Sanders stopped.
"Of course," he said, and breathed a sigh of relief.
"But," said the perplexed Houssa officer, "Matabeleland is three thousand miles away. Rebellion started a week ago. How did these beggars know?"
For answer Sanders beckoned a naked man of the Akasava people who was of his boat's crew, being a good chopper of wood.
"I'fasi," he said, "tell me, what do they do in your country to-day?" The man grinned sheepishly, and stood on one leg in his embarrassment, for it was an honour to common men that Sanders should address them by name.
"Lord, they go to hunt elephant," he said.
"How many?" said Sanders.
"Two villages," said the man, "for one village has sickness and cannot go."
"How do you know this?" said Sanders. "Is not your country four days by river and three days by land?"
The man looked uncomfortable.