he
cooking of the rations, began to make other preparations for the same
purpose on a more extensive scale, while Abdullah and Niani were
detailed to procure wood, and keep up a regular scorching fire, as the
march was to be resumed after noon. The men selected four sticks with
prongs, which they planted at each corner and outside the
beefy-palisade, and laying two slender poles lengthwise, with their ends
resting in the forks of the upright sticks, and over these poles they
laid shorter sticks crosswise, and apart from each other, which
structure, when completed, had somewhat the appearance of a gridiron.
On this platform were laid long strings of meat, and the object of their
preparations was soon explained to Selim, who in this knowledge
perceived where he had been at fault, when he escaped from Ferodia on
the march to Katalambula's village.

It was really wonderful how much these heroes of ours managed to eat.
The palisade on which the kabobs were roasting, and hissing, and
spluttering, was rapidly disappearing before the voracious attacks of
the gourmands. Some hand was constantly stretched out to take and
uproot the defences round the fire, and fingers were incessantly
employed in extracting from the sticks the juicy and luscious pieces,
and one mouth or another was continually opened to receive, while the
jaws of all were perpetually grinding meat with their lips emitting a
chorus of "auch," "auch," "tlap," "tlap." Though there has been an
omission to mention that, over the body of each buffalo, before its
throat was cut, the blessing of God was invoked, it must not be taken
for granted that such pious sons of Islam as Selim and Abdullah were,
could have done such a deed without going through the grateful ceremony
which the Kuran has enjoined on all true believers. And in the feeling
of plenitude which was at last felt, they found their reward. My young
readers who have never experienced the pangs of hunger and thirst will
have perhaps some difficulty in comprehending the fierceness of appetite
and voracity which these children of nature exhibited.

About two o'clock in the afternoon, the meat was taken from the
platform, "done brown," and was bound into a light bale of provisions
for each person, with bark rope, and with a perfectly satisfied feeling,
the party sallied out, and continued the journey south.

At sunset they encamped near a pool of water, and after surrounding
themselves with a stout brush