Uraso, addressing them, said: "You have been condemned by your Chief to die because you have deceived his people and brought sorrow on all. The Great White Chief has seen the misery you have caused by allowing the Korinos to escape, and you must now take their places as the victims to appease the Great Spirit.
"The White Chief has asked to be permitted to offer you up as sacrifices to his God, as well, and the White Man's death is a terrible one. When you die it will not cause you to go out of the world forgetting all that you may suffer, but you will always know and suffer through all time, and you will never know a day that is free from misery.
"Your dying will be like a thousand deaths, and your living hours will be like fire that always burns and never consumes."
Thus Uraso went on, and as he spoke the poor victims' eyes grew greater and greater, and the terror more pronounced. He ceased for a moment and John slowly walked to the table, and mounting it, said quietly to Uraso: "Tell them that when I raise my hands over my head the ends of their living death will begin."
When this was imparted, the agony on their faces was pitiful to see. John advanced, and spread out his palms toward them, and quickly drew his hands toward him, and this was repeated three times.
It is a curious thing that most savages believe in the mysticism of some particular number. In Africa some tribes, if they hear an animal cry four times, will brave any danger, as it is a sign that the bird has knowledge of safety to his person.
Others watch with great care the repetition of an insect's call, and particularly the number of times an unusual noise occurs, and the belief is somewhat analogous to the views which white people have about the cricket. Milton, Byron, Southey, and Dickens have written stories about them, so it is not to be wondered at that the poor benighted savages should have some belief about such things.
After the rites at the tree in the forest, it was evident that three was the cryptic, or mysterious number, and John used it on this occasion, for in all the peculiar signs that he had previously employed, three was the number that impressed itself on the minds of the people, and it doubtless had its effect on the condemned.
Slowly John moved from side to side, and he now saw the intense expression, as their eyes followed his every motion. His motions grew less and less rapid; he moved toward them, and then suddenly retreated, and through all these evolutions the three men's faces became more and more tense, and finally the muscles of their faces relaxed, their eyes stared with a blank expression, and the motions of John almost ceased.