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diff --git a/24602.txt b/24602.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f430a91 --- /dev/null +++ b/24602.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9937 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Through Veld and Forest, by Harry Collingwood + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Through Veld and Forest + An African Story + +Author: Harry Collingwood + +Illustrator: Arch. Webb + +Release Date: February 13, 2008 [EBook #24602] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH VELD AND FOREST *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Through Veld and Forest, by Harry Collingwood. + +________________________________________________________________________ +The hero of the story is Edward Laurence, an 18-year-old living on a +farm in South Africa. The date is in the earlier part of the nineteenth +century. The boy is sent off on a shopping expedition which will take +several days, but when he gets back he finds that there has been an +attack on the farm, his father and mother are dead, and all the stock +has been taken away. He goes to the neighbouring farm, and finds that +the same applies there, except that he realises that the young 12-year +old daughter, Nell, has been taken away alive. Edward's father had +always spent the profits on improving the breeding-stock, so Edward has +very little money in hand. He goes to a town where he has friends, and +one of them advises him to spend what he has on setting up an expedition +to the north, where he may be able to get enough ivory and hides to make +a good profit. And, it is suggested, he may even be able to get gold, +silver and diamonds. + +Edward sets up this expedition, and sets off. We will not spoil the +story for you except to say that he spends some time on the way with a +witch-doctor, who is able to conjure up for him a vision of where little +Nell is. His adventures thereafter are many and various, and some of +them are hair's-breadth escapes from very dangerous situations. + +Collingwood is a superb writer, with a magnificent power of description, +so it is a very nice book to read or listen to. + +________________________________________________________________________ +THROUGH VELD AND FOREST, BY HARRY COLLINGWOOD. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +VAGUE HINTS OF POSSIBLE TROUBLE. + +The blazing midsummer sun of South Africa had sunk to within a hand's +breadth of the ridge of the southern spur of the Tandjes Berg, softly +outlined in blue some forty miles distant on the western horizon, when +I, Edward Laurence, having taken a long afternoon ride round the farm to +assure myself that the sheep were being properly looked after, arrived +within a mile of my home--the long, white, one-storey thatched house +picturesquely perched yonder on a mound which formed one of the southern +spurs of the Great Winter Berg. + +The house--which, together with the farm of two thousand five hundred +and sixty acres, was known as Bella Vista--was the property of my +father, Henry Laurence, ex-colonel of the --th King's Own Regiment of +Dragoon Guards; and he had purchased it some fifteen years prior to the +date upon which this story opens, having been so severely wounded during +the battle of Waterloo as to necessitate his retirement from the army. +His retirement, of course, left him without an occupation; and as he was +then still quite a young man, being only thirty-three years of age, as +soon as he had recovered from his wounds--so far as recovery then seemed +possible--he began to cast about for something to do. It was at this +juncture that he made the acquaintance of a Miss Violet McKinnon, the +lovely daughter of an impecunious Scottish laird, and fell desperately +in love with her; and as my father happened to be a strikingly handsome +and attractive man his affection was speedily returned, and marriage +quickly followed. To marry under such circumstances was perhaps +something of an imprudence, for my father had nothing but his pension, +while his bride--sixteen years his junior--had nothing but her +trousseau; but the pair turned a deaf ear to all advice and +remonstrance, with the result just mentioned, when of course it became +more imperatively necessary than ever for the ex-colonel to discover +some means of earning a living, especially as I was born within a year +of the date of the marriage. The state of his health demanded that the +occupation chosen should enable him to live an outdoor life: and farming +at once naturally suggested itself. + +Then, in the nick of time, he made the acquaintance of a Mr William +Arbuckle, a friend of his father-in-law, and a South African sheep +farmer, home for a holiday; and this man strongly urged him to emigrate +to South Africa and take up sheep farming. The idea powerfully appealed +to my father from the very first, and the upshot was that, after due +enquiry into details, my parents took the decisive step and--my father +having commuted his pension--sailed for South Africa, of course taking +me with them. This event occurred early in the year 1818. Arbuckle +returned to South Africa in the ship which took us out; and at his +urgent invitation we became his guests for a short time upon our arrival +at the Cape. But the warm-hearted Scotchman's kindness did not end +there; he instituted enquiries, and eventually learned that a certain +small farm, known as Rooikop, in the Albany district, was for sale, the +Dutchman who owned it being averse to the British rule and intending to +move up-country beyond the borders of the colony. This farm Arbuckle +and my father visited together, with the result that, upon the urgent +advice of his friend, the ex-colonel purchased it, just as it stood, +house, stock, and implements, all complete. But he did not buy the +furniture, having brought out from England all that he required; also +the Dutchman needed it to take up-country with him to the spot where he +might ultimately establish his new home: thus both parties were equally +satisfied. + +The first thing that my father did after entering into possession was to +change the name of the farm from Rooikop to Bella Vista, on account of +the magnificent prospect obtainable from the stoep of the house, which +faced due south, and consequently was in grateful shadow all day. The +building stood on a kopje or hill rising out of one of the lower spurs +of the Great Winter Berg range of mountains, the bald summits of which +towered into the rich blue of the South African sky some seven miles in +the rear of the house, their rugged slopes bush-clad for two-thirds of +their height. On the left, or toward the east, other spurs of the range +gradually lost themselves in a wide expanse of gently rolling, bush-clad +plateau extending beyond the blue distance to the sea, one hundred and +eighty miles away, where the Great Kei River discharges itself into the +Indian Ocean. A similar prospect stretched in front of the house, the +ground growing more rugged toward the right as the spectator's gaze +swept westward, until, looking due west from the house, one perceived, +in the immediate foreground, a moderately steep declivity running down +to a spruit or small stream, having its rise high up toward the summit +of the mountains and discharging into the Great Fish River, some seven +miles distant. On the far side of the spruit the country was flat +enough to enable one to catch a glimpse, here and there, of the Great +Fish River itself winding southward through the plain, and, in the +extreme distance, the soft blue masses of the Tandjes Berg spurs, on the +hither side of which the white houses of Somerset East, some +twenty-eight miles away, might sometimes be seen on a clear morning when +the sun shone strongly upon them. + +Such, very feebly and sketchily described, was the splendid prospect +visible from the stoep of our house as I first knew it; and the passage +of the years effected little or no change save the gradual disappearance +of the nearer clumps of bush, as my father caused them to be cleared +away in order to furnish additional grazing ground for our steadily +increasing flocks of sheep and herds of cattle, and the occasional +appearance of a new house somewhere in the distance, as neighbours +gradually began to gather in our vicinity. The greatest change of all, +however, was that occasioned by the erection of our own new house; for, +as time went on, my father's health improved so greatly that he became +as strong and robust as ever, with the promise of a ripe old age before +him. Moreover, he began to make money rapidly as his flocks and herds +increased; and, as the money came in, so his views with regard to the +comforts of home life expanded. The house standing on the property when +my father purchased it consisted of a sitkammer, or general sitting-room +used for all day purposes, and three bedrooms; and this amount of +accommodation served our purpose well enough for the first five years of +our residence upon the farm. But by that time my father had made a very +considerable sum of money by his annual sales of wool and hides; and one +of his theories was that money was useful merely as a means by which +life might be made more comfortable and enjoyable. He therefore planned +a new and much more commodious house, built it of stone quarried from +the mountain side within a quarter of a mile of the chosen site, filled +it with new and handsome furniture, pictures, and a piano for my mother, +all imported from England at great expense, and laid out a beautiful +garden of about five acres in extent all round the house, converting the +place into a perfect miniature Paradise. Also, the time had arrived +when my education must be thought of; and, as at that period there were +no schools of any importance nearer than Cape Town, and my mother +objected to my being sent so far away--I being an only child--my father +decided to secure the services of a private tutor, and in due time Mr +John Nesbitt, a Cambridge man, and a very fine fellow in every respect, +became a member of our household. To him I hold myself indebted for a +most excellent education, and for many other things beside. He +continued my education until I attained the age of fifteen years, after +which he remained on as a sort of general factotum to my father, while I +devoted myself to the management of the farm, relieving my father of all +the hard work and so leaving him free to enjoy himself in his own way. +Such, briefly stated, was the general condition of affairs at Bella +Vista on the afternoon referred to at the beginning of this chapter--on +which day, by the way, I attained to the age of seventeen years; except +that, after building and furnishing his new house, my father regularly +employed all his surplus cash in extending the area of his property, and +improving his flocks and herds by the frequent purchase of valuable +animals for breeding purposes. + +As I have said, on the afternoon that marks the opening of my remarkable +story I had arrived within a mile of the gate in the stout picket fence +which surrounded our garden as a protection against the invasion of +predatory animals, when my horse, Prince, suddenly pricked up his ears, +and, looking away to the eastward, whinnied, while at the same moment +the rhythmical beat of cantering hoofs came softly to my ear from a +considerable distance, floating on the gentle, almost imperceptible, +easterly zephyr that happened to be breathing at the moment. Aroused +thus from some day-dream into which I had fallen, I glanced up, and, +looking in the direction of the sound, became aware of a small cloud of +dust gleaming yellow in the afternoon sun, about a mile away to the +eastward; and in the midst of it appeared two mounted figures which, +even at that distance, I identified without difficulty as Mr Lestrange, +our next-door neighbour at Triannon, some fourteen miles away, and his +eleven-year-old daughter Nell. They must have seen and recognised me at +the same moment, for a few seconds later a shout from Mr Lestrange +reached me; and, turning Prince's head in their direction and pressing +my unarmed heels gently to his sides, I cantered off to meet them. Some +three or four minutes later we came together, and, all reining up as I +wheeled my horse alongside them, we proceeded toward Bella Vista at a +walking pace, as their horses were sweating and it was desirable that +they should be allowed to cool off a little before being stabled. + +"Many happy returns of the day, Ned!" exclaimed Nell, with a bright +smile, as I shook hands with her. "You see I have not forgotten that +to-day is your birthday; and--here is my birthday present to you," +handing me a small parcel neatly tied up in paper. + +"I also wish you many happy returns, Ned," remarked Mr Lestrange, +reaching across in front of his daughter to shake hands with me. "I +haven't brought you any present, however, so you must take the will for +the deed and accept Nell's present as coming from us jointly. The young +minx has been working at them like a Trojan for the last fortnight; so, +as a reward for her extraordinary industry, I have allowed her to ride +over and present them herself. They are a pair of Berlin-wool slippers, +made after the pattern of an old one that Nell surreptitiously begged +from your mother when we were last at Bella Vista. And that reminds me +to enquire how they all are at the house. Quite well, I hope?" + +"Yes, thank you, all quite well," I replied. "I don't need to ask how +you and Nell are; I can see for myself that there is nothing the matter +with either of you. They will be tremendously glad at home to see you +both; we have not had a single visitor since you last came--how long ago +was it? It must be quite six weeks." + +"More than that," answered Mr Lestrange; "it is two months ago to-day +by the almanac. And I believe you've grown since then," he continued, +eyeing me over. "How tall are you? Did you think of measuring yourself +this morning to see how tall you are at seventeen years of age?" + +"No," I laughed, "but the pater did; and according to him I stand just +six feet and a quarter of an inch in my stockings." + +"Ay, I dare say you do," he said, "although you scarcely look it, you +are so broad across the shoulders. What will you be when you are +twenty-one?" + +"I am almost afraid to think of it," I replied, rather ruefully. "I +ride within four pounds of thirteen stone now. If I go on at this rate +until I am twenty-one I shall not be able to find a horse fit to carry +me!" + +"You will have to get the colonel to breed one specially for you," +remarked Lestrange, with a loud laugh. "By the way," he continued, +"talking of horses, I wonder if you happen to have anything that would +do for Nell. Punch there is getting old and a little groggy in the fore +legs. He came down with her the other day, and the child had rather a +nasty spill. I shall not let her ride him any longer than I can help. +But I have nothing on my place suitable for her; I don't go in much for +breeding horses, you know." + +"No," I concurred, "I know you don't. But we have the very thing for +her, a two-year-old filly, unbroken, all but thoroughbred, with the +makings of a splendid horse in her. If you care to ride down to the +vley I will show her to you; it won't take us much more than a mile out +of our way, and I should like Nell to have her." + +Mr Lestrange agreeing, we forthwith made off toward the flat where the +horses were turned out to graze, and presently I had caught the filly, +which was a very gentle creature and quite a pet of mine, and led her up +by her long forelock for inspection. She was a bright bay, with very +long dark mane and tail, and of course very ragged-looking as to her +coat, never having been groomed in her life; but that did not matter, +her points were quite unmistakable, and Mr Lestrange, to say nothing of +Nell, fell in love with her on the spot. Then, when the visitors had +done admiring the animal, we turned our horses' heads and rode toward +the house, on the broad veranda-covered stoep of which we could see my +father and mother, the latter waving her handkerchief by way of welcome +to Mr Lestrange and Nell. A quarter of an hour later we had dismounted +at the foot of the broad flight of steps leading up to the stoep, which +my father and mother had descended in order to extend greeting to the +visitors, and the "boys" were leading the horses away to the stable at +the back. + +The usual interchange of greetings having passed, we learned that Mr +Lestrange and his daughter had come prepared to pass the night with us; +and when our guests had been taken to their rooms and had refreshed +themselves after their journey we all gathered on the spacious front +stoep and chatted until dinner was served. Our subjects of conversation +were naturally rather limited, isolated as we were in what was then +practically a wilderness, where it sometimes happened that several weeks +elapsed between the departure of one visitor and the arrival of another. +Like my father, Mr Lestrange had devoted himself to sheep farming, and +the conversation therefore turned chiefly upon the most approved methods +of dealing with the several diseases to which the sheep were subject, +the best dip to use, how to determine the precise moment for shearing, +to secure the best quality of wool, and so on. + +Yet it seemed to me that through it all Mr Lestrange's mind was +dwelling upon something else, something that he was anxious to speak +about as soon as a favourable opportunity should arrive. That +opportunity, however, did not occur until after my mother and Nell had +retired for the night, for we Laurences happened to be enthusiasts in +the matter of music. My mother was not only a brilliant pianiste, but +she also sang exceedingly well. My father possessed a chamber organ, +Nesbitt owned a very sweet-toned violin from which he could extract the +most wonderful music, and, lastly, I had learned to tootle fairly well +upon the flute; therefore whenever we had visitors we were generally +required to organise an impromptu concert for their benefit, as was the +case on the evening in question. But at length the instruments fell +silent, my mother and Nell bade us good night and retired to their +rooms, and, a table under the veranda having been set out with +decanters, glasses, cigars, and tobacco, we males adjourned to the front +stoep for a final gossip before separating. And then it was that Mr +Lestrange found opportunity to broach the matter which, as I +conjectured, had been occupying his thoughts all the evening. + +Having mixed himself a glass of grog and lighted his pipe, he drew his +chair close up to the one occupied by my father, and, lowering his voice +to a confidential tone, said: + +"Look here, Laurence! The real reason why I rode over here this +afternoon was not personally to congratulate Ned upon the occurrence of +his birthday, but to ask you how you happen to be off for ammunition. I +have been wondering whether you could spare me a little." + +"Well," said my father, "I think we can let you have a little, though +not very much, for our own stock is growing rather low. How much do you +want?" + +"Could you let me have, say, twenty pounds of powder and--?" began +Lestrange. + +"Twenty pounds!" ejaculated my father in surprise. "No, that I +certainly cannot; for I do not think we have more than half that +quantity altogether. But I dare say we can let you have four or five +pounds to tide you over until you can replenish your stock, if that will +be of any use to you." + +"Thanks very much," answered Lestrange; "but it would not be enough, and +moreover it would be depriving you. No; I must see if I cannot somehow +arrange to send in to Port Elizabeth for a supply. The nuisance of it +is that I have nobody about my place whom I can trust upon such an +errand--" + +"Oh, as to that," interrupted my father, "if you are so hard up as that, +Ned shall go in and get it for you! We are not very busy here just now, +and a trip to Port Elizabeth will do him no harm. But why do you +require such a large quantity? Are you contemplating an up-country +jaunt; or what is in the wind?" + +"No," answered Lestrange; "I am certainly not contemplating an +up-country expedition of any sort. And as to what is in the wind, I +don't know; I very much wish I did. But during the last month I have +heard a thing or two with regard to the natives that make me feel just a +trifle uneasy, and I thought I ought to mention the matter to you--if it +has not already reached your ears." + +"No," said my father, "we have heard nothing here. What is it?" + +"Well," said Lestrange, "I have heard nothing very definite, thus far-- +only enough, in fact, to render me somewhat uneasy. Just vague hints, +more than anything else, you know. But I have been putting two and two +together, and therefrom I deduce the fact that the natives are growing a +bit restive at the steadily increasing number of whites who are coming +into the country--" + +My father interrupted with a loud laugh. "Is that all, my dear chap?" +he exclaimed. "Why, it has been like that ever since I came here, +sixteen years ago. There were rumours then that the natives intended to +rise and drive us all into the sea; but nothing has ever come of it, +excepting an occasional small raid upon some outlying farm, and the +driving off of a few sheep or cattle. Surely you have been here long +enough to know that these mysterious hints and rumours should not be +taken seriously!" + +"Yes, I have," returned Lestrange. "But, to my mind, things look a bit +different just now. From what I have heard I gather that there is +somebody--whether a white man or a native I cannot make out, but it +looks rather like a white man--who is going round among the natives, +urging the various tribes to combine together for the purpose of +attacking and exterminating the whites forthwith; pointing out that, +unless this is very speedily done, the whites will get such a footing in +the country that it will be impossible to drive them out, with the +result that the natives will be robbed of their land and driven into the +interior, to perish on the points of the spears of the powerful and +ferocious Zulus. Now, that is an exceedingly dangerous doctrine to +preach to such ignorant, credulous folk as are the Tembu, the Pondos, +and the Griquas; the more so since there is a _soupcon_ of truth in it, +as is evidenced by the increasing numbers of the Dutch who are pressing +over the border in order to escape from British rule: and this time I am +really inclined to believe that the agitation may lead to more or less +unpleasant consequences. Not, mind you, that I think the disturbance is +at all likely to reach as far as here; still, one never knows, and it is +wise to be prepared for the worst--which is the reason why I am anxious +to replenish my stock of ammunition as quickly as possible." + +"Yes; quite so," agreed my father. "But," he continued, "who or what is +your authority for the statement that somebody--possibly a white man--is +endeavouring to stir up the natives against us? For my own part I can +scarcely credit such a thing as possible. Why, assuming for a moment +such a thing to be true, the fellow himself would be in the direst +peril, for the natives could hardly be expected to discriminate in his +favour; he would be just as likely to be wiped out in the convulsion as +any of us." + +"I think not," said Lestrange, "for I take it that, if such a man +exists, he is some schelm devoid of all kith or kin, and fully prepared +to throw in his lot with the Kafirs, in the hope of living a safe and +easy life with them; or, possibly, he may have some notion that he can +persuade them to make him a chief if he should succeed in bringing off a +successful rising against the whites. As to my authority--well, one of +my Totties, a man named Klaas, who is a rather intelligent fellow, has +overheard a good deal of mysterious talk among my `boys' of late, which +he has repeated to me; and although nothing has been said of an +absolutely definite character, the remarks which he has repeated +certainly seem to point pretty conclusively to the fact that something +is really brewing. Moreover--and this, in my opinion, is the most +sinister indication of all--my native `boys' are all going back home, +upon one pretext or another." + +"A-h!" ejaculated my father, "now you are coming to something definite. +How long has this been going on?" + +"Oh, not very long! Only within these last few days," answered +Lestrange. "But within that time more than half of them have gone. And +they are mostly Pondos or Griquas." + +"By Jove, Pater, there may be something in it, after all!" I exclaimed. +"Our `boys' are mostly Totties, as you know, but we have had a few +Griquas--about half a dozen--until within the last few days; now they +are all gone, two or three of them without waiting to get their pay. I +did not think very much of that, however, for they have done the same +thing before; but in the light of what Mr Lestrange has just told us it +certainly looks a bit suspicious." + +"Yes, it certainly does," agreed my father, "although, after all, there +may really be nothing in it. At the same time it will be well to be +prepared; therefore to-morrow you shall take the wagon and make an +errand to Port Elizabeth. I believe some of our stores are running +rather low, so there ought to be no difficulty in arranging for the trip +without unnecessarily alarming your mother. And you can complete your +back load by bringing as much powder and lead as the wagon will +conveniently carry. I have no doubt that our friend Lestrange here will +willingly take half of what you bring." + +"Ay, that I will, and be glad to get it," answered Lestrange. "And if +you will take my advice, Ned, you will not loiter unduly on the way. If +a rising is really meditated it may occur at any moment, although I do +not believe it is exactly what you may call imminent; were it so, I +think we should have heard a little more about it. Still, there is +nothing like being prepared in good time; in a case like this it is +better to be a couple of months too early than a day too late." + +So it was arranged, and for the next half-hour we were all busy +discussing the question of what precisely I should bring out with me, +and preparing a detailed list of our various requirements; for a wagon +journey to Port Elizabeth was no trifling matter, the distance across +the veld and by road being about one hundred and seventy miles, and +occupying the best part of nine days each way. By the time that we had +finished it was past midnight, and I went to bed and slept soundly, for, +to be quite truthful, I had no very profound belief in the threatened +rising, despite the ominous departure of the Griquas; such things had +happened before--were constantly happening, in fact--and nothing ever +came of it, although more or less alarming rumours were continually +arising, nobody quite knew how. As a matter of fact I felt quite easy +in my mind about it, for I was confident that, even should a rising take +place, it would be suppressed very promptly; and in any case I did not +believe for a moment that the savages would dare to penetrate so far +into the colony as Bella Vista, or even as far as Triannon: while the +"scare", trifling and unfounded as I believed it to be, afforded me an +excellent excuse for a trip to Port Elizabeth, which town I had not +visited for more than six months, my father having accompanied the wagon +on the previous journey; also it justified me in my determination to +purchase a new rifle--one of the very newest and most up-to-date weapons +that I could possibly procure, the rifle which I had been using for the +previous six years being a flintlock affair, and worn out at that. On +the following morning we were astir at an even earlier hour than usual, +for, the trek oxen not having been worked for some time, I was anxious +to make a good start and get well on my way before the heat of the day +set in. My mother expressed some surprise at the apparently hurried +character of the expedition; but when it was explained that Mr +Lestrange had run out of ammunition, while our own stock was running +low, she was at once satisfied, for at that time hunting was practically +the only amusement open to the farmer, and it was also imperatively +necessary that he should be amply provided with means to check the +increase of the more predatory animals in the neighbourhood of his farm. +Also my mother, being a good housewife, was far more inclined to avail +herself of the opportunity afforded by the trip to provide herself with +an ample stock of such things as could only be procured at Port +Elizabeth than she was to search curiously for another and deeper motive +for the trip than the one which my father had given her. + +The wagon, with a light load of skins and horns, got away early, in +charge of Jan, the Hottentot driver, and then we all sat down to +breakfast, as merry and jovial a party, probably, as any in South Africa +that day, much of our amusement arising from the fact that my mother and +Nell were continually thinking of some fresh commission which I was to +be sure to execute for them before leaving Port Elizabeth, the pair of +them keeping me so busy jotting down their instructions in my notebook +that I could scarcely find time to eat or drink. But at length the +merry meal came to an end: we all rose from the table and adjourned to +the stoep, before which Piet, my after-rider, was walking the horses to +and fro, with Thunder and Juno, the two big hounds that always +accompanied me everywhere, trailing at their heels and whining with +impatience to be off. Arrived there, another commission or two were +remembered and had to be jotted down, upon which my father laughingly +exclaimed, as I finally closed my notebook and slipped it into my +pocket: + +"There, that will do, Ned; now you had better mount and ride, or you +will not get away at all to-day. Goodbye, boy; remember me very kindly +to Mr Henderson and such other friends as you may see at the Bay, and-- +don't forget the new rifle!" + +This last sally produced quite an explosion of laughter at my expense, +for I had announced my determination to treat myself to the best weapon +I could find, and the enthusiasm with which I had dwelt upon the +achievements that would be in my power when it came into my possession +rendered it the most unlikely thing in the world that I should forget to +purchase it. Joining in the laugh, I shook hands with Mr Lestrange, +Nesbitt, and my father, kissed Nell and my mother, and ran +light-heartedly down the steps, swung myself into the saddle, and, with +a final farewell wave of the hand, cantered off down the broad path +leading to the gate, with the dogs bounding along ahead and Piet, +mounted upon a sturdy grey gelding, bringing up the rear. + +It was a glorious morning, such as I think one never finds anywhere but +in South Africa; the sky overhead a deep, rich, cloudless blue, shading +away on all sides to a soft, warm, delicate, almost colourless grey at +the horizon, the air, already warming beneath the ardent rays of the +sun, clear and pellucid as crystal and as invigorating as champagne with +the fresh, clean smell of the dew-saturated vegetation. Around on every +hand stretched a brilliant, sun-kissed picture of rugged mountain +slopes, scored deeply by the storms of ages; deep kloofs, precipitous of +side, shaggy with their vesture of dense bush, and mysterious with their +broad masses of dark shadow; rolling uplands, dotted here and there with +clumps of timber and bush or with our grazing flocks of sheep and herds +of cattle and horses, sweeping gently down toward the wide-stretching, +bush-clad plains, through which wound tiny spruits, like threads of +silver, hurrying to lose themselves in the broader waters of the Great +Fish River. + +Riding at an easy canter, the track across the veld being a very gentle +downward slope all the way, I overtook the wagon at a distance of about +six miles from the house; when, dismounting, I took my rifle from its +slings under the wagon tent, loaded it, slung my powder horn over my +shoulder, slipped a few wads and bullets into my pocket, and then, +accompanied by the two dogs, walked on ahead of the wagon toward our +first outspanning place, my horse Prince following me, as he had been +trained to do, with the bridle hanging loose upon his neck. I had of +course an ample supply of provisions in the wagon, including the +shoulder of a sheep that had been slaughtered that morning; but mutton +naturally formed the staple of our fare at Bella Vista when there was no +buck meat in the house, and I was very heartily tired of both. I was +therefore on the lookout for a pauw or a koraan--the great and small +bustards of South Africa--and hoped to get one in time to have it cooked +for my luncheon instead of the shoulder of mutton. And presently, when +I had got about half a mile ahead of the wagon, I suddenly caught sight +of a fine koraan on the ground about three hundred yards to my right +front, as it emerged from behind a big clump of melkboem, feeding +busily. The bird instantly sighted me and, pausing but the fraction of +a second to look straight at me, took to flight, making the air throb +with its harsh, discordant cry of alarm as it did so. + +It was a long shot for my old rifle, which was only sighted up to one +hundred yards; but I had used the piece for six years and knew to a +nicety what it would do. Moreover--I am now an old man and may +therefore perhaps venture to speak the simple truth without being +suspected of boasting--I seem to have been endowed, from my earliest +years, with the gift of straight shooting; it was just a knack, I +suppose, but I seemed to be able to judge distances accurately by +intuition, and to allow the correct elevation and windage under the most +diversified conditions, so that I very rarely made use of the sights on +my rifle. Nor did I ever need to aim consciously; I just flung the +weapon to my shoulder, keeping my eye meanwhile upon my mark, pressed +the trigger at precisely the right instant, and--down dropped the +quarry: I had in fact by long practice become a dead shot, and could +scarcely remember when I had last failed to bring down what I aimed at. +Nor did I fail now; as the bird rose it flew straight away from me, and +it was still uttering its alarm cry when I pressed the trigger and down +it fell, stone-dead, shot clean through the body. At the whip-like +crack of the rifle the two dogs dashed forward into the thick clumps of +low milk-bush into which the bird had fallen, and presently reappeared, +Thunder dragging the bird along the ground by one of its legs, while +Juno romped round him uttering low, sharp yells of delight, varied by +sudden dashes of pretended threat to snatch the koraan away from him. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +A TRAGIC HOMECOMING. + +In due time our first outspan was reached--a wide vley with a small +spruit meandering lazily through it, and plenty of rich grass for the +oxen--and here a halt was called for a couple of hours during the +hottest part of the day; then on again to the next outspan, which was +reached about an hour before sunset. Here my aversion to mutton again +asserted itself; and while the "boys" watered the oxen, built the camp +fire, and generally made preparations for the coming night, I took my +rifle, and, accompanied as usual by the two dogs, and by Piet, carrying +my double-barrelled 12-bore shot gun, I sauntered off in search of +something acceptable for supper. + +The spot where we had outspanned for the night was the one which I +usually chose as the termination of the second stage of my journey when +going to Port Elizabeth. It was an extensive flat, dotted here and +there with big clumps of bush, and with a wide, shallow depression in +the ground, about a mile distant from the wagon. Into this the same +spruit alongside which we had outspanned at midday found its way and +widened out into a broad, shallow, reed-bordered sheet of water, much +frequented by wild duck, widgeon, and geese, and also the favourite +drinking place of all the game haunting its immediate neighbourhood. I +felt pretty certain, therefore, of getting a shot at something by +ambushing myself among the reeds, and to this spot I accordingly made my +way. As it happened, we arrived in the very nick of time, for we had +scarcely taken up a position among the reeds, in a situation that +enabled me to command a view of a good wide stretch of water, when I saw +a faint smudge against the clear sky southward, which rapidly resolved +itself into a big flight of wild duck heading directly for the end of +the pond near where I was ambushed; and I had only time to pass my rifle +to Piet and receive from him the shot gun in exchange when, with much +quacking, the flight wheeled and proceeded to settle down upon the +surface of the water. As they did so I raised my weapon, and, aiming +into the "brown", pressed both triggers, one immediately after the +other, with the result that five of the duck dropped dead, while another +half-dozen fell wounded, the whole being promptly retrieved by Piet and +the dogs, who all dashed into the shallow water and brought them ashore. + +Eleven birds constituted an ample supply for our immediate requirements, +both for supper that night and for breakfast next morning; and as I made +a point of never destroying the wild things except as a matter of +necessity, we forthwith returned to the wagon and proceeded to pluck and +prepare as many of the duck as we needed for supper, afterward roasting +them over the camp fire. By the time the meal was ready for consumption +the soft, velvet darkness of the South African starlit night had fallen, +and we ate our meal to the accompaniment of the usual night sounds of +the veld where water happens to be near--the soft, subdued quacking of +drowsy waterfowl, the occasional "honk" of a belated goose, the stealthy +splashing of bucks wading warily into the deeper and cleaner water clear +of the rushes before venturing to drink, mysterious rustlings among the +reeds, the distant call of buck to each other in the bush, the sharp +bark of the jackal, the blood-curdling laugh of the prowling hyena, and +the occasional roar of the leopard; the whole dominated by the incessant +noise of millions of frogs, and the continuous chirr of many more +millions of insects. + +I slept that night on the cartel, which is a light hardwood frame, +closely strung lengthwise and across with rimpi, or thin strips of hide, +and which, slung to the framework of the interior of the wagon, under +the tent, serves as a bedstead. Upon this, if furnished with a +mattress, a pillow, and a pair of blankets--as in my own case--it is +possible to enjoy a perfect night's rest. The next morning we were all +astir with the dawn, and while the "boys" prepared breakfast I made my +way down to the spruit, bathed, with the dogs for company, and got back +to the wagon just in good time for the first meal of the day, with an +appetite to which a keen edge had been put by the fresh, clean air of +the open veld. Then, immediately after breakfast, the oxen were +inspanned, and, pushing forward a little more rapidly than on the first +day, we forded the Great Fish River shortly after noon before +outspanning for the midday halt. + +In this fashion, then, we journeyed, day after day, quietly and +uneventfully, toward Port Elizabeth, where we arrived without mishap +during the afternoon of the ninth day after leaving Bella Vista. +Leaving the wagon outspanned on the outskirts of the town, I rode in and +called in the first instance upon a certain Mr Henderson, who was a +friend of ours, and from him received, as I fully expected, a very +cordial invitation to make his house my home during the period of my +sojourn in the town. The following day was a busy day with me, for I +had a great many commissions to execute; but by arranging them +systematically I contrived to wipe the whole of them off my list before +the stores closed, including even the purchase of the new rifle which I +had promised myself. This was a very expensive but beautiful weapon, +very light compared with my old rifle, for it weighed, all complete and +including the shoulder strap, less than six pounds. It had a plain blue +cylindrical barrel, gauged to take a half-inch spherical bullet with +three drachms of powder, was fitted with a nipple for percussion caps, +and provided with a fixed sight for a range of one hundred yards and two +flap sights for two hundred and five hundred yards respectively, the +latter being regarded in those days as an exceptionally long range. +Also, with a normal pull upon the trigger of six ounces, it was fitted +with an ingenious arrangement which, by pressing a small lever, +converted this into a hair trigger. Lastly, it bore the name of a +certain famous London maker, which alone was a guarantee of its +excellence. The storekeeper from whom I bought it had other guns by the +same maker, and he finally tempted me to buy a very beautiful +double-barrel sporting gun as a present for my father, the right hand +barrel being a Number 12 smooth-bore, while the left barrel was rifled, +this piece also being fitted for use with percussion caps. + +The next day, which was the eleventh day from that of my departure from +Bella Vista, immediately after breakfast I rode out to the wagon, gave +orders to inspan, and accompanied it into the town, where, having +unloaded my hides and horns, which I had disposed of at a very good +price, I proceeded to load up the powder, lead, and other things that I +had been charged to procure, and left Port Elizabeth again on my return +journey about mid-afternoon, trekking a distance of ten miles on my +homeward way before outspanning for the night. + +Of course I was all on fire for an opportunity to try my new rifle, and +the chance came that same afternoon. For when about six miles out from +Port Elizabeth, I met a Boer who was trekking in from Uitenhage, and who +informed me that, about a mile back, he had been obliged to abandon one +of his oxen in a dying condition; and, sure enough, a quarter of an hour +later we saw the poor beast lying by the side of the road, with the +aasvogels, or vultures, already gathered about it. A round dozen or +more were squatted on the ground in a circle round the dying ox, while +others, mere specks in the deep--blue sky, were winging their way to it +from all quarters. The method of these new arrivals was to maintain +their lofty flight until they arrived immediately above their destined +prey; then they would begin to circle slowly downward in a wide spiral, +finally hovering for some three or four seconds at a height of about +twenty yards before awkwardly settling upon the ground. This was my +chance; an aasvogel more or less in South Africa mattered nothing, there +were plenty of them and to spare, and they were such disgusting +creatures that I had no compunction at all about abandoning my usual +rule, and shooting one or two of them merely in order to test my new +weapon. And a very good test they afforded too, for although their +downward sailing upon outstretched, motionless wings was a perfectly +steady movement, it was rather deceptive as to speed, and, the movement +being a circling one, it was necessary to fire at exactly the right +instant, or the range would be wrong and a miss would result. + +I decided to begin the test by firing at a descending vulture at what +was supposed to be the extreme range of accuracy of the weapon, namely, +five hundred yards; and as this was a good long distance--quite far +enough to enable the bird to swerve at the flash and so cause me to +miss--I came to the conclusion that the right thing to do would be to +allow the vulture to sweep past until it was flying away from me, and +then pull the trigger. Accordingly I loaded the piece, threw up the +five-hundred-yard sight, and then walked forward, choosing a particular +bird as I did so, and following it with my eye until I judged it to be +at the right distance and position; then I flung up the rifle, pressed +it firmly to my shoulder, covered the vulture with the sights, and +fired. The next second I saw the feathers fly, the great wings flapped +once, convulsively, and as the "smack" of the bullet reached my ears the +bird turned a complete somersault in the air and fell to the ground +stone-dead, to the accompaniment of loud shouts of wonder and admiration +from my Totties. + +Needless to say, I was vastly proud of my achievement, for it was far +and away the longest shot that I had ever attempted. But instead of +being satisfied with my success, I must needs attempt something still +more difficult. Flapping down the back sight, and entirely dispensing +with its use, I reloaded the weapon and determined to rely upon my eye +and my judgment alone, or, in other words, upon that faculty which, by +constant use, had become a sort of instinct with me. Accordingly I +selected as a mark another vulture which had been in the act of +descending, but which, apparently alarmed at the unusual manner in which +its predecessor had accomplished the last part of its descent, was now +wheeling slowly round at a height of, as I estimated, fully eight +hundred yards above the earth. Training my rifle upon it, I followed +the movements of the bird until it had wheeled away from me, when, +carefully judging the amount of elevation required, I pressed the +trigger, and was delighted the next moment again to see the feathers +fly, to note the convulsive stroke of the great pinions which indicated +a hit, and to see the ponderous bulk of the bird come hurtling +earthward. It was a magnificent shot--I felt that I was justified in +admitting that much to myself--and it satisfied me that, even now, at +the beginning of my acquaintance with my new rifle, I was as much master +of it as I was of my old one, and could rely upon it as implicitly. I +felt that I had no need to test its capabilities further; but I once +more loaded it and, walking to where the dying ox was lying, with the +circle of vultures closing in around it, put the foul birds to flight, +with many a croak of protest from them at my interference, placed the +muzzle of the weapon at the ear of the ox, pulled the trigger, and put +the poor beast out of its misery, besides saving it from the possibility +of attack by the ravenous birds before the breath had entirely left its +body. Three miles farther on we outspanned for the night. + +The return journey--until its last stage--was as uneventful as the +outward one had been. For the first three days we met, on an average, +half a dozen wagons a day, trekking to Port Elizabeth from various farms +in the outlying districts; but after that they became less numerous, and +after the fifth day we met no more, nor did I call at any farms--which, +at that length from the Bay, were few and far between--although we +occasionally sighted one in the distance to the right or left of the +track we were following. + +On the twentieth day after my departure from Bella Vista, about an hour +after we had inspanned for the day's trek, which was to end with our +arrival home shortly before sunset, as we topped a slight rise the kopje +or hill upon which the house stood swung into view for the first time +since I had lost sight of it some three weeks earlier; but it was still +at such a distance that, with the house turning its shadowed face to me, +I could not distinguish it with the naked eye, and it happened that upon +that particular occasion I had forgotten to put into the voorkissie, or +wagon chest, upon which the driver generally sits, the