Weep the Righteous Warrior

By KD Neill

THE CAPE COLONY, 19TH CENTURY, SOUTHERN AFRICA. For over two decades under the oppression of the British Empire, the Xhosa clans have languished on overcrowded barren land with no meaningful future in sight. Their poverty and despair is apparent as they try to eke out an existence under the British colonial tyranny. The old chiefs come under pressure from their sons to call for war once again with the old foe the Mfengu Levies after they insult a Xhosa chieftain, but fighting the Mfengu means fighting the Imperial British Army.
Jamie Fyvie, Iain McColl, their families and friends come under attack from an unknown assailant. Jamie and Iain’s immediate families, Lydia Fyvie and son Jamie (junior), Clara McColl and her daughter, Elizabeth, have to be vigilant at all times in case of assassins, but Clara is ambushed and taken prisoner, Jamie and Iain have to find out who has taken her and attempt a rescue before she is killed. The arrival of a British secret service agent signals the return of their old adversary, the ELOS. They want control of the diamond mines in Kimberley and revenge on Fyvie and McColl.
A brave Portuguese explorer falls foul of the ELOS and is forced to help them. He overhears there plans for the assassination of Jamie Fyvie and Iain McColl, he tries to send a message to warn them, which may in turn save his own skin.
No one knows who the elder in charge of all ELOS operations in Africa is, he is deep under cover and holds one of the highest positions in the cape government... he is a ruthless killer. He commands the new governor, also an ELOS elder, to issue warrants of arrest for Jamie, his son and Iain, or to be shot on sight and the execution of their wives and Iain’s daughter.
Their businesses and homes in danger, Jamie and Iain once again take the fight to the enemy and try to stay ahead of the ELOS assassins across an explosive Eastern Cape frontier, and in the semi-desert of Namaqualand and Bushman's Land in the Northern Cape. They have to find out the identity of the senior elder hidden in a high government position and eliminate him. They will have to stop the ELOS at the root of their power in Freetown, Sierra Leone and in London.
On the ship sailing north Iain's daughter and Jamie's son, two cousins, find love in each other and comfort in each other’s bed, which causes a family problem.
The ELOS intend to unleash a deadly disease on the Kimberley diamond miners, intent on taking over the mining companies. They have also infiltrated the Cape Colony government to the extent where they now have the power to control the British Army and the colonial militia forces and provoke the African tribes to fight.
A devious deception eventually lures the sons of the old chiefs into conflict. The ELOS are back to cause chaos once again giving the Imperial British Army the excuse to ride out along the frontier to inflict death and destruction in a final conflict.

• Language: English
• Publisher: KD Neill
• Release date: Aug 27, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463979211

KD Neill

I was born and raised in Scotland and started playing and reading music from the age of eight simply because my father was a musician, a self-taught clarinet and saxophone player. By the time I was twelve I was singing more than playing my guitar, no I did not go the route of the wind instruments. My forte was definitely singing it just came so naturally, besides, I couldn’t play lead guitar to save my life. I learned all the chords and inversions on my guitar and started to sing with bands and then as a solo singer.I went to engineering college and started an apprenticeship with a mining engineering company. The company had a branch in South Africa, east of Johannesburg and they wanted experienced people to go out there to fix some problems they were having with the hydraulics.I applied and went on a two year plan, but I fell in love with Africa and stayed there for more than half of my life.I always had a story or a novel in my head and at one point started to write it down but my recording career took off and I became a recording, TV and radio artist in South Africa, so the book had to take a back seat. I have made half a dozen albums including a Christmas album.I have composed a lot of my own work, which is on vinyl and CD. I played at many venues and resorts including Sun City, which had multiple venues where I shared the billboard but not the same stage as artists like Frank Sinatra, Shirley Bassey, Cher, Rod Stewart, Elton John, The Osmonds to name a few and I met them all bar Frank.I am a musician, composer, singer, songwriter, arranger, producer, entertainer and now an author, I now live in Scotland.I have realised my ambition and dream of writing a book, not only one but three books. My debut novel as well as books two and three of the trilogy, Deceit of the EmpireKD Neill

Book preview

Other books written by KD Neill

The first and second books in the trilogy

Deceit of the Empire

Book One

To Skin a Leopard

Book Two

Prophets of Death

Available in paperback and eBook

About the author

About the author

KD Neill, musician, composer, singer, songwriter, arranger, producer, entertainer and author was born and raised in Scotland and started playing and reading music from the age of eight.

