下载辰思小说免费APP
Havingtheirdailyfillofmeatwhichtheirsoulsloved，theOgulaoarsmenremainedinanexcellentmood，indeedthechief，Fahni，informedAlanthatifonlytheyhadsuchmagictubeswherewithtoslaughtergame，heandhistribewouldgladlygiveupcannibalism——
exceptonfeastdays。Headdedsadlythatsoontheywouldbeobligedtodoso，ordie，sinceinthosepartstherewerenowfewpeoplelefttoeat，andtheyhatedvegetables。Moreover，theykeptnocattle，itwasnotthecustomofthattribe，exceptaveryfewformilk。Alanadvisedthemtoincreasetheirherds，since，ashepointedouttothem，“dogshouldnoteatdog“orthehumanbeinghisownkind。
Thechiefansweredthattherewasagreatdealinwhathesaid，whichonhisreturnhewouldlaybeforehisheadmen。IndeedAlan，tohisastonishment，discoveredthatJeekiehadbeenquiterightwhenheallegedthatthesepeople，soterribleintheirmodeoflife，wereyet“kindandgentleatheart。“Theypreyeduponmankindbecauseforcenturiesithadbeentheircustomsotodo，butifanyonehadbeentheretoshowthemabetterway，hegrewsurethattheywouldfollowitgladly。Atleasttheywerebraveandloyalandevenaftertheirfirstfearofthewhitemanhadwornoff，fulfilledtheirpromiseswithoutamurmur。Once，indeed，whenhechancedtohavegoneforawalkunarmedandtobechargedbyabullelephant，theseOgularanatthebrutewiththeirspearsanddroveitaway，arescueinwhichoneofthemlosthislife，forthe“rogue“caughtandkilledhim。
Sothedayswentonwhiletheypaddledleisurelyuptheriver，AlanemployingthetimebytakinglessonsintheAsikitonguefromJeekie，alanguagewhichhehadbeenstudyingeversinceheleftEngland。Thetaskwasnoteasy，ashehadnobooksandJeekiehimselfaftersomethirtyyearsofabsence，wasdoubtfulastomanyofitsdetails。StillbeingalinguistbynatureandeducationandfindinginthetonguesimilaritiestootherAfricandialectswhichheknew，hewasnowabletospeakitalittle，inahaltingfashion。
Onthefifthdayoftheirascentoftheriver，theycametoatributarythatflowedintoitfromthenorth，upwhichtheOgulasaidtheymustproceedtoreachAsiki-land。Thestreamwasnarrowandsluggish，wideningouthereandthereintogreatswampsthroughwhichitwasnoteasytofindachannel。AlsothedistrictwassounhealthythatevenseveraloftheOgulacontractedfever，ofwhichAlancuredthembyheavydosesofquinine，forfortunatelyhistravellingmedicinechestremainedtohim。Thesecureswereeffectedaftertheirchiefsuggestedthattheyshouldbethrownoverboard，orlefttodieintheswampasuseless，withtheresultthatthewhiteman’smagicalpowerswerethenceforthestablishedbeyonddoubtorcavil。IndeedthepoorOgulanowlookedonhimasagodsuperioreventoLittleBonsa，whosefamiliarhewassupposedtobe。
Thejourneythroughthatswampwasverytrying，sinceinthiswetseasonoftentheycouldfindnoplaceonwhichtosleepatnight，butmuststayinthecanoetormentedbymosquitoes，andinconstantdangerofbeingupsetbythehippopotamithatlivedthere。Moreover，asnogamewasnowavailable，theywereobligedtoliveonthesebeasts，fishwhentheycouldcatchthem，andwildfowl，whichsometimestheywereunabletocookforlackoffuel。ThisdidnottroubletheOgula，whoatethemraw，asdidJeekiewhenhewashungry。ButAlanwasobligedtostarveuntiltheycouldmakeafire。Thisitwasonlypossibletodowhentheyfounddriftorotherwood，sinceatthatseasontherankvegetationwasinfullgrowth。Alsothefearfulthunderstormswhichbrokecontinuallyandinafewminuteshalffilledtheircanoewithwater，madethereedsandthesoilonwhichtheygrew，soddenwithwet。AsJeekiesaid:
“Thistimeofyearonlyfitforduckandcrocodile。Humanshouldrememberuncontrollableforcesofnatureandwaittillwintercomein
