CHAPTER XXX

TO WHAT END?

THE tunnel was of large dimensions, averaging twenty-five feet in height, and--when once clear of the gulley--fifteen feet in width, the floor was remarkably even, with a stiff gradient. In remote ages the tunnel had evidently been the outlet for an enormous quantity of water--possibly a mountain lake--but the supply had long since diminished and had found a new outlet.

Just within the entrance to the tunnel a guard of warriors was drawn up in a recess, in one corner of which a fire was burning.

As the returning Makoh'lengas passed, every tenth man was given a lighted torch, in order to illuminate the otherwise dark approach, and soon the tunnel was brilliantly lit up, while the flambeaux gave off very little smoke and emitted pleasant odours.

The bearers of the two litters were evidently anxious not to cause their passengers any further inconvenience, for the two men in front held the poles in their hands with the arms drooping to the full extent. The men behind raised their ends of the poles upon their shoulders, so that the litters were kept in practically a horizontal position.

During the passage of the tunnel the same silence on the part of the warriors was observed, the only sounds being the pattering of hundreds of bare feet upon the smooth rock and the hiss of the flaring torches.

The subterranean march occupied about five minutes, then into the blazing sunlight the long procession emerged.

Colin was frankly interested. He felt that as the threatened danger had passed away, thanks to the amulet, there was little possibility of its recurrence, especially as the lads' captors were now treating them with consideration. True, Sinclair no longer had the swastika in his possession, but whether that would influence further proceedings remained a matter for speculation.

It was a strange sight that greeted Colin's gaze as the litter came to a standstill on the Makoh'lenga terrace. Although this was by no means the summit of the mountain it was several miles in length and about one and a half in breadth.

On the side nearer the mountain were hundreds of stone and plaster-built houses with thatched roofs. Each house had large glazeless windows shaded by wide porches, while every door was open.

Subsequently Sinclair discovered that the doorways were open for the simple reason that there were no outside doors. It was a custom of the Makoh'lenga to keep "open house," the natives being so scrupulously honest that there was no necessity for anyone to bolt and bar his household goods and chattels.

Each house was surrounded by a small, highly-cultivated garden, while outside the village were common fields, both under cultivation and for grazing purposes, the grass being particularly rich and capable of supporting large herds of domestic cattle and flocks of sheep and goats, the latter bearing a strong resemblance to the Angoras.

At some distance from the houses were buildings given over to the manufacture of metal, woodwork, pottery, and cotton and worsted goods, the Makoh'lenga being skilled artisans. There were several ingenious machines used in connection with the various industries, many of these being driven by water-power.

Gold, copper, and iron were worked into manufactured goods to a large extent, but the Makoh'lenga seemed ignorant of how to produce steel or even cast-iron.

Colin soon discovered that the warriors who had escorted Tiny and himself were only a small portion of the Makoh'lenga fighting men. News of the expected arrival of the two white men had already been communicated by means of the peculiar sound-producing instrument, and every man capable of bearing arms had turned out to greet the returning members of the expedition and their captives.

The chums had the unusual experience of being carried slowly along the front of the quadruple line of warriors, yet they were treated with absolute respect, and neither by word or gesture did the Makoh'lenga do anything to offend their involuntary guests.

The inspection over, Colin and Tiny were carried to the raised mound where the Chief had taken his stand. A gong sounded a single, low-pitched note, and the Chief held up a mysterious amulet, uttering a few words which were, of course, unintelligible to the lads.

Instantly every warrior bent and laid his spear on the ground. Then every hand was raised aloft, and a full-throated chorus broke from hundreds of lips. It sounded like a paean in honour of the restoration of the sacred amulet to the Makoh'lenga.

Then, in the stillness that succeeded the roar of voices, the Chief made a sign with his golden staff. Instantly the ranks broke, and in a few minutes the place was practically deserted, every man hurrying to his own quarters, save for a few warriors in personal attendance upon the head of the remarkable and mysterious tribe.

To one of these attendants the Chief gave some instructions. The man, a magnificent specimen of humanity, although a good two inches shorter than his chief, saluted and signed to Colin and Tiny to accompany him.

Five minutes later the lads found themselves in one of the houses, where a meal of roast lamb, maize, bread, and several varieties of vegetables awaited them.

A native youth appeared with a large earthenware basin filled with water and a couple of rough cotton cloths. Without any preliminaries, this copper-coloured valet washed the chums' faces and hands, ignoring Tiny's attempt to perform his own ablutions.

Then the native youth looked puzzled. It was part of the ceremony to wash the feet of the guests, but the fact that Colin and Tiny wore laced boots and pig-skin leggings worried him as to how to proceed. Finally he seized hold of Sinclair's feet and placed them in the bowl of water and gravely washed and dried the leather foot-gear.

Desmond, seeing that his turn was coming next, took the precaution of removing his leggings and boots, but the result upset both his calculations and those of his valet. The latter, who had never before seen a human foot encased in hide, imagined that the white man was performing some act of magic. He started to his feet, upset the bowl, and with a look of amazement took to his heels and disappeared.

"That's done it," ejaculated Tiny.

"He certainly looked surprised," admitted Colin. "But I don't suppose there's any harm done. Let's start grub. It smells delicious, and I'm on the verge of starvation."

The chums set-to with avidity, for ten hours had elapsed since they had last eaten. The meal justified the appetising odour, the only drawback being that there were no knives and forks provided, and only two wooden utensils resembling small shovels. However, by the aid of their own knives Colin and Tiny made up for the deficiencies and thoroughly enjoyed the repast.

"Now," remarked Desmond, after the meal. "What's the programme?"

"Goodness knows," replied Colin. "If we could only let Colonel Narfield know we're all right I wouldn't mind a scrap. These fellows are an interesting sort; except for the preliminary canter, they've treated us jolly well; the food's good, our surroundings are clean, and the air's simply topping. I could do with a month of this."

"That's all very well," admitted Desmond, "You said we were all right; are we?"

"It certainly looks like it," said Colin. "And we are on the eve of a discovery. We've fallen in with a highly-civilised tribe. With the exception of our Mr. Van der Wyck," (Colin always termed his former cabin mate "our" Mr. Van der Wyck to distinguish him from the old farmer) "no one seems to have come in contact with them. I suppose I'm right in saying these fellows are the Makoh'lenga? What a story we'll have to tell when we get back to Kilembonga."

"If we do," interposed the pessimistic Tiny.

"Why if?" asked Sinclair. "They surely don't mean to keep us here for ever. And if they meant us harm they would have knocked us on the head and not troubled to swot up here with us."

"That's all very well," conceded Desmond. "Did you ever read about the Aztecs?"

"The original inhabitants of Mexico? Yes. Didn't Cortez conquer them with a mere handful of Spanish troops?"

"Yes; but that isn't my point," continued Tiny. "They went in for human sacrifices, and they made a point in certain cases of keeping their victims for a twelvemonth before they did them in. During that twelvemonth they fed them up in fine style, and gave them no end of a good time. I wonder if these Makoh'lenga fellows are trying on the same sort of stunt with us? We aren't out of the wood by a long chalk, old son."