Under The Vampire's Wing

: The Great White Queen

WHEN our dazzled gaze grew accustomed to the garish blaze of lights we

found ourselves standing in an enormous cavern.



Around us were glowing fires and shining torches innumerable; the smoke

from them half choked us, while above there seemed an immensity of

darkness, for the roof of the natural chamber was so high that it could

not be discerned.



Upon one object, weird and horrible, our start ed gaze became rivetted.

Straight before us, at some little distance, there rose a great black

rock to a height of, as far as I could judge, a thousand feet. Nearly

half way up was a great wide ledge or platform larger than any of the

market-places in the City in the Clouds, and upon this there had been

fashioned from the solid rock a colossal representation of the

vampire-bat, the device borne upon the banners of Mo. Its enormous wings,

each fully five hundred feet from the body to tip, outstretched on either

side and supported by gigantic pillars of rock carved to represent

various grotesque and hideous figures of men and animals, formed great

temples on either side of the body. The latter, however, attracted our

attention more than did the wonderful wings, for as we stood aghast and

amazed we discerned that the vast body of the colossus did not represent

that of a bat, but the gigantic jaws were those of a crocodile.



"Zomara!" gasped Omar. "See! It is the great god with the wings of a bat

and the tail of a lion!"



I looked and saw that far behind rose the tufted tail of the king of the

forest. From the two great eyes of the gigantic reptile shone dazzling

streams of white light, like the rays of a mariner's beacon, and

everywhere twinkling yellow lights were moving about the face of the

great rock, across the platform whereon the colossal figure rested, even

to the distant summit.



Suddenly, as we stood gazing open-mouthed in wonder, the roar of a

hundred war-drums beaten somewhere in the vicinity of the enormous

representation of the terrible deity of Mo rolled and echoed to the

innermost recesses of the subterranean vault, and just as they had

ceased we distinctly saw the giant jaws of the crocodile slowly open.

From them belched forth great tongues of flame and thick stifling smoke

that, beaten down by a draught from above, curled its poisonous fumes

around us, causing us to cough violently. For fully a minute the great

mouth remained open, when to our horror we saw a small knot of human

figures approaching it. One loud piercing shriek reached us and at that

instant we saw the figure of a man or woman--we were not close enough to

discern which--flung by the others headlong into the open flaming mouth.



Again the drums rolled, and the next second the jaws of Zomara closed

with a loud crash that sent a shudder through us.



"The sacrifice!" gasped Omar. "This, then, is one of the horrible customs

that Goliba told us had been introduced by my mother, the Great White

Queen!"



"Horrible!" I exclaimed. "That fearful cry will haunt me to my dying

day."



"Let us return," said Kona. "We have witnessed enough, O Master."



"No," Omar answered. "Rather let us see for ourselves the true extent of

these terrible rites. Goliba, though, alas! he is lost for ever, intended

that we should."



"Very well," I said. "Lead us, and we will follow."



At that moment footsteps, pattering as those of children, reached our

ears and there ran past us half a dozen hideous half-clad dwarfs. They

were tiny, impish-looking creatures about three feet six high, with

darker skins than the inhabitants of this mystic land, but their faces

were whitewashed in manner similar to those of the royal executioners of

Ashanti, and wore their crisp black hair drawn to a knot on top similar

to the fashion affected by some savage tribes. As they rushed past us

their little black eyes, piercing and bead-like, regarded us curiously,

and with, we thought, a rather menacing glance; nevertheless they

continued their way, and watching, we noticed the spot where they

commenced the toilsome ascent to the platform whereon stood the colossus.



"Such a work as that must have taken years to accomplish," I observed to

Omar.



"With the Sanoms of Mo everything is possible," he answered. "The ruler

of our country is a monarch whose will is so absolute that he or she can

compel everyone, from prince to slave, to participate in any work. Thus

the Naya may have caused every male inhabitant of Mo to help in its

construction."



