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d。 The rustling increased； and they heard an odd sighing sound； a sort of wheeze。
Elliot heard it too； and felt a chill： it was the same wheezing that had been recorded on the tapes from the first Congo expedition。 He turned on the tape recorder； and swung the microphone around。 They were all tense； alert； waiting。
But for the next hour nothing further happened。 The foliage moved all around them； but they saw nothing。 Then shortly before midnight the electrified perimeter fence erupted in sparks。 Munro swung his gun around and fired； Ross hit the switch for the night lights and the camp was bathed in deep red。
〃Did you see it？〃 Munro said。 〃Did you see what it was？〃
They shook their heads。 Nobody had seen anything。 Elliot checked his tapes； he had only the harsh rattle of gunfire； and the sounds of sparks。 No breathing。
The rest of the night passed uneventfully。
DAY 10： ZINJ
June 22； 1979
1。Return
THE MORNING OF JUNE 22 WAS FOGGY AND GRAY。 Peter Elliot awoke at 6 A。M。 to find the camp already up and active。 Munro was stalking around the perimeter of the camp； his clothing soaked to the chest by the wet foliage。 He greeted Elliot with a look of triumph； and pointed to the ground。
There； on the ground； were fresh footprints。 They were deep and short； rather triangular…shaped； and there was a wide space between the big toe and the other four toes…as wide as the space between a human thumb and fingers。
〃Definitely not human；〃 Elliot said； bending to look closely。
Munro said nothing。
〃Some kind of primate。〃
Munro said nothing。
〃It can't be a gorilla；〃 Elliot finished； straightening。 His video munications from the night before had hardened his belief that gorillas were not involved。 Gorillas did not kill other gorillas as Amy's mother had been killed。 〃It can't be a gorilla；〃 he repeated。
〃It's a gorilla； all right；〃 Munro said。 〃Have a look at this。〃 He pointed to another area of the soft earth。 There were four indentations in a row。 〃Those are the knuckles； when they walk on their hands。〃
〃But gorillas；〃 Elliot said； 〃are shy animals that sleep at night and avoid contact with men。〃
〃Tell the one that made this print。〃
〃It's small for a gorilla；〃 Elliot said。 He examined the fence nearby； where the electrical short had occurred the night before。 Bits of gray fur clung to the fence。 〃And gorillas don't have gray fur。〃
〃Males do；〃 Munro said。 〃Silverbacks。〃
〃Yes； but the silverback coloring is whiter than this。 This fur is distinctly gray。〃 He hesitated。 〃Maybe it's a kakundakari。〃
Munro looked disgusted。
The kakunidakari was a disputed primate in the Congo。 Like the yeti of the Himalayas and bigfoot of North America； he had been sighted but never captured。 There were endless native stories of a six…foot…tall hairy ape that walked on his hind legs and otherwise behaved in a manlike fashion。
Many respected scientists believed the kakundakari existed； perhaps they remembered the authorities who had once denied the existence of the gorilla。
In 1774； Lord Monboddo wrote of the gorilla that 〃this wonderful and frightful production of nature walks upright like man； is from 7 to 9 feet high。 。 。 and amazingly strong； covered with longish hair； jet black over the body； but longer on the head； the face more like the human than the Chimpenza； but the plexion black； and has no tail。〃
Forty years later； Bowditch described an African ape 〃generally five feet high； and four across the shoulders； its paw was said to be even more disproportionate than its breadth； and one blow of it to be fetal。〃 But it was not until 1847 that Thomas Savage； an African missionary； and Jeffries Wyman； a Boston anatomist； published a paper describing 〃a second species in Africa 。 。 。 not recognized by naturalists；〃 which they proposed to call Troglodytes gorilla。 Their announcement caused enormous excitement in the scientific world； and a rush in London； Paris； and Boston to procure skeletons； by 1855； there was no longer any doubt… a second； very large ape existed in Africa。
Even in the twentieth century； new animal species were discovered in the rain forest： the blue pig in 1944； and the red…breasted grouse in 1961。 It was perfectly possible that a rare； reclusive primate might exist in the jungle depths。 But there was still no hard evidence for the kakundakari。
〃This print is from a gorilla；〃 Munro insisted。 〃Or rather a group of gorillas。 They're all around the perimeter fence。 They've been scouting our camp。〃
〃Scouting our camp；〃 Elliot repeated； shaking his head。
〃That's right；〃 Munro said。 〃Just look at the bloody prints。〃
Elliot felt his patience growing short。 He said something about white…hunter campfire tales； to which Munro said something unflattering about people who knew everything from books。
At that point； the colobus monkeys in the trees overhead began to shriek and shake the branches。
They found Malawi's body just outside the pound。 The porter had been going to the stream to get water when he had been killed； the collapsible buckets lay on the ground nearby。 The bones of his skull had been crushed； the purple； swelling face was distorted； the mouth open。
The group was repelled by the manner of death； Ross turned away； nauseated； the porters huddled with Kahega； who tried to reassure them； Munro bent to examine the injury。 〃You notice these flattened areas of pression； as if the head was squeezed between something
Munro then called for the stone paddles that Elliot had found in the city the day before。 He glanced back at Kahega。
Kahega stood at his most erect and said； 〃We go home now； boss。〃
〃That's not possible；〃 Munro said。
〃We go home。 We must go home； one of our brothers is dead； we must make ceremony for his wife and his children； boss。〃
〃Kahega。 。
〃Boss； we must go now。〃
〃Kahega； we will talk。〃 Munro straightened； put his arm over Kahega and led him some distance away； across the clearing。 They talked in low voices for several minutes。
〃It's awful；〃 Ross said。 She seemed genuinely affected with human feeling and instinctively Elliot turned to fort her； but she continued； 〃The whole expedition is falling apart。 Ifs awful。 We have to hold it together somehow； or we'll never find the diamonds。〃
〃Is that all you care about？〃
〃Well； they do have insurance。 。 。
〃For Christ's sake；〃 Elliot said。
〃You're just upset because you've lost your damned monkey；〃 Ross said。 〃Now get hold of yourself。 They're watching us。〃
The Kikuyu were indeed watching Ross and Elliot； trying to sense the drift of sentiment。 But they all knew that the real negotiations were between Munro and Kahega； standing off to one side。 Several minutes later Kahega returned； wiping his eyes。 He spoke quickly to his remaining brothers； and they nodded。 He turned back to Munro。
〃We stay； boss。〃
〃Good；〃 Munro said； immediately resuming his former imperious tone。 〃Bring the paddles。〃
When they were brought； Munro placed the paddles to either side of Malawi's head。 They fitted the semicircular indentations on the head perfectly。
Munro then said something quickly to Kahega in Swahili； and Kahega said something to his brothers