With the Aid of the Spirits by L Read online

  “to come to terms?”

  “Well,

  sergeant?”

  “Not as I see it.” The old chap thinks

  “Sar. I am from Nyanga’s kraal. He is

  that he has been cheated somehow and won’t my uncle, and somewhat is known to me that have anything to do with us. He says that we is hidden from thee.”

  can’t fly and if we can it’s because we are in

  “Canst tell what meant the chief by the league with the devil, and evil is sure to come words, ‘Restore my last resting-place’?

  of it. But there’s some other reason, and I

  “Aye. That I know and the reason

  suspect if we could find out what he meant by wherefore he hath no regard for the white

  ‘restore my last resting-place,’ everything in men. Thus it is——”

  the garden ’ud be lovely. But not a word could And Intya told of his love for Nada, of I get out of him, or any one else, as to what he how the chief had made another headman in was driving at.”

  his place, refusing to countenance his

  Adventure

  6

  marriage until he had paid the strange lobella.

  “But what then?” asked Moulter.

  “Then thou art tied by the same rope

  “Thou must return the ant-hill that was that binds us,” said the captain.

  to have been my uncle’s, that is all,” Intya

  “Aye,

  inkosi. But perchance I know of replied simply.

  a knife to cut the rope.”

  “How?”

  “Say

  on.”

  Intya looked at the white man in

  “First I would ask a boon.”

  astonishment.

  “Does Sergeant Intya barter with his

  “Does

  the

  inkosi ask me how? Has he

  captain?”

  There was the quality of steel

  not the machine which flies through the air?

  in the captain’s voice, for all that he spoke Can he not then gather the pieces that were quietly.

  scattered by the shell and rebuild the hill? And

  “Thy

  pardon,

  inkosi. But this matter is

  if the hill be not until all is ready—what then?

  dear to my heart.”

  The spirits move mysteriously and no man

  “What would ye ask?”

  shall say how these things may be.”

  “That if all things happen according to

  “Ye speak in riddles, Intya.”

  thy liking, thou wilt give me an ’onorable

  “Somewhat. Hark ye, inkosi. It always deescharge. Again, that all things that ye do seemed to me that my uncle’s resting-place shall be done, in the eyes of my people, as if at would have nought of comfort for him. His my command.”

  hill, look you, was but a small one, barely the

  “It is no small thing that ye ask, Intya, height of a man, and in thickness less than but it shall be granted thee. Thou shalt be that. Have ye not noticed that there are many given an honorable discharge and—save that ant-hills hereabouts of that size, and the road it touch our honor—all things shall be as if at to Nyanga’s kraal is of easy passage for the thy command.”

  machine that has many feet.” (Intya meant the

  “That is good, inkosi. Then know ye tractors that were used in the work of

  not that when a chief of my tribe dies, he is clearing.)

  buried in an ant-hill that he may the sooner go A gleam of understanding showed in

  to the land of the great spirits?”

  the captain’s eyes as he turned to Barry with:

  “That I know. What of it?”

  “Do you get it?”

  “At the edge of the clearing which

  “’Pon my soul, I believe I do. But can

  surrounds my uncle’s kraal stood many it be done? We’d have to move a hill bodily.

  anthills. In them all, save one, were the bones No chance knocking one down and then trying of bygone chiefs. That other one was to have to build it up again. Fatty couldn’t be fooled been the last resting place of Nyanga when it that way.”

  came his time to die. To the kraal, many

  “I think we can do it.”

  moons ago, came white soldiers, men of the

  “But it’s got to be done properly, with artill’ry, with the big guns. The guns opened trimmings and all that.”

  their mouths and roared and lo, the ant-hills

  “We’ll leave that to Intya. What is thy vanished in a cloud of dust.”

  counsel further, sergeant?”

  Barry cursed fluently.

  “The —— fools. Some half-baked SEVEN days later a number of Native Police, subaltern trying to show off I suppose,” he all owing allegiance to Nyanga, arrived at the said to the captain. “I don’t blame Fatty for kraal of the chief, affirming that they, at the being mad after seeing the family vault blown request of Intya, had been granted permission sky-high.”

  to visit their wives. Each bore a present to the

  With the Aid of the Spirits 7

  chief and spoke loudly in praise of Intya and

  “What means this?” some asked of the

  the greatness of his wisdom.

  soldiers.

