Then the creature's viscera were removed from it and thrown upon the fire, while the rest of the carcass was carried off.
I asked Marut what he thought they were doing.

He replied dejectedly: "Consulting their Oracle; perhaps as to whether we should live or die, Macumazana." Just then the priest in the strange, feathered attire approached the king, carrying some small object in his hand.

I wondered what it could be, till the sound of a report reached my ears and I saw the man begin to jump round upon one leg, holding the other with both his hands at the knee and howling loudly.
"Ah!" I said, "that pistol was full cocked, and the bullet got him in the foot." Simba shouted out something, whereon a man picked up the pistol and threw it into the fire, round which the others gathered to watch it burn.
"You wait," I said to Marut, and as I spoke the words the inevitable happened.
Off went the other barrel of the pistol, which hopped out of the fire with the recoil like a living thing.

But as it happened one of the assistant priests was standing in front of the mouth of that barrel, and he also hopped once, but never again, for the heavy bullet struck him somewhere in the body and killed him.

Now there was consternation.
Everyone ran away, leaving the dead man lying on the ground.