over the head, sometimes to such an extent that they have to be cut to prevent them from growing into the bones of the skull.  The goats are long-haired, and are used for eating only, at least I never saw them milked.  As for the Amahagger cultivation, it is primitive in the extreme, being all done by means of a spade made of iron, for these people smelt and work iron.  This spade is shaped more like a big spear-head than anything else, and has no shoulder to it on which the foot can be set.  As a consequence, the labour of digging is very great.  It is, however, all done by the men, the women, contrary to the habits of most savage races, being entirely exempt from manual toil.  But then, as I think I have said elsewhere, among the Amahagger the weaker sex has established its rights.

At first we were much puzzled as to the origin and constitution of this extraordinary race, points upon which they were singularly uncommunicative.  As the time went on—­for the next four days passed without any striking event—­we learnt something from Leo’s lady friend Ustane, who, by the way, stuck to that young gentleman like his own shadow.  As to origin, they had none, at least, so far as she was aware.  There were, however, she informed us, mounds of masonry and many pillars, near the place where She lived, which was called Kor, and which the wise said had once been houses wherein men lived, and it was suggested that they were descended from these men.  No one, however, dared go near these great ruins, because they were haunted:  they only looked on them from a distance.  Other similar ruins were to be seen, she had heard, in various parts of the country, that is, wherever one of the mountains rose above the level of the swamp.  Also the caves in which they lived had been hollowed out of the rocks by men, perhaps the same who built the cities.  They themselves had no written laws, only custom, which was, however, quite as binding as law.  If any man offended against the custom, he was put to death by order of the Father of the “Household.”  I asked how he was put to death, and she only smiled and said that I might see one day soon.

They had a Queen, however. She was their Queen, but she was very rarely seen, perhaps once in two or three years, when she came forth to pass sentence on some offenders, and when seen was muffled up in a big cloak, so that nobody could look upon her face.  Those who waited upon her were deaf and dumb, and therefore could tell no tales, but it was reported that she was lovely as no other woman was lovely, or ever had been.  It was rumoured also that she was immortal, and had power over all things, but she, Ustane, could say nothing of all that.  What she believed was that the Queen chose a husband from time to time, and as soon as a female child was born, this husband, who was never again seen, was put to death.  Then the female child grew up and took the place of the Queen when its mother died, and had been buried in the great caves.  But of these matters none could speak with certainty.  Only She was obeyed throughout the length and breadth of the land, and to question her command was instant death.  She kept a guard, but had no regular army, and to disobey her was to die.