Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVI THE GODS With a roar, the Pongo soldiers leapt on us. I think that Mavovo managed to get his spear up and kill a man, for I saw one of them fall backwards and lie still. But they were too quick for the rest of us. In half a minute we were seized, the spears were wrenched from our hands, and we were thrown headlong into the canoe, all six of us, or, rather, seven, including the Kalubi. A number of the soldiers, including Komba, who acted as steersman, also sprang into the canoe, that was instantly pushed out from beneath the bridge or platform on which the Motombo sat, and down the little creek into the still water of the canal or estuary, or whatever it may be, that separates the wall of rock which the cave pierces from the base of the mountain. As we floated out of the mouth of the cave, the toadlike Motombo, who had wheeled round upon his stool, shouted an order to Komba. "O Kalubi, ' he said, " set the Kalubi-who-woj and the three white men and their three servants on the borders of the forest that is named House-of-the-god and leave them there. Then return and depart, for here I would watch alone. When all is finished, I will summon you." Komba bowed his handsome head, and at a sign two of the men got out paddles, for more were not needed, and with slow and gentle strokes rowed us across the water. The first thing I noted about this water at the time was that its blackness was inky, owing, I suppose, to its depth and the shadows of the towering cliff on one side and of the tall trees on the other. Also I observed--for in this emergency, or, perhaps, because of it, I managed to keep my wits about me-- that its banks on either side were the home of great numbers of crocodiles, which lay there like logs. I saw, further, that...