oment later the _Flying Fish_ was sweeping over M'Bongwele's village,
the inhabitants of which could be seen scuttling into their huts, like
so many rabbits into their holes, evidently in a state of lively terror
at the portentous reappearance of the well-remembered ship of the Four
Spirits wending its way toward the spot where the king's latest victim
had that morning been led forth to undergo the torture.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

THE END OF A SAVAGE DESPOT.

As the ship passed over the village and held on her way toward the place
of punishment, it became evident to the watchers on her deck that her
rapid approach was being viewed with great anxiety and perturbation by
the guards who had been ordered by M'Bongwele to surround the prisoner
and see that none of his friends interfered to shorten the period of his
sufferings with a kindly spear-stroke. They could be seen pointing at
the ship, and excitedly conferring together; and when at length it
became quite clear that the _Flying Fish_ was making for the precise
earth upon which they stood, their superstitious fears so completely
overmastered every other feeling and consideration that, casting away
their weapons, they incontinently took to their heels and fled, howling
with terror. A moment later the _Flying Fish_ came gently to earth upon
the spot which they had just vacated.

As she did so, the professor, closely followed by Lobelalatutu, made a
dash for the gangway-ladder, down which they hastily descended, and,
dropping the rope ladder over the side, rapidly scrambled down to the
ground. A few yards away lay the object for which they were making, and
a dozen rapid strides took them to it. Prepared as von Schalckenberg
was for the sight that met his eyes, he yet sickened with a deadly
nausea as he gazed down upon the dreadful object that lay stretched out
at his feet. At the first glance an uninstructed observer would have
found it somewhat difficult to say precisely what it was that he was
looking upon; but the professor, compelling himself to look closely, saw
that it was the naked body of a tall and finely-built savage stretched
at full length upon the ground, the upstretched arms and outspread legs
being firmly secured by many turns of stout thongs to four long stakes
driven so deeply into the earth that by no possible exertion of strength
could the victim free himself. Merely to lie exposed in this fashion,
immovably fixed to the earth, until death from