turning　half　round　they　one　and　all　grasped　the
  handles　of　their　spears　with　the　right　hand；　and　then
  simultaneously　let　them　go。
  〃Is　it　an　ox？〃　said　the　man　again。
  〃It　is　an　ox　without　horns；　and　more　than　an　ox；　and
  we　shall　slay　it；〃　was　the　answer；　and　again　the
  spears　were　grasped；　and　again　let　go。
  Then　came　a　pause；　and　I　noticed；　with　horror　and　a
  rising　of　the　hair；　that　the　woman　next　to　Mahomed
  began　to　fondle　him；　patting　his　cheeks；　and　calling
  him　by　names　of　endearment；　while　her　fierce　eyes
  played　up　and　down　his　trembling　form。　I　do　not　know
  why　the　sight　frightened　me　so；　but　it　did　frighten　us
  all　dreadfully；　especially　Leo。　The　caressing　was　so
  snakelike；　and　so　evidently　a　part　of　some　ghastly
  formula　that　had　to　be　gone　through。　I　saw　Mahomed
  turn　white　under　his　brown　skin；　sickly　white　with
  fear。
  〃Is　the　meat　ready　to　be　cooked？〃　asked　the　voice；
  more　rapidly。
  〃It　is　ready；　it　is　ready。〃
  〃Is　the　pot　hot　to　cook　it？〃　it　continued；　in　a　sort
  of　scream　that　echoed　painfully　down　the　great
  recesses　of　the　cave。
  〃It　is　hot；　it　is　hot。〃
  〃Great　heavens！〃　roared　Leo；　〃remember　the　writing；
  'The　people　who　place　pots　upon　the　heads　of
  strangers。'〃
  As　he　said　the　words；　before　we　could　stir；　or　even
  take　the　matter　in；　two　great　ruffians　jumped　up；　and；
  seizing　the　long　pincers；　plunged　them　into　the　heart
  of　the　fire；　and　the　woman　who　had　been　caressing
  Mahomed　suddenly　produced　a　fibre　noose　from　under　her
  girdle　or　moocha；　and；　slipping　it　over　his　shoulders；
  ran　it　tight；　while　the　men　next　him　seized　him　by　the
  legs。　The　two　men　with　the　pincers　gave　a　heave；　and；
  scattering　the　fire　this　way　and　that　upon　the　rocky
  floor；　lifted　from　it　a　large　earthenware　pot；　heated
  to　a　white　heat。　In　an　instant；　almost　with　a　single
  movement；　they　had　reached　the　spot　where　Mahomed　was
  struggling。　He　fought　like　a　fiend；　shrieking　in　the
  abandonment　of　his　despair；　and；　notwithstanding　the
  noose　round　him；　and　the　efforts　of　the　men　who　held
  his　legs；　the　advancing　wretches　were　for　the　moment
  unable　to　accomplish　their　purpose；　which；　horrible
  and　incredible　as　it　seems；　was　to　put　the　red…hot　pot
  upon　his　head。
  I　sprang　to　my　feet　with　a　yell　of　horror；　and　drawing
  my　revolver　fired　it　by　a　sort　of　instinct　straight　at
  the　diabolical　woman　who　had　been　caressing　Mahomed；
  and　was　now　gripping　him　in　her　arms。　The　bullet
  struck　her　in　the　back　and　killed　her；　and　to　this　day
  I　am　glad　that　it　did；　for；　as　it　afterwards
  transpired；　she　had　availed　herself　of　the
  anthropophagous　customs　of　the　Amahagger　to　organize
  the　whole　thing　in　revenge　of　the　slight　put　upon　her
  by　Job。　She　sank　down　dead；　and　as　she　did　so；　to　my
  terror　and　dismay；　Mahomed；　by　a　superhuman　effort；
  burst　from　his　tormentors；　and；　springing　high　into
  the　air；　fell　dying　upon　her　corpse。　The　heavy　bullet
  from　my　pistol　had　driven　through　the　bodies　of　both；
  at　once　striking　down　the　murderess；　and　saving　her
  victim　from　a　death　a　hundred　times　more　horrible。　It
