When our negro chief—whose name, by the way, was Kambira—left the banks of the river, followed by his men bearing the hippopotamus-flesh, he set off at a swinging pace, like to a man who has a considerable walk before him.
The country through which they passed was not only well wooded, but well watered by numerous rivulets1. Their path for some distance tended upwards3 towards the hills, now crossing over mounds4, anon skirting the base of precipitous rocks, and elsewhere dipping down into hollows; but although thus serpentine5 in its course, its upward tendency never varied6 until it led them to the highest parts of a ridge7 from which a magnificent prospect8 was had of hill and dale, lake, rivulet2 and river, extending so far that the distant scenery at the horizon appeared of a thin pearly-grey colour, and of the same consistency9 as the clouds with which it mingled10.
Passing over this ridge, and descending12 into a wide valley which was fertilised and beautified by a moderately-sized rivulet, Kambira led his followers13 towards a hamlet which lay close to the stream, nestled in a woody hollow, and, like all other Manganja villages, was surrounded by an impenetrable hedge of poisonous euphorbia—a tree which casts a deep shade, and renders it difficult for bowmen to aim at the people inside.
In the immediate14 vicinity of the village the land was laid out in little gardens and fields, and in these the people—men, women, and children,—were busily engaged in hoeing the ground, weeding, planting, or gathering15 the fruits of their labour.
These same fruits were plentiful16, and the people sang with joy as they worked. There were large crops of maize17, millet18 beans, and ground-nuts; also patches of yams, rice, pumpkins19, cucumbers, cassava, sweet potatoes, tobacco, cotton, and hemp20, which last is also called “bang,” and is smoked by the natives as a species of tobacco.
It was a pleasant sight for Kambira and his men to look upon, as they rested for a few minutes on the brow of a knoll21 near a thicket22 of bramble bushes, and gazed down upon their home. Doubtless they thought so, for their eyes glistened23, so also did their teeth when they smilingly commented on the scene before them. They did not, indeed, become enthusiastic about scenery, nor did they refer to the picturesque24 grouping of huts and trees, or make any allusion25 whatever to light and shade; no, their thoughts were centred on far higher objects than these. They talked of wives and children, and hippopotamus-flesh; and their countenances26 glowed—although they were not white—and their strong hearts beat hard against their ribs—although they were not clothed, and their souls (for we repudiate28 Yoosoof’s opinion that they had none), their souls appeared to take quiet but powerful interest in their belongings29.
It was pleasant also, for Kambira and his men to listen to the sounds that floated up from the valley,—sweeter far than the sweetest strains of Mozart or Mendelssohn,—the singing of the workers in the fields and gardens, mellowed30 by distance into a soft humming tone; and the hearty31 laughter that burst occasionally from men seated at work on bows, arrows, fishing-nets, and such-like gear, on a flat green spot under the shade of a huge banyan-tree, which, besides being the village workshop, was the village reception-hall, where strangers were entertained on arriving,—also the village green, where the people assembled to dance, and sing, and smoke “bang,” to which last they were much addicted32, and to drink beer made by themselves, of which they were remarkably33 fond, and by means of which they sometimes got drunk;—in all which matters the intelligent reader will not fail to observe that they bore a marked resemblance to many of the civilised European nations, except, perhaps, in their greater freedom of action, lightness of costume, and colour of skin.
The merry voices of children, too, were heard, and their active little black bodies were seen, while they engaged in the play of savages—though not necessarily in savage34 play. Some romped35, ran after each other, caught each other, tickled36 each other, occasionally whacked37 each other—just as our own little ones do. Others played at games, of which the skipping-rope was a decided38 favourite among the girls, but the play of most of the older children consisted in imitating the serious work of their parents. The girls built little huts, hoed little gardens, made small pots of clay, pounded imaginary corn in miniature mortars39, cooked it over ideal fires, and crammed40 it down the throats of imitation babies; while the boys performed deeds of chivalric41 daring with reed spears, small shields, and tiny bows and arrows, or amused themselves in making cattle-pens, and in sculpturing cows and crocodiles. Human nature, in short, was powerfully developed, without anything particular to suggest the idea of “savage” life, or to justify42 the opinion of Arabs and half-caste Portuguese43 that black men are all “cattle.”
