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THE NEW AFRICA 
went off to report the result of their interview to the king. 
We knew not until afterwards how intense the excitement was in 
Moremi’s town. The grand council of chiefs received Mashabie’s 
explanation with instincts all deeply prejudiced against us 
by the evil tales of our false intentions towards the nation 
which had preceded us. Great was the outcry to sweep us off the 
face of the earth at one blow. But Mashabie, who was convinced 
of our innocence, boldly stood up and harangued the people in 
our favour, and a few of the more reserved and careful chiefs, 
impressed by his convincing manner, helped to support his 
arguments. But the opposition, headed by the redoubtable 
warrior, Da Tapo, who had great power, howled for our im¬ 
mediate destruction, and shouted to the king to give the order 
to kill. John Stremboom, a white trader, residing at the lake, 
although quite a stranger to us, joined Mashabie, and pleaded with 
the king for our lives. He advised the king to do nothing rash, 
as white men’s lives should be sacred until there was no doubt of 
their guilt. It would be a terrible injustice to kill us until they 
were unanimously convinced, without question, on the point of 
our guilt. Should we prove guilty, then he, Stremboom, would 
even assist them at our execution, and would take care that the 
white people outside should be informed of the reason for our 
death; but, meanwhile, to-morrow was as good as to-day for the 
execution. The killing of white men required great forethought 
and care. He had to stand beside the king, and, actually, once 
or twice held him down in his seat, as, inspired by the shouts 
of his warriors demanding our death, the king was on the point 
of springing up to give the order to kill. 
Umkook, a black missionary hailing from America, joined 
his voice to Mashabie’s and Stremboom’s, and kept the young 
king within bounds. The council lasted nearly all night, and 
Mashabie, Stremboom, and Umkook remained trying to pacify 
the excited natives, especially Da Tapo, who at times during the 
proceedings excitedly announced his intention of killing the 
lot of us right off, order or no order, and, calling on his mates 
to follow him, was only held back by main force. Then some 
