On this occasion even the chain-gangs were included among the spectators, in the front row, on the ground that, being proved criminals, they needed the lesson more than the hempen-noose-food not yet caught and tried and brought to book.

The same sort of sermon, only this time more fiery and full of ranting humbug about German righteousness, was preached by the commandant.  The miserable victims had received a simple death sentence, but he explained that in virtue of his superior office be had seen fit to add to it.  “Death” he explained, “would certainly rid the German protectorate of such conscienceless scalawaps as these, but might not be enough to discourage the bad element that disliked German rule.  Natives must be taught that the very name of all that is German must be reverenced, and that German punishment is as terrible and sure as the German arm is long!  And be sure of this!” he continued.  “The ear of the German government is as far-reaching as its arm!  In your villages—­in your homes—­in your families—­there is always an agent of the government listening!  Your own brother—­your wife—­your child may be that agent of the government!  Now, watch carefully and see what happens to men with bad hearts—­aye, and to women with bad hearts, who conspire against German rule!”

What followed was more impressive because of the determination we had heard of to bring all Africa under the German yoke.  In vain should the wretched natives in after years escape by the hundreds northward in the hope of living under British government.  The fools—­the “easy people”—­the “folk who gave without a price”—­the “truth tellers”—­the “men who wish to forget”—­the unwise, cocksure, cleaner-living, unbelievably credulous, foolishly honest British officials would be all gone.  The pikelhaube and the lash, blackmail and coercion would take the place of generosity.  Africa would better be back under the Arabs again, for the Arabs had no system to speak of and were inefficient.  Some Arabs have a heart—­some a very soft heart.

The crowd grew bright-eyed, little children straining forward between their elders in the bull-fight frenzy—­that same intoxication of the senses that held the Roman freemen spellbound at the sight of suffering.

One at a time, that the last might see the torture of the first, the victims were noosed by the heel (one heel)—­thrown with a jerk—­hauled heel-first to the overhanging branch—­and flogged into unconsciousness with slow blows, the lieutenant standing by to reprove the askaris if they struck too fast, for that would have been merciful.  Not until the victims ceased to struggle were they lowered and thrown on the ground, to lie bleeding, awaiting their turn to be hanged.

The last two—­supposed to have been the culprits who actually held the spear that pierced the marauding askari’s heart—­were hauled up heel-to-heel together, and hanged presently in the same noose, the commandant laughing at their struggles and Professor Schillingschen studying their agony with strictly scientific interest.