hattered
skull and neck the terrible "forest demon," as the negroes call the
gorilla. The King, however, for greater certainty or through inborn
fury, pinned the gorilla with his tusks to the ground and afterwards
did not cease to wreak his vengeance upon it until Stas, disquieted by
the roar and howling, came running up with a rifle and ordered him to
stop.

The huge gorilla, with the whites of the eyes rolled up and fangs
displayed, terrible still, though not alive, lay in a puddle of blood
which Saba lapped and which crimsoned the King's tusks. The elephant
trumpeted triumphantly and Nasibu, ashen from terror, related to Stas
what had happened. The latter pondered for a while whether or not to
bring Nell and show her this monstrous ape, but abandoned the
intention, for suddenly he was seized by fear. Of course, Nell often
strolled alone over the island. So something similar might befall her.

It appeared, therefore, that Mount Linde was not so safe a shelter as
it seemed in the first instance.

Stas returned to the hut and related the incident to Nell, while she
listened with curiosity and fear, opening wide her eyes and repeating
every little while:

"You see what would have happened without the King."

"True! With such a nurse one need not fear about a child. So then,
until we leave, do not move a step without him."

"When shall we leave?"

"The supplies are ready; the packs distributed; so it is necessary only
to load the animals and we can start even to-morrow."

"To our papas!"

"If God permits," Stas answered gravely.

XVI

Nevertheless, they did not start until several days after this
conversation. The departure, after a short prayer in which they warmly
commended themselves to God, took place at daybreak, six o'clock in the
morning. Stas rode at the head, on horseback, preceded by Saba. After
him the King ambled gravely, moving his ears and bearing on his
powerful back a canvas palanquin and in the palanquin Nell with Mea;
they were followed by Linde's horses one after another, tied together
with a long palm rope and carrying numerous packs; and the procession
closed with little Nasibu on the donkey, as fat as himself.

On account of the early hour, the heat was not at first oppressive,
though the day was clear and from beyond the Karamojo Mountains the sun
rolled magnificently, not shaded by a cloudlet. But an eastern breeze
mollified the intense heat of its rays. At moments there rose qu