The scene wanted only the spire44 of a village church and the tinkle45 of a Sabbath bell to make it perfect.
But there was a tinkle among the other sounds, not unlike a bell which would have sounded marvellously familiar to English ears had they been listening. This was the ringing of the anvil46 of the village blacksmith. Yes, savage though they were, these natives had a blacksmith who wrought47 in iron, almost as deftly48, and to the full as vigorously, as any British son of Vulcan. The Manganja people are an industrious49 race. Besides cultivating the soil extensively, they dig iron-ore out of the hills, and each village has its smelting-house, its charcoal-burners, its forge with a pair of goatskin bellows50, and its blacksmith—we might appropriately say, its very blacksmith! Whether the latter would of necessity, and as a matter of course, sing bass51 in church if the land were civilised enough to possess a church, remains52 to be seen! At the time we write of he merely hummed to the sound of the hammer, and forged hoes, axes, spears, needles, arrow-heads, bracelets53, armlets, necklets, and anklets, with surprising dexterity54.
Pity that he could not forge a chain which would for ever restrain the murderous hands of the Arabs and half-caste Portuguese, who, for ages, have blighted55 his land with their pestilential presence!
After contemplating56 the picture for a time, Kambira descended57 the winding58 path that led to the village. He had not proceeded far when one of the smallest of the children—a creature so rotund that his body and limbs were a series of circles and ovals, and so black that it seemed an absurdity59 even to think of casting a shadow on him—espied the advancing party, uttered a shrill60 cry of delight, and ran towards them.
His example was followed by a dozen others, who, being larger, outran him, and, performing a war-dance round the men, possessed61 themselves, by amicable62 theft, of pieces of raw meat with which they hastened back to the village. The original discoverer of the party, however, had other ends in view. He toddled63 straight up to Kambira with the outstretched arms of a child who knows he will be welcomed.
Kambira was not demonstrative, but he was hearty. Taking the little ball of black butter by the arms, he whirled him over his head, and placed him on his broad shoulders, with a fat leg on each side of his neck, and left him there to look after himself. This the youngster did by locking his feet together under the man’s chin, and fastening his fat fingers in his woolly hair, in which position he bore some resemblance to an enormous chignon.
Thus was he borne crowing to the chief’s hut, from the door of which a very stout65 elderly woman came out to receive them.
There was no one else in the hut to welcome them, but Yohama, as the chief styled her, was sufficient; she was what some people call “good company.” She bustled66 about making preparations for a feast, with a degree of activity that was quite surprising in one so fat—so very fat—asking questions the while with much volubility, making remarks to the child, criticising the hippopotamus-meat, or commenting on things in general.
Meanwhile Kambira seated himself in a corner and prepared to refresh himself with a pipe of bang in the most natural and civilised fashion imaginable; and young Obo—for so Yohama called him—entered upon a series of gymnastic exercises with his father—for such Kambira was—which partook of the playfulness of the kitten, mingled with the eccentricity67 and mischief68 of the monkey.
It would have done you good, reader, if you possess a spark of sympathy, to have watched these two as they played together. The way in which Obo assaulted his father, on whose visage mild benignity69 was enthroned, would have surprised you. Kambira was a remarkably grave, quiet and reserved man, but that was a matter of no moment to Obo, who threatened him in front, skirmished in his rear, charged him on the right flank with a reed spear, shelled him on the left with sweet potatoes, and otherwise harassed70 him with amazing perseverance71 and ingenuity72.
To this the enemy paid no further attention than lay in thrusting out an elbow and raising a knee, to check an unusually fierce attack, or in giving Obo a pat on the back when he came within reach, or sending a puff73 of smoke in his face, as if to taunt74 and encourage him to attempt further deeds of daring.
