Presently they fell upon the ivory that hung about my neck, and he started.
"Why do you wear that pretty likeness of the Great One yonder over your heart, as I have known you do with things that belonged to women in past days, Baas?
Do you know that it is Zikali's Great Medicine, nothing less, as everyone does throughout the land?
When Zikali sends an order far away, he always sends that image with it, for then he who receives the order knows that he must obey or die.

Also the messenger knows that he will come to no harm if he does not take it off, because, Baas, the image is Zikali himself, and Zikali is the image.

They are one and the same.

Also it is the image of his father's father's father--or so he says." "That is an odd story," I said.
Then I told Hans as much as I thought advisable of how this horrid little talisman came into my possession.
Hans nodded without showing any surprise.
"So we are going on a long journey," he said.

"Well, I thought it was time that we did something more than wander about these tame countries selling blankets to stinking old women and so forth, Baas.