Moreover, he sent for Komba and his attendants,
and again swore to him that if any harm happened to us, he would not
rest till he had found a way to destroy the Pongo, root and branch.
"Have no fear," answered the cold Komba, "in our holy town of Rica we
do not tie innocent guests to stakes to be shot to death with arrows."
The repartee, which was undoubtedly neat, irritated Bausi, who was not
fond of allusions to this subject.
"If the white men are so safe, why do you not let them take their guns
with them?" he asked, somewhat illogically.
"If we meant evil, King, would their guns help them, they being but
few among so many. For instance, could we not steal them, as you did
when you plotted the murder of these white lords. It is a law among
the Pongo that no such magic weapon shall be allowed to enter their
land."
"Why?" I asked, to change the conversation, for I saw that Bausi was
growing very wrath and feared complications.
"Because, my lord Macumazana, there is a prophecy among us that when a
gun is fired in Pongo-land, its gods will desert us, and the Motombo,
who is their priest, will die.
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