Exodus 32:31-32 And Moses returned to the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.… Amongst the many touching and interesting incidents that occurred in Stanley's last journey, there are but few to equal the following: — Stanley had much trouble with his men on account of their current propensity to steal, the results of which brought upon the expedition much actual disaster. At last he doomed the next man caught stealing to death. His grief and distress were unbounded when the next thief was found to be Uledi, the bravest, truest, noblest of his dusky followers. Uledi had saved a hundred lives, his own among the number. He had performed acts of the most brilliant daring, always successful, always faithful, always kind. Must Uledi die? He called all his men around him in a council. He explained to them the gravity of Uledi's crime. He reminded them of his stern decree, but said he was not hard enough to enforce it against Uledi. His arm was not strong enough to kill Uledi; some other punishment, and a hard one, must be meted out. What should it be? The council must decide. They took a vote. Uledi must be flogged. When the decision was reached, Stanley standing, Uledi crouching at his feet, and the solemn circle drawn closely around them, one man whose life Uledi had saved under circumstances of frightful peril, stood forth and said: "Give me half the blows, master." Then another said, in the faintest accent, while tears fell from his eyes, "Will the master give his slave leave to speak?" "Yes," said Stanley. The Arab came forward and knelt by Uledi's side. His words came slowly, and now and then a sob broke them. "The master is wise," he said. "He knows all that has been, for he writes them in a book. Let your slave fetch the book, master, and turn its leaves. Maybe there is something that tells how Uledi saved Zaidi from the white waters of the cataract; how he saved many men — how many I forget — Bin Ali, Mabruki, Koni Kusi, others too; how he is worthier than any three of us; how he always listens when the master speaks, and flies forth at his word. Look, master, at the book. Then, if the blows must be struck, Shumari will take half and I the other half." Saywa's speech deserves to live for ever. Stanley threw away his whip. "Uledi is free," he said. "Shumari and Saywa are pardoned." Parallel Verses KJV: And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. |
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