The news helped to dissipate the gloom on the countenances of the slaves.
“If Sobrinini said so, it must be true!” exclaimed Ashati, “for she is a witch.”
“The greatest in all the jungle,” confirmed Neram. “She is very wise. Her snakes whisper in her ears and tell her what will be in the days to come.”
They turned away much cheered and comforted, and just then their captors gave the signal for the march.
The prisoners were herded roughly together in the center of the marching columns, so that there could be no possible chance to escape. Fortunately, they had had a long rest while the war party under Nascanora had been making the raid on Snake Island, so they were in fairly good condition for the journey, and that the journey would not be a long one was now evident from the thunderous sound that grew ever louder and louder in their ears. They were approaching the Giant Cataract, where dwelt Nascanora and his people.
To the hapless prisoners, that sound was like the knell of doom.
The thunderous sound increased in volume, and suddenly at a turn in the trail, the most magnificent sight that Bomba had ever seen burst upon them.
They had reached the Giant Cataract!
CHAPTER XXII
RUSPAK GLOATS
From a great bluff, hundreds of feet in height, a huge torrent of water poured down into a gorge beneath and rose again in an ocean of spray. The sound was deafening. The mass of waters gleamed with all the colors of the rainbow. It was almost beyond the imagination of a dreamer.