Later in life the company he worked for needed two engineers to work in their branch in South Africa, he applied and emigrated on a two year plan, but fell in love with Africa and stayed there for more than half of his life. He now lives in Scotland.

Connect with the author

Follow Kenny on facebook… Kenny D Neill

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Tweet Kenny… @kd_neill

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Instagram: Kennysa01

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Website: http://www.kdneillbooks.com

Email: mailto:[e-mail]

Copyright

2019 Copyright: K.D. Neill.

The right of K.D. Neill to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a

retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical without written

permission from the publisher.

Cover design by K.D. Neill

Cover Photograph by K.D. Neill

Map illustrations by K.D. Neill

ISBN: 9780463979211

Contents

Other books

About the author

Connect with the author

West Coast Africa map

Belgian Congo map

Cape Colony map

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Twenty Eight

Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty One

Chapter Thirty Two

Chapter Thirty Three

Chapter Thirty Four

Chapter Thirty Five

Chapter Thirty Six

Chapter Thirty Seven

Chapter Thirty Eight

Chapter Thirty Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty One

Chapter Forty Two

Chapter Forty Three

Chapter Forty Four

Chapter Forty Five

Chapter Forty Six

Chapter Forty Seven

Chapter Forty Eight

Chapter Forty Nine

Chapter Fifty

Chapter Fifty One

Chapter Fifty Two

Chapter Fifty Three

Chapter Fifty Four

Foreword

I lived and worked in parts of Africa from 1977 until 2010 mostly in South Africa and wherever I worked I tried to read as much as I could about the local history.

When I was working in the Eastern Cape I took a great interest in the Xhosa wars of the nineteenth century and often visited the museum in East London and the museum and central library of Cape Town.

Reading the history of this period gave me an insight into the trials and tribulations of the settlers, but especially the native tribes fighting to take back their land and freedom seized and colonised by the British Empire.

This book was inspired by actual events, which took place in the Eastern Cape, mid-nineteenth-century that caused a devastating loss of life to the Xhosa people. This is a book of fiction based on those events.

It is necessary to explain the use of certain words that appear from time to time in this book.

The word Kaffir is an Arabic word meaning ‘unbeliever’. Arab slave traders hunted and captured Africans before the Europeans arrived in Africa. They used this word to denote Africans and, over time, Portuguese explorers adopted the word, as did British and Dutch explorers. The idiom continued to be used over generations until eventually, it became an offensive and abusive term as racial hatred grew.

This word, as with heathen and native, were words commonly used as part of the terminology of the day by colonials and settlers to describe the local people. I do not mean any insult or disrespect to anyone in any way by using these words in this novel.

KD Neill

West Coast Africa

Belgian Congo

Cape Colony, Southern Africa

For the short time we had was born a great friendship

but for the longest time we have, gives long life to that friendship.

KD Neill

Chapter One

April 1879

The Elephant’s Eye, Table Mountain, Cape Town

‘You haven’t said it yet.’

‘Said what?’

‘You know! What you always say when we come up here.’

‘I say a lot of things to you when we come up here and you say a lot of things to me. You and me things; our things; things that no one else knows about,’ said Jamie Fyvie watching his friend out of the corner of his eye.

Exasperated, Iain McColl said. ‘You’re a bleddy arsehole and you’re just trying to get me going. You can’t break tradition, come on, you always say it.’

‘Aye, right,’ said Jamie.

They were sitting in front of the entrance to the Elephant’s Eye, the great cavern high up below the cliff top a few miles behind Table Mountain, gazing westward across a sizable part of the Cape Colony, South Peninsula, towards the Hottentot Holland Mountains, as they had done countless times before over many years.

‘Where else would you want to live?’ said Jamie.

‘Aye, where else indeed,’ said Iain. ‘Right! Now we can enjoy our food and wine.’

Jamie was still gazing at the view.

‘It’s true Iain, it is just the best place to live. We have been walking this mountain for nigh on a quarter of a century, when we have both been here in Cape Town at the same time of course.’

