A Goddess of Africa. A story of the golden fleece

Book I. The Argonauts Of

'96. CHAFFER. PAGE. I. Fugitives of the Zambezi 5 II. The Border Land of Eternity 13 III. Lord Bruno's Cowboys 22 IV. Three Months in Tangle and Desert 31 V. The Song of the Siren 41 VI. Dr. Jameson's Ride, and the Siege of Buluwayo .... 47 VII. Monsieur Jules and the " Missing Link " 57 VIII. The Witch-Doctor . . 65

Book II. Finding The Golden Fleece

IX. How They Went Down into Krokato 76 X. The Guardian Deities of the Ancient Temple 83 XI. Paradise 90 XII. On the Road to Hides 9S XIII. The Snap of a Rope 106 XIV. The Thrower of Assegais 114 XV. With the Cliff-climbers 122 XVI. Brought to Bay CONTENTS.

Book III. The Fair Oracle Ov The Zambodi

CHATTER. l'AGE. XVII. Ib Durance Vile 141 XVIII. Walkulla, the Man-of-war 149 XIX. A Duel under the Stockade of the Kraal 159 XX. The Retreat of the Faif God 165 XXI. Hassaje and the Fire Devil 173 XXI!. Maid Marian 181 XXIII. Crossing the Zambodi Trocha 187 XXIV. Hope in the Scottish Claymore 196

Book IV. In The Day Of Battle

XXAr. The Burning of the Kraal 203 XXVI. A Pair of Dromios 211 XXVII. In the Country of the Matabele 221 XXVIII. The God-hunters . . . .' -31 XXIX. Defense of the Ramparts 238 XXX. To Do or Die 245 XXXI. The Passing of Jim Bludsoe 254 XXXII. Love's Sacrifice A GODDESS OF AFRICA.

Chapter I. Fugitives Of The

ZAMBEZI? It was in June, 1896. South Africa was in a state of eruption, and grave questions presented themselves for solution. Jameson had made his historic ride over the border in response to the appeal of the Uitlanders in Johannesburg, to meet his Waterloo at the hands of bluff Oom Paul and his horde of Boers; while further north the hollow roll of the tom-tom or war-drum filled the land of the fierce Matabele. Buluwayo had undergone a siege, and the renegade Zulus were only beaten back after a most desperate series of encounters in which the losses had been heavy on both sides. It was indeed a period fraught with tremendous issues to the daring Anglo-Saxon settlers of South Africa. History was being made every-day. As in America thirty, fifty, an hundred years ago, so it is in this new wonderland of to-day — step by step the (SJ n ■ I b&tctal has btx?n paslnii country from savage ignorance a- 1 ', fcktpen I ill ii»<3 made to Lt<joni !iko Ui i • Perhaj - tf . ■'■■ ,..,.-• I South A(Y i u.Ii:ilnUintd may re mercantile j :i <■ ■ ■ horde "!' . gatiiei in theii frraci/* to plot lite destruction oi '.lieir n'liito Ufleniina.

It is fati Everywhere tba tiled llm uf igrjjratiue. Africn waited long and pa ii. ui ti i ma i|i un baa arrivoj. TIib love of gold is the : t ha ■ drawn of tbouBtmdfi tn tliis s&d oi rth,ju»t ti.e under ( I >o and ' 'i» How long • ilUoruia ba i n lined uncte\ i opefl i. "I it Dot bfen for the wonderful discovery of he? gold) I ' i-'d a mrtd stampede fioni i»l! quartan f the globe in tliatdi If '' •' uii' 1 , iK'Vt?r to be forgol by tliu&c pioneers of Soutli Al'iiuiii civilization, venta which it is ouv [ilcusurc to a,-, . En i.i :'.. ■ rii oi a romaooGi fcuok pi The day tt ai « ben tw ifttbei irrj loo!:u,i: iadividwta BCaggCTfld tinder tbe shelter of ft D the heart of fche wilderoehB far to the Lh of the Mat.inpo hi] vith tbrir numerolU ' •■• the ground evidently a! utterly o: TJitre w;i.i i hat about the taller an nion's voice and manner of aj a sun of fair Fi.

