cannibals.

To add to the fiendishness of their cruel savagery was the poignant
memory of still crueler barbarities practiced upon them and theirs by
the white officers of that arch hypocrite, Leopold II of Belgium,
because of whose atrocities they had fled the Congo Free State--a
pitiful remnant of what once had been a mighty tribe.

They fell upon D'Arnot tooth and nail, beating him with sticks and
stones and tearing at him with claw-like hands. Every vestige of
clothing was torn from him, and the merciless blows fell upon his bare
and quivering flesh. But not once did the Frenchman cry out in pain.
He breathed a silent prayer that he be quickly delivered from his
torture.

But the death he prayed for was not to be so easily had. Soon the
warriors beat the women away from their prisoner. He was to be saved
for nobler sport than this, and the first wave of their passion having
subsided they contented themselves with crying out taunts and insults
and spitting upon him.

Presently they reached the center of the village. There D'Arnot was
bound securely to the great post from which no live man had ever been
released.

A number of the women scattered to their several huts to fetch pots and
water, while others built a row of fires on which portions of the feast
were to be boiled while the balance would be slowly dried in strips for
future use, as they expected the other warriors to return with many
prisoners. The festivities were delayed awaiting the return of the
warriors who had remained to engage in the skirmish with the white men,
so that it was quite late when all were in the village, and the dance
of death commenced to circle around the doomed officer.

Half fainting from pain and exhaustion, D'Arnot watched from beneath
half-closed lids what seemed but the vagary of delirium, or some horrid
nightmare from which he must soon awake.

The bestial faces, daubed with color--the huge mouths and flabby
hanging lips--the yellow teeth, sharp filed--the rolling, demon
eyes--the shining naked bodies--the cruel spears. Surely no such
creatures really existed upon earth--he must indeed be dreaming.

The savage, whirling bodies circled nearer. Now a spear sprang forth
and touched his arm. The sharp pain and the feel of hot, trickling
blood assured him of the awful reality of his hopeless position.

Another spear and then another touched him. He closed his eyes and
held his teeth firm set--he would not cry out.