Iain, a tall man with a strong, wiry frame, took off his wide brimmed hat, necessary even in April, to shade his fair, reddish complexion from the fierce African sun. His thinning blond hair gave no protection as was the same for his white blond eye brows and lashes. He had a round face, thin mouth and a wide nose but his ice blue eyes were as clear and sharp as ever.

He opened a saddle bag and took out some roast beef, dods of bread, lumps of cheese, hard boiled eggs and pickled onions, he laid them on a cotton cloth and took a drink from the water bottle.

‘You have the saddle bag with the wine in it.’

Jamie, at six foot four, was slightly taller than Iain with square shoulders on a strong lean body. He had a fair complexion with a long handsome face and a square jaw, full lips and a strong straight nose below hazel-green eyes that missed nothing.

Finding the flagon of wine he placed it next to the food. He looked across to where the path to the cavern emerged from the side of the mountain and saw the others walking towards them. ‘It’s about bleddy time. Where have you been?’

‘I was not aware there was a time limit father,’ said young Jamie, his son.

Young Jamie was picking his way along the path to the cavern ahead of his mother, Lydia; Iain’s wife, Clara and their daughter, Elizabeth. Bringing up the rear was Anna, a maid helping to carry other picnic bags.

‘At least your son had the good grace to wait and escort us to the cave,’ said Lydia Fyvie.

‘My son? Since when did he stop being your son?’

‘For Christ’s sake, Jamie-twee,’ said Iain. He was sitting in the shade of the cavern sipping on a goblet of wine. ‘Will you get everybody over here so we can enjoy the morning before it becomes the afternoon?’

‘We’ll be right there, Uncle Iain.’

Young Jamie led his entourage to the entrance of the huge cavern where they all found a rock to sit on.

Iain used the Afrikaans numbers een and twee, which translated into English means one and two, to separate and identify Jamie senior and junior respectively.

Lydia went over to her husband and kissed him full on the lips. They looked into each other’s eyes knowing their passion for each other.

Lydia was fairly tall with slightly darker than fair hair. Below dark eye-brows she had slightly angled hazel-green eyes that radiated warmth, a long thin nose above a soft mouth with straight white teeth and dimples when she smiled. She had square shoulders on a well-proportioned athletic body, which she always held up well.

Jamie and Iain had met Lydia and Clara on the ship that brought them to Cape Town, twenty three years ago. The reason they were on the ship was because they had been recruited and trained by the Secret Field Police, the British secret service of that time, and sent to the Cape Colony to thwart and destroy a dark society called the ELOS, based in Cape Town, to stop them from infiltrating the Cape government and conspiring with their treacherous colleagues in the British government to take control of the British and colonial armies and use them in an effort to wipe out the Xhosa clans, and if any survived, send them into slavery.

When they left the service, Iain had married Clara, built a house in Constantia and were blessed with a baby girl they called Elizabeth.

Just before Jamie and Lydia married, Jamie had made a promise to Lydia, to take her riding around the west coast of the Cape peninsula disguised as a male as it was not the proper thing for a lady to ride like a man. They had found a secluded bay not far from that part of the mountain range known as Little Lion’s Head, a few miles north of Hout Bay.

‘What a beautiful little bay,’ said Lydia.

‘Aye, a nice wee sandy beach,’ said Jamie removing a blanket and a flagon of wine from his saddle bag.

Lydia went to him and put her arms around his neck laughing, ‘All beaches have lots of sand.’

‘This will be our private beach, our wee sandy bay,’ said Jamie.

‘Yes, our own sandy bay.’

Jamie spread the blanket on a patch of grass just off the beach and they both lay down taking turns at swigging wine.

‘Oh God, I cannot believe I am doing this, I love being free from ladylike etiquettes,’ said Lydia.

‘I know you do my love. I love you, Lydia Knowles.’

‘I love you too, Jamie Fyvie.’

They kissed passionately, then calmly and assuredly started taking each other’s clothes off, touching every part of skin as the garments fell away.

Jamie caressed Lydia’s neck with his lips and tongue, slowly moving along her shoulder then down to kiss her firm breasts. He cradled each breast in his hands and looked at her perfect nipples standing up stiff and proud for him to take in his mouth.

She sighed at the pleasure of Jamie’s warm mouth and teeth teasing her sensitive nipples, moving from one to the other, kissing and licking her breasts all over.