Professor Julea Verdant had, iu hia ardent desire co FUGITIVES OF THE ZAMBEZI! 7 discover new wonders that would send his name ring ing down the ages, undertaken many Quixotic expedi tions, from spending two years on the mighty, fever haunted Amazon to dangerous pilgrimages to Fez, to old Khartoum, and Ashantee ; but when he undertook to pierce the heart of Africa in company with a bold young American, in the hope of meeting the tribes of dwarfs, spoken of by other travelers, and possibly solving Darwin's great theory, he realized that it was destined to be the most serious expedition of his life. His companion, Rex Hastings had been influenced by other motives than those connected with science, and what the nature of the mission might be that urged him to undertake such tremendous hazards will in due courte of time be made manifest.

They had started in on the East Coast, just south of the Zanzibar country ruled by the Sultan Hamed, some months before with a retinue of many porters, and a guard of fighting men capable of doing considerable damage when armed with modern appliances for con ducting tbe art of war. Hence, their present wretched condition would indi cate that they must have been engaged in numerous serious battles. Ill fortune seemed to have haunted them ; men in whom they trusted deserted from the expedition ; others were slain, or fell into the hands of the hostile negro tribes through whose country they were compelled to pass. Thus their numbers had dwindled, but with un daunted courage they refused to turn back. Finally overwhelming disasters had come upon them, just when Hastings believed the tremendous work he had set him self was about to be carried out, and after a series of A GODDEFS OF AFRICA. hot engagements with the savage enemy, the two for lorn fugitives, believing they had distanced their pur suers, threw themselves upon the ground under tbe great tree that stretched its giant arms out to bhield them from the light of the declining sun.

Hastings looked haggard, but there was a gleam in his clear eyes that spoke of an unquenchable spirit — of a heart that coulu uot be conquered by adversities. He even smiled to see how carefully the odd genius at his side deposited his packages upon the ground, caressing them as tenderly as though they were dear to his hearr, which was the exact truth, since the bundles contained the sole results of his weary months of sci entific research during this venturesome pilgrimage through the heart of the Dark Continent. As the savant would never desert these trophies while he had strength to " tote " them, it finally de volved upon Hastings to carry both guns, the ammuni tion and what other articles they had left out of the immense stock with which the expedition had begun. He now proceeded to open one of the packages and produced a sparing amount of food.

" Come, we must take a little refreshment, professor. It has been a hard day, and I fear we've lost our last man. My mind would be more at ease if I knew how matters were going on to the south. Those rumors of an uprising of the Matabele disturb me. If they prove to be true I fear we shall never be able to reach Buluwayo." The French man of science, having ascertained that his thirteen precious packages were all there and in good condition, condescended to share in the humble repast, and his manner was just as charming and tbe FUGITIVES OF TEE ZAMBEZI! 9 volume of his chatter just as unrestricted as though he stood in his dearly beloved Bois de Bologne or under the Arc de Triomphe. The jolly little professor was certainly a boon com panion for a long journey, since he knew how to chase dull care away.

Hastings did not nppear fully at ease, for his eyes almost constantly roved over the ground they had cov ered in arriviug at this tree, and more than once he looked serious, while his hand involuntarily reached out in the direction of the repeating rifle, that had served him faithfully all through these months of wandering. The shadows had commenced to issue forth from their hiding-places, and the forest seemed peopled with grotesque goblins that would require but a small stretch of the imagination to transform into skulking blacks, eager to close in upon the fugitives. In reality it was a peaceful scene, and under different conditions Hastings might have experienced an abound ing admiration for the primeval charm that rested upon that African wood, peopled with feathered songsters, aiid in spots radiant with the bloom of countless flow ers, though this was the season corresponding to our bleak November. '■'■Mon Dien," said the Gaul, as he bit into the piece of hard tack which had been given him to gnaw upon, "zis is one supper fit for ze gods — at least it is a shame two gentlemen students do not fare better.

