A SUCCESSFUL OPERATION 
341 
looked on with bulging eyes, and as soon as the usual tests 
were applied to prove insensibility, such as lifting the arm, that 
fell back apparently lifeless, and feeling the eyeballs to note any 
reactive quiver, the king rushed from the room with a shriek, 
followed by his staff, who hurriedly betook themselves to a large 
tree some three hundred yards off, and held a council as to 
what should be done with me, who had killed their hunter 
Jacobs, for they were firmly convinced that he was now dead. 
Knowing nothing of this, I completed the operation and came 
out to go home, when Stremboom, who, hearing some suspicious 
words while assisting me, had quietly slipped away to make in¬ 
quiries without my knowledge, shouted to me to remain where I 
was. The king wished to know before I left the hut how Jacobs 
was, and if he was not dead. Not thinking any harm, I con¬ 
tinued walking towards the tree, where a crowd, now numbering 
close on two hundred men, had collected, when the king yelled 
at me in the greatest excitement, causing a roar amongst his 
horrified people that made me halt to ponder over the situation. 
I assured the king through Stremboom that Jacobs was all 
right, and that the operation was successful. ‘ Then bring him 
out; let us see him,’ was the reply. There was no help for it. 
Poor Jacobs had to be fetched out supported on my arm; but, 
hardly recovered from the influence of chloroform, he staggered 
a bit. The king shouted, ‘ Ho ! we told you that he was dead: 
you are only pretending that he walks. This is witchcraft! 
Why doesn’t he walk alone ? ’ The fresh air had meanwhile 
revived Jacobs, who now, at my request, moved off fairly well 
into the house. A silence as of great wonder fell on the people, 
and, feeling at liberty, I now walked towards the crowd, who fled, 
king and all, from my presence as if the Evil One in propria 
persona had appeared. Jacobs recovered in the due course of 
events, and retained a hand that was still quite serviceable for 
his purpose of hunting. 
It took the king two full days to recover from the shock of 
this experience, but on the morning of the third day he sent me a 
deputation begging permission to call personally. With no trace 
