Talbot Mundy

“ By the time Kazimoto was called and stood out alone in front of him the lieutenant was in a boiling rage, and the floor of the court was actually crowded by prone natives being beaten. Extra askaris had been sent for in order that proceedings might not be delayed, and the audience could scarcely hear the evidence and sentences because of the crack of whips and the moans of victims. (Not that they all moaned by any means. By far the most of them submitted to the torture in grim proud silence: but the few who did make a noise—especially the women—made lots of it.) ”

“ In the absence of all evidence for the prosecution except the unsupported word of a police askari who admitted a personal grudge against the defendant, the lieutenant resorted to the whip to change the witnesses’ convictions, but without avail. The woman yelled under the lash like a demented thing, but, far from withdrawing her statements, tried to spit in the lieutenant’s face when jerked to her feet and stood again before him—an impossible feat because the platform on which he sat at the table was too high. ”

“ He pleaded ignorance of the law, and denied having traded. He was flogged for telling lies in court, and changed his testimony under the lash, whereat he was promptly sentenced to a hundred and fifty lashes and a month on the chain-gang. Under the lash a second time, he recanted—swore that his first statements had been true and that he had done no trading—a mistake in tactics that only caused the tale of lashes to be increased by fifty and the term on the chain-gang to be doubled.
“You must learn that the methods taught you on British territory are of no use here!” remarked the lieutenant. ”

“ The black men who were to search our belongings tried to induce us to hurry, but we insisted on seeing the iron ring riveted to Kazimoto’s neck. The ring had a shackle on it, and through that they passed the long chain that held him prisoner in the midst of a gang of forty men. Nobody washed the wounds on his back. We bought water from a woman who was passing with a great jar on her head, and did that much for him. He was naked. His clothes that the askaris had torn from him had been thrown outside the court, and some one had stolen them. ”

“ Fred told him, “if it costs me all my money and all the rest of my years! I defy you to continue!”
“You have yourself to blame!” the lieutenant grinned. “But for your uninvited interruption the Nyamwezi would have had a better hearing! Lay those lashes on harder and more slowly!”
Kazimoto was taking his gruel like a man. Two askaris were beating him. The blows fell at random anywhere below the neck and above the heels, raising a great welt where they did not actually cut the skin. ”

“ To lend to law eye, tooth, and claw and so enforce the same.
Now naught are the tribal customs; free speech is under ban;
Displaced are misconceptions that were based on fallen man,
And our gloom has gone in darkness of the risen German’s night,
Nor is there salt of mercy lest it sap the hold of Might.
They strike—we may not answer, nor dare we ask them why.
We sold ourselves to supermen. If we rebel, we die.
CHAPTER EIGHT I sat down once more on the hospital steps, and listened while Fred and Will relieved themselves of their opinions about German manners. ”

“ The lieutenant yelled for an interpreter, and a Nyamwezi who knew German rose from the front bench and came and stood beside her.
“That baby is a white man’s,” he explained.
“What does she want?”
“She says the white man is the bwana daktari.”
“Oh! Then I am glad she came here. It is time these loose women were taught a lesson! They tell the same tale. They say a white man passed through the village, gave their father a present, and carried them off. ”

“ The remaining fifth of the wall continued up as high as the roof, forming a back to the platform. Facing the platform was the entrance, and on either side benches arranged in rows followed the curve of the wall. There was a long table on the platform, at which sat the lieutenant who had summoned us, with a sergeant seated on either hand. The sergeants were acting as court clerks, scribbling busily on sheets of blue paper, and in books.
Behind the lieutenant, in a great gilt frame on the white-washed wall, was a full-length portrait of the Kaiser in general’s uniform. ”

“ Fred announced. “We’ll reciprocate by leaving your side of the camp to you!”
“Who made you men rulers of this rest-camp?” Coutlass demanded.
“We did,” Fred answered. “We’ve lost our rifles just as you have. We’ll fight you with bare hands and skin you alive if you trespass!” ”

“ The father agreed at the time when he accepted the present, didn’t he? The consequence is a baby—not for the first time! Instead of going back to her village, she comes here and tries to blackmail the officer! ”