Adventure Magazine Cover — page 162: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

156 Even in the Bini country, where it had not been thought altogether ethical to wash, until the white man had introduced the insidious vanity of gleaming bars of yellow soap, it was not considered advisable to stay married to a man who spoiled the smooth perfection of one’s back with a hippo-hide thong. That was why Yuleela had been so prompt in supplying Gilford with a new batch of carriers. She thought it would be politic to return to Rawyafa under his beneficent protection. So that, while Gilford believed himself to have been extremely lucky in having met her, she had reason to consider herself luckier in being privileged to be of assistance to him. She followed at his heels in respectful silence, mile upon mile, while the bush world screeched and chattered and slithered out of sight at their approach. Occasionally they encountered straggling Bini travelers who, for the greater part, gave an impression of almost everything but fight. Most of them backed off the narrow path into the bush and peered out at Gilford and his retinue with all the diffidence of frightened rabbits. Others, less fearful of the white man’s ju-7u, simply stepped aside and waited in beetle-browed silence for Gilford to pass. Few of them had anything to say and the nearer Gilford drew to Rawyafa, the more convinced he became that the rumors of an uprising in the Benin country had been greatly exaggerated. When the noonday halt was called, Gil- ford naturally shared his lunch with Yuleela, and observed that she was not unaccus- tomed to white man’s rations. “You been Sapeli some time?” he asked casually. Yuleela balanced some tinned salmon on a biscuit and nibbled at it as if she were not very hungry. : “Vessah. Be deré Soliden look me first time.” Gilford nodded. “Thought I’d seen you before somewhere. How long time you done marry Soliden?* “One year pass.” “You like Rawyafa?”’ “Li'l bit.” Gilford laughed. “But Sapeli is besser, no be soP”’ Yuleela did not admit that Sapeli was Adventure better or worse. And she tried to forgive Gilford for his laughter. She hoped he would not at any time laugh at Soliden like that. [ae] THE Rawyafa mahogany conces- Meee sion headquarters were situated on Rawyafa creek. A three room, cor- rugated iron and pitch pine residence for Marsden & Co.’s solitary white representa- tive and a number of mud and thatch outbuildings for the normally permanent native help, suggested to the average new- comer on his arrival that it was not impos- sible to live there. Some of them had not held to this opmion very long. Asa rule they were young and untutored in the ways of the wilds, and it was not easy to become accustomed to a place that teemed with life and yet was empty and dank and silent as a tomb. The white man in charge of Rawyafa could consider himself fortunate if he saw another white face once in six months. Under his supervision were three Sierra Leonese overseers and Soliden. Soliden is placed in a category all his own because he was a Sinister admixture of Ijo, Lagos-man and Syrian. Therefore, Soliden had a start in life that was almost incredible. As Farquhar of Benin River put it: “The Lord never intended any man to have to live all of that down in one lifetime. It makes ye think there may be something in the laws o’ Manu after all.” The overseers were camped at vantage points throughout the length and breadth of the concession, and Soliden was in charge of the section known as the Little Rawyafa. Gilford had to pass through Soliden’s territory on the way up to headquarters and shortly after four in the afternoon, just as he was assuring himself that he had had enough tramping for one West African day, Yuleela sidled up to him and respectfully touched his elbow. “T t’ink so you tire?” “T’m sure of it,” Guilford agreed and ‘thought he heard the sound of many voices shouting in the distance. It was followed by the equally distant crashing of a heavily falling body of some sort. ‘““What’s that?” “Be tree fall down. sah. Soliden live dere.”’ She indicated a narrow path that led off to the left and added quietly: Axman cut him, COMmiclboook (©