Explorers Of Gor

30
We Make Further Progress Upon The River

"Do not permit the canoe to be swept away!" screamed Kisu, straining to be heard over the rushing water.

We had been two weeks upon the Ua. We had come to another of its cataracts.

It is impossible to paddle against these currents as the river, descending rapidly, plunges in torrents among a jungle of rocks.

I and Kisu. and the blond-haired barbarian and Tende, waded beside the canoe, thrusting it ahead of us. On the shore, each with a rope, one extending from the bow, one from the stern, stumbled Ayari and Alice. Ayari held the bow rope and Alice the rope extending from the stern. We could port the canoe but only with great difficulty. It was an eight-man raiders' canoe.

"Do not lose your footing, Naked Slave!" cried Tende to the blond-haired barbarian.

"Yes, Mistress," she cried, over the water, struggling to remain upright.

We had made Tende first girl. She had been, after all, the former mistress of the two white slaves.

They would obey her with perfection. If they did not we would beat them. If Tende, for her part, did not do well as first girl Kisu and I had agreed that Alice should have the opportunity. Tende, we were sure, fearing to be at the mercy of one of her former slaves, would strive to be a good first girl.

Tende and Alice had taken to calling the blond-haired barbarian 'Naked Slave'. She had, among us, no other name. We had not given her one. Calling the blond-haired barbarian by that descriptive and accurate appellation made clear the distinction between her and the others. She was low girl. We all used her to fetch and carry, and perform the most servile of our tasks. The blond-haired barbarian would weep at night, but we paid her no attention, unless it be to order her to silence.

"Hold the lines!" called Kisu.

Ayari and Alice kept the lines taut.

"Push!" called Kisu.

We, wading, half blinded with water, thrust the canoe forward.