Копи царя Соломона
Our March into the Desert
Weareinforacurioustrip,andamysteriousZuluwon’tmakemuchdifferenceonewayoranother."
Nextdaywemadeourarrangementsforstarting. Ofcourseitwasimpossibletodragourheavyelephantriflesandotherkitwithusacrossthedesert,so,dismissingourbearers,wemadeanarrangementwithanoldnativewhohadakraalclosebytotakecareofthemtillwereturned. ItwenttomyhearttoleavesuchthingsasthosesweettoolstothetendermerciesofanoldthiefofasavagewhosegreedyeyesIcouldseegloatingoverthem. ButItooksomeprecautions.
FirstofallIloadedalltherifles,placingthematfullcock,andinformedhimthatifhetouchedthemtheywouldgooff. Hetriedtheexperimentinstantlywithmyeight-bore,anditdidgooff,andblewaholerightthroughoneofhisoxen,whichwerejustthenbeingdrivenuptothekraal,tosaynothingofknockinghimheadoverheelswiththerecoil. Hegotupconsiderablystartled,andnotatallpleasedatthelossoftheox,whichhehadtheimpudencetoaskmetopayfor,andnothingwouldinducehimtotouchthegunsagain.
"Putthelivedevilsoutofthewayupthereinthethatch,"hesaid,"ortheywillmurderusall."
