thing and another my head is swimminglike Little Bonsa in the
water。〃
〃Big Bonsa swim in water；〃 interrupted Jeekie。 〃Little Bonsa swim in
gold tub。〃
〃Well； Big Bonsa； or Little Bonsa； I don't care which。 I'm going to
bed and you had better clear away these things and do the same。 But；
Jeekie； if you say a word of our talk to anyone； I shall be very
angry。 Do you understand？〃
〃Yes； Major； I understand。 I understand that if I tell secrets of
Little Bonsa to anyone except you with whom she live in strange land
far away from home； Little Bonsa come at me like one lion； and cut my
throat。 No fear Jeekie split on Little Bonsa； oh！ no fear at all；〃 and
still shaking his head solemnly； for the second time he seized the
cold mutton and vanished from the room。
〃A farrago of superstitious nonsense；〃 thought Alan to himself when he
had gone。 〃But still there may be something to be made out of it。
Evidently there is lots of gold in this Asiki country； if only one can
persuade the people to deal。〃
Then weary of Jeekie and his tribal gods； Alan lit his pipe and sat a
while thinking of Barbara and all the events of that tumultuous day。
Notwithstanding his rebuff at the hands of Mr。 Haswell and the
difficulties and dangers which threatened； he felt even then that it
had been a happy and a fortunate day。 For had he not discovered that
Barbara loved him with all her heart and soul as he loved Barbara？ And
as this was so； he did not care aLittle Bonsa about anything else。
The future must look to itself； sufficient to the day was the abiding
joy thereof。
So he went to bed and for a while to sleep； but he did not sleep very
long； for presently he fell to dreaming； something about Big Bonsa and
Little Bonsa which sat； or rather floated on either side of his couch
and held an interminable conversation over him； while Jeekie and Sir
Robert Aylward； perched respectively at its head and its foot； like
the symbols of the good and evil genii on a Mahommedan tomb； acted as
a kind of insane chorus。 He struck his repeater； it was only one
o'clock； so he tried to go to sleep again； but failed utterly。 Never
had he been more painfully awake。
For an hour or more Alan persevered； then at last in despair he jumped
out of bed wondering what he could do to occupy his mind。 Suddenly he
remembered the diary of his uncle； the Rev。 Mr。 Austin； which he had
inherited with the Yellow God and a few other possessions； but never
examined。 They had been put away in a box in the library about fifteen
years before； just at the time he entered the army； and there
doubtless they remained。 Well； as he could not sleep； why should he
not examine them now； and thus get through some of this weary night？
He lit a candle and went down to the library； an ancient and beautiful
apartment with black oak panelling between the bookcases； set there in
the time of Elizabeth。 In this panelling there were cupboards； and in
one of the cupboards was the box he sought； made of teak wood。 On its
lid was painted； 〃The Reverend Henry Austin。 Passenger to Acra；〃
showing that it had once been his uncle's cabin box。 The key hung from
the handle； and having lit more candles； Alan drew it out and unlocked
it； to be greeted by a smell of musty documents done up in great
bundles。 One by one he placed them on the floor。 It was a dreary
occupation alone there in that great； silent room at the dead of
night； one indeed with which he was soon satisfied； for somehow it
reminded him of rifling coffins in a vault。 Before him so carefully
put away lay the records of a good if not a distinguished life； and
until this moment he had never found the energy even to look through
them。
At length he came to the end of the bundles and saw that beneath lay a
number of manuscript books packed closely with their backs upwards；
marked〃Journal〃and with the year and sometimes the place of the
author's residence。 As he glanced at them in dismay； for they were
many； his eye caught the title of one inscribedas were several
others〃West Africa；〃 and written in brackets beneath〃This vol。
contains all that is left of the notes of my escape with Jeekie from
the Asiki Devil…worshippers。〃
Alan drew it out； and having refilled and closed the box； bore it off
to his room； where he proceeded to read it in bed。 As a matter of fact
he found that there was not very much to read； for the reason that
most of the closely…written volume had been so damaged by water； that
the pencilled writing had run and become utterly illegible。 The centre
pages； however； not having been soaked； could still be deciphered； at
any rate in part； also there was a large manuscript map； executed in
ink； apparently at a later date； on the back of which was written： 〃I
purpose； D。V。； to re…write at some convenient time all the history of
my visit to the unknown Asiki people； as my original notes were
practically destroyed when the canoe overset in the rapids and most of
our few possessions were lost； except this book and the gold fetish
mask which is called Little Bonsa or Small Swimming Head。 This I think