Lydia pushed him onto his back and did the same to him, kissing him all over his hard, lean torso and kneading his nipples between her teeth, he shivered with the feel of her caress. She moved down to his flat belly, feeling the ripples of his muscles. She placed her hand on the front of his breeches and could feel his raging erection trying to burst free.

‘My father had oriental, eastern books hidden in his office,’ she whispered. ‘He never knew Clara and I had found them. They had very explicit instructions translated into English and illustrations of a sexual nature and although I have never practiced them, I do have a very keen memory.’

‘Then by all means start practicing,’ he whispered back.

Lydia unbuttoned him and between the two of them pulled off his boots, breeches and under garments his erection springing free. She pushed him down and took him in her hand, she gazed at his throbbing manhood, taking in every detail. She instinctively leaned forward and kissed it, running her tongue up and down the length.

‘You don’t have to do that if you don’t want to… I mean I want you to but…’

‘Shush, my love, I want to touch and caress and taste every part of you and I want you to feel you can do the same to me.’

She took him in her mouth and Jamie’s body started shaking with the pleasure of it. Cupping his testicles in her hand she massaged his manhood with her lips and tongue and took it in as deep as she could into her mouth and he moaned at the sensation.

Jamie sat up and gently took Lydia by the shoulders and laid her down. He removed the last of her clothing and could not resist caressing her perfect breasts again. Moving down over her flat belly he paused to lick her belly button and then went to the dark mound of hair at the top of her thighs. She parted her legs to him and he gently massaged her with his fingers. She was breathing deeply as Jamie moved between her legs, feeling her tremble as he pushed his finger gently through the soft mat of hair and vulva to the secret space of her vagina, her body fluids running freely. Jamie went down further and pushed her thighs out and up and instinctively caressed her sex with his lips and tongue, he pushed his tongue in as far as he could and then stopped to gently slide it up and down her clitoris.

Lydia was by now gasping, she pushed her hands down on Jamie’s head, her body shaking with the sensations coursing through her body.

‘Stop, Jamie…stop!’

‘What’s wrong… are you all right?’

‘There’s nothing wrong, I want you inside me. Make love to me Jamie…right now.’

He moved his body up onto her and face to face he eased himself inside her. She bit her bottom lip as she felt her body yield to let him fill her need for him. They both felt something give and they opened their eyes to look into each other. Tears were running down her cheeks, Jamie pulled her up and still conjoined he sat with her straddled on top, her legs tightly wrapped around his waist and she was weeping with joy. Jamie’s tears were flowing as well and they sat there in their own world, the comforting lapping of the waves the only sound in their space. Him, inside her, bodies wrapped together in a loving bond that no earthly force could break.

After a while she started moving up and down on him, she was sore but it felt so right to do this. Jamie responded grinding his pelvic bone against hers and almost immediately Lydia stopped breathing and then let out a muted scream as her orgasm overwhelmed her. She was trying to push down to get him further in as she experienced and endured this excruciating pleasure from the man she deeply loved.

As she came back to earth Jamie suddenly pulled out of her, she took him in her hand and he shook as she masturbated him and slowly brought him to a shattering orgasm. She watched in fascination as he came over her belly, spurting with such force as to splash on her thighs.

They sat holding each other for what seemed like an age, not saying a word; knowing they did not have to; their togetherness was sealed and they knew it.‘I don’t know of any words to describe what has just happened,’ said Jamie. ‘It feels like there is a wee thing inside me bursting with joy at being awakened to find the wee thing inside of you, like it’s been waiting for the right wee thing to come along to set it free, oh God, I can’t explain it, does any of this make any sense to you?’

‘Oh Jamie, it makes perfect sense, I couldn’t have put it more beautifully.’

They were still in the heady heights of exploding passion when they realised they would have to head for home at some point.

‘I wanted you to have your orgasm inside me,’ she whispered.

‘I think I got a fright and realised that we didn’t need any accidents at this stage of our lives.’

‘It’s maybe just as well one of us was thinking.’

‘Believe me, it wasn’t an easy thing to do, I wanted to be inside you.’

‘One day soon my love,’ she said kissing him.

‘I’d better get you home or your Aunt Sarah will have a search party out looking for you.’

‘There’s something we have to do before we go,’ she said, taking Jamie’s hand.

Jamie looked down. ‘Lydia, are you alright?’

