Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 1.djvu/286

 and "pembe." Joe felt himself constrained to taste this species of strong beer, but his palate, though not unaccustomed to gin or whisky, could not stand that. He made a fearful grimace, which the audience took for an amiable smile.

Then the young girls, setting up a slow sort of chanting, executed a solemn dance round him.

"Ah! you dance, do you? Very well, I will not be behind-hand with you, and will show you a dance of my country."

He then began a most extraordinary kind of a jig, turning over, throwing himself about in all directions, dancing on his feet, on his knees, on his hands, and twisting himself in the most extraordinary contortions and incredible positions, accompanied by the most horrible grimaces, thus giving the people a strange notion of the manner in which the gods dance in the moon.

Now all Africans are as imitative as apes, and very quickly did his audience reproduce his behavior, gambols, and contortions; they did not lose a gesture, they did not forget an attitude; the result being a hubbub and commotion of which it is difficult to give the least idea. In the midst of all this festivity Joe perceived the doctor.

He was approaching hastily in the center of a yelling and disordered crowd. The sorcerers and priests appeared to be the most excited. They surrounded and pressed upon the doctor with threatening gestures. What a strange alteration. What had happened? Had the sultan unfortunately died under the celestial doctor's hands?

Kennedy, from his position, perceived the danger without comprehending the cause. The balloon, pulling strongly, was stretching the rope that held it as if impatient to rise into the air.

The doctor came to the foot of the ladder. A superstitious fear still kept back the crowd, and prevented their using violence; he rapidly ascended and Joe followed.

"There is not an instant to lose," said his master. "Never mind detaching the grapnel. We must cut the cord. Follow me."

"What is it?" said Joe, ascending.

"What has happened?" cried Kennedy, carbine in hand.