short halts—only a few minutes—we had continued to
march with a good, cheery swing.
The night was dark, some angry-looking clouds obscuring
the gleam of the white-faced moon. The result was that
we had a good many awkward falls, as we passed among
dry cuts and yawning gaps overgrown with wait-a-bits,
cat’s-claws, and other thorny creepers which tore the hands.
Through this cause my hands were in a most unsightly
condition for some time.
Some of the crevices were like water cuts, through which
we had to creep on hands and knees, for the heavy foliage
shut out what little light there was. At odd times I
listened with pangs to the thumps which my chronometer
and sextant box were getting.
I always kept well to the front with the Landin; the
Maravi often loitering miles behind.
Emerging from the thicker bush, the party now entered
a sun-parched forest in which large sycamore trees were
scattered, and where prairie fires had swept away with
an irresistible strength the thick undergrowth of rank
grass.
Hardly had we entered the forest when, quick as lightning,
and without a word of warning, one of the Landin, who was
ahead, turned round and caught me by the shoulders, pressing
me to the ground as he uttered in an excited undertone:
“ A bantu! Abantu ! ”
The word was spoken with great emphasis. What could
be the matter ? What was going to happen ? Where, in
the devil’s name, was that loiterer Misiri ? I could not
speak!
A mysterious performance then took place. The Landin
hastily looked to their flint-locks, and taking off all the
things they carried, laid them down close to the tree beside
“A B A N TU ! ” 71
which I had been deposited. One comfort I certainly had.
That was the trusty "Express,” now my only reliable
companion.
Absolute ignorance of the circumstances was maddening.
I was determined in my wish to get up ; but no sooner did
I attempt to rise to my feet than the Landin, who were
quivering with nervous excitement, and anxiously looking
ahead, pressed me down with all sorts of signs, at the same
time repeating impetuously and earnestly the mysterious
warning, “ Abantu 1 ”
One of the Landin turned back with a rush, vanishing
like a swarthy sprite into the gloom of the forest. Those
who remained were full of apprehension. When the rest of
the party came up they immediately put down their loads
and disappeared in the forest.
More and more I wondered what devilish thing was about
to happen. Was I to be offered up as a sacrifice to some
wild fetich as a new eatable, or what ?
Misiri at last arrived—he was always last. Comprehending
the situation immediately, he told me that a camp
of Makanga was ahead. I responded by saying that I
would go with the Landin to them. On our hands and
knees we slowly and stealthily stalked through the forest,
beneath the glimmering light of the moon, which now and
then cast our shadows clear upon the blackened, fire-baked
earth.
For some time nothing especial could be distinguished.
But at length the ruddy reflection of rising flames dancing
amidst the forest trees could be discerned, and showing
the trunk of one of the monarchs of the woods which had
fallen.
What the Landin meant to do when the object of our
cunning stalk had been reached, I could not conjecture.