THE COUNCIL OF WAR
That evening Kingozi called to him Cazi Moto, Simba, and Mali-ya-bwana.
He commanded them to build a little fire, and when the light from the
leaping flames had penetrated his dull vision, he told them to sit down
before him. Thus they knew that a serious council was intended. They
squatted on their heels below the white man in his chair, and looked up
at him with bright, devoted eyes.
"Listen," he said. "The matter is this: the _Inglishee_ are at war with
the _Duyche_. Over from the Congo comes a _Duyche_ known as _Bwana_
Nyele.[14] It is his business to reach this _shenzi_ king, M'tela, and
persuade M'tela to fight on the side of the _Duyche_. It is our
business to reach M'tela and persuade him to fight on the side of the
_Inglishee_. Is that understood?"
[Footnote 14: _Bwana_ Nyele--the master with the mane, i.e., beard or
hair.]
"It is understood, _bwana_" said they.
"But this _Duyche, Bwana_ Nyele, is only one week's march from M'tela;
and he undoubtedly has many gifts for M'tela and the Kabilagani. And we
are many days' safari distant, and I am blind and cannot hurry." he
three uttered little clucks of sympathy and interest.
"But for all that we may win. You three men are my eyes and my right
hand. I have a plan, and this is what you must do: Cazi Moto must stay
with me to be headman of safari, and to be my eyes when we come to
M'tela's land. You Simba, and you Mali-ya-bwana, must go with six of
the best men to where _Bwana_ Nyele is marching. These two strange
_shenzis_ will guide you. Then when you are near the safari of _Bwana_
Nyele you must arrange so that these _shenzis_ can have no talk with
any of the safari of _Bwana_ Nyele. That is understood?"
"Yes, _bwana_," said Simba. "Do we kill these _shenzis?_"
"No, do not kill them. Tie them fast."
"Yes, _bwana_, and then?"
"This is the most difficult. You must get hold of _Bwana_ Nyele, and
you must tie him fast also, and keep him from his safari. He is a
_m'zungu_[15], yes--but he is a _Duyche_, and my enemy, and these
things are right, because I command it."
[Footnote 15: _M'zungu_--white man.]
"Yes, _bwana_."
"Then you must keep _Bwana_ Nyele and these two _shenzis_ close in
camp, hidden where their safari cannot find them. And after two weeks
you must send two men to M'tela's to find me, and to tell me where you
are hidden. Now is all that understood? You, Simba, tell me what you
are to do."
"Mali-ya-bwana, myself, six men and these _shenzis_ travel to where the
safari of _Bwana_ Nyele marches. When we are near that safari we tie up
the two _shenzis_. Then we get _Bwana_ Nyele and tie him up in a secret
camp. Then after two weeks we send two men to tell the _bwana_ where we
are. But, _bwana_, how do we get _Bwana_ Nyele?"
"That I will tell you soon. One thing you forgot: you must reach the
_Duyche_ before he gets into M'tela's country. This means travel night
and day--fast travel. Can this be done?"
"We shall pick good men, _bwana_, runners of the Wakamba. We shall do
our best."
"Good. Each man four days' _potio_, and what biltong he can use. Simba,
take my small rifle and fifty cartridges. Take some snuff, beads, and
wire--only a little--to trade for _potio_ if you meet with other
people. Understood?"
"Yes, _bwana_."
"Cazi Moto," he directed, "bring me the small box of wood from my
_sandoko_."
He slid the cover off this box when it was delivered into his hands,
fumbled a moment, and held up an object.
"What is this?" he asked.
"It is a bone, _bwana_."
"Yes, it is a bone; but it is more. It is a magic. With this you will
take _Bwana_ Nyele."
He could sense the stir of interest in the three men before him.
"Listen carefully. This is what you must do. When you have come near to
this safari, you must follow it until it has put down its loads and is
just about to make camp. Not a rest period on the road; not after camp
is made--just at the moment when the men begin to untie the loads, when
they begin to pitch the tents. That is the magic time. Understand?"
"Yes, _bwana_," they chorused breathlessly.
"Simba must be ready. He must take off his clothes, and he must oil his
body and paint it, and put on the ornaments of a _shenzi_ of this
country. For that purpose he must take with him the necklace, the
armlets, anklets, and belt that I traded for with the _shenzis_, and
which Cazi Moto will get from my tent. Do you know the style of
painting of these _shenzis_ of the plains, Simba?"
"Yes, _bwana_."
"It is important that you make yourself a _shenzi_. This magic is a bad
magic otherwise. Then at the moment I have named, Simba as a _shenzi_
will take this magic bone and hold it out to _Bwana_ Nyele saying
nothing. _Bwana_ Nyele will say words, perhaps in Swahili which Simba
will understand; perhaps in some other language which he will not
understand. Simba must point thus; and then must start in that
direction. _Bwana_ Nyele will follow a few steps. Then Simba will say:
'Many more, _bwana_, over there only a little distance.'" Kingozi
uttered this last sentence in atrocious Swahili. "You must say it in
just that way, like a _shenzi_. Say it."
Simba repeated the words and accent.
"Yes, that is it. Then say nothing more, no matter what he asks; and do
not let him touch the magic bone. Point. He will follow you; and when
he has followed out of sight of the safari you will all seize him and
tie him fast. The rest is as I have commanded."
"How does _bwana_ know how these things will happen thus?" breathed
Simba in awestricken tones.
"It is a magic," replied Kingozi gravely.
Over and over he drilled them until the details were thoroughly
understood. Then he dismissed them and leaned back with a sigh. The
plan was simple, but ought to work. At the moment of making camp
Winkleman would be less apt than at any other time to take with him an
escort--especially if his interest or cupidity were aroused--for every
one would be exceedingly busy. And no fear about the interest and
cupidity! The "magic" bone Kingozi had confided to Simba was a fragment
of a Pleistocene fossil. Kingozi himself valued it highly, but he hoped
and expected to get it back. It made excellent bait, which no scientist
could resist. Of course there might be a second white man with
Winkleman, but from the reported size of the latter's safari he thought
not. All in all, Kingozi had great reliance in his magic.
At the end of fifteen minutes Simba came to report.
"All is ready, _bwana_," he said, "and we start now. But if _bwana_
could let me take a lantern, which I have in my hand, we could travel
also at night."
The lantern, as Kingozi well knew, was not for the purpose of casting
light in the path, but as some slight measure of protection against
lions.
"Let me have it," he ordered. It was passed into his hands, and proved
to be one of the two oil lanterns kept for emergencies.
But Kingozi sent the headman for one of the candle lanterns in everyday
use, and a half-dozen short candles.
"These are better," he said; "and _qua heri_, Simba. If you do these
things well, large _backsheeshi_ for you all."
"_Qua heri, bwana_" said Simba, and was gone.