herds, since, as he pointed out to them, "dog should not eat dog" or the
human being his own kind.

The chief answered that there was a great deal in what he said, which
on his return he would lay before his head men. Indeed Alan, to his
astonishment, discovered that Jeekie had been quite right when he
alleged that these people, so terrible in their mode of life, were
yet "kind and gentle at heart." They preyed upon mankind because for
centuries it had been their custom so to do, but if anyone had been
there to show them a better way, he grew sure that they would follow it
gladly. At least they were brave and loyal and even after their first
fear of the white man had worn off, fulfilled their promises without a
murmur. Once, indeed, when he chanced to have gone for a walk unarmed
and to be charged by a bull elephant, these Ogula ran at the brute with
their spears and drove it away, a rescue in which one of them lost his
life, for the "rogue" caught and killed him.

So the days went on while they paddled leisurely up the river, Alan
employing the time by taking lessons in the Asiki tongue from Jeekie, a
language which he had been studying ever since he left England. The task
was not easy, as he had no books and Jeekie himself after some thirty
years of absence, was doubtful as to many of its details. Still being a
linguist by nature and education and finding in the tongue similarities
to other African dialects which he knew, he was now able to speak it a
little, in a halting fashion.

On the fifth day of their ascent of the river, they came to a tributary
that flowed into it from the north, up which the Ogula said they
must proceed to reach Asiki-land. The stream was narrow and sluggish,
widening out here and there into great swamps through which it was not
easy to find a channel. Also the district was so unhealthy that even
several of the Ogula contracted fever, of which Alan cured them by heavy
doses of quinine, for fortunately his travelling medicine chest remained
to him. These cures were effected after their chief suggested that they
should be thrown overboard, or left to die in the swamp as useless,
with the result that the white man's magical powers were thenceforth
established beyond doubt or cavil. Indeed the poor Ogula now looked
on him as a god superior even to Little Bonsa, whose familiar he was
supposed to be.

The journey through that swamp was very trying, since in this wet season
often they could find