The Day of Resis

by Lillian Frances Mentor

“If it is like this all the way it will be far from pleasant,” said Enola.

“Yes,” said Mr. Bruce, “but think of the field of diamonds at the end of our journey; we could undergo much worse trials at home than this, to get to a field of diamonds, and think nothing of it.”

They were stumbling along now, almost blinded by the dust, and the zebras were getting fractious. At times they would stop, refusing to go further, and it would take all the persuasion the men could muster, to get them started again. But they were nearing the villa where they were to stop and still had hopes of reaching it. It lay very near to the field of diamonds, and would also be near the volcano, which the men had resolved to visit before returning.

It was awful work, though, this blindly stumbling along, only the solid pavement of the avenue letting them know that they had not lost their way. But a light loomed up in the darkness at last, and they decided this must be the villa, where some of the men working in this part of the country had taken refuge. They made for it as fast as possible, but as they came nearer to it the light grew brighter, until a flame shot up and they knew that it did not come from the villa. Slowly they approached it, having left the avenue and taken their way through the fields. They came closer, but suddenly all pulled up their steeds as of one accord. Ahead of them was a camp-fire, and about it, dancing and throwing their arms in the air, were a hundred naked black Africans.

The scene was a weird one, and the whole thing was such a complete surprise to our friends, that they could do nothing but stare in open-mouthed wonderment. The negroes were naked, with the exception of a cloth about the loins. There were but few women among them and these were seated about the fire, while the men clasped hands and danced in a circle about them. The dance was wild and the yells, which broke from the large mouths of the men, were terrible. Their black bodies had been covered with oil of some kind and shone in the firelight like polished ebony. They were of average height, probably five feet five or six inches, and their bodies showed good feeding; they looked half intelligent.

Each one carried, slung over the back, a shield, made of some kind of hardened hide, and a spear with a long arrow-point made of bone; another strange instrument of war, or for the hunt, was a sort of stone hatchet with spear-point. This hatchet had a stone head or blade, with one side sharpened, and the butt end or side, running to a sharp point; the handle, which was about eighteen inches long, passed through the head and extended beyond this about six inches, ending in a point of bone as sharp as the point of a stiletto; to the other end of this handle was fastened a long piece of leather string, which was now wrapped around the handle.

All these things were taken in by our friends before the negroes seemed to see them, for they had stopped well back among the trees, and the negroes were making such a fearful noise with their hideous yells, they could not hear the rather quiet approach of the cavalcade. But when they caught sight of them at last, they stood as if paralyzed, and then moved up a little nearer, as if to get a better look and satisfy themselves that they were not mistaken. When they at last caught a good glimpse of the huge elephants and great zebras, all beautifully trapped, and the large men and women, they seemed suddenly overcome with fear, and turning, ran off into the darkness. Our friends would have pursued them but for Onrai, who said that such a move would be simply suicidal in such dust-laden darkness. They accordingly started for the avenue again and following this for a short distance further, saw another light, and coming up to this, found that their dusty ride was at an end.

The inside of the villa was a pleasant change to them after the dust-filled air of the outside, and the bath was first sought by all, and then the meal-table. There was no great mirth at this meal to-night, though, for the different scenes of the day and night, had had their effect, and all were thinking. The last adventure of all had clapped the climax. What could it mean? Where had the negroes come from, and how had they entered the Land of On?

That night the party was attacked by the negroes, but they were on the lookout and repelled them. About fifty of the negroes had been killed, or mortally wounded by the forty Onians, as nearly as Mr. Bruce could estimate, and there, were now about fifty of the black bodies fleeing over the rock-covered plain. They had dropped their assagais and hatchets in their fear, and their yells now was something pitiful. They evidently supposed that they were being followed by a whole army of the powerful men, which they had seen that evening. Fear lent them wings and they actually flew over the hard flooring of the plain, and were increasing the distance very perceptibly between themselves and their pursuers. Still the Onians kept up the race determinedly, their feet now being torn and bleeding with the tramp over the sharp pebbles of the plain. The stone wall bordering the hunting ground was reached, and a long hole was found in it, broken probably by the storm. The river was crossed by a stone bridge at this point and still they hurried on.

The light was getting brighter as they neared the volcano and the negroes could easily be seen away ahead of them. They were nearing the great cliffs and they could now be seen looming up far into the heavens. A little while longer and the negroes had disappeared. Our friends hurrying forward nearly fell into a great gulf which opened at their feet.