telescope that I +usually carried with me upon such excursions. Nevertheless I knew that +my people would be expecting my return on that day; therefore, when we +outspanned about midday, instead of lighting only one fire, for the +purpose of cooking our midday meal, I caused three to be lighted, at a +distance of about one hundred feet apart, which was my usual method of +advertising my impending arrival, feeling sure that somebody about the +house would be on the lookout, and would see the three sparks of flame +and columns of smoke, we being by that time within some ten miles of the +place. At this distance I was generally able, in clear weather, to +distinguish the long, white front wall of the house standing out against +the purple shadows of the Great Winter Berg range, but on this occasion +I could not, although the day was as fine and the air as clear as usual +at that time of the year. Yet, strangely enough, the circumstance did +not strike me as being in the least peculiar or significant, although +Piet, my after-rider, made some passing reference to it. Later on in +the afternoon, however, when we had again inspanned, and had been +trekking for about an hour, it began to dawn upon me that things were +not quite as usual at Bella Vista. In the first place, of all our +flocks and herds which should have been grazing somewhere on the plain +or the foothills ahead, not a horn or a hoof was to be seen. Also, the +house looked different: it had the appearance of being not as high as +usual; I could not see the grey thatch of its roof; and the walls, +instead of being pure white, as they had been when I last saw them, were +white only in comparatively small patches, the remainder being brown, +and in some places black! + +By the time we had approached close enough to distinguish as much as +that, we all came to the conclusion that we knew what had happened; and +I saddled and mounted my horse and, followed as usual by the two dogs, +rode forward at a hand gallop to investigate. There had undoubtedly +been a conflagration, which had destroyed the house; and my father and +mother, with the house "boys", had in all probability gone over to +Triannon, whither, no doubt, the stock had also been driven. Still, I +thought it rather strange that they had not dispatched a "boy" to meet +me and explain what had happened, and whither they had gone, or at least +left one about the place to afford me full information on my arrival. I +finally concluded that they had done the latter, and that the lazy +rascal was in his hut fast asleep, instead of keeping a watch for me, as +he ought to have been doing. This last thought caused me to look +particularly for the huts, and then I understood another thing that had +been puzzling me: the huts no longer existed! + +Seriously alarmed now--for the destruction of the house by fire by no +means necessarily involved the destruction of the huts, which had stood +about a quarter of a mile from the former--I pressed my heels into +Prince's flanks and urged him up the rise at his best speed, fears--born +of Lestrange's news on that night when he had ridden over to borrow +ammunition--at last gripping my heart lest what he had then apprehended +as just a very remote possibility might have actually come to pass. And +as I at length drew near enough to observe that the massive gate in the +high fence which surrounded our extensive garden was off its hinges and +lying flat on the ground just inside the opening, those fears increased, +and were still further strengthened when, as I rode through the opening, +a whiff of tainted air like the odour of carrion reached my nostrils. +Then, as I glanced about me, with eyes prepared to behold I knew not +what of horror, I perceived that many of the ornamental flowering shrubs +on either side of the path leading to the house were beaten down and +withered, as though stampeding cattle--or a host of men--had swept over +them; while far up the pathway, and even upon the stoep of the house +itself, a multitude of aasvogels were squatted motionless, apparently +gorged, while others were waddling slowly and heavily to and fro. Half +a dozen paces farther on Prince suddenly shied so violently that he +almost unseated me, as a loud flapping of wings and a great croaking +arose on my right, and some fifteen of the obscene birds rose heavily +into the air and winged their way a hundred yards or so farther up the +garden before again settling. + +The pathway was bordered, from the house to the gateway, with a hedge of +flowering shrubs, backed on either side by rows of peach trees; and it +was impossible for me to see from the path what lay beyond those peach +trees. I therefore dismounted, and, throwing the reins to the ground, +so that Prince might not walk away to the stable, forced my way through +the hedge and the rows of peach trees into the more open part of the +garden; and there I beheld what I was by this time fully prepared to +see, but what was nevertheless a sight revolting beyond all possibility +of description. I will not enter into unnecessary details, but will +simply say that scattered about here and there all over that part of the +garden lay the disfigured remains of some sixty or seventy Tembu +warriors--they were easily identifiable by the shape of their shields +and spears and the general character of their war equipment--who had +evidently been shot down during a most determined and pertinacious +attack upon the house. The other half of the front portion of the +garden presented a similar sight, the whole bearing mute but indubitable +testimony not only to the implacable determination of the savages but +also to the resolution of the defenders. Yes, the worst had happened: +the house had been attacked and finally destroyed, notwithstanding the +desperate nature of the defence put up by its inmates; and now--my +mother and father, and good old Jack Nesbitt, where were they? + +To discover the answer to this momentous question was my next task, and +how shall I find words to describe the passion of grief and apprehension +with which I set about it? It must go undescribed, for there are +certain emotions of the human heart and mind which mere words are +powerless to portray. Perhaps it is well that this should be the case, +for no one who has not passed through such an experience as mine could +possibly understand what I endured as I made my slow way toward the +ruined house, subconsciously noting, as I went, the evidences which met +me on every hand of the protracted, stubborn implacability of the +attack, and the resolute, unyielding character of the defence. The +savages had indeed succeeded, but at what a cost! As I made my way up +through that shambles of a wrecked garden I acquired a new impression of +the invincible courage of the South African native which I have never +since had occasion to modify. + +In the face of such evidence of deadly resolution on the part of the +combatants on both sides as I beheld all round me, I felt that it was +hopeless to dream of the possibility that the inmates of the house had +made good their escape at the last moment, for clearly the building had +been completely surrounded, and the attack simultaneously delivered on +all sides. The question was, had they finally met death on the points +of the enemy's spears, or had they fallen alive into that enemy's hands? +I shuddered with greater horror than ever as the latter possibility +occurred to me, for I had not lived nearly sixteen years in South Africa +without hearing something of the unspeakable barbarities inflicted by +the savages upon those unhappy beings who chanced to be taken alive in +battle by them. Better a thousand times--ay, ten thousand times--that +my dear ones should perish quickly in the heat and excitement of the +fight than that they should survive to be carried off to suffer--! I +put the thought from me, for I felt that I should go mad if I permitted +my mind to dwell upon it. + +Yet it thrust itself persistently upon me again and again as I +approached the smoke-blackened walls of the ruined building and gazed +with horrified eyes at the constantly accumulating evidences of the +desperate character of the attack and defence. I believed I could +pretty accurately picture what had happened. My father had evidently +not been taken entirely by surprise, or there would not have been so +many dead savages lying around the house: he had probably obtained an +inkling of what was toward in time to put the building into some sort of +state of defence; possibly he had found time to barricade the doors and +windows, and from the general aspect of things outside I surmised that +he had somehow contrived to get half a dozen or more of the Totties into +the house to assist in its defence. + +The attack had probably occurred about two or three o'clock in the +morning, when the whites might be expected to be sound asleep, and from +the appearance of the slain I believed that it had taken place about +thirty-six hours before my arrival on the scene. In any case the attack +was unwisely planned, from the native point of view, for it was about +the time of full moon, and the South African night, with a full moon +riding high in the sky, is almost literally as light as day, and the +defenders, being doubtless on the qui vive, would perceive the first +stealthy approach of the savages and at once open fire upon them. And I +knew enough about my father's and Nesbitt's marksmanship to feel assured +that every time they pressed a trigger an enemy would fall. But even +their deadly skill with the rifle would not account for the many bodies +lying round the house, and thus I was brought to the conclusion that +some of the Totties, armed with shot guns loaded with loopers, or slugs, +must have assisted in the defence. Time after time the enemy must have +charged toward the house, and time after time must they have been driven +back from those stout stone walls and barricaded doors and windows by +the withering volleys of lead poured into them at close range. But the +weak point of Bella Vista was its thatched roof, which was the universal +form of covering to every farmhouse at that day, on account of its +coolness. It was, however, easily capable of being set fire to, and in +all probability the Kafirs, after being several times repulsed, had made +a concerted rush, in the course of which they had succeeded in hurling +several spears, with bunches of burning grass attached to them, into the +thatch, where they had remained, setting the roof on fire. Then, as the +house was only a one-storey building, it would quickly fill with smoke, +and the inmates would be faced with the alternatives of suffocating, +being burnt to death beneath the blazing roof when it should fall in, or +yielding themselves to the tender mercies of the ferocious Tembu. I +thought I knew which of the alternatives my father would choose, +provided, of course, that he survived long enough to avail himself of +the choice; but did he? That was the question, and--merciful heaven! if +he did not, what had become of my mother? + +Frenzied at the thought of what her fate might be if she had fallen +alive into the hands of the savages, I dashed up the front steps to the +stoep, clubbing my rifle and striking out right and left at the gorged +aasvogels congregated there, which seemed disposed to resent my +intrusion. And as I mounted to the top step I at once perceived that I +had now arrived at the spot where the fight had raged most fiercely and +stubbornly, for the ornamental guard rail and one of the veranda posts +were broken-down, the climbing roses which had been trained to screen +the railing were crushed and trodden into the earth, and the whole stoep +was choked with the bodies of Tembu warriors who had evidently met death +in a desperate attempt to force their way into the house through the +barricaded doors and windows. + +But the barricades no longer existed, having evidently been consumed in +the conflagration that followed the collapse of the flaming roof, and +now only the charred and blackened remnants of the door and window +frames remained; beyond them appeared a small heap of white ashes, among +which could be detected here and there a few fragments of what had once +been picture frames, the metal-work of furniture, or the unconsumed end +of a roof timber. With a strong effort of will I compelled myself to +pass through one of the window openings, and entered what had been the +drawing-room. A strong odour of fire still clung to the place, but +there was not much debris, for the room had been by no means crowded +with furniture. I was obliged to pick my way with care, for the floor +was burned completely through in some places, while in others it was so +deeply charred that my feet broke through upon encountering them. I +persevered, however, for near the middle of the room I perceived a mound +of ashes of exceedingly suggestive shape and dimensions, and I was +anxious to ascertain what lay beneath. And, combating the almost +invincible repugnance to close investigation which seized me, I +presently discovered that the heap concealed, as I had suspected, a +half-consumed human body, so dreadfully disfigured that it was only with +the utmost difficulty I presently succeeded in identifying it as the +remains of a Tottie. The metal blade and shank of a Tembu spear--the +wooden shaft of which had been consumed by fire--transfixed the throat, +and my father's roer, with its stock deeply charred, was still grasped +in what remained of the left hand. It was the only body in the room. + +From this room I passed into the hall. This was in a similar condition +to that of the drawing-room, except that it contained the remains of two +bodies, one close to the doorway and the other at the point where the +passage leading from the rear entrance of the building opened upon the +hall. The body near the front doorway I identified as that of Nesbitt-- +by the watch which was lying close beside it, and which, I noticed, had +stopped at twenty-three minutes after six--while the other body was +quite unrecognisable. There was nothing to show how either of these men +had died. + +Leaving the hall, I entered the dining-room; and the moment I did so it +became apparent that I had arrived upon the scene of the last stand of +the little garrison, where the final phase of the stubborn and +protracted attack and defence had been fought out. For the room was in +a terrible state of confusion, the scattered remains of the heavy +furniture showing that the savages had actually succeeded in forcing the +barricade and gaining an entrance--this evidence being confirmed by the +presence of nine Tembu corpses piled up in the window opening. And +within arm's length of them lay another corpse--that of my father, still +grasping in his right hand the trusty cavalry sabre that had served him +so well in his campaigning days, while his left held a pistol. Three +Tembu spearheads in his body, one of which had evidently passed through +his heart, told how he had died. A few feet away, right up against the +front wall, I noticed a pile of scorched, brittle stuff that, as I +cautiously probed it with the barrel of my rifle, proved to be burnt +rugs. The three upper layers were burnt to a cinder, but the fourth was +only scorched, while the last was scarcely singed; and beneath this lay +the body of my mother, the flesh slightly darkened by the smoke of the +burnt woollen rugs, but otherwise not disfigured at all. A bullet hole +in the very centre of her forehead told me all that I wanted to know; +and while I cast myself on my knees in the ashes beside that beloved +form, a tempest of dry sobs rending my bosom as I realised for the first +time all that I had lost, I felt thankful that my father had found the +courage and resolution at the last moment to save her, even though by +such dreadful means, from falling alive into the hands of the fiendishly +ferocious Tembu. + +In the remaining rooms I found seven more corpses, all of them being +those of Totties, who had either perished in defending the house or had +died of suffocation. And nowhere but in the dining-room had the savages +ever succeeded in gaining even a temporary footing, while the general +appearance of the ruins showed that they had not entered after the +flames had died out; indeed, I doubted whether they had even deferred +their departure until then, for they must have known at last that +nothing could possibly have survived in that furnace of flame, and with +the whites all slain and the house ablaze, there was no reason why they +should desire to enter it, for the fire would effectually destroy +everything in the shape of plunder. But they had driven off the whole +of the live stock, and that alone should have satisfied them. + +I do not know how long I remained on my knees beside the corpse of my +mother in that fire-seared, bloodstained dining-room, plunged into a +very stupor of grief; but I remember that I was at length aroused by the +distant sounds of a cracking whip and the screams of Jan, the Hottentot +driver, to his oxen, announcing the approach of the wagon; and, looking +about me, I discovered that the sun had already set, and that darkness +was fast closing down upon the scene. Then I rose to my feet, and, +leaving the ruined house, made my way down the path to where Prince +still stood patiently awaiting my return, with the dogs Thunder and Juno +crouching upon the ground before him; and, flinging the bridle over his +head, I climbed into the saddle and rode slowly forth to meet the wagon. +I came to it at a distance of about half a mile from the broken-down +gate at the garden entrance, and ordered the others to outspan where +they were, water the oxen, and turn them loose to graze. Then I briefly +acquainted Jan, the driver, and Piet, my after-rider, with what had +happened, strictly forbade the former to go up to the house--though +there was little need for that, for I doubt whether anything would have +induced the fellow to go near the place after nightfall--and ordered +Piet to accompany me, as it was my intention to ride on to Mr +Lestrange's place, to see whether he and his had escaped a similar +visitation, and, if so, to beg shelter for the night and his presence +and help on the following day while I performed the last sad offices for +my beloved dead. + +I am now an old man, for my age already exceeds the limit allotted by +the Psalmist as the length of man's life, but the memory of that night +ride, and my heart-breaking burden of grief as I stared out unseeingly +upon the fast-darkening landscape, allowing Prince to find his own way +and travel his own pace while I dwelt upon the harrowing scenes which I +had so recently beheld, and began to realise the full extent of my +irreparable loss, will never leave me; it is as fresh to-day as it was +at that moment, and so I know it will continue to be until I die. Yet, +keenly as I suffered, I frequently found myself wondering why I did not +suffer still more keenly; for after I had progressed a mile or two on my +way the sky to the eastward brightened, and presently the moon, two days +past the full, sailed up over the far-distant horizon, flooding the +scene with mystic radiance, and, all unknowingly, I reined up to gaze +upon the entrancing scene. Yes, even at that moment, with the dry sobs +bursting from my aching bosom; with my dead mother's face floating +before my eyes, her lovely features placid and smiling in death, as I +had beheld them only one short hour before; with the figure of my dead +father lying outstretched among the ashes of his ruined home, his body +pierced with the spears of the enemy, his weapons still tightly grasped +in his clenched hands, and his sightless eyes still glaring defiance at +the foe, I could pause to gaze upon the beauty of a South African +moonrise! I could not understand it then; I was surprised and horrified +at what I stigmatised as my callous heartlessness: but I know now that a +merciful Providence has so ordered matters that when human suffering, +whether mental or physical, reaches a certain degree of acuteness, +partial insensibility sets in--I have known cases where men have slept +while being subjected to the most awful tortures--and such was +undoubtedly the case with me on that memorable night. My sensibility +had become so benumbed that I had partially lost control of my mental +processes, and my thoughts broke away at intervals to dwell for a few +moments upon some entirely trivial matter which, one would have +supposed, could not possibly have had the slightest interest for me, +under the circumstances. Yet so it was; and in that curious, detached, +semi-conscious frame of mind I covered the fourteen miles of veld that +lay between Bella Vista and Triannon, most of it at a walking pace, +coming in sight of the house about nine o'clock at night. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +MAJOR HENDERSON BECOMES CONFIDENTIAL AND ADVISORY. + +The house at Triannon, built in a sort of elbow formed by one of the +spurs of the Great Winter Berg, was not visible from the direction in +which I approached until one had rounded the kopje concealing it, when +one found oneself close upon it. But as I drew near to my destination I +became aware of a deep, ominous silence pervading the scene, which +caused me to entertain the most gloomy forebodings. True, the hour was +rather late, according to our notions of lateness in the country +districts, and the sheep and cattle would have long ago been kraaled for +the night; yet, even so, it was seldom that the stock settled down to +rest so early, seldom that, among so many animals, there were not a few +restless ones proclaiming their restlessness by bleat or bellow--and on +this particular night there was not a sound of any description to +apprise the wayfarer that he was within a quarter of a mile of an +opulent farm. As I rounded the extremity of the spur, however, and the +house swung into view, a great sigh of relief escaped me, for there, +within shouting distance, stood the building to all appearances intact. +True, it was in complete darkness; but that of course might very easily +arise from the fact that Mr Lestrange, after a busy day in the open, +had retired to rest early. + +Yet somehow the darkness seemed to me to be as ominous as the silence, +and, urging Prince to a canter, I dashed forward, leaped the fence +without pausing to take down the slip rails, and reined up at the steps +which gave access to the stoep. Then I perceived that the front door +and all the windows were wide-open, which struck me as being peculiar in +the extreme, taken in conjunction with the total darkness in which the +house was wrapped; for though of course we habitually slept with our +bedroom windows wide-open, we usually closed the front doors and the +windows giving access to unoccupied rooms the last thing before retiring +at night: therefore, moved by the sudden return in full flood of my +anxiety, I gave vent to a loud whoop as I swung out of the saddle, and +without waiting for a reply rushed up the steps, across the stoep, and +into the house, shouting as I went: "Mr Lestrange! Mr Lestrange! +where are you? It is I, Ned Laurence. Where are you?" + +The echo of my voice was, however, the only reply I received; but I had +no sooner entered the hall than I perceived that something was very +seriously wrong, for the furniture was all disarranged, one of the +chairs was overturned, and, so far as I could see in the semi-obscurity, +it appeared that Lestrange's guns were not in their usual places in the +rack. + +Of course I never went anywhere without carrying in my pocket the means +to obtain a light; therefore without waiting for further developments I +drew forth my flint and steel, and presently lighted the lamp which hung +from the hall ceiling, and which fortunately still contained a fair +quantity of oil. Then, removing the lamp from the frame in which it +hung, I proceeded forthwith to explore. + +Now that I had a light, and could plainly distinguish my surroundings, +my worst forebodings were confirmed, for everything in the place was +disarranged, the weapons were all gone, as well as the skin rugs which +usually covered the floor and several valuable karosses with which the +chairs and sofa were wont to be draped, while the various hunting +trophies had been torn from the walls, and some were gone. Fearing now, +and indeed quite expecting, the worst, after casting a hurried glance +about the hall I made my way straight to Mr Lestrange's bedroom; and +there, just inside the wide-open door, lay the poor fellow, clad only in +his sleeping garb, with three ghastly assagai wounds in his body, and +one through his throat which had severed the jugular vein. This room, +too, was in a terrible state of disorder, having evidently been +subjected to a thorough search for anything that might appeal to the +fancy of a savage. But there had been no fight, that was perfectly +clear; the surprise had been complete, and the savages had contrived to +gain entrance to the house in time to massacre the inmates before they +had a chance to defend themselves. + +The inmates! There were none but Mr Lestrange--who was a widower--and +Nell; and where was she? I was sufficiently intimate with the +arrangements of the house to know which was Nell's room, and my next +dash was thither. The door of the room was wide-open, but I paused in +the opening when I reached it, with the feeling strong upon me that I +should commit something very like sacrilege by entering. A single +glance, however, sufficed to reveal that the shrine of innocent girlhood +had already been violated, for it, too, like Mr Lestrange's, had been +turned topsy-turvy by the savages. But Nell--where was she? +Instinctively I scanned the floor of the room in search of her dead +body, but it was not there; furthermore, I could not find the slightest +trace of a bloodstain to indicate that the tragedy had been a double +one; only the bed was stripped of its coverings, and when I came to +investigate more closely I found her night robe flung carelessly upon +the floor, but none of her day garments lying about. And the conclusion +to which I was finally driven was that the poor child, instead of having +been slain in cold blood, like her father, had been surprised in her +sleep, compelled to dress, and been carried off alive and perhaps unhurt +by the savages. Poor child! Poor darling little Nell! Oh, if I were +right in my reading of the signs, what an unspeakably awful fate was +hers! And yet--and yet--perhaps it might not be so very terrible after +all. She was but a child--and a sweetly pretty child, too; and I had +heard of cases where white girl children had been kidnapped by the +blacks and carried off by them to their fastnesses in the wilds, there +to become, first the pet, and ultimately the 'nkosikaas or chieftainess +of the tribe. True, it was not often that that was done, but there was +a kind of legend among the natives that somewhere far up in the interior +there was a great and very powerful tribe ruled over by a white +'nkosikaas; while within my own recollection a young girl, the daughter +of a Boer farmer, had been carried off by the Bechuanas, and was in like +manner said to be still living as the 'nkosikaas of the tribe. If this +were true--and there seemed to be no good reason to doubt it--one could +only hope that poor little Nell Lestrange might meet with no worse a +fate. + +But it was a horrible thing to think of that sweet, lovable little +creature being suddenly awakened out of a sound sleep in the middle of +the night by a horde of ferocious, bloodthirsty savages, and carried off +by them, perhaps in ignorance of her father's fate, and in deadly terror +of what was to befall her. I was very fond of Nell--I had grown to +regard her almost as a sister; and my first impulse was to set out there +and then, seek her until I found her, and never rest until I had +effected her rescue from her savage jailers. But a few moments' +reflection sufficed to convince me of the utter futility of such a mad +project. These two outrages--the attacks upon Lestrange's and our own +farms--clearly indicated that the long-expected rising of the natives +had at last taken place, so suddenly that Lestrange at least had been +caught unawares, and no doubt the whole country was at that moment +ablaze and being overrun by the blacks in overwhelming numbers. The +mystery to me was that I had not heard so much as a hint of the actual +rising from any of the folk whom I had met on my return journey from +Port Elizabeth; and the fact that I had not done so seemed to indicate +that the outbreak, although in a general way expected, had been so +skilfully managed that, after all, the settlers had been caught more or +less off their guard. And, so far from it being possible for me to +undertake singlehanded an expedition for the rescue of Nell, I was +liable at any moment to blunder upon a war party of savages and either +be slain by them forthwith, or, still worse, be carried off a captive, +to suffer death by torture; indeed, the wonder was that something of +this kind had not already happened to me, as doubtless it had to many +another unsuspecting traveller. No, to attempt alone to rescue Nell +would be worse than useless, it would simply be the wanton throwing away +of a life that, later on, might be of service to her; and I could only +hope that, meanwhile, no worse thing than simple captivity might befall +her. + +I was aroused from my sombre reflections by the appearance of Piet, my +Hottentot after-rider, who, more prudent than myself, had approached the +house with a certain measure of circumspection, and now came to report +that, as in our own case, all the sheep and cattle had been driven off, +and that no trace of any of the native domestics or shepherds had been +found, the presumption being that they had all taken the alarm and fled, +or, more likely still, had been captured and carried off as prisoners. +I went the rounds of the place with him, frequently shouting the name of +one or another of the servants without avail, and I finally came to the +conclusion that his surmise was probably correct. + +And now arose the question, what was I to do? My plight was almost as +desperate as it could well be; for not only was I utterly bereft of +every one of those who were nearest and dearest to me, but I was +likewise homeless, and literally penniless. The house which I called +home was destroyed; every horn and hoof of my father's stock had been +stolen, and would probably never be recovered; and as to money, there +was none, for my father, instead of banking the profits of the farm and +allowing them to accumulate, had, as I have already explained, +habitually spent them in improving the live stock, or adding to the +adornments of the house, and the contents of the wagon which I had +brought up from Port Elizabeth represented every penny of spare cash +remaining in the house when I left it on my journey. True, I had the +wagon and its contents, as well as the team of oxen, upon which I could +doubtless realise; also there was the farm--that is to say, the land-- +itself, which was worth quite a handsome sum of money: but I was most +unwilling to part with this for several reasons; and, had I been ever so +anxious to sell, it would most probably have proved impossible to find a +purchaser at that moment, with the natives in armed revolt against the +whites. + +But there were other matters of an even more pressing character than +those just enumerated demanding my attention, and the first of these was +the interment of the body of my unfortunate friend, Nell's father. +Therefore, summoning Piet, I bade him seek a shovel; and when he had +found one I set him to work to dig a grave at a certain spot about a +quarter of a mile from the house, which I knew to be greatly favoured by +Nell on account of the beautiful view obtainable from it: and there Piet +and I reverently laid the dead man to rest, afterward piling a number of +large stones round the grave, and placing a rough wooden cross at its +head to mark the spot. Then, recovering our horses, we returned to +Bella Vista, and, thoroughly worn out by the fatigue and horror of the +past day, I sought rest in the outspanned wagon. + +Next morning, with a grief so bitter that even now I cannot look back +upon it unmoved, I chose another site for a grave and laid my beloved +dead to rest side by side, marking the spot as I had marked the grave of +Nell's father; leaving the remains of the savages to be dealt with by +the vultures, hyenas, and jackals. And when I had done all that was +possible the wagon was inspanned, and with a heavy heart I wended my +way, accompanied by my little following, to Somerset East, where I +arrived late in the afternoon of the following day without having +encountered anything of an untoward character on my way. There was but +one farm between Bella Vista and Somerset East, situate about halfway +between the latter and the Great Fish River, and when in the course of +my journey the house came in sight, I jumped on Prince's back and +galloped forward, with the view of ascertaining what, if anything, had +happened there. But upon my arrival I found the farm silent and +deserted, with not so much as a dog about the place. The house, +however, was undamaged, all the doors and windows were fastened, and +upon looking through the latter I perceived that the rooms were empty of +furniture; I therefore concluded--which afterwards proved to be the +case--that the owner had obtained timely warning of the rising, had +hurriedly packed all his belongings into wagons, and, driving his stock +before him, had hastily retired to Somerset East. + +The town of Somerset East was in a terrible commotion when I reached it, +some fifty fugitive families from the outlying districts, with their +stock and belongings, having already taken shelter there, while others +were hourly arriving; and every man had a story to tell of some farm +that had been attacked, its inhabitants murdered, and its stock driven +off. Something very nearly approaching to a state of panic prevailed, +for the town at that time contained only some three hundred inhabitants, +of whom three-quarters were women and children; moreover, it lay quite +open and unprotected on every side, and might easily be rushed by a +sufficiently strong body of the enemy. But there were a few cool heads +among those congregated in the town, one notable being a certain Major +Henderson, who, like my father, had held a post in the British army, and +who at once naturally came to the front and took the lead in preparing +the place to meet successfully a possible attack. + +A laager, consisting of wagons interlocked, was constructed at each end +of the single street that then ran through the town; the inner ends of +the narrow lanes giving off the main street were securely barricaded, +thus forming a number of culs-de-sac in which, if the attacking savages +dared to venture there, they would be swept out of existence by the +defenders behind the barricades; and every back door and window of every +house accessible from the veld was strongly protected by heavy timber +and loopholed for rifle fire: thus when Henderson's scheme of defence +was complete the town presented a very tough nut to crack for an enemy +without artillery or firearms. The greatest difficulty, it appeared, +was the shortness of ammunition, consequently my arrival with a +wagon-load of the commodity was regarded as scarcely less than a special +interposition of Providence. Then the male inhabitants voluntarily +placed themselves under martial law, under Henderson's command, taking +it in turns to perform sentry-go day and night; while the best mounted +among us undertook to act as scouts, riding forth from the town daily in +various directions in quest of news of the enemy, and returning in the +evening with such intelligence as we had been able to gain. This daily +scouting service proved to be of the utmost value, for in the first +place it prevented the possibility of a surprise attack, and so enabled +the stock congregated in the town to be daily driven forth to graze and +water; and it also was the means whereby in the course of a few days we +were able to gather something like a clear general idea of what had +happened and was still happening in the colony. + +Thus it soon transpired that, in the eastern provinces, an imaginary +line drawn from the mouth of the Great Kei River through Triannon and +Bella Vista, and thence northward along the meridian of 26 degrees east +longitude to the Zour Bergen, represented the southern limit of the +savages' depredations; while beyond the Zour Bergen, to the north and +west, we were unable to learn anything definite. On the fifth day after +my arrival in Somerset East a detachment consisting of two companies of +infantry, accompanied by baggage and ammunition wagons, under the +command of a Captain Fletcher, arrived from Port Elizabeth, and encamped +within half a mile of the town in an excellent strategic position, which +they at once proceeded to entrench strongly; and there they remained +nearly a week, awaiting instructions from their general, who was +preparing a plan of campaign while moving toward the centre of +disturbance the few troops at his disposal, and collecting information. + +During the week that followed the arrival of the troops we received +intelligence of several attacks upon isolated farms, and even small +villages, in the outlying and more sparsely populated districts; from +which it speedily became apparent that the regular troops, consisting, +as they did, entirely of infantry, and hampered, as they were, by their +baggage wagons, were altogether too slow-moving to be effective in +overtaking and bringing to action the nimble bodies of savages, who were +encumbered with no impedimenta of any description whatsoever excepting +their weapons--a shield, knobkerrie, and sheaf of assagais; who slept +under the stars, quenched their thirst at every stream or runlet that +crossed their path, and eat whatever came to hand, whether it chanced to +be buck, bullock, or green mealies. + +Therefore it seemed, upon careful consideration of the situation, that +if the ravages of the blacks were to be stopped there was only one +course to be pursued, and that was to dispatch against them a force of +irregular cavalry composed of farmers, hunters, transport riders, and +others, men who had lived long enough in the country to become inured to +the climate and accustomed to the methods of travel in it, who could +move as independently of impedimenta as the savages themselves, and, +being mounted, as swiftly, and who, being provided with firearms, might +hope to cope successfully with a foe considerably stronger in point of +numbers than themselves. And there were plenty of such men to be had-- +farmers who had fled from their farms to the towns and villages upon the +first news of the outbreak, transport riders whose occupation had ceased +upon the outbreak of hostilities, hunters who were in like case with the +transport riders, and a few who, like myself, had lost everything but +life itself at the hands of the savages; and we speedily banded +ourselves into troops, in some cases numbering not more than twenty or +thirty, in others amounting to a hundred or more, each band under its +own elected leader and subordinate officers. The corps to which I +attached myself--and which dubbed itself the Somerset East Mounted +Rifles--consisted of one hundred and seven men under the command of +Major Henderson, divided into two troops of fifty men each--the right +troop under the command of "Captain" Henry Jackson, and the left troop +under the command of "Captain" Pieter Van Rhyn, with a sergeant in +command of each of the two squadrons which composed a troop. + +Each man provided his own horse, weapons, and ammunition; we were not in +uniform, and were volunteers in the strictest sense of the word, for we +drew no pay, and acknowledged allegiance to no man save our own +officers, although it was of course fully understood by everybody that +we were always to be ready to co-operate with and support the regular +troops in the event of our encountering any. This, however, was +exceedingly unlikely, at least in the earlier stages of the campaign, +for so lightly equipped were we that we could perform forty-mile marches +day after day with ease, and were confident that we could not only get +into touch with, but could also reduce the enemy to subjection, long +before the regulars could arrive at the scene of hostilities. And +although we did not substantiate our boast or achieve our ambition in +its entirety, I think I am justified in claiming that the honours of the +campaign fell chiefly to the various bodies of irregulars who so +self-sacrificingly took the field on that occasion; for it was we, and +not the regulars, who followed up and hunted down so relentlessly the +marauding bands of savages who swept the colony like a storm wave, +causing such a loss of life and property as it took the colonists the +best part of a generation to recover from. + +It is not my purpose to write a history of the Kafir War of the year +1835, for that has already been done by far abler hands than mine, and +with a fullness of detail which leaves nothing to be desired; moreover, +I have another and entirely different, although, as I think, equally +stirring story to tell. I will therefore dismiss the events connected +with my service in the ranks of the Somerset East Mounted Rifles with +the bare statement that during the nine months so covered I participated +in many deeply stirring episodes, and on several occasions found myself +involved in situations so desperate that nothing save the steadfastness +and invincible courage of every man present saved us from absolute +annihilation. It is not to be supposed that a mere handful of men +composed of burghers and farmers, with practically no knowledge of +military science, and quite unaccustomed to anything in the nature of +military discipline, could pass through so trying an ordeal as that +which we cheerfully faced without suffering heavy loss; and, as a matter +of fact, by the time that the campaign was so far over that the regular +troops were able to cope with the situation, and the Government had +therefore no further need of our services, the Somerset East Mounted +Rifles had become reduced to less than half their original strength: yet +fortune so far favoured me that when at length the corps was disbanded I +was one of the very few who escaped without so much as a scratch to show +for my nine months' service. + +The corps was disbanded where it had originated, in the town of Somerset +East; and on the following day I found myself face to face with the +exceedingly perplexing problem of the future. I was, it must be +remembered, not yet quite eighteen years of age. I was therefore still +young enough to be able to start life afresh; but I was without a single +relative in the world, and my worldly goods consisted solely of two +thousand five hundred and sixty acres of pasture land which, although it +was undeniably an exceedingly valuable possession, and likely to +increase very greatly in value with the passage of the years, was just +then incapable of returning me a single penny of income. True, there +was a sum of a little over three hundred pounds sterling standing to my +credit in the bank, such being the proceeds of the sale of my wagon, +oxen, and the ammunition with which I had trekked into Somerset East +upon the outbreak of hostilities, though this was far too insignificant +a sum to be of any use in restocking the farm, rebuilding the house, and +beginning life afresh as a sheep farmer, on ever so modest a scale: and +I also possessed my horse Prince, who had carried me through many a wild +and stirring adventure, and, like myself, had emerged unscathed, +together with a saddle and bridle, my trusty rifle, and the +double-barrelled sporting gun which I had purchased in Port Elizabeth +for my father, little dreaming, at the time of the purchase, that he +would not live to use it. + +I have said that I was without a relative in the world, which was the +literal truth; but it was impossible that I should participate in such a +campaign as the one I had just passed through without making many stanch +friends, both Boers and English: and some of these, middle-aged men who +knew perfectly well what they were talking about, strongly advised me to +raise money, either by selling a portion of my farm, or by means of a +mortgage upon it. But my father had instilled into me a perfect horror +of anything that savoured of getting into debt, while the mere idea of +selling any portion of the property which he had accumulated, almost +acre by acre, was absolutely abhorrent to me; therefore, although I had +the greatest respect for the judgment of my friends, and fully believed +in the financial soundness of their advice, I determined that only in +the last resort would I avail myself of it. + +In this resolution I was fully supported by Major Henderson, who was as +well qualified to advise in such a matter as anyone, having been in the +country for over thirty years, and knowing it a good deal better than +most. He had a farm up under the southern slopes of the Tandjes Berg, +and upon the dissolution of the corps he was good enough to invite me to +take up my quarters at his place while thinking over my affairs and +deciding what to do. + +It was while we were sitting out on the stoep of his house, one night +after dinner, that the conversation occurred that decided my course of +action and ultimately launched me upon the great adventure which, while +leading me into many strange and terrible perils, was so profoundly to +influence the whole of my after life. I remember that I was in a very +pessimistic, downcast mood that night, and expressed the opinion that +there appeared to be nothing for it but for me to erect a sort of +glorified Kafir hut on my land, invest my money in a small flock of +sheep, shepherd them myself, and so gradually build up my fortunes +afresh from that modest foundation. + +"No," said the ex-major, "I would not advise you to do that; certainly +not. The process is too slow; and unless you should happen to meet with +such a persistent run of good luck as no man has a right to expect you +would be a good way past middle age before you could restore Bella Vista +to what it was a year ago. What I would advise you to do, Laurence, is +this--and, mind you, if I had not watched your behaviour through our +recent short but exceedingly arduous campaign, and with my own eyes +witnessed your indomitable pluck and resource, I would not advise it; +for to undertake and succeed in what I am going to suggest a man must +possess courage that will quail at nothing, infinite resource, the +ability to decide and act with lightning promptitude in the face of any +emergency, a profound knowledge of the ways of the natives, and, lastly, +the thews and sinews of a Hercules, and perfect health." + +"But, my dear Major," I protested, "I do not possess half of the +qualities which you deem essential to success in this enterprise, +whatever it may be. It is true that my health at the present moment is +all that I could possibly desire; I am fairly strong--well, perhaps +unusually strong for my age; and I believe that I understand the natives +pretty well: but, apart from that--" + +"Yes, apart from that," interrupted my companion, "you possess all the +qualities that I have credited you with. Now, don't contradict me, +youngster, for I have watched you, and I know! To continue from the +point at which I interrupted myself, what I would advise you to do is +what I would unhesitatingly do myself were