When, however, following the dwarfs we had hurried forward to the steps

cut in the black rock I bent to examine them. They were polished by the

wear of ages of feet and hands passing over them, and when I pointed out

this fact to Omar he agreed with me that this place must have been in

existence centuries ago, and had probably been re-discovered within the

last two or three years.



The dwarfs, in ascending, put their toes into holes and niches in the

rocks and kept talking all the while. Every now and then they would stop,

sway their heads about and sing a kind of low chant in not unmusical

tones. As we crept up slowly behind, with difficulty finding the rude

steps in the uncertain light, the last of the string of dwarfs kept

turning to us bowing and crooning. I confess I began to be anxious,

fearing that we might be going into a trap, but I noticed that my two

companions were calm as iron bars. This gave me renewed courage, and we

toiled up until at last we reached the great platform and stood beneath

the left-hand wing of the gigantic vampire of solid rock. The pillars

that had been left in the excavations to support it, were, like the

steps, worn smooth where crowds of human beings had jostled against them.

The manner in which they were sculptured was very remarkable, the faces

of all, both men, beasts, birds and fish, bearing hideous, uncanny

expressions, the fearful grimaces of those suffering the most

excruciating bodily tortures. It was here apparent, as everywhere, that

the gigantic figure had not been recently fashioned, but had for many

centuries past been visited by vast crowds of worshippers.



Beneath the outstretched wing under which we stood a large number of

people had assembled. Great blazing braziers here and there illuminated

the weird place with a red uncertain glare, which falling on the faces of

the crowd of devotees, showed that they had worked themselves into a

frenzy of religious fervour. Some were crying aloud to the Crocodile-god,

some were prostrate on their faces with their lips to the stones worn

smooth by the tramp of many feet, while many were going through all sorts

of ceremonies and antics.



At the end, where the colossal wing joined the body wherein burned the

great fiery furnace, there stood twelve dwarfs in flowing garments of

pure white. These were high-priests of Zomara. The fierce pigmies,

unknown even to Omar, their prince, seemed a sacred tribe who perhaps had

lived here forgotten and undiscovered for generations. In any case it was

apparent that they never ascended to the land above, but devoted

themselves entirely to the curious rites and ceremonies of this strange

pagan religion.



In the centre of the semi-circle of tiny bead-eyed priests with whitened

faces stood one of great age with flowing white beard that nearly swept

the ground. His figure was exceedingly grotesque, yet he bore himself

with hauteur, and as he stood before a kind of altar erected in front of

a door, that seemed to lead into the body of the gigantic crocodile, he

gave vent in a loud clear voice to the most earnest exhortations. Then,

bathing his face and hands in a golden bowl held by the other priests, in

order, so I afterwards learnt, to wash away the bad impressions of the

world, he thus began an instructive lesson:



"Give ear, ye tender branches, unto the words of your parent stock; bend

to the lessons of instruction and imbibe the maxims of age and

experience! As the ant creepeth not to its labour till led by its elders;

as the young lark soareth not to the sun, but under the shadow of its

mother's wing, so neither doth the child of mortality spring forth to

action unless the parent hand points out its destined labour. But no

labour shall the hand of man appoint unto the people of Mo before the

worship of Zomara, the sacred god of the crocodiles, and of the great

Naya, his handmaiden. Mean are the pursuits of the sons of the earth;

they stretch out their sinews like the patient mule, they persevere in

their chase after trifles, as the camel in the desert beyond the Thousand

Steps. As the leopard springeth upon his prey, so doth man rejoice over

his riches, and bask in the sun of slothfulness like the lion's cub. On

the stream of life float the bodies of the careless and the intemperate

as the carcases of the dead on the waves of the Lake of Sacrifices. As

the birds of prey destroy the carcase so is man devoured by sin. No man

is master over himself, but the Naya is his ruler; and to endeavour to

defeat the purpose of Zomara is madness and folly. O people! pay your

vows to the King of Crocodiles alone, and not to your fetishes, which,

though they be superior in your sight, are yet the work of his hands. Let

virtue be the basis of knowledge, and let knowledge be as a slave before

her."



