g Arcoll did was to hand
them to one of the chiefs. 'We come in peace,' he said. 'We give you
our lives.'

Then the indaba began, Arcoll leading off. It was a fine speech he
made, one of the finest I have ever listened to. He asked them what
their grievances were; he told them how mighty was the power of the
white man; he promised that what was unjust should be remedied, if only
they would speak honestly and peacefully; he harped on their old
legends and songs, claiming for the king of England the right of their
old monarchs. It was a fine speech, and yet I saw that it did not
convince them. They listened moodily, if attentively, and at the end
there was a blank silence.

Arcoll turned to me. 'For God's sake, Davie,' he said, 'talk to them
about Laputa. It's our only chance.'

I had never tried speaking before, and though I talked their tongue I
had not Arcoll's gift of it. But I felt that a great cause was at
stake, and I spoke up as best I could.

I began by saying that Inkulu had been my friend, and that at Umvelos'
before the rising he had tried to save my life. At the mention of the
name I saw eyes brighten. At last the audience was hanging on my
words. I told them of Henriques and his treachery. I told them frankly
and fairly of the doings at Dupree's Drift. I made no secret of the
part I played. 'I was fighting for my life,' I said. 'Any man of you
who is a man would have done the like.'

Then I told them of my last ride, and the sight I saw at the foot of
the Rooirand. I drew a picture of Henriques lying dead with a broken
neck, and the Inkulu, wounded to death, creeping into the cave.

In moments of extremity I suppose every man becomes an orator. In that
hour and place I discovered gifts I had never dreamed of. Arcoll told
me afterwards that I had spoken like a man inspired, and by a fortunate
chance had hit upon the only way to move my hearers. I told of that
last scene in the cave, when Laputa had broken down the bridge, and had
spoken his dying words--that he was the last king in Africa, and that
without him the rising was at an end. Then I told of his leap into the
river, and a great sigh went up from the ranks about Me.

'You see me here,' I said, 'by the grace of God. I found a way up the
fall and the cliffs which no man has ever travelled before or will
travel again. Your king is dead. He was a great king, as I who stand
here bear witness, and you will never more see his l