Still I have ze great hope we are coming near ze end, Monsieur Rex, and zat before long we sail only look back upon zis experience with a smile." "Perhaps," muttered the other, still watching the AF&ICA. 10 skulking shadows suspiciously, " and I shall be glad for your sake, professor, when we reach a place of safety. As for myself, you know full well I have only had a taste." "A taste — parbleauf hear ze man — a taste, when for ze last month not one day it have pass wizout we place our heads in ze lion's mouth — not one night zat we feel sure we will see ze morrow's sun. Begar ! I like your nerve, sar. Pray tell me zeii when you ze full meal will take ? " "Just as soon as I am able to get up another expedition. Now that I know my wonderful secret waa not the vaporing of a crazed brain but founded on actual truth, I am more resolved than ever before to win the game.

In my pocket, as you know, I carry positive evidence that the treasure of the dead volcano is no myth, no Sinbad the Sailor illusion, but an actual bona fide fact. I have sworn to devote my life to securing it, and I am a man to stick closer than a mustard plaster." "Ah ! zat will I vouch for, and a companion royal. Nevaire will I forget how you stand over me in ze gloom of zat night and beat back ze human jackals wisze butt of ze gun. But, Monsieur Rex, do not think I am quite blind because I have so devoted been to ze interests of science. When j^ou turn ze face to ze north once more, I am positif it will not only be to find zat wonderful treasure of ze extinct volcano, zat lies in ze heart of Africa, but because zere is one hope of again looking on a beautiful face zat charm us both." Hastings appeared a little confused, as though the French savant's shot had indeed struck very close at home, but he laughed it off.

FUGITIVES OF THE ZAMBEZI! 11 "What's the use of denying the soft impeachment, professor? To my dying day I shall never forget the startling impression that fair idol made upon me as seen in the midst of a thousand black kneeling worshipers. She was as beautiful as a dream. I have seen her in my sleep since— I shall see her always. Yes, I would turn my face again toward that land of heathen darkness and fetish worshipers if no other influence moved me than a desire to once more feast my eyes on her face. But say no more upon the subject. We are not yet out of the woods, and I fear these unseen perils may be too much for us, if, as we have reason to suspect, the Matabele god M'limo has sent the blood-drinkers out to war." " Sacre ! if zat be ze case, our only hope is to turn aside, following ze big hills and ze small ones, kopjes zey call 'em, so zat we go around ze plateau between ze rivers Gwelo and Khami, zat mark ze home of Matabele."

"How large is this plateau, professor?" asked Rex, who relied considerably upon the superior knowledge of his companion with relation to the topography of the country. " More zan one hundred miles across and half of zat north and south." Hastings shrugged his shoulders at the'reply. "That means more days of hiding and going hungry, more nights of travel. Well, we can do it, professor, if given half a chance; but it goes against the grain. What wouldn't I give for a regiment of Illinois militia just now. What a swathe we would cut through the land where the beastly tom-tom sounds and incites the black warriors to battle." "And I would be charmed quite could I but have ze regiment of Francstire urs on ze ground. In ze mir ror of ze mind I can see zem charge upon ze heathen — what care zey whether ze assegais fly as thick as hail stones, and ze bullets sing like road hornets past zere ears.

For ze lilies of France ! Mon TJieu ! what can stand before such heroes — ze black impis break and fly —zey throw away zere weapons, and shriek to zere god to save. Nothing can resist ze charge of ze terrible tigers. So new glories are won, and again England goes hand in hand with France in peopling ze desert places of ze earth. Such thoughts inspire ze lonely traveler, who blazes ze trail of civilization through ze wilderness, and whose torch " Just there the professor came to a sudden pause in his really eloquent effort, not that his breath had given out or his subject ceased to arouse enthusiasm. It was because Rex suddenly clutched him by the arm and dragged him to the ground with a single muscular effort. And as the savant assumed this involuntary horizontal position, there was heard a strange hissing whirr, followed by a dull thud, and turning his head the profes sor saw quivering in the tree trunk, with its lancet head buried three inches deep, a deadly assegai of the war like Makalakas. TEE BOEDER LAND OF ETERNITY. 13

Chapter II. The Border, Land Of Eternity

Again did Professor Jules owe the preservation of his life to the quick wit and ready hand of his compan ion in arms, since, but for his hasty descent from a per pendicular that murderous weapon of a South African warrior must have passed through his body. Hastings realized that the crisis he had feared was upon them, since their pursuers were on deck, filled with the zeal of warfare, and determined to accomplish their destruction. He was a man of action, this American, and even though the condition of affairs seemed next to hopeless, such a thing as a surrender to the inevitable never en tered his mind. That is characteristic of the Anglo-Saxon blood — a grim determination to go down with colors flying. It has been made historical on many a bloody field of battle in England, Scotland, America, yes, wherever the English language is spoken throughout the world.

