deal of meat!"

Stas wanted to ascertain how Kali became the slave of the dervishes; it
appeared that from the night when he was caught in a pit, dug for
zebras, he had gone through so many hands that Stas could not tell from
his statements what countries he had passed through and by what route
he had been conducted to Fashoda. Stas was much impressed by what he
said about the "dark water," for if he came from the region of Albert
Nyanza, Albert Edward Nyanza, or even Victoria Nyanza, near which lay
the kingdoms of the Unyoro and the Uganda, he would undoubtedly have
heard something about Emin Pasha, about his troops, and about the
steamers, which aroused the wonder and fear of the negroes. Tanganyika
was too far away; there remained only the supposition that Kali's
nation had its seat somewhere nearer. For this reason their meeting
with the Wahimas was not an utter improbability.

After a few hours' ride, the sun began to descend. The heat decreased
considerably. They chanced upon a wide valley in which they found water
and a score or more of wild fig trees. So they stopped to rest their
horses and partake of provisions. As the rocky walls at that place were
lower, Stas ordered Kali to climb to the top and ascertain whether
smoke could not be seen in the vicinity.

Kali complied with the order and in the twinkling of an eye reached the
edge of the rocks. Peering around carefully in all directions he slid
down a thick liana stalk and announced that there was no smoke, but
that there were "niama." It was easy to surmise that he was speaking
not of guinea-fowl but of some bulkier game, for he pointed at Stas'
short rifle and afterwards put his fingers on his head to indicate
horned game.

Stas in turn climbed up and, leaning his head carefully over the edge,
began to look ahead. Nothing obstructed his view of the expanse, as the
old, high jungle was burnt away and the new, which had already sprouted
from the blackened ground, was barely a few inches high. As far as the
eye could reach could be seen sparsely growing great trees, with trunks
singed by the fire. Under the shade of one of them grazed a flock of
antelopes which from the shape of their bodies resembled horses, and
from their heads buffaloes. The sun penetrating through the baobab
leaves cast quivering bright spots upon their brown backs. There were
ten of them. The distance was not more than one hundred paces, but the
wind blew from the animals towards the