There was a koola tree close to our encampment, and we collected the nuts that had fallen. These were to be kept in reserve, and were to be eaten only in case of starvation and not otherwise. For I did not know what might happen; fierce natives might find us out, and lie in wait for us and besiege us.
"Woe to any one who attacks us," I exclaimed to my men.
"Yes," shouted Rogala, his eyes shining with fierceness, "woe to them, for the Oguizi will show them how he fights."
It was good for me that these wild men thought I was endowed with extraordinary power. I never told them I was an Oguizi, or spirit, but I never told them I was not. My safety depended entirely on their superstitious regard for me. If it had not been so, and if they had thought I was a man like themselves, I should not have lived to tell the tale of my wanderings.
After five days of hard work our encampment was finished. By that time almost all our plantains had been eaten up, but we had all the cassava, and the cakes of it would last us a goodly number of days.
The women and the children now thought of returning home. We followed them as far as the river. They were soon in their canoes, taking only two with them. The other was left for us to use on our return. We bade them good-bye, and soon they were out of sight. Then we hid our canoe in the forest.
CHAPTER X
I TAKE A SWIM IN A CRYSTAL POOL—DRIVEN OUT BY A HUGE SNAKE—I KILL THE SNAKE—CAMP-FIRE TALK—HOW TO HUNT—IMPORTANCE OF SILENCE AND NOISELESS MOVEMENTS