While this was going on in the chief’s hut, active culinary preparations were progressing all over the village—the women forsook75 their hoes and grinding-mortars, and the looms76 on which they had been weaving cotton cloth, the men laid down various implements77 of industry, and, long ere the sun began to descend11 in the west, the entire tribe was feasting with all the gusto, and twenty times the appetite, of aldermen.
During the progress of the feast a remarkably small, wiry old negro, entertained the chief and his party with a song, accompanying himself the while on a violin—not a European fiddle78, by any means, but a native production—with something like a small keg, covered with goatskin, for a body, a longish handle, and one string which was played with a bow by the “Spider.” Never having heard his name, we give him one in accordance with his aspect.
Talk of European fiddlers! No Paganini, or any other nini that ever astonished the Goths and Vandals of the north, could hold a candle—we had almost said a fiddle—to this sable79 descendant of Ham, who, squatted80 on his hams in the midst of an admiring circle, drew forth81 sounds from his solitary82 string that were more than exquisite,—they were excruciating.
The song appeared to be improvised83, for it referred to objects around, as well as to things past, present, and to come; among others, to the fact that slave parties attacked villages and carried off the inhabitants.
At such points the minstrel’s voice became low and thrilling, while his audience grew suddenly earnest, opened their eyes, frowned, and showed their teeth; but as soon as the subject was changed the feeling seemed to die away. It was only old memories that had been awakened84, for no slavers had passed through their country for some time past, though rumours85 of an attack on a not very distant tribe had recently reached and greatly alarmed them.
Thus they passed the afternoon, and when the cool of the evening drew on a dance was proposed, seconded, and carried unanimously.
They were about to begin when a man was seen running down the path leading to the village at a speed which proved him to be the bearer of tidings. In a few minutes he burst into the midst of them with glaring eyeballs and labouring chest—for he had run fast, though not far, and told his news in rapid short sentences—to the effect that a band of slavers, led by Portuguese, were on their way to the valley, within a mile or so of it, even while he spoke86; that he thought the leader was Marizano; and that they were armed with the loud-sounding guns!
The consternation87 consequent on this news was universal, and there was good ground for it, because Marizano was a well-known monster of cruelty, and his guns had rendered him invincible88 hitherto, wherever he went, the native spear and bow being utterly89 useless in the hands of men who, however courageous90, were shot down before they could come within arrow-range of their enemies.
It is the custom of the slave-dealers, on going into the interior for the purpose of procuring91 slaves, to offer to buy them from such tribes as are disposed to sell. This most of the tribes are willing to do. Fathers do not indeed, sell their own children, or husbands their wives, from preference, but chiefs and head-men are by no means loath92 to get rid of their criminals in this way—their bad stock, as it were, of black ivory. They also sell orphans93 and other defenceless ones of their tribes, the usual rate of charge being about two or three yards of calico for a man, woman, or child.
But the Arab slave-dealer sometimes finds it difficult to procure94 enough of “cattle” in this way to make up a band sufficiently95 large to start with for the coast because he is certain to lose four out of every five, at the lowest estimate, on his journey down. The drove, therefore, must be large. In order to provide it he sends out parties to buy where they can, and to steal when they have the chance. Meanwhile he takes up his quarters near some tribe, and sets about deliberately96 to produce war. He rubs up old sores, foments97 existing quarrels, lends guns and ammunition98, suggests causes of dispute, and finally gets two tribes to fight. Of course many are slaughtered99, fearful barbarities and excesses are committed, fields are laid waste and villages are burnt, but this is a matter of no consequence to our Arab. Prisoners are sure to be taken, and he buys the prisoners; for the rest,—there are plenty of natives in Africa!
When all else fails, not being very particular, he sends off a party under some thorough-going scoundrel, well-armed, and with instructions to attack and capture wherever they go.
