Human skeletons they were, but instead of being joined together, skulls, arms, and legs lay scattered about in awful confusion.
“This is horrible,” said Forbes. “Who were these unfortunates, and what could have caused such mutilation?”
Guy advanced to the center of the plateau, flashing the torch around him, and turning to his companions, he cried: “This is an island; there is water all around it.”
“Look here,” exclaimed Canaris eagerly; “here lies a raft of logs, half buried in the sand.”
This new discovery promised some light on the mystery, and they crowded hastily around the Greek, who was bending over the rude structure.
It lay half way up the beach, and over the lower extremities of the logs a thick layer of sand had been washed. Close by were half a dozen coarse sacks, which proved on inspection to contain skins of leopards and tigers, bright colored feathers, coffee, and aromatic gums. All were in fairly good condition.
“Here is something else,” cried Forbes. “Arms, by Jove! Spears and axes, torches and paddles. Well, by gracious, what does this mean?”
An inkling of the truth flashed upon them simultaneously, and they stared at each other in frightened silence.
“This was the last load of natives to go down the river,” said Canaris quietly. “Here is their raft, their trading goods. Yonder lie their bones. Their journey ended here.”
“And why did it end here?” demanded the colonel.