If die ho must he would meet his fate with face to the foe, a weapon in his hand, the fire of battle in his heart. That would be the glorious end of a brave soldier — who could wish a better? As with one hand he dragged Verdant to the ground, his other reached out and clutched the repeating rifle that lay close by. In days gone by that weapon had served him faithfully, and he knew he could place reliance upon it now. So long as there was a leaden messenger within its chamber, and he had the strength to press the trigger, it would send forth its deadly summons, until a breast work of victims encompassed him about. As Travis and Crockett fell at the Alamo in Texas, with Mexi cans piled waist high around them, so this bold son of Illinois meant to meet his end. Considering the desperate nature of the situation he was remarkably cool and collected.

He had anticipated just such a decisive moment as this and in his mind arranged his metnod of meeting the crisis. " To arms ! they come, the Turk, the Turk ! " was what he shouted in the ear of his ally, and the men of that gallant Greek patriot Bozarris certainly could not have shown greater agility in pouncing down upon the swarming foe than did these two fugitives of the wilds in facing the blacks. Already dusky figures could be seen darting from tree to tree, and Hastings, knowing the value of time, lost not a second in discharging his gun. The report of the Winchester seemed to arouse the echoes ot Hades — from every quarter there arose the most fiendish of yells, and one who had never heard these battle, cries of the savage Makalakas before might well be pardoned for believing that a legion of black fiends from Tophet, led by Mephistopheles himself, had burst the barriers of the Inferno, and sought new vic tims on earth.

There was no time for exercising any deliberation in the line of judgment — to strike speedily and often, with the most fatal result was their one hope, and even that held out but faint chances of success. Hastings was crouching there, almost flat on his face, behind the heterogeneous bundles which the savant had so carefully and solicitously piled up. The}- promised, at least, to form some sort of a barrier for the wretched fugitives, though the professor when making his collection had never dreamed to what base use they might eventually be put. The rapid detonation of the Winchester told that it was in the hands of one who knew how to utilize its wonderful repeating qualities to the utmost, and the fiendish shouts of the black warriors no longer ex pressed only rage, but pain and consternation as well.

In the midst of the fusilade came a much heavier discharge, very similar to the boom of the Dutch settler's yager or elephant gun. Strange to say, the professor had insisted upon arm ing himself with one of these heavy though effective weapons, which appeared the more ridiculous when the rather undersized stature of the fighting Gaul was taken into consideration. This mammoth gun had always been an object of ex treme solicitude to Jules. So long as they had porters, a stalwart black had usually trotted at his heels bearing the yager ; but of late it had become quite a burden to Hastings, who more than once contemplated the feasi bility of quietly allowing it to sink into some " drift " they were crossing. Only on a few occasions had the learned savant deigned to discharge his gun ; and it was always an open question in the mind of Hastings whether almost equally disastrous results in the rear were not apt to follow such an explosion as before its muzzle.

Therefore, when the thunderous crash of the elephant gun sounded so close to his ears, he experienced some thing like a sensation of awe, and half expected to find the form of the gallant Frenchman hurled across his back. "What luck?" he bellowed, so that his words might be beard above the awful clamor. " It is well," came in the high-pitched voice of the, professor, who had evidently taken the precaution to brace himself ere pulling the trigger. So Hastings again applied himself to the task of dis tributing the remainder of his leaden pills with a dis crimination that was influenced by the audacity of the assailants; and since little of his ammunition went to waste, it can be set down as positive that his wonderful nerve served him as faithfully in this crisis as it had in times gone by. Brief though the time that had elapsed since the ad vent of the first black warrior on the scene, those of the enemy who fortunately escaped the fire of the compa triots had rushed in close enough to discharge their own weapons toward the spot where a cloud of powder smoke told of occupancy.

