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of the town。
Here； standing at the doors of their houses； were many of the
inhabitants who had gathered to watch us pass。 Never did I see hate
more savage than was written on those faces as they shook their fists
at us and muttered curses not loud but deep。
No wonder！ for they were all ruined； poor folk； with nothing to look
forward to but starvation until long months hence the harvest came
again for those who would live to gather it。 Also they were convinced
that we； the white magician and the prophet of their enemy the Child；
had brought this disaster on them。 Had it not been for the escort I
believe they would have fallen on us and torn us to pieces。
Considering them I understood for the first time how disagreeable real
unpopularity /can be/。 But when I saw the actual condition of the
fruitful gardens without in the waning daylight； I confess that I was
moved to some sympathy with their owners。 It was appalling。 Not a
handful of grain was there left to gather； for the corn had been not
only 〃laid〃 but literally cut to ribbons by the hail。
After running for some miles through the cultivated land the road
entered the forest。 Here it was dark as pitch； so dark that I wondered
how our guides found their way。 In that blackness dreadful
apprehensions seized me； for I became convinced that we had been
brought here to be murdered。 Every minute I expected to feel a knife…
thrust in my back。 I thought of digging my heels into the horse's
sides and trying to gallop off anywhere； but abandoned the idea； first
because I could not desert Mar？t； of whom I had lost touch in the
gloom； and secondly because I was hemmed in by the escort。 For the
same reason I did not try to slip from the horse and glide away into
the forest。 There was nothing to be done save to go on and await the
end。
It came at last some hours later。 We were out of the forest now； and
there was the moon rising； past her full but still very bright。 Her
light showed me that we were on a wild moorland； swampy； with
scattered trees growing here and there； across which what seemed to be
a game track ran down hill。 That was all I could make out。 Here the
escort halted； and Simba the King said in a sullen voice：
〃Dismount and go your ways； evil spirits； for we travel no farther
across this place which is haunted。 Follow the track and it will lead
you to a lake。 Pass the lake and by morning you will come to the river
beyond which lies the country of your friends。 May its waters swallow
you if you reach them。 For learn； there is one who watches on this
road whom few care to meet。〃
As he finished speaking men sprang at us and； pulling us from the
horses； thrust us out of their company。 Then they turned and in
another minute were lost in the darkness； leaving us alone。
〃What now； friend Mar？t？〃 I asked。
〃Now； Lord； all we can do is to go forward； for if we stay here Simba
and his people will return and kill us at the daylight。 One of them
said so to me。〃
〃Then； 'come on； Macduff；'〃 I exclaimed； stepping out briskly； and
though he had never read Shakespeare； Mar？t understood and followed。
〃What did Simba mean about 'one on the road whom few care to meet'？〃 I
asked over my shoulder when we had done half a mile or so。
〃I think he meant the elephant Jana；〃 replied Mar？t with a groan。
〃Then I hope Jana isn't at home。 Cheer up； Mar？t。 The chances are that
we shall never meet a single elephant in this big place。〃
〃Yet many elephants have been here； Lord；〃 and he pointed to the
ground。 〃It is said that they come to die by the waters of the lake
and this is one of the roads they follow on their death journey； a
road that no other living thing dare travel。〃
〃Oh！〃 I exclaimed。 〃Then after all that was a true dream I had in the
house in England。〃
〃Yes； Lord； because my brother Har？t once lost his way out hunting
when he was young and saw what his mind showed you in the dream； and
what we shall see presently； if we live to come so far。〃
I made no reply； both because what he said was either true or false；
which I should ascertain presently； and because I was engaged in
searching the ground with my eyes。 He was right； many elephants had
travelled this pathone quite recently。 I； a hunter of those brutes；
could not be deceived on this point。 Once or twice also I thought that
I caught sight of the outline of some tall creature moving silently
through the scattered thorns a couple of hundred yards or so to our
right。 It might have been an elephant or a giraffe； or perhaps nothing
but a shadow； so I said nothing。 As I heard no noise I was inclined to
believe the latter explanation。 In any case； what was the good of
speaking？ Unarmed and solitary amidst unknown dangers； our position
was desperate； and as Mar？t's nerve was already giving out； to
emphasize its horrors to him would be mere foolishness。
On we trudged for another two hours； during which time the only living
thing that I saw was a large owl which sailed round our heads as
though to look at us； and then flew away ahead。
This owl； Mar？t informed me； was one of 〃Jana's spies〃 that kept him
advised of all that was passing in his territory。 I muttered 〃Bosh〃
and tramped on。 Still I was glad that we saw no more of the owl； for
in certain circumstances such dark fears are catching。
We reached the top of a rise； and there beneath us lay the most
desolate scene that ever I have seen。 At least it would have been the
most desolate if I did not chance to have looked on it before； in the
drawing…room of Ragnall Castle！ There was no doubt about it。 Below was
the black； melancholy lake； a large sheet of water surrounded by
reeds。 Around； but at a considerable distance； appeared the tropical
forest。 To the east of the lake stretched a stony plain。 At the time I
could make out no more because of the uncertain light and the
distance； for we had still over a mile to go before we reached the
edge of the lake。
The aspect of the place filled me with tremblings； both because of its
utter uncanniness and because of the inexplicable truth that I had
seen it before。 Most people will have experienced this kind of moral
shock when on going to some new land they recognize a locality as
being quite familiar to them in all its details。 Or it may be the
rooms of a house hitherto unvisited by them。 Or it may be a
conversation of which； when it begins； they already foreknow the
sequence and the end； because in some dim state； when or how who can
say； they have taken part in that talk with those same speakers。 If
this be so even in cheerful surroundings and among our friends or
acquaintances； it is easy to imagine how much greater was the shock to
me； a traveller on such a journey and in such a night。
I shrank from approaching the shores of this lake； remembering that as
yet all the vision was not unrolled。 I looked about me。 If we went to
the left we should either strike the wat