s a great queen; therefore let not her
son Omar who hath returned from over the great sea, wrest from her hand
the regal sceptre. Already hath our queen perceived the haughtiness and
the vicious principles of her son, and maketh no doubt but that he will
soon aspire to her throne. This causeth the prudent Mistress of Mo to
resolve to banish him and take all power from him. Let him be ejected
from our country and the queen's word be obeyed, for no beam of mercy
lurketh in her eye. The Naya is determined."

"The great Naya shall be obeyed," they cried aloud. "Omar, the malicious
prince, curbed by the authority of his mother, shall be banished."

"Or his life shall, like those of his followers we hold here as
prisoners, pay the forfeit of presumption," added the high priest.

And as he uttered the words, those surrounding went to the door behind
the fire-altar, and opening it, led forth three of our Dagombas amid the
savage howls of the excited spectators.

"O, race of mortals," cried the priest, raising his hand the while, "O
race of mortals, to whose care and protection the offspring of clay are
committed, say what hath been the success of your labours; what vices
have you punished; what virtues rewarded; what false lights have you
extinguished; what sacrifices have you made to the god of Crocodiles?
Helpless race of mortals, Zomara is your god and the Naya your queen. But
for their protection how vain would be your toils, how endless your
researches! Arm ye then and rally round the one to whom you owe all,
whose power is such that this our country can never be assaulted by the
tricks of fortune, or the power of man. Omar and his black swarm of
intruders must be driven out or given as sacrifice to Zomara. Till this
be done the curse of the god ye fear shall rest upon our land, and his
presence shall nightly remind ye of your idleness. Will ye let the
defiant prince overthrow your queen?"

"He shall never do so," they shouted in a tumult of enthusiasm, which,
ere it died away, increased tenfold, when suddenly before us we saw a
female figure in a loose yellow robe move with stately mien towards the
smoking altar and kneel for an instant before it.

Then, rising, she turned towards the people with her long, bare, scraggy
arms uplifted in silence.

In the red flickering light we recognized the evil bony features. It was
the dreaded Naya herself!

"The vengeance of Zomara upon mine enemies," she cried in harsh, metal