touched him, even became familiar; but at last they had the forethought to offer him a splendid feast, composed of sour milk with rice, pounded up with honey. The lad, who took everything as it came, made one of the best meals he had ever enjoyed in his life, and gave the people some idea of the fashion in which gods eat on great occasions.
When evening arrived the sorceress took Joe respectfully by the hand and conducted him to a kind of hut surrounded by "charms"; before entering he cast an anxious glance upon the heaps of bones which were piled up around this sanctuary; he had, however, plenty of time to reflect upon his position after he was locked in.
During the evening and a part of the night he heard the songs of the feasting multitude, the noise of a species of drum and of old iron pots, very sweet to the African ear; the choruses were shouted as accompaniment to interminable dances, which enclosed the cabin in their mazes.
Joe heard this deafening clamor through the mud and reed-lined walls of the hut. Perhaps, in other circumstances, he might have taken an interest in these strange ceremonies, but his mind was disturbed by unpleasant forebodings. Looking even at the bright side of things, it was sad and depressing to be lost amongst a savage people. Few travelers who had ventured so far as this had ever returned. Moreover, could he pride himself upon the worship already accorded him. He had good reason to distrust human grandeur, and asked himself whether, in that region, worship was not only a preparation for being devoured.
Notwithstanding this doleful prospect, after some hours devoted to reflection, fatigue overcame him, and Joe fell into a deep sleep, which would, doubtless, have continued till daylight if an unexpected dampness of the earth had not awakened him.
He soon perceived that the water was rising, and so quickly that it soon reached his waist.
"What can this be?" said he; "an inundation—a water-spout—a new mode of sacrifice? By Jove! I shall wait no longer, it will soon be up to my neck." As he spoke, he burst through the wall by a vigorous application of his shoulder, and found himself—where?—in the open lake!
