Lord, the Chief of my tribe, the Dabanda, is her
head-priest.
I found Kaneke seated ona stone near to the edge of
the tableland.
Just then one of thehunters looked back and gasped
out:Lord, the elephants are beginning to run.
Next morning before the dawn Hans woke me up saying
that Kanekewished to speak with me. On the whole, after this talk I hated Kaneke
more than ever. Then Iwent back to bed, where in due course he brought me my coffee,
aswas his custom at sunrise.
Kaneke descended from his ant-heap to meet me, all
smiles and bows. Just then one of thehunters looked back and gasped out:Lord, the
elephants are beginning to run. Next morning before the dawn Hans woke me up saying
that Kanekewished to speak with me. Now follow me, I said, and the four of us ran
forward, passingthrough the bearers. Nowonder that these uneducated men saw magic at
work and were scared. Come on, I said, and keep together, for there is nothing else
tobe done.
Kaneke descended from his ant-heap to meet me, all
smiles and bows. But each of them, when we had passed it, fell in behind the bigbull
and marched after it.
Those who are not seen may still be present, Lord,
or theirstrength may remain behind them. Then they passed on out of my range
ofvision.
These lie in front of you, but behind lies that
whichall men shun, or so I read what is written. They are fighting, not
strangers,but old enemies whom they have hated from their mothers
breasts.
As you have just admitted you did in the
past.
Now I am beginning to remember, said Hans, licking
the edge ofthe empty tin.