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Page 59
The eldest of the six men, a short, thick-set warrior, with white
hair, stepped forward a pace and answered--
"Thy words are true, Infadoos; the land cries out. My own brother is
among those who died to-night; but this is a great matter, and the
thing is hard to believe. How know we that if we lift our spears it
may not be for a thief and a liar? It is a great matter, I say, of
which none can see the end. For of this be sure, blood will flow in
rivers before the deed is done; many will still cleave to the king,
for men worship the sun that still shines bright in the heavens,
rather than that which has not risen. These white men from the Stars,
their magic is great, and Ignosi is under the cover of their wing. If
he be indeed the rightful king, let them give us a sign, and let the
people have a sign, that all may see. So shall men cleave to us,
knowing of a truth that the white man's magic is with them."
"Ye have the sign of the snake," I answered.
"My lord, it is not enough. The snake may have been placed there since
the man's childhood. Show us a sign, and it will suffice. But we will
not move without a sign."
The others gave a decided assent, and I turned in perplexity to Sir
Henry and Good, and explained the situation.
"I think that I have it," said Good exultingly; "ask them to give us a
moment to think."
I did so, and the chiefs withdrew. So soon as they had gone Good went
to the little box where he kept his medicines, unlocked it, and took
out a note-book, in the fly-leaves of which was an almanack. "Now look
here, you fellows, isn't to-morrow the 4th of June?" he said.
We had kept a careful note of the days, so were able to answer that it
was.
"Very good; then here we have it--'4 June, total eclipse of the moon
commences at 8.15 Greenwich time, visible in Teneriffe--/South
Africa/, &c.' There's a sign for you. Tell them we will darken the
moon to-morrow night."
The idea was a splendid one; indeed, the only weak spot about it was a
fear lest Good's almanack might be incorrect. If we made a false
prophecy on such a subject, our prestige would be gone for ever, and
so would Ignosi's chance of the throne of the Kukuanas.
"Suppose that the almanack is wrong," suggested Sir Henry to Good, who
was busily employed in working out something on a blank page of the
book.
"I see no reason to suppose anything of the sort," was his answer.
"Eclipses always come up to time; at least that is my experience of
them, and it especially states that this one will be visible in South
Africa. I have worked out the reckonings as well as I can, without
knowing our exact position; and I make out that the eclipse should
begin here about ten o'clock tomorrow night, and last till half-past
twelve. For an hour and a half or so there should be almost total
darkness."
"Well," said Sir Henry, "I suppose we had better risk it."
I acquiesced, though doubtfully, for eclipses are queer cattle to deal
with--it might be a cloudy night, for instance, or our dates might be
wrong--and sent Umbopa to summon the chiefs back. Presently they came,
and I addressed them thus--
"Great men of the Kukuanas, and thou, Infadoos, listen. We love not to
show our powers, for to do so is to interfere with the course of
nature, and to plunge the world into fear and confusion. But since
this matter is a great one, and as we are angered against the king
because of the slaughter we have seen, and because of the act of the
/Isanusi/ Gagool, who would have put our friend Ignosi to death, we
have determined to break a rule, and to give such a sign as all men
may see. Come hither"; and I led them to the door of the hut and
pointed to the red ball of the moon. "What see ye there?"
"We see the sinking moon," answered the spokesman of the party.
"It is so. Now tell me, can any mortal man put out that moon before
her hour of setting, and bring the curtain of black night down upon
the land?"
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