ined.

We had given no quarter. All had been swallowed in that awful gulf of
ever-shifting sand. When we had thoroughly convinced ourselves of this we
threw ourselves down upon the narrow pathway, and slept heavily till
dawn.

When I awoke and gazed eagerly around, I saw that although a number of
our men were wounded, their limbs being hastily bandaged, yet few were
missing. Of our enemies, however, all had either fallen wounded, or had
been hurled from the secret path and overwhelmed by the sand.

A high wind constantly blew, and I noticed that this kept the grains of
sand always in motion, thus preventing the surface from solidifying.
Waves appeared every moment, ever changing and disappearing in a manner
amazing. At one moment a high ridge would be seen before us, appearing as
a formidable obstacle to our progress, yet a moment later it would be
swept away by an invisible force.

The rosy flush of dawn had been superseded by the saffron tints that are
precursory of the sun's appearance when we moved forward again on our
cautious march. Our companions, though far from fresh and many of them
seriously wounded, were all in highest spirits and full of their
brilliant victory. It had indeed been a gratifying achievement, and now,
feeling that at least their gods were favourable to their journey, they
pushed forward with eyes scanning the far-off horizon where lay the
mysterious realm.

During our march that day, Kona, the headman of the Dagombas, on account
of three men behind me having fallen in the fight, occupied a place
immediately at my rear, and thus I was enabled to hold conversation with
him.

"It was a near thing, that fight last night," he exclaimed in the
language that Omar had taught me. "But our arrows wrought surer execution
than the Arab bullets. The desert-dwellers are no match for the
forest-people."

"No," I answered. "Your men are indeed brave fellows, and are entitled to
substantial reward."

"I have no fear of that," he said. "The great Naya is always just. She
stretches forth her powerful hand to protect the weaker tribes, and
smites the raiders with sword and pestilence. What her son promises is
her promise. Her word is never broken."

"Have you ever seen her?" I inquired.

"Never. Our king once saw one of her messengers who brought the royal
staff and made palaver. To us, as to all other men outside her country,
she is known as the Great White Queen."

"Tell me what more you know of