I in your predicament, what I +would even join you in doing were I younger by thirty years than I +happen to be, and had no wife or family to think about and make me +falter and lose courage on the brink of every extra hazardous adventure; +and it is this. I would recommend you to draw the whole of your money +out of the bank, buy a good wagon and a team of salted oxen, invest +about twenty pounds in beads, copper wire, and Kafir `truck' generally, +lay out the remainder of your money in an elephant gun and ammunition +for it, your rifle, and your sporting gun, and--trek right up-country +into the interior after ivory and ostrich feathers. By the time that +you have completed your preparations the war will be over and the +natives will be not only perfectly quiet and peaceful, but more than +eager to trade with you upon highly advantageous terms. By so doing, +you could, in the course of six months, load your wagon to its utmost +capacity with tusks and feathers, get back to the coast, and dispose of +your load at a price which would cover all your expenses and leave you a +very handsome profit upon your outlay of time and money. But," +continued the major, unconsciously dropping his voice to a confidential +tone, "I do not advise you to limit your energies to that programme; +very far from it. Were I undertaking the expedition I should cache my +ivory in comparatively small parcels, at frequent intervals, so that I +might not have the trouble of dragging it about the country, but could +collect it on my return journey, if I wanted it, and should push on +right into the interior, up into Mashonaland, and, possibly, farther +still. The Mashonas are queer chaps, I'll allow; but they're all right +if you take them the right way, make their headmen a few presents, take +care to obtain permission before entering their country, and make it +perfectly clear to them that your only object in desiring to enter their +territory is sport, and trade with them. I've been up among them, and I +know. And, my dear chap, there is gold--plenty of it--up there; and +thus far they don't know the value of it! They'll swap you a nugget as +big as your fist for a yard of copper wire. Therefore, my advice to you +is: Go up there, trade your truck for gold, and bring back as much of +the stuff as your wagon will carry. + +"And now of course I know exactly what you are going to say. You are +going to ask: If I am telling you the truth, why the dickens did I not +do as I am advising you to do, and bring back a wagon-load of gold with +me? My dear chap, I did! That is to say, I got the gold all right. +But, unfortunately for me, I had a partner in the expedition, a Boer +named Van Raalte, who was cursed with an outrageously quarrelsome +disposition and a vile temper, especially where natives were concerned; +and it was he who spoiled everything. Our expedition--which had +originally been a hunting trip, pure and simple, you must understand-- +had been brilliantly successful; we had enjoyed magnificent sport--lion, +elephant, rhinoceros, buffalo, giraffe, no end--and had filled our wagon +chock-full of ivory, skins, and horns, and had then found out about the +gold. Of course we at once threw everything overboard and loaded our +wagon afresh with gold, as much of it as the blessed thing would carry +or the oxen drag. And then what must that born idiot Van Raalte do but +quarrel with one of the indunas about some trumpery thing, and slash the +man across the face with his sjambok! Of course the fat was in the fire +at once; we were set upon, seized, bound hand and foot with reins, and +flung just anyhow into a hut. + +"That occurred during the afternoon. About an hour before sunset they +came and dragged out Van Raalte, and carried him away, leaving me where +I was; and shortly afterward I heard a man start screaming as I wish +never again to hear a man scream, so long as I live. The screaming +lasted for hours, until past midnight I should think; and all the while +I was lying there in that hut, as helpless as a baby, and sweating with +horror at the awful, hair-raising sounds that pierced my ears. At +length, however, the shrieks grew weaker and more intermittent, and +finally they died away altogether. The night seemed endless, for what +with the horror that seized me as I lay there listening and trying to +imagine what was happening, and the excruciating pain of my tightly +bound limbs, sleep was an impossibility; but the morning dawned at last, +the village awoke, and an hour or two later I was unbound and led forth. +They took me to a place about a quarter of a mile away, and showed me-- +something which they told me was all that remained of Van Raalte. I +will not attempt to describe to you what I saw, but--well, let it pass! +It was a full quarter of an hour before I recovered sufficiently from +the sickness that followed to permit of intelligible speech on my part, +and then they took me back to the village, where the induna was awaiting +my return. + +"`White man,' he said, `have you seen?' + +"`I have seen,' I replied, and with much difficulty conquered the +tendency toward sickness that again came upon me. + +"`Good!' said he. `Now I give you your choice. Either leave this +village, now, just as you are, without wagon, oxen, weapons, or goods of +any kind, promising never to return; or--' + +"`I will leave,' said I. And I did, there and then, more than thankful, +I can tell you, that the alternative had been given me. + +"I couldn't tell you--there are no words strong enough to describe it-- +what I endured while making my journey home from Mashonaland. I had no +weapons wherewith to procure food, and I was obliged to live upon just +what I could pick up, chiefly roots. But twice I was fortunate enough +to come upon the partially devoured `kill' of a lion--once it was a +zebra, and the other time it was a giraffe--still comparatively fresh; +and if it had not been for them I believe I should not have survived, +for I was literally at the end of my tether when I came upon them. And +I had no means of making a fire, you will understand. I struggled +along, however, as best I could, losing all count of dates, and crazy as +a loon more than half the time; and ultimately, a few miles on the other +side of the Orange River, I fell in with an elephant hunter named King, +who took care of me and finally handed me over to some friends of mine +who at that time lived in Cape Town. But although I told King--and a +good many other people, for that matter--what happened to me in +Mashonaland, and how I came to be in such a terrible plight, I always +omitted that part about the gold; and you, Ned, are the first and the +only one to whom I have ever mentioned it. And I would not have +mentioned it to you if I had not felt convinced that you possess all the +qualities necessary to enable you to go up there, get a load, and safely +bring it back with you." + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +I START UPON MY GREAT ADVENTURE. + +In the privacy of my own room that night, after I had parted from the +major, I gave my most careful consideration to the suggestion which he +had thrown out; and despite the gruesome fate of the Dutchman, Van +Raalte, at the hands of the Mashonas, which my host had hinted at rather +than described, the project decidedly appealed to me. It is true that I +possessed no personal knowledge of the Mashonas, but I had an idea that, +in essentials, they would probably resemble pretty closely the Zulus, of +whom I knew something; and, if so, I could understand not only their +treatment of Van Raalte--and of my friend Henderson too, as Van Raalte's +companion and partner--but also that it might be quite possible for a +white man possessed of a certain amount of tact and a tolerably +comprehensive knowledge of the nature of the South African savage to +enter their country and leave it again in safety. + +That there was gold in Mashonaland was news to me; for although I had +once or twice heard the general opinion casually expressed that South +Africa would perhaps some day be found to be rich in minerals, I had +never until now heard of the precious metal having actually been found, +and I felt sure that, had such a rumour ever gained currency, not even +the formidable reputation of the Mashonas would have sufficed to prevent +a rush of prospectors into the country. No such rush had ever occurred, +for, if it had, the news of it would have spread like wildfire, and +every individual in the colony, to its most remote outskirts, would have +heard of it. The fact, therefore, that no rush had occurred was +conclusive proof that my friend Henderson was the sole repository of the +momentous secret, which he had contrived to keep strictly to himself all +those years. And now at last he had imparted it to me, and I was free +to go up there, if I pleased, and acquire a fortune. True, there was a +certain element of risk and danger in the project, for there were a +thousand miles or more to be traversed through a roadless, savage +country, of which little or nothing was then known except that it was +infested by several of the most ferocious species of animals and +reptiles, as well as millions of even more ferocious natives. And +during a journey of a thousand miles through such a country almost +anything was possible. But the spice of danger attaching to the journey +appealed to me as an attraction rather than a deterrent; I should enjoy +some of the finest sport that the world had to offer, and, with luck, +might return a wealthy man. These alone were sufficient inducements; +but there was another and still stronger one, which was--Nell Lestrange. +She was so young at the time of her abduction, was so young still, that +I hoped nothing very terrible had thus far happened to her; but it was +unthinkable that a white girl should be permitted to grow up to +womanhood among savages, and I was not altogether without the hope that +during the progress of my journey I might be able to ascertain her +whereabouts and effect her rescue. With so many strong inducements in +favour of Henderson's suggestion, and only one--that comprised in the +element of danger and uncertainty--against it, it is not to be wondered +at that before I slept that night I had definitely decided to act upon +the major's advice and undertake the journey. + +This decision I duly communicated to my host on the following morning +over the breakfast table, and thereupon we proceeded forthwith to +discuss details. The major was of opinion that I ought to begin my +preparations forthwith, for the season was rapidly advancing; it was +then precisely the right time to start upon an up-country trek, for the +rainy season was over, the rivers were low and everywhere fordable, and +the young spring grass was at its best and richest. On the other hand, +the dry season had set in, water would every day be growing more scarce, +the grass more parched, and the ground harder; in a word, there was not +a moment to lose if I desired to avail myself to the fullest possible +extent of all the advantages of the season. + +Having agreed upon this, we passed on to the consideration of ways and +means, and Henderson proceeded to jot down rapidly a list of the various +items which he deemed absolutely indispensable, supplementing it with +another and much shorter list of further items which, although not +positively necessary, would be highly desirable if the available funds +would permit. Then the estimated cost of the several items, both +indispensable and desirable, was jotted down, and the conclusion was +finally arrived at that, if the various purchases were carefully made, +the available money ought just about to suffice for the indispensables, +with the possibility that, if luck attended me, one or two desirables +might also be included. It is due to my friend the major to say that +when the total of his original estimate was ascertained, and found to +exceed the amount of my capital, he at once offered to advance me such +further funds as might be needed to complete my equipment; but I +gratefully yet steadfastly refused to avail myself of his generous +offer, feeling that I had no right to risk the property of another. +Then we sallied forth and proceeded to make our purchases, beginning +with the wagon and team of oxen, and then proceeding with the remainder +of the items until the resources of Somerset East were exhausted. The +ammunition was the most important item of all, and I had early foreseen +that it would be necessary to send down to Port Elizabeth for that. I +did so, therefore, instructing the dealer to wrap the one-pound flasks +of powder separately in waterproof paper, pack them in half-dozens in +soldered-up tins, and enclose the whole in a stout wooden case, by which +means I hoped to preserve effectually my entire stock of powder from the +ordinary accidents of travel in a country subject at certain seasons to +torrential downpours of rain, and intersected at pretty frequent +intervals by rivers deep enough to flood a wagon during its passage +across. The case of powder, which also contained the necessary +complement of wads and percussion caps, arrived at Somerset East exactly +a fortnight after the dispatch of the order for it, by which time the +remainder of my preparations were completed. Nothing therefore remained +but to bid my numerous friends goodbye and make a start forthwith. + +I suppose it is hardly necessary to state that, when discussing the +forthcoming expedition with my various friends, I carefully abstained +from all mention of the word "gold". The major and I let it be +understood that I was going to try my hand at elephant hunting as a +business, and many were the valuable hints which I received from one and +another as to the spots where I should be most likely to find the +biggest herds. The last embers of the war were still smouldering in the +north-eastern districts of the colony when I was ready to start, but +everybody was of opinion that all was quite quiet in the north; +therefore, instead of striking eastward and working north along the low +land between the Drakensberg range and the sea, as I had at first +intended, I decided to strike right away north at once between the +Tandjes Berg and Great Winter Berg mountains, across the Zour Bergen, +and so over the Orange River and right through the very heart of what is +now known as the Orange River Colony and the Transvaal, but was then a +practically unknown wilderness. + +Behold me, then, trekking out from Somerset East about ten o'clock on a +certain glorious mid-October morning, accompanied by a brand-new, +well-loaded wagon drawn by a team of sixteen "salted" oxen--that is to +say, oxen immune to the terrible lung sickness which is the bane of +South Africa--driven by Jan, my former Hottentot driver, who, with Piet, +my former after-rider, had contrived to pick up a living in Somerset +East during the war, and now--also with Piet--was more than willing to +re-enter my service and accompany me to the uttermost parts of the +earth, if so it might please me. The dogs, Thunder and Juno, also +formed part of my train, having found a home with Piet during my absence +at the war. Also, in addition to Prince, there were two other horses, +one being a fine, sturdy iron-grey Basuto cob named Tempest, and the +other a very useful chestnut named Punch, which I had purchased chiefly +for Piet's use when we should arrive in the elephant country. The +remaining member of my retinue was a Bantu boy named 'Ngulubi, about +sixteen years of age, who acted as voorlouper, or leader of the front +span of oxen of the team. + +We trekked at a moderately easy pace to start with, doing, on an +average, about twenty miles a day, and contriving, during the first four +days of our march, to outspan each night in the vicinity of a farmhouse, +where, in accordance with the custom of the country, I obtained +hospitality for the night. After that, however, the farms became more +widely scattered, and I was obliged to content myself with the cartel in +my wagon, which, to be perfectly truthful, I found far more comfortable, +because more cleanly, than some of the beds I had slept in. On the +evening of the eighth day, about half an hour before sunset, we +successfully forded the Orange River and outspanned on its northern +bank, by which time the oxen were actually going better than at the +start, and were in harder condition. + +It was a glorious evening, the sky cloudless, the heat of the day over; +and there was just the softest breathing of a cool, refreshing air from +upstream. The country, low-lying along the margin of the river and +rising very gently as it swept away northward, presented just the +combination of rich grass land and bush that seemed to promise an +abundance of game, and about a mile upstream from our outspan the river +broadened out and was rush-fringed in such a fashion as to suggest +almost a certainty of wild duck; therefore, while the "boys" outspanned +and attended to the cattle, I took from the wagon the double-barrelled +combination of rifle and smooth-bore that I had purchased for my father +a year before in Port Elizabeth, and, accompanied by the two dogs, set +out for a little walk upstream, partly for the enjoyment of the walk and +partly in the hope of securing something a little more appetising than +buck meat for supper. + +Keeping closely along the river margin, and walking slowly, with the +dogs close at heel, I soon became lost to everything but the entrancing +beauty of the evening, its perfect peacefulness and quietude, emphasised +rather than broken by the gentle gurgle and ripple of the river along +its banks and the soft sigh and rustle of the wind among the reeds; +while the swift changes of light and colour flooding the landscape as +the sun sank rapidly in the western sky afforded a picture the +surpassing loveliness of which there are no words to describe. +Unconsciously I halted that I might the better be able to watch the +wonderful play of prismatic colour upon the bosom of the river, upon the +gently swaying reeds along its margin, upon the broken ground ahead in +its emerald mantle of lush grass, dotted here and there with broad +clumps of bush, and upon the gently swelling contours of the distant +hills, blushing rosy red in the evening sunshine; and for a space of +perhaps ten minutes I stood spellbound, conscious of nothing but the +surpassing loveliness of God's handiwork as manifested in the scene +before me. + +Then, suddenly, I was jerked back to a realisation of the more prosaic +side of things by an outburst of loud bellowing which seemed to proceed +from the farther side of a low ridge about a hundred yards ahead, and, +getting into motion again, I hurried forward to ascertain what was the +matter. For there was a note of mingled anger and terror in that +bellowing which told me plainly enough that some creature was in trouble +not far away. It was not one of my own oxen; they were all right in +plain view from where I stood, grazing contentedly close to the wagon in +charge of the umfaan 'Ngulubi: nor was it a domesticated ox of any kind, +for there was no farm anywhere within sight, and no wagon excepting my +own; moreover, the sound was too deep and powerful to issue from the +lungs of a domestic animal, the obvious inference therefore being that +the bellowing proceeded from a wild buffalo. And so indeed it proved, +for upon topping the intervening ridge I beheld a splendid buffalo bull +some fifty yards away standing breast-deep in the river, struggling +violently and uttering bellow after bellow, except when for a moment or +two the poor beast's head was dragged under water. + +I saw at once what was the matter; the brute had wandered down to the +river to drink, as most animals do, at eventide, and, plunging rather +too deeply into the water, had been seized by the muzzle by a crocodile, +and was now, despite his frantic struggles, being slowly dragged into +deep water, where of course he would presently be drowned and become the +prey of the fierce saurian. Now the wild Cape buffalo is a distinctly +vicious creature, easily angered, and ready to fight upon the slightest +provocation; it is, indeed, with perhaps the exception of the +rhinoceros--and many who know both intimately would not even except the +latter--the most dangerous animal in Africa, and therefore to be let +carefully alone by people who are not looking for trouble: but in the +present case my sympathies were all with the buffalo, for the fight did +not seem to be a fair one; the advantage was all on the side of the +crocodile. Therefore, in order to even matters a little, I decided to +take a hand in the game, and forthwith started at a run for the scene of +action. And I arrived not a second too soon, for when I reached the +spot the buffalo, notwithstanding his immense strength and the desperate +resistance which he had offered, had been dragged slowly forward through +the yielding mud until he was submerged mid-shoulder-deep, while, his +head being held under water, he was already half-drowned and his +resistance decreased every moment. Nevertheless he was still making a +gallant struggle, occasionally contriving to raise his head above water +and secure a gulp of air, notwithstanding the fact that, in order to do +so, he had practically to lift the entire weight of the crocodile a foot +or more; and of course upon these occasions the crocodile's head was +lifted at least partially out of the water, far enough to disclose the +brute's merciless eyes. This happened a second or two after my arrival +upon the scene, when, quick as light, I tossed my weapon to my shoulder, +sighted the reptile's left eye, and pulled the trigger. + +It was enough: the bullet penetrated to the creature's brain, the great +jaws slowly relaxed their grip, and with a smothered bellow which may or +may not have indicated relief, the great bull swerved round, staggered +out of the water and up the bank, and fell in a heap just as he reached +the crest, where he lay, panting heavily and moaning with pain as the +blood gushed from his lacerated muzzle. For a moment, as I stood to +reload my rifle, I was more than half-inclined to put a bullet into the +poor beast's brain and so end his misery, but upon reflection I decided +that it would be rather unsportsmanlike to take advantage of his +helplessness. I therefore determined to give him a chance, and went +upon my way, leaving him to recover if he could. And when I retraced my +steps about an hour later the brute had vanished, though he had probably +not gone very far. + +Resuming my walk, I reached the spot for which I had been making, just +in time to secure a shot at a flight of teal as the birds arrived in +what were evidently their night quarters, and was fortunate enough to +bag two and a half brace, with which I returned to the wagon, lighted on +my way by the rays of the newly risen almost full moon. + +On the following evening, after a long and fatiguing day's trek over +broken and continuously rising ground, we outspanned close to a Basuto +village, the inhabitants of which welcomed our arrival with such extreme +cordiality that I felt sure they wanted something from us. And later +on, after I had dined, and was thinking of retiring for the night, my +suspicion was verified. + +As is the custom when the natives are inclined to be friendly, the +headman of the village and some half-dozen others came out to fraternise +with my "boys", and, incidentally, to share their evening meal, which, +as usual, consisted to a large extent of buck meat. Now, at the time of +which I write, the Basutos possessed no firearms, therefore they had to +depend chiefly upon pitfalls and similar primitive contrivances for +their supply of meat, except upon the very rare occasions when they +succeeded in working themselves up to such a pitch of extravagance as to +slaughter an ox; consequently meals of which flesh formed a part were +few and far between. But they knew that the white man and his followers +could always get meat in abundance; therefore when a white man passed +through their country--which might occur, upon an average, twice a +year--they always made a point of inviting themselves to supper, as in +the present case, knowing that the white man, understanding their +custom, would be sure to provide the wherewithal for an abundant feast. +And as they eat they talked, for the Kafir is an inveterate gossip, and +in this way the white man might sometimes acquire an item or two of +information of real value to him. + +Now, I had given my "boys" instructions to avail themselves to the +fullest extent of every opportunity that should offer to make cautious +enquiry among the natives with whom we might chance to come into +contact, with the object of gaining some clue to the whereabouts of Nell +Lestrange; for I knew that a white child could not be spirited off into +the wilds without a good many natives acquiring an inkling of the +direction in which she had gone: therefore upon occasions like the +present it was the custom of Piet, my after-rider, ably seconded by Jan, +cunningly to lead the conversation round to the subject of the recent +war, and then listen intently to all that was said, helping the +conversation along, where needful, by an artfully framed question or +two. And these tactics they followed on the evening in question. + +Having taken a walk out on the veld to enjoy the beauty and silence of +the prospect under the silver flooding of the moon, I returned to the +wagon with a pleasant sense of coolness and fatigue, and was about to +begin my preparations for a night's repose when Piet, my Tottie +after-rider, rose from his place among the others round the fire and +approached me. + +"Baas," he said, "'Ngaga, a Basuto, the headman of the village, would +speak with you. Shall I say that your ears are open?" + +"Yes," answered I. "Let him come hither and speak freely." + +Accordingly, Piet having signified that I was graciously willing to +accord an audience, 'Ngaga approached, halted at the distance of six +feet from me, flung up his right hand, and sonorously uttered the salute +"'Nkos'!" Then he stood motionless, awaiting my pleasure. + +"S'a bon' (literally, I see you), 'Ngaga!" I replied. "You would have +speech with me? Then say on. My ears are open." + +"Baba (Father)," began the savage (he was at least forty years of age, +while I was only eighteen), "thy children are in trouble; therefore +there was great rejoicing in the village when Mafuta, the nyanga (witch +doctor), this morning announced that a white man was on the way and, +with his fire weapons, would be with us before nightfall. He said--" + +"Stop!" interrupted I. "Before you speak further, tell me how Mafuta +came to know that I was on the way? I believed that my entry into +Basutoland was unknown, and was wondering whether it would be better for +me to see Moshesh in his kraal, or whether it would suffice for me to +send a messenger with gifts. Perhaps you can tell me?" + +"Doubtless the king will be glad to see thee at his kraal," cautiously +answered the man, "especially if the news goes forward that thou hast +done us, his children, a service. And if thou wilt do us that service I +will see that the news of it does go forward to the king's ear, ensuring +thee a welcome." + +"Very well," said I. "I will gladly do what may lie in my power. +Therefore, say what is thy desire, and I will consider the matter. But +thou hast not yet told me how Mafuta came to know of my presence in +Basutoland. I saw no man yesterday. But perchance one of you belonging +to the village saw my wagon from afar, and hastened to spread the news?" + +"Nay," answered 'Ngaga; "no man saw thy wagon, from afar, or brought +news of thine approach to the village. Mafuta is a great nyanga, and +perchance he saw a vision of thine approach in his magic smoke. How +should I know? It is not good for mere ordinary mortals to enquire too +curiously into the doings of the nyangas." + +This reply at once powerfully aroused my curiosity, for I perceived that +'Ngaga was referring to those strange occult powers with which the witch +doctors are credited by the white men who have been thrown into most +intimate contact with the natives. I had heard many extraordinary and +apparently well-authenticated stories told respecting the alleged power +of the nyangas to visualise distant happenings, to foretell coming +events, to discover the whereabouts of lost articles, to read the +thoughts of men and lay bare their most cherished secrets, and also to +inflict upon their enemies loss, suffering, and even death. I had no +doubt that many of the strange stories to which I had listened had +originated in some very trivial and ordinary circumstance which had been +magnified and distorted into a weird and supernatural happening by the +superstitious credulity of the original narrator; but there were others +of an equally weird and unaccountable character, which had been told by +hard-headed, intelligent, unimaginative men as having come within the +scope of their own personal experience, that seemed to indicate that the +nyangas really possessed powers denied to the great majority of their +fellow-men. Moreover, it must be remembered by the sceptical that all +who have ever been intimately associated with the African savage are +fully agreed that he is gifted with certain strange, uncanny powers +quite incomprehensible to the white man, as was indubitably demonstrated +during the last Zulu war, when the natives exhibited an intimate +knowledge of certain events--notably the disaster to the British troops +at Isandhlwana--within an hour or two of their occurrence, and several +days before the news became known through the ordinary channels of +communication. + +Now, taking into consideration such facts as these, which are common +knowledge and yet are quite inexplicable by the most profound students +of ordinary science, one is inclined to ask, if such things are possible +to the ordinary savages, why should not other and still more +extraordinary powers be possessed by those among them who have inherited +the secrets handed down to them by others who, through many generations, +have made it the sole business of their lives to study what we, for want +of a better term, are pleased to designate the occult? I confess that I +am not of those who will believe only what they are able to understand; +upon what principle, therefore, shall I say that I will believe a +certain thing although I do not understand it, but will not believe +something else for the same reason? Now, I was keenly interested in the +subject of the nyanga's alleged powers for a variety of reasons, two of +which will, I think, justify me in determining to put them to the test, +now that I had the opportunity: one reason being simple curiosity, and +the other the desire to obtain information as to the whereabouts of Nell +Lestrange. Therefore I said to 'Ngaga: + +"Very well; let that matter pass. You were about to tell me that there +is trouble in the village, of a kind that I can cure. Was it not so?" + +"Even so, 'Nkos'," answered 'Ngaga. "The trouble is this. A leopard +has lately taken up his abode yonder," pointing to a spot about half a +mile distant, where a great granite kopje towered some sixty feet above +the general surface of the ground, forming a hill of about three or four +acres in extent. "He haunts a cave in the rock," continued 'Ngaga, "and +comes every night to the village, stealing our chickens, killing our +dogs and cattle; and last night he even entered a hut and carried off a +two-year-old child from its sleeping mother's side. We have tried to +kill the beast; but he is too wise for us, for while we are watching for +him in one place he goes round by another way, and all our efforts thus +far have been in vain. So to-day we consulted Mafuta upon the matter; +and after he had heard us, and had shut himself up in the hut for as +long as it takes the sun to travel that far through the sky,"-- +indicating an arc which would represent about half an hour--"he came +forth and said that a white man--yourself, 'Nkos'--would arrive at the +village to-night, and would undertake to free us of the beast. Will you +do this for us, O my father? He is very wary, and will not allow us to +approach him within the length of a spear cast; but he cannot escape +your fire weapon: and it shall be that if you slay him, I, 'Ngaga, will +send forward a messenger to the Great One, Moshesh, announcing thy +coming to his kraal, and taking with him a tale that shall cause the +Great One's face to smile upon thee." + +"Very well," I said; "I am willing to do what I can for thee and thine, +O 'Ngaga, and thus will I do it. Thou shalt to-night station two men in +a place from which they can watch the path leading from the leopard's +den to the village; and it shall be that if the beast shows himself, one +man shall hasten hither to the wagon with the news, while the other +remains to watch, and if need be follow him. Thus shall we know where +to find the leopard, and I will come and slay him with my fire weapon. +But if the beast remains in his den all night, then will I go up in the +morning and slay him there. Is the plan good?" + +"It is good," answered 'Ngaga, "and I will go even now to the village +and send out two trustworthy men to watch, and do thy bidding," and the +man flung up his hand in farewell salute before turning to leave me. +But I stopped him. "Stay, 'Ngaga," said I; "I have not yet finished +speaking with thee. I will slay this beast that despoils the village +and carries off its young children; but, in return, the village must do +something for me. I am engaged upon a certain quest; and if Mafuta is +as great a nyanga as thou believest him to be, it may be that he can +help me. Therefore, if I kill the leopard, Mafuta must to-morrow +exercise his magic to find out for me what I want to know." + +'Ngaga seemed suddenly disconcerted. He stood silent for a full minute +or more, apparently plunged in disquieting thought. Then he spoke, +deprecatingly. + +"'Nkos'," he said, "how shall I answer thee? Mafuta is a strange and +wilful man, impatient of authority, and distrustful of strangers; +moreover, he loves not white men: therefore it may well be that he will +refuse what thou dost ask of him. Yet he seemed not displeased to-day +when the knowledge of thy coming was revealed to him, and it may be that +he will consent. I know not how he will act. It may be that if I ask +him now he will refuse, whereas if I ask him to-morrow, when thou hast +slain the leopard, he will consent. What wilt thou have me do, my +father?" + +"Leave it until the morrow," answered I. "Then, if he refuses thee, I +will see him. Perhaps he will not refuse me." + +"Good!" agreed 'Ngaga. "Thy decision is a wise one, for Mafuta is of +those who like not to bind themselves by promises. I go now to find and +send out the watchers. Sala guhli (farewell), 'Nkos'!" and, saluting, +the savage swung round upon his heel and strode away. Thereupon I +climbed into the wagon, and, having carefully examined my weapons and +satisfied myself that they were all loaded and the powder well up in the +nipples, retired to rest. + +It was about an hour after midnight when Jan awoke me. + +"Baas," he murmured, shaking me gently by the shoulder, "there is an +'mfaan (boy) who bids me tell thee that the leopard is abroad and making +down toward the village, and that if you will come quickly you will have +a good chance to kill the beast." + +"All right," I replied drowsily, as I sat up on the cartel and began to +feel about for my boots. "Find the tinder box, Jan, and light the +lamp." + +A minute later the lamp was lighted, and I proceeded hurriedly to get +into my clothes. Then, taking my rifle, and instructing Jan to follow +me with the double-barrel, I emerged from the wagon, to find a +well-grown Basuto lad of about eighteen years of age impatiently waiting +to guide me to the scene of action. + +"Well, 'mfaan," said I, "so the leopard is abroad. Whereabout is he?" + +"He is somewhere on the other side of that ridge, 'Nkos'," answered the +lad. "He came out from behind the krantz and, entering the long grass, +disappeared. But my brother yonder is watching his movements, and if we +hasten we may cut him off before he reaches the village. See, 'Nkos', +there is my brother--you can see his head and shoulders above the ridge; +he is waving us to hasten." + +I looked in the direction toward which the lad pointed. The moon was +high in the heavens, almost overhead in fact, and the entire scene was +flooded with her white rays. Before us the ground rose slightly to a +ridge about one hundred yards distant; past this lay a depression +through which a small stream ran, while beyond the stream the ground +rose again in a long, bush-clad slope, which swept away into the extreme +distance, grey and mysterious, forming the background of the scene. The +foreground and nearer distances were brilliantly illuminated by the cold +rays of the moon, rendering objects within a quarter of a mile almost as +distinct as though it were midday; and, clearly defined against the +ghostly grey of the grass-clad ridge, I could see the head and shoulders +of a savage, the white moonlight gleaming upon his ebony skin as he +waved his arm, signalling to us. + +"This way, 'Nkos', this way!" whispered my guide excitedly, leading the +way toward the lower edge of the depression; and, walking fast, I +followed him, with Jan bringing up the rear. Five minutes of quick +wading through the long, dew-saturated grass carried us over the ridge, +but much lower down than where the watcher was stationed; and the +depression--which was scarcely deep enough to be termed a ravine--lay +before us. Here we paused a moment to reconnoitre, but, seeing nothing, +moved rapidly forward again, aiming for a small clump of bush that stood +solitary at a distance of about fifty yards from a wide-open space which +the leopard must needs cross on his way to the village. Behind this we +all three posted ourselves, to await the arrival of the brute, for the +position was an excellent one in every respect, the bush being between +us and the spot where we supposed the leopard to be, while what little +wind there was blew from that direction toward us, and in front +stretched a wide, open, grassy space, with the stream trickling through +its midst. + +We had scarcely settled ourselves behind the bush when our Basuto guide +gently touched me on the arm and silently pointed between the branches +toward a spot where the grass seemed to be swaying a little more +strongly than the soft breathing of the wind alone would account for; +and, looking intently, I presently perceived that this peculiar swaying +motion of the grass was stealthily progressing across the open space, as +though something hidden by the tall growth were cautiously moving there. +Apart from the peculiar motion of the grass, however, nothing was to be +seen, which was not surprising, since the growth down there was +breast-high; but a little farther on, where the village herd had been +turned out to graze, it was not so long. The oxen were there now, at +the far side of the patch of short grass, lying down asleep in charge of +a couple of boy herds, and it seemed to me that the mysterious movement +in the grass was progressing toward them. Presently one of the oxen +suddenly flung up his head, seemed to sniff the air for a few moments, +and then, with a low moan, rose to his feet, switching his tail from +side to side. The movement aroused the rest of the herd, who in turn +scrambled to their feet and stood, switching their tails, and all facing +the same way, namely, toward the spot where I had observed the +suspicious motion of the grass. But the motion had ceased now, and for +nearly a quarter of an hour we all stood there tense, waiting and +watching. + +Then suddenly I detected anew the curious quivering and swaying of the +tufts, though so slight was it that for at least a couple of minutes I +could not be sure that my senses were not deceiving me. At length, +however, the movement grew sufficiently pronounced to convince me that +the leopard was once more creeping forward, and a few minutes later it +reached the spot where the grass had been kept comparatively short by +the grazing of the herd. The next instant I caught the merest glimpse +through the shortened herbage of a moving something that I knew could +only be the back of a crouching animal of some sort sneaking toward the +now fully awakened herd; and throwing up my rifle, I tried to imagine +the entire animal from the little of it that I saw, aimed for the spot +among the grass which I pictured as being just behind the shoulder, and +pulled the trigger. The sharp crack of the rifle broke in upon the +stillness of the night with startling effect. I heard the thud of the +bullet, instantly followed by a savage snarl that ended in a moan, and +as the smoke drifted away I caught a momentary glimpse of a great, +tawny, black-spotted form writhing convulsively in the air from its +death spring and then collapsing inertly where it fell. Jan and the +Basuto, uttering yells of delight, instantly started to run in upon the +fallen leopard; but I stopped them with the reminder that the beast +might not yet be dead, and, exchanging weapons with the Hottentot, +proceeded to approach, with all due caution, the spot where it lay. But +we need not have been under any apprehension, for when we came to it we +saw that the animal--which, by the way, was the biggest leopard that I +had ever seen--had been shot clean through the heart, and was +stone-dead. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +MAFUTA, THE BASUTO WITCH DOCTOR. + +On the following morning, when I turned out and walked down to the river +to bathe, I debouched a little from the direct road in order to take a +peep at the dead leopard by daylight, the carcass having been left where +it had fallen. As I approached the place I saw that Piet and Jan, my +two Hottentots, were already busily engaged upon the task of removing +the skin; and I observed that both were looking, as I thought, very much +annoyed, and a little apprehensive. I was not long in discovering what +was the matter, for as I halted beside them Piet held up first the two +front paws and then the two hind paws of the beast, when I instantly +saw, to my intense annoyance, that every one of the claws had been +removed, and that therefore, as a trophy, the skin was quite useless. +Of course I knew that this was a common practice among the Kafirs, the +claws of the lion and the leopard being either worn by them as potent +amulets, or converted into muti, that is to say, medicine, which is +implicitly believed by them to impart the quality of courage to the one +who takes it; but I had been foolish enough to think that, having +solicited me to destroy their enemy for them, they would have regarded +the carcass as sacred from mutilation. They had not done so, however, +and that ended the matter, for I knew that it would be quite useless to +make a fuss about it: not a soul in the village would ever admit the +least knowledge of the theft. + +While I was taking breakfast, about an hour later, 'Ngaga came up from +the village to express the hearty thanks of himself and the rest of the +inhabitants for the service which I had rendered them by destroying the +leopard; and when we had chatted for half an hour or so, and 'Ngaga had +accepted a present of a yard of brass wire, a handful of parti-coloured +beads, and a cotton handkerchief gorgeously emblazoned in red, blue, +green, and yellow, he said: + +"'Nkos', after I left you last night I went to the hut of Mafuta and was +permitted to enter. I told the nyanga that you had undertaken to slay +the leopard that had been troubling us, and after I had spoken many +words concerning the greatness of the boon you would thus confer upon +us, I ventured to mention that you were desirous of consulting him in +relation to a certain quest which you have undertaken. I think, 'Nkos', +that if you would go now with me to Mafuta's hut, perhaps taking with +you as a gift another handkerchief such as this, the nyanga would be +willing to grant your request." + +"You think so?" I said. "Then in that case let us go." And, +extracting from the voorkissie a handkerchief distinguished by a +particularly startling combination of colours, which I tucked into my +belt in such a manner that it could not fail to attract attention, I set +out for the village, accompanied by 'Ngaga, who, I understood, proposed +to act as a sort of sponsor for me, and to introduce me personally to +the great man. + +The nyanga's hut was, as is generally the case, built at some little +distance--in the present instance about a quarter of a mile--from the +village proper, standing quite by itself, close to the stream, and close +under the shadow of a great clump of bush. Apart from this circumstance +there was nothing to distinguish it from the rest of the huts, it being +of the usual beehive shape, constructed of closely interwoven wattles, +thickly thatched with reeds and grass, and having an entrance so small +that it was necessary to bend double and stoop low in order to pass +through it. Also it was windowless, the only illumination of the +interior being derived from such light as came through the low door; +consequently when one first entered such a hut the contrast between the +obscurity of the interior and the glare of the blazing sunlight outside +produced an impression of profound darkness, this only passing away as +the eye gradually accustomed itself to the gloom, after which one found, +somewhat to one's surprise, that there was light enough to see +everything with a very tolerable degree of distinctness. + +As 'Ngaga preceded me into the hut I heard a low murmur of greeting pass +between him and someone else, which told me that the owner was at home; +then I followed and stood upright in what was, to my eye, inky +blackness. + +"S'a bon', 'mlungu (I see you, white man)!" said a deep, resonant voice +from the depth of the darkness. + +"Yebo (yes), Mafuta," answered I, that being the usual interchange of +salutations between the native and the white when the former esteems +himself the equal of the latter; and I stood, blinking and striving to +penetrate the obscurity. Gradually the darkness melted into a sort of +sombre twilight, which by imperceptible degrees grew stronger, and +presently I saw that I was in a hut the sole furniture of which +consisted of a pallet, raised about a foot from the floor, and covered +with rich karosses or skin rugs--one, I observed, being made entirely of +leopard-skins. On one end of this pallet was seated a man of perhaps +forty years of age, wearing a keshla, or head ring, and a mucha, or +apron, made apparently of monkey skins. The man's shield and sheaf of +assagais stood close at hand against the wall of the hut, and a +ponderous knobkerrie hung just overhead, slung by a loop of rimpi; but +the hut contained nothing to distinguish it from that of any other +native, and I confess that my first feeling was one of disappointment, +for I had never before been in the hut of a nyanga, and I had been led +to believe by those who had that I should see all sorts of strange and +weird-looking objects if I ever happened to penetrate to the interior of +a Kafir witch doctor's hut. The owner seemed to read my disappointment +in my eyes, for he laughed softly as he waved his hand, indicating the +emptiness of the hut. + +"I do not need the things for which you are looking, 'mlungu," he said; +"my magic is different from that of all other nyangas--and much more +potent, as mayhap you shall see for yourself. Be seated," he continued, +waving me toward the other end of the couch; "and as for you, 'Ngaga, +having brought the 'mlungu hither, your task is accomplished, and you +may depart." + +So, while I deposited myself upon the pallet, 'Ngaga bade us both a +somewhat ceremonious farewell, and vanished through the opening into the +blazing sunlight without. + +Then Mafuta began to talk to me about my journey and the incidents, such +as they were, that had thus far marked it; and I confess that I was +astounded at the intimate knowledge of these matters which he displayed. +Of course I knew that my "boys" might have, and very possibly had, +spoken of them to 'Ngaga and the other Basutos during their gossip round +the fire on the previous evening; yet this man, Mafuta, seemed to know +more about the details of them than was likely to have transpired during +such a conversation, which was probably of an exceedingly desultory and +general character. Yet even this was not so surprising as the knowledge +he displayed of the twofold object of my journey, which I knew he could +not have acquired from my "boys", because even they were ignorant of it, +all that they actually knew being that the journey was ostensibly +undertaken for the purpose of collecting ivory. But without questioning +me at all upon the subject, the nyanga made it clear to me that he was +fully aware of the fact that one great object of my journey was to get +gold rather than ivory. + +"Yet even that," said he, "is not all that you seek upon this journey; +important as it is that you should find the yellow metal which the white +man values so greatly, you are even more anxious to find something else: +is it not so? And so anxious are you to find it that, although you +doubt Mafuta's power, you have come to him to see if he can help you." + +"It is true," I admitted; "and the fact that you know so much of my most +secret desires and intentions inclines me to hope, and almost to +believe, that you can help me. Do you think you can?" + +"It may be, 'mlungu; it may be," he answered. "The white 'ntombozaan +(girl) still lives and is well, for I last night took the trouble to +seek for and find her; but where she is I cannot say, for the place is +strange to me, I having never seen it with my bodily eyes." + +I fairly gasped with amazement, for this was the first time that Nell +Lestrange had been mentioned since my arrival in the village, and it was +not I who had spoken of her, but a savage to whom even the bare fact of +her existence might be supposed to be unknown--unless--unless those who +originally carried her off had chanced to pass this way. Yet, even +then-- + +"Tell me," I shouted, seizing the nyanga by the arm, rather roughly, I +am afraid, in my excitement, "what do you know of her? How long is it +since you saw her? And who are they who carried her off?" + +"Gahle (gently), white man! gahle!" returned Mafuta, snatching his arm +out of my grasp. "I know nothing of the 'ntombi save what I saw last +night. But you came hither to procure my help to find her, and such +help as I can give shall be yours. As I told you, I know not where she +is, for I never saw the place with my bodily eyes, but I will show it to +you, so that if ever you come to the place you may know it. Will that +satisfy you?" + +"But," I objected, "if you are able to show me the place, surely you can +tell me the name of it, and in which direction I should travel to reach +it?" + +"Nay, 'mlungu, I cannot do that," answered Mafuta. "My power is not so +great as that. I can but show you the person whom you desire to see; it +must rest with you to note that person's surroundings so carefully that, +should you ever arrive at the place, you will recognise it again. Or +perhaps by describing it to others you may be able to find someone who +has been there and who, recognising it from your description, will be +able to tell you its name and where it is." + +"Very well, then," said I; "do what you can to help me, Mafuta, and I +will be for ever obliged to you." + +"Muchli (good)!" exclaimed Mafuta. "Sit where you are, and do exactly +as I bid you." He rose from his seat, groped among the thatch of the +hut for a moment, and presently produced a small, circular object about +the size of an ordinary coat button. It was as brightly burnished as +the surface of a mirror, and he placed it upright on the floor of the +hut in such a position that, while itself in deep shadow, it strongly +reflected the light which entered through the doorway right into my +eyes, dazzling them to such an extent that, for a few moments, I could +scarcely bear to look at it. Presently, however, that feeling passed +away, and I was able to gaze upon it without discomfort. + +"Now," said Mafuta, "look steadfastly at that, never removing your eyes +from it for a moment, and see what happens." And, thus saying, the man +went and squatted himself upon his heels in the centre of the floor, and +began to chant, in a low, monotonous voice, certain words the meaning of +which I could not comprehend. + +For a few minutes nothing particular seemed to happen: the disk +continued to shine strongly in the midst of the deep shadow, and +Mafuta's low, monotonous song went on. Then, so gradually that I knew +not when the change began, I lost consciousness of everything except the +gleaming disk and the sound of Mafuta's voice, from which all semblance +of words had passed. Then the disk seemed slowly to fade out of sight, +Mafuta's voice died away to silence, and I found myself seemingly +standing upon gently rising ground, with a native village, of such +dimensions that it deserved rather the name of a town, about a quarter +of a mile distant on my left front. The first thing that I particularly +observed about this place, apart from its exceptional size, was that it +was built in the shape of a circle, and was entirely fenced in with a +strong, high palisade. There was a gate in the fence, nearly opposite +me, and a number of people, mostly men, were coming and going through +the gateway. They were splendid specimens of the South African savage, +but, look as I would, I could discover nothing either in their cast of +features or in their trappings by which to identify them. + +The town was built upon the top of the slope on which I stood, and about +a quarter of a mile distant from it I noted a rather remarkable kopje +which I thought would surely enable me to recognise the place if ever I +should chance to set my bodily eyes upon it. It was perhaps seventy or +eighty feet high, and at its summit it measured, as nearly as I could +guess, about two hundred yards long. It was hog-backed in shape, and +was strewn here and there with great, tumbled masses of dark-coloured +rock, among which grew a few straggling bushes. The most remarkable +thing about this particular kopje, however, was that, notwithstanding +its close proximity to the town, it appeared to be the haunt of +innumerable vultures, some forty or fifty of which were perched upon the +rocks at that moment. The landscape on which this unknown savage town +was set was of the usual South African type, namely, gently undulating, +the hills retiring one behind the other into the extreme distance until, +toward the west--I got my bearings from the sun, of course--they merged +into what might almost be termed mountains, while eastward the land +stretched away in a vast plain. The soil was densely covered with long, +thick grass, which was already beginning to look bleached and parched +here and there for want of rain; and scattered pretty thickly over the +country were the usual patches of bush. On my right the land fell away +to a spacious flat, a thousand acres or more in extent, upon which vast +herds of cattle were grazing, and through which a stream some thirty +feet in width gently meandered. + +As I stood noting all these details, three young girls emerged from the +main gate of the town, two of them being dark-brown, while the third was +white--Nell Lestrange! I recognised the dear child instantly, although +she had altered greatly--as I thought, for the better--since I had seen +her last. She was talking and laughing gaily with her companions, I was +glad to see, for that indicated that she was well and happy; yet, even +as this thought flashed through my mind, she fell silent for a moment +and a look of sadness clouded her face. She was bareheaded and +barefooted, the garment which she wore being a sort of frock apparently +modelled from those which she had worn while at Triannon, and made of a +peculiar kind of cloth the nature of which I could not recognise. +Instinctively I stretched out my hands toward her and strove to call her +name, but no sound passed my lips, and, to my intense disappointment, I +found that I could not move. The trio passed me about a hundred yards +distant, and I distinctly heard their voices, but could not catch the +words they spoke, otherwise I might possibly have recognised the +language and thus gained a clue to the locality; and although, just as +they were passing before me, Nell looked straight in my direction, and +even paused for an instant, she immediately went on again, casting a +single glance back over her shoulder and then continuing on her way +until she disappeared beyond a clump of bush near the river. And with +her disappearance the whole scene vanished and I found myself back in +Mafuta's hut, with the disk still gleaming brightly out of the deep +shadow, and Mafuta still squatting on his heels in the centre of the +floor. + +"Well, white man," he said, as I came to myself, "have you seen aught?" + +"I have," said I, "and I feel bound to admit that you are the possessor +of most extraordinary powers, Mafuta. Yes, I saw the 'ntombozaan; and, +as you said, she seems to be both happy and in the enjoyment of +excellent health. But what I now want to know is where she is. Surely +there are not so many big kraals scattered about in Kafirland that the +one which you have just shown me should be difficult to find?" + +"What did it look like, 'mlungu?" demanded Mafuta. + +"What did it look like?" I repeated. "Is not that a quite unnecessary +question to ask, Mafuta? You must have seen everything that I saw, +otherwise--" + +"Nay," interrupted Mafuta, "I saw nothing; nor do I know what you saw, +excepting that I willed you to see the 'ntombi. Tell me everything that +you beheld, and maybe I can help you to find the place." + +Thereupon I proceeded to describe minutely the entire scene as I had +beheld it, the big town with its huts, to the number of two thousand or +more, symmetrically arranged within its circle of stout, high palings; +the kopje close by, with its scattered piles of rock interspersed with +straggling clumps of bush, and its vultures; the great plain with its +herds of grazing cattle beside the stream--in short, every feature of my +vision, as I vividly recalled it. And when I had finished, Mafuta sat +for several minutes ruminating deeply. At length, however, he looked +up, and, shaking his head, said: + +"White man, I have never seen the place you describe, otherwise I am +sure that I should recognise it. The kopje with its rocks and its +aasvogels would alone suffice for its identification. That kopje is +doubtless the place where criminals are executed; the presence of the +aasvogels seems to indicate that. And the size and general importance +of the place lead me to believe that it is where a king sits; but what +king I know not. Of one thing, however, I can assure you; it is not +Moshesh's Place." + +"Well," said I, "that at least is something to know, for it is one place +the less to trouble about. And that is all the help you can give me?" + +"That is all the help I can give you," repeated Mafuta. + +"But surely it is much, is it not, 'mlungu? You have seen the place +with the eyes of your mind, seen it as plainly as if you had beheld it +with your bodily eyes; and you will remember what it looks like. You +will be able to describe it minutely to others; and as you go upon your +way you will have opportunity to speak of it to others, and--yes, it +comes to me that eventually you will meet with one who will enable you +to find it." + +"Thanks, very much," said I. "That is a most comforting thing to know, +and, since you say that such a thing will happen, I quite believe it +will, after the exhibition of your powers which you have already given +me. Will you accept this as a gift from me?" I added, producing the +brilliantly marked handkerchief from my belt and offering it to the +nyanga. + +"My thanks, 'mlungu," answered the man, taking the handkerchief and +depositing it upon the pallet. "And now," he continued, "I think you +will do well to proceed without undue delay to Moshesh's kraal. 'Ngaga +has already dispatched a messenger apprising the king of your presence +in his country, and, if you ask permission to pass through and hunt in +it, the Great One will doubtless give it, especially as you have +rendered his people the service of slaying the leopard that has been +preying upon them. But the king is jealous of his own authority, and is +apt to resent intrusion into his country without permission first asked; +also he is a little distrustful of the white man, whom he suspects of a +desire to steal the black man's land. Therefore present yourself before +him as early as may be." + +"Thanks, Mafuta, I will do as you say. Farewell, and may all prosperity +attend you," said I, as I took my leave. + +"Sala guhli (farewell), 'mlungu!" replied the Kafir, following me out +and standing by the door of the hut. "I see much trouble and many +dangers before thee; but be of good heart, for thou shalt overcome them +all." + +Two days later I arrived at the king's kraal. + +It was near mid-afternoon when I halted the wagon and ordered Jan to +outspan at a point about half a mile from the kraal: and I immediately +dispatched Piet with a message to the effect that I, Edward Laurence, an +Englishman, had arrived at the kraal for the purpose of personally +soliciting permission from King Moshesh to hunt in and pass through his +country; and that for this purpose, and that I might crave His Majesty's +acceptance of certain presents, I might be granted the favour of an +early audience. Then I opened the voorkissie and proceeded to select +the presents which I would offer for the savage king's acceptance. + +Gaudily coloured handkerchiefs, and, more particularly, brilliantly hued +articles of costume have from time immemorial strongly appealed to the +taste of the untutored savage, and I had kept this fact prominently in +mind when purchasing the goods which I intended to use as presents and +for the purposes of barter; therefore, among other things, I had bought +several cast-off British uniforms of various descriptions, these being +designed especially for presentation to the several savage monarchs with +whom I expected to be brought into contact. So now, after due +consideration, I drew forth a drum-major's scarlet tunic, stiff with +tarnished gold braid, minus its regimental buttons, shockingly soiled, +and otherwise very much the worse for wear; a pair of ditto blue +trousers, with gold braid running down the outer seam; a naval +lieutenant's cocked hat, in which I inserted a bunch of cock's tail +feathers; an infantryman's white leather belt, with bayonet and sheath; +and a small round shaving mirror in a metal frame, which had cost me +sixpence, if I remember rightly: and made up the whole into a neat +bundle, in readiness for the moment when I should be summoned to the +royal presence. Then I proceeded to take particular note of the capital +of Basutoland. + +It was a place of considerable importance, consisting of about a +thousand huts enclosed, like the place of my vision, in a very strong +and high palisade, rendered unclimbable by having the upper extremities +of the palings trimmed into long sharp points. It was built upon the +summit of a low knoll, was rectangular in plan, and covered an area of +about twenty acres of ground; and that was about all that I could +discover concerning it in the meantime, since the palisading was much +too high to permit of my seeing anything inside it. + +After an absence of nearly an hour Piet returned with the information +that he had been detained at the outer gate of the kraal while my +message was conveyed to the king, and that during his detention he had +been subjected to a pretty severe cross-examination by an induna or +chief, respecting the purpose of my journey, my destination, and so on; +that, finally, a message had been returned by the king that when he was +ready to see me he would send for me, and meanwhile I was to remain +where I was and not attempt to enter the kraal. I confess that I was a +trifle disappointed at this reception, which I regarded as distinctly +chilly; but Mafuta had afforded me a little insight into the king's +character, and I trusted that a personal interview, coupled with a sight +of the resplendent drum-major's tunic and the rest of the outfit, would, +arouse a feeling of greater geniality in the breast of the savage +autocrat. So I hung about the wagon for the remainder of that day, +waiting for a summons which did not come. Nevertheless, although the +king did not condescend to manifest any undue eagerness to see me, I was +not exactly left to pine in solitude, for several of the inhabitants of +the town came out to gossip with my "boys", while no less than three +indunas suffered their curiosity to overcome their dignity so far as to +pay me an informal visit and ask me countless questions--for it must be +remembered that, at the time of which I am now writing, it was very +unusual for a white man to cross the border of his own territory into +the wilds, and one of the men who on that occasion spoke to me had only +once before seen such an individual. + +It was amusing to note the rapid change of manner in these men as they +conversed with me. Upon their first approach they began to question me +with a certain curt abruptness which I easily interpreted as being +intended to convey the idea that their visit was more or less of an +official character; but all the while their eyes were wandering hither +and thither, taking in every detail of my dress and equipment, as well +as the wagon and its contents, and it was not very long before they +began to enquire what was the use of this, that, and the other. Of +course I answered all their questions as fully as I could, and not only +so, but I also exhibited a few of my gewgaws, hinting that certain of +them might become their own property before long, although I did not +then offer any presents for their acceptance, it being contrary to +savage etiquette to do so before the king had been interviewed and +propitiated. They were, of course, intensely interested in my guns, and +were full of amazement when I bowled over a carrion crow at a distance +of six hundred yards with a rifle bullet; and they did not hesitate to +hint plainly that nothing could possibly be more acceptable to the king +than the gift of one of my fire weapons. I explained, however, that the +fire weapon was very powerful and very dangerous magic, subservient only +to the white man, and that I dared not allow any of them even to touch +one, lest it should turn upon and slay them. But they were quite as +profoundly impressed by my exhibition of the powers of the +burning-glass, several of which I had taken the precaution to include in +my stock; and when they saw me kindle a fire with its assistance they +could find no words in which to express adequately their wonder and +admiration. + +It is more than probable that, upon their return to the kraal, they +found means to convey to the king's ear some impression of the wonders +which the white man had revealed to them, for I had scarcely finished my +breakfast on the following morning when a messenger arrived at the wagon +with the intimation that King Moshesh commanded my immediate presence +before him. + +I at once arose and, unarmed, accompanied the messenger, with Piet in +close attendance, bearing the parcel containing the presents which I +designed to offer for His Majesty's acceptance. As I approached the +open gate in the palisade a number of people, both men and women, were +passing in and out, all of whom regarded me curiously. A few of the men +saluted me with upraised right hand and the exclamation "'Nkos'!" but +for the most part they seemed undecided whether to regard me as a friend +or an enemy, and therefore preferred for the moment to maintain an +attitude of neutrality. Immediately inside the gate there stood a guard +of twenty men, fully armed with shield, assagai, and knobkerrie, under +the command of an induna, and here we were stopped, for the induna +seemed indisposed to allow Piet to accompany me; but I explained that he +was my body servant, and that the bundle which he bore contained +presents designed for the king's acceptance, whereupon we were, somewhat +reluctantly, permitted to pass on. Naturally, we were no sooner inside +the gate than I began to look about me, and the first thing that struck +me was the admirable arrangements which had been made for the defence of +the place in case of attack. For while the top of the palisade was, on +the outside, about fifteen feet above the surface of the ground, on the +inside it had been backed up with earth forming a platform about twelve +feet wide and just high enough for a man of average height to see +between the sharpened points; while at a height of about four feet above +the level of the platform there was a continuous row of slits, about +eight inches high by two inches wide, and about nine inches apart, the +obvious purpose of which was to afford the occupants of the platform an +opportunity to thrust with their spears at a foe attempting to scale the +palisade from the outside, without unduly exposing themselves. Approach +to the summit of the platform was obtained by a continuous flight of +rough steps cut in the earth all along its face, and next the foot of +the steps was a road of about twelve feet wide. Then came the outer row +of huts, between which and the next row was another road, about eight +feet wide. There were four rows of huts running entirely round the +enclosure, inside of which again was another palisade, equally as strong +and as high as the first. And, as in the case of the first palisade, +this also had a single gate, guarded by twenty fully armed men under the +command of an induna. We were permitted to pass through this second +gate unchallenged, and having done this I found myself in an open square +of about five acres in extent, near the far side of which were seven +huts, or houses, rather, for they were considerably larger and in every +way more important than the ordinary Kafir hut. Six of these--square +structures built of "wattle-and-daub" and roofed with thatch, the +largest of them measuring about twenty feet by twelve, and about seven +feet high to the overhanging eaves--were built in a row, with spaces of +about six feet between them; while the seventh, which I rightly +conjectured to be the itunkulu, or King's House, stood about twelve feet +in front of the others, and was about the same size as the largest of +them. + +We were now upon what may be termed sacred ground, that is to say, +ground reserved for the exclusive use of the king himself and the +members of his immediate household; nobody being permitted to enter here +except persons belonging to the royal family, those especially invited +by the king, the chief witch doctor, and the king's own bodyguard, +consisting of one hundred specially picked men, under the command of an +induna who also filled the office of chief adviser, or prime minister, +to the king. At the moment of our entrance not a person but ourselves +was visible in the square, except the guard at the gate; but a few +seconds later twenty soldiers under the command of a very +splendid-looking officer emerged from one of the buildings and took up a +position on either side of a chair hewn out of a solid block of wood and +draped with a magnificent lion-skin kaross, which stood some half a +dozen paces in front of the itunkulu. + +These men were the finest-looking body of savage warriors that I had up +till then ever seen, every one of them being quite as tall as, and far +more firmly knit than myself; while the chief was a truly magnificent +man, standing at least six feet two on his bare feet, with the limbs and +frame of a Hercules. They were all dressed in leopard-skin muchas, with +bracelets, armlets, garters, and anklets of cows' tails; all wore +keshlas; and each man carried a long shield and three throwing assagais +in his left hand, while in his right he held a stabbing assagai with a +terrible double-edged blade about six inches wide and eighteen inches +long. Their commanding officer was similarly armed; but in addition to +the leopard-skin mucha he wore a leopard-skin cloak, a necklace of +lions' teeth and claws, and a headdress made of beads and ostrich +feathers. Every man of these twenty-one savage warriors showed upon his +person the scars of many wounds, and carried himself with a pride of +bearing which forbade him to display the slightest sign of consciousness +of our presence. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +MOSHESH, THE KING OF THE BASUTOS. + +A minute later the curtain of reed matting that hung in the doorway of +the itunkulu was thrust aside, and a man came forth. He was slightly +above medium stature, and a trifle lighter in colour than the average +Basuto; he was much more simply attired than the officer of the guard, +his clothing consisting simply of a leopard-skin mucha and a lion-skin +mantle: but the assured dignity of his carriage and the expression of +arrogant pride upon his well-formed features would of themselves have +sufficed to tell me that the man was none other than Moshesh, the king +of the Basuto nation, even had the guard not given him the royal salute +by raising their stabbing assagais aloft in their right hands as they +thundered out the word "Bayete!" As for me, I had not the remotest +notion of the kind of salutation which His Majesty would expect from me; +I therefore contented myself by standing at attention in military +fashion and giving him a military salute. The action, which is +certainly a very expressive one, seemed to meet with the royal approval, +for the king acknowledged it by the slightest possible uplifting of the +right hand as he seated himself in his chair and the guard formed up +behind him. Then, gazing at me steadfastly for a moment, he said: + +"S'a bon', umulungu!" Then, without allowing me time to make the +stereotyped reply, he continued: "For what purpose have ye come hither +into my country?" + +"I have business in the far north," said I; "and to reach my destination +it is necessary for me to pass through thy country. Therefore have I +come hither to offer presents, and to ask thy permission to pass through +thy country and hunt therein." + +"Au!" commented the king in a tone of displeasure; "I like it not. If I +give thee leave to travel and hunt in Basutoland, others of thy +countrymen will claim the same privilege, and it will end in so many +coming that there will be no room left for me and my people. Was it not +this same apprehension that caused the Tembu, the Pondos, and the +Griquas to arise and unite in an attempt to drive the white man into the +sea?" + +"It was," I said. "But the apprehension was quite unjustified: the +English had no thought, no desire, no intention to steal the land of the +black man; their own land is amply large enough for all their needs. +But the Kafirs would not believe it, therefore they treacherously arose +and swept down upon the white man's land, attacking isolated farms and +murdering their inhabitants--my own parents died upon the spears of the +Griquas. And what have the black men gained by their treachery? +Nothing! And what have they lost? Everything! Thousands of them have +perished in the war of retribution which they have provoked; and the end +of it all is that, by way of further punishment--and as a warning to +others--the white man has seized their land and driven them out of it." + +"Au!" ejaculated the king again. "So have I heard. And I tell thee +again, white man, that I like it not. If it be as thou sayest, that +thine own land is large enough for thy need, why hast thou not remained +there? Why comest thou to my country?" + +"Because," answered I, "as I have already said, I have business in the +far north, and to get there I must needs pass through Basutoland." + +"And what is thy business in the far north?" demanded Moshesh. "I have +a right to know, since thou sayest that it necessitates a passage +through my country." + +"I think not," said I. "Nevertheless I will tell thee, since the matter +is no secret. When the southern Kafirs took up their spears to drive +the white men into the sea, my father's farm was one of the last which +they attacked. They slew my parents, burnt down the house, and drove +off all the cattle, leaving me with only sufficient means to buy a wagon +and oxen, and weapons to undertake a hunting expedition. The land +itself remains, and is mine, but I have not the wherewithal to put fresh +stock upon it; therefore nothing remains for me but to hunt ivory and so +procure the means to purchase fresh stock. Also I am hoping to find +gold; but most of all am I anxious to find a white 'ntombozaan who was +captured and carried off by the Kafirs." + +"Ou!" ejaculated the king. "Now I begin to understand. At first I +feared that thy business was to spy out the nature of the land in this +my country, so that, if it were found suitable, thou and other white men +might come in and try to take it from me; but since thou dost indeed +merely desire to pass through it, I give thee free leave to do so, the +more readily that I learn thou didst help my people by slaying a leopard +that was troubling them." + +"It is well, O king, and I thank thee," said I. "And now, in +acknowledgment of thy friendliness, I ask thine acceptance of certain +presents," and I beckoned Piet to approach with his parcel, which I +forthwith proceeded to open. + +The trousers were on the top of the parcel, and as I unfolded them and +turned them about, showing off their gold braid, I saw the king's eyes +begin to glisten, for finery appeals quite as strongly to the savage as +it does to the child. He took the garment in his hands, inspected the +gold braid narrowly, and seemed more than half-inclined to insinuate +himself into the article there and then; but his dignity rose superior +to the strain upon it, heavy as it was, and with a sigh he handed the +trousers over to the captain of the guard to hold for him. Then, with a +suitable flourish, I displayed the drum-major's tunic in all its bravery +of soiled scarlet and tarnished gold lace; and as I turned it about to +exhibit its varied splendours even the iron discipline to which the +guards were subjected so far broke down as to elicit from them a low +"Wao!" of admiration. As for the king, he did not attempt to conceal +his delight, even forgetting himself so far as to direct the induna's +attention to its beauties; and for several minutes he continued to +fondle the coat, seeming quite unable to allow so precious a thing to +pass out of his own hands. At length, however, I created a diversion by +producing the belt and bayonet, withdrawing the latter from its sheath +and explaining that it was used as a sort of rapier. This also received +its due meed of appreciation, but the royal glances still clung fondly +to the tunic; therefore I produced the cocked hat with its plume of +feathers, putting it upon my own head for a moment to show how it ought +to be worn, and then handing it to the king, who immediately clapped it +upon his own pate, and kept it there. And, finally, I produced the +shaving mirror, of which the king at first seemed somewhat afraid, +pronouncing it "'mkulu 'mtagati" (great or powerful magic); but when I +had succeeded in making him thoroughly understand what it was, he was as +delighted as a child, sitting in his chair intently studying his own +countenance for several minutes, and then bursting into rapturous +laughter. + +When the first acute spasm of delight at seeing his own physiognomy +reflected in a mirror had passed, I suggested to the king that if he +would like to try on his new garments I should be very pleased to +instruct him as to the proper method of getting into them, an offer +which he instantly accepted; and he would have donned the clothes there +and then, in the presence of his guards, if I had not whisperingly +hinted that it would be much more effective to get into them in the +privacy of his own house and then reappear _en grande tenue_. His +Majesty immediately recognised the force of this, and thereupon +retreated to the interior of the itunkulu, taking me and the clothes +with him; and there, in feverish haste, he proceeded to array himself +under my direction. By a miracle the garments fitted him almost as +though they had been made for him--for he was at this time still a young +man, and had not yet begun to put on flesh. The poor man must have felt +horribly hot and uncomfortable in his unaccustomed rig, for the +perspiration literally streamed from him; but no matter, he was about to +appear before the eyes of his faithful subjects--or at least a portion +of his bodyguard, who would not fail to talk about the matter to the +rest of the people--apparelled in unimaginable splendour, and such a +trifle as a little discomfort from excessive heat was as nothing +compared with the sensation which he expected to produce. + +And really, when at length he was completely rigged in tunic and +trousers, with the cocked hat on his head, the belt about his waist, and +the drawn bayonet in his hand, his appearance, although just a trifle +incongruous to my critical eye, was well calculated to produce a +profound impression upon his unsophisticated subjects, as was evidenced +by the note of admiration which rang unmistakably in the ecstatic shout +of "Bayete!" with which his guards greeted him upon his reappearance. +He strutted up and down the compound for a few minutes, showing off his +fine feathers; called his chief induna to him, and instructed the man in +my presence that I was to be permitted to go wherever I pleased in +Basutoland, stay in the country as long as I pleased, and kill as much +game as I chose; and then, dismissing me rather abruptly, retreated to +the interior of the itunkulu, and, as I afterwards learned, sent for his +wives, that they might behold him in his unaccustomed bravery. + +That I had been lucky enough to make an exceedingly favourable +impression upon the king was perfectly evident; but by what magic the +intelligence should instantaneously become disseminated among the people +I know not. Yet so it was; for while upon my approach to the town it +had been quite exceptional for a native to salute me, upon my departure +from it every man I met punctiliously gave me "'Nkos'!" as I passed him. +And in less than an hour after my return to the wagon an induna arrived +from the town accompanied by a couple of natives leading a pair of +superb Basuto ponies--a stallion and a mare, both unbroken--as a present +from the king. And as the Basuto horses are far and away the finest +horses in South Africa, and the pair presented to me were exceptionally +fine animals of their kind, the gift was an exceedingly valuable one, +although, being unbroken, I anticipated plenty of trouble with them +before they would be of any use to me. But I may say here that in this +anticipation I was very agreeably disappointed, for although they were +as wild as deer when first brought to me, I took them in hand forthwith, +and by dint of patience and making pets of them I soon had them both so +docile that they would come at my call; and within a month I had backed +them both. But, after all, valuable as they were for breeding purposes, +they were not of very much use to me personally, being scarcely up to my +weight. Nevertheless, I frequently rode them for an hour or two, just +to keep them in training, and to ease my other horses a little. They +were both coal black, and I called them respectively Jack and Jill--not +very high--flown names, perhaps, but exceedingly handy. + +There was a good deal of singing and dancing going on in the town that +night, the rumpus being so great that it was well on into the small +hours before it subsided sufficiently to allow me to get to sleep; and +on the following morning I learned, through my boy Piet, that so great +had been the king's gratification at the result of his interview with me +that he had given ten oxen from his own private herd as a feast in +celebration of my arrival. + +Anxious to press forward upon my journey, and anxious also to get away +from Moshesh's kraal while the relations were so exceedingly cordial, I +sent a message to the king, early upon the following morning, requesting +his permission to depart. But instead of receiving a gracious assent to +my request, I was somewhat perturbed to see Moshesh himself, splendidly +mounted, and attired in his new rig-out, accompanied by some ten or a +dozen indunas and about a thousand of his troops, all mounted, filing +out of the gate and heading straight for the wagon--for, to be quite +candid, the South African savage is a little uncertain in his moods, and +the man who is to-day in high favour may, as likely as not, find himself +staked out on an ant-heap to-morrow, to die the awful "death of the +ants" in revenge for some unknown and unintended offence. But upon the +arrival of the cavalcade I was quickly reassured by the cordial tone of +the king's greeting and the respect with which the indunas saluted me; +and presently Moshesh, informing me that he was about to hold a review +of his own especial regiment of lifeguards, invited me to accompany him +and witness the evolutions. This, of course, was a very exceptional +display of royal favour, and although I was anxious to press forward +upon my journey there was obviously nothing for it but to accept the +king's invitation with a good grace and every outward sign of +gratification. At the same time I could not avoid a suspicion that +there must be something behind such a signal mark of favour, and +presently I got an inkling of what it was when, as Piet led up my horse, +saddled and ready for me to mount, the king said: + +"I am told, white man, that you possess a wonderful fire weapon with +which you can slay at a distance far beyond that to which the strongest +of my warriors can hurl an assagai. Is that the truth?" + +"It is the truth, O King," said I. "Would you like to see it?" + +The king intimated that he would, whereupon I directed Piet to bring me +my rifle, together with the powder horn--the belt, with pouch containing +bullets, wads, and percussion caps, was already buckled round my waist; +and upon receiving the weapon I held it up for His Majesty to look at, +keeping it, however, in my own hands. But this did not suit Moshesh at +all; he must needs handle it himself. Therefore, rather unwillingly, I +must confess, I offered the gun to him, first taking care to remove the +cap and lower the hammer down on to the nipple, for the piece was +loaded, and I was particularly anxious that no accident should happen. + +Unobtrusively, however, as the deed was done, my action did not escape +the sharp eyes of the king, and he turned upon me quickly with the +demand: + +"Why did you do that, white man?" + +"Because this," said I, holding up the percussion cap, "is very powerful +magic, obedient only to the white man. Without it the fire weapon is as +harmless as a stick; with it the fire weapon is deadly, and not to be +handled with impunity by anyone but its rightful owner. Therefore, +since you wish to see my rifle, and take it into your own hands, I must +needs remove the magic, else would it turn upon you and do you a serious +hurt, possibly slay you." + +"Au!" ejaculated the king, regarding the rifle doubtfully, and not +offering to take it into his own hands: "I like it not; take it away, I +will not touch it; the thing is more dangerous than a she leopard robbed +of her cubs! Yet I would fain see what it can do, therefore bring it +with thee, white man; it may be that, as we go, we may meet a leopard, +or a lion, or a buck for thee to slay." + +"Nay," said I, "it is not likely that either of the beasts which thou +hast named will show in the open in the presence of so many men and +horses. Nevertheless I will take the rifle, for even though no beast +should show itself I may be able to shoot a bird or two." So saying, I +swung myself into the saddle, and, accepting the king's invitation to +ride beside him, proceeded at a gallop, with the thousand bodyguards +thundering along in the rear. And, watching my opportunity, it was not +long before I contrived to set my rifle to half-cock and replace the cap +on the nipple without attracting the king's attention. + +Our way lay along what at the beginning was simply a very shallow +depression between two low ridges; but as we proceeded the depression +rapidly became deeper and the ridges higher, until, by the time that we +had ridden a mile, we were sweeping through a ravine with high, steep, +bush-clad slopes rising to right and left of us, these slopes +terminating about half a mile farther on in a couple of lofty, +perpendicular rocky cliffs, some six hundred feet high, and about three +hundred feet apart, forming a sort of natural gateway to a circular +basin about three miles in diameter, the floor of which was perfectly +level, clothed with long lush grass, still looking quite fresh and +green, and with only a few small, widely scattered clumps of bush here +and there. + +"This," explained the king, as we dashed through the natural gateway at +the head of the galloping regiment, "is the exercise ground where I +bring my regiments from time to time to exercise them in the tactics of +war." + +"And a very excellent place it is for such a purpose," I agreed, as my +eye took in the wide area of level, unbroken ground. "There is room +enough here in which to fight a battle of quite respectable dimensions. +But what are those moving objects yonder?" I interrupted myself +eagerly, as my gaze was arrested by a group of some ten or a dozen dark +dots moving slowly among the long grass at the opposite extremity of the +valley. "Surely they must be buffalo, or I am greatly mistaken." + +"You are not mistaken, they are buffalo; and you have a marvellously +sharp eye, white man," returned the king. Then he flung up his hand, +and the galloping regiment came to a sudden halt, reining-in their +sweating horses so sharply as to throw the animals back upon their +haunches. At the same moment we also reined up. Then the king called +his indunas round him, instructing one of them to take fifty men, and +with them ride round the outside of the basin until they reached the +only other exit from the valley, and block it, so that the buffalo might +not escape through it; while a second induna was also to take fifty men +and block the exit through which we had just passed, thus rendering +escape from the valley an impossibility, for, as the king now informed +me, the surrounding cliffs were everywhere vertical, so that no animal, +save, perhaps, a baboon, could possibly enter or leave the basin except +by one or the other of the two natural gateways in the cliff. + +"Now, white man," said the king, turning to me with sparkling eyes and +pointing toward the buffalo, "there is your opportunity. Kill me two or +three of those with your fire weapon, and then you shall see how the +Basuto hunt buffalo." + +"Very well," I said; "I will see what I can do. But we shall have to +get very much nearer to them than we are at present; for even my fire +weapon will not kill at such a distance as that." + +"No?" demanded the king. "Then how close must you get before it will +kill?" + +"Oh," I said, "perhaps one-sixth of the present distance of the +buffalo." + +The king was evidently disappointed to learn that there was a limit to +the range of the rifle, and for the moment seemed inclined to regard it +somewhat contemptuously. Without wasting further words upon so very +ineffective a weapon, he proceeded to issue his orders to the other +indunas, in obedience to which the regiment divided itself into two, one +half riding to the left and the other to the right, and stringing +themselves out, single file, close in under the shadows of the +overhanging cliffs, where they quickly became so inconspicuous as to be +practically invisible. Then, accompanied by a body of twenty picked +men, who spread themselves out in open order in our rear, the king and I +advanced toward the buffalo at a slow walking pace. + +It fortunately happened that the wind was blowing across the basin +directly from the buffalo toward us, consequently it was a long while +before the brutes became aware of our presence; indeed, we had arrived +within about three-quarters of a mile of them before they betrayed any +sign of uneasiness, and even then it was toward the upper end of the +valley, and not toward us, that their attention seemed to be directed. + +"It is Bulangu and his party that they scent," said the king, referring +to the squadron of men whom he had sent round outside the basin to bar +the upper exit; and, sure enough, a minute or two later the whole herd +swung round and began to move toward us. But the moment that this +occurred they of course caught sight of us and at once came to a halt, +tossing their heads impatiently, lashing their flanks with their tails, +and emitting low, moaning bellows of annoyance. After a short pause, +however, accompanied by the display of many indications of rapidly +increasing anger, the herd again began to move toward us, first at a +walking pace that rapidly merged into a trot, till finally the whole +herd broke into a gallop as the induna Bulangu and his party appeared at +the far end of the plain. + +"Now," said I to the king as the herd rapidly approached within range, +"I will show you what the fire weapon is capable of doing. Watch the +old bull who is leading the herd and see what happens. And perhaps you +had better dismount, for your horse is unused to fire weapons, and when +I shoot he may possibly swerve suddenly and throw you." + +"Nay," answered the king, "I will not dismount; for now that you have +warned me I shall know what to expect, and shall not be taken unawares." +And he gathered in the slack of his single bridle, tightly gripped the +animal between his knees, and sat prepared for whatsoever might happen. + +The herd, meanwhile, had approached to within about eight hundred yards +of us, and were thundering straight in our direction at a somewhat +ungainly but nevertheless rapid gallop, with heads down and tails up, +giving vent to low, angry bellows as they came. I was riding Prince, +upon whom I knew I could absolutely depend; therefore, instead of +dismounting, I turned him to the right with a touch of my heel and a +slight pressure of the rein, very nearly broadside-on to the approaching +herd, and flung the rifle up to my shoulder. It was a rather long shot, +and at eight hundred yards even a buffalo, coming head on, presents but +a comparatively small target, especially when the grass happens to be +breast-high; nevertheless I got the sights to bear dead upon the centre +of the bull's forehead, about halfway between the horns and the eyes, +and, watching for the proper moment, pressed the trigger. The flash and +report of the piece were immediately followed by sounds of fierce +stamping and plunging close at hand, and out of the corner of my eye I +saw that the king's high-mettled stallion was fighting hard to break +away and make a bolt for it; then, just as the bull stumbled, recovered +himself, and finally turned a complete somersault, I heard the loud thud +of the bullet on the thick skull, and knew that my shot had got home. + +"W-a-a-u!" ejaculated the king, giving vent to a long-drawn expression +of amazement; "yena chiele (he is hit)! The fire weapon is indeed +'mkulu 'mtagati (great magic)! The beast fell dead as though smitten by +lightning. Can you do that again, white man, or was it merely chance?" + +"You shall see," said I, as I rammed a wad down upon a fresh powder +charge and slipped a bullet in after it. As I set the trigger to +half-cock I saw that the powder was well up in the nipple; therefore, +slipping on a cap and setting the trigger to full-cock, I again levelled +the piece and bowled over the leading buffalo. + +"It is enough!" exclaimed the king soberly. "No wonder that you +conquered the tribes who rose against you if you were all armed like +that! Now, children," he continued, throwing up his hand as he +addressed his little body of immediate followers, "show the white man +how the Basuto kills buffalo!" + +The herd had originally numbered eleven, nine of which were still upon +their feet, and, with the vindictive fearlessness which is the chief +characteristic of the Cape buffalo, charging straight down upon our +party; at a word, therefore, from the induna who was in command of the +contingent, nine of the warriors flung away their shields and casting +assagais, and, gripping the single bangwan, or stabbing assagai, with +which each of them was also armed, drove their heels into their horses' +flanks and dashed forward to meet the bellowing foe. To see those nine +men fearlessly charge the rushing herd was a distinctly thrilling sight; +for none knew better than they the implacably savage nature of the +brutes they were about to contend with, or the deadliness of the peril +to which they were so light-heartedly exposing themselves. Yet not one +of them manifested the slightest disposition to shirk the encounter: +possibly they all knew that to perish upon the horns of a buffalo would +be preferable to the punishment that surely awaited them should they +disgrace themselves and their king by showing fear in the presence of a +white man. But if the riders scorned to exhibit fear, the horses were +animated by no such scruples, for when they had approached to within +about two hundred feet of the charging buffalo, the low, fierce, +grunting bellows, the blazing eyes, and the sharp, threatening horns of +the latter seemed to strike such panic into them that suddenly, as +though by concerted arrangement, they wheeled sharply round, and, +despite their riders' utmost efforts, bolted ignominiously in all +directions. + +I had by this time succeeded in recharging my rifle, and, slipping on a +fresh cap, I raised the piece to my shoulder and held myself ready to +shoot upon the instant that I dared do so without the risk of hitting a +Basuto, for a tragedy seemed imminent. But Moshesh, who was now with +difficulty restraining his own mount from bolting, stopped me. + +"Wait, white man, and watch!" he enjoined me; and as the words passed +his lips I saw the nine warriors throw themselves very cleverly from the +backs of their bolting horses, wheel round as upon a pivot, and dash +back until they were immediately in the path of the furious buffalo, +which seemed now to have marked down as their destined victims the +little body of men of whom the king and I formed a part. In the +twinkling of an eye each warrior had selected one buffalo in particular +as his own especial foe, and had planted himself with uplifted bangwan +square in the brute's path, while the buffalo, promptly accepting the +challenge, responded to it with fierce bellows and savage flourishings +of the terrible horns. Three breathless seconds later the leading +buffalo, with head lowered and slightly turned to allow of a more +effective thrust of the sharp, upturned point of its murderous horn, was +upon his antagonist, and I caught my breath sharply, fully expecting to +see the man impaled, or at least tossed high in the air. But instead I +beheld as splendid an exhibition of courage and alertness as I think I +have ever witnessed, for the man, firmly standing his ground to the very +last fraction of a second, sprang nimbly to one side at the precise +moment when, as it seemed, the point of the horn was about to be dashed +into his naked body, and then, as the great beast thundered past within +reach of his hand, down flashed the formidable, broad-bladed bangwan, +with so sure and strong a stroke that the buffalo crashed headlong to +the ground dead, with its fierce heart cleft in twain. + +And in like manner perished seven of its companions, the ninth buffalo +wreaking its revenge for the death of the other eight in a peculiarly +ghastly manner. Precisely how the tragedy happened none of us knew, for +it chanced that our attention was concentrated elsewhere at the moment; +but a sharp, shrill scream of mortal agony sounding out on the hot air +apprised us that something untoward was happening. Glancing quickly in +the direction from which the sound proceeded, I was horrified to see +that one unfortunate warrior had somehow failed to avoid a buffalo's +charge, and was now writhing transfixed on one of the horns of the great +brute, which the next instant flung the poor fellow high in the air, and +then, with a savage bellow, swerved and came thundering straight toward +the king and myself, where we sat on our horses close together watching +the exciting scene that was being enacted before us. A startled cry +from the induna commanding the squad which was at that moment in special +charge of the king's person caused the eleven men who had until now sat +quiescent upon their horses to fling themselves hastily to the ground +and dash forward to protect their monarch. But there was no time for +this; the buffalo was within a dozen yards of us, and I could see that +he had singled out Moshesh as the particular object of his attack, +attracted, no doubt, by His Majesty's scarlet tunic. The king might of +course have escaped by promptly wheeling his horse and galloping away; +but his pride and self-esteem would have suffered a mortal wound had he +been driven to flight in the presence of a white man, although there was +a certain quality in his hurried glances to right and left that seemed +to tell me that he meditated something of the sort, rather than stand +his ground and take his chance. Fortunately I had reloaded my rifle a +minute or two earlier, and now I saw my opportunity to render the king +an important service by sparing him the ignominy of flight: I therefore +flung up my piece and pressed the trigger, and the buffalo--an enormous +and most formidable brute--stumbled and fell dead literally at our +horses' feet. + +"That was well done, 'mlungu," exclaimed the king, with just the +faintest suggestion of a feeling of relief in the tones of his voice; +"that was marvellously well done! But for thy quickness and sureness of +eye and hand I should have been overthrown, and the Basutos might have +been obliged to choose another king. 