Some were armed with guns of modern make, for long contact with the gold and diamond hunters had made the Matabele and their sable allies familiar with such engines of destruction, and while possibly the owners might have no just claim to the title of sharp shooters, still they were able to keep pumping at their engines of war, and send a swarm of bullets toward the center of the disturbance, that hurtled and hissed about the ears of the besieged with the noisy venom of angry bees. Numerous war spears also came singing through space, nor was the singular whirr of the deadly Zulu assegai unheard. Hastings had been wounded in several places, but none of them were serious cuts, and in the fever of battle he hardly took notice of the fact. Hearing a thud close at his elbow he turned his head to see a Makalaka spear pinning poor Jules to the tree ; but his feeling of horror was dissipated upon discovering that the squirming professor had not really been seri ously injured, since the weapon had only passed through the slack of his garments.

Finding himself unable to break away, the plucky little savant continued to rattle out the contents of his revolver, and his shrill clarion voice could be heard high above the roar of the melee, as he bade the savage foe such defiance as only a son of France could express. All this really occurred in a minute of time. Seconds are laden with grave results when the blare of battle is in the air. The cloud of smoke which served to conceal them from the sharp eyes of the surrounding blacks, equal ized matters at the same time b}r rendering it impossible for them to see where to direct their shots. So, while their weapons still held a few more charges, the two fugitives ceased firing. Hastings snatched at the spear upon which his smaller ally was in one sense impaled; but it required his ut most strength to tear it loose from the tree, so that Jules could ones more be master of his own actions.

Perhaps Rex had some vague idea that they might creep off, thanks to the friendly smoke that hugged the vicinity, and the gathering shades of dusk. Be that as it may, he was given no time to put the inspiration into practical play. Perhaps the undaunted little Gaul would have utterly refused to have deserted the scientific treasures of his collection to which he was so firmly wedded. Before Rex jould begin to shape a plan for the future there came a fresh bunst of awful yells, and through the smoke sprang the figures of the Makalaka warriors, brandishing their arms, and looking in the full panoply of their war dress like demons. Thus, in an instant the battle had become a hand to hand affair, where fierce blows were exchanged, where the discharge of a firearm was muffled by the fact of its being pressed against a human form, where two whites, back to back, were pitted against a horde of cruel and merciless foes, eager to drink their blood.

The sword of Damocles hung suspended by a single thread. So the lives of these twain seemed on the very brink — the passage of one minute would mark their transi tion from this world into the next. But that minute proved long enough to save them from such a fate. Alone it were utterly impossible for them to win, and actually figured the chance of relief coming to them in this wild country north of Matabeleland was about one i:i a thousand. Yet it came, such are the vagaries of fate — it came when even the stout heart of that hopeful son of Illi nois had given up all expectation of surviving, so that he only fought on with the grim resolution of de spair. Above the tempest of war cries that sounded in his ears, Rex suddenly heard shouts that he feared must be the creation of a disordered brain — shouts that could come from none other than Saxon throats — shouts that, raised in unison formed a mighty "hurrah" that dwarfed the screams of the blacks as the thunder of the tempest might overshadow the feeble growl of cannon.

The struggling mass of sable warriors that desper ately endeavored to crush in upon the two white heroes also heard this shout from the forest. To them it was the most dreaded sound upon earth. They had on numerous occasions engaged with the sturdy sons of England who guarded the border land. Desperate battles had been fought in the days gone by, and these black warriors from bitter experience had come to respect the prowess of the police employed by the British South Africa Compan}', as well as to fear Cecil Rhodes, the wizard whose hand controlled tbe destinies of this promising land. Confusion immediately seized upon the assailants. Their glow of positive victory gave way to sudden de spair. Many turned and ran, hardly knowing in which di rection the danger lay. A few remained as if in the hope of accomplishing the death of the two fugitives ere themselves seeking safety in flight.