  Hard on their arrival came many

  “Intya prays the great ones to aid the

  natives of another district, and made their white men restore the resting-place of the camp at the edge of the clearing which chief.”

  surrounded the kraal and near to where the A low droning filled the air and all

  ant-hills—the burial-places of the chiefs—had faces were turned upward. An aeroplane

  been.

  swiftly came into their field of vision.

  These men were under the charge of

  “What is that?” they cried in terror.

  Intya, and at his direction they erected a large

  “The white man goes to the home of

  canvas tent. This, the people of the kraal the spirits, seeking the place of the chief.”

  noted, was closely guarded at all times.

  Certain of the old men, councilors,

  The returned soldiers noised it abroad

  hastened to bear the news to Nyanga.

  that it was part of the white men’s magic. That

  “Ye are bewitched fools,” he cried in

  they, at the request of Intya, would attempt to tones of contempt. “My resting-place hath restore the last resting-place of the chief. been scattered to the four winds. Can Intya by When questioned how such things could be, words restore it, and for this other—this story they lapsed into silence, thus further arousing of men flying—bah! It is child’s talk.”

  the curiosity of the people.

  “Yet come and see for thyself, great

  Only Nyanga, the chief, professed chief.”

  indifference, though it was noted that he

  “Aye, I will come, but to see I will

  oftentimes chanced to walk that way.

  not.”

  Anon, in the darkness of the night,

  Coming to the open ground about the

  came two tractors, coupled together and kraal, they pointed in the direction of the hauling a low platform mounted on wheels.

  aeroplane, now fast going out of sight.

  The platform was heavily laden, but none

  “See ye,” they said excitedly. “Yonder

  stopped to investigate, for of a surety this against the rising sun it is like unto a giant ponderous, clanking monster had its being in bird. Hear ye not the droning as if of many the place of the “wicked ones.” Its single eye bees?”

  was blinding and winked not. So much for the

  “Without doubt it is a bird ye see, the search-light mounted on the first tractor.

  bees ye hear,” answered the chief
. “But who is Soon the tent hid the platform from the this?” Nyanga pointed to Intya, who was eyes of any curious ones who might have running swiftly toward them. “Aye, I see now.

  conquered their fear of the clanking monster, It is that thing of folly—that nephew of mine.”

  and then arose wild songs and the furious

  “Is it permitted that I speak, O chief?”

  beating of tom-toms, drowning completely the Intya cried.

  shouted orders of white men, the rattling of

  “Aye. Say on.”

  chains and the blows of hammers.

  “Word hath come to me, O chief, from

  With the rising of the morning sun the

  the spirits that thy request shall be granted.

  people of the kraal went out to view what new This night after the setting of the sun, when wonders had been performed, and lo! The darkness covers the land, will I light the fire swarm of laborers had vanished. The tent too yonder—” he pointed to the pile of

  had gone but in its place stood a high pile of brushwood—“that the spirits may see to

  brushwood and by it—hands uplifted as if perform their tasks, and restore thy resting-invoking the great spirits—stood Intya.

  place to thee.”

  Adventure

  8

  “Art so sure then that the spirits will with darkness—tropical darkness.

  heed thy petition?”

  Out on the edge of the clearing came

  “Without doubt, O chief. But first I

  the people of the kraal. Cattle disturbed by the would know thy intentions concerning two strange exodus lowed mournfully; the half-things.”

  starved dogs of the village set up a noisy

  “Speak.”

  clamor, yelping with pain as they were driven

  “Thou wilt restore to me the headship

  off by well-aimed stones.

  of the kraal and give the maiden Nada to me?

  Anon all was still, save for the

  Such was thy promise to me. And thy promise whimpering of a frightened child, and the to the white men, thou wilt also abide by people of the kraal waited in silence for the that?”

  wonders to begin. To them came the voice of

  “My word given, have I ever denied

  Intya—

  it?”

  “Are ye all here, O people of

  “Nay,

  great

  one.”

  Nyanga?”

  “Then see that thou canst accomplish

  “Aye. None are left in the huts,”

  all that thou hast boasted. If ye fail, thy answered the voice of the chief.

  friendship with the white men shall not save

  “Then move not from the places ye

  thee.”

  now hold. Wait in patience and pray that the

  “I shall not fail. But thou wilt be here, great spirits deal kindly with us.”

  thou and all the people, this night to witness There was a sharp hiss and a shower of

  the wonders?”

  sparks, then a bright light shot up into the air.

  “Aye.”