No wonder, then, that the rumoured100 approach of Marizano and his men caused the utmost alarm in Kambira’s village, and that the women and children were ordered to fly to the bush without delay. This they required no second bidding to do, but, oh! it was a sad sight to see them do it. The younger women ran actively101, carrying the infants and leading the smaller children by the hands, and soon disappeared; but it was otherwise with the old people. These, men and women, bowed with age, and tottering102 as much from terror as decrepitude103, hobbled along, panting as they went, and stumbling over every trifling104 obstruction105 in their path, being sometimes obliged to stop and rest, though death might be the consequence; and among these there were a few stray little creatures barely able to toddle64, who had probably been forgotten or forsaken107 by their mothers in the panic, yet were of sufficient age to be aware, in their own feeble way, that danger of some sort was behind them, and that safety lay before. By degrees all—young and old, strong and feeble—gained the shelter of the bush, and Kambira was left with a handful of resolute108 warriors109 to check the invaders110 and defend his home.
Well was it at that time for Kambira and his men that the approaching band was not Marizano and his robbers.
When the head of the supposed enemy’s column appeared on the brow of the adjacent hill, the Manganja chief fitted an arrow to his bow, and, retiring behind a hut, as also did his followers, resolved that Marizano should forfeit111 his life even though his own should be the penalty. Very bitter were his thoughts, for his tribe had suffered from that villain112 at a former period, and he longed to rid the land of him.
As he thought thus he looked at his followers with an expression of doubt for he knew too well that the Manganja were not a warlike tribe, and feared that the few who remained with him might forsake106 him in the hour of need. Indeed, much of his own well-known courage was to be attributed to the fact, that his mother had belonged to a family more or less nearly connected with the Ajawa, who are very warlike—too much so, in truth, for it is they who, to a large extent are made use of by the slave-dealers to carry on war with the neighbouring tribes. Kambira’s men, however, looked resolute, though very grave.
While he was thus meditating113 vengeance114, he observed that one of the approaching band advanced alone without arms, and making signs of peace. This surprised him a little, but dreading115 treachery, he kept under the shelter of a hut until the stranger was close to the village; then, observing that the party on the hill had laid down their arms and seated themselves on the grass, he advanced, still, however, retaining his weapons.
The stranger was a little man, and appeared timid, but seeing that the chief evidently meant no mischief, and knowing that the guns of his friends had him within range, he drew near.
“Where come you from?” demanded Kambira.
To this Antonio—for it was he—replied that his party came from the coast; that they wanted to pass through the land to see it, and to find out what it produced and what its people had to sell; that it was led by two Englishmen, who belonged to a nation that detested116 slavery—the same nation that sent out Dr Livingstone, who, as everybody knew, had passed through that land some years before. They were also, he said, countrymen of the men of God who had come out to teach the Manganja the Truth, who had helped them in their troubles, delivered them from the slave-traders, and some of whom had died in their land. He added that there were Manganja men and women in their company.
The “men of God” to whom Antonio referred, and to whom he had been expressly told by Harold Seadrift to refer, were those devoted117 missionaries118 mentioned in a previous chapter, who, under the leadership of the amiable119 and true-hearted Bishop120 Mackenzie, established a mission among these very Manganja hills in the year 1861. By a rare combination of Christian121 love and manly122 courage under very peculiar123 circumstances, they acquired extraordinary power and influence over the natives in the space of a few months, and laid the foundation of what might have been—perhaps may yet be—true Christianity in Central Africa. But the country was unhappily involved at the time in one of the wars created by the Portuguese and Arab slave-traders. The region was almost depopulated by man-stealers, and by the famine that resulted from the culture of the land having been neglected during the panic. The good bishop and several of his devoted band sank under the combined effects of climate and anxiety, and died there, while the enfeebled remnant were compelled, sorrowfully, to quit the field, to the deep regret of the surviving Manganja. (The Story of the Universities’ Mission to Central Africa, by the Reverend Henry Rowley.—We can heartily124 recommend this to the young—ay, and to the old—as being, next to the Adventures of Williams in the South Seas, one of the most interesting records of missionary125 enterprise that we ever read.)
