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〃Yes； Baas。〃
〃And you said； I think； that you had never heard of such a people。〃
〃No； Baas； I never said anything at all。 I have heard a good deal
about them。〃
〃Then why did you not tell me so before； you little idiot？〃 I asked
indignantly。
〃What was the good； Baas？ You were hunting gold then； not ivory。 Why
should I make you unhappy； and waste my own breath by talking about
beautiful things which were far beyond the reach of either of us； far
as that sky？〃
〃Don't ask fool's questions but tell me what you know； Hans。 Tell me
at once。〃
〃This； Baas： When we were up at Beza…Town after we came back from
killing the gorilla…god； and the Baas Stephen your friend lay sick；
and there was nothing else to do； I talked with everyone I could find
worth talking to； and they were not many； Baas。 But there was one very
old woman who was not of the Mazitu race and whose husband and
children were all dead； but whom the people in the town looked up to
and feared because she was wise and made medicines out of herbs； and
told fortunes。 I used to go to see her。 She was quite blind； Baas； and
fond of talking with mewhich shows how wise she was。 I told her all
about the Pongo gorilla…god； of which already she knew something。 When
I had done she said that he was as nothing compared with a certain god
that she had seen in her youth； seven tens of years ago； when she
became marriageable。 I asked her for that story； and she spoke it
thus：
〃Far away to the north and east live a people called the Kendah； who
are ruled over by a sultan。 They are a very great people and inhabit a
most fertile country。 But all round their country the land is desolate
and manless； peopled only by game； for the reason that they will
suffer none to dwell there。 That is why nobody knows anything about
them： he that comes across the wilderness into that land is killed and
never returns to tell of it。
〃She told me also that she was born of this people； but fled because
their sultan wished to place her in his house of women； which she did
not desire。 For a long while she wandered southwards； living on roots
and berries； till she came to desert land and at last； worn out； lay
down to die。 Then she was found by some of the Mazitu who were on an
expedition seeking ostrich feathers for war…plumes。 They gave her food
and； seeing that she was fair； brought her back to their country；
where one of them married her。 But of her own land she uttered only
lying words to them because she feared that if she told the truth the
gods who guard its secrets would be avenged on her； though now when
she was near to death she dreaded them no more； since even the Kendah
gods cannot swim through the waters of death。 That is all she said
about her journey because she had forgotten the rest。〃
〃Bother her journey； Hans。 What did she say about her god and the
Kendah people？〃
〃This； Baas： that the Kendah have not one god but two； and not one
ruler but two。 They have a good god who is a child…fetish〃 （here I
started） 〃that speaks through the mouth of an oracle who is always a
woman。 If that woman dies the god does not speak until they find
another woman bearing certain marks which show that she holds the
spirit of the god。 Before the woman dies she always tells the priests
in what land they are to look for her who is to come after her； but
sometimes they cannot find her and then trouble falls because 'the
Child has lost its tongue；' and the people become the prey of the
other god that never dies。〃
〃And what is that god； Hans？〃
〃That god； Baas； is an elephant〃 （here I started again）； 〃a very bad
elephant to which human sacrifice is offered。 I think； Baas； that it
is the devil wearing the shape of an elephant； at least that is what
she said。 Now the sultan is a worshipper of the god that dwells in the
elephant Jana〃 （here I positively whistled） 〃and so are most of the
people； indeed all those among them who are black。 For once far away
in the beginning the Kendah were two peoples； but the lighter…coloured
people who worshipped the Child came down from the north and conquered
the black people； bringing the Child with them； or so I understood
her； Baas； thousands and thousands of years ago when the world was
young。 Since then they have flowed on side by side like two streams in
the same channel； never mixing； for each keeps its own colour。 Only；
she said； that stream which comes from the north grows weaker and that
from the south more strong。〃
〃Then why does not the strong swallow up the weak？〃
〃Because the weak are still the pure and the wise； Baas； or so the old
vrouw declared。 Because they worship the good while the others worship
the devil； and as your father the Predikant used to say； Good is the
cock which always wins the fight at the last； Baas。 Yes； when he seems
to be dead he gets up again and kicks the devil in the stomach and
stands on him and crows； Baas。 Also these northern folk are mighty
magicians。 Through their Child…fetish they give rain and fat seasons
and keep away sickness； whereas Jana gives only evil gifts that have
to do with cruelty and war and so forth。 Lastly； the priests who rule
through the Child have the secrets of wealth and ancient knowledge；
whereas the sultan and his followers have only the might of the spear。
This was the song which the old woman sang to me； Baas。〃
〃Why did you not tell me of these matters when we were at Beza…Town
and I could have talked with her myself； Hans？〃
〃For two reasons； Baas。 The first was that I feared； if I told you；
you would wish to go on to find these people； whereas I was tired of
travelling and wanted to come to Natal to rest。 The second was that on
the night when the old woman finished telling me her story； she was
taken sick and died； and therefore it would have been no use to bring
you to see her。 So I saved it up in my head until it was wanted。
Moreover； Baas； all the Mazitu declared that old woman to be the
greatest of liars。〃
〃She was not altogether a liar； Hans。 Hear what I have learned；〃 and I
told him of the magic of Har？t and Mar？t and of the picture that I had
seemed to see of the elephant Jana and of the prayer that Har？t and
Mar？t had made to me； to all of which he listened quite stolidly。 It
is not easy to astonish a Hottentot's brain； which often draws no
accurate dividing…line between the possible and what the modern world
holds to be impossible。
〃Yes； Baas；〃 he said when I had finished； 〃then it seems that the old
woman was not such a liar after all。 Baas； when shall we start after
that hoard of dead ivory； and which way will you go？ By Kilwa or
through Zululand？ It should be settled soon because of the seasons。〃
After this we talked together for a long while； for with pockets as
empty as mine were then； the problem seemed difficult； if not
insoluble。
CHAPTER VII
LORD RAGNALL'S STORY
That night Hans slept