For Choktroo, his fate was a romantic contrast to that of his fame. Reports were brought in by the idrovamolan or by flying messengers who had ventured over the belt of fog. He was rescued by the neighbouring tribe before he starved on the barren islet, only to be threatened with sacrifice to one of their gods. A missionary who had some influence over the heathen arrived at the moment of sacrifice and saved him. After learning their language he worked his way by intrigues and assassinations and what they thought magic up to the headship of the tribe. When he had made himself secure in his power over them, he built a great fleet of war-canoes, and, after mastering the groups of islands within range and enlisting their warriors and canoes in his service, he set sail southward for some land they knew not of. South and then east the fleet made way, his followers still unalarmed. At last appeared the circle of mystery on the horizon. He gave the word to row forward into it; but, before the command had reached the outermost of the canoes, he was hurled from his platform into the sea, and, as he rose to the surface, he was promptly speared by his own immediate staff. Round swung the heads of the canoes by one simultaneous impulse. Their chief had become a madman to think of entering that belt of mystery; and away they paddled for very life; nor did they cease their frantic efforts till the dark cloud had sunk beneath the horizon. CHAPTER XV THE DUOMOVAMOLAN OR COSMOPHONE THOUGH the Limanorans calmly pursued their regular employments during these attempts at invasion, I had myself felt the uneasy spiritual atmosphere that precedes and presages turmoil. None but the Lilamo were engaged in preparation for defence; yet during all the years every spirit was tense and giving out its energy in sympathy to this section of the people. There was a palpable loss of nervous power in the community, for they knew that by accident some joint in the arrangements might fail to work and all the defence miscarry. Not till the bold disturber of their progress was finally disposed of did the tension or the leakage of nerve-energy cease. To be absorbed in mere war was to them the hades of human society, and to have again sealed up their island from the intrusion of degenerate souls was a happy epoch in their history.