"If this isn't the place, it ought to be," he said to John. "I never saw a finer country for grazing; it's good for three or four sheep an acre, or I'm a Dutchman, and fruit ought to grow here as well as in Kent."
"It's rather strange, though," said John, "that there's no game to be seen. There ought to be plenty."
"That's true. Perhaps they've been killed off by some disease, though I hope that's not the explanation. We'll maybe find out by and by."
The camp was pitched near a shallow stream, a boma was erected round it, and next day the travellers set off with Coja and one of the porters, leaving the rest in charge of the second Swahili.
They waded several small streams, and in the afternoon came to a broad river which, on consulting his map, Mr. Halliday felt sure was the one marked as forming the northern boundary of his suggested settlement. But though they searched its banks for some hours, they failed to discover the post, and had to return unsuccessful, reaching camp after nightfall. Next day they set off again in a different direction, so as to strike the river at a point higher up its course. When they came to it, Coja pointed to a native village on high ground some distance on the other side, and suggested that inquiry should be made there. The river could only be crossed by swimming, and there being no sign of crocodiles, they plunged in, finding the water deliciously cold. Their approach was descried from the village, and they were soon met by a group of young warriors armed with bows and arrows, who, standing at a distance, demanded who they were and what was their business. Coja shouted in reply that they had come to make friends with the chief, and had brought some valuable presents for him. One of the men ran back to the village, the others remaining on guard, and forbidding the strangers to advance until the chief arrived.
Some little time elapsed before the chief made his appearance amid a group of elders. At first he stood suspiciously aloof while Coja explained the purpose of the white men's visit, but when Mr. Halliday displayed a strip of coloured cloth, and Coja announced that it was a gift for the chief, the natives drew a little nearer, and said that they were willing to be friends if the strangers would not rob them. Coja's reply to this was that the white men were very good, and would never dream of robbing their friends, adding that the cloth would be handed to the chief if he would come and answer a few questions.
"Give it him at once," said Mr. Halliday, "and say there's more if they'll tell us what we want to know."
The gift of the cloth finally disarmed the chief's suspicions. Looking very much pleased, he came forward with his men, and said that he was ready to give what help he could. Mr. Gillespie had warned Mr. Halliday not to believe too implicitly any statements made by natives, who would always say what they thought would please; so when, in answer to his question about a post with a man's head, the chief said that he certainly knew it, and asked for another piece of cloth, Mr. Halliday shook his head, promising to give more presents if the chief would lead him to the landmark. At this the chief looked much troubled, and his men began to talk eagerly, it being evident from their manner that they were trying to dissuade him from complying with the white man's request. Mr. Halliday was at a loss to understand their reluctance until Coja, after a long colloquy with the chief, announced that they were afraid to go near the post, which was a terrible devil, for their medicine man had seen its eyes move, and its mouth grin at him. It had come there suddenly one day, no one knew how, but they thought it must have sprung out of the ground, and some of their cattle that grazed around it had soon afterwards died, so that they were sure it was a devil, and they had never since allowed their herds to roam in that direction.
"Where is it?" asked Mr. Halliday.
The chief pointed up the river, and said that if the white man had medicine strong enough to destroy the devil the people would be very grateful. Mr. Halliday thought he might turn this superstition to good account. He explained that he had come from the end of the world to make a home in this country, and the devil had no doubt established himself on the ground in order to show that it was to be a white man's property. But now that he had come, the devil's work of guarding the land was over, and if the chief would promise to be a friendly neighbour, the devil should be at once destroyed, and a good price should be paid for the land, since it was clearly a part of the chief's grazing grounds. The chief gave the promise with alacrity, adding that he would become the blood brother of any man who should rid the country of so terrible a creature. Thereupon Mr. Halliday asked him to lead the way as far as he dared, and he should see for himself that the devil had no power against the white man's magic.