'Mtala," to the induna, "let them +see to yonder clumsy fool who allowed the buffalo to catch him; and if +he be not dead let four of thy men make a litter and carry him back to +the kraal." + +The induna saluted, and, beckoning to four of his men, proceeded in +person to examine the unlucky wight who had been gored; but such +examination was scarcely necessary, for even from where I sat it was +apparent that the unfortunate man's injuries were of such a dreadful +character that survival was impossible, and a few minutes later 'Mtala +returned to report that the victim was quite dead. + +"It is well!" commented the king briefly. "Let the carrion be moved out +of the way; and let the regiment form up and be put through its +evolutions." Whereupon, at a word from the induna, a man dismounted, +and, uncoiling his hobble rope, slipped the noose round one of the +ankles of the corpse, attached the other end to his horse's girth, and, +mounting, galloped off toward the edge of the plateau, dragging the body +after him until it was removed to a sufficient distance to be quite out +of the way of the manoeuvring troops, when it was abandoned to become a +prey to the jackals and vultures! + +Meanwhile the troops were recalled and formed up in the centre of the +plain, where the king critically inspected them, while I, at his +invitation, rode beside him. And I feel bound to say that seldom have I +seen a finer body of men, either savage or civilised, which, after all, +is not to be greatly wondered at, seeing that, as the king's own special +regiment of bodyguards, they were, naturally, the very pick and flower +of the entire nation. + +The inspection occupied about a quarter of an hour, and at its +conclusion the regiment as a whole was put through a number of +movements, which they executed very creditably. Then they were divided +into two equal parts, which were marched to the opposite extremities of +the plateau, when they faced about, and, charging down upon each other, +engaged in a very realistic sham fight, lasting for the best part of an +hour, and resulting in quite a number of casualties, several of the men +being unhorsed and sustaining more or less serious injuries; after which +the regiment re-formed, and we all returned to the kraal at a gallop, a +party being detailed to remain behind and bring in the injured at a more +sober pace. + +I soon found that Moshesh, like all other savages, possessed his full +share of vanity, which he was quite unable to conceal; also, it was +evident that he was inordinately proud of his regiment, and was not +above fishing for compliments upon it: I therefore dutifully did what +was manifestly expected of me, and immensely gratified His Majesty by +being as complimentary as I possibly could be without unduly straining +the truth. But when all was said and done I had a very shrewd suspicion +that while Moshesh might perhaps be credited with a genuine desire to +show me some honour by inviting me to witness the review of his troops, +he was principally animated by a craving for his own glorification, and, +incidentally, was glad to seize the occasion as affording him an early +opportunity to exhibit himself before his people in all the magnificence +of his new "toggery." + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +STRANGE OCCURRENCES IN THE WILDERNESS. + +About an hour after sunrise on the following morning I again presented +myself before the king, with the request that I be permitted to continue +my journey. I was very cordially received by His Majesty, who again +thanked me for the service which I had rendered him on the preceding day +by slaying the buffalo, and so saving him from the ignominy of flight, +or the almost equally unpleasant alternative of submitting to be charged +by the brute. In the privacy of his itunkulu he was much more expansive +than he had been on the previous day in the presence of his indunas, +unhesitatingly admitting that, had he been compelled to accept either of +the above-mentioned alternatives, he would have suffered serious loss of +prestige in the eyes of his own people. He informed me that upon his +return to the kraal on the preceding day he had given instructions that +a body of men should be dispatched to bring in the carcasses of the +slaughtered buffalo, which had been done, and he now made the offer +that, if I pleased, he would have the skins carefully dressed, and the +skulls and horns preserved, so that I might take the whole back with me +to civilisation, as trophies, upon my return. Of course I thanked him +for his exceedingly generous offer, which I gladly accepted so far as +the three buffalo killed by myself were concerned; and therewith we +parted upon the very best of terms, the king according me full +permission to go where I pleased in his country, remain in it as long as +I chose, and kill all the game that I had a mind to, while I made His +Majesty inexpressibly proud and happy by presenting him with a +burning-glass and showing him how to kindle a fire by its means. Then, +my ceremonial visit being at an end, I returned to the wagon, ordered +the oxen to be inspanned, and resumed my journey. + +The ensuing fortnight was spent in progressing slowly northward through +that part of Basutoland which lies between the Machacha mountain range +and what is now known as the Caledon River, hunting all the way. But +although the sport, such as it was, was good, enabling me to bag five +lions, eight leopards, and three splendid specimens of rhinoceros, and +although buck of all kinds, and buffalo, were plentiful enough to have +enabled me to fill the wagon with their skins and horns, had I desired +to do so, the sport was not the kind that I desired; I was out after +elephant, and Basutoland was not elephant country. Therefore, at the +end of the fortnight, I crossed the headwaters of the Caledon, and +entered what in after years became the Orange Free State, and, still +later, the Orange River Colony. Thence, passing between the two +mountain ranges which later received the names of Witte and Roode +Bergen, we "struck" a wide expanse of level, open country; through this +a stream flowed in a northerly direction, along the left bank of which +we trekked for a full week, not only for the sake of the water and the +richer grass growing in the immediate vicinity of the stream, but also +because if there was any game in the neighbourhood it was sure to be +found within easy reach of the water. And here I got my first slice of +luck, potting a brace of elephants, both of them magnificent tuskers, as +well as another rhinoceros, three giraffes, and seven cock ostriches in +perfect plumage. Then, crossing the Wilge River, and, two days later, +the Klip River, we entered the country now known as the Transvaal, the +Klip River being, as a matter of fact, the headwater of the Vaal. + +And now I found myself in a very hunter's paradise, for the country was +literally swarming with game of almost every description, consisting of +eland, gemsbok, springbok, reitbok, and antelope of all kinds, often in +herds numbering several thousands; also that curious-looking beast the +gnu, of which I now got my first glimpse; troops of quagga and zebra; +giraffes, rhinoceroses, lions, leopards, and ostriches; hippopotami and +crocodiles in the rivers; but still very few elephants, and those so shy +that it was only with the utmost difficulty I succeeded in securing +three within the first fortnight after crossing the Klip River. And +during all this time, although I enjoyed some splendid hunting, I did +not meet with a single adventure worthy of record, and met very few +natives, while those whom I encountered were either very friendly +disposed on the one hand, or, on the other, too shy to come near me. +But I saw several very curious sights, one or two of which I may perhaps +be excused for recording. + +For instance, about a week after crossing the Klip River we found +ourselves striking northward across a tract of practically level +country, dotted here and there with herds of various kinds of game, +which took but little notice of us beyond moving leisurely out of our +way when we seemed to be approaching them rather too closely for their +liking. Piet and I were, as usual, riding forward about a mile ahead of +the wagon, on the lookout for ostriches or elephant spoor, when we +sighted a troop of the great birds which we were seeking some two miles +ahead of us, immediately in line with a range of those curious +flat-topped hills which are such a distinctive feature of the South +African landscape. Away to our left, about a quarter of a mile distant, +was a small kopje, about two hundred feet high, consisting of an outcrop +of rock the sides of which, although almost perpendicular, were so rough +that I believed they might be easily climbed; and as the summit of the +kopje promised to afford an excellent spying place from which to observe +the movements of the ostriches, we turned our horses' heads toward it +and approached it at a gallop, reining up at its base. Upon arriving at +the foot of the kopje I at once saw that it might be scaled without the +slightest difficulty, for not only were the rocky projections so bold +and rough as almost to amount to steps, but on the southern or shady +side of the hill--which was the face that we approached--a multitude of +tough, fern-like plants were sprouting from the interstices, affording +excellent hold for the hands; therefore, dismounting and handing my +horse's bridle to Piet, and bidding him remain where he was, in the +shadow of the rock, I took my rifle in one hand, and with the small but +very powerful telescope which I always carried when out after game slung +over my shoulder, proceeded to scale the kopje. + +Reaching its summit without difficulty, I found, as I had expected, that +my lofty perch afforded a magnificent outlook over the plain in every +direction. The ostriches whose movements I particularly desired to +watch were now in plain view, and with the aid of my telescope I could +not only distinguish the cocks from the hens, but could also perceive +that the plumage of the former was in the very pink of perfection. But, +in addition to the ostriches, there were several other exceedingly +interesting objects and sights clearly distinguishable from the summit +of the kopje, of which no hint was obtainable from the level of the +plain below. + +For instance, upon removing the telescope from my eye, after an +exhaustive study of the movements and behaviour of the great birds, I +allowed my gaze to travel over the surface of the grassy plain +immediately before me, and presently became aware of a solitary +antelope, of a species which was quite new to me, grazing at a distance +of some two hundred yards from the base of the kopje. The creature was +about the size of a bushbok, was a dirty white in colour, and carried a +pair of horns about two and a half feet in length, slightly curved, +enormously thick at the base, strongly ridged for about half their +length, and thence sweeping smoothly away to points as sharp apparently +as those of bayonets. The most curious thing about it, however, was +that its coat was long and thick, like that of a goat, but apparently +very much finer and more silky; and I was speculating upon the +possibility of capturing and domesticating a few specimens, with the +view of testing the commercial value of the hair, when suddenly the +animal ceased feeding, threw up its head, twitched its long ears +nervously to and fro, and proceeded to sniff the air anxiously, turning +its head hither and thither as it did so. + +Finally it faced right round, almost broadside-on to me, and stood +motionless, very erect, and with its body seemingly braced in readiness +to bound away upon confirmation of its evident suspicion that an enemy +was somewhere in its immediate neighbourhood. I knew that the suspected +enemy could not possibly be myself, for I was dead to leeward of the +animal, and I therefore proceeded to reconnoitre with the view of +ascertaining whether danger was threatening it from some other quarter. +And presently I became aware of certain suspicious-looking movements of +the long grass, about a hundred yards distant, suggestive of the +presence of an animal of some kind approaching the antelope cautiously +along a sort of wavering, serpentine course. When I first discovered +this movement the creature that caused it was at such a distance that it +was completely concealed among the long grass, even from the elevation +which I occupied; but a minute later I was able to catch occasional +glimpses of a darkish grey body, thickly dotted with irregularly shaped +spots of lighter grey, slinking toward the antelope, which still +remained perfectly motionless and expectantly watchful. The course +pursued by the approaching creature was such as gradually to bring it +into full view from where I crouched on the summit of the kopje, and at +length I made it out to be also an animal hitherto unknown to me, about +the size of a half-grown leopard, and of very similar build and shape, +except that its tail was only about a foot long, thick, and of uniform +dimensions right to its extremity; its ears were tufted like those of a +lynx, and indeed in general appearance it greatly resembled a lynx, +excepting that it was very much larger. + +It was very interesting to watch the progress of this little drama--was +it a tragedy?--which was rapidly unfolding itself almost at my very +feet, and I was curious to see what steps the threatened antelope would +take to provide for its safety--for it was certain that the creature was +fully conscious of the fact that danger threatened it. Why did it not +seek safety in flight, as most creatures of the antelope species are +wont to do? Or did some subtle instinct warn it that flight could but +prolong its agony, and that the superior endurance of its approaching +enemy would cause it to be run down and brought to bay sooner or later; +and that its best chance lay in facing the danger now, before its +strength should be worn out by a prolonged and exhausting flight? +Apparently some such instinct or conviction must have possessed it, for +the antelope remained standing motionless, as though carved out of +stone, the only signs of life which it betrayed being a continuous +quivering of its nostrils and an occasional slight twitching of its +forward-pointing ears, while its enemy slunk sinuously toward it, foot +by foot, like a cat stalking a bird. At length the would-be destroyer +arrived within about twenty feet of its quarry--at which distance I +suspected that each animal was able to obtain at least an occasional +partial glimpse of the other--when it halted, and seemed to be gathering +itself together for a sudden rush, while the antelope still stood as +though rooted to the spot. + +Why did not the latter take to its heels and run? I wondered. Was it +that the creature was paralysed with terror, and so unable to make any +effort to save itself? I thought not, for I could detect no sign of +terror; all the indications were in favour of the conviction that while +the antelope was undoubtedly fully aware of the close proximity of its +enemy, and was alertly watchful for the next movement on the part of the +latter, its attitude and aspect were in nowise suggestive of a feeling +of dismay--on the contrary, the idea conveyed to me was that of reckless +temerity. Yet surely the poor, misguided beast could never be so +foolish as to imagine that it stood the slightest chance of victory in +the event of a fight? I was not allowed very much time to ponder the +question, for, after a pause of about half a dozen seconds, the +lynx-like creature made a sudden lightning-like dash at the motionless +antelope, which I fully expected to see go down instantly, with the +formidable fangs of its enemy buried deep in its throat. Not so, +however, for as the lithe, spotted form darted through the grass the +antelope rose from the ground, as though shot into the air by a powerful +spring, descending fair and square upon its enemy's back, its four +sharp-pointed hoofs digging viciously through the spotted hide and +extorting a scream of mingled rage and pain from the astonished +assailant; and then, so quickly that the eye could hardly follow the +movement, a second vigorous leap landed the antelope fully twenty feet +away, while the power expended in the leap sent the screaming, snarling +enemy rolling and sprawling helplessly in the grass. + +"Well done, antelope!" thought I. "Now is your chance to make a clean +bolt for it, before your enemy has time to recover from his amazement." + +But not a bit of it; evidently the very last thing that the antelope +contemplated was flight, for no sooner did its hoofs touch the earth +than it swung round like lightning, facing toward its adversary, while +the latter picked itself up and, with four little streams of blood +trickling down its sides, proceeded afresh to the attack. Again it +crept up to within a short distance of the waiting antelope, paused, and +suddenly dashed in; and again the antelope leaped into the air, alighted +upon its enemy's back, inflicting four fresh wounds with its stabbing +hoofs, and sprang away, spurning the snarling foe with such violence +that once more it was sent sprawling in the grass. + +This performance was repeated some eight or ten times, until at length +it became quite evident that the antelope was getting very much the +better of the fight, for thus far it had not received a single scratch, +while its enemy's back was punctured all over with wounds that, although +none of them were very deep, were bleeding freely, and in the aggregate +were probably very painful. It was clear that matters were fast nearing +the point at which the grey-spotted beast would be more than willing to +regard the fight as a drawn battle, for every bout left it less willing +to continue the fight; but the plucky little antelope evidently +disapproved of half-measures, and was determined to press the matter to +a definite conclusion, for when his antagonist began to betray a +disinclination to continue the fight he no longer waited for the onset, +but boldly advanced, leaping hither and thither with astounding +rapidity, each leap landing him nearer his enemy, until the latter was +compelled, in self-defence, to continue. But at length a moment arrived +when the feline lay moaning and snarling, covered with blood, and either +unable or unwilling to continue the combat; and then the antelope, after +approaching the enemy by the usual bewildering series of leaps and +bounds, stood for several seconds meditatively regarding him. + +Finally, the plucky little beast seemed to come to the conclusion that +the decisive moment had arrived, for, suddenly placing his head between +his fore legs, so that his long, powerful horns pointed straight at his +opponent's body, he hurled himself violently forward, like a bolt shot +from a catapult; the sharp, bayonet-like horns buried themselves deeply +in the grey-spotted, blood-smeared body; and as a prolonged yell of +agony rent the air the antelope turned a complete somersault over his +antagonist and staggered to his feet, bewildered but unhurt, the force +with which the final stroke had been delivered having been so tremendous +that the horns had disengaged themselves by the simple process of +tearing two ghastly slashes in the fearfully lacerated carcass of the +now defunct enemy. Then, after satisfying himself, by sight and smell, +that nothing further was to be feared from his victim, the conqueror +bent his head and resumed his grazing as calmly as though nothing had +happened. + +The extraordinary combat took some twenty minutes to reach its +unexpected conclusion, and then, there being nothing to detain me any +longer on the summit of the slope, I descended, rejoined Piet where he +was patiently awaiting me within the shadow of the rock, remounted, and +rode forward, our appearance at once putting the plucky little victor to +precipitate flight. I had a mind to secure the skin of the conquered +lynx-like creature, not only as a curiosity and an interesting memento +of a rather remarkable occurrence, but also because of its interest to +the zoologists upon my return to civilisation; but when we presently +found the carcass it proved to be so terribly mauled that I saw it would +be impossible to remove the pelt otherwise than in fragments, and so +abandoned the idea. But we went after the ostriches, and succeeded in +securing the two full-grown cocks of the troop, with the result that I +became the richer by about ten pounds' worth of the most magnificent +plumes I had ever seen. + +A few days later, our route at the time lying through hilly country, it +became a question whether we should enter a long ravine which divided a +range of hills ahead, trusting to the possibility of our being able to +pass through it and emerge at the other end, or whether it would be +necessary to make a rather wide detour round one or the other extremity +of the range. The route through the ravine would suit us best from +every point of view, provided that it did not prove to be a cul de sac, +because it led straight in the desired direction, and appeared to be +tolerably level, also it would probably save us nearly forty miles; +therefore I ordered Jan to outspan upon his arrival at the mouth of the +ravine, while Piet and I rode on ahead to reconnoitre, taking our rifles +with us, as usual, as well as the two dogs, Thunder and Juno. + +The range of hills lying in front of us was about twenty miles in +length, running almost due east and west, and the ravine which it was my +purpose to explore pierced it as nearly as might be in its middle, +running practically north and south; and even at the first glance I was +impressed by the remarkable character of the place. For the ravine +irresistibly suggested the idea that at some time in the more or less +remote past a giant had taken a shovel measuring about a quarter of a +mile in width, and with this gigantic tool had cut a gap right through +the range. The most singular feature of the case, however, was that, +although the gap was undoubtedly there, and although a vast quantity of +material must have been removed in order to create it, there was nothing +whatever to show what had become of that material. The floor of the gap +was quite smooth and level, unencumbered by boulders or debris of any +kind, and its rocky sides were absolutely vertical, rising in the centre +to a height of very nearly three thousand feet, which height they +maintained for about half a mile before they started to dip toward the +far end. Small patches of wait-a-bit and other thorn bushes sparsely +dotted the floor of the ravine, or gorge, and about halfway through +there was a little grove of mimosa, in the midst of which we caught +fleeting, indistinct glimpses of certain moving things which Piet +declared were giraffes. + +Now, I had not yet shot a giraffe, and was rather anxious to obtain a +really good--or it would be nearer the truth to say an exceptionally +fine--specimen; therefore, hastily taking cover behind the nearest clump +of bush, we proceeded to approach the creatures warily until we had +arrived within about half a mile of them. Then, detecting certain signs +of growing uneasiness among them, which I attributed to the possibility +of their having sighted our moving figures, I dismounted, and, leaving +Piet with the dogs and horses well sheltered behind a big clump of bush, +took my rifle and set off to complete the stalk through the long grass +alone and on foot. I reckoned upon being able to manage this without +very much difficulty, for the wind was blowing from the west right +across the ravine, while the giraffes were upon the eastern side, and I +was to the southward of them; therefore I knew that I ought to be able +to get quite close to them before they could wind me, while the grass +was tall enough to enable me to approach them unseen. Nevertheless, +although I was stalking them with the utmost caution, using the wind to +guide me, and only raising my head to reconnoitre at rare intervals and +with the exercise of the greatest care, I was annoyed to observe that +the uneasiness of my quarries was rapidly increasing; they had ceased to +feed, and were standing at attention, with their ears switching quickly +to and fro and their heads continually turning this way and that, as +though they scented danger of some sort but could not determine its +character or, more important still, from which direction it was coming: +and I began to fear that before I could get near enough to put in a +decisive shot they would stampede and I should lose them altogether. +And, sure enough, that was precisely what they did, a great bull +giraffe, evidently the leader of the herd, and the animal which I had +finally fixed upon as my own particular prey, suddenly tossing up his +head and breaking away up the valley in a long, lumbering, ungainly +canter, instantly followed by the rest of the herd. + +I was not only intensely annoyed but also greatly puzzled at this +behaviour on the part of the great, long-legged, long-necked creatures, +for I could not believe that the flight had been the result of any +carelessness on my part; but while I stood watching them rapidly +increasing the distance between themselves and me I became aware of a +curious dimming of the atmosphere along the top edge of the cliffs on +the western side of the ravine, and while I was still wondering what +this might be, a low, murmurous, rumbling sound gradually evolved itself +out of the faint sigh of the breeze over the grass and through the +foliage of the bush--a sound which, as I listened, rapidly developed +into the beat of innumerable hoofs, mingled with the bleatings and +barkings of a veritable army of bucks of various descriptions. Then I +knew that the dimming of the atmosphere along the summit of the western +cliffs was due to a cloud of light, impalpable dust, swept along before +a great migrating army of game crossing the mountain range, probably on +the march in search of water, and I waited to see what would happen when +the vanguard of the army should reach the edge of the cliffs. + +I had not very long to wait; the dust cloud rapidly thickened, and the +low rumbling beat of hoofs on the hard dry soil of the hill crest +quickly increased in volume until it became like the thunderous roar of +surf upon a rock-bound shore, mingled with the continuous cries of a +countless host of animals all herded together under the influence of +some mysterious but powerful influence. And presently the advance guard +of the great army appeared against the skyline on the edge of the +beetling cliffs, almost immediately opposite where I was standing; first +a solitary eland, then three gemsbok, closely followed by seven or eight +hartebeeste, then a small troop of quagga, upon the heels of which came +a herd of some fifty klipspringers. All these advanced right up to the +edge of the cliff, halted abruptly, staring down into the ravine below, +and then, wheeling sharply to right and left, threw up their heads and, +with characteristic cries of dismay, took to their heels and galloped +furiously along the very edge of the cliff, in an evident effort to +escape the pressure of the great army in their rear. But as these first +arrivals wheeled and sped, terrified, to right and left, others appeared +in increasing numbers and, suddenly realising their danger, sought to +escape it, some following in the footsteps of the vanguard, while others +faced about and strove to retreat along the way by which they had come. + +It soon became evident, however, that escape was impossible, for even as +I stood watching their efforts the front rank of the main body appeared, +a great compact mass of animals extending fully half a mile along the +edge of the cliff; and although it was evident that this front rank now +realised that danger threatened it in front, and was trying to hang +back, the pressure of the vast multitude in its rear was irresistible, +and foot by foot it was pushed forward until in a few seconds I was +gazing at the awful spectacle of hundreds of helpless animals being +thrust over the cliff edge and falling to their death more than two +thousand feet below, while the air throbbed and vibrated with their +cries of terror. It was a terrible experience to stand there and +helplessly watch those unfortunate creatures pouring over the cliff like +the waters of a cataract, to listen to their cries as they found +themselves being irresistibly thrust forward to their death, and to see +the long and rapidly growing pile of the dead stretching along the foot +of the cliffs. + +There were several varieties of animals in this great migrating army +which was being so disastrously wiped out, some of them being of a kind +that set me wondering by what extraordinary accident they could have +become entangled among such incongruous companions. For example, +tightly wedged in among a herd of blesbok I saw a full-grown lion forced +over the cliff; and the only way in which I could possibly account for +the presence of the beast was upon the assumption that he had been +following the herd, and in springing upon some victim had become so +closely involved that he had found it impossible to make his way out +again. + +I have always stoutly maintained that animals possess the power of +communicating with each other, and what I witnessed now only tended to +confirm me in my belief: for after the thing which I have been +attempting to describe had continued for some ten minutes it suddenly +came to an end; the remainder of the army had evidently halted, for +although the cries from above still created a tremendous volume of +sound, indicating that an innumerable multitude of animals survived up +there on the top of the cliff, the thunder of the trampling hoofs had +died down to almost nothing, while the animals, instead of being thrust +helplessly over the edge, advanced thereto in little groups, gazed down +into the ravine, and then retired again. When this had continued for +some few minutes the sound of hoofs again became audible; but now the +hoofs were retiring instead of advancing, and in the space of ten +minutes had become inaudible. The creatures had retired to seek a safer +road elsewhere. + +Then, emerging into the open, and beckoning Piet, who also had quitted +cover, to join me, I walked over to the foot of the fatal cliff to +examine more closely the ghastly pile of carcasses that lay there, and +by the time that I arrived the air was already darkening with the vast +flock of vultures which was gathering to the feast thus bountifully +provided for them. + +The lion that I had seen come hurtling over the precipice in company +with the herd of blesbok happened to be lying in such a position that I +could get at him without very much difficulty, and I determined to have +his hide if upon examination it should prove worth taking. Accordingly, +upon the arrival of Piet, we both clambered up on the mound of dead and +dying animals until we reached the spot where the lion lay doubled up in +a heap and partially buried beneath the carcasses of the animals that +had fallen on top of him. He was quite dead, his spine, and almost +every other bone in his body apparently, being broken; but his skin was +uninjured, so far as we could see. Piet and I therefore each seized one +of his great fore paws, and, with a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull +all together, contrived to drag him clear and roll him down to the +bottom of the heap, to which we quickly followed him. He proved to be a +magnificent beast, quite young but full-grown, in perfect condition, +with a most formidable set of claws and fangs, a smooth, glossy hide of +a rich deep tawny hue, and a splendid mane, of so deep a tint as to be +almost black; altogether he was a specimen well worth having, and we +quickly stripped him of his hide, taking also the head, which we +deposited in close proximity to an ants' nest in the full assurance that +the industrious little creatures would clear the skull of every particle +of flesh in the course of a few hours. Then, leaving Piet to clean the +skin and prepare it for packing, I sprang into the saddle and, taking my +rifle, cantered off down the ravine to explore the remaining portion of +it and ascertain whether, as I conjectured, there was a means of egress +at the far end. + +I found that, as I had anticipated, the ravine, or gorge, passed right +through the range of hills, and gave access to the open country beyond; +that the route was quite practicable for a wagon throughout its entire +length; and that by making use of it I should save a distance of about +forty miles, or the equivalent of two days' trek: and having satisfied +myself upon these points, I turned my horse's head and proceeded to ride +leisurely back to the wagon, intending to pick up Piet and the lion's +skin on the way. + +I had returned about three miles along the ravine, allowing Prince to +proceed at his own pace, with the bridle hanging loose upon his neck, +when I was aroused from a reverie into which I had fallen by a low +whinny from my horse as he suddenly flung up his head, twitched his ears +forward, and directed his glances toward a point some distance ahead and +to the left. I knew at once that he had either sighted or scented +something, or both; and, glancing in the direction indicated, I became +aware that we were approaching an enormous flat boulder, which had +attracted my attention some two hours earlier on my outward journey +because of its immense size and the impossibility of accounting +satisfactorily for its presence just where it was. + +But now the boulder was remarkable for quite another reason; for whereas +when I first passed it its flat top was perfectly bare, I perceived that +in the interim it had become a scene of feverish activity, a troop of +quite a hundred monkeys seeming to have taken possession of it. There +was of course nothing very extraordinary in that; the strangeness of the +matter consisted in the fact that they were all hard at work, apparently +in concert with another troop of their brethren down below who seemed to +be rushing to and fro between the rock and an adjacent clump of thorn +bush. A touch on the bridle brought Prince to a halt, and I then +produced my telescope and brought it to bear upon the busy party, when I +perceived, to my amazement, that the gang of monkeys who were rushing to +and fro between the clump of bush and the boulder were engaged in +collecting and dragging to the rock a great number of branches of +thorns, which they were passing up to their comrades upon the surface of +the rock; and that these, in their turn, as it seemed to me, were +constructing a scherm, or hedge of thorns, working in such feverish +haste that their lives might have been depending upon its speedy +completion. + +The behaviour of that active gang of simians was so extraordinary that I +determined to wait and see the thing out. I therefore remained where I +was, at such a distance that my presence would not be likely to disturb +or alarm them, and kept my telescope focused upon them, with the result +that I soon began to realise, from their behaviour, that, rapid as were +all their movements, the monkeys were nevertheless taking considerable +pains to preserve silence. I noticed that none of them attempted to +drag the thorns after them through the grass; every branch was carried +at arm's length overhead; and when it was passed up to those on the top +of the rock it was not permitted to scrape or grate against the surface +of the rock, but was carefully held away from it, although it was +evident that some of the monkeys got more or less severely pricked +during the process. I also observed that those monkeys who were +actually engaged in the construction of the scherm laid the bunches of +thorns in place with elaborate care and, as it appeared to me, with +quite amazing skill and cunning. + +Some ten or twelve minutes after I had come to a halt the scherm was +finished, and then came an end to the silence which the monkeys had been +at such pains to observe during the progress of the work; for, with its +completion, the creatures set up a sudden chattering and howling and +shrieking which distinctly reached me even at the distance of a good +half-mile. And with the outbreak of the clamour, all hands beat a +precipitate retreat from the surface of the rock, and arranged +themselves in a circle round it down below, at a sufficient distance +away to enable them to see anything that might happen on the top of the +boulder. But what, I asked myself, could happen up there; why had those +monkeys taken the trouble to construct that fine scherm; and why, in the +name of fortune, were they exerting themselves to create such a terrific +row? The answer was not long in coming; for, as I sat there intently +scanning the scene through my telescope, I saw the head and about six +feet of the body of an enormous python upreared from inside the scherm, +its appearance being greeted by a yell of delight from the monkeys that +caused Prince to snort and stamp with excitement. I saw the huge +reptile up-rear itself still further and attempt to get out of the +scherm; but it could not do so without crawling over the hedge of +thorns, and the moment that its body touched these it recoiled, its +immense jaws gaped open, its tongue flickered in and out, and I could in +imagination hear its angry hisses as plainly as I could hear the howls +of derision and defiance with which the monkeys greeted its appearance. + +And then I understood, or believed I understood, the whole thing. The +python, doubtless, had its lair somewhere in the immediate vicinity of +the boulder, the flat top of which was probably its favourite basking +place; the troop of monkeys, perhaps gambolling about on the face of the +adjacent cliff, had chanced to see the huge snake lying asleep upon the +rock, and, instantly seizing the opportunity to take their enemy at a +disadvantage, had, with diabolical ingenuity, hastened to enclose the +creature in a circular fence of thorns, from which it now seemed that it +would find it impossible to escape--for I saw it make several attempts, +at various points around the circumference of the scherm, and upon each +occasion, when it essayed to crawl over the thorns, it shrank back, +baffled by the innumerable sharp points which everywhere met it. At +length, after I had watched its unavailing efforts for about a quarter +of an hour, I cantered up to the rock--putting the monkeys to flight +amid a chorus of angry protests--and, after a careful survey, proceeded +to climb to the top, taking the precaution to carry my rifle with me. I +now found that the scherm, constructed of small branches of formidable +thorns--each thorn being nearly three inches long, and sharp-pointed as +a needle--was about waist high, a yard in thickness, and some ten yards +in diameter, completely hemming in the great python, who was now +wideawake and rapidly circling the interior of his prison, in an +atrociously bad temper, vainly seeking some spot through which he might +force his way and escape. But the monkeys had evidently known quite +well what they were about; instinct or observation had taught them that, +once completely surrounded by a ring of thorns, the creature could not +possibly escape, because its every effort would result in the +self-infliction of so many severe wounds that it would rather remain a +prisoner than persevere. And that was precisely what was happening; the +moment that, in attempting to crawl over the barrier, the python's +ponderous weight was thrown upon the encircling fence, the long, sharp +thorns pierced it in twenty or thirty places, and already, as it circled +inside the enclosure, it was leaving a broad trail of blood behind it +and emitting a powerful, sickening, musky odour which I only endured +with difficulty. The creature glared at me murderously every time it +came opposite me in its frantic circling of the scherm, and once made a +determined effort to reach me, but the thorns were too much for it; and +finally, when I was at length convinced that it could not possibly +escape, I levelled my rifle and sent a bullet crashing through its +enormous head, instantly thereafter beating a hasty retreat from the top +of the rock, in order to avoid the terrific threshing of its +convolutions, which now, in its death agonies, sent the thorns flying in +all directions. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +AN EXCITING DAY. + +By the time that Piet and I got back to the wagon it was within an hour +of sunset; I therefore decided to remain for the night where we were, +the grass being good, and our outspan situated within half a mile of a +considerable stream of water with which we should lose touch upon +entering the gorge, since the river turned eastward immediately opposite +the spot where we were outspanned. But although I decided not to move +the wagon until the morrow, I was not disposed to remain personally +inactive; for I had observed that about two miles to the eastward the +river flowed through a slight depression, which had thus become +converted into a water vley, or wide sheet of shallow water, where I +thought it not improbable that I might find a few widgeon to afford a +welcome change from the buck meat that had now become our almost +continuous fare. Moreover, I had begun to break to the saddle the two +ponies which Moshesh had given me, and had already advanced so far in +the matter of their education that they would both allow me to mount +them, and I regarded the present as a favourable opportunity to give +Jack, the stallion, a little gentle exercise. Therefore I instructed +Piet to shift my saddle from Prince to Jack, and, taking my +double-barrelled sporting gun and a few cartridges, I mounted and +cantered away along the river bank, with Thunder and Juno, the two dogs, +bounding gaily along on either hand, and with Jack pulling hard upon his +snaffle and doing his utmost to break away, for he was so fresh as to be +almost unmanageable. A good brisk five-mile gallop over the veld to the +farther extremity of the vley, however, somewhat calmed his exuberant +spirits, and when at length I dismounted, the youngster was placid +enough to be quite willing to follow at my heels with the bridle resting +loosely upon his neck, or to stand still when it was allowed to trail +upon the ground. + +The sun had already vanished in a haze of regal purple hanging low along +the western horizon when at length I managed to bag three brace of the +widgeon that I had been hoping for; and with these neatly strung +together by the feet, and slung across Jack's shoulders in front of the +saddle, I was just preparing to mount and canter away back to camp when, +looming monstrously through the thin, grey mist that was insidiously +rising from the veld, I beheld a long procession of enormous forms +gradually resolving out of the fog wreaths about half a mile away. +Vague and shapeless as were those vast, ghostly objects, I knew at once +that they could only be elephants coming over the veld to the great pool +to drink and bathe; and I at once determined to ascertain, if possible, +how many of them there were, for I estimated that there must already be +between twenty and thirty in sight, while others were momentarily +emerging into view from out the veil of mist. Therefore, instead of +mounting, and thus rendering myself more conspicuous than I was already, +I remained on foot, and headed for the nearest clump of bush with Jack +and the two dogs following at my heels, my intention being to conceal +myself and my following behind that convenient screen and thence observe +the movements and note the numbers of the approaching elephants. But I +had scarcely advanced thirty paces when there arose a sudden commotion +in the long grass almost under my feet, a terrific uproar of angry +grunts and squeals rent the evening stillness, and a sounder of hog, +consisting of a boar, three sows, and upwards of a score of half-grown +young, which had been lying in the grass, rose to their feet and dashed +noisily away, the sudden and violent disturbance startling Jack to such +an extent and so completely upsetting his equanimity that he flung up +his head, swerved away before I could grasp his bridle, and with a +squeal of consternation took to his heels and dashed off full pelt in +the direction of the distant wagon, while the two dogs, wild with +excitement, went off in chase of the pigs, leaving me to my own devices. + +To be left like that, alone and on foot, in strange country, a good five +miles from the wagon, with the darkness of a moonless and misty night +already gathering about me, was just a trifle awkward, perhaps, for I +was both hungry and tired, and a five-mile walk through the long grass +would be something beyond a joke. But with the river to guide me on the +one hand, and the hills on the other, I could not very well miss my way, +while as for the pony, he would probably return to the wagon, and the +dogs would certainly find me as soon as they were tired of chasing the +pigs; so, shouldering my gun, I stepped out toward the clump of bush for +which I was bound, and presently took up a position within its heavy +shadow where I should be pretty effectually concealed, while I could at +the same time observe the movements of the elephants. Luckily, they +were still so far away when the disturbance caused by the pigs occurred +that they had taken no notice of it, but came steadily on, led by an +enormous tusker; and presently they made their way well into the deepest +part of the pool, where, after drinking, they stood for some time +spraying their bodies with water spouted from their trunks. I did my +best to count them, but before the entire herd had arrived upon the +scene it had fallen quite dark, so that what with the darkness, the fog, +and the constant movements of the animals, I found the task an utter +impossibility. But I came to the conclusion that, from what I could see +and hear, there must be nearly or quite a hundred of them. + +Then, as I stood motionless and invisible in the deep shadows of the +clump of bush, soft swishing sounds in the long grass grew increasingly +frequent all round me, and in the misty starlight I caught frequent +sudden glimpses of indeterminate forms gliding ghost-like toward the +water, which was evidently the recognised drinking place for most of the +game in the neighbourhood. And at length, when I had been standing +there for about twenty minutes, two pairs of lambent orbs loomed up +through the long grass, and Thunder and Juno came wriggling +apologetically to my feet, having apparently made their way back to the +spot where they had deserted me, and tracked me thence by scent. + +I had by this time seen all that I wanted to see, or rather all that it +was possible to see; therefore, with a low-murmured call to the two +dogs, I set out to walk back through the misty landscape to the wagon, +taking the stars for my guide, since the fog had by this time become so +thick that it was difficult to distinguish anything beyond a hundred +yards distant in any direction. Fortunately I had walked little more +than a mile when shouts in Piet's high-pitched voice reached my ears, +and presently, guided by my shouts in reply, the Hottentot hove in +sight, mounted upon Tempest and leading the errant Jack by the bridle-- +the latter having galloped straight to the wagon, as I had fully +expected he would; and half an hour later we rode into camp without +further adventure. + +The first thing in order after our arrival was, of course, dinner, which +I found quite ready when I rode into camp, the _piece de resistance_ +consisting of the widgeon which I had shot, and which Piet had found +still hanging across the pony's withers when Master Jack arrived in +camp, and had had sense enough to hand over to Jan to prepare. Then, +after dinner, the elephant gun and my rifle were brought forth from the +wagon and thoroughly cleaned by the light of the camp fire; and while +this was being done Piet and I anxiously discussed a programme for the +doings of the morrow, finally settled upon a more or less definite plan, +and made all the arrangements necessary for carrying it into effect; +after which the fire was made up, the oxen were driven in and tethered +to the trek tow, as a precaution against possible attack by lions, and +all hands turned in. + +The night passed uneventfully and quietly, save for the constant barking +of the jackals and baboons and the occasional cry of a leopard or roar +of a lion; but we had by this time grown quite accustomed to such sounds +as these, and were not in the least disturbed by them, even the dogs +disdaining to take the slightest notice of them, except when the authors +approached within certain fairly well-defined limits which Thunder and +Juno seemed to have mutually agreed were too near; then indeed our +guardians would respond with low warning growls which, if the offenders +drew still nearer, rapidly merged into a deafening clamour of savage +barks that effectually aroused everybody. + +But on the night in question the marauders gave the wagon a wide berth; +probably there was a sufficiency of game near the water-hole to supply +all their wants without the necessity for them to approach the hateful +blaze of the camp fire, and our rest was undisturbed. With the +appearance of the first gleam of dawn in the eastern sky, however, the +three blacks crawled out from underneath the wagon, made up the fire +afresh, fetched water from the river, and proceeded to prepare +breakfast, for Piet and I had agreed upon the wisdom of getting upon the +spoor of the elephants as early as possible, in order that the greater +part of the travelling might be done before the heat became oppressive. + +It was about a quarter to seven o'clock when, having breakfasted and +completed our final preparations, Piet and I swung ourselves into our +saddles and started for the water-hole at an easy canter, Jan's +instructions being to follow with the wagon until he should reach a +certain signal which we would leave behind us, and which was to be the +intimation that he had trekked far enough and must outspan until he +received further orders. Piet was mounted on Punch, the chestnut, a +thoroughly steady and reliable animal, and carried the provisions for +the expedition, half the ammunition, and the elephant gun; while I rode +Prince, and carried the other half of the ammunition and my rifle, as +well as a stout, double-edged hunting knife which I wore in a sheath +attached to my belt. Thunder and Juno accompanied us as usual, and, +like the sensible animals that they were, trotted quietly along close to +the horses' heels, saving their strength for what was possibly to come +later, instead of wasting it, as in their younger and less experienced +days, by dashing hither and thither, in the exuberance of their spirits, +over an utterly unnecessary extent of ground. + +Going at an easy pace, we reached the farther extremity of the pool in +about three-quarters of an hour, and at once picked up the spoor of the +elephants without the least trouble. It was very difficult to form a +close estimate of the number of animals in the herd by examining the +spoor, but it was certain that the herd was a very large one, and an +inspection of the footprints left in the soft soil about the margin of +the pool showed that there were several animals of gigantic size in it. +The spoor led away to the eastward, in the direction from which I had +seen the herd approaching on the previous evening, and the passage of so +many heavy animals had trampled the long, parched grass so flat that the +trail was as plain as a road to follow, and we proceeded along it at an +easy canter. + +We had been progressing in this fashion for about three hours, and had +covered some twenty miles of perfectly flat country, when we observed +that the character of the scenery ahead was changing, the scattered +clumps of bush through which we had been riding giving place to forest +trees of various descriptions, imparting quite a park-like aspect to the +scene. And here we came to a halt for the purpose of setting up the +mark which was to give Jan, my Hottentot driver, the signal to outspan, +for Piet was strongly of opinion that the herd of elephant would be +found somewhere in the forest ahead, either browsing upon the small and +tender shoots of the trees or sheltering from the sun beneath their +leafy shade. This done, we looked to our weapons, satisfying ourselves +that they were in order for immediate use, and then again proceeded +along the trail, this time at a walking pace. + +The trail continued to lead straight toward the forest; but when we had +proceeded about a mile farther the spoor showed that the herd had +gradually scattered, some of the animals seeming to have halted for a +time to feed, while others had swerved off to right and left, as though +to enter the forest individually, instead of in a compact body. We were +thus enabled to pick up the spoor of particular animals, and, coming at +length upon that of an elephant of extraordinary size, I determined to +follow it, and did so right up to the outskirts of the forest. Here we +dismounted, and, leaving our horses, with their bridles trailing on the +ground, where we could easily find them again, but where they were not +likely to be sighted by the elephants, continued to follow on foot the +spoor of the big beast that we were after. It led deviously, with many +twists and turnings, toward the deepest part of the forest, and when we +had been following it for about three-quarters of an hour we were +suddenly halted by the sound of a distant swishing and cracking of +branches, which caused us to conceal ourselves hurriedly behind the bole +of a big yellow-wood. + +Reconnoitring from this coign of vantage, we found that the animal, or +animals, by which the sounds were made were still invisible; we +therefore continued with the utmost caution to follow up the spoor of +the elephant which we were tracking, dodging from one tree to another, +pausing behind each as we reached it to take another observation, and +being careful to make no sound as we threaded our way through the +underscrub, until we finally reached a spot where, peering out from +behind the trunk of a big baobab, we were able to catch an occasional +glimpse of an enormous grey mass moving slowly among the trees, while +the sound of swishing and snapping branches, the crackling of the +undergrowth as the creature moved from time to time, and an occasional +low grunt of satisfaction told us how near we were to our quarry. +Luckily, too, for us, the wind was in exactly the right direction--that +is to say, it was blowing from the elephant toward us, so that instead +of him scenting us we caught an occasional whiff of the peculiar odour +which emanated from him. The extreme deliberation with which the animal +moved proved conclusively that thus far he had not the slightest +suspicion of our presence, but unfortunately the foliage was so dense +that it was only occasionally that we could get even a partial glimpse +of him, and then it was of such a character that I could not tell with +certainty what part of his body I was looking at; therefore, after a +very brief and low-whispered consultation with Piet, I decided to make a +rather wide circuit toward the part of the forest for which the creature +was heading, and, having chosen a favourable spot, patiently to await +his approach. + +This we accordingly did, the fallen trunk of a tree half-buried in dense +undergrowth affording us a perfectly ideal ambush; and we had scarcely +settled ourselves comfortably therein when a violent swaying of the +underbrush warned us that our quarry was approaching. The next instant +the scrub parted right and left, the points of two enormous tusks +protruded from the swaying tangle of leaves and creepers, and in the +drawing of a breath the head and fore quarters of the biggest bull +elephant I had ever seen came into view. For a moment the huge beast +stood looking about him, and then his immense trunk swung upward, the +point twined itself tightly about an unusually leafy twig, there came a +slight snapping and swishing sound as the twig was torn from its parent +branch, and the next instant both stem and leaves vanished down a +cavernous throat. Then, as the ponderous trunk swung downward again, +and the beast uttered a grunt of enjoyment, I pressed the trigger of my +elephant gun, the barrel of which I had levelled over the bole of the +fallen tree a minute or two earlier: there was a flash, a blinding puff +of white smoke, and as the forest resounded with the crashing report, an +answering crash close at hand proclaimed the fall of the great beast. +Then, as the smoke gradually drifted away, we saw that the animal had +flung himself convulsively forward at the impact of the bullet, and now +lay stone-dead just on the other side of the prostrate tree behind which +we were crouching. + +For several seconds after the echoes of the report died away there was +perfect silence in the forest: not a leaf seemed to stir or a bird to +twitter; even the very insects ceased their chirring, as though they +were wondering what had happened. Then, almost as though at a given +signal, the forest resounded with loud trumpetings of alarm and the +crashing of heavy bodies through the undergrowth, as the rest of the +unseen herd began to move restlessly and angrily hither and thither, +seeking the source of the sudden disturbance. + +We remained where we were, crouching in our ambush, for a quarter of an +hour or more, listening to the gradually subsiding disturbance and +waiting for the possible appearance of one of the great pachyderms in +the tiny clearing where the dead giant lay; but although several passed +us at no great distance we saw none of them, and at length, when silence +again reigned, we cautiously emerged from our hiding place and pushed +our way up-wind still deeper into the recesses of the forest. + +Breathless and perspiring profusely with the exertion of worming our way +through the undergrowth, we had progressed about half a mile when, away +on our left, and apparently only a few yards distant, we suddenly heard +a loud blowing sound, followed by several grunts, and the next instant a +big cow elephant, with a calf at her heels, burst through the +intervening growth and came charging toward us with blazing eyes and +uplifted trunk thrust straight out in front of her. Fortunately we had +just stepped out from behind the cover of a big mahogany, and as I +doubted whether the beast had actually sighted us, I thrust Piet back +behind the tree and instantly followed, working round the bole as the +elephant advanced, so as to keep it between her and ourselves. Whether +or not she had winded us I cannot say, but I am of opinion that she must +have done so; be that as it may, she continued her furious charge, +actually grazing the other side of the tree behind which we were hiding +as she passed, and in another instant had disappeared again, leaving a +broad trail of trampled undergrowth and broken saplings behind her. For +the ensuing five minutes we remained where we were, fully expecting the +irate beast to return in search of us; but hearing nothing more of her +we resumed our way. + +About a quarter of a mile farther on we became aware that elephants were +not far-distant, for away ahead of us there was a sound of heavy +movement, accompanied by a good deal of grunting. Then suddenly an +angry squeal pealed out upon the startled air, immediately followed by a +violent clashing of tusks, furious trumpetings, and a tremendous +commotion generally. + +"Olifants fighting, baas!" excitedly whispered Piet in my ear. "Now's +de time for us: come on quick, baas, we get close up to 'em and they +never see us; then you get 'em bofe." + +"Right you are, boy," I returned; "come along; they cannot be very far +ahead." + +We pushed on, not troubling ourselves very much now as to whether or not +we made any noise, for the forest was fairly ringing with the squeals +and trumpetings of the contending beasts; and presently we caught an +occasional fleeting glimpse, through the interlacing foliage, of their +twisting and rushing bodies as they moved hither and thither. But we +were not yet near enough to see them distinctly; we therefore forced our +way a few yards farther, until, peering through the tangled undergrowth, +we obtained a tolerably good view of a little clearing of about an acre +and a half in extent, in the midst of which two gigantic tuskers were +circling round each other, looking for an opening, and occasionally +rushing in with lowered heads to plunge their already ensanguined tusks +into each other's bodies. + +Kneeling down among the underwood in such a position that I could get a +clear view of the amphitheatre without running much risk of being myself +seen, I found a gnarled stump of a creeper that afforded a very +convenient rest for my heavy double-barrelled elephant gun, and, roughly +levelling the weapon, awaited a favourable opportunity to fire. A few +minutes later it came, the two huge beasts drawing apart, as by common +consent, to recover their breath. Like two immense statues they stood, +about twelve feet apart, motionless save for their heaving flanks and +their great twitching ears, the trunk of each upraised and thrown back +over the head as though to be out of harm's way; and I saw that both +were bleeding freely from several ghastly-looking wounds. The moment +was as favourable as any that I should be at all likely to get, for both +were standing practically broadside-on to me; therefore, glancing +quickly from one to the other, to determine the precise position of the +vital spot for which I intended to aim, I levelled and sighted the +weapon, pressed the trigger, and then, with a lightning movement of the +barrel, shifted my aim and again fired. The second report followed the +first at an interval of scarcely a second, and I heard the loud _clap +clap_ of both bullets as they struck; then the thick veil of powder +smoke enveloped me, and for a few seconds I could see nothing. While +still waiting for the smoke to disperse, I heard a heavy thud which told +me that at least one of the animals was down, and a moment or two later, +as the smoke gradually thinned, I dimly saw the second standing, with +legs wide apart, swaying a little and trembling violently. For a space +of time in which one might have slowly counted ten the great brute stood +thus; then, as he uttered a low moan, his mighty limbs suddenly +collapsed and he too sank to the ground with a thud that seemed to make +the very earth tremble. And at that precise moment there again broke +forth the same kind of uproar of alarmed trumpeting and swiftly moving +heavy bodies that had followed my first shot. + +The sounds were this time of such a character as to indicate clearly +that the herd had been thoroughly alarmed and effectually stampeded; +therefore, after waiting some five minutes or so until the forest was +again silent, and it had become quite clear that none of the animals +were coming in our direction, we left our hiding place, and, taking +careful note of the spot where the two great tuskers lay, proceeded to +retrace our steps toward the place where we had left our horses. We +found them placidly grazing, and, springing into our saddles, started on +the back trail to meet the wagon, which I intended to outspan for the +night close to the outskirts of the forest, that we might not have far +to carry the ivory when we had cut it out on the morrow. + +We proceeded at a foot-pace, since there was no need for hurry, and had +travelled a distance of some three miles when, borne faintly to our ears +by the gentle breeze that was blowing behind us, we heard a peculiar +yapping howl which told us that a pack of wild dogs was in full cry +somewhere in our rear. Being curious to learn what kind of animal they +were hunting, we looked about us for a spot whence, ourselves unseen, we +might witness the chase, which the increasing loudness of the cries told +us was coming our way. Such a spot was found close at hand in the +shadow of a big clump of thorn bush, within a few yards of the margin of +a small stream, evidently a tributary of the river which flowed a mile +or two farther to the westward. + +We had scarcely established ourselves in our place of concealment when a +beautiful zebra mare, accompanied by her foal, appeared coming toward us +at a trot, which circumstance, taken in conjunction with the laboured +action of the animals, clearly indicated that both were in the very last +stage of exhaustion; and indeed the fugitives had only gone a few yards +past us when the mare stumbled heavily, recovered herself with +difficulty, and then, with a scream that marked the extremity of her +terror and despair, crashed heavily to the ground, where, after an +ineffectual effort to scramble to her feet again, she lay flat on her +side, panting heavily and with her tongue protruding. And as the mare +fell the foal pulled up short beside her and stood, with lowered head +and legs wide apart, trembling so violently that the action was visible +even to us nearly a hundred yards away. + +By this time the yapping sounds had become so loud that we knew the pack +must be close at hand, and a moment later they swept into view, some +thirty or so in number; and as they sighted the prostrate zebra, with +her foal standing beside her, their yapping changed to a howl of +exultation, which caused the mare again to make an ineffectual effort to +scramble to her feet, while the foal hobbled away a yard or two, but +returned to his dam when he saw that she was unable to rise. It was a +rather pathetic sight to see those two beautiful animals awaiting +destruction at the fangs of the dogs, and, moved suddenly by a sense of +pity, I pressed my heels to Prince's flanks, and, calling Piet to +follow, rode forward into the open. + +At the sight of two mounted figures advancing to bar their progress the +pack suddenly pulled up in a bunch and stood panting, with their tongues +lolling out and the foam dripping from their jaws, for the wild dog does +not love to meet man, especially a white man, at least in daylight. As +the pack bunched themselves together, uncertain whether to continue +their advance or to retire, but evidently very strongly impelled by the +sight of the fallen zebra to do the former, it offered a target so +tempting that I was quite unable to resist it; and, leaping lightly from +the saddle, I ran forward a pace or two and, sinking upon one knee, +levelled my rifle and fired right into the thick of the bunch. The +range was only about four hundred yards, and while the sharp, whip-like +report of the piece was still echoing along the side of the range of +hills in front of me I heard the clap of the bullet, and, as the smoke +drifted away, saw that one dog was down, dead, while a second was +struggling feebly on the ground, and a third, with a broken leg, was +making the welkin ring with his howls of anguish. + +At the flash and report of the piece some eight or ten of the dogs in +the rear of the pack wheeled sharply round, and, with their tails tucked +tightly between their legs, beat a hasty retreat along the back trail, +uttering sharp yelps of terror as they went; but the remainder of the +pack stood its ground, staring at us as though wondering what new kind +of animals we could be who had the power of slaying from a distance. +There was one big gaunt brute, however, apparently the leader of the +pack, who kept his flaming eyes fixed upon the zebras, and as the smoke +of the discharge cleared away I saw him slink out from the rest of the +pack in a crouching attitude, with bared fangs, as though meditating a +dash at the gasping mare. + +"The gun--quick!" I ejaculated to Piet, who retained his saddle and sat +motionless as a statue, watching intently; and at the word he held out +to me the loaded elephant gun, and received from me the empty rifle in +its stead. A moment later the heavy piece roared out its death message, +and the big brute who had separated himself from the rest of the pack +sprang with a convulsive twist into the air and fell stone-dead. + +"Now," said I, as I sprang into the saddle, "unclip one of your +stirrups, Piet, and we will see if we cannot beat off the brutes with +our stirrup irons!" And as I spoke the words we urged our horses to a +gallop, unclipping our off-side stirrups as we went, and charged right +down between the pack and the zebras, wheeling upon the dogs as soon as +we had cut them off from the mare and foal. Then, swinging the loose +stirrups round our heads, we thundered down upon the discomfited pack, +uttering loud yells as we went. The brutes stood irresolute for a few +seconds longer, but presently, when we wheeled directly toward them, +they turned tail and bolted by the way that they had come, yelping with +fear as they went. But I was determined to inspire them with a +wholesome feeling of terror now that I had begun; therefore as soon as +we had overtaken the rearmost members of the flying pack we checked our +horses just sufficiently to keep pace with them, and then proceeded to +belabour the brutes soundly with our stirrup irons, the howls of anguish +to which the belaboured ones gave vent serving to add wings to the feet +of the rest. We chased the howling mob a good two miles--by which time +its members were crazy with fear--and then drew rein, feeling convinced +that they would give us no further trouble. Then we turned and cantered +back along the way by which we had come. + +As we approached the spot where the zebra mare had fallen we saw, +somewhat to our astonishment, that the poor beast still lay where we had +left her, with the foal standing over her, smelling at her and licking +her face; and it then occurred to me that possibly we might be able to +capture the foal. I therefore spoke a word to Piet, and we pulled our +horses back to a walk. As the sound of our approaching hoofs reached +her ears, the mare made a scrambling effort to rise, and all but +succeeded, only to sink again to the earth with a moan, while the foal +threw up his head, galloped stiffly away a few yards, and then returned, +standing close to his prostrate parent's head and gazing at us with +enquiring eyes, his ears pointed forward, his nostrils twitching, and +his upper lip slightly raised, revealing his teeth in a somewhat +threatening manner. + +At a distance of about seven or eight yards we reined up and dismounted, +moving slowly and with deliberation, in order that we might frighten the +animals as little as possible. Then, throwing our reins to the ground, +we walked quietly up to the pair and stood looking down at the mare, who +still lay upon her left side, with her limbs stretched stiffly out, her +sides heaving with a slow, laboured movement, her tongue hanging from +her mouth, her glassy eyes rolling in their sockets, and her breath +coming in heavy gasps. + +"She's dyin', baas," remarked Piet, "dyin' of tiredness and thirst! She +mus' have run a long, long way when she too tired to get up at sight of +we." + +Yes, there was no doubt about it, the poor beast was at her last gasp; +and unless something were quickly done to relieve her she would +assuredly die. Piet and I were both wearing soft, wide-brimmed felt +hats, of sufficient capacity to contain about three pints of water and +to retain it without very much leakage for several minutes, while there +was a stream within twenty yards of the spot where we stood. It was +possible that we might yet save the beautiful creature's life if we +bestirred ourselves. + +"Quick, Piet!" I exclaimed. "Come to the river with me and fill your +hat with water. We must do what we can for the poor brutes. I should +like to capture and tame them both if possible." + +"No, baas, you never do that," answered Piet. "Don' you know that a +zebra can never be tame?" + +"So I have heard; but I don't altogether believe it," said I. "At all +events I mean to try; so hurry, you black rascal!" + +In less than five minutes we were back with our dripping hats still +nearly full of water, and as I knelt down by the head of the mare, and +held my hat close to her gaping nostrils, the poor beast smelt the water +and uttered a sound that might be best described as a sort of gasping +whinny; then, raising her head with an effort, she plunged her muzzle +into the hat and sucked up its contents with indescribable eagerness, +allowing her head to sink back with something that sounded like a sigh +of contentment when both hats had been emptied. Then Piet and I dashed +off to the river and procured a second supply, which the zebra also +drank. Meanwhile the colt had been making desperate efforts to get a +share of the water, but we had kept him off, with some difficulty, the +mare being obviously in the greater need. But now that we had given her +as much as we deemed good for her, for the moment, we turned out +attention to the colt, administering to him two hatfuls of water, which +he absorbed with an eagerness that quite equalled that of his mother. +Then, perceiving that the little chap's gratification at our +ministrations seemed to have quite conquered any fear of us which he +might have originally entertained, I walked over to where the horses +were standing and detached from Piet's saddle a long rein of twisted raw +hide that we usually carried with us for use in case of an emergency, +while the Hottentot went off to fetch a further supply of water. + +Then, having obtained the rein, I returned to the colt--who stood quite +still as I approached him--and, murmuring a caressing word or two to +him, quietly lifted my hand and gently patted his neck. He flinched +somewhat at my first touch, but did not attempt to run away, and +presently, when Piet returned with more water, I seized the opportunity +to slip the end of the rein round the little fellow's neck and knot it +while he was drinking. He did not much like the feel of the rein round +his neck at first, and tried to shake it off, but he no longer shrank +from my touch, and allowed me to pat his neck, and even pull his ears +gently, an operation which he appeared to enjoy greatly. Then, while I +continued to handle the colt, Piet again turned his attention to the +mare and gave her a further drink, when, after a few minutes, she made +another effort to rise, which was this time successful. But for several +minutes she could only stand with difficulty, trembling violently and +not attempting to move. At this juncture I chanced to slip my hand into +my jacket pocket, when it came into contact with some half-dozen small +sweet biscuits for which I had rather a weakness. These I had slipped +into my pocket the last thing before leaving the wagon and had then +entirely forgotten; and the fancy seized me to offer one of them to the +colt. He smelt at it for a moment or two, and then, somewhat +hesitatingly, closed his teeth upon it and began to masticate it. +Evidently he liked it, for having swallowed it he thrust forward his +head, as though asking for more, whereupon I produced a second, which he +at once accepted. I then offered a third, holding it far enough from +him to compel him to advance a step or two in order to secure it, which +he did. I next offered him a fourth in the same way; but as he moved +forward so did I, compelling him to follow me a few steps before I let +him have it, at the same time putting a gentle strain upon the rein +round his neck, and by this means I successfully coaxed the little +creature into submitting to be led. + +When I had fairly got him going the mare followed, at first moving +stiffly and with difficulty, uttering small whinnying sounds, as though +entreating the colt not to leave her; but with every yard of progress +her movements became less difficult, and by the time that we had +traversed a quarter of a mile both animals were walking with comparative +ease and following me quite contentedly, especially the colt, who +continued to beg for biscuits until he had exhausted my limited supply. +Meanwhile Piet, who clearly understood what I was endeavouring to do, +returned to where we had left the horses and followed with them, and in +this curious fashion we at length met the wagon, and, joining forces, +arrived at the spot where I planned to outspan for the night. I had a +little trouble with my captives when we first met the wagon, both of +them being somewhat startled by the hideous yells and rifle-like +whip-crackings wherewith Jan urged forward the oxen; but a few more +biscuits, hastily obtained from the wagon, restored the colt's +equanimity. And, not to dwell at undue length upon this incident, we +had scarcely any further trouble with either of our prizes, the colt +very rapidly developing perfect amenability, while the mare, although +less tractable, never attempted to desert her offspring, and was +becoming quite tame when tragedy unhappily overtook them both. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +I ARRIVE IN MASHONALAND. + +The whole of the next morning was devoted by us to the task of cutting +out the ivory from the three big tuskers killed in the forest, and the +exceptional size of the elephants may be judged from the fact that the +weight of ivory taken from them amounted in the aggregate to four +hundred and forty-seven pounds. Then, about two o'clock in the +afternoon, we inspanned the oxen and trekked in a north-easterly +direction, with the range of hills cut through by the curious gorge +about a quarter of a mile on our left and the Drakensberg range of +mountains towering aloft on our right some fifty miles distant. We +trekked until within half an hour of sunset, by which time we had +rounded the north-eastern spur of the range of hills, passed the +northern extremity of the gorge, and "struck" another river, about one +hundred and twenty yards in width, flowing northward, on the right bank +of which we outspanned for the night. Two days later, trekking +northward along the course of the last-mentioned river, we arrived at +its junction with the Limpopo, on the farther side of which lay my goal, +Mashonaland; and here we again outspanned, while Piet and I went on a +prospecting tour in search of a drift by means of which the wagon might +be safely taken across. + +Leaving the wagon, our spare horses, and the zebras in charge of Jan, +the Hottentot driver, with strict injunctions that he was to take the +utmost care of the captives, and treat them with the greatest kindness, +Piet and I set out at daybreak--the former mounted upon Punch, while I +rode Prince as usual--taking with us the elephant gun and my rifle, with +a sufficiency of ammunition for each, and provisions for four days. The +dogs Thunder and Juno accompanied us as a matter of course. We were on +the right or southern bank of the mighty stream, and this we followed +closely, mile after mile, anxiously scrutinising every foot of the +turbid flood for signs indicative of a sand bar extensive enough to +enable us to transport the wagon to the opposite bank; but although we +found no less than four shoals in the course of our first day's search, +three of them extended less than halfway across the river, while the +fourth proved to be a quicksand in which we narrowly escaped losing both +our horses, saving them at last only by the skin of our teeth and after +nearly an hour's hard and strenuous labour. This occurred about three +o'clock in the afternoon, and when at length we were all once more safe +on solid ground we were, horses as well as men, so utterly fagged out +that there was nothing for it but to off-saddle for the remainder of the +day in order to recover. A good night's rest, however, completely +restored us all, and enabled us to resume our search on the following +morning. + +Our experiences on the morning of this day were simply a repetition of +those of the previous day, except that, profiting by experience, we took +care not to allow ourselves to be trapped in any more quicksands; and I +began to fear that our search was going to be a much more protracted one +than I had anticipated. But shortly after midday we arrived at a spot +where, on the opposite side of the river, another river, about a hundred +yards wide, discharged into the main stream. At this point also the +Limpopo widened out until it was fully a quarter of a mile in width, the +combined effect of these two circumstances being the formation of +numerous eddies and so much slack water that the soil held in suspension +by the two streams was here afforded an opportunity to settle and form a +shoal extending right across the main river, with a maximum depth of +water over it of barely four feet. This shoal we thoroughly tested both +on foot and on horseback, with the result that we found it to be an +ideal crossing place. + +Having satisfied myself as to this, my next business was to arrange for +the dispatch of Piet as my ambassador into the Mashona country. I had +been considering the matter very carefully during the past two days, +recalling to mind all that my friend, Major Henderson, had told me with +regard to his experiences among the Mashona, and the advice that he had +given me; and I finally determined that my most prudent course would be +to send Piet into the country absolutely empty-handed, with a message to +the effect that I desired the permission of the king to cross his +borders, traverse the country, and visit him at his Place, hunting and +trading with his people on the way. I was at first somewhat undecided +as to whether or not I should entrust Piet with a present for the king, +but I finally decided that it would be better to wait until I should +obtain audience with His Majesty and then personally hand him the gift; +otherwise, for aught that I could tell to the contrary, the sable +monarch might seize the gift and then do away with poor Piet in some +horrible manner, while if the Tottie went empty-handed there would be no +inducement for the king to destroy him, or rather there would be the +prospect of the gift to deter him from doing so. Therefore, upon the +following morning, after charging the man with my message, and making +him repeat it over and over again to me until there was no possibility +of his forgetting it, I sent him across the river on foot with all the +provisions that we had left, and then, riding Prince and leading Punch, +to whose saddle I had securely strapped the elephant gun and my stock of +ammunition, I set out, accompanied by the dogs, on my return to the spot +where I had left the wagon. + +Upon my arrival I found Jan, my Tottie driver, in great tribulation, it +appearing that he had been beset by lions during the second night of my +absence, and that the brutes had killed no less than three of the oxen +and both zebras, despite the utmost efforts of himself and 'Ngulubi, the +Bantu voorlouper; while two other oxen had died through eating tulip, a +poisonous plant which he had too late discovered grew in profusion in +the immediate neighbourhood of the outspan. Furthermore, it appeared +that four of the other oxen had suffered severely from the same poison, +but had been saved by the prompt administration of a decoction made from +the roots of the plant. This was serious news, because I had promised +Piet that he should find us outspanned at the spot where he and I had +parted, and I knew not how soon he might return; therefore it was very +desirable that we should reach that spot without delay. After +considering the matter, therefore, I finally decided to cache all the +ivory which I had with me, abandon the pelts, and go forward to the +rendezvous with nothing in the wagon save the "truck" which I had +brought up with me as presents and for trading, the ammunition, and the +remains of our stock of provisions, which by this time was becoming +pretty well depleted. And this I did, arriving at the arranged meeting +place three days later, without suffering any further loss. + +It was well on in the afternoon of the tenth day after Piet's departure +when he turned up again, dusty, leg-weary, and somewhat footsore, but +otherwise not very much the worse for wear. He reported that the +country was pretty densely populated, the kraals being very extensive, +and dotted over the country at intervals of, in some cases, not more +than twenty miles apart, the first kraal at which he arrived being +within ten miles of the river bank. He described the Mashona as being a +very fine race of people, almost if not quite equal in physique to the +Zulus, but of a much more suspicious and unreliable character than the +latter, and apparently exceedingly averse to the intrusion of strangers. +Nevertheless, upon stating the nature of his mission, he had been +passed on from kraal to kraal until finally he had arrived at Gwanda, +the Place (or town) of King Lomalindela, which, it appeared, was +situated among a rather curious group of mountains, five days' march +from the river. Lomalindela, it seemed, had received my envoy with a +very considerable display of austerity, and had submitted him to a most +rigorous cross-questioning; but, luckily, the Tottie had nothing to +conceal, and was therefore able to tell a perfectly straightforward +story, which, as Piet believed, had not only allayed the monarch's +suspicions, but had also aroused in him a very lively curiosity to see +the white man and his wonderful fire tubes which slew from afar. The +result of the mission was therefore, on the whole, quite satisfactory, +the king having not only accorded me permission to enter his country and +kill game in it, but also entrusted my messenger with an invitation to +me to visit him at Gwanda, and remain there as long as I pleased. This +being the case, and the river having fallen nearly a foot since Piet and +I had first arrived at the ford, I seized the favourable opportunity, +and safely transferred the wagon and all my other belongings to the +Mashona side of the river upon the afternoon of the day of Piet's +return; and, following the course of the stream to which I attributed +the formation of the ford--and which, Piet informed me, led direct to +Gwanda--outspanned for the night some six miles to the northward of the +Limpopo. + +The next day we continued our trek, and shortly before noon arrived at +the first Mashona village on the route. It was a place of some +importance, containing about a thousand huts of the usual beehive shape, +but somewhat larger than those usually built by the Zulus, and with +entrances large enough to enable a man to pass through by merely bending +his body instead of having to go down upon his knees. The village was +circular in plan, and was protected by a solidly constructed stockade, +built of stout tree trunks driven deeply into the ground, with a slight +outward slope; the stockade being about sixteen feet high on the +outside, with the tops of the piles sharpened to render it unclimbable. +There were four gateways in the stockade, giving access to the two +principal streets, which crossed each other at right angles, +intersecting in the centre of the village, at which point there was a +spacious open square, where the public business of the village was +transacted and where the village sports were held. We did not enter the +village, but outspanned at a distance of about half a mile from its +eastern gate. + +The cattle had scarcely been turned loose to graze, under the +guardianship of 'Ngulubi, the voorlouper, when the headman of the +village, accompanied by some half a dozen minor dignitaries, and +followed by ten women bearing baskets containing preternaturally skinny +fowls, eggs, green mealie cobs, sugar cane, and calabashes of milk, +emerged from the village and advanced upon the wagon. The men were +unarmed, and the presence of the women with the baskets--the contents of +which were of course a present to us--showed that the visit was to be +one of ceremony and compliment; therefore with Piet's assistance I at +once proceeded to unpack one of my bales of "truck", and withdrew +therefrom the articles which I proposed to present in turn. I had +hardly completed my preparations when the little party arrived, and I +had an opportunity to study the first Mashonas I had ever seen. + +Both men and women were finely built and well proportioned, but