‘I’m fine Jamie, it’s alright. I’ll be a bit sore for a while but do not worry. Come!’

They both ran naked down the beach and into the surf.

Jamie surfaced and shouted. ‘Jesus Christ, its bleddy freezing.’

Lydia laughed seemingly oblivious of the cold water of the Atlantic Ocean.

They swam around until Jamie said. ‘It’s too cold for me I need to get out.’

‘Oh, you big baby,’ scolded Lydia.

‘I admit it, I’m a big baby. My body doesn’t like this, it feels like I’m swimming in the River Clyde in Scotland.’

They went back to the beach and dressed, but they were so deliriously happy they did not want to leave.

‘I will never forget this day Jamie.’

‘Nor will I. I shall treasure this moment in time for ever.’

‘Every time we come here we will swim naked in our own sandy bay,’ said Lydia, then kissed her man passionately.

They dressed and rode back to Cape Town.

Now, here they were, all these years later, married and kissing each other at the Elephant’s Eye in front of their son and still as committed to each other now as they were then.

‘When the Fyvies’ have finished swapping spit, maybe we can eat,’ said Iain.

‘Oh don’t be so crude father, I think it’s lovely,’ said Elizabeth.

‘That’s your father Bethy, the incurable romantic,’ said Clara.

Anna set about laying out the picnic making sure everybody had a wooden plate with food on it and a goblet of wine, including herself. She had been with Iain and Clara’s household for many years and loved to walk the mountain with the families on these rare occasions.

When everyone was settled, Elizabeth said. ‘Father! Tell us the story again what happened when you and Uncle Jamie uncovered the Knights clue at the back of this cave.’

‘Aw, come on Bethy, I’m not telling that story again and stop calling me father, sounds like I’m a priest, god forbid, call me Da’ or Daddy or even Pa’ but stop calling me bleddy father,’ said Iain. ‘Your Uncle Jamie can tell the story.’

Uncle Jamie said. ‘Excuse me for a minute Bethy. Jamie!’

‘Yes, Dad?’ he said glancing at Bethy and smirking.

Bethy grinned and stuck her tongue out at him.

‘Are you playing rugby next Saturday?’

‘Yes sir… I mean, Dad.’

Iain looked at Jamie-een. ‘Is he still sirring you?

‘It’s difficult to get away from the college education Uncle Iain, but I’m trying,’ said Jamie-twee.

‘Well, I think it’s a good thing that the South African College teaches their students good manners, to address all adults, especially their parents, as sir and ma’am,’ Clara said, ‘it shows an immense measure of respect for ones elders.’

Everyone stopped and looked at her.

They all burst out laughing at the same time.

‘Aye, that will be the day my son shows respect for an elder, Clara,’ said Jamie.

Clara realised what she had said. ‘Oh, I did not mean those ELOS elders… those monsters, I meant older people like family and friends… oh for goodness sake you all know what I mean.’

‘Yes, my darling, we know what you mean,’ said Iain.

‘The South African College Old boys, are playing Hamilton’s at their ground,’ said Jamie-twee.

‘That should be a good game. We can have a day out; light a fire for a braai; cook some meat at the game with a few drinks,’ said Jamie-een.

‘Aye, that’ll do, I’ll go to the game. I’ll take some meat for the braai as well,’ said Iain between mouthfuls of food.

‘Clara and I will be having an afternoon with the ladies of Cape Town on that Saturday,’ said Lydia.

‘Oh! When did you arrange that?’ asked Bethy.

‘Your mother arranged it,’ said Lydia, scowling at her sister.

‘But Lydia, you so enjoy going to those social events; mingling with the posh ladies; talking about all things wise and wonderful,’ said Jamie een, smirking, knowing how much she detested them.

‘You are heading for days of domestic hell my husband,’ said Lydia.

‘Well, I for one enjoy mixing with the ladies who are married to the powerful people of the colony. It can only benefit our families in the future,’ said Clara. ‘I presume you will be attending as well, Elizabeth?’

‘I’m sure you and Aunt Lydia will be able to handle the ladies without me mother, I would rather watch the rugby.’

‘Really, Bethy, you are expected to attend these social gatherings and meet the ladies and of course the mothers of potential suitors.’

‘What? You are trying to marry me off?’

‘Well, you are not getting any younger.’

‘Dad! Are you listening to this, I want to go to the rugby, I am old enough to decide for myself where I want to go,’ cried Elizabeth.