When, therefore, Antonio mentioned Bishop Mackenzie and Dr Livingstone, a gleam of intelligent interest lit up Kambira’s swarthy countenance27, and he was about to speak, but suddenly checked himself, and a stern frown chased the gleam away.
“The Manganja,” he said, after a few moments’ silence, during which poor Antonio eyed him with some distrust, “know well that these men of God were not of the same country as the Arab and the Portuguese; that they hated slavery and loved the Manganja, and that the graves of some of them are with us now; but we know also that some white men are great liars126. How am I to make sure that your leaders are English? Why did you not bring down the Manganja men and women you say are with you?”
“The women were footsore, and fell behind with their men,” answered Antonio, “and we thought it best not to wait for them.”
“Go,” rejoined Kambira, waving his hand; “if you be true men let the Englishmen come to me, and also the Manganja, without guns, then I will believe you.—Go.”
The peremptory127 manner in which this was said left no room for reply. Antonio therefore returned to his friends, and the chief to his cover.
On consultation128 and consideration it was agreed that Kambira’s advice should be acted on, “For,” said Disco, removing the pipe with which he had been solacing129 himself during Antonio’s absence, “we can plant our fellers on the knoll here with a blunderbuss each, and arrange a signal so that, if there should be anything like foul130 play, we’d have nothin’ to do but hold aloft a kercher or suthin o’ that sort, an’ they’d pour a broadside into ’em afore they could wink—d’ee see?”
“Not quite clearly,” replied Harold, smiling, “because some of our fellows can’t take an aim at all, much less a good one, so they’d be as likely to shoot us as them.”
Disco pondered this a little, and shook his head, then shook the ashes out of his pipe, and said that on the whole he was willing to risk it—that they “could not expect to travel through Afriky without risking summat.”
As Chimbolo with his wife and the rest of the party came up at that moment the case was put before him. He at once advised compliance131 with Kambira’s request saying that the presence of himself and his friends would be quite sufficient to put the chief’s mind at rest.
In a few minutes the plan was carried out and Kambira satisfied of the good faith of his visitors. Nevertheless he did not at once throw open his arms to them. He stood upon his dignity; asked them a good many questions, and answered a good many more, addressing himself always to Antonio as the spokesman, it being a point of etiquette132 not to address the principal of the party. Then, presents were exchanged, in the management of which a considerable time was spent. One of the warriors having in the meantime been despatched to recall the fugitives133, these began to pour out of the woods, the frail134 old people and forsaken toddlers being the last to return, as they had been the last to fly.
After this, fires were kindled135, fowls136 were chased, caught, slain137, plucked, roasted, and boiled; hippopotamus-flesh was produced, the strangers were invited to make themselves at home, which they very soon did. Beer and bang were introduced; the celebrated138 fiddler was reinstated, the dance, which had been so long delayed, was at last fairly begun, and, as if to make the picture perfect and felicity complete, the moon came out from behind a thick cloud, and clothed the valley with a flood of silver light.
