Nor did it stop there, since at length the Asika rose from her
chair upon the dais and joined in the performance with the Mungana her
husband. Even Jeekie began to prance and shout behind, so that at last
Alan and the Ogula alone remained still and silent in the midst of a
scene and a noise which might have been that of hell let loose.
Leaving go of her husband, the Asika bounded up to Alan and tried to
drag him from his chair, thrusting her gold mask against his mask. He
refused to move and after a while she left him and returned to Mungana.
Louder and louder brayed the music and beat the drums, wilder and wilder
grew the shrieks. Individuals fell exhausted and were thrown into the
water where they sank or floated away on the slow moving stream, as part
of some inexplicable play that was being enacted.
Then suddenly the Asika stood still and threw up her arms and they fell
upon their faces and lay as though they were dead. A third time she
threw up her arms and they rose and remained so silent that the only
sound to be heard was that of their thick breathing. Then she spoke, or
rather screamed, saying:
"Little Bonsa has come back again, bringing with her the white man whom
she led away," and all the audience answered, "Little Bonsa has come
back again.
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