Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 3).djvu/42

 rocky hollow, the swirl of waters dashed up a small pebble, which spun into it. I stooped to see what it was, and picked up this herald of the dawn; for, as I again raised myself and looked towards the east, over the forest- clothed island of Wana Rukuru broke the first signs of the welcome day.

"No, we were not attacked. As soon as I was sure that the dawn was breaking I kicked up the men and let down the canvas curtains of the launch, to hide her warlike appearance. If a nigger sleeps soundly at night, he rises with the dawn, and, as soon as I had seen them all (except the sentries) squatted round fires cooking their breakfast, I lay down and slept till the chief sent for me. Tippoo sent a message over early in the morning, and matters were arranged somehow. I have no doubt that, had a row occurred, the Arabs would have attacked Yambuya camp next. I was devoutly thankful things passed off as they did. Could I have done anything to save the white men at the Aruwimi camp? Well, not much. It is certain as fate the chief would have been cut to pieces before he could have fought his way to the steamer, he had about three-quarters of a mile to go, and his white face would have been a mark for every Arab gun. Some of the Houssas might have escaped, being black and dressed like the Arabs. The lower Aruwimi was then still free from Tippoo's raiders, and, had I succeeded in reaching its mouth with men enough to work the launch, I should certainly have tried to reach the camp by night. But there were about 800 loads in that camp. I could only carry some 200 in the launch, and Barttelot was the sort of man who would have let himself be cut up bit by bit like a tarantula, before he would have deserted his post.

"That is the history of that pebble. I have often wondered since what Stanley's feelings would have been, had he known in the midst of the dark forest that a disaster to his rear column, worse even than the fate that overtook it, hung for sixteen hours in the balance, between an Arab's ambition and a Belgian subaltern's pride."