"We must run," he answered. "Although I do not like running, life is
more than stores, and he who lives may one day pay his debts."
"But the wounded, Mavovo; we cannot carry them."
"I will see to them, Macumazana; it is the fortune of war. Or if they
prefer it, we can leave them--to be nursed by the Arabs," which of
course was just Napoleon and his poison over again.
I confess that I was about to assent, not wishing that I and Stephen,
especially Stephen, should be potted in an obscure engagement with
some miserable slave-traders, when something happened.
It will be remembered that shortly after dawn Hans, using a shirt for
a flag, had led the fugitive slaves past the camp up to the hill
behind. There he and they had vanished, and from that moment to this
we had seen nothing of him or them. Now of a sudden he reappeared
still waving the shirt. After him rushed a great mob of naked men, two
hundred of them perhaps, brandishing slave-sticks, stones and the
boughs of trees. When they had almost reached the /boma/ whence we
watched them amazed, they split into two bodies, half of them passing
to our left, apparently under the command of the Mazitu who had
accompanied Hans to the slave-camp, and the other half to the right
following the old Hottentot himself.
Pages:
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202