His body had been cut very badly by the sword-grass; so he washed himself with warm water, then rubbed himself with oil, and lay flat on a mat by the fire. He was very tired. As he saw that I was looking at him, he said:
"The reason I am so cut by the sword-grass is because I travelled a part of the night. I had told you that I would be back on the fourth day and I wanted to keep my word. I walked with a torch which I made from the gum of an elimi tree I found on the way, but though the torch gave a good light, once in a while I found myself entangled in the midst of long sword-grass." Then he added: "If I had not found that elimi tree, I could not have walked in the dark, for if I had been without a torch a prowling leopard in search of prey might have pounced upon me, and then you would never have seen your friend Rogala again."
Before we went to sleep I said: "Rogala, I know where you have been, I know why you left me." Rogala's face began to appear frightened, for he evidently thought I knew what he had done. Without giving him time to reply, I continued: "You went to dig up an old mondah from the ground, and you brought it here; you have buried it where we hang our ladder."
Rogala looked at me with a sort of dread, then taking hold of my feet, he said: "Oguizi, you know everything." Then he told me what I have just recounted to you, and concluded: "Now no witchcraft can come here."
Shortly afterwards Shinshooko and Alapai, who had gone to see if any animals had been caught in their various traps, returned, but without game.
CHAPTER XVI
WE DISCOVER A PAIR OF NSHIEGO-NKENGOS—DESCRIPTION OF THEM—CAPTURE OF A YOUNG ONE—HE MAKES FRIENDS WITH NDOVA AND ANDEKKO—HIS SPEEDY DEATH
One day at daylight Rogala and I left our camp, I taking my light rifle, and Rogala his gun and a net. After we had climbed over our fence we could hear Andekko barking and Ndova's voice of discontent. They wanted to go with us and disliked being left behind.