One of the
bodies of the men who had been shot was lying on its side, with the face
toward the fire. Whitson examined the mouth, pushing back the upper
lip with a piece of stick. He found that the shape of the mouth and the
development of the teeth were the same as Ghamba's. The other bodies
were lying on their faces, so he did not trouble to examine them.

Whitson then told Langley to follow him, and the two walked down the
foot-path toward where they had left Ghamba. Him they found lying
motionless in the position in which he had been left about an hour
previously. They removed the sack and the gag and untied his feet, first
taking the precaution to fasten the belt by one end to his bound hands,
Whitson holding the other. They then signed to him to proceed toward the
cave, and this he silently did, without making any resistance. He looked
calmly at the three dead bodies, but said not a word. Langley held him,
while Whitson again tied his feet together with the belt, and then they
placed him with his back against a rock, facing the fire, which
was still blazing brightly. His lips were drawn back in a ghastly,
mirthless, grin, and the tusks were revealed from point to insertion.

Langley questioned Ghamba, but he would not speak. After several
attempts to force him to answer had been vainly made, Whitson said:

"Now tell him that if he speaks and tells the whole truth he will only
be shot, but if he does not speak he will be burned alive."

This was interpreted, but the threat had no apparent effect. So Whitson
seized Ghamba and dragged him to the fire, where he flung him down on
the very edge of the glowing embers.

"Now," said Whitson, holding him down with his foot, so that he got
severely scorched, "for the last time, will you speak?"

"Take me away from the fire, and I will speak," said Ghamba, in English.

So they lifted him, and set him again with his back to the rock.

"Now," said Whitson, "go ahead, and no nonsense!"

"If I tell the whole truth," said Ghamba, still speaking English, and
with a fair accent, "will you swear not to burn me, but to shoot me, so
that I shall die at once?"

"I will," said Whitson.

"You too must swear," said Ghamba, looking at Langley.

"Yes, I swear."

"Very well," said Ghamba, "I will tell you everything, but you must both
remember what you have sworn to."

"Yes, all right," said Whitson. Ghamba then looked at Langley, who
repeated the words.

"I will tell you," s