  Up and up it went until it seemed as if

  “Then until that time, let it be thy

  it would of surety enter the land of the spirits.

  pleasure that none shall come near to the place

  “It is Intya’s messenger,” murmured

  yonder; it is sacred to the spirits.”

  one.

  At the command of the chief the

  As they watched it broke into other

  people fled with one accord to their huts, there lights, many-colored, and then to their ears to wait the time appointed for the came the sound of a sharp report.

  wonderworking to begin.

  “The spirits are angry.”

  Only the maiden Nada stayed for a

  “Nay, watch—listen,” comforted

  brief moment to speak with Intya:

  Intya.

  “Canst thou indeed do this thing, O

  A low droning filled the air. Louder

  bull of might? An ye doubt, let us flee and louder it came. Anon it seemed to be together from this place and seek safety from directly overhead and then ghostly red flames the wrath of my father among the white men.”

  appeared to be dancing in the darkness, flames

  “Fear not, Nada. I shall not fail. All

  which twisted and twirled into many fantastic shall be as I have said.”

  figures.

  “Somewhat am I afraid of thee, O

  “Have mercy on us, O Intya,” cried

  powerful one. Thou dost talk with the spirits, Nyanga. “The evil, spirits are about us.”

  yet seek my love. Thou canst perform wonder-

  “Nay. They are the spirits of the Great workings, yet ask for—this.”

  Great. Watch.”

  She kissed him, then sped quickly

  The command was needless, for the

  away.

  people could not take their eyes away from the strange things that were happening in the THE sun had set and the land was covered darkness.

  With the Aid of the Spirits 9

  “’Tis as if some mighty bird were all

  whole-hearted manner in which the laborers afire, and seeks to escape his death-agony,”

  perform their task of caring for the place is the said one.

  admiration of the officers in charge of other Gradually the flames died away and all

  aerodromes whose daily portion it is to deal was still, save for the droning noise which with laziness and thievery, with desertion and became ever fainter.

  mutiny.

  Then from a great height, or so it

  Perhaps the reason for all this is that seemed in the darkness, came a blinding ray of Intya, the chief—Nyanga having abdicated in light. Straight down it came as a stone his nephew’s favor—was once a sergeant of dropped from the hand.

  the Native Police; perhaps because the people And then Intya applied a torch to the

  had seen at first hand the wonderworking of pile of brush. Quickly it caught a-light, and as the white men, having a lively remembrance it burned, the voice of Intya was heard of the fact that the white men could command ordering them to come nearer. With fear in the spirits to come to their aid.

  their hearts the people obeyed him.

  And of a surety no other station boasts

  “Watch the fire of sacrifice,” cried a chief, one of royal blood, as a “lookout.”

  Intya. “The spirits have heard our plea and Proud is Nyanga of his position—

  have granted the desire of the chief. Watch the happily ignorant of the fact that it was fire of sacrifice.”

  specially created for him—as at the first signs As the light of the fire died down the

  of an approaching aeroplane he tolls a large light from above was played directly on it.

  bell warning all to clear the field.

  Then, seen dimly at first through the

  He firmly believes that a landing could thick haze of smoke, the people could discern not be safely made unless he tolled his bell the shadowy outlines of an ant-hill. Clearer and—for they are a superstitious crowd—the and more distinct it became as the smoke died pilots have adopted him as their mascot. Nor away and the people saw that this was no will one ascend until Nyanga has tolled the shadowy figment of the imagination, but that bell, commending them to the care of the great it was indeed an ant-hill—the resting-place of spirits.

  the chief. As this became plainly evident to Near to the bell stands a solitary ant-them they all fell to their knees, hiding their hill. It is destined to be the last resting-place faces in their hands, crying loudly:

  of Nyangu. It was his wish that the bell should

  “Merciful are the spirits. Great is he hung near the ant-hill, for he said: Intya, their mouthpiece, and the white men,

  “When my time
comes to go to the

  their messengers.”

  land of the spirits, this shall be my resting-place. At the bottom of the hill ye shall leave a OF THE chain of aerodromes which make the hole so that my snake, that soul of mine, may Cape to Cairo air-flight possible, the one of be free to come and go as it pleases. Thus may Nyanga is generally acknowledged to be the I come out and toll the bell when those worthy best. No others can compete with its vast, ones, those men of keen eyes, go forth to greet level landing-field. No others have such well-the spirits of the air.”

  built, comfortable quarters for the pilots. The