“Sir,” said Savage, “I will take my chance.  Before I left England his lordship made a provision for my old mother and my widowed sister and her children, and I have none other dependent upon me.  Moreover, I won’t return alone with those Mazitu to become a barbarian, for how could I find my way back to the coast without anyone to guide me?  So I’ll go on and leave the rest to God.”

“Which is just what we have all got to do,” I remarked.  “Well, as that is settled, let us send for Babemba and tell him.”

This we did accordingly.  The old fellow received the news with more resignation than I had anticipated.  Fixing his one eye upon me, he said: 

“Macumazana, these words are what I expected from you.  Had any other man spoken them I should have declared that he was quite mad.  But I remember that I said this when you determined to visit the Pongo, and that you came back from their country safe and sound, having done wonderful things there, and that it was the Pongo who suffered, not you.  So I believe it will be again, so far as you are concerned, Macumazana, for I think that some devil goes with you who looks after his own.  For the others I do not know.  They must settle the matter with their own devils, or with those of the Kendah people.  Now farewell, Macumazana, for it comes to me that we shall meet no more.  Well, that happens to all at last, and it is good to have known you who are so great in your own way.  Often I shall think of you as you will think of me, and hope that in a country beyond that of the Kendah I may hear from your lips all that has befallen you on this and other journeys.  Now I go to withdraw my men before these white-robed Arabs come on their strange beasts to seize you, lest they should take us also and there should be a fight in which we, being the fewer, must die.  The loads are all in order ready to be laden on their strange beasts.  If they declare that the horses cannot cross the desert, leave them loose and we will catch them and take them home with us, and since they are male and female, breed young ones from them which shall be yours when you send for them, or Bausi the king’s if you never send.  Nay, I want no more presents who have the gun and the powder and the bullets you gave me, and the tusks of ivory for Bausi the king, and what is best of all, the memory of you and of your courage and wisdom.  May these and the gods you worship befriend you.  From yonder hill we will watch till we see that you have gone.  Farewell,” and waiting for no answer, he departed with the tears running from his solitary eye.

Ten minutes later the Mazitu bearers had also saluted us and gone, leaving us seated in that deserted camp surrounded by our baggage, and so far as I was concerned, feeling most lonely.  Another ten minutes went by which we occupied in packing our personal belongings.  Then Hans, who was now washing out the coffee kettle at a little distance, looked up and said: