The Mysterious Realm
:
The Great White Queen
SO unsteady was the ladder, straining and springing at every step I took,
that I was compelled to grip its wet cords with all the strength of which
I was capable. It swayed to and fro fearfully, and more than once I
dreaded that I should lose my hold and fall backwards to earth.
Omar above me, lithe and active as a cat, climbed on, chaffing me for my
tardy progress, and now and then halting and mischievously shaking t
e
ladder to increase my fear. The higher I ascended the more strongly blew
the wind, until it whistled in the thin ropes and blew through my scanty
clothing, chilling my bones. My hands and feet were bruised and sore from
the previous day's descent, nevertheless I thought not of pain, only of
peril. The climb was long and tedious. Even Omar, who had commenced by
running up like a squirrel in his eagerness to gain the land from which
he had so long been absent, was soon compelled to pause and steady
himself, or he would assuredly have been jerked from his insecure
position.
The ten men plodding up after us seemed to be keeping step, causing the
ladder to spring fearfully each time they ascended the next rung. Omar,
himself fearing disaster, at last called to them, but jabbering among
themselves in the highest spirits, each eager to set foot in the land of
mystery, they took no heed of their guide's instructions.
"You fools!" he cried angrily. "Climb slowly and with care. Don't jump
so. We're not on a spring-board."
Useless. We still went up and down like a ball at the end of a piece of
elastic.
"Do you hear?" he shrieked in the Dagomba tongue, halting and looking
down at the string of grinning blacks. "Halt!"
This sudden stoppage attracted their attention, and in mid-air he soundly
rated them for their folly, instructing them how to ascend, and declaring
that if they continued their hilarious progress a fearful disaster must
ensue. These words immediately had the desired effect, for which I
confess I was very thankful, as I had feared every moment that we should
be dashed into the valley, and now as we went forward again the ladder
was much steadier.
From far below we could hear the distant shouts of Kona and our excited
companions encouraging us and urging us on, for they were all impatience
to follow us. Now and then the great grey vultures, having gorged
themselves to their full upon the corpses in the valley, circled around
us as if ready to tear us from our perilous position, and more than once
I saw Omar raise his arm to beat them off. We were, I suppose, passing
near their nests and thus aroused their ire.
Looking up, I saw that we were slowly approaching the beetling portion of
the enormous rock, but had yet a long distance to climb. Steadily,
however, we all ascended, each grasping the wet slippery cords tightly to
prevent being blown off by the high gusty wind, and even when we gained
the jutting rock believing we had attained the summit, we found ourselves
still fully two hundred feet from where Babila could be seen peering
over awaiting us.
The ladder laying upon the face of the cliff at this point was much
easier of ascent, for the weight of the portion below me prevented it
from swaying, and by scrambling up with increased haste I soon found
myself immediately behind Omar.
Then continuing steadily, now and then being compelled to bend backwards
in a most perilous position in order to negotiate a projecting piece of
rock, we together climbed up to the edge of the fearful precipice, each
being lent a willing hand by Babila as we swarmed upon our knees to where
he stood.
"Welcome, O Prince," the old man exclaimed, salaaming when Omar stood
before him. "Welcome to thy white friend from beyond the great black
water."
In an instant from a thousand throats rose cries of adulation, and
looking around I saw that drawn up before us was a great concourse of
fighting-men. Some were mounted on magnificent chargers, others were on
foot, and among them were many silken banners each bearing the same
device, a black vampire bat with wings outspread upon a crimson ground.
Each soldier was similarly attired to Babila, with white embroidered robe
and girdle, and each carried a rifle and a long curved sword.
Babila was evidently a great man in the estimation of all others, for
whatever he did the soldiers imitated. In appearance they had the
advantage of all coloured and most white races. As a rule they seemed
very tall, well set up, with well-formed limbs covered with an almost
white skin, the texture of which would excite envy in the heart of many a
European beauty. The features had nothing in common with the coarse negro
type which prevailed in the forest and over the grass-lands, but rather
inclined towards a Semitic type. Thick lips were the exception, not the
rule, and a broad flat nose was also a rarity. The only sign of barbarity
was in the hair which, when the head was not clean shaven, was allowed to
grow straight out in every direction, giving a very wild appearance to
its owner. The hair of some, however, seemed to be softer, for it hung
down to the nape of the neck in long, closely-curled ringlets. The women,
a few of whom were watching us curiously, were all comely, and, attired
in long white robes of a more elaborate pattern than the men, had their
hair enclosed in a dark blue fillet, a difference in the disposition of
the latter distinguishing between a married and an unmarried woman.
A great tent of yellow silk had been erected near, presumably for our
accommodation. Over it waved the hideous-looking vampire bat, and as led
by Babila with frequent prostrations we entered it, I asked Omar the
meaning of the sable device.
