The Tree of Life. Charles Beadle

no hope, for the up-river side was as unpromising as he had observed the down side to be.

      The river swirled around the small peninsula and away on its main course, leaving a series of flat swamps and tiny creeks, crocodile invested, worming into the dense forests in all directions; from the land side of the village was a vista of regiments of tree-stumps in native fields hewn out of the primeval forest, fields in which women—many with babies wrapped in skins upon their arched backs—worked diligently with the small native hoe preparing the ground for the annual sowing. Away high over the sullen edge of the forest soared lazily a pallid halfmoon.

      BACK through the village, noting the square hut of Arab influence surrounded by a small palisade with a large wild fig in the center, the little doctor tramped, batting at the myriad flies. As, perspiring and hot, he plunged into his green canvas chair, his personal boy emerged with whisky and a sparklet siphon. Each gesture of making, drinking, striking a match, lighting a cigar and the tones of the voice irritably demanding the preparation of his rubber-bath was observed solemnly by the circle of boys and warriors tickling their curiosity while their wives, mothers and sisters toiled in the blazing sun in the fields.

      As the purple shadows elongated, came a procession from the hill, led by the tall chief, Basafingu. Advancing to within three feet of the while man, he squatted down. His followers plated before him two elephant tusks of great weight and good condition. According to the etiquette of a great chief the little doctor pretended not to notice their presence. For some minutes he continued to smoke his cigar, interested in the swelling of the sun as it sank within the humid atmosphere above the trees.

      As silently and abstractedly sat Basafingu and his ebon retainers. From another green tent, the replica of the doctor's, emerged Ali in the green turban and a green gown and, stalking with much dignity, sank upon a stool beside the doctor without as much as a twitch of the eyelid to acknowledge the presence of the young chief. In impressed silence the audience of warriors and boys and children watched the statuesque poses of the actors. At last Ali gravely permitted his eyes to rest upon Basafingu and, turning very slowly, observed quietly:

      "There appears to be some of the savages bearing presents for you, Doctor. Probably it would be as well to observe them now."

      "Probably it would," assented the doctor. "This sort of thing gets on my nerves. You bargain and begin the debate, Ali."

      "Permit your eyes to see them, and I will speak."

      The doctor accordingly turned his head and regarded the gathering with a bored stare. After some five minutes of formal greetings Ali observed:

      "The chief, Basayaguru, the father of this person, sends you these unworthy and trifling presents. Nod your head with the utmost carelessness, Doctor. Perfectly admirable, sir. He intimates that he will be pleased to receive you in audience upon the morrow before the sun is yet high. Nod again if you please, and I will dismiss these savages."

      Ali made the set reply, whereupon the young chief, apparently impressed, responded and rose. But, when the bearers of the tusks had departed in his wake, there remained an old man whose head-dress was not so high as those of the young men and was like a bunch of greasy white wool. The face was wizened and as finely networked with lines as knitted black silk; on each side of the tufts of white wool which was his beard swung lumps of quartz as big as a walnut, suspended from the distended lobes; skeleton arms and limbs protruded from his robes of wildcat skins. He bent his head after the manner of an Arabic salaam until he revealed the scraggy wrinkles on the back of his neck; then he spoke, mumbling toothlessly——

      "This exquisitely wrinkled person," observed Ali, "intimates that he is a doctor, sir."

      "Not of divinity, I trust?" queried the little man with a twitching lip.

      "It is injudicious to exhibit levity in the presence of the ignorant," admonished Ali gravely.

      "Perfectly correct, Ali, perfectly correct. But what may the creature want?"

      "He is, I deduce, the tribal medicine-man."

      "Oh. A brother witch-doctor, begad! Um. Er—just the beggar we ought to make friends with, eh, Ali? What does he want?"

      "As ever in this world among the infidel, he wishes undoubtedly a present of worldly goods of some denomination."

      "Talk, man, for heaven's sake, talk," snapped the little doctor, "or I shall have to go into the tent to laugh. Ask him what the current ju-ju is."

      "The moment is most inopportune." retorted Ali woodenly. "With your permission I will instruct Yamagulu to present him with two knives and a small bale of cloth and your most august respects."

      "All right, but add a Snider to the respects. And find out how much we can buy him for?"

      "The time is most injudic——"

      "Never mind; try him."

      "As you wish, Doctor."

      After commanding the head man, Yamagulu, to bring the presents specified, Ali engaged the witch-doctor in polite conversation regarding the exalted status of the white chief, all that appertained to him and the imaginary objects of the expedition. The rifle and goods were brought and placed at the feet of the old man, who apparently remained unaware of them. At length Yamala, the witch-doctor, made his adieux and rose, leaving the presents upon the ground to be collected by his people.

      "Well, what did he say?" demanded the doctor.

      "In this case, Doctor, I have considered it inexpedient to obey you."

      "—— you!"

      "I wish to remind the doctor that I have lived and traded among such savages as these for a period of fifteen years; therefore it is to be presumed that I may possibly be permitted to be better acquainted with them and their minds than the doctor."

      "Possibly, Ali, but—well, this confounded beating about the bush irritates me."

      "The doctor will permit me to remark that, if he persists in applying the Occidental attitude to the Oriental mind, the chance of gaining the desired information, economical and social, will be considerably diminished thereby."

      "You're a dear!" exclaimed the little doctor, showing his teeth in a grin. "But—all right, Ali, go your own way, but for heaven's sake don't mull it."

      "As Allah wills!" observed Ali and turned his bronze Arab-Somali features toward the two tusks, appraising them with bright expert eyes. "Have you remarked, Doctor, the exceptional generosity of the chief? These tusks are considerably over one hundred pounds each and therefore, at the present market-price, of value considerably over one hundred guineas. Never have I known any of these savage chiefs to recompense a stranger so disproportionately to the value of the present bestowed. Never, Doctor."

      "All right, Ali; so much the better for you. Keep 'em, my boy; only don't forget to pump my ancient medical colleague."

      "A thousand thanks to you, Doctor," said Ali, salaaming. "I will assuredly endeavor to recompense you to the best ability."

      "Oh, shut up, Ali. I like you, but you're a bore sometimes. Hi, Yamagulu, whisky soda. Upesi!"