The Twelve African Novels (A Collection). Edgar Wallace

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      Men had gone out in the evening to fish. In the morning their waterlogged canoes had been found, but the men had disappeared, their bodies being either carried away by the swift stream, or, as popular legend had it, going to some secret larder of the crocodile in the river bed.

      It was on account of the latest disaster, which had involved the death of three men, that Sanders paid his visit.

      He swung the Zaire to shallow water and reached the N’Gombi foreshore.

      The headman who met him was grimed with smoke and very hot. He carried the flat hammer of his craft in his hand, and was full of grievances. And the least of these was the death of three good workmen by drowning.

      “Men who go on the water are fools,” he said, “for it is not natural that any should go there but fish and the dogs of Akasava.”

      “That is not good palaver,” said Sanders sharply. “Dogs are dogs and men are men; therefore, my man, speak gently in my presence of other tribes or you will be sorry.”

      “Lord Sandi,” said the man bitterly, “these Akasava would starve us and especially Likilivi the chief.”

      It was an old grievance between the two villages, the N’Gombi holding themselves as being chartered by Providence to supply all that was crafty and cunning in iron work.

      “For as you know, master,” the man went on, “iron is hard to come by in these parts.”

      Sanders remembered a certain anvil stolen at this very village, and nodded.

      “Also it is many years before young men learn the magic which makes iron bend. How it must be heated so, cooled so, tapped and fashioned and hammered.”

      “This I know,” said Sanders.

      “And if we do not receive so much salt and so many rods for each spear head,” the headman continued, “we starve, because…”

      It was the old story, as old as the world, the story of fair return for labour. The N’Gombi sold their spears at the finest margin of profit.

      “Once we grew fat with wealth,” said the headman, “because for every handful of salt we ate, when we worked two handfuls came for the spears we made. Now, lord, few spears go out from the N’Gombi and many from Likilivi, because he sells cheaper.”

      Sanders sighed wearily.

      “Such things happen in other lands,” he said, “and folks make palaver — just as you, M’Kema. Yet I know of no way out.”

      He inspected the town, received two oral petitions, one for the restoration to liberty of a man who had stolen government property (to wit the aforesaid anvil) and one for a dissolution of marriage, which he granted. He stayed at the town, holding a palaver in the cool of the evening, in the course of which he addressed the people on the necessity for learning to swim.

      “Twenty men have been drowned,” he said, “and yet none learn the lesson. I say that you either do not go upon the water at all, or else learn to walk-in-water as the Isisi and the Ochori and the Akasava walk.”

      After dinner, that night, being in a frame of mind agreeable to the subject, he sent again for the headman.

      “O chief,” he said, looking up from the book he was reading, “I have been thinking about this matter of spears. For it seems to me that Likilivi, for all his skill, cannot make so many spears that you are inconvenienced.”

      “Master, I speak the truth,” said the man emphatically.

      “Yet the people hereabout are hunters,” said Sanders, puzzled.

      “Lord,” said the headman with considerable emphasis, “if all the world wanted spears Likilivi would supply them.”

      That was an exaggeration, but Sanders passed it over. He dismissed the man and sat down in solitude to reason the matter out.

      Likilivi was an old man, and if he were of our faith we should say that he would be well employed if he were engaging himself in the preparation for another and a better world. Certainly he should not be considering means of reprisal against his young wife. She had put him to shame before his people. She had called down upon him a public reproof from Sandi, moreover, had caused Sandi to threaten an end to the Marsh Mystery and that was the worst offence of all.

      Likilivi calmly considered in what way be might bring about her death without Sandi knowing by whose instrumentality she perished. There were many ways suggested to his mind. He could easily bring about her disappearance… there would be no inquiries, but the matter might be readily explained.

      He came back from his workplace and found her in the hut he had set aside for her, for she was no longer a Wife of the House — degradation for most women, but happiness for little M’ciba. She looked up apprehensively as he stooped to enter the hut.

      “M’ciba, my wife,” he said with a twisted smile; “you sit here all day as I know, and I fear that you will have the sickness mongo, for it is not good for the young that they should shun the sunlight and the air.”

      She did not speak but looked at him, waiting.

      “It will be good,” he said, “if you go abroad, for though my heart is sore within me because of your ingratitude, yet I wish you well. You shall take my little canoe and find fish for me.”

      “If I find no fish you will beat me,” she said, having no illusions as to his generosity.

      “By my heart and my life,” he swore, “I will do none of these things; for I desire only your health, knowing that if you die of sickness Sandi will think evil things of me.”

      Thus it came about that M’ciba became a fisher girl. From her babyhood she had been accustomed to the river and its crafts. She made good catches and pleased her husband.

      “You shall find me a great fish,” he said to her one evening; “such as few fisherfolk find — that which is called Baba, the father of fish.”

      “Master and husband,” said M’ciba sulkily, “I do not know where such fish are found.”

      He licked his thin lips and stroked his little grizzled beard.

      “I, Likilivi, know,” he said slowly. “These fish come in the dark of the night to the edge of the Mystery. And when the moon is newly risen you shall take your canoe to the place of elephant grass which hides my marsh and catch such a fish. And if you do not catch it, M’ciba, I shall not beat you, for such fish are very cunning.”

      When night came she took food and drink and placed it in the tiny canoe, Likilivi helping her.

      “Tell none that you go to find the fish,” he said, “lest the people of the village discover where the fish feeds and trap it for themselves.”

      It was then moonlight when she pushed off from the shore. She paddled close to the shore, keeping to the slack water until she was out of sight of the village, then brought her canoe out into the river as it sweeps around the little headland which marks the beginning of the Mystery Marsh.

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