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Moreover； Lord； as we are speaking of this matter； let me tell you the
forest upon that Mount must be trodden by none save the priest of the
Child。 If others set foot there they die； for it is watched by a
guardian more terrible even than Jana； nor is he the only one。 Ask me
nothing of that guardian； for I will not answer； and； above all； if
you or your comrades value life； let them not seek to look upon him。〃
Understanding that it was quite useless to pursue this subject farther
at the moment； I turned to another； remarking that the hailstorm which
had smitten the country of the Black Kendah was the worst that I had
ever experienced。
〃Yes；〃 answered Har？t； 〃so I have learned。 That was the first of the
curses which the Child； through my mouth； promised to Simba and his
people if they molested us upon our road。 The second； you will
remember； was famine； which for them is near at hand； seeing that they
have little corn in store and none left to gather； and that most of
their cattle are dead of the hail。〃
〃If they have no corn while； as I noted； you have plenty which the
storm spared； will not they； who are many in number but near to
starving； attack you and take your corn； Har？t？〃
〃Certainly they will do so； Lord； and then will fall the third curse；
the curse of war。 All this was foreseen long ago； Macumazana； and you
are here to help us in that war。 Among your goods you have many guns
and much powder and lead。 You shall teach our people how to use those
guns； that with them we may destroy the Black Kendah。〃
〃I think not；〃 I replied quietly。 〃I came here to kill a certain
elephant； and to receive payment for my service in ivory； not to fight
the Black Kendah； of whom I have already seen enough。 Moreover； the
guns are not my property but that of the Lord Ragnall； who perhaps
will ask his own price for the use of them。〃
〃And the Lord Ragnall； who came here against our will； is； as it
chances； our property and we may ask your own price for his life。 Now；
farewell for a while； since you； who are still sick and weak； have
talked enough。 Only before I go； as your friend and that of those with
you； I will add one word。 If you would continue to look upon the sun；
let none of you try to set foot in the forest upon the Holy Mount。
Wander where you will upon its southern slopes； but strive not to pass
the wall of rock which rings the forest round。〃
Then he rose； bowed gravely and departed； leaving me full of
reflections。
Shortly afterwards Savage and Hans returned； bringing me some meat
which the former had cooked in an admirable fashion。 I ate of it
heartily； and just as they were carrying off the remains of the meal
Ragnall himself arrived。 Our greeting was very warm； as might be
expected in the case of two comrades who never thought to speak to
each other again on this side of the grave。 As I had supposed； he was
certain that Hans and I had been cut off and killed by the Black
Kendah； as； after we were missed； some of the camelmen asserted that
they had actually seen us fall。 So he went on； or rather was carried
on by the rush of the camels； grieving； since； it being impossible to
attempt to recover our bodies or even to return； that was the only
thing to do； and in due course reached the Town of the Child without
further accident。 Here they rested and mourned for us； till some days
later Har？t suddenly announced that we still lived； though how he knew
this they could not ascertain。 Then they sallied out and found us； as
has been told； in great danger from the ignorant villagers who； until
we appeared； had not even heard of our existence。
I asked what they had done and what information they had obtained
since their arrival at this place。 His answer was： Nothing and none
worth mentioning。 The town appeared to be a small one of not much over
two thousand inhabitants； all of whom were engaged in agricultural
pursuits and in camel…breeding。 The herds of camels； however； they
gathered； for the most part were kept at outlying settlements on the
farther side of the cone…shaped mountain。 As they were unable to talk
the language the only person from whom they could gain knowledge was
Har？t； who spoke to them in his broken English and told them much what
he had told me； namely that the upper mountain was a sacred place that
might only be visited by the priests； since any uninitiated person who
set foot there came to a bad end。 They had not seen any of these
priests in the town； where no form of worship appeared to be
practised； but they had observed men driving small numbers of sheep or
goats up the flanks of the mountain towards the forest。
Of what went on upon this mountain and who lived there they remained
in complete ignorance。 It was a case of stalemate。 Har？t would not
tell them anything nor could they learn anything for themselves。 He
added in a depressed way that the whole business seemed very hopeless；
and that he had begun to doubt whether there was any tidings of his
lost wife to be gained among the Kendah； White or Black。
Now I repeated to him Mar？t's dying words； of which most unhappily I
had never heard the end。 These seemed to give him new life since they
showed that tidings there was of some sort； if only it could be
extracted。 But how might this be done？ How； how？
For a whole week things went on thus。 During this time I recovered my
strength completely； except in one particular which reduced me to
helplessness。 The place on my thigh where Jana had pinched out a bit
of the skin healed up well enough； but the inflammation struck inwards
to the nerve of my left leg； where once I had been injured by a lion；
with the result that whenever I tried to move I was tortured by pains
of a sciatic nature。 So I was obliged to lie still and to content
myself with being carried on the bed into a little garden which
surrounded the mud…built and white…washed house that had been allotted
to us as a dwelling…place。
There I lay hour after hour； staring at the Holy Mount which began to
spring from the plain within a few hundred yards of the scattered
township。 For a mile or so its slopes were bare except for grass on
which sheep and goats were grazed； and a few scattered trees。 Studying
the place through glasses I observed that these slopes were crowned by
a vertical precipice of what looked like lava rock； which seemed to
surround the whole mountain and must have been quite a hundred feet
high。 Beyond this precipice； which to all appearance was of an
unclimbable nature； began a dense forest of large trees； cedars I
thought； clothing it to the very top； that is so far as I could see。
One day when I was considering the place； Har？t entered the garden
suddenly and caught me in the act。
〃The House of the god is beautiful；〃 he said； 〃is it not？〃
〃Very；〃 I answered； 〃and of a strange formation。 But how do those who
dwell on it climb that precipice？〃
〃It cannot be climbed；