benefit　of　the　skill　and　knowledge　of　Ragnall　and

myself。　Lastly；　the　enemy　must　face　our　rifles。　Neither　the　White　nor

the　Black　Kendah；　I　should　say；　possessed　any　guns；　except　a　few

antiquated　flintlock　weapons　that　the　former　had　captured　from　some

nomadic　tribe　and　kept　as　curiosities。　Why　this　was　the　case　I　do　not

know；　since　undoubtedly　at　times　the　White　Kendah　traded　in　camels　and

corn　with　Arabs　who　wandered　as　far　as　the　Sudan；　or　Egypt；　nomadic

tribes　to　whom　even　then　firearms　were　known；　although　perhaps　rarely

used　by　them。　But　so　it　was；　possibly　because　of　some　old　law　or

prejudice　which　forbade　their　introduction　into　the　country；　or　mayhap

of　the　difficulty　of　procuring　powder　and　lead；　or　for　the　reason　that

they　had　none　to　teach　them　the　use　of　such　new…fangled　weapons。



Now　it　will　be　remembered　that；　on　the　chance　of　their　proving　useful；

Ragnall；　in　addition　to　our　own　sporting　rifles；　had　brought　with　him

to　Africa　fifty　Snider　rifles　with　an　ample　supply　of　ammunition；　the

same　that　I　had　trouble　in　passing　through　the　Customs　at　Durban；　all

of　which　had　arrived　safely　at　the　Town　of　the　Child。　Clearly　our

first　duty　was　to　make　the　best　possible　use　of　this　invaluable　store。

To　that　end　I　asked　Har？t　to　select　seventy…five　of　the　boldest　and

most　intelligent　young　men　among　his　people；　and　to　hand　them　over　to

me　and　Hans　for　instruction　in　musketry。　We　had　only　fifty　rifles　but

I　drilled　seventy…five　men；　or　fifty　per　cent。　more；　that　some　might

be　ready　to　replace　any　who　fell。



From　dawn　to　dark　each　day　Hans　and　I　worked　at　trying　to　convert

these　Kendah　into　sharpshooters。　It　was　no　easy　task　with　men；　however

willing；　who　till　then　had　never　held　a　gun；　especially　as　I　must　be

very　sparing　of　the　ammunition　necessary　to　practice；　of　which　of

course　our　supply　was　limited。　Still　we　taught　them　how　to　take　cover；

how　to　fire　and　to　cease　from　firing　at　a　word　of　command；　also　to

hold　the　rifles　low　and　waste　no　shot。　To　make　marksmen　of　them　was

more　than　I　could　hope　to　do　under　the　circumstances。



With　the　exception　of　these　men　nearly　the　entire　male　population　were

working　day　and　night　to　get　in　the　harvest。　This　proved　a　very

difficult　business；　both　because　some　of　the　crops　were　scarcely　fit

and　because　all　the　grain　had　to　be　carried　on　camels　to　be　stored　in

and　at　the　back　of　the　second　court　of　the　temple；　the　only　place

where　it　was　likely　to　be　safe。　Indeed　in　the　end　a　great　deal　was

left　unreaped。　Then　the　herds　of　cattle　and　breeding　camels　which

grazed　on　the　farther　sides　of　the　Holy　Mount　must　be　brought　into

places　of　safety；　glens　in　the　forest　on　its　slope；　and　forage　stacked

to　feed　them。　Also　it　was　necessary　to　provide　scouts　to　keep　watch

along　the　river。



Lastly；　the　fortifications　in　the　mountain　pass　required　unceasing

labour　and　attention。　This　was　the　task　of　Ragnall；　who　fortunately　in

his　youth；　before　he　succeeded　unexpectedly　to　the　title；　was　for　some

years　an　officer　in　the　Royal　Engineers　and　therefore　thoroughly

understood　that　business。　Indeed　he　understood　it　rather　too　well；

since　the　result　of　his　somewhat　complicated　and　scientific　scheme　of

defence　was　a　little　confusing　to　the　simple　native　mind。　However；

with　the　assistance　of　all　the　priests　and　of　all　the　women　and

children　who　were　not　engaged　in　provisioning　the　Mount；　he　built　wall

after　wall　and　redoubt　after　redoubt；　if　that　is　the　right　word；　to

say　nothing　of　the　shelter　trenches　he　dug　and　many　pitfalls；

furnished　at　the　bottom　with　sharp　stakes；　which　he　hollowed　out

