United States or Finland ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"So we let them hear the words, and when we had done an old man rose and said, that in the name of the people he accepted the yoke that was laid upon their shoulders, and that the more gladly because even the rule of a woman could not be worse than the rule of Wambe. Moreover, they knew Maiwa, the Lady of War, and feared her not, though she was a witch and terrible to see in battle.
"'The jackal has gone to earth, said Maiwa; 'he will be in the cave behind his hut, and she pointed with her spear towards another small and semi-circular enclosure, over which a large hut was visible, that had the cliff itself for a background. I stared at this fence; by George! it was true, it was entirely made of tusks of ivory planted in the ground with their points bending outwards.
I did the same myself, and forced the woman Maiwa to eat some as we went. This I did with difficulty, for at that time she seemed neither to sleep nor eat nor rest, so fiercely was she set on vengeance. "Then we started, Maiwa guiding us.
Oh, what a selfish brute was I! For the moment that miserable ivory had driven the recollection of him out of my head, and now perhaps it was too late. "Nala, Maiwa, and the soldiers had now come up. They too heard the voice and interpreted its tone, though they had not caught the words. "'This way, cried Maiwa, and we started at a run, passing round the hut of Wambe.
Another thing is, my trips were not all disastrous. Some time, if you like, I will tell you a story of one which was very much the reverse, for I made several thousand pounds out of it, and saw one of the most extraordinary sights a hunter ever came across. It was on this trip that I met the bravest native woman I ever knew; her name was Maiwa.
'Fate walks about loose in Wambe's country. "'Very good; now all you have to do is to walk a little quicker than he does. No, no, you don't leave those elephant tusks behind I am not going to part with them I can tell you. "Gobo said no more, but hastily directed the men to take up their loads, and then asked which way we were to run. "'Ah, I said to Maiwa, 'which way?
I must make a plan, that's all. And then there's that stockade of tusks. I am not going to leave that either. Then I spoke to the woman. "'You are called Maiwa? "'It is so. "'You are the daughter of Nala and the wife of Wambe? "'It is so. "'You fly from Wambe to Nala? "'I do. "'Why do you fly?
By his side stood his daughter Maiwa, and squatted on their haunches round him were some twenty head men or Indunas, whose number was continually added to by fresh arrivals. These men saluted me as I entered, and the chief rose and took my hand, ordering a stool to be brought for me to sit on.
The remaining hundred were gathered in a bunch between, and in the centre of these men I marched, together with the girl who was personating Maiwa, and all my bearers. We were disarmed, and some of my men were tied together to show that we were prisoners, while the girl had a blanket thrown over her head, and moved along with an air of great dejection.
Down went the Matuku before them like trees before a whirlwind. Nothing could stand in the face of such a rush as that. It was as the rush of a torrent bursting its banks. All along their line swept the wild desperate charge; and there, straight in the forefront of the battle, still waved the white robe of Maiwa.
Word Of The Day