After journeying about three hours, the young hunters came to a place
that gave unmistakable evidence of having been often visited by human
beings.
Small palm-trees had been cut down, the trunks taken away, and the tops
left on the ground. Elephants, giraffes, or other animals that feed on
foliage would have taken the tops of the trees, and, moreover, would not
have cut them down with hatchets, the marks of which were visible in the
stumps left standing. Half a mile farther on, and fields could be seen
in cultivation. They were evidently approaching a place inhabited by a
people possessing some intelligence.
"See!" exclaimed Arend, as they rode on, "there's a large body of men
coming towards us."
All turned to the direction in which Arend was gazing. They saw about
fifty people coming along the crest of a ridge, that trended toward the
north.
"Perhaps they mean mischief," said Hans. "What shall we do?"
"Ride on and meet them," exclaimed Hendrik. "If they are enemies it is
not our fault. We have not molested them."
As the strangers came near, the hunters recognised their late guest, who
was now mounted on an ox and riding in advance of his party. His
greeting, addressed to Groot Willem, was interpreted by Congo.
"I have invited you to come to my kraal," said he, "and to bring your
friends along with you. I left you early this morning, and have been to
my home to see that preparations should be made worthy of those who have
befriended Macora. Some of my people, the bravest and best amongst
them, are here to bid you welcome."
A procession was then formed, and all proceeded on to the African
village, which was but a short distance from the spot. On entering it,
a group of about a hundred and fifty women received them with a chant,
expressed in low murmuring tones, not unlike the lullaby with which a
mother sings her child to sleep.
The houses of the kraal were constructed stockade fashion, in rows of
upright poles, interlaced with reeds or long grass, and then covered
with a plaster of mud. Through these the hunters were conducted to a
long shed in the centre of the village, where the saddles were taken
from their horses, which were afterwards led off to the grazing ground.
Although Macora's subjects had been allowed but three hours' notice,
they had prepared a splendid feast for his visitors.
The young hunters sat down to a dinner of roast antelope, _biltongue_,
stews of hippopotamus and buffalo flesh, baked fish, ears of green maize
roasted, with wild honey, stewed pumpkin, melons, and plenty of good
milk.
The young hunters and all their following were waited on with the
greatest courtesy. Even their dogs were feasted, while Swartboy and
Congo had never in all their lives been treated with so much
consideration.
In the afternoon, Macora informed his guests that he should give them an
entertainment; and, in order that they should enjoy the spectacle
intended for them, he informed them, by way of prologue, of the
circumstances under which it was to be enacted.
His statement was to the effect that his companions in the canoe, at the
time it was capsized by the hippopotamus, had reached home, bringing
with them the story of their mishap; that the tribe had afterwards made
a search for their chief, but not finding him, had come to the
conclusion that he had been either drowned or killed by the sea-cow.
They had given him up for lost; and another important member of the
community, named Sindo, had proclaimed himself chief of the tribe.
When Macora reached home that morning, Sindo had not yet come forth from
his house; and, before he was aware of the chief's reappearance, the
house had been surrounded and the usurper made prisoner. Sindo, fast
bound and guarded, was now awaiting execution; and this was the
spectacle which the hunters were to be treated to.
It was a scene that none of the young hunters had any desire to be
present at; but, yielding to the importunities of their host, they
accompanied him to the spot where the execution was to take place. This
was in the suburbs of the village, where they found the prisoner fast
tied to a tree. Nearly all the inhabitants of the community had
assembled to see the usurper shot,--this being the manner of death that
had been awarded to him.
The prisoner was rather a good-looking man, apparently about thirty-five
years of age. No evil propensity was expressed in his features; and our
heroes could not help thinking that he had been guilty of no greater
crime than a too hasty ambition.
"Can we not save him from this cruel fate?" asked Hans, speaking to
Groot Willem. "I think you have some influence with the chief."
"There can be no harm in trying," answered Willem. "I'll see what I can
do."
Sindo was to be shot with his own musket. The executioner had been
already appointed, and all other arrangements made for carrying out the
decree, when Willem, advancing towards Macora, commenced interceding for
his life.
His argument was, that the prisoner had not committed any great crime;
that had he conspired against his chief for the purpose of placing
himself in authority, it would have been a different affair. Then he
would have deserved death.
Willem further urged, that had he, Macora, really been lost, some one of
the tribe would have become chief, and that Sindo was not to blame for
aspiring to resemble one who had ruled to the evident satisfaction of
all.
Macora was then entreated to spare the prisoner's life, and the entreaty
was backed by the promise of a gun to replace the one lost in the river,
on condition that Sindo should be allowed to live.
For a time Macora remained silent, but at length made reply, by saying
that he should never feel safe if the usurper were allowed to remain in
the community.
Groot Willem urged that he could be banished from the kraal, and
forbidden to return to it on penalty of death.
Macora hesitated a little longer; but remembering that he had promised
to grant any favour to the one who had released him from imprisonment in
the tree, he yielded. Sindo's life should be spared on condition of his
expatriating himself at once and forever from the kraal of Macora.
On granting this pardon, the chief wished all distinctly to understand
that it was done out of gratitude to his friend, the big white hunter.
He did not wish it to be supposed that the prisoner's life had been
purchased with a gun.
All Macora's subjects, including the condemned man himself, appeared
greatly astonished at the decision, so contrary to all precedent among
his fellow-countrymen.
The exhibition of mercy, along with the refusal of the bribe, proved to
the young hunters, that Macora had within him the elements of a noble
nature.
Sindo, accompanied by his family, immediately made departure from the
place, going off to seek a home among kindred tribes, where his ambition
would, no doubt, be exercised with greater caution.
During the evening, Macora provided a varied entertainment for his
guests. It included a grand feast, with songs and dancing, the latter
done to the sounds of the tom-tom drum, and one-stringed African fiddle.
All retired for the night with the understanding that the hunters should
the next day be conducted to a place where hippopotami were plentiful.