seemed our only chance. But first we must find those whom we
wished to surprise.

Ultimately, after a hurried consultation, it was agreed that Hans and
I should go forward and see if we could locate the Amahagger. Robertson
wished to come too, but I pointed out that he must remain to look after
his people, who, if he left them, might take the opportunity to melt
away in the darkness, especially as they knew that heavy fighting was
at hand. Also if anything happened to me it was desirable that one white
man should remain to lead the party. Umslopogaas, too, volunteered, but
knowing his character, I declined his help. To tell the truth, I was
almost certain that if we came upon the men-eaters, he would charge the
whole lot of them and accomplish a fine but futile end after hacking
down a number of cannibal barbarians, whose extinction or escape
remained absolutely immaterial to our purpose, namely, the rescue of
Inez.

So it came about that Hans and I started alone, I not at all enjoying
the job. I suppose that there lurks in my nature some of that primeval
terror of the dark, which must continually have haunted our remote
forefathers of a hundred or a thousand generations gone and still
lingers in the blood of most of us. At any rate even if I am named the
Watcher-by-Night, greatly do I prefer to fight or to face peril in the
sunlight, though it is true that I would rather avoid both at any time.

In fact, I wished heartily that the Amahagger were at the other side
of Africa, or in heaven, and that I, completely ignorant of the person
called Inez Robertson, were seated smoking the pipe of peace on my own
stoep in Durban. I think that Hans guessed my state of mind, since
he suggested that he should go alone, adding with his usual unveiled
rudeness, that he was quite certain that he would do much better without
me, since white men always made a noise.

"Yes," I replied, determined to give him a Roland for his Oliver, "I
have no doubt you would--under the first bush you came across, where you
would sleep till dawn, and then return and say that you could not find
the Amahagger."

Hans chuckled, quite appreciating the joke, and having thus mutually
affronted each other, we started on our quest.

CHAPTER IX

THE SWAMP

Neither Hans nor I carried rifles that we knew would be in the way on
our business, which was just to scout. Moreover, one is always tempted
to shoot if a gun is at hand, and this I did not want to