The worshippers at the shrine of the dread god raising their right hands

then repeated after the high priest some mystic words that, although

having no meaning for me, struck terror into Omar's heart.



"Hearken!" he whispered to me in an awed tone. "Hearken! Our conspiracy

against the Naya is already known! They are swearing allegiance to her,

and vowing vengeance against any who thwart her will. If we are detected

here as strangers it will mean certain death!"



I glanced around the strange, weird place, and could not suppress a

feeling of despair that we should ever leave it again alive. The faces of

the worshippers, men and women, illuminated by flaming flambeaux and

burning braziers, were all fierce and determined-looking, showing that

the worship of the Crocodile-god was conducted in no faint spirit. Before

this gigantic representation of the national deity, they became seized

with a religious mania that transformed them into veritable demons.



"Lo!" cried the silver-bearded priest. "Think, O people! of all our Great

White Queen hath done for you. She hath brought down the moon's rays from

the realms of night to lighten our darkness, she hath marked the courses

of the stars with her wand and reduced eccentric orbs to the obedience of

a system. She hath caught the swift-flying light and divided its rays;

she hath marshalled the emanations of the sun under their different-hued

banners, given symmetry and order to the glare of day, explained the dark

eternal laws of the Forest-god, and showed herself always acquainted with

the dictates of Zomara."



His hearers, swaying their bodies and performing all sorts of eccentric

antics, cried aloud in confirmation of the benefits bestowed upon Mo by

its queen.



"The secrets, too, of chemistry have been laid open by her," continued

the diminutive priest. "Inert matter is engaged in warlike commotion and

she hath brought fire down from the heavens to entertain her. She hath

placed our land in such a state of defence that no invader can approach

it; she hath brought from over the great black water the amazing

'pom-poms' of the English, which shed a thousand bullets at one charge,

and she hath caused cannon to be cast to project explosive shells beyond

the reach of the eye. She hath taught you at once the beauty of nature

and the folly of man. Truly she is a great queen; therefore let not her

son Omar who hath returned from over the great sea, wrest from her hand

the regal sceptre. Already hath our queen perceived the haughtiness and

the vicious principles of her son, and maketh no doubt but that he will

soon aspire to her throne. This causeth the prudent Mistress of Mo to

resolve to banish him and take all power from him. Let him be ejected

from our country and the queen's word be obeyed, for no beam of mercy

lurketh in her eye. The Naya is determined."



"The great Naya shall be obeyed," they cried aloud. "Omar, the malicious

prince, curbed by the authority of his mother, shall be banished."



"Or his life shall, like those of his followers we hold here as

prisoners, pay the forfeit of presumption," added the high priest.



And as he uttered the words, those surrounding went to the door behind

the fire-altar, and opening it, led forth three of our Dagombas amid the

savage howls of the excited spectators.



"O, race of mortals," cried the priest, raising his hand the while, "O

race of mortals, to whose care and protection the offspring of clay are

committed, say what hath been the success of your labours; what vices

have you punished; what virtues rewarded; what false lights have you

extinguished; what sacrifices have you made to the god of Crocodiles?

Helpless race of mortals, Zomara is your god and the Naya your queen. But

for their protection how vain would be your toils, how endless your

researches! Arm ye then and rally round the one to whom you owe all,

whose power is such that this our country can never be assaulted by the

tricks of fortune, or the power of man. Omar and his black swarm of

intruders must be driven out or given as sacrifice to Zomara. Till this

be done the curse of the god ye fear shall rest upon our land, and his

presence shall nightly remind ye of your idleness. Will ye let the

defiant prince overthrow your queen?"



"He shall never do so," they shouted in a tumult of enthusiasm, which,

ere it died away, increased tenfold, when suddenly before us we saw a

female figure in a loose yellow robe move with stately mien towards the

smoking altar and kneel for an instant before it.



