The Great White Queen
:
The Great White Queen
GAINING the summit and entering the ponderous gate closely behind old
Babila, I was amazed at the bewildering aspect of the gigantic city. As
Omar placed his foot upon the top step, great drums, ornamented by golden
bats with outspread wings, were thumped by a perspiring line of
drummers, horns were blown with ear-piercing vehemence, and the huge guns
mounted on the walls thundered forth a deafening salute.
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Then, as we walked forward along the way kept clear for us through the
enormous crowd of curious citizens, Babila at last met the tall,
patriarchal-looking man in command of the city-gate.
"Lo!" he cried. "With our Prince Omar there returneth a retinue of
strangers. This one," indicating myself, "is from the land of the white
men that lieth beyond the great black water. The others are from the
borders of Prempeh's kingdom."
"Art thou certain there are no spies among them?" asked the man, glancing
at me keenly in suspicion.
"I, Omar, Prince of Mo, vouch for each man's honesty," exclaimed my
friend, interrupting. At these words the chief guardian of the gate bowed
until his long white beard swept the ground, and we passed on, followed
by Kona and our black companions, in whom the denizens of the mysterious
place seemed highly interested, never before having seen negro savages.
Now and then as we passed along voices raised in dissension that
strangers should be admitted to the inaccessible kingdom reached our
ears, but these were drowned by the wild plaudits of the crowd. On every
hand Omar was greeted with an enthusiasm befitting the heir to the
Emerald Throne, and he, in response, bowed his head from side to side, as
with royal gait he strode down the broad handsome thoroughfare. The
buildings on either hand were magnificent in their proportions, built of
enormous blocks of grey stone finely sculptured, with square ornamented
windows. Apparently the manufacture of glass was unknown, for all the
windows were uniformly latticed. Here and there through the open doors
we caught sight of cool courtyards, with trees and plashing fountains
beyond, while from the flat roofs that here seemed to be the principal
promenade of the ladies, as in Eastern lands, white hands and bejewelled
arms waved us dainty welcome.
Across a great market square, where slaves were being bought and sold,
and business was proceeding uninterruptedly, we passed, and as we glanced
at the unfortunate ones huddled up in the scanty shadow, we remembered
the day when we, too, had been sold by our bitter and well-hated enemy,
Samory. I smiled as I reflected what terrible revenge this great army of
the Naya could wreak upon the Arab chief, and found myself anticipating
the day when the soldiery of Mo should gather before the old villain's
stronghold.
Kona, who had come up beside me, walked on in silent amazement. He knew
nothing of civilization, and the sights he now witnessed held him dumb.
The African mind is slow to understand the benefits of civilization and
modern progress, unless it be the substitution of guns for bows and
bullets for arrows. At last we turned a corner suddenly, and saw before
us, rising against the intensely blue sky and flashing in the brilliant
sunlight, the three great gilded domes of the royal palace.
"Gold!" cried Kona, in an awed tone. "See!" and he turned to several of
his sable brethren. "See! they build their great huts of solid gold! What
treasure they must have!"
As we advanced in imposing procession, the great gate of this royal
residence, grim and frowning as a fortress, over which a large flag was
floating, bearing the sign of the vampire bat, opened wide, and,
unchallenged by the crowds of gaily-dressed soldiers drawn up in line
and saluting, we went forward amid vociferous cheering.
Ours was indeed a progress full of triumph and enthusiasm. The heir to
the throne, long since mourned for as lost, had returned, and the loyal
people were filled with great rejoicing. Through one spacious courtyard
after another we passed, always between long lines of stalwart
men-at-arms, bearing good English rifles and well-made accoutrements,
until, ascending a short flight of wide steps of polished black stone, we
found ourselves in a great hall beneath one of the gilded domes that had
so impressed our head-man. Before us was a huge curtain of purple velvet
that screened from view the further end of the hall, but when all had
assembled and stood grouped together, this drapery was suddenly lifted,
disclosing to our gaze a sight that filled us with greatest wonder and
amazement.
The central object was the historic Emerald Throne, a wonderful golden
seat so thickly encrusted with beautiful green gems as to appear entirely
constructed of them. Some of the stones were of enormous size,
beautifully cut, of amazing brilliance and fabulous value. Above, was
suspended a golden representation of a crocodile--the god Zomara. Lolling
lazily among the pink silk cushions was a woman, tall, thin-faced and
ascetic, with a complexion white as my own, high cheek bones, small
black, brilliant eyes, and hair plentifully tinged with grey. Her
personality was altogether a striking one, for her brow was low, her face
hawk-like, and her long, bony hands resting on the arms of the seat of
royalty seemed like the talons of the bird to which her face bore
resemblance.
It was the Naya, the dreaded Great White Queen!
