Witch-Doctors | Page 9

me is defiled! Aie-e! Aie-e! Let him arise who is pure! Aie-e!
Aie-e! Let him arise who is bidden! Aie-e! Aie-e! Let the fires be put
out! Aie-e! Aie-e! Let a new fire arise from the ashes! Aie-e! Aie-e! I

have spoken, I, the Father of men! Aie-e! Aie-e! I, Tarum, the soul of
your ancestors!"
From the assembly came the belly grunt of acceptance. In silence rose
Kawa Kendi, the heir-apparent. His face was as expressionless as his
father's. He stepped around the body of Bakahenzie and across the open
space followed by a young man, Kingata Mata. Ten feet away from the
enclosure, Kingata Mata sank upon his haunches. Before MFunya
MPopo squatted his son. They spat each in the other's hand and
swallowed the spittle. Then the head of Kawa Kendi bent to the lips of
MFunya MPopo to receive the sacred Name.
In unison with Kawa Kendi rose Kingata Mata, who to him handed a
cord of twisted bark. Bending behind the King, who remained
motionless with the closed eyes of one already dead, Kingata Mata
swiftly adjusted the cord and handed it back to the son, Kawa
Kendi.{~HORIZONTAL ELLIPSIS~}
When the muscular young Keeper of the Fires had poured solemnly a
gourd of water upon the royal fire of MFunya MPopo, he knelt
submissively and was strangled beside his master.{~HORIZONTAL
ELLIPSIS~}
From the assembly went up a great shout:
"The fire is put out!"
And from the village, listening in awe to the mighty doings, came like
an echo:
"The fire is put out! Aie! Aie-e!"
Then shouted the elders and wizards:
"Let there be a new fire!"
Again came the wailing repetition from the village:
"Let there be a new fire!"

As in the Place of Fires was kindled a new fire by Kingata Mata with
two sacred sticks, one of which is male and the other female, the
assembled chiefs and magicians groaned in allegiance to the new
King-God of the unmentionable spirit of the Snake, Usakuma, the Idol.
CHAPTER 3
At five-thirty zu Pfeiffer was stretched in the long Bombay chair in the
coolest portion of the screened verandah. On the table beside him was a
tall glass, a decanter of cognac and a box of cigars; and suspended from
the roof swung a canvas bag of water with a syphon attachment. A gape
fly, which somehow had gotten through the screen, hit the lieutenant's
forehead, fell on to the book and whirred up against the wire.
"Ach, Gott verdammt!" exclaimed zu Pfeiffer irritably and shouted:
"Ho, Bakunja--la." Instantly appeared the tall negro in white. "You son
of a god! Look at that!"
Bakunjala looked, leaped, and caught the fly in his hand.
"Ow!" he exclaimed as the hornet stung him.
"Ach, you woman of shame, catch it instantly!"
Without hesitation Bakunjala made another grab, and clutching the fly
tightly, made to open the screen door.
"Halt!" commanded the lieutenant.
Bakunjala obeyed.
Zu Pfeiffer regarded the man standing with the wasp sting buried in his
palm with a slight smile of amusement.
"It hurts?" he inquired amiably.
"Indio, Bwana!" asserted Bakunjala.
"Good! Now stop there."

Motionless remained the negro. Zu Pfeiffer leisurely selected a fresh
cigar, lighted it, stoked it, and inhaling smoke stroked his left
moustache.
"It still hurts?"
"Indio, Bwana!" said Bakunjala with a high note in his voice.
"Splendid!" assured the lieutenant: and after a full minute added: "Now
you may go. And remember if you are frightened of a fly's pain again I
will give you twenty lashes."
"Indio, Bwana," answered Bakunjala humbly and departed swiftly with
the hornet in his clenched fist. Zu Pfeiffer smiled, again stared
reflectively at the violet shadows creeping lazily across the square,
sipped some brandy and picking up his book, began to
read.{~HORIZONTAL ELLIPSIS~}
"Excellence!"
Zu Pfeiffer frowned and looked round. Outside the screen stood
Sergeant Schultz at the salute. Zu Pfeiffer nodded.
"Well?"
"Excellence," said the sergeant at attention, "the Englishman is here."
"Ach, tell him to go----" The lieutenant drew out his gold chronometer.
"It is my bath time. I cannot see him."
"Ja, Excellence."
"Wait." Zu Pfeiffer withdrew his legs and rose. "Ach, tell the fool to
come over here and wait till I have had my bath."
"Excellence!" agreed the sergeant and saluting, marched away. Zu
Pfeiffer entered the bungalow. Across the square came Birnier with the
sergeant who ushered him into the screened portion of the verandah.

"His Excellence gom bresently," said the sergeant and left him.
Birnier put his Tirai hat on the table, and seeing no other, sat in the
Bombay chair; looked about him; idly examined the brand on the box
of cigars and smiled. "Makes himself mighty comfortable," he
remarked to himself. "Pity he appears such a boor." He glanced at the
book on the armchair. Allgemeine