"It is the royal mark of the Sanoms, the same as the lion and the unicorn
is the crest of your great Queen. The black vampire is the guardian
fetish of our throne."
On entering, Omar walked to a raised dais whereon two stools were placed,
and taking one invited me to the other. Then, while awaiting the arrival
of our companions, food was brought to us, and we ate and drank to our
full, Babila himself attending to our wants personally. Neither were our
companions forgotten, for they were arranged around the tent, and
squatting upon their haunches ate and jabbered to their hearts' content.
It was highly amusing to watch the interest with which the natives
regarded the stolid soldiers of Mo, who stood in long lines, motionless
as statues. They went close up to them, examined them from head to foot,
drew the sword from its sheath, handled it and tried its edge with a
grunt of satisfaction. Then they would replace it, finger the
accoutrements, examine carefully what they thought might be gold, and at
last, folding their arms, would stand silent, awe-stricken at the whole
effect of the unknown race.
The denizens of this mysterious country, however, seemed to regard our
natives with supercilious disdain. Probably their contempt had been
engendered by the fact that certain tribes had on several occasions
attempted an invasion, and they had from their formidable heights simply
swept them out of existence as easily as a fly may be crushed with the
finger. When looking at the handsome women, the enormous mouths of the
Dagombas would widen into broad grins which, intended to convey an
expression of delight, in reality rendered them hideous.
For three hours we remained in the tent, sheltered from the sun's glaring
heat, while parties of a dozen of our followers continued to arrive. It
was Omar's intention to enter the capital with the whole of our faithful
band, otherwise he would have started immediately we had gained the
summit. Babila urged him to do so, but he expressed a desire that Kona
and his heroic blacks should accompany us.
At last the whole of the party had gained the top of the rock and had
refreshed themselves after their toil and peril; the rope ladder with its
hidden electric wires had been hauled up, and, headed by men blowing loud
blasts upon great horns of ivory and gold, we all moved forward, a most
imposing and magnificent cavalcade.
Both Omar and myself had been mounted on fine milk-white horses with gay
trappings of silver and royal blue, while behind us came Kona with a very
unsteady seat upon a long raw-boned stallion. He was evidently not used
to horses, and the way he clutched at the mane each time his animal
trotted convulsed both his men and the soldiers in the vicinity with
laughter.
A shady march of two days in a north-westerly direction up the bank of a
babbling stream brought us to higher land. The journey was uneventful,
the country being devoid of both game and people. We saw old traces of
habitation, it is true, but the people seemed to have been driven away or
killed, leaving only the empty stone-built houses. From the hill on the
side of which we pitched our camp a marvellous view was obtainable. To
the north a black forest extended as far as the eye could reach, broken
only by three small hills that served as landmarks. To the west rolled
some giant snow-capped mountains, while the range whereon we stood was a
low, stone-covered stretch of round-topped hills, flanked by thick mimosa
jungle and filled with rhinoceros. Wherever we went, we found traces of
them, their feeding ground being apparently restricted to a very small
area. Never having been hunted, they probably found no reason to leave
such excellent pasture, and it was little wonder that Kona and his men
were anxious to remain behind and commit havoc amongst them.
On the third day we encamped near a most extraordinary place. It was a
small valley about thirty-five feet below the surrounding ground, looking
like the dry bed of a stream, and was about a mile in circumference.
"Come, I want to show you Zomara's Wrath," Omar said, and dismounting we
went together towards it, notwithstanding the loud cries of warning that
arose on every side. A dog--a lean, hungry, strange-looking brute, who
accompanied the troops--bounded after us, and as we approached the place
I noticed a suffocating smell, and was attacked by nausea and giddiness.
A belt of this foetid atmosphere surrounded the valley. We, however,
passed through it, and in purer air, with hands still over my nose and
mouth, was permitted to view the awful spectacle--for it was awful.
The entire bed of the valley seemed like one solid rock, but scattered
over the barren floor were skeletons of men, wild hogs, deer, rhinoceros,
lions, and all kinds of birds and smaller animals. I could discover no
hole or crevice in any place whence the poisonous fumes were emitted. I
was anxious to reach the bottom of the valley, if possible, but my
suggestion was at once negatived by my companion, who said:
"To go further is certain death. Come, let us return quickly, or we may
be overpowered. This is one of the natural wonders of our land."
I determined, however, to see what the fumes smelled like, and, greatly
to Omar's horror, started to descend. The dog was with me, and as soon as
he saw me step over the side of the bank he rushed down ahead of me.
I endeavoured to call him back, but too late. As soon as the animal
reached the rocky bed below he fell upon his side.
He continued to breathe a few moments only, then expired.