Iain raised his hand, palm down and patted the air as a sign to calm down. ‘Look, the two of you can discuss this at home. We came here for the view and to relax and talk of cheerful things.’

‘We’ll save some meat for you at the braai after the rugby Lizzie,’ said young Jamie, he was the only person allowed to call her Lizzie.

‘You stop making things worse, stop aggravating her,’ said his mother.

‘Aye, you like to get her going,’ said Jamie-een. ‘Pass me some bread and cheese please, Bethy.’

‘Sounds like you taught him,’ said Iain, sardonically, keeping an eye, as he always did, on the path leading to the cave and the outcrops of rock beyond where the path disappeared around the mountain. Just as he looked away he thought he saw the slightest glint of light on the ridge adjacent to the cavern. Keeping his eye on the ridge he could see no further movement or any reflection of light.

‘What is it Iain?’ said Jamie een, seeing his friend staring at the ridge.

‘I thought I saw a flash of metal or maybe glass, get my telescope from the saddlebag, I don’t want to take my eye off the location.’

Young Jamie bounded across the cavern to fetch up the telescope.

‘There you are Uncle Iain.’

‘Thanks Jamie. Right, let’s see if I’m imagining things.’

Iain focussed the instrument on the ridge and saw a rifle barrel with a telescopic sight mounted on the top pointing straight at him.

‘Find cover… everybody find cover. Now,’ yelled Iain, jumping away from his position.

The two Jamie’s reacted immediately as did Bethy. Lydia jumped up and tried to climb up the steep cavern floor, Clara just sat; petrified.

‘Jamie, help your mother, Bethy the same,’ shouted Jamie een.

Iain ran over to help Bethy with Clara.

Anna wasn’t quick enough… a high powered bullet smashed into the back of her skull a split second before the sound of a rifle shot rang out, killing her instantly, her dead eyes vacant as her body crumpled and fell off the path, tumbling down the mountainside.

Jamie een dived on to the path behind a large rock, Iain, slid down the cavern floor and dived down next to him, leaving the others up in the cavern safely behind a large boulder.

Another shot ricocheted off a rock just behind Iain.

The two of them pulled out their revolvers and started firing back at the ridge

‘Anna,’ screamed Clara. ‘She fell off the path… we must try and get to her.’

‘For god’s sake woman, she’s dead. She took the first bullet,’ shouted Iain.

‘Stay where you are… all of you, while we figure out how to get to the shooter,’ shouted Jamie een.

‘Dad, I’m coming to help you,’ shouted Jamie twee.

‘I’d appreciate it if you’d stay there and watch over the girls Jamie.’

Another shot from the sharp shooter pinged off a rock inside the cavern.

‘Maybe that’s a good idea,’ said Jamie twee.

‘Christ almighty, Jamie, why the hell is somebody shooting us?’

‘I don’t know but we’re going to flush that bastard out and find out why. You give me some cover fire, I’ll run up and around the path then I’ll be out of sight behind the rocks there, then I’ll give you cover fire and do the same.’

‘Just like old times, eh…’ said Iain as he started firing at the ridge.

When they were both around the mountain path it took them ten minutes to pick their way across to the ridge and cautiously approach the sharp shooter’s position.

There was no one there, only three empty shell casings.

‘The bastard’s long gone,’ said Iain.

‘I don’t see a horse, he must be on foot.’

‘I dropped the telescope in the cave, we won’t be able to spot him going down the slopes, there’s too much cover.’

‘These casings are forty five calibre,’ said Jamie.

Iain picked one up and looked at it. ‘Probably from a modified Martini-Henry rifle… I saw a telescopic sight attached to it, you don’t easily come across one of those, they’re virtually a new invention and along with the rifle they don’t come cheaply.’

‘Whoever it was they’re playing in earnest Iain, this is a warning.’

‘But who… whose out to kill us?’

‘I don’t know but we have to find out fast.’

Chapter Two

April 1879

Congo interior

Diogo Ferreira followed his good friend and lead guide, Pedro Vieira, through the tropical undergrowth on a path barely visible under the overgrown vegetation. He had journeyed along this path months before but the re-growth had been so swift they had to hack their way through it again.