I can do with the aid of Jeekie from memory； but as the matter has
only a personal and no religious interest； seeing that I was not able
even to preach the Word among those benighted and blood…thirsty
savages in whose country； as I verily believe； the Devil has one of
his principal habitations； it must stand over till a convenient
season； such as the time of old age or sickness。 H。A。〃
〃P。S。 I ought to add with gratitude that even out of this hell fire I
was enabled to snatch one brand from the burning； namely； the negro
lad； Jeekie； to whose extraordinary resource and faithfulness I owe my
escape。 After a long hesitation I have been able to baptize him；
although I fear that the taint of heathenism still clings to him。 Thus
not six months ago I caught him sacrificing a white cock to the image；
Little Bonsa； in gratitude； as to my horror he explained； for my
having been appointed an Honorary Canon of the Cathedral。 I have told
him to take that ugly mask which has been so often soaked in human
blood； and melt it down over the kitchen stove； after picking out the
gems in the eyes； that the proceeds may be given to the poor。 /Note。/
I had better see to this myself； as where Little Bonsa is concerned；
Jeekie is not to be trusted。 He says （with some excuse） that it has
magic； and that if he melts it down； he will melt down too； and so
shall I。 How dark and ridiculous are the superstitions of the heathen！
Perhaps； however； instead of destroying the thing； which is certainly
unique； I might sell it to a museum； and thus spare the feelings of
that weak vessel； Jeekie； who otherwise would very likely take it into
his head to waste away and die； as these Africans do when their nerves
are affected by terror of their fetish。〃
CHAPTER VII
THE DIARY
Reflecting that time evidently had made little change in Jeekie； Alan
studied this route map with care； and found that it started from Old
Calabar； in the Bight of Biafra； on the west coast of Africa； whence
it ran up to the Great Qua River； which it followed for a long way。
Then it struck across country marked 〃dense forest；〃 northwards； and
came to a river called Katsena； along the banks of which the route
went eastwards。 Thence it turned northward again through swamps； and
ended in mountains called Shaku。 In the middle of these mountains was
written 〃Asiki People live here on Raaba River。〃
The map was roughly drawn to scale； and Alan； who was an engineer
accustomed to such things； easily calculated that the distance of this
Raaba River from Old Calabar was about 350 miles as the crow flies；
though probably the actual route to be travelled was nearer five
hundred miles。
Having mastered the map； he opened the water…soaked diary。 Turning
page after page； only here and there could he make out a sentence；
such as 〃so I defied that beautiful but terrific woman。 I； a Christian
minister； the husband of a heathen priestess！ Perish the thought。
Sooner would I be sacrificed to Bonsa。〃
Then came more illegible pages and again a paragraph that could be
read〃They gave me 'The Bean' in a gold cup； and knowing its deadly
nature I prepared myself for death。 But happily for me my stomach；
always delicate； rejected it at once； though I felt queer for days
afterwards。 Whereon they clapped their hands and said I was evidently
innocent and a great medicine man。〃
And again； further on〃never did I see so much gold whether in dust；
nuggets； or worked articles。 I imagine it must be worth millions； but
at that time gold was the last thing with which I wished to trouble
myself。〃
After this entry many pages were utterly effaced。
The last legible passage ran as follows〃So guided by the lad Jeekie；
and wearing the gold mask； Little Bonsa； on my head； I ran through
them all； holding him by the hand as though I were dragging him away。
A strange spectacle I must have been with my old black clergyman's
coat buttoned about me； my naked legs and the gold mask； as pretending
to be a devil such as they worship； I rushed through them in the
moonlight； blowing the whistle in the mask and bellowing like a bull。
。 。 。 Such was the beginning of my dreadful six months' journey to the
coast。 Setting aside the mercy of Providence that preserved me for its
own purposes； I could never have lived to reach it had it not been for
Little Bonsa； since curiously enough I found this fetish known and
dreaded for hundreds of miles； and that by people who had never seen
it； yes； even by the wild cannibals。 Whenever it was produced food；
bearers； canoes； or whatever else I might want were forthcoming as
though by magic。 Great is the fame of Big and Little Bonsa in all that
part of West Africa； although； strange as it may seem； the outlying
tribes seldom mention them by name。 If they must speak of either of
these images which are supposed to be man and wife； they call it the
'Yellow…God…who…lives…yonder。'〃
Not another word of all this strange history could Alan decipher； so
with aching eyes he shut up the stained and tattered volume； and at
last； just as the day was breaking； fell asleep。
At eleven o'clock on