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little laugh； when Leo asked her； and we certainly
did。 Scarcely were the words out of her mouth when
from every point we saw dark forms rushing up； each
bearing with him what we at first took to be an
enormous flaming torch。 Whatever they were they were
burning furiously； for the flames stood out a yard or
more behind each bearer。 On they came； fifty or more
of them； carrying their flaming burdens and looking
like so many devils from hell。 Leo was the first to
discover what these burdens were。
〃Great heaven！〃 he said； 〃they are corpses on fire！〃
I stared and stared againhe was perfectly rightthe
torches that were to light our entertainment were
human mummies from the caves！
On rushed the bearers of the flaming corpses； and；
meeting at a spot about twenty paces in front of us；
built their ghastly burdens crossways into a huge
bonfire。 Heavens！ how they roared and flared！ No tar
barrel could have burned as those mummies did： Nor was
this all。 Suddenly I saw one great fellow seize a
flaming human arm that had fallen from its parent
frame； and rush off into the darkness。 Presently he
stopped； and a tall streak of fire shot up into the
air； illumining the gloom； and also the lamp from
which it sprang。 That lamp was the mummy of a woman
tied to a stout stake let into the rock； and he had
fired her hair。 On he went a few paces and touched a
second； then a third； and a fourth； till at last we
were surrounded on all three sides by a great ring of
bodies flaring furiously； the material with which they
were preserved having rendered them so inflammable
that the flames would literally spout out of the ears
and mouth in tongues of fire a foot or more in length。
Nero illuminated his gardens with live Christians
soaked in tar； and we were now treated to a similar
spectacle； probably for the first time since his day；
only happily our lamps were not living ones。
But although this element of horror was fortunately
wanting； to describe the awful and hideous grandeur of
the spectacle thus presented to us is； I feel； so
absolutely beyond my poor powers； that I scarcely dare
attempt it。 To begin with； it appealed to the moral as
well as the physical susceptibilities。 There was
something very terrible； and yet very fascinating；
about the employment of the remote dead to illumine
the orgies of the living； in itself the thing was a
satire； both on the living and the dead。 Caesar's
dustor is it Alexander's？ may stop a bunghole； but
the functions of these dead Caesars of the past was to
light up a savage fetish dance。 To such base uses may
we come； of so little account may we be in the minds
of the eager multitudes that we shall breed； many of
whom； so far from revering our memory； will live to
curse us for begetting them into such a world of woe。
Then there was the physical side of the spectacle； and
a weird and splendid one it was。 Those old citizens of
Ko^r burned as； to judge from their sculptures and
inscriptions； they had lived； very fast； and with the
utmost liberality。 What is more； there were plenty of
them。 As soon as ever a mummy had burned down to the
ankles； which it did in about twenty minutes； the feet
were kicked away； and another one put in its place。
The bonfire was kept going on the same generous scale；
and its flames shot up； with a hiss and a crackle；
twenty or thirty feet into the air； throwing great
flashes of light far out into the gloom； through which
the dark forms of the Amahagger flitted to and fro
like devils replenishing the infernal fires。 We all
stood and stared aghastshocked； and yet fascinated
at so strange a spectacle； and half expecting to see
the spirits those flaming forms had once enclosed come
creeping from the shadows to work vengeance on their
desecraters。
〃I promised thee a strange sight； my Holly；〃 laughed
Ayesha； whose nerves alone did not seem to be
affected； 〃and； behold； I have not failed thee。 Also；
it hath its lesson。 Trust not to the future； for who
knows what the future may bring！ Therefore； live for
the day； and endeavor not to escape the dust which
seems to be man's end。 What thinkest thou those long…
forgotten nobles and ladies would have felt had they
known that they should one day flare to light the
dance or boil the pot of savages？ But see； here come
the dancers； a merry creware they not？ The stage is
litnow for the play。〃
As she spoke； we perceived two lines of figures； one
male and the other female； to the number of about a
hundred； each advancing round the human bonfire；
arrayed only in the usual leopard and buck skins。 They
formed up； in perfect silence； in two lines； facing
each other； between us and the fire； and then the
dancea sort of infernal and fiendish cancanbegan。
To describe it is quite impossible； but； though there
was a good deal of tossing of legs and double…
shuffling； it seemed to our untutored minds to be more
of a play than a dance； and； as usual with this
dreadful people； whose minds seem to have taken their
color from the caves in which they live； and whose
jokes and amusements are drawn from the inexhaustible
stores of preserved mortality with which they share
their homes； the subject appeared to be a most ghastly
one。 I know that it represented an attempted murder
first of all； and then the burial alive of the victim
and his struggling from the grave； each act of the
abominable drama； which was carried on in perfect
silence； being rounded off and finished with a furious
and most revolting dance round the supposed victim；
who writhed upon the ground in the red light of the
bonfire。
Presently； however； this pleasing piece was
interrupted。 Suddenly there was a slight commotion；
and a large； powerful woman； whom I had noticed as one
of the most vigorous of the dancers； came； made mad
and drunken with unholy excitement； bounding and
staggering towards us； shrieking out as she came：
〃I want a black goat； I must have a black goat； bring
me a black goat！〃 and down she fell upon the rocky
floor foaming and writhing and shrieking for a black
goat； about as hideous a spectacle as can well be
conceived。
Instantly most of the dancers came up and got round
her； though some still continued their capers in the
background。
〃She has got a Devil；〃 called out one of them。 〃Run
and get a black goat。 There； Devil； keep quiet！ keep
quiet！ You shall have the goat presently。 They have
gone to fetch it； Devil。〃
〃I want a black goat； I must have a black goat！〃
shrieked the foaming； rolling creature again。
〃All right； Devil； the goat will be here presently；
keep quiet； there's a good Devil！〃
And so on till the goat； taken from a neighboring
kraal； did at last arrive； being dragged bleating on
to the scene by its horns。
〃Is it a black one； is it a black one？〃 shrieked the
possessed。
〃Yes； yes； Devil； as black as night；〃 then aside；
〃keep it behind thee； don't let the Devil see that it
has got a white spot on its rump and another on its
belly。 In one minute； Devil。 There； cut his throat
quick。 Where is the saucer？〃