“That we shall know presently,” replied Harut in a suave voice.  “It depends upon whether the Heavenly Child or the devil Jana is the more powerful in the land.  Still, as we would avoid bloodshed if we may, we desire to explain to you, messengers of King Simba, that we are here upon a peaceful errand.  It was necessary that we should convey the white lords to make an offering to the Child, and this was the only road by which we could lead them to the Holy Mount, since they come from the south.  Through the forests and the swamps that lie to the east and west camels cannot travel.”

“And what is the offering that the white men would make to the Child, Prophet?  Oh! we know well, for like you we have our magic.  The offering that they must make is the blood of Jana our god, which you have brought them here to kill with their strange weapons, as though any weapon could prevail against Jana the god.  Now, give to us these white men that we may offer them to the god, and perchance Simba the King will let you go through.”

“Why?” asked Harut, “seeing that you declare that the white men cannot harm Jana, to whom indeed they wish no harm.  To surrender them to you that they may be torn to pieces by the devil Jana would be to break the law of hospitality, for they are our guests.  Now return to Simba the King, and say to Simba that if he lifts a spear against us the threefold curse of the Child shall fall upon him and upon you his people:  The curse of Heaven by storm or by drought.  The curse of famine.  The curse of war.  I the prophet have spoken.  Depart.”

Watching, I could see that this ultimatum delivered by Harut in a most impressive voice, and seconded as it was by the sudden and simultaneous lifting of the spears of all our escort that were within hearing, produced a considerable effect upon the messengers.  Their faces grew afraid and they shrank a little.  Evidently the “threefold curse of the Child” suggested calamities which they dreaded.  Making no answer, they wheeled their horses about and galloped back to the force that was gathering below as swiftly as they had come.

“We must fight, my Lord Macumazana,” said Harut, “and if we would live, conquer, as I know that we shall do.”

Then he issued some orders, of which the result was that the caravan adopted a wedge-shaped formation like to that of a great flock of wildfowl on the wing.  Harut stationed himself almost at the apex of the triangle.  I with Hans and Marut were about the centre of the line, while Ragnall and Savage were placed opposite to us in the right line, the whole width of the wedge being between us.  The baggage camels and their leaders occupied the middle space between the lines and were followed by a small rear-guard.

At first we white men were inclined to protest at this separation, but when Marut explained to us that its object was to give confidence to the two divisions of the force and also to minimize the risk of destruction or capture of all three of us, of course we had nothing more to say.  So we just shook hands, and with as much assurance as we could command wished each other well through the job.