Therefore fat dwarf must be our food, of
which, however, there will be plenty for you as well as us."
"You dog!" exclaimed Jeekie in a voice of furious indignation. "Do you
think that white men and their high-born companions, such as myself,
were made to fill your vile stomachs? I tell you that a meal of the
deadly Bean would agree better with you, for if you dare so much as to
look on us, or on any of the white race with hunger, agony shall seize
your vitals and you and all your tribe shall die as though by poison.
Moreover, we do not touch the flesh of men, nor will we see it eaten.
It is our '_orunda_,' it is consecrate to us, it must not pass our
lips, nor may our eyes behold it. Therefore we will camp apart from you
further up the stream and find our own food. But to-morrow at the dawn
the messengers must leave as we have commanded. Also you shall provide
strong men and a large canoe to bear Little Bonsa forward towards her
own home until she finds her people coming out to greet her.
"It shall be done," answered the chief humbly, "Everything shall be done
according to the will of Little Bonsa spoken by her priest, that she
may leave a blessing and not a curse upon the heads of the tribe of the
Ogula.
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