Flying figures could now be seen through the rifts of powder smoke — figures mounted on horses, and dash ing hither and yon with a rapidity that could only have been equaled by the Bedouins of the desert. From these galloping figures there came flash after flash, and the rapid percussion of reports proclaimed a condition of affairs that could not be other than un healthy for the unfortunate blacks who had lingered in the vicinity of the scene too long. By this time Hastings had succeeded in downing the last foeman who remained too obstinate for flight. As in a dream he watched the dim panorama of scurrying horsemen, and heard the shots and shouts that proclaimed the rescue. It was almost incredible, this being snatched from death at the very last moment. He leaned upon his rifle, the barrel of which was hot from repeated discharges, and panted for breath, while the excitable little professor, overwhelmed with joy, capered about like a boyr, alternately shrieking " vive la France " and then in what was intended to be a deeper voice, " hurrah for old England."

Gradually the tumult died away, detonating shots no longer burst upon the startled ear, and even tho terrified shouts of the scattered blacks melted in the distance. The battle oi the forest was over. Rex, still leaning upon his gun, stood there waiting to meet his saviours. Somehow a spark of fire had fallen among some dead leaves and twigs under the tree, so that a little blaze now leaped up. Professor Jules had a weakness in the line of a fire, and eagerly tossed some fragments of branches on the blaze, which of course sprang up higher. Toward this figure standing there, came one of the mounted rescuers, a man whose deep voice had rung out with a leonine roar as he urged his men to action. Springing from his steed he advanced directly to Rex, who presented rather an heroic appearance, with blood-streaked face and clothing showing the desperate conditions through which he had just passed.

As the firelight fell upon the features of the stalwart newcomer, Rex leaned forward to assure himself that he was not dreaming, and then found tongue to exclaim : " Lord Bruno, by my life ! You came up in the nick of time, Waterford, just as we were about to go under."

Chapter III. Lord Bruno's Cowboys

The Englishman stood rooted in his tracks, staring at the figure before him. " Jove ! I know that voice, but I'll wager j'our own mother would fail to recognize you with that bloody face. Yes, I have heard a voice like that, but it is in credible " " Not at all," declared Rex, cheerily, as he thrust out his hand. " Rex Hastings ! Gad ! this is the biggest surprise of my life. Glad to see you — why, I couldn't be more so if it was a brother. But what under heaven are you doing up in this hot-bed of idolatry and fetish wor ship?" was what the other exclaimed as he wrung the proffered hand again and again, and even seemed tempted to indulge in a bear-like hug. "You mean down in this country, for we have come from the north, over deserts, through the densest of forests, down rivers, fighting our way for months through the heart of Africa.

I really began to believe our long pilgrimage was about to end right here, but a kind fate sent you in time. I could not have selected a more welcome saviour, had I been given the choice, than my old friend of the Quartier Latin in Paris, where we spent such happy days, sharing one another's troubles and pleasures." " What ! do you mean to tell me you two have made this terrible journey alone ? " gasped the other, survey ing the professor with considerable respect, seeing which Jules immediately puffed out his chest with the pride of a true son of Gascony. "Bless you, not at all. Our people numbered forty odd when we left the coast with the permission of the Sultan of Zanzibar, and struck into the wilderness." "But — where the deuce are they no.v?" " Gone, every mother's son of 'em. Many deserted from time to time, a few were killed, and others fell into the hands of the terrible head-hunters of the far interior.

We lost our last man to-day, poor Friday, the one faithful fellow of the lot." " But tell me, my dear fellow, what sort of an expedition did you engineer? It is plain to be seen this gentleman is a man of science " — for the professor was eagerly endeavoring to discover what damage had been done to his specimens — " but unless you have developed the mania since we parted, my old artist friend Rex Hastings was hardly the man to endure the dangers and hardships of .such a tremendous undertaking in a search for specimens." Hastings glanced around after the manner of a man who would not care to have his secret heard by other ears than those for which it was intended. " You shall know all, Bruno, but not now, not here. It is as amazing a story as ever a Rider Haggard dreamed. It will thrill you to hear \i in detail.