Her robes of rich brocaded silk were of a brilliant golden yellow,
heavily embroidered with gold thread, and thickly studded with various
jewels. In the bright flood of sunlight that struck full upon her from
the painted dome above, the diamonds and rubies enriching her handsome
corsage gleamed and flashed white, green and blood-red. Indeed, so
covered was her breast by the fiery gems that as it heaved and fell their
flashing dazzled us; yet in her eyes was a cruel, crafty gleam that from
the first moment I saw her roused instinctively within me fear and
suspicion.
No smile of welcome crossed her cold, implacable features as her gaze met
that of her son Omar; no enthusiastic or maternal greeting passed her
lips. Her maids of honour and courtiers grouped about her murmured
approbation and welcome as the heavy curtains fell aside, but frowning
slightly she raised her bejewelled claw-like hand impatiently with a
gesture commanding silence, darting hasty glances of displeasure upon
those who had, by applauding, lowered her regal dignity. On either side
black female slaves in garments of crimson silk and wearing golden
girdles, massive earrings and neck chains, slowly fanned the ruler of Mo
with large circular fans of ostrich feathers, and from a pedestal near
her a tiny fountain of some fragrant perfume shot up and fell with faint
plashing into its basin of marvellously-cut crystal. The splendour was
barbaric yet refined, illustrative everywhere of the tastes of these
denizens of the unknown kingdom. The walls of the great hall were
strangely sculptured with colossal monstrosities, mostly hideous designs,
apparently intended to depict the awful wrath of the deity Zomara, while
here and there were curious frescoes of almost photographic finish, the
execution of which had been accomplished by some art quite unknown to
European civilization. The paving whereon we stood was of jasper, highly
polished, with here and there strange outlines inlaid with gold. These
outlines, a little crude and unfinished, were mostly illustrative of the
power of the Nayas, depicting scenes of battle, justice and execution.
"Let our son Omar stand forth and approach our Emerald Throne," exclaimed
the Naya at last, in a thin, rasping voice, moving slightly as she bent
forward, fixing her shining eyes upon us. They glittered with evil.
At the royal command all bowed low in submission, it being etiquette to
do this whenever the Naya expressed command or wish, and Omar, leaving my
side, strode forward with becoming hauteur, and, crossing the floor as
highly polished as glass, advanced to his royal mother, and, bending upon
his knee, pressed her thin, bony hand to his lips.
But even then no expression of pleasure crossed her stony features. I had
expected to witness an affectionate meeting between mother and son, and
was extremely surprised at the coldness of my friend's reception, having
regard to his long absence and the many perils we had together faced on
our entry into Mo.
"News was flashed unto me last night that thou hadst crossed the Thousand
Steps," the Queen said, slowly withdrawing her bony hand. "Why hast thou
returned from the land of the white men, and why, pray, hast thou brought
hither strangers with thee?"
"These strangers are heroes, each one of them," Omar answered, rising,
and standing before the throne. "Every man has already fought for thee,
and for Mo."
"For me? How?"
Then briefly he related how we had met the remnant of Samory's invading
force and defeated them, so that not a single fugitive remained.
"These savages fought merely for their own lives, not for me," she said
with a supercilious sneer, regarding the half-clad natives with disdain.
"We in Mo desire not the introduction of such creatures as these."
"Are not my friends welcome?" Omar asked, pale with anger. "A Sanom hath
never yet turned from his palace those who have proved themselves his
friends."
"Neither hath a Sanom sought the aid of savages," answered the Great
White Queen, with a glance of withering scorn.
"Adversity sometimes causeth us to seek strange alliances," my friend
argued. "These men of the Dagomba, Kona, their head man, and Scarsmere,
my friend from the land of the white men, have given me aid, and if thou
accordest them no welcome, then I, Omar, in the name of my ancestors, the
Nabas and the Nayas, will give them greeting, and provide them with
befitting entertainment while they are within our walls."
His words caused instant consternation. The will of the Naya was not to
be thwarted. Her every wish was law; a single word from her meant life or
death. This openly-expressed opposition was, to the court, a most
terrible offence, punishable by death to all others save the heir.
The Naya, her thin lips tightly set and cruelty lurking in the corners of
her mouth, rose slowly with an air of terrible anger.
"Does our son Omar thus defy us?" she asked with grim harshness.
"I defy thee not O queen-mother," answered my friend, clasping his hands
resolutely behind his back, and standing with his legs slightly apart. "I
bring unto thee those who have fought for me, and have been my companions
through many perils, expecting welcome. Were it not for them I, the last
of our regal line, would be no longer living, and at thy death our
kingdom would have been without a ruler."
"Son, the claim of these, thy friends, to my protection is admitted;
nevertheless, the stranger, whoever he may be, is by the law of our
kingdom that hath been rigorously observed for a thousand years, debarred
from traversing the Thousand Steps."
As the queen spoke I noticed two gorgeously-attired men behind her,
probably her chief advisers, exchange whispers with smiles of evident
satisfaction.
"Then I am to understand that the Naya of Mo absolutely refuseth to
sanction these my friends to dwell within our walls?" Omar said.
