report thundered forth, making the valley echo and startling the birds in
thousands from their roosting-places.

"We are attacked!" the natives cried. "It is a gun!"

It was a gun undoubtedly. Again it belched forth, its fire causing the
earth to tremble, sending some small shots unpleasantly close, and
striking terror into the hearts of our companions, who started to fly for
safety, expecting each moment that a shower of lead would sweep upon
them.

"Stay, cowards!" Omar cried. "Yonder gun fires not with anger, but with
joy. It is my welcome home; its fire is but powder play!"

Then a loud, joyous laugh arose, and the black faces broadened into great
grins, displaying red lips and white teeth.

"Truly the land of the great Naya is a land of wonders!" cried Kona, in
astonishment. "Here they welcome the queen's son by shooting at him.
Surely those shots a moment ago were more than powder play!"

"A mistake no doubt," Omar answered laughing. "Already it is known in Mo
that we are here in the Grave of Enemies, and the guns are being fired as
welcome, while steps are being taken to convey us into yonder land."

"How shall we be conveyed thither?" the headman asked, looking up puzzled
at the bare face of the rock, the summit of which was now obscured by a
bank of cloud.

"Wait until sun-rise. Then you will see," answered my friend
mysteriously, and as he spoke the blood-red flash showed again and the
great gun thundered forth its salute.

While the dawn was spreading we ate our morning meal with eyes fixed upon
the great high crag whence the gun belched forth with monotonous
regularity; then Omar and I strolled away together further up the valley
to occupy our time until the sun-rise. Here I saw for the first time that
natural curiosity, the honey-bird. Omar pointed it out to me. It was a
little grey common-looking bird about the size of a thrush. It first
forced itself upon our notice by flying across our path, uttering a
shrill, unlovely cry. It then sat on a neighbouring tree still calling
and waiting for us to follow. By short rapid flights the bird led us on
and on till we noticed that it stopped its onward course and was hanging
about among a certain half-dozen trees. These we visited one after
another and carefully examined them, our search being rewarded by finding
a nest of bees in each of them. It is a matter of honour with the
natives to set aside a good portion of the honey for the bird. Although
this