Edgar Wallace

“ A warrior in the fifth boat held his spear horizontally above his head in token of surrender, and ten minutes later the chief of the rebels was on board.
"Master," he said calmly, as they led him to Sanders' presence, "this is a bad palaver. How will you deal with me?"
Sanders looked at him steadily. "I will be merciful with you," he said, "for as soon as we come to the village I shall hang you."
"So I thought," said the chief without moving a muscle; "and I have heard it said that you hang men very quickly so that they feel little pain." ”

“ Sanders landed with his Houssas and held a high palaver under the trees.
"Bring me the old man M'fabaka who sees visions," he said, and they brought him a man so old that he had nothing but bones to shape him.
They carried him to the place of justice and set him down before the Commissioner.
"You are an evil man," said Sanders, "and because your tongue has lied many men have died; today I hang your chief upon a tree, and with him certain others. If you stand before your people and say, 'Such a story, and such a story was a lie and no other thing,' you may live your days ”

“ There was a missionary to Tukalala, a devoted young American Methodist, who had elected to live in the fever belt amongst heathen men that he might bring their hearts to the knowledge of God.
Sanders had no special regard for missionaries; indeed, he had views on the brotherhood which did him no particular credit, but he had an affection for the young man who laboured so cheerfully with such unpromising material, and now he paced the little bridge of his steamer impatiently, for it was very necessary that he should reach Tukalala before certain things happened. ”

“ The men on the ground watched his every movement. They saw him blow the red stick to a flame and advance toward them, then one said—
"Lord, I will speak."
"So I thought." said Sanders; "and speak truth, or I will make you uncomfortable."
If you ask me whether Sanders would have employed his lighted stick, I answer truthfully that I think it possible; perhaps Sanders knew his men better than I know Sanders. ”

“ How many evil ones have you slain today? Oh, killer of devils—oh, hanger of trees!—we are full of virtues and do not fear."
"Ei-fo, Kalaba? Ei ko Sandi! Eiva fo elegi," etc.
Sanders went with the stream swiftly, for he wished to establish communication with his chief. Somewhere in the country there was a revolt—that he knew.
There was truth in all the old man had said before he died—for die he did of sheer panic and age. ”

“ Now weaver birds go to sleep at nights like sensible people, and they live near villages, liking the society of human beings. Certainly they do not advertise their presence so brazenly as did this bird, who twittered and twittered at intervals.
Sanders watched patiently.
Then suddenly, from close at hand, from the very deck on which he stood, came an answering call.
Sanders had his little cabin on the bridge of the steamer; he walked farther away from it. In the corner of the bridge he crouched down, his thumb on the safety-catch.
He felt, rather than saw, a man come from the forest ”

“ He was one day's steam either up or down the river from the nearest village, but he was only six hours' march from the Amatombo folk, who live in the very heart of the forest, and employ arrows poisoned by tetanus. ”