"We forbid these strangers to remain," answered the Queen, crimsoning
with anger that her son should have thus argued with her. "They are
granted until noon to-morrow to quit our city. Those found within our
land after three suns have set will be held as slaves. I, the Naya, have
spoken."
"As thou willest it, so it will be," answered her son, bowing very
stiffly. Then, turning to us, he said:
"Friends, the people give you cordial welcome, even though the Naya may
refuse to grant you peace. You shall remain----"
"Thou insultest us publicly," cried the Great White Queen, still standing
erect, her black eyes flashing beneath the wisp of scanty grey hair, and
her talon-like hand uplifted. "To utter such words hast thou returned
from the land beyond the black seas? True, thou art my son, and some day
will sit upon this my stool, but for thus opposing my will thou shalt be
banished from Mo until such time as I am carried to the tombs of my
fathers. Then, when thou returnest hither, thy reign shall be one of
tumults and evil-doing. The people who now shout themselves hoarse
because their idol Omar hath returned to them, shall, in that day, curse
thee, and heap upon thee every indignity. May the Great Darkness
encompass thee, may thine enemies break and crush thee, and may Zomara,
the One of Power, smite and devour thee," and as she uttered these words
she held up her long skinny arms to the hideous golden crocodile
suspended over her, muttering some mystic sentences the while.
Her slaves and courtiers held their breath. The Great White Queen was
cursing her only son. The Dagombas understood this action and stood
aghast, while across the faces of the court dignitaries a few moments
later there flitted faint sickly smiles. The scene was impressive, more
so perhaps than any I had before witnessed. In her sudden ebullition of
anger the Naya was indeed terrible.
From her thin blue lips curses most fearful rolled until even her
courtiers shuddered. As she stood, her bony arms uplifted to the image of
what was to her the greatest and most dreaded power on earth, she
screamed herself hoarse, uttering imprecations until about her mouth
there hung a blood-flecked foam, and her long finger-nails were driven
deep into the flesh of her withered palms. All quaked visibly at her
wrath, for none knew who might next offend her and pay the penalty for so
doing with their lives: none knew who might next fall victim to her
insane passion for causing suffering to others.
Omar alone stood calmly watching her; all others remained terrified,
fearing to utter a single word.
Suddenly, in her mad passion, she shrieked:
"Gankoma! Gankoma! Come hither. There is still work for thee."
In an instant the chief executioner, a man of giant stature, gaudily
attired and bearing a huge curved sword that gleamed ominously in the
sunlight, stood before her, and bowing, answered:
"Your majesty is obeyed."
"There is one who hath betrayed his trust," cried the angry ruler. "To
Babila, guardian of the Gate, we owe this intrusion of strangers in our
land and these insults from the mouth of one who is unworthy to be called
son. Bring forth Babila."
The executioner, sword in hand, advanced to where the trusty old
custodian stood. At mention of his name a despairing cry had escaped him.
He knew, alas! his fate was sealed.
Pale, trembling in the iron grip of the executioner, he was hurried
forward before the dazzling Emerald Throne.
"See! he flinches, the perfidious old traitor!" the Naya cried. "His duty
was to prevent any stranger from entering Mo, yet he actually assisted
yonder horde of savages to gain access to our innermost courts. He----"
"Mercy, your majesty! mercy!" implored the unhappy man, falling prone at
her feet. "I have guarded the Gate with my life always. I believed that
thy son's friends were thine also."
"Silence!" shrieked the Naya. "Let not his voice again fall upon our
ears. Let him die now, before our eyes, and let his carcase be given as
offal to the dogs. Let one hundred of his guards die also. Others who
would thwart us will thus be warned."
"Mercy!" screamed the wretched old fellow hoarsely, clasping his hands in
fervent supplication.
"Gankoma, I have spoken," cried the Great White Queen, majestically
waving her hand.
Babila, inactive by age, struggled to regain his feet, but ere he could
do so, or before Omar could interfere, the executioner had lifted his
sword with both hands. The sound of a dull blow was heard, and next
second the head of the Queen's faithful servant rolled across the
polished floor, while from the decapitated trunk the blood gushed forth
and ran in an ugly serpentine stream over the jasper slabs.
A sudden thrill of horror ran through the crowd at this summary execution
of one who had hitherto been implicitly trusted, but only for an instant
was the ghastly body allowed to remain before the eyes of Queen and
court, for half a dozen slaves had been standing in readiness with bowls
of water, and some of these rushing forward carried away the head and
body and flung it to the dogs, while others swiftly removed all traces of
the gruesome spectacle.
Little wonder therefore that the great Naya should be held in awe by all
her subjects, for in her anger she seemed capable of the most fiendish
cruelty. As in Kumassi, so also in Mo, death seemed to come quickly, and
for any paltry offence. Gankoma, executioner to the Great White Queen,
was, I afterwards learnt, continually busy obeying the royal commands,
and the rapidly increasing number of victims whose heads fell beneath his
terrible knife was causing most serious discontent.