When confidence had at length been restored, Otter questioned them
closely as to the country that lay beyond the wall of rock and the
people who dwelt in it, through one of the Settlement men, who spoke a
language sufficiently like their own to make himself understood. They
replied that they had never been in that country themselves, because
they dared not go there, but they had heard of it from others.

The land was very cold and foggy, they said, so foggy that sometimes
people could not see each other for whole days, and in it dwelt a race
of great men covered with hair, who sacrificed strangers to a snake
which they worshipped, and married all their fairest maidens to a god.
That was all they knew of the country and of the great men, for few who
visited there ever returned to tell tidings. It was certainly a haunted
land.

Finding that there was no more to be learnt from the bushmen, Leonard
suffered them to depart, which they did at considerable speed, and
ordered the Settlement men to make ready to march. But now a fresh
difficulty arose. The interpreter had repeated all the bushmen's story
to his companions, among whom, it is needless to say, it produced no
small effect. Therefore when the bearers received their orders, instead
of striking the little tent in which Juanna slept, and preparing their
loads as usual, after a brief consultation they advanced upon Leonard in
a body.

"What is it, Peter?" he asked of the headman.

"This, Deliverer: we have travelled with you and the Shepherdess for
three full moons, enduring much hardship and passing many dangers.