em milked. As for the
Amahagger cultivation, it is primitive in the extreme, being all done
by means of a spade made of iron, for these people smelt and work iron.
This spade is shaped more like a big spear-head than anything else, and
has no shoulder to it on which the foot can be set. As a consequence,
the labour of digging is very great. It is, however, all done by the
men, the women, contrary to the habits of most savage races, being
entirely exempt from manual toil. But then, as I think I have said
elsewhere, among the Amahagger the weaker sex has established its
rights.

At first we were much puzzled as to the origin and constitution of
this extraordinary race, points upon which they were singularly
uncommunicative. As the time went on--for the next four days passed
without any striking event--we learnt something from Leo's lady friend
Ustane, who, by the way, stuck to that young gentleman like his own
shadow. As to origin, they had none, at least, so far as she was
aware. There were, however, she informed us, mounds of masonry and many
pillars, near the place where _She_ lived, which was called Kor, and
which the wise said had once been houses wherein men lived, and it was
suggested that they were descended from these men. No one, however,
dared go near these great ruins, because they were haunted: they only
looked on them from a distance. Other similar ruins were to be seen, she
had heard, in various parts of the country, that is, wherever one of
the mountains rose above the level of the swamp. Also the caves in which
they lived had been hollowed out of the rocks by men, perhaps the same
who built the cities. They themselves had no written laws, only custom,
which was, however, quite as binding as law. If any man offended
against the custom, he was put to death by order of the Father of the
"Household." I asked how he was put to death, and she only smiled and
said that I might see one day soon.

They had a Queen, however. _She_ was their Queen, but she was very
rarely seen, perhaps once in two or three years, when she came forth to
pass sentence on some offenders, and when seen was muffled up in a big
cloak, so that nobody could look upon her face. Those who waited upon
her were deaf and dumb, and therefore could tell no tales, but it was
reported that she was lovely as no other woman was lovely, or ever had
been. It was rumoured also that she was immortal, and had power over
all things, but she, Ustane, could