Maiwa's Revenge by H. Rider (Henry Rider) Haggard
page 60 of 109 (55%)
page 60 of 109 (55%)
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"'Very good; now all you have to do is to walk a little quicker than he does. No, no, you don't leave those elephant tusks behind--I am not going to part with them I can tell you.' "Gobo said no more, but hastily directed the men to take up their loads, and then asked which way we were to run. "'Ah,' I said to Maiwa, 'which way?' "'There,' she answered, pointing towards the great mountain spur which towered up into the sky some forty miles away, separating the territories of Nala and Wambe--'there, below that small peak, is one place where men may pass, and one only. Also it can easily be blocked from above. If men pass not there, then they must go round the great peak of the mountain, two days' journey and half a day.' "'And how far is the peak from us?' "'All to-night shall you walk and all to-morrow, and if you walk fast, at sunset you shall stand on the peak.' "I whistled, for that meant a five-and-forty miles trudge without sleep. Then I called to the men to take each of them as much cooked elephant's meat as he could carry conveniently. I did the same myself, and forced the woman Maiwa to eat some as we went. This I did with difficulty, for at that time she seemed neither to sleep nor eat nor rest, so fiercely was she set on vengeance. "Then we started, Maiwa guiding us. After going for a half-hour over |
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