about two o'clock in
the afternoon
Despite his disinclination to talk , however , I contrived to extract a little information from him , learning , among other things , that I was not the first white man who had been permitted to enter the Bandokolo country , one other having arrived when Pousa was quite a young man , and died somewhat mysteriously soon afterward . I was also given to understand that the Bandokolo generally strongly objected to strangers visiting them , and were indeed in the habit of resorting to the most drastic measures for preventing such visits , or , at all events , for preventing the departure of unwelcome visitors from their country alive . As for Bimbane , what little I could induce him to say about her only went to confirm the astounding account of her that Siluce had given ; and I confess that once or twice during the progress of that conversation I very seriously asked myself whether , after all , it would not be wiser on my part to turn back there and then , instead of pushing on any farther into so extraordinary a country , and placing myself in the power of so extraordinary a woman . But I do not like to be beaten , and could not bring myself to abandon my purpose ignominiously after having come so far ; therefore about two o'clock in the afternoon I gave the order to inspan , and we resumed our journey . Still closely following the course of the river across the open plain , Pousa and I rode side by side at the head of the cavalcade , with the wagon bringing up the rear ; and I soon found that , apart from anything relating to Queen Bimbane , my companion was quite willing to be communicative , telling me many things of an exceedingly interesting nature with regard to his extraordinary country . I was naturally anxious to know whether gold and `` shining stones '' were as plentiful as I had been led to believe , and I was gratified to learn that they were , gold indeed being so abundant that it was used for every purpose where metal was needed , the Bandokolo having learned to harden and temper it in such a manner that it afforded a very fair substitute for steel , in proof of which he showed me his sword . I took the weapon in my hands , examined it , and found that it was made entirely of hardened gold , and that it had been treated in such a manner as not only to possess a certain elasticity but also to be capable of receiving a fairly sharp edge .