their +best friends could not conscientiously pronounce them handsome; and +their unattractiveness was further increased by the expression of their +countenances which seemed to be compounded of suspicion, craftiness, +greed, and cruelty. They saluted me respectfully enough, however, +offered their presents, and then sat down, at my invitation, squatting +upon their heels in the usual native fashion, while I sorted out the +gifts which I intended to give them. These consisted of a bandana +handkerchief or two, a few yards of gaudily printed calico, a few yards +of copper wire, and a handful of mixed beads to each of the women; and +from the grins of appreciation of the recipients I concluded that they +were all well satisfied. Then, with the inquisitiveness of the lower +type of savage, they began to question me, not in a straightforward +fashion, but covertly and by roundabout processes, with the view of +discovering my motive for journeying so far from my own people; +whereupon I told them frankly that I was a hunter and trader, seeking +for ivory and gold. They did not seem to understand what I meant by +"gold" until I spoke of it as the yellow metal that shines when +polished, and showed them the ring that I wore; whereupon they nodded +their heads in comprehension, and shortly afterward rose and returned to +the village. But about half an hour later the headman and three others +came back to the wagon, bringing with them a number of rough-shaped +nuggets of a dull, ruddy-yellow gold, which looked as though they might +have been crudely smelted out of the quarried ore, and wanted to trade +them with me for beads and printed calico. The quantity which they +brought amounted to about twelve pounds avoirdupois altogether, which I +estimated to be worth between six and seven hundred pounds sterling; but +they fixed such an exorbitant value upon the metal that had I acceded to +their demands my stock of trade stuff would soon have been exhausted. +Of course the gold was worth far more than my entire stock of "truck", +but when I purchased the latter I had quite reckoned upon being able to +obtain for it as much gold as I could possibly load upon the wagon, and +still have "notions" enough left to supply all the presents that I +should probably find it necessary to make; therefore as soon as my +visitors pointed out to me what they required in exchange for their gold +I laughed at them, waved them away, and proceeded--not too hurriedly--to +repack my treasures. The result was what I had anticipated and +intended; they refused to leave the wagon, and gradually reduced their +demands until finally I obtained the whole of the gold for about two +yards of calico, a bandana handkerchief, four yards of copper wire, and +a handful of beads; and even these prices, I explained, were far higher +than I could possibly afford to give in future! + +I fully anticipated that the result of this transaction would be to +bring out the remainder of the villagers with proposals to barter such +gold as they might possess; but although so many of them turned out that +by sunset I estimated that every man, woman, and child in the village +must have visited the wagon, I saw no more gold that day. And for a +very good reason; for it afterwards appeared that the headman had spent +a busy afternoon going round the village, buying up every particle of +gold he could lay hands upon, doubtless with much profit to himself: and +on the following morning, while we were inspanning the oxen, he turned +up, accompanied by a couple of women bearing between them nearly sixty +pounds of gold, and detained me more than two hours while he haggled +with me over the sale of it. But I had by this time come fully to +understand that gold possessed absolutely no value for these people, +except as a plaything for the children; and the result was that when at +length I bade the man goodbye, and gave the order to trek, the fellow +was glad to let me have the whole at my own price, and I secured it upon +very favourable terms. + +I was now in high feather, for I had already secured, from one village +alone, more than seventy pounds of gold, which I estimated must be worth +close upon four thousand pounds sterling; and if I could do so well at +only one village, what might not I achieve by the time that I had traded +away all my "truck"? Already, in imagination, I saw myself back at +Bella Vista, with the house rebuilt and furnished in luxurious style, +the land amply restocked, and plenty of money in the bank as well! +Alas, I little guessed what lay before me; and it was just as well, +perhaps, that I did not; otherwise--But I must not get ahead of my +story. + +With my head full of pleasant visions, and my imagination busily +employed in the construction of _chateaux en Espagne_, we proceeded upon +our journey, travelling over undulating country which ahead manifested a +disposition to become hilly, and still closely following the course of +the stream, until, about noon, we arrived in the midst of what in the +distance had appeared to be a cluster of curiously shaped kopjes, but +now proved, to my great surprise, to be ruins, thickly overgrown with +vegetation. Here, my curiosity being powerfully aroused at so +unexpected a sight, and it being also time to outspan, I called a halt; +and while Piet busied himself in the preparation of my midday meal, I +took my rifle and sauntered off to examine the ruins. + +They proved to be very much more extensive than I had imagined, for when +I came to inspect them at close quarters I found that the structures +which had at first attracted my attention formed but a very small part +of the whole, the greater portion of the buildings having been razed to +the level of the ground, large heaps of rubbish and the foundations +being all that now remained, with the exception of the ruins +above-mentioned, of a town or village that had originally covered more +than a hundred acres of ground. + +But it was to the ruins which had originally arrested my attention that +I now chiefly devoted myself, entirely forgetful of the fact that a meal +was awaiting me at the wagon. And these remains I found to be +extraordinarily interesting, for I had not been among them ten minutes +before I became convinced that they were the work of a people of far +higher intelligence than the Mashonas--that they must indeed have been +built by a race having some pretensions to civilisation. For, while the +walls were for the most part built of dry rubble masonry, the lintels +and doorposts were of dressed stone, and--most remarkable circumstance +of all--were in many cases adorned with sculptures in low relief, of a +character strongly resembling those which I had seen portrayed in +pictures of Egyptian ruins. For example, there were figures of men +ploughing with oxen, driving laden asses, leading by the horns antelopes +which were perfectly recognisable as the oryx and springbok, others +leading baboons, leopards, giraffes, dogs, lions, and elephants, human +figures with heads of birds, lions, and rams, and figures of sphynxes +with human heads, or the heads of rams. And these figures were not by +any means the rough efforts of uncultured savages; on the contrary, they +were distinguished by a precision of line, a delicacy yet firmness of +touch, and an artistic beauty that could only have resulted from a very +high state of civilisation and culture. + +The buildings appeared to be mostly circular in plan, ranging from about +thirty to fifty feet in diameter, with walls averaging three feet in +thickness, one or more of these being surrounded by an outer wall, +approximately elliptical in plan, of some five feet in thickness. There +were five of these structures still standing in a sufficient state of +preservation to render them recognisable at a distance as buildings, and +a great many more--the precise number I did not trouble to ascertain--of +which nothing but the foundations remained. I prowled about among these +intensely interesting remains for several hours, until close upon sunset +in fact, examining them and striving to puzzle out their origin, and +then made my way back to the wagon, where I found Piet and Jan rapidly +working themselves into a fever of anxiety about my prolonged absence, +and earnestly debating the propriety of instituting a search for me. + +So profound were the interest and curiosity aroused within me by these +remarkable and mysterious relics of a lost and forgotten civilisation +that when Piet awakened me on the following morning with my early cup of +coffee and the enquiry whether it was my pleasure that the oxen should +be inspanned, I determined to devote at least a few hours to their +further examination, and issued my instructions accordingly. Then, as +soon as we had all breakfasted, I ordered Piet to take the sporting +double-barrel while I carried my rifle, and, with the two dogs +accompanying us, set out to complete my inspection. But, beyond the +finding of an elaborately sculptured stone sarcophagus, which we took +the liberty of breaking open, and which contained a mummified human body +and several earthenware utensils decorated with exquisite paintings--one +of which I appropriated and carried away--we discovered nothing further +that was worthy of particular mention; and about two o'clock in the +afternoon we inspanned and resumed our journey. + +An hour later, however, at a distance of some three miles from the +ruins, we arrived opposite a hill of solid rock some four hundred feet +in height and about a mile long, in the face of which I observed what I +at first took to be the mouth of a cave; but, looking at it more +closely, I presently perceived alongside it a great mass of debris. My +curiosity again got the better of me, and, calling a halt, I walked over +to it and proceeded to examine it at close quarters, with the result +that I soon convinced myself that the "cave" and its accompanying mound +of debris could be nothing else than an ancient working; while upon +entering the opening, which extended inward and downward for a distance +of nearly half a mile, I discovered evidence enough to prove that the +working was that of an extraordinarily rich gold mine, visible gold +showing everywhere in the worked face of the rock! And at once the idea +seized me that if I could but contrive to ingratiate myself sufficiently +with Lomalindela, His Majesty might be induced to grant me a concession +to work the mine, and so place me in possession of wealth "beyond the +dreams of avarice". I thought at first that possibly this might be the +identical mine from which the gold in my wagon had come, but a close +examination of the working at length convinced me that the rock had +remained untouched for ages; and then it occurred to me that perhaps the +dead and forgotten inhabitants of the ruined village which I had so +recently left might have been the miners. + +And now, with every mile of our progress, the country became more broken +and hilly, and at the same time more open and park-like, the great +masses of bush and scrub with which we had so long been familiar giving +place to trees of handsome appearance and noble proportions, growing for +the most part singly, but occasionally in clumps of from three or four +to a dozen or two, while occasionally the clumps magnified themselves +sufficiently to justify the term of a wood, or even a small forest; +moreover, the grass was in places profusely dotted with beautiful +flowers, while where the trees grew most thickly they were often +enwreathed with parasitic growths which, if they were not actually +orchids, very strongly resembled them, the blooms they abundantly bore +being of the most remarkable and often most beautiful shapes and +colours. Thus the broken character of the country, with its +accompanying features of swelling hills, scarred here and there with +foaming rivulets, ravines, and gorges hemmed in and overhung by lofty +trees garlanded with flowering parasites, and intermingled in places +with luxuriant shrubs--some of which bore leaves of such curious shapes +and brilliant colours that they might easily have been mistaken for +flowers--and with birds of strange forms and gaudy plumage flitting +hither and thither, was a most agreeable change from the characteristic +scenery of South Africa. It was a beautiful and very fertile country, +taken as a whole, and the nearer that we drew to Gwanda the more +forcibly was this fact borne in upon me, as also was the further fact +that the Mashonas were a very powerful nation, so far at least as +numbers were concerned; for every kraal at which we arrived was bigger +and more important in every way than the one that preceded it. + +The evening of the sixth day after we had crossed the Limpopo found us +outspanned upon the left bank of the stream which we had been closely +following from the moment of our passage of the river, with a lofty, +flat-topped mountain range, some fifty miles long, on our left hand, +springing from the plain close to the opposite margin of the stream, and +on our right two enormous mountains, some twenty miles apart from peak +to peak, and remarkable for their exceptional height--which I estimated +at fully fourteen thousand feet--as well as from the fact that they were +identical not only in shape, but also apparently in size and altitude. +In shape they were almost hemispherical, and to add to their similarity +each bore on its very summit a protuberance very much resembling in +appearance a beehive-shaped Kafir hut, but much larger, being probably +quite two hundred feet in height. The tops of these remarkable +mountains were covered with snow for a distance of about two thousand +feet from the summit, and very beautiful they looked, blushing a soft, +delicate pink in the last rays of the setting sun. The ground between +the two mountains--which I took to be a pair of long-extinct volcanoes-- +and the range on our left rose steadily, and therefore somewhat retarded +our progress when we continued our trek on the following day; but about +two o'clock in the afternoon we reached the summit of the slope and saw +before us a valley or basin, roughly circular in shape and some twenty +miles in diameter, hemmed in on all sides by hills, some of which were +lofty enough to be snow-capped on their summits; and in the very centre +of this valley lay Gwanda, the Kraal or Place of Lomalindela, the king +of the Mashona nation. + +It was an immense place, far exceeding in dimensions the biggest native +kraal that I had ever yet seen. It was circular in plan, like the other +Mashona kraals that I had passed on my way, and, also like them, it was +intersected by two main roads or streets, crossing each other at right +angles in the centre of the kraal, one road running due north and south, +while the other ran east and west. Each of these roads was about two +and a half miles long, with a great gate at either extremity, pierced in +the high and strong circular palisade which completely surrounded the +kraal; and at the point where these two main roads intersected in the +centre of the kraal each was widened in such a manner as to form a great +square about one hundred and sixty acres in extent, this doubtless being +the spot where all business of a ceremonial character was conducted. + +That some such business was impending we shortly afterward became aware, +for during the descent of the wagon into the valley we were overtaken +and passed by regiment after regiment of warriors, all decorated in full +war paraphernalia; and the induna of one of these informed me that a +general muster was proceeding, in preparation for the annual festival, +which was to be held on the day after the morrow. During the remainder +of that day we beheld an almost continuous stream of armed men +converging upon the town, not only by way of the road along which we +were travelling, but also from passes in the mountains all round the +valley. + +When the wagon had arrived within about a mile of the southern gate of +the town I was met by an official, who bore me a formal message of +welcome from the king, with an intimation that His Majesty would see me +on the morrow. The officer also indicated a certain spot, about half a +mile outside the south gate and near the bank of the stream, where he +suggested I should outspan the wagon, explaining that the king was of +opinion that I would be more comfortable out there, in comparative +seclusion, than in the overcrowded town, an opinion with which my own +completely coincided. And this opinion was strengthened to absolute +conviction when, as the sun sank behind the western mountains and the +soft, tropical night settled down upon the valley, our ears were +assailed by a perfect babel of sound emanating from the town, which, +even at the distance of half a mile, rendered sleep almost impossible. +What it would have been like to be lodged in the midst of the storm +focus I trembled to think. + +The din above hinted at was kept up until such a preposterously late +hour that it was not until early in the morning of the following day +that I finally fell asleep, with the result that I rather overslept +myself; and when Piet brought me my usual cup of coffee he at the same +time brought me an intimation that envoys had already arrived from +Gwanda with a message from the king, to the effect that His Majesty was +now prepared to grant me an interview. I did not hurry, however, but +rose and dressed with more deliberation than usual, for my experience is +that a savage--even although that savage happens to be a king--respects +a white man in direct proportion to the time that the latter keeps him +waiting; therefore I directed Piet to inform the messengers that I was +not yet ready to receive them, but would do so as soon as I had partaken +of breakfast. I kept the men--it required six of them, it appeared, to +bring the king's message--about an hour, and then condescended to +interview them, sending them back with an intimation that I was about to +select from among my treasures certain articles which I intended to +offer as gifts to His Majesty, and that when I had done so I would so +far honour him as to call and make the presentation in person. + +I delivered this message with all the aloofness and dignity of manner +that I could muster, and was gratified to observe that it was not +without its effect upon the king's envoys, who accorded me the salute of +"'Nkos'!" upon their departure. Then, as soon as they were gone, I +unpacked my bales and proceeded to sort out and set aside the gifts +which I intended to offer for His Majesty's acceptance. By dint of a +little artful questioning I had contrived to gain the information that +King Lomalindela was a man of about my own stature and build, and I kept +this information in mind when selecting my gifts. I assumed that, as in +the case of King Moshesh, a military uniform would prove the most +acceptable gift that I could possibly offer a savage monarch; and upon +examining my stock in trade I discovered that I possessed the complete +uniform of a sergeant of hussars--tunic, pelisse, trousers and boots +combined, shako with red and white horsehair plume complete, and a +sabre--which, upon trial, seemed to fit me pretty well, if perhaps just +a shade tight. I therefore decided upon this, together with a length of +some two and a half feet of brass chain, the ends of which I united by a +split ring, to which I attached one of my small circular shaving +mirrors; and to this I added a dozen little brass boxes full of mixed +beads, these last being intended as gifts for the king's favourite +wives. Then, putting the whole in a parcel which I entrusted to Piet's +care, I mounted Prince, and, accompanied by my trusty Hottentot henchman +on foot, set out to traverse the short distance between the wagon and +Gwanda. + +The arrival of a white man in the Mashona country was evidently a quite +unique event, exciting the utmost curiosity in the minds of the +inhabitants--indeed, I subsequently learned that such a thing had never +happened since the memorable visit of my friend Major Henderson and his +partner, Van Raalte, consequently it was only a very few of the older +men who had ever beheld a white man before; for as I rode along at a +foot-pace, with Piet respectfully walking in my rear, the whole way was +lined on either side by thousands of men, women, and children, who had +turned out for the express purpose of beholding such an astonishing +spectacle, this, it appeared, being rendered all the more extraordinary +by the fact that horses were unknown to the Mashonas, and not one of +them, save the half-dozen or so elders above-mentioned, had ever so much +as heard of a mounted man! Therefore my slow progress was marked by a +continuous volley of "Au's!" uttered with the hand held over the mouth, +indicative of the utmost astonishment and awe. The same sort of thing, +only in a very much more marked degree, prevailed inside the town, every +one of the inhabitants of which appeared to have made a point of turning +out to witness my arrival. I rode right up through the main street of +the town as far as the great square of which I have spoken as occupying +its centre, and there, finding that the entire square was lined with +troops in full panoply of war--from which I surmised that my visit was +intended to be regarded as a state function--I dismounted, and, still +carrying my trusty rifle, turned my horse over to the care of a savage +who seemed to be more than half-afraid of the animal. Then, with Piet +following close at my heels, I passed through a gap which had been +hastily made in the line of troops, and found myself in the great +square--and in the presence of King Lomalindela. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +I FIND MYSELF IN AN EXCEEDINGLY AWKWARD DILEMMA. + +The king--as to whose identity there could be no possible mistake--was +seated in the very centre of the great square upon some sort of throne, +the precise shape and material of which I could not make out, for it was +entirely hidden by an immense and magnificent kaross of lions' skins; +and formed up in a semicircle behind and around him were about a hundred +warriors, the arms and accoutrements of whom were of so elaborate and +splendid a character that I at once judged them--rightly, as it +afterward turned out--to be chiefs. + +But since the king was seated in the exact centre of the great square, +there was still a space of nearly four hundred and fifty yards +separating us when I passed through the line of warriors; therefore, for +the moment, I could only take in the general effect of the group, and +very imposing it was. For, with the exception of some half a dozen +elders, every one of those chiefs was in the very prime of life, ringed +of course, standing fully six feet in height, each one of them bearing +the scars of many battles--as I perceived when I drew near--and +evidently men who knew not the meaning of the word fear. And in every +respect worthy of them was their king, whom, as I approached, I saw to +be a man apparently of about thirty-five to forty years of age, +splendidly proportioned, and probably quite as tall as the tallest of +his chiefs, although I could only judge his height approximately, since +he was sitting down. Unlike his warriors, however, he was naked, save +for the usual mucha or apron of monkeys' tails round his loins, and a +superb leopard-skin kaross over his shoulders; and he was also unarmed, +save for a bangwan or stabbing spear with an enormous blade, which he +held carelessly across his knees as I approached. But I did not like +the expression of his countenance, or indeed that of any of the Mashona, +which seemed to me to be compounded of craftiness, treachery, and +ferocious cruelty. Moreover, His Majesty seemed to be in anything but a +good humour--perhaps I had kept him waiting rather too long; for as I +approached near enough to note the expression upon his features I +observed that his brows were contracted into a heavy frown, and there +was a certain glitter in his eyes that I by no means liked. However, if +he chanced to be striving to daunt me by his scowling looks it was +important that he should be made to understand that he had by no means +succeeded; therefore, walking slowly and with all the dignity I could +assume, I marched straight up to him, and, looking him fearlessly in the +eyes, halted about ten feet from him, and, giving him a military salute, +remarked, in the Bantu tongue: + +"Greeting, Lomalindela, King and Lord of the Mashona! I, Edward +Laurence, one of the mighty English race, salute thee!" + +"I see thee, white man of the unpronounceable name," answered the king +somewhat ungraciously. "Ye desired audience of me, and I have given it +you; say now, therefore, why have ye come into my country, and what want +ye now that I have permitted you to enter it?" + +"Nay, O King," I retorted, "beyond what you have already given me-- +namely, permission to hunt in your country--I want little or nothing, +except permission to trade with your people. There is gold in +Mashonaland, which is a metal that, so far as I have thus seen, ye have +little use for; but among my own people it possesses a certain value: +therefore have I come hither, bringing with me goods which I am prepared +to barter for gold among your people, if they will. But if not, it +matters not; I can buy ivory with those goods on my way back to mine own +land. Also, I am seeking a young white 'ntombozaan who was stolen from +among us some twenty-two moons ago, and carried off into the interior, +whither I know not. I think she cannot have been brought so far as +this; yet, who knows? Have you heard or seen aught of such an +'ntombozaan, O King?" + +"I have not, white man, nor is she in Mashonaland, for otherwise I +should have heard of it and seen her," answered Lomalindela. "The few +strangers who enter my country are brought to me, and I deal with them +as I will. No, she has not been here; therefore that part of your +errand is soon disposed of. And as to the other part of it, I will +consider the matter at my leisure. Have ye aught else to say to me?" + +"Merely to ask Your Majesty's acceptance of certain gifts which I have +brought with me. Is it the king's pleasure that I produce them?" I +blandly enquired. + +An expression of covetousness flashed into the king's eyes as he nodded +and replied briefly: + +"Yes, you may produce them." + +I beckoned to Piet, who, as my supposed body servant, had been permitted +to enter the great square with me, and he at once stepped forward with +the bundle containing the presents, which he laid at my feet. Then +deliberately, and with as much ceremony as I could infuse into so +commonplace an act, I unfastened the bundle, extracted the items of +uniform one by one, unfolded them, and held them up for inspection. The +king regarded each garment attentively and somewhat wonderingly as I +held it up, but did not appear to be very profoundly impressed; and I +began to fear that my great coup was about to miss fire. When, however, +I came to the sword, drew it from its scabbard, flourished the +glittering blade round my head, and made several cuts and points at an +imaginary enemy, His Majesty sat upright in his chair and began to +manifest a little more interest. + +"Is that one of the white man's fighting weapons?" he demanded, +stretching forth his hand for it. + +"It is," answered I, as I handed it to him. And forthwith I proceeded +to explain to him how it was used. He examined the weapon with much +curiosity, ran his thumb along the edge, remarked that it was not very +sharp, and then, to my unutterable dismay, handed it back to me, saying: + +"Good! Thou shalt show me how it is used. One of my warriors, armed +with spear and shield, shall fight thee!" + +For a second or two I was too dumbfounded to speak. I knew that savages +were subject to queer and unexpected turns of thought, but this was a +development that I had never foreseen even in my most fantastic +imaginings, and I was utterly at a loss as to how I was to deal with +such an extraordinary situation. It was not that I was exactly afraid +to meet a savage in mortal combat, for I had often done so before; but +that was on the field of battle, when my opponents were the enemies of +my race, thirsting for the white man's blood, and when my only choice +lay between killing and being killed. But to deliberately engage in a +cold-blooded duel with a man against whom I had no grudge, and to incur +the obligation of killing or being killed merely to gratify the whim of +a savage monarch, was quite another matter, and one that, to confess the +simple truth, I had no fancy for. Yet how to escape the dilemma I knew +not, though it was forcibly borne in upon me that it would never do for +me to betray the slightest hesitation, for savage kings are kittle +cattle to deal with, and to cross even their lightest mood may often +result in a ghastly tragedy. Therefore, more in the hope of gaining +time than for any other reason, I said: + +"Nay, O King, it were mere waste of good material to slay one of thy +warriors in order to show thee how this weapon is used, nor is it +necessary; I can make the matter quite clear to thee without killing a +man, and will do so in due time. Let me now proceed to display the +remainder of my gifts;" and hastily diving into the parcel I produced +the length of brass chain with the shaving mirror attached, held it up +for an instant that all might see, and then placed it round my own neck, +to show how it was to be worn. And at that moment what seemed to me to +be a brilliant inspiration seized me, and I began to talk somewhat +hurriedly, in the hope of diverting the king's mind from the idea of the +suggested duel. + +"This," said I, removing the chain and mirror from my neck and offering +it to His Majesty, "is great magic, for it enables a man to see himself. +Behold!" And I held it up so that Lomalindela might see the reflection +of his own visage in it. He took it doubtingly and hesitatingly in his +hand--for there is nothing a South African savage dreads so much as +magic or witchcraft--and a low, awestricken ejaculation of "Au!" escaped +him at what he beheld. + +"And that is not all," I continued. "This magic disk enables its owner +to see what is happening behind him. As thus:" and I slightly turned +the mirror in his hand as he held it, in such a fashion that he could +see the faces of the various chiefs who stood behind him. + +"Finally," I proceeded, "it has the power of temporarily blinding an +enemy, and so giving its possessor power over him--thus:" and, as I +spoke, I turned the mirror in such a fashion that it flashed the rays of +the sun right into the eyes of several of the soldiers lining the +square, who, despite the awful breach of discipline involved in the +action, incontinently raised their shields as the dazzling reflection +struck their eyes. + +"Au!" ejaculated Lomalindela in awestruck tones, as he handled the +mirror doubtfully; "it is great and good magic, for it enables a man to +see the enemy who comes creeping up behind him, and to blind the enemy +who assails him in front. I thank thee, white man. Thou shalt show me +how to use it too." + +"Certainly," I replied hastily. "All in good time. And now, lastly, +behold! here are boxes of beads for thy favourite wives, wherewith they +may adorn themselves." + +The king took the brass boxes, one by one, in his hands, turned them +over and looked at them, and then calmly drew from the lobe of his right +ear an ivory snuffbox about the same size, and substituted therefor one +of the other boxes, amid low murmurs of admiration from the chiefs in +his rear. + +"It is good; and again I thank thee, white man," he remarked, as he +placed the remaining brass boxes in the hands of one of the chiefs, with +a low-murmured order, the purport of which I could not catch. "Yes, it +is good," he repeated, turning to me. "But what are these things good +for?" he enquired, pointing to the little pile of clothes which I had +replaced in the bundle. + +"Listen, O King, and I will tell thee," I replied. "In the land where +the white men live there are kings even as there are in this land; and-- +also as in this land--they are men undistinguishable from other men, +save by their clothing. Also, as in Mashonaland, the king is a soldier, +the chief and general of all his troops; and he is distinguishable from +all others by the magnificence of his clothing. Therefore, when I +decided to visit Mashonaland, and the matter of suitable presents arose +in my mind, I decided that I could not possibly offer anything more +suitable and acceptable to the King of Mashona than the garb of a +soldier such as a king wears. And, behold, there it is!" + +"Au!" ejaculated Lomalindela, regarding the little heap with new +interest. "Is that, then, the garb that the king of the white men +wears?" + +"Even so," I answered, straining the truth a little. "It is the garb of +a soldier, and that is the kind of garb which a white king wears upon +state occasions, such as a review of his troops, or upon the occasion of +some very great and important ceremonial." + +"Good!" ejaculated the king. "Thy gift comes most opportunely. +To-morrow is the day of the great annual festival in Mashonaland, when I +review all my soldiers, and when the witch doctors smell out those who +are my secret enemies. I will wear it then. But thou, white man, must +show me how each thing is used, for I have never before seen anything +like them." + +"Assuredly I will," said I. "Shall it be now?" The king considered for +a moment, and then answered in the affirmative, at the same time +beckoning to a certain chief, an elderly, grey-headed man, and giving +him an order; whereupon the chief--whom I assumed to be deep in his +monarch's confidence--left his place in the semicircular cordon behind +the throne, and, advancing to where the bundle lay at my feet, lifted it +reverentially and bore it away to a large, rectangular hut--which I took +to be the itunkulu, or king's house--at the far corner of the square, +whither Lomalindela and I forthwith followed him. This hut, which was +about fifty feet long by about forty feet broad, and some seven feet +high to the eaves of the roof, was built of what is known in Cape Colony +as "wattle and daub"; that is to say, the walls had been constructed of +interlaced wattle-work plastered over with mud and allowed to dry in the +heat of the sun, after which they and the roof had been thickly thatched +with palm leaves. This effectually turned the heavy tropical rain to +which the country is subject at certain seasons of the year, and was +also a pretty effectual protection against the scorching rays of the +sun; consequently the interior temperature of such a structure, stifling +though it frequently was, was not nearly so great as that of the outer +air. In this particular case, too, the doorway, unlike that of the +usual Kafir hut, was high enough to permit a full-grown man to enter +without stooping; but, like other Kafir huts, this was entirely +destitute of windows, the only light, during the daytime at least, being +what entered by the doorway. A minute or two, however, sufficed for the +eye to become accustomed to the change of light, and when mine had done +so I perceived that the interior of this particular hut was divided by +wattle partitions into apparently three apartments, two in the front +half and the other--which I surmised to be sacred to the king's +emposeni, or harem--occupying the rear half. The apartment which we +first entered was probably the king's sitting-room, for it contained +nothing but a low divan-like arrangement running all round the walls and +covered with rich karosses, while through the doorway leading to the +other apartment I caught an indistinct glimpse of what looked like a +rough imitation of a couch or bed, also heaped high with karosses. + +The king lost no time in coming to the point. He signed to the +attendant chief to place the bundle on the divan, then turned to me and +said: + +"Now, white man, teach me how to array myself in the garb of the white +kings." + +"Then," said I, taking up the booted trousers, "this is the first +garment which Your Majesty must don." And I explained as best I could +how he was to clothe himself. The fact that the boots were attached to +the trousers made the assumption of the garment somewhat awkward, but +luckily the boots were ample in size, and the monarch managed to get his +feet into them without much difficulty. Then I explained how he must +tuck the mucha inside, and when this was done, and the garment drawn up +round his waist, I passed the braces over his shoulders and showed him +how to button them. The trousers were scarlet--just a little off colour +with wear, I am afraid--with a broad stripe of yellow braid down the +outer seam, and the effect was evidently satisfactory to the king, who +walked up and down the room several times admiring himself. Then I took +up the tunic, and after I had explained how it was worn the induna and I +assisted His Majesty to get into it, and I buttoned it down the front. +Next I attached the fur-trimmed pelisse to one shoulder, adjusted the +shoulder belt, threw the brass chain with mirror attached round his +neck, placed the plumed shako on his head, girded the sword about his +waist, and there he stood, a most grotesque yet withal not unkingly +figure, fully attired in the uniform of a hussar. + +The effect upon the induna was tremendous; he stood for several seconds +gazing open-mouthed upon the awe-inspiring apparition of his king in the +new and strange attire, and then, flinging himself prone upon the ground +with his hands over his eyes, exclaimed: + +"It is too much; mine eyes are not strong enough to gaze upon so much +splendour! Bayete! Bayete!! Bayete!!!" + +As for the king, his gratification and pride were unbounded: never +before, I suppose, had he beheld any man so completely overpowered with +admiration as this old induna; and if such was the effect of his +appearance upon a man with whom he was, comparatively speaking, +familiar, what might he not expect to be the result when he exhibited +himself in his kingly attire to his troops? He swelled visibly with +gratified vanity--for vanity and fear of witchcraft are the two +overmastering emotions of the savage--grinned from ear to ear as he took +the mirror in his hand and gazed admiringly at the reflected image of +himself crowned with the smart shako and its nodding horsehair plume, +and finally turned to me with the question: + +"Say now, white man, what think ye? Do I look like a white king?" + +"In every respect, Your Majesty," answered I, with several mental +reservations. + +"Au! it is good; it is very good indeed!" he exclaimed. "Now am I a +white king, and when my enemies behold me they shall tremble, and their +hearts shall melt within them as the snow upon the mountain tops melts +when the glory of the sun shines upon it. Their courage shall fail and +their spirit shall wither at the sight of me, even as the grass withers +and shrivels at the breath of fire. I am the king!" + +A silence of a few minutes followed this rhapsody, then he turned to the +still prostrate induna, and, kicking him gently in the ribs with his +booted foot, exclaimed: + +"Rise, Mapela, and behold me! You must grow accustomed to the sight of +me in my kingly garb, for now that I have it I shall often delight the +eyes of my people by wearing it. Say, now, shall I go forth this +instant and make glad the hearts of the soldiers who are gathered in the +great square by showing myself to them?" + +Mapela revolved this very important question in his mind for nearly a +minute; then he raised his head and answered: + +"If, O Great, Great One, the words of the humblest of thy servants carry +weight with thee I would say, show not thyself in thy glorious garb +until to-morrow. There are but a few warriors in the square to-day, so +few that they are altogether unworthy of so great an honour as that +which thou dost suggest; moreover, they would go away and babble to +others of what they had seen, and much of the glory and splendour of thy +first appearance in those magnificent garments would be wasted. Wait +until to-morrow, O Elephant whose tread causes the earth to tremble with +fear, and then--when the whole army is gathered together, and all can +see thee at the same moment--thou shalt reveal thyself in all thy +magnificent splendour, and--and--words fail me to predict the result." + +"Perhaps thou art right, Mapela the Wise One," answered the king, kindly +overlooking--or perhaps not noticing--the rather lame and impotent +conclusion of the induna's high-flown speech. "Yes; perhaps thou art +right," (this rather regretfully). "But there is no reason why I should +not at once show myself to my wives; and, by the bones of my royal +father, I will! There be those among them who of late have shown a +tendency to make light of my words and hold me of small account. I will +see what they will say and how they will act when they behold me as I +now am!" + +And therewith, Lomalindela, autocrat of the Mashona nation, lord of life +and death over nearly a million people, stalked across the room with his +sword clanking at his heels, drew aside a curtain, and disappeared +behind it. There followed a breathless silence for the space of perhaps +half a minute, a silence deep, pregnant, and almost awe-inspiring; and +then there floated out from the other side of the kaross curtain a +little shriek in an unmistakable feminine tone of voice, a shriek +expressive of mingled astonishment, awestruck wonder, and delight, +immediately followed by a perfectly deafening clamour of exclamations +and laughter from at least fifty women--if their number might be gauged +by the volume of sound that they created--amid which might be +imperfectly caught, at intervals, the deep tones of Lomalindela's voice, +raised apparently in remonstrance, entreaty, and indignation. + +Mapela, the Wise One, and I glanced enquiringly at each other, and +methought that even in the semi-obscurity of that darkened interior I +could detect the ghost of a twinkle of amusement in the old induna's +eyes; for my own part, I remember that I was grinning from ear to ear as +my imagination conjured up a picture of the scene which was enacting +behind that curtain. The shouts, exclamations, laughter, and +remonstrances increased rather than diminished as the moments sped, and +presently Mapela came to me, took me by the arm, and gently led me from +the itunkulu, saying as he did so: + +"Come, 'mlungu; let us go. A king is but a man, after all, among his +women folk, and it is not seemly that you and I should linger and hear +more of what is passing yonder." + +Once safely away from the itunkulu, and beyond reach of the unseemly +sounds which issued therefrom, Mapela conducted me to the group of +chiefs still gathered round the royal chair and introduced me to them +severally and individually; then, discreetly and with a certain air of +mystery, he hinted to his fellow indunas that the investiture of the +Great, Great One had been successfully accomplished, with such amazing +and magnificently splendid results that it would be well for them all to +spend the night in preparing to be astonished, for on the morrow they +should find themselves overwhelmed with wonder and admiration. And +finally, he threw out a cautious feeler with the object of ascertaining +whether perchance it had occurred to me that it might be politic on my +part to confirm the excellent impression which I had already made by +bestowing upon him and his fellow indunas a small--a very small--modicum +of the inestimable treasures which they all knew my wagon must still +contain. To this I replied that the idea was at that moment the one +uppermost in my mind, and that I gladly availed myself of the +opportunity afforded by the king's temporary absence to invite them to +call upon me in a body as soon as possible, to receive my largesse. + +Then I, in turn, took up my parable, and, in humble emulation of +Mapela's engaging frankness, hinted that if by any chance the king--or +anybody else--should feel moved to display a feeling of friendliness to +the extent of bestowing upon me a return present, I wanted nothing of +actual value--such as spears, shields, and the like--but would gladly +accept as much of that useless stuff, gold, as people might desire to +force upon me, the accumulation of gold being one of my chief hobbies; +eccentric, amusing, perhaps even ridiculous, but--well, there it was. +And I accompanied my final statement with a shrug of the shoulders which +I intended should express deprecation of my own folly. I intercepted a +glance and nod of intelligence and amusement which passed round the +circle at this naive confession of folly on my part, and at that moment +the king, shorn of his temporary glories, and with a distinct frown of +annoyance upon his royal brow, emerged from the itunkulu and stalked +towards us. Also, to my secret discomfiture, I observed that he carried +in his hand the sword which I had just presented to him, and in the use +of which he had expressed a desire to be instructed. I began to think +that I had permitted my passion for harmony and completeness to carry me +rather too far when I included the sword with the other items of the +uniform which I had selected for presentation to King Lomalindela; and I +resolved, there and then, never again to include lethal weapons of any +description among my gifts to savages. + +The king flung himself down into his throne with much of the petulance +of manner that is observable in the demeanour of a spoilt child when its +temper has been ruffled, from which I surmised that the impression +produced upon the ladies of his harem by His Majesty's martial garb had +fallen short in some respects of what he had anticipated; that in fact, +and not to put too fine a point upon it, His Majesty's vanity had been +taken down a peg or two--for the which I was rather sorry, because I +somehow had a premonition that the resulting soreness of temper would +recoil upon me. And, for once in a way, my premonition was promptly +verified; for after scowling round for a minute or two upon all and +sundry, maintaining meanwhile an ominous silence, the king straightened +himself up and said sharply: + +"Now, white man, we have wasted enough time in folly; let us proceed +with the matter which I was discussing when you interrupted me. You +were about to show me how this thing which you call a `sword' should be +used. You shall show me now. Mapela, choose you a skilled warrior from +your regiment, that he may fight this white man, and that I may thus be +able to judge the real value of the white man's gift. The white man +shall be armed only with the sword, and the Mashona's weapons shall be +his shield and stabbing spear." + +Saluting, Mapela strode across the square to where his regiment was +drawn up, and moved slowly along the ranks, critically eyeing each man +over as he did so. I believed that I had succeeded in producing a +tolerably good impression upon Mapela; moreover, it was to his interest +that I should not be killed, for if I should chance to be slain he might +bid goodbye to his hopes of obtaining a present from me: and I began to +wonder whether "the Wise One" possessed enough mental acuteness and +alertness to conceive the idea of quietly warning the warrior whom he +might choose that there was no need for him to put up a real fight, and +that every purpose would be served if the warrior, while feigning to use +his best endeavours to kill me, should skilfully permit me to disarm +him. Unfortunately, however, Mapela could not know what was passing in +my mind, and I had missed the only opportunity that had presented itself +for discussing the matter with him--which was while the king was +displaying his fine feathers to his ladies; and it might very well +happen that the old induna, animated by the best intentions in the world +toward me, might select a foeman whom he might deem well worthy of my +steel, for the purpose of enabling me to display my skill before the +king. It was a most annoying dilemma for a peaceably disposed young +fellow like myself, with a natural aversion to unnecessary strife and +bloodshed, to find himself in, and for the life of me I could see no way +out of it. The king was clearly in no mood to listen to argument; +indeed, he was evidently very much ruffled in temper, and in just that +frame of mind which would impel him to insist the more strongly on +having his own way should I attempt anything in the nature of +dissuasion: therefore all I could see for it was to submit to his whim, +and do my best to disarm my antagonist without hurting him. + +By the time that I had thus far considered the matter, Mapela had made +his choice, and now approached us, accompanied by a fine, stalwart young +Mashona warrior of some five or six and twenty years of age, a ringed +man, whose smooth, dark skin was already seamed here and there with +scars that told of more than one hard-fought fight, and whose lithe and +easy movements indicated that he was in the very pink of fighting +condition. Halting within a pace or two of where I stood, near the +king, Mapela saluted, and said: + +"Behold, O Great, Great One, I have chosen a warrior, even as you bade +me. He is named 'Mfuni, and is the son of Matanga, one of our most +skilled and cunning fighters, who has carefully trained his son in all +the arts of warfare. Is my choice approved?" + +I looked at my proposed antagonist, and a single glance into his eyes, +aglow with pride and resolution, convinced me that whatever hope I might +have cherished regarding Mapela's supposed desire for my escape from the +ordeal to which I was about to be subjected had been utterly misplaced. +His cupidity in respect of possible gifts, if indeed he had been +animated by any such feeling, had evidently been swamped by his sense of +duty to his king, and he had as evidently picked a warrior well +calculated, in his opinion, to uphold and maintain the honourable +traditions of the Mashona army. 