It was a singular fact, noted by Edmund,
that the natives exhibited not the slightest curiosity concerning their
comrades who had been lost in the crystal mountains, and I really doubt
whether they knew what the coffin contained.
When we had paid the last honors to Juba, we began to think of our final
departure. This place had become disagreeable to us. After the brilliant
scenes that we had witnessed on the other side of the planet, the gloom
here, and the absence of all that had made the land of perpetual daylight
seem a paradise of beauty, were intensely oppressive to our spirits. But
Edmund still wished to make some investigations, and we were compelled to
await his movements. What the nature of his investigations was I do not
know, for I was devoured by the desire to get away, and did not inquire.
But fully twenty-four hours had elapsed before our leader was ready to
depart. In the meanwhile "Juba's dog" had become firmly attached to Jack,
who petted it as probably no creature of its race had ever been petted
before. It was a strange-looking animal; about as large as a terrier,
with a big square head, covered with long black hair, while, in startling
imitation of the hirsute adornment of the natives themselves, its body
was clothed with a golden-white pelt of silky texture.
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