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1
rivulets
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| n.小河，小溪( rivulet的名词复数 ) | |
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rivulet
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| n.小溪，小河 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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mounds
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| 土堆，土丘( mound的名词复数 )； 一大堆 | |
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serpentine
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| adj.蜿蜒的，弯曲的 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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consistency
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| n.一贯性，前后一致，稳定性；(液体的)浓度 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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plentiful
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| adj.富裕的，丰富的 | |
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maize
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| n.玉米 | |
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millet
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| n.小米，谷子 | |
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pumpkins
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| n.南瓜( pumpkin的名词复数 )；南瓜的果肉，南瓜囊 | |
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hemp
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| n.大麻；纤维 | |
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knoll
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| n.小山，小丘 | |
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thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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glistened
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| v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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repudiate
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| v.拒绝，拒付，拒绝履行 | |
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belongings
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| n.私人物品，私人财物 | |
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mellowed
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| （使）成熟( mellow的过去式和过去分词 )； 使色彩更加柔和，使酒更加醇香 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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addicted
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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romped
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| v.嬉笑玩闹( romp的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在赛跑或竞选等中）轻易获胜 | |
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tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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whacked
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| a.精疲力尽的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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mortars
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| n.迫击炮( mortar的名词复数 )；砂浆；房产；研钵 | |
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crammed
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| adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式) | |
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chivalric
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| 有武士气概的，有武士风范的 | |
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justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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Portuguese
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| n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语 | |
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spire
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| n.(教堂)尖顶，尖塔，高点 | |
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tinkle
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| vi.叮当作响；n.叮当声 | |
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46
anvil
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| n.铁钻 | |
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47
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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48
deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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49
industrious
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| adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的 | |
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50
bellows
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| n.风箱；发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的名词复数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的第三人称单数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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51
bass
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| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
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52
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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53
bracelets
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| n.手镯，臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 ) | |
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54
dexterity
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| n.(手的)灵巧，灵活 | |
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55
blighted
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| adj.枯萎的，摧毁的 | |
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56
contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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57
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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58
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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59
absurdity
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| n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论 | |
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60
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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61
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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62
amicable
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| adj.和平的，友好的；友善的 | |
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63
toddled
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| v.（幼儿等）东倒西歪地走( toddle的过去式和过去分词 )；蹒跚行走；溜达；散步 | |
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64
toddle
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| v.（如小孩）蹒跚学步 | |
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66
bustled
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| 闹哄哄地忙乱，奔忙( bustle的过去式和过去分词 )； 催促 | |
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67
eccentricity
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| n.古怪，反常，怪癖 | |
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68
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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69
benignity
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| n.仁慈 | |
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70
harassed
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| adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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71
perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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72
ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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73
puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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74
taunt
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| n.辱骂，嘲弄；v.嘲弄 | |
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75
forsook
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| forsake的过去式 | |
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76
looms
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| n.织布机( loom的名词复数 )v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的第三人称单数 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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77
implements
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| n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效 | |
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78
fiddle
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| n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动 | |
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79
sable
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| n.黑貂；adj.黑色的 | |
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80
squatted
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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81
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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82
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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83
improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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84
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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85
rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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86
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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87
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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88
invincible
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| adj.不可征服的，难以制服的 | |
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89
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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90
courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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91
procuring
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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92
loath
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| adj.不愿意的；勉强的 | |
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93
orphans
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| 孤儿( orphan的名词复数 ) | |
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94
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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95
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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96
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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97
foments
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| v.激起，煽动（麻烦等）( foment的第三人称单数 ) | |
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98
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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99
slaughtered
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| v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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100
rumoured
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| adj.谣传的；传说的；风 | |
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101
actively
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| adv.积极地，勤奋地 | |
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102
tottering
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| adj.蹒跚的，动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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103
decrepitude
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| n.衰老；破旧 | |
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104
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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105
obstruction
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| n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物 | |
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106
forsake
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| vt.遗弃，抛弃；舍弃，放弃 | |
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107
Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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108
resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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109
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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110
invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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111
forfeit
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| vt.丧失；n.罚金，罚款，没收物 | |
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112
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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113
meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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114
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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115
dreading
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| v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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116
detested
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| v.憎恶，嫌恶，痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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117
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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118
missionaries
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| n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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119
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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120
bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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121
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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122
manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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123
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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124
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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125
missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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126
liars
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| 说谎者( liar的名词复数 ) | |
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127
peremptory
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| adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的 | |
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128
consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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129
solacing
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| v.安慰，慰藉( solace的现在分词 ) | |
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130
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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131
compliance
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| n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从 | |
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132
etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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133
fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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134
frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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135
kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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136
fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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137
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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138
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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