Following behind him the bulk of his entourage included some of the porters and gun-bearers he had hired on the previous expedition. They were a bit wary of this particular trek so deep into the interior, but they respected and trusted their employer as he was fair and paid good money for their labour and the risks involved. They also had a great respect for his foul temper when crossed.

The indigenous people of Angola and the interior, along the length of the Congo River, as well as north into the Congo basin, were heavily influenced by Portuguese and Belgian infiltration and colonization, many were the offspring of European men and local women, many of the locals taking European names.

The last time Ferreira came up here he was paid to guide a missionary into the North East tropical forests of the Kongo hinterland but the priest had been physically weak and not mentally strong enough to endure the rigors of such an expedition and so they had returned to Ferreira’s base camp on the Congo River, on the south side of the small, bustling trading village of Kinchassa, the missionary going on to report his failure to the mission fathers in Luanda.

The mission fathers however, had found an excellent replacement in Father Costa, who was a different creature altogether. He was physically fit and mentally alert, he had immediately earned the respect of his travelling companions.

They were back-tracking to the source of a tributary, which flowed from a north easterly direction into the Mongala River, which, in turn, flowed down to the Zaire River as it was known to the locals, to outsiders it was known as the mighty Congo River.

They had set out on their expedition many days before by canoe from the base camp, traveling up-river to the village of Mobeka, where they stocked up with provisions for a lengthy journey. From there they paddled up the Mongala River and then up the tributary they were looking for, beaching the canoes downriver of a series of rapids and taking to the path through the bush.

The missionary was spreading the gospel into the northern interior of the Kongo region, stopping at remote villages, making notes of every minute of every day; drawing maps with directions and illustrations of just about everything and anything he laid eyes on. It was tedious work for Ferreira and his men, but well paid.

Father Costa’s calling was to convert the inhabitants of the villages to Christianity, learn their language and understand their cultures.

What manner of faith does this man of the cloth have; to walk into this disease ridden, dangerous jungle to try and convert these heathens? Thought Ferreira, they’ve barely stopped swinging through the trees.

After weeks of trekking, exploring, discovering and, on the odd occasion, converting some supposed lost souls, Ferreira decided the time had come to return to Kinchassa.

When the party made camp that night, Ferreira went over to where Father Costa was sitting in front of his tent making notes and drawing as he always did after eating.

‘Father Costa, we’re going to have to start on the return journey before the rainy season starts,’ said Ferreira. ‘I mean it rains a lot of the time here but we could be stranded if the rains are heavy and flood the region, besides that, it would be too dangerous to travel.’

‘But Diogo, there’s so much to do, so many souls to convert and save, so much information I have to record in my journals.’

Ferreira was not a tall man, he had a stalky frame wrapped in olive coloured skin, inherited from his swarthy Portuguese parents. His coal black hair fell just short of his dark eyebrows above brown almond shaped eyes, a prominent nose and full lips, he was handsome and women liked him.

He was born in the Portuguese Colonial city of Luanda and was mostly looked after by his African nanny from the Kikongo tribe. He could speak Portuguese and English fluently as well as Kikongo and Mbundu, the local languages in Angola, the Belgian Congo and up the length of the Congo River Basin.

‘Father, I have spoken with the guides and they say we can trek for another two days. If we don’t find another village, then with or without you they will return. If we do find a village we can stay for a short while so you can note its position, then when you get back you and your compatriot missionaries can plan a future visit. Better to come back another day father. Go back and share your findings with your church then at least they will share the information and knowledge recorded in your journals,’ and pay for another expedition, thought Ferreira.

‘Yes, I know you are correct Diogo’, sighed Costa, ‘let’s march for two more days and see if the good lord will smile upon us.’

The guides were used to the mosquitos and the heat but the humidity was getting heavier as they continued to hack their way ever deeper into the jungle. They had never been this far into the Kongo interior and were reluctant to go any further.

Early on the morning of the second day the heat was already oppressive as the porters packed up the camp. Vieira had gone on ahead to scout for a decent path while Ferreira helped Father Costa to pack his journals and drawings and odds and ends.

About an hour later Vieira suddenly appeared back in the camp and beckoned to Ferreira and the Father to follow him.

Ferreira sensed there was something wrong and told the porters to pack everything and wait for their return.

‘Pedro! What’s wrong?’

‘You’ll see, just follow me for the next half hour and heed my instructions.’