Niger

a cool resolution he refused to be moved, the dark-
souled Scot who sought the Great River. Sud¬
denly the Moors remembered that it was unneces¬
sary for Mungo to commit any crime in order that
he might be robbed. Was he not a Christian, and
therefore lawful spoil of the true believers ?
With yells they seized his baggage, tore it open,
stole what they desired, and departed.
He records the incident in the barest of phrases.
And that that haughty spirit suffered in the incident
is by no means clear. He was remote, young,
wrapped in his purpose ; more, there begins to
show from now onwards in him that result of his
early training that can be called nothing else than
a courage of cowardliness. He was to descend into
depths of humility and servility from which the
average man would have revolted readily, even at
the cost of his life ; and, in similar measure, he was,
coldly and cool-bloodedly, to take risks and make
ventures from which the average man would have
turned away appalled.
One of these he resolved on now, as he stood
robbed and spat upon in the hut of the frightened
negro of Deena. The slave from Jarra refused to
accompany him any further ; so did Ali’s guide ;
and so, even, did the faithful Demba. It was a
madness to go on in this country of devils.
Mungo looked at them all with cold eyes and
assented. Then, at two o’clock in the morning,
he mounted his horse, rode him silently out of
Deena, and faced the journey alone.
IX9