Also they had wives and children whom they would never see again.
Having tried to cheer them up to the best of my ability, which I fear I did without conviction, for in my heart I agreed with their view of the case, we returned to the guest-house and mounted the stair which led to the flat roof.

Hence we saw that some curious ceremony was in progress in the centre of the market-place.

At that distance we could not make out the details, for I forgot to say that my glasses had been stolen with the pistol and knife, probably because they were supposed to be lethal weapons or instruments of magic.
A rough altar had been erected, on which a fire burned.

Behind it the king, Simba, was seated on a stool with various councillors about him.
In front of the altar was a stout wooden table, on which lay what looked like the body of a goat or a sheep.

A fantastically dressed man, assisted by other men, appeared to be engaged in inspecting the inside of this animal with, we gathered, unsatisfactory results, for presently he raised his arms and uttered a loud wail.