wherever　the　soil　could　be　easily　moved；　to　discomfit　a　charging

enemy。



Indeed；　when　I　saw　the　amount　of　work　he　had　concluded　in　ten　days；

which　was　not　until　I　joined　him　on　the　mountain；　I　was　quite

astonished。



About　this　time　a　dispute　arose　as　to　whether　we　should　attempt　to

prevent　the　Black　Kendah　from　crossing　the　river　which　was　now　running

down；　a　plan　that　some　of　the　elders　favoured。　At　last　the　controversy

was　referred　to　me　as　head　general　and　I　decided　against　anything　of

the　sort。　It　seemed　to　me　that　our　force　was　too　small；　and　that　if　I

took　the　rifle…men　a　great　deal　of　ammunition　might　be　expended　with

poor　result。　Also　in　the　event　of　any　reverse　or　when　we　were　finally

driven　back；　which　must　happen；　there　might　be　difficulty　about

remounting　the　camels；　our　only　means　of　escape　from　the　horsemen　who

would　possibly　gallop　us　down。　Moreover　the　Tava　had　several　fords；

any　one　of　which　might　be　selected　by　the　enemy。　So　it　was　arranged

that　we　should　make　our　first　and　last　stand　upon　the　Holy　Mount。



On　the　fourteenth　night　from　new　moon　our　swift　camel…scouts　who　were

posted　in　relays　between　the　Tava　and　the　Mount　reported　that　the

Black　Kendah　were　gathered　in　thousands　upon　the　farther　side　of　the

river；　where　they　were　engaged　in　celebrating　magical　ceremonies。　On

the　fifteenth　night　the　scouts　reported　that　they　were　crossing　the

river；　about　five　thousand　horsemen　and　fifteen　thousand　foot

soldiers；　and　that　at　the　head　of　them　marched　the　huge　god…elephant

Jana；　on　which　rode　Simba　the　King　and　a　lame　priest　（evidently　my

friend　whose　foot　had　been　injured　by　the　pistol）；　who　acted　as　a

mahout。　This　part　of　the　story　I　confess　I　did　not　believe；　since　it

seemed　to　me　impossible　that　anyone　could　ride　upon　that　mad　rogue；

Jana。　Yet；　as　subsequent　events　showed；　it　was　in　fact　true。　I　suppose

that　in　certain　hands　the　beast　became　tame。　Or　perhaps　it　was

drugged。



Two　nights　later；　for　the　Black　Kendah　advanced　but　slowly；　spreading

themselves　over　the　country　in　order　to　collect　such　crops　as　had　not

been　gathered　through　lack　of　time　or　because　they　were　still　unripe；

we　saw　flames　and　smoke　arising　from　the　Town　of　the　Child　beneath　us；

which　they　had　fired。　Now　we　knew　that　the　time　of　trial　had　come　and

until　near　midnight　men；　women　and　children　worked　feverishly

finishing　or　trying　to　finish　the　fortifications　and　making　every

preparation　in　our　power。



Our　position　was　that　we　held　a　very　strong　post；　that　is；　strong

against　an　enemy　unprovided　with　big　guns　or　even　firearms；　which；　as

all　other　possible　approaches　had　been　blocked；　was　only　assailable　by

direct　frontal　attack　from　the　east。　In　the　pass　we　had　three　main

lines　of　defence；　one　arranged　behind　the　other　and　separated　by

distances　of　a　few　hundred　yards。　Our　last　refuge　was　furnished　by　the

walls　of　the　temple　itself；　in　the　rear　of　which　were　camped　the　whole

White　Kendah　tribe；　save　a　few　hundred　who　were　employed　in　watching

the　herds　of　camels　and　stock　in　almost　inaccessible　positions　on　the

northern　slopes　of　the　Mount。



There　were　perhaps　five　thousand　people　of　both　sexes　and　every　age

gathered　in　this　camp；　which　was　so　well　provided　with　food　and　water

that　it　could　have　stood　a　siege　of　several　months。　If；　however；　our

defences　should　be　carried　there　was　no　possibility　of　escape；　since

we　learned　from　our　scouts　that　the　Black　Kendah；　who　by　tradition　and

through　spies　were　well　acquainted　with　every　feature　of　the　country；

had　detached　a　party　of