Then, rising, she turned towards the people with her long, bare, scraggy

arms uplifted in silence.



In the red flickering light we recognized the evil bony features. It was

the dreaded Naya herself!



"The vengeance of Zomara upon mine enemies," she cried in harsh, metallic

tones. "I will treat each and every one who dareth to oppose me in the

way I will now punish these three savages who have entered our region

forbidden. Watch, and let it be a warning to those who may be tempted by

bribes to entertain disloyal thoughts."



With stately stride she led the way along a dark colonnade from beneath

the wing of the colossal vampire to the enormous closed mouth of the

hideous crocodile, being followed by the high priest and his attendants,

who dragged along the three of our unfortunate companions.



At once a headlong rush was made by the frenzied spectators to obtain a

view of what was to transpire, and we followed leisurely at a respectable

distance, remaining in the shadow of one of the grotesquely-carved

columns of rock.



When all had taken up their places we could see the expressions of abject

fear upon the glistening faces of the wretched blacks, and longed to rush

forth and rescue them, but with knowledge that instant death would result

from such foolhardiness we remained breathlessly silent, compelled to

watch.



Again the high priest, with outstretched hands over the people, cried:



"Give heed unto me! Were Zomara, the god whom we worship, to be

worshipped in perfectness, the whole length of our lives would not

suffice to lie prostrate before him. But the merciful Avenger of Wrong

expecteth not more from us than we are able to pay him. True it is that

we should begin early, and late take rest, and daily and hourly offer up

our praises and petitions to the throne of his handmaiden's grace. But

better is a late repentance than none; and the eleventh hour of the day

for work than perpetual idleness unto the end of our time; and this is

not to be obtained for us but through our mighty Naya, the daughter of

Zomara the Swallower-up of Evil."



Himself facing the hideous gigantic head with its long jaws and gleaming

eyes, he flung himself suddenly upon his knees and commenced a gabbled

prayer. All prostrated themselves in adoration, even to the great Naya

herself, whose magnificent jewels flashed and gleamed with wondrous

brilliancy each time she moved.



In order not to appear strange to this extraordinary proceeding, we, too,

cast ourselves upon our knees and remained with heads bent in devotional

attitude, but allowing no detail of the weird scene to escape us.



Suddenly the priest arose, and with a fire-brand ignited at the brazier

near his hand, he stood before the wonderful figure of Zomara and made a

mystic sign.



Instantly the ponderous jaws with their double row of iron teeth, each as

long and as sharp as swords, slowly opened, and there issued forth a

great roaring mass of flame that licked the upper jaw, a veritable tongue

of fire.



The Naya rose, swaying her long arms wildly, but the people remained

still kneeling, silent in awe.



Her voice was heard for a moment above the roaring and crackling of the

furnace in the throat of the colossus, and then, at a sudden signal from

the high priest, our three wretched black companions were seized by the

group of dwarfs, carried up a short flight of steps by white-robed

attendants, and hurled headlong into the flaming mouth of the monster.



A loud scream broke upon our ears, and for a single instant the flames

belched forth with increased fury, but as the last victim of this

horrible rite was consigned to his terrible doom, as sacrifice to the

dreaded god, the cruel jaws closed again with a heavy clang.



The merciless barbarity of the Great White Queen horrified us. The

fearful fate of those who had shared our perils during our adventurous

journey to this spectral land of mystery held us dumb in terror and

dismay.



Yet, ere the giant jaws of the hideous monstrosity had snapped together,

the people, hilarious and excited, sprang to their feet exhorting their

great deity to send his fiercest vengeance upon us, the intruders, that

our sinews might be withered and that we might rot by the road-side like

cattle smitten by the pest.



Then the terrible Naya, wheeling round slowly, gave her people her

blessing, and they, in turn, shouted themselves hoarse in frantic

adulation.



Truly, the scene was the strangest and most weird that my eyes had ever

gazed upon.