ng the valleys by some of her "twins" now grown to strong children,
and died there--the conquering Queen of Calabar, who ruled in the
hearts of even the fiercest cannibals through the power of the Faith,
by which out of weakness she was made strong.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 57: The African uses the word "Ma" as mother, (_a_) to
name a woman after her eldest son, _e.g._ Mrs. Livingstone was called
Ma-Robert; and (_b_) as in this case, for a woman whom they respect.]

Book Four: HEROINES AND HEROES OF PLATEAU AND DESERT

CHAPTER XXIII

SONS OF THE DESERT

_Abdallah and Sabat_

(Time of Incidents, about 1800-1810)

_Two Arab Wanderers_

One day, more than a hundred years ago, two young Arabs, Abdallah and
Sabat, rode on their camels toward a city that was hidden among the
tawny hills standing upon the skyline.

The sun was beginning to drop toward the edge of the desert away in
the direction of the Red Sea. The shadows of the long swinging legs of
the camels wavered in grotesque lines on the sand. There was a look
of excited expectation in the eyes of the young Arabs; for, by sunset,
their feet would walk the city of their dreams.

They were bound for Mecca, the birthplace of Mohammed, the Holy City
toward which every man of the Mohammedan world turns five times a day
as he cries, "There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is the prophet
of Allah." To have worshipped in Mecca before the sacred Kaaba and
to have kissed the black stone in its wall--this was to make Paradise
certain for them both. Having done that pilgrimage these two Arabs,
Sabat and Abdallah, would be able to take the proud title of "Haji"
which would proclaim to every man that they had been to Mecca--the
Holy of Holies.

So they pressed on by the valley between the hills till they saw
before them the roofs and the minarets of Mecca itself. As darkness
rushed across the desert and the stars came out, the tired camels
knelt in the courtyard of the Khan,[58] and Sabat and Abdallah
alighted and stretched their cramped legs, and took their sleep.

These young men, Sabat and Abdallah, the sons of notable Arab chiefs,
had struck up a great friendship. Now, each in company with his chum,
they were together at the end of the greatest journey that an Arab can
take.

As the first faint flush of pink touched the mountain beyond Mecca,
the cry came from the minaret: "Come to prayer. Prayer is better than
sleep. There is no God but Allah."