  was　an　awful　and　yet　a　most　merciful　accident。
  For　a　moment　there　was　a　silence　of　astonishment。　The
  Amahagger　had　never　heard　the　report　of　a　firearm
  before；　and　its　effects　dismayed　them。　But　the　next　a
  man　close　to　us　recovered　himself；　and　seized　his
  spear　preparatory　to　making　a　lunge　with　it　at　Leo；
  who　was　the　nearest　to　him。
  〃Run　for　it！〃　I　shouted；　setting　the　example　by
  starting　up　the　cave　as　hard　as　my　legs　would　carry
  me。　I　would　have　made　for　the　open　air　if　it　had　been
  possible；　but　there　were　men　in　the　way；　and；　besides；
  I　had　caught　sight　of　the　forms　of　a　crowd　of　people
  standing　out　clear　against　the　skyline　beyond　the
  entrance　to　the　cave。　Up　the　cave　I　went；　and　after　me
  came　the　others；　and　after　them　thundered　the　whole
  crowd　of　cannibals；　mad　with　fury　at　the　death　of　the
  woman。　With　a　bound　I　cleared　the　prostrate　form　of
  Mahomed。　As　I　flew　over　him　I　felt　the　heat　from　the
  red…hot　pot；　which　was　lying　close　by；　strike　upon　my
  legs；　and　by　its　glow　saw　his　handsfor　he　was　not
  quite　deadstill　feebly　moving。　At　the　top　of　the
  cave　was　a　little　platform　of　rock　three　feet　or　so
  high　by　about　eight　deep；　on　which　two　large　lamps
  were　placed　at　night。　Whether　this　platform　had　been
  left　as　a　seat；　or　as　a　raised　point　afterwards　to　be
  cut　away　when　it　had　served　its　purpose　as　a　standing…
  place　from　which　to　carry　on　the　excavations；　I　do　not
  knowat　least；　I　did　not　then。　At　any　rate；　we　all
  three　reached　it；　and；　jumping　on　it；　prepared　to　sell
  our　lives　as　dearly　as　we　could。　For　a　few　seconds　the
  crowd　that　was　pressing　on　our　heels　hung　back　when
  they　saw　us　face　round　upon　them。　Job　was　on　one　side
  of　the　rock　to　the　left；　Leo　in　the　centre；　and　I　to
  the　right。　Behind　us　were　the　lamps。　Leo　bent　forward
  and　looked　down　the　long　lane　of　shadows；　terminated
  in　the　fire　and　lighted　lamps；　through　which　the　quiet
  forms　of　our　would…be　murderers　flitted　to　and　fro
  with　the　faint　light　glinting　on　their　spears；　for
  even　their　fury　was　silent　as　a　bulldog's。　The　only
  other　thing　visible　was　the　red…hot　pot　still　glowing
  angrily　in　the　gloom。　There　was　a　curious　light　in
  Leo's　eyes；　and　his　handsome　face　was　set　like　a
  stone。　In　his　right　hand　was　his　heavy　hunting…knife。
  He　shifted　its　thong　a　little　up　his　wrist；　and　then
  put　his　arm　round　me　and　gave　me　a　good　hug。
  〃Good…bye；　old　fellow；〃　he　said；　〃my　dear　friendmy
  more　than　father。　We　have　no　chance　against　those
  scoundrels；　they　will　finish　us　in　a　few　minutes；　and
  eat　us　afterwards；　I　suppose。　Good…bye。　I　led　you　into
  this。　I　hope　you　will　forgive　me。　Good…bye；　Job。〃
  〃God's　will　be　done；〃　I　said；　setting　my　teeth；　as　I
  prepared　for　the　end。　At　that　moment；　with　an
  exclamation；　Job　lifted　his　revolver　and　fired；　and
  hit　a　mannot　the　man　he　had　aimed　at；　by　the　way；
  anything　that　Job　shot　at　was　perfectly　safe。
  On　they　came　with　a　rush；　and　I　fired　too　as　fast　as　I
  could；　and　checked　thembetween　us；　Job　and　I；
  besides　the　woman；　killed　or　mortally　wounded　five　men
