It was a very bright, hot winter's day, and try as I might, I could not bring myself to think of any danger.

I believed that in this way most temerarious deeds are done; the doer has become insensible to danger, and his imagination is clouded with some engrossing purpose.
The first sentries received us gloomily enough, and closed behind us as they had done when Machudi's men haled me thither.

Then the job became eerie, for we had to walk across a green flat with thousands of eyes watching us.

By-and-by we came to the merula tree opposite the kyas, and there we found a ring of chiefs, sitting with cocked rifles on their knees.
We were armed with pistols, and the first thing Arcoll did was to hand them to one of the chiefs.

'We come in peace,' he said.