e said. "Look neither to the
right nor to the left, was what I told you. Then you would have seen
nothing. Now let us move on."

But Shelton and Hoste stood, irresolutely staring at the horrid reptile
as though half fascinated. It--as if resenting the intrusion--began to
unwind its sluggish folds, and raising its head, emitted a low, warning
hiss, at the same time blowing itself out with a sound as of a pair of
bellows collapsing, after the fashion which has gained for this most
repulsive of all serpents its distinctive name.

"You must not kill it," repeated the Kafir, in a tone almost of command.
"This is `The Home of the Serpents,' remember. Did I not warn you?"

They saw that he was deadly in earnest. Here in this horrible den,
right in the heart of the earth, the dark-skinned, superstitious savage
seemed the one to command. It was perhaps remarkable that no thought of
disobeying him entered the mind of any one of the three white men; still
more so, that no resentment entered in either. They resumed their way
without a murmur; not, however, without some furtive glances behind, as
though dreading an attack on the part of the deadly reptile they were
leaving in their rear. More than once they thought to detect the sound
of that slow, crawling glide--to discern an indistinct and sinuous
shadow moving in the subdued light.

"This is `The Home of the Serpents'!" chanted Josane, taking up once
more his weird refrain.

"This is The Home of the Serpents, the abode of the Spirit-dead. O
_Inyoka 'Nkulu_ [Great Serpent] do us no hurt! O Snake of Snakes, harm
us not!

"The shades of thy home are blacker than blackest night.

"We tread the dark shades of thy home in search of the white man's
friend.

"Give us back the white man's friend, so may we depart in peace--

"In peace from The Home of the Serpents, the abode of the Spirit-dead.

"Into light from the awe-dealing gloom, where the shades of our fathers
creep.

"So may we return to the daylight in safety with him whom we seek.

"Harm us not,
O Snake of snakes!
Do us no hurt,
O _Inyoka 'Nkulu_!"

The drawn out notes of this lugubrious refrain were uttered with a
strange, low, concentrative emphasis which was indescribably thrilling.
Eustace, the only one of the party who thoroughly grasped its burden,
felt curiously affected by it. The species of devil worship implied in
the heathenish invocation communicated its influence to himself. Hi