  with　our　pistols　before　they　were　emptied。　But　we　had
  no　time　to　reload；　and　they　still　came　on　in　a　way
  that　was　almost　splendid　in　its　recklessness；　seeing
  that　they　did　not　know　but　that　we　could　go　on　firing
  forever。
  A　great　fellow　bounded　up　upon　the　platform；　and　Leo
  struck　him　dead　with　one　blow　of　his　powerful　arm；
  sending　the　knife　right　through　him。　I　did　the　same　by
  another；　but　Job　missed　his　stroke；　and　I　saw　a　brawny
  Amahagger　grip　him　by　the　middle　and　whirl　him　off　the
  rock。　The　knife；　not　being　secured　by　a　thong；　fell
  from　Job's　hand　as　he　did　so；　and；　by　a　most　happy
  accident　for　him　lit　upon　its　handle　on　the　rock；　just
  as　the　body　of　the　Amahagger；　being　undermost；　hit
  upon　its　point　and　was　transfixed　upon　it。　What
  happened　to　Job　after　that　I　am　sure　I　do　not　know；
  but　my　own　impression　is　that　he　lay　still　upon　the
  corpse　of　his　deceased　assailant；　〃playing　possum；〃　as
  the　Americans　say。　As　for　myself；　I　was　soon　involved
  in　a　desperate　encounter　with　two　ruffians　who；
  luckily　for　me；　had　left　their　spears　behind　them；　and
  for　the　first　time　in　my　life　the　great　physical　power
  with　which　nature　has　endowed　me　stood　me　in　good
  stead。　I　had　hacked　at　the　head　of　one　man　with　my
  hunting…knife；　which　was　almost　as　big　and　heavy　as　a
  short　sword；　with　such　vigor　that　the　sharp　steel　had
  split　his　skull　down　to　the　eyes；　and　was　held　so　fast
  by　it　that　as　he　suddenly　fell　sideways　the　knife　was
  twisted　right　out　of　my　hand。
  Then　it　was　that　the　two　others　sprang　upon　me。　I　saw
  them　coming；　and　got　an　arm　round　the　waist　of　each；
  and　down　we　all　fell　upon　the　floor　of　the　cave
  together；　rolling　over　and　over。　They　were　strong　men；
  but　I　was　mad　with　rage；　and　that　awful　lust　for
  slaughter　which　will　creep　into　the　hearts　of　the　most
  civilized　of　us　when　blows　are　flying；　and　life　and
  death　tremble　on　the　turn。　My　arms　were　round　the　two
  swarthy　demons；　and　I　hugged　them　till　I　heard　their
  ribs　crack　and　crunch　up　beneath　my　grip。　They　twisted
  and　writhed　like　snakes；　and　clawed　and　battered　at　me
  with　their　fists；　but　I　held　on。　Lying　on　my　back
  there；　so　that　their　bodies　might　protect　me　from
  spear　thrusts　from　above；　I　slowly　crushed　the　life
  out　of　them；　and　as　I　did　so；　strange　as　it　may　seem；
  I　thought　of　what　the　amiable　head　of　my　college　at
  Cambridge　（who　is　a　member　of　the　Peace　Society）　and
  my　brother　fellows　would　say　if　by　clairvoyance　they
  could　see　me；　of　all　men；　playing　such　a　bloody　game。
  Soon　my　assailants　grew　faint；　and　almost　ceased　to
  struggle；　their　breath　had　failed　them；　and　they　were
  dying；　but　still　I　dared　not　leave　them；　for　they　died
  very　slowly。　I　knew　that　if　I　relaxed　my　grip　they
  would　revive。　The　other　ruffians　probably　thoughtfor
  we　were　all　three　lying　in　the　shadow　of　the　ledge
  that　we　were　all　dead　together；　at　any　rate　they　did
  not　interfere　with　our　little　tragedy。
  I　turned　my　head；　and　as　I　lay　gasping　in　the　throes
  of　that　awful　struggle　I　could　s