'Mfuni's every look and movement +clearly proclaimed that he regarded himself as the chosen champion of +the entire Mashona nation, and that he was fully prepared to lay down +his life in the endeavour to uphold its prestige. It was clear that I +should have to look well to myself if I desired to see the light of +another day. + +Moved by a sudden impulse to avoid, if possible, a combat that, however +it might end, could be of no possible advantage to me, I turned to the +king and said: + +"Surely Your Majesty is not in earnest in insisting that I should fight +the man in order to demonstrate the way in which the sword that I have +given thee should be used? I can show thee all that there is to show, +without the slightest need for bloodshed, as thus--permit me!" and I +took the sword from the king's hand, unsheathed it, and, laying the +scabbard at the king's feet, approached 'Mfuni, smiling into the man's +eyes to show him that I meant him no harm. + +"Now, 'Mfuni," said I, as I halted within striking distance of him, +"raise thy spear, as though thou wert about to strike it through my +heart." + +The man looked doubtfully at me, and then flung a lightning glance of +enquiry at the king. But the latter made no sign; therefore, after a +moment's pause, 'Mfuni raised his spear as I had bade him. + +"Now," I continued, in a low voice, intended only for his ear, "when I +say `Strike', thrust at me--not too quickly, but just quick enough to +make the blow look real. Strike!" + +Prompt at the word, the man struck, exactly as I had told him to do; and +without the least difficulty I parried the blow, shearing the head of +the spear from its haft, and leaving the latter in the astonished +savage's hand. + +"You see, O Great One?" I said, stepping back and turning to the king. +"The thing is quite simple; a mere turn of the wrist does it--thus,"-- +and I illustrated my meaning by parrying an imaginary thrust. "The head +of your adversary's spear is shorn off, and he is disarmed and at your +mercy, to be slain or not, as you may choose. And that is all there is +in it. No need to fight in order to show how the sword should be used." + +The king glowered at me for several seconds in silence. Then, with a +scornful laugh, he exclaimed: + +"Pah! that was nothing; a boy of six years could have done as much. And +'Mfuni made no effort to slay thee, else thou wouldst not be alive now. +I begin to have my doubts of thee, white man. Dost thou desire my +death, that thou hast given me a weapon of no use in the time of +battle?" + +"But it is of use," I insisted hotly. "For nearly twelve moons I, with +others, fought the Tembu, the Pondos, and the Griquas, using a similar +weapon to this, and I am alive this day." + +"Then," retorted Lomalindela, with a malicious grin, "if thou art so +sure of the effectiveness of the weapon, let me see thee use it in a +real fight. Mapela, give 'Mfuni thy spear. And, hark ye, 'Mfuni, if +thou canst slay the white man, or even disable him, thou shalt choose +twenty head of cattle from mine own herd, and they shall be thine. But +if the white man proves to be the victor in the fight, and there is +still life in thee when it is over, I swear, by the bones of my royal +father, that thou shalt be given to the ants! Thou hearest?" + +"I hear, O Great, Great One, Calf of the Black Bull, Elephant whose +tread shakes the earth. Bayete!" answered 'Mfuni, lifting on high the +haft of the spear from which I had shorn the head. + +So I was in for it, with no ghost of a chance of escape; and the very +gift--or, rather, one item of it--upon which I had so confidently relied +to win me the favour and goodwill of the king had, through that +monarch's capricious and suspicious nature, been the instrument by means +of which I had become involved in a duel that must almost inevitably end +in a ghastly tragedy. For, after what the king had said to my +antagonist, there was no doubt that the fellow would do his utmost to +kill me; while I, in pure self-defence, and also for his sake, must do +my best to kill him. I fully understood, the meaning of the king's +horrible threat to give the poor fellow to the ants; and, rather than +see him condemned to so dreadful a fate, I would slay him with my own +hand! + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +I FIGHT THE CHAMPION OF THE MASHONA ARMY. + +In obedience to the king's command, Mapela left his place among his +fellow indunas, and, stalking across the intervening space, handed his +bangwan--a spear with a stout haft about three and a half feet long, to +which was attached a head some eighteen inches long by seven and a half +inches wide, the two edges of which were almost razor keen--to 'Mfuni. +And while he was doing this, and whispering a few hurried words to my +prospective antagonist, I divested myself of my jacket, and handing it +and my rifle to Piet, who all this while had stood motionless as a +statue, said: + +"Take these and hold them for me, Piet. And if I should be killed, make +your way at once to the place where I have left my horse, shooting any +man who may attempt to stop you--the rifle is loaded--and mount and ride +for your life to the wagon. And if you are fortunate enough to reach it +alive, you, with Jan and 'Ngulubi, had better take all the horses, all +the guns, and as much ammunition as you may have time to lay your hands +on, and ride for your lives back to the Limpopo, on the other side of +which you will be reasonably safe. After which, you must do the best +you can for yourselves. And if you should be lucky enough to get back +home, find Major Henderson and tell him all that has happened and--how I +died." + +"All right, baas," answered Piet cheerfully, as he took my coat and +rifle from me; "I'll remember all that you say. But I ain't afraid, +baas; you're not goin' to die just yet. You'll beat that black nigger +all right." (The fellow was himself as black as the ace of spades.) +"All you got to do, baas, is to take care that he don' work roun' you +so's to get the sun in your eyes, that's all." + +By this time 'Mfuni was once more armed, while Mapela had left him and +was wending his way back to his place among his fellow indunas, whose +eyes, like those of the king, and indeed every man in the square, were +now intently watching every movement of their champion and myself. As I +walked leisurely toward 'Mfuni, rolling up my right shirt sleeve the +while, I saw that the fellow was watching me keenly as a cat watches a +mouse, and, despite my apparent unconcern, I kept an equally wary eye +upon him, knowing, from his tense attitude, that he might attack me at +any moment. As I now approached him, the sun was immediately behind me, +and, mindful of Piet's advice, I was determined to keep it there, if +possible; although there was this disadvantage about the arrangement, +that the king, with his group of indunas, was far enough forward on my +left front to be just within my range of vision, and any sudden movement +upon the part of any of them was liable to attract my attention from my +antagonist and leave me open to his attack. But I quickly made up my +mind to dismiss them altogether from my thoughts; and at the instant +when I came to this resolution 'Mfuni, with a sudden spring, leapt +within arm's length of me, with his spear upraised in the act of +striking. + +Instantly I threw up my blade in position, ready to parry; but beyond +this, and coming to a halt, I took no notice of my antagonist's +movement, for I had already made my plans for the fight, these +consisting simply in acting upon the defensive until a favourable +opportunity should reveal itself--and keeping my back to the sun. But +'Mfuni was as quick as myself to recognise the advantage that the latter +would give me, and did his utmost to deprive me of it by springing first +to one side and then to the other, hoping no doubt that I should be +tempted to turn and face him, until, by repeated turns, he should +contrive to get the sun in my eyes. I defeated this amiable project, +however, by keeping my eyes steadfastly fixed upon his, and thus reading +and forestalling his intentions--for I have found that the eye is the +one feature of the human countenance that will not lend itself to +deception; and thus for several minutes we danced hither and thither, +right and left, my opponent continually flashing his spear before my +eyes and making feints, while I simply held myself ready to parry his +stroke the moment that I should see it coming. And presently it came in +good earnest, for the patience of the savage is soon worn down--came +with the quickness of a lightning flash. But, quick as it was, I +intercepted it; the moment I saw that it was really coming, round +whirled my blade, and down fell the point of the spear, shorn clean off +at its junction with the haft, and 'Mfuni stood disarmed before me. + +For the fraction of a second he stood gazing with dilated eyes, +apparently unable to realise that he was beaten; then, to my amazement, +he stooped swiftly and snatched the severed spearhead from the ground. +Unprepared as I was for the action, I yet had enough presence of mind to +spring back and away from him; and well was it for me that I did so, for +almost before I could recover from my astonishment the man was upon me, +stabbing furiously at me with the spearhead in one hand, while with his +shield in the other he covered his body. So sudden and furious was the +onslaught that, in spite of myself, I was driven back some half a dozen +paces, while a low murmur from the onlookers rapidly strengthened to a +deafening roar of applause and encouragement; then, in parrying an +unusually vicious stab, I unwittingly slashed the poor fellow across the +right hand so severely that he incontinently dropped his blade and once +more stood disarmed before me: whereupon, driving him back by +threatening him with my point, I stepped forward and placed my foot upon +the spearhead. + +"Do you yield and admit yourself beaten, 'Mfuni?" I demanded in a low +voice. + +"I yield; I am beaten, 'Nkos'," answered the man, lowering his hands. +"Strike me now through the heart, I pray thee, and save me from the +torture of the ants." + +"Wait!" I enjoined him briefly. Then, turning to the king, I said--the +shouts of applause and encouragement having ceased on the instant of +'Mfuni's discomfiture: + +"Thou hast seen, O King! Although thy chosen champion fought well and +did his best, I have conquered him with this weapon, of which thou wert +inclined to think so little. Art thou still inclined to think lightly +of it; or art thou convinced that it is a good weapon, capable of +protecting a man's life in the heat of battle?" + +"Nay," answered Lomalindela, "it is a good weapon; thou hast proved it +to be so at the risk of thy life, and I thank thee for the gift. Ask me +now what shall I give thee in return for it? Wilt thou have gold or +cattle? Thou hast but to say, and it shall be thine; for thy gift is +good, and mine shall equal it." + +This answer, by good luck, afforded me the very opening that I wanted, +and at once I replied: + +"I thank thee, Great, Great One, and take thee at thy word. I want none +of the things that thou hast named; but if thou dost really value my +gift to thee I ask thee to give me in return the life of 'Mfuni, the man +who fought with me and whom I conquered by the might and magic of this +sword. He fought bravely and well; worthily did he uphold the finest +traditions of the Mashona warriors: but against this sword he had no +chance; he could not conquer me. Therefore, because it is not his fault +that he has been beaten--your soldiers and indunas, to a man, will admit +that--I ask you to give the man his life, free from all stigma or +disgrace of defeat; and to repeal your sentence that, if conquered, he +should be given to the ants." + +The silence that followed this bold request of mine was so intensely +profound that when it had endured for a minute or more at its full +tension I began to suspect that I had unwittingly committed some utterly +unpardonable offence, and that all nature was breathlessly awaiting the +fall of the avenging thunderbolt. For it was not only that every man +present in that great open space seemed tongue-tied, they seemed to be +not even drawing their breath; they were as absolutely motionless as so +many statues; there was not even the faint sound of a man shifting his +weight from one leg to the other, not even the scarcely perceptible +touch of a spear-haft upon a shield, nor even the faint rustle of the +warriors' plumes in the wind, for, strangely enough, at that precise +moment even the wind itself seemed to pause in its breathing: and +glancing round me in vague discomfiture I perceived that every man in +the square was staring blankly before him, right into space. The fact +was--as I subsequently learned--that in preferring my request I had +asked the king, in so many words, to break the most sacred oath known to +the Mashonas, and had he risen in his wrath and plunged his bangwan +through my heart, nobody would have been in the least degree surprised; +that, indeed, was the logical sequence for which everybody was at that +moment waiting. But my request must have touched some hitherto hidden +and unsuspected chord in the king's heart, for presently, when the +tension had become almost unendurable, Lomalindela raised his head and +said, in so gentle a tone of voice that it electrified everybody: + +"Au, white man, you know not what you ask! I have sworn by the bones of +my royal father that if that man was conquered, and survived the fight, +I would give him to the ants; and that is an oath which I dare not +break, for otherwise great evils would fall upon the house of +Lomalindela, King of the Mashona." + +"Doubtless, O King, what thou sayest is true--under ordinary +circumstances," I replied. "But these circumstances are not ordinary; +on the contrary, they are so exceptional that they will probably never +again occur. The oath which you took was taken in ignorance. You did +not know that, in taking that oath, you were virtually condemning a man +to a dreadful death for failing to accomplish an impossibility, did +you?" + +"That is true, white man; I did not know it," answered the king. + +"Therefore," I continued, with increasing confidence, "by every law of +right and equity your ignorance of that important fact absolves you from +your oath, and you are entitled to break it, if you please. And I ask +you to break it, knowing that you may certainly do so with impunity, +because, in demanding that 'Mfuni should conquer me--or, rather, the +sword which I gave you--you demanded of him that which neither he nor +any other warrior could possibly accomplish." + +Then ensued another tense silence, during which the king appeared to be +meditating upon what I had said. Presently he beckoned to Mapela, "the +Wise One", and conferred with him in a low voice for a brief space. +Then, turning to me, he said: + +"I am inclined to believe that what thou hast said as to the +impossibility of 'Mfuni conquering the sword is true; for Mapela informs +me that he chose the man because of his reputation as the most skilled +fighter in the whole Mashona army. Therefore, because of what thou hast +said, I would willingly break my oath, if I could but be sure that, in +so doing, I should not be bringing evil upon myself and my house. But +how can I be sure?" + +That was a puzzler, with a vengeance; and I looked about me in +perplexity, searching earth and sky for an answer. As I did so, I saw, +far away in the northern sky, a filmy something that, even as I looked, +resolved itself into a flock of rock pigeons coming directly toward us. +I knew, from long experience, the propensity of these birds to fly +straight, and I felt sure that, unless something happened to divert +their course, they would presently pass right over our heads; therefore, +since a man's life was hanging in the balance and only I could save it, +I determined to take a chance, and called to Piet to hand me my rifle. +Then, with it in my hand, I turned to the king and said: + +"Behold, Lomalindela! yonder is a flight of rock pigeons about to pass +over our heads. If one of them should fall dead in this square, would +you believe that I have told you the truth, and that you may break your +oath with impunity?" + +"Yea, I will," answered the king, looking in the direction toward which +I was pointing, "for why should one of them fall dead, seeing that their +flight is strong and full of life?" + +"You shall see," said I, and slowly raised my rifle. The birds were +flying very high, and I foresaw that the shot would be a difficult one, +but I had accomplished others quite as difficult in my time, and was +determined that I would not fail now; therefore, holding my breath as +the pigeons drew overhead, I sighted about six inches ahead of the +leader and pulled the trigger. A low-murmured ejaculation of surprise +followed the report of the piece, and simultaneously with it the leading +pigeon was seen to spring convulsively upward about a foot, a feather or +two detached themselves from its body, and then its wings collapsed and +down it came, hurtling through the air, and falling, as luck would have +it, within a few inches of the king's feet! + +And, as though the soft thud of its body upon the ground had been a +signal, up went the hand of every man present to his mouth, and a low +"Au!" of awe and amazement rolled round the square like the mutter of +distant thunder. + +"Is it enough, O King; and are you satisfied?" I demanded, as I stepped +forward and, picking up the bird, handed it to the monarch for his +inspection. + +"It is enough, and I am satisfied," answered the king. "I recall my +oath, and the man's life is yours, to do as you will with it." + +"I thank thee most heartily, O Great, Great One," answered I. Then, +turning to 'Mfuni, I said: "Return now to your place in the ranks, +'Mfuni, and to your friends. You fought well, and it was through no +fault of yours that you were defeated. And when you are dismissed from +duty, come to my wagon, and I will see what may be done toward mending +the wound that the king's sword inflicted upon you." + +"'Nkos'!" answered 'Mfuni, throwing up his hand in salute as he swung +round upon his heel and marched back to his place in the ranks. And as +he went there gradually arose from the assembled troops a sound like the +pattering of rain upon a roof, caused by the drumming of spear-haft upon +shield, beginning so gently that at first it was scarcely audible, but +rapidly swelling in volume until it became almost deafening, when it as +rapidly subsided into silence. I did not understand the meaning of it +at the moment; but, later on, when I questioned Mapela, he informed me +that it was the method adopted by the Mashona warriors to express +admiration, approval, and appreciation of any act of an exceptionally +generous and noble character, and had been evoked by my treatment in +general of the 'Mfuni incident, and especially by my successful +intervention to save the man from the most horrible form of death known +among them. + +From the fact that the scowl had vanished from the king's brow I +surmised that he, too, was well pleased at the final outcome of the +matter; and when presently the sound of the peculiar salute to which I +have referred had died away, he pointed to the rifle in my hand and +said: + +"Is that the magic fire tube which kills from afar, of which thy servant +spoke when he came hither to crave my permission that thou shouldst +enter my country and visit me here?" + +"Even so," I answered, offering it for examination, for I had not +reloaded it, and knew that, however carelessly he might handle it, he +could do no mischief. But he declined to touch it, saying: + +"Nay, it is great and terrible magic, and I will have naught to do with +it. And thou, white man with the unpronounceable name, art also a great +and wonderful magician, for at thy will the lightning flashes from thy +fire tube and the very birds of the air fall dead at thy feet. Also, +when thou didst fight 'Mfuni, thou didst cause the sword in thy hand to +flash lightnings about thee by the swiftness with which thou didst wield +it. Therefore I give thee a new name; and henceforth thou shalt be +known as Chia'gnosi (The Smiter with Lightning). Go now, in peace, +Chia'gnosi. I thank thee for the splendid gifts which thou hast +bestowed upon me, and especially for the lightning-flashing sword, as +also for saving the life of one of my warriors. And to-morrow thou +shalt sit beside me, here in this great square, and witness the annual +festival of the Mashona nation. Sala guhli!" + +Accepting this as my dismissal, I saluted, and, wheeling round, beckoned +Piet to follow me to the place where I had left my horse, at the +entrance to the square. But I had not gone six steps upon my way when-- +whether spontaneously or in response to some signal I know not--up went +the spear of every warrior present, in salute, and a great shout of +"Chia'gnosi--Chia'gnosi--'Nkos'!" rent the air, to which I, as in duty +bound, responded by halting for a moment and raising my hand to my +hat-brim in a military salute. + +About twenty minutes after my return to the wagon, 'Mfuni, my late +antagonist, put in an appearance, in obedience to my instructions. He +was still in full panoply of war, as he had appeared on parade, and had +provided himself with a new bangwan, or stabbing spear, which, with his +shield, war club, and a sheaf of hunting assagais, he respectfully laid +at my feet as he halted before me. + +"Why do you do that, 'Mfuni?" I asked, regarding the man with some +surprise. + +"Because henceforth I am thy man, O Chia'gnosi," he answered. Then, in +reply, I suppose, to my look of continued astonishment, he added: "The +'Nkosi spared my life, and the king gave me to him; therefore henceforth +I am his man." + +"Do you mean that you intend to attach yourself to me, to become one of +my servants?" I demanded. + +"Even so, 'Nkos'," he answered simply. + +"But," I said, "the king will never permit that, 'Mfuni; he would be +very angry indeed with me should he discover that I had carried off one +of his warriors. Probably he would send an impi after us to eat us up." + +"Nay, O Chia'gnosi, he would not; for it was the Great One himself who +ordered me to come to thee," replied 'Mfuni. "He gave me to thee; and +the king does not go back from his word." + +"Very well. In that case thou mayst remain, and glad shall I be to have +thee," said I. "And now, let me look at thy hand; I must see what can +be done to heal the hurt that the sword inflicted upon thee." + +The gash seemed to be a rather severe one, practically incapacitating +the member for the time being, and it took me the best part of half an +hour to extract the splinters of bone and bind up the wound, during +which time I must have inflicted a good deal of pain upon the poor +fellow, for the perspiration streamed down his face like rain. Yet all +the time he sat motionless and impassive as a statue, never moving a +muscle or shrinking in the least. + +Before I had finished with my surgery, Mapela and the rest of the chiefs +turned up, in response to my invitation to call at the wagon to receive +the gifts which I proposed to distribute among them; and I soon +gathered, from their conversation, that 'Mfuni's story was perfectly +true, and that the king had indeed given the man to me as a present. + +To distribute gifts to nearly one hundred chiefs proved to be a somewhat +lengthy business, also it made a pretty severe inroad into my stock of +"truck"; still, it had to be done, and I could only hope that, in the +long run, my generosity would not be without its reward. I treated them +all alike, or practically so, giving each man a yard of thin copper +wire, a gill measure of mixed beads, and either a bandana handkerchief +or a yard of printed calico. + +And while the distribution was proceeding my visitors chatted volubly +with me, and still more volubly with each other, the principal topic of +interest, I soon discovered, being the festival which was to commence +one hour after daybreak on the morrow, and to last all through the day +and well on into the hours of the succeeding night. The chiefs +conversed with the utmost freedom in my presence and hearing, but at the +outset I was too much engrossed in the business of distributing gifts to +pay very much attention to what was said, a stray word or two here and +there being all that I caught at first. At length, however, it began to +dawn upon me that the so-called "festival" promised to be anything +rather than festive, if I had not completely misunderstood the trend of +certain of the remarks which had attracted my attention, and accordingly +I pricked up my ears, and began to ask a few questions. And then I +learned, to my horror, that the first feature of the festival, namely, +the "smelling out" of the king's secret enemies by the witch doctors, +was more likely to resemble closely an orgy of wholesale murder than +anything else that I could imagine. + +The ceremony, I gathered, was somewhat as follows. The "witch doctors" +or magicians of the nation--numbering in all something over a hundred-- +all of whom were then in Gwanda for the purposes of the ceremony, would +assemble at sunset that same evening in a sort of fetish house; and +there, under the leadership and direction of one Machenga, the head or +chief witch doctor, would perform certain mysterious rites, and submit +themselves to a certain mysterious form of treatment, lasting the entire +night, which, it was generally understood, would enable them infallibly +to "smell out" or detect every individual who might harbour evil +thoughts or designs against the king. And these unfortunates, it +appeared, would, upon detection, be haled forth and summarily executed +there and then! I learned, further, that while the king put the most +implicit faith in the infallibility of the witch doctors, and especially +in that of Machenga, the head or chief of them, a few of the indunas who +were then talking to me held rather strongly to the opinion that the +selection of victims was not so much the result of supernatural guidance +and wisdom vouchsafed to the witch doctors, as it was--at least in the +case of the more important and distinguished victims--governed rather by +Machenga's personal hatred, or his cupidity; a few of the shrewder +observers having noticed, each year, that the chosen victims invariably +included certain men toward whom the head witch doctor was well known to +cherish a feeling of strong enmity, while other victims comprised those +chiefs who were numbered among the richest men in the community--the law +being that, while the property of the alleged traitors was forfeited to +the king, half of it was surrendered to the head witch doctor, as his +fee for the detection of the criminals. Mapela, "the Wise One", was one +of the strongest upholders of the above theory, and in support of the +soundness of it he whispered to me: + +"You see that tall induna yonder, talking with two others? Yes, the man +with the necklace of lions' teeth. He is Logwane, reputed to be the +most wealthy induna. For a number of years he has paid heavy tribute to +Machenga, thus purchasing immunity from being `smelled out'; but during +this last year he has become a favourite of the Great, Great One, and +presuming upon this, I understand that now he has refused to pay further +tribute to Machenga, and has defied him. _Mark my words: he will be +among those smelled out to-morrow_!" + +"You think so?" I whispered back. "And, if so, what will be his fate?" + +"Chiele (slain)!" answered Mapela tersely, accompanying the word with an +expressive movement of his right hand, imitative of a man stabbing +another. + +"What! notwithstanding the fact that he is a favourite of the king?" I +demanded incredulously. + +"Neither that nor the fact that he is highly esteemed by us all and is +well known to be absolutely loyal to the king will save him. You will +see," replied Mapela. + +"But," I exclaimed hotly, "that would be monstrous--nothing short of +deliberate, cold-blooded murder! Do you really think that the king will +permit it? And if he should, will none of you intervene?" + +"The king will permit it, because he has absolute faith in Machenga," +answered Mapela. "And, as for us, who are we that we should intervene +to prevent that which the Great, Great One permits?" + +"And are the victims killed there and then, on the spot?" demanded I. +"Have they no chance given them to appeal against Machenga's judgment, +no opportunity to produce proof of their innocence?" + +"None," answered Mapela. "They are dragged forth; the executioners take +them; and--they die! You will see; for the king has bidden you to be +present to-morrow." + +"I shall not see," I retorted, "for I shall decline to be present. +Nothing shall induce me to countenance by my presence such a scene of +cold-blooded atrocity!" + +"Nay, my friend," answered Mapela, laying his hand impressively upon my +arm, "you must not dream of attempting to evade the king's command. To +do so would be fatal to you and your followers, for it would be +interpreted to mean that in your heart you cherish evil thoughts against +the king, and fear to face the ordeal. And an impi would instantly be +dispatched with orders to `eat up' you and yours! No; however +disagreeable to you may be the sights which you will witness to-morrow, +you must on no account seek to evade them. I tell you this as your +friend, because I wish you well, and because my snake tells me that in +some way--how I know not--your presence at the `smelling out' to-morrow +will be the means whereby many valuable lives will be saved. And now it +is time that we should depart; we have been with you long enough. Sala +guhli, Chia'gnosi, until to-morrow. And bear well in mind my caution to +you," he concluded in a whisper. Then, rising, he made a sign to the +rest of the chiefs, who sprang to their feet, saluted, and retired in a +body, after reiterating their thanks for the "splendid" gifts I had +bestowed upon them. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +MACHENGA, THE CHIEF WITCH DOCTOR OF THE MASHONA. + +It was about mid-afternoon of that same day when, as I sat in the shadow +of the wagon tent, pondering upon the possibility of my being able +successfully to approach the king upon the question of a concession to +mine gold in Mashonaland, Piet informed me that certain men, whom 'Mfuni +recognised as messengers from the king, were coming toward the wagon +from Gwanda; and some five minutes later they arrived. + +There were six of them, and they were laden with goods which I needed +not their explanation to assure me were presents from the king. One +bore a complete Mashona warrior's panoply, consisting of plumed +headdress, leopard-skin mantle, mucha of leopards' tails, armlets, +anklets, and garters of cows' tails, a necklace consisting of about +forty gold nuggets, bored and strung upon a strip of rimpi, shield, war +club, and an immense bangwan, or stabbing spear. This gift was of +course to be regarded as a logical sequence and appropriate return for +the uniform which I had presented to His Majesty that morning. But +there were other gifts as well, and exceedingly valuable ones, too, +three of the other messengers being bearers each of a most magnificent +kaross, or skin rug, one being made of lions' skins, one of leopards' +skins, and one--the finest of all--of monkeys' skins of some species +unknown to me, the black fur being extraordinarily long, thick, and +glossy. The remaining two men carried, each of them, a leather bag +weighing about sixty pounds, one bag containing coarse gold dust, while +the other was full of small, rough nuggets of gold. These two men were +also the bearers of a message of apology from the king, to the effect +that, since I seemed to have a liking for gold, he regretted that he had +no more to offer me, but that as gold was of no value in the country, +and was not particularly sought after, it was only occasionally that a +stray nugget or a handful of dust was found; and that the contents of +the bags represented the casual findings of many years. + +It was somewhat disappointing to learn that here, in Gwanda, where I had +confidently anticipated that gold in practically unlimited quantity +might be had almost for the asking, there should be so little; yet the +situation was not without its compensations, for if the natives attached +so little value to the metal that they would not even take the trouble +to hunt for it, there ought to be all the more for me--if I could but +coax the king into granting me a concession. So I dissembled my +disappointment, handed over the gifts to Piet, with instructions to pack +them away in the rear of the wagon, rewarded the messengers who had +brought them, and dismissed them, happy in the possession of a few mixed +beads. + +About half-past ten o'clock that night I was sitting in my wagon, +reading by the light of the all but full moon--for, this being the eve +of the great annual festival, the town was in an uproar, and the volume +of sound emanating from it and from the temporary encampments outside it +rendered sleep impossible--when I became aware of a figure muffled in a +great kaross in such a manner as to render identification impossible. +Apart from this circumstance, however, there was a certain suggestion of +furtiveness in the movements of the figure, a something indicative of a +desire to avoid observation, that attracted my attention from my book +and aroused my curiosity. It seemed to be wandering about aimlessly; +but when I had been watching it for some ten minutes I became convinced +that, erratic as its movements seemed to be, they were not without +method; and that method, I soon saw, was causing the unknown one--a +man--to gravitate slowly but surely toward the wagon. So I waited +patiently, and a quarter of an hour later he accomplished a masterly +movement which brought him within the shadow of the wagon. + +"S'a bona muntu," I remarked quietly. "What is the business that brings +you by such a crooked path to my wagon to-night?" + +"Au!" ejaculated the mysterious one in some confusion. "Chia'gnosi has +good eyes; nothing escapes him; he sees even the little red ticks that +hide themselves on the blades of the grass. If his ears are as good as +his eyes he will perchance have heard of one named Machenga." + +"I have heard of such an one," I answered cautiously. + +"What have you heard of him?" demanded the unknown. + +"I have heard that Machenga is the name of the king's chief witch +doctor," I replied, with still greater caution. "But who are you, and +why have you come to my wagon at this time of night? Is it to talk to +me of Machenga?" + +"Machenga is a very great man," observed my visitor. "Next to the king, +he is the greatest man in all Mashonaland. Also, he is the king's +friend: the friends of the king are his friends; and the enemies of the +king are his enemies." + +"Come you to me with a message from Machenga?" I demanded. "If so, +proceed; my ears are open." + +"Au!" ejaculated the unknown one. "Chia'gnosi is very wise; he +understands. He understands that when Machenga speaks the king listens; +and those who--like Chia'gnosi--are wise and desire the king's favour, +do well first to secure the favour of Machenga." + +"Piet," I called, "come hither and open for me the bale containing the +handkerchiefs and printed calico; also find for me the pliers and the +brass chain." + +The articles named were duly produced, and I selected two of the most +brilliant bandanas I could find, added thereto a couple of yards of +calico, printed with a tasteful design in crimson and blue consisting of +an alternation of horseshoes and running horses carrying their heads and +tails very high, cut off a yard of brass chain to which I attached a +shaving mirror as a pendant, filled a brass box with mixed beads, and +arranged the whole in a tasteful little heap on the top of the +voorkissie. Then I turned to my visitor and, pointing to the heap, +said: + +"Friend, your words are words of wisdom. You see these gifts? Take +them and place them in the hut of Machenga, saying that I, Chia'gnosi, +send them in token of my goodwill. Say also that I have here many other +gifts, equally precious, and that, if the king continues to regard me +with favour, and grants me a certain request which I think of +preferring, a generous share of these gifts shall find their way to the +hut of Machenga." + +For an instant my visitor leaned forward, his gleaming eyes fixed +avariciously upon the little pile of trumpery spread out temptingly upon +the lid of the chest, and, as he did so, the upper folds of his kaross +slipped apart, and I caught a momentary glimpse of a most extraordinary +countenance. It was that of an old man, so old that the head was quite +bald and the wrinkled face entirely devoid of hair; but the deeply +sunken eyes glowed like those of a leopard in the dark, the forehead was +broad and high, the nose thin and crooked like the beak of an eagle, the +mouth a mere straight slit, and the thin lips were drawn back in a sort +of incipient snarl. But it was the expression of the face that +particularly arrested my attention, for never before had I beheld a +human countenance on which unimaginable cruelty and boundless rapacity +were so clearly and strongly written. This was no common, ordinary +individual, I at once told myself: there could be but one man in all +Gwanda with such a countenance as that, and I instantly guessed the +truth, that my visitor was none other than Machenga himself. + +For a moment or two the talon-like right hand of the man hovered +greedily over the little display; then it flashed back and was lost in +the folds of the kaross, which were quickly drawn round the head again, +all but concealing it from view. The man stepped back a pace and drew +himself up haughtily, and, with a gesture of contempt, pointed to the +gifts. + +"Au!" he exclaimed. "Think ye that Machenga craves such baubles as +those? They are well enough for children and fools, but Machenga +accepts only gifts of real value." + +"Such, for instance, as--" I suggested. + +"One of the magic fire tubes with which you caused a flying pigeon to +fall dead at the king's feet to-day," answered my visitor. + +"Nay," said I, "that may not be. It would be no kindness on my part to +give Machenga a fire tube, for he would not know how to use it--" + +"But you could teach him," hastily interposed the stranger. + +"Nay," answered I, "not so, for it is a thing of magic; and the magic of +the white man is unlike that of the black man, nor can the black man +learn it. Were Machenga to take one of my fire tubes in his hand, one +of two things would happen. Either the tube would refuse to slay at +all, or it would turn upon Machenga and kill him." + +"Au! white man, that is not true, and when you speak lies you talk as a +fool," exclaimed my visitor, displaying much righteous indignation. "I +know, for I have seen the magic fire tubes before. Many moons ago--ay, +before you were born, and before Lomalindela was king--two white men +came into Mashonaland, and only one of them went out again. They, too, +possessed fire tubes, and one of them, an Amaboona (Boer)--the man who +did not go out--once put his fire tube into my hands and showed me how +to use it. The magic lies not in the tube itself, but in the few grains +of black powder that are poured into it and the round lump of metal that +is thrust down on the top of the powder. Au! I know. Though so many +moons have passed I remember quite well. Ay, and I remember many other +things also, things that happened here long before the Mashona arrived +in the land, things that happened when the Monomotapa dwelt here and +great cities of stone and brick covered the face of the country, when +men dug gold out of the rocks and made it into ornaments for the arms, +necks, and ankles of their women--" + +"What foolishness is this that thou art talking?" I interrupted +angrily, for it was growing late and I was beginning to feel tired, +while there seemed to be no sign of an intention on the part of my +unwelcome visitor to leave. "Return now to Machenga," I continued, +"describe to him the gifts which I have set aside for him, and say that +if he will send thee for them to-morrow at sunrise they shall be his. +But if he wants them not, it is well: I have no others for him." + +"Then thou wilt not give him one of thy fire tubes, with a supply of the +magic powder and enough of the round lumps of metal to kill one +hundred--pigeons?" demanded my visitor. + +"I will not," I replied shortly, "and that is my last word." + +"Au!" retorted the man. "Very well, white man, I hear thee and I go. +But it may be that to-morrow thou wilt be sorry that thou didst refuse." +And, so saying, he wrapped his kaross still more closely about him and +strode away into the moonlight with the light, springy step of a young +man. + +As for me, I was now quite ready for bed, therefore I undressed and +turned in without further delay, expecting to fall asleep on the +instant. Yet I did nothing of the kind, for when I stretched myself out +upon my cartel I found my thoughts dwelling upon my mysterious visitor, +who I felt sure could be none other than Machenga himself, stolen +surreptitiously away from the mysterious rites of the fetish house in +the hope of cajoling a rifle out of me; and I began to wonder whether +the two white men to whom he had referred as having visited Mashonaland +many moons ago--one only of whom went out of the country again--could by +any chance have been my friend Henderson and his Boer partner, Van +Raalte. And I also greatly wondered what the fellow could possibly have +meant by his mysterious talk of a time before the Mashonas came to the +country, when it was inhabited by a people whom he named the Monomotapa, +who built great cities of brick and stone, worked the gold mines, and +made gold ornaments for their women. Pondering thus, I became a little +vexed with myself for my untactful treatment of the man, whom I had +permitted to leave me in a distinctly bad temper, instead of humouring +and conciliating him, as I felt persuaded I might easily have done. + +However, I was not altogether without hope that, after a night's +reflection, the fellow might reopen negotiations, when I would do my +best to establish friendly relations with him, if only for the purpose +of learning a little more about the mysterious Monomotapa, the ruins of +one of whose towns I had actually seen and examined. And, so thinking, +I gradually dropped off to sleep; and, as was not very surprising, +dreamed a wonderful dream, wherein I found myself living and moving +among the Monomotapa, who proved to be a very highly civilised race, +possessing a vast amount of knowledge of many things that we moderns +only guessed at in the most vague fashion. And I was plunged deep in +the midst of a most astounding adventure when Piet awoke me with the +intelligence that it was sunrise, and that the regiments in the outlying +cantonments were already astir and preparing to enter Gwanda, to assist +in the celebration of the great annual festival. I enquired whether +there was any sign of our visitor of the previous night, and was told +that there was not, at which information I was sorrier than ever for my +hasty behaviour; for it was now evident that Machenga definitely refused +the gifts that I had set out for his acceptance, and for a savage to +refuse a gift is tantamount to a declaration of enmity, and I could ill +afford to make an enemy of anyone in Mashonaland, still less of so +powerful a personage as Machenga, the chief witch doctor and +confidential adviser of the king. + +It was by then too late, however, to mend matters, unless I were +prepared to make an unconditional surrender by sending Machenga the +particular gifts that he coveted; and it is always unwise in the extreme +to surrender to the demands of a savage. I therefore decided to let +matters take their course, but to be prepared as fully as possible for +any untoward contingency. Therefore, as soon as I had bathed and +breakfasted, I directed Piet first to feed and water the horses, then +have them brought back to the wagon, saddle and bridle them, leaving the +girths loose but ready to be drawn tight at any moment, and tie them up +in the shadow of the wagon, so that, if necessary, the entire party +could mount and ride at a moment's notice. Next I had five parcels of +ammunition prepared, each parcel weighing about thirty pounds, and +placed in readiness in the wagon, so that, if occasion should arise, we +could each snatch a parcel and secure it round our waists before +abandoning all our other belongings. Then I had each gun loaded and +placed with the parcels of ammunition, indicating the particular weapon +which each man was to take charge of should it perchance become +necessary for us to make a hurried flight for our lives. And finally, I +loaded my own pet rifle and a brace of pistols, thrust the latter in my +belt, and, carrying the rifle in my hand, mounted Prince and rode off +unaccompanied to be present at the festival, since, according to Mapela, +failure to comply with the king's command would inevitably result in +myself and my following being "eaten up"--otherwise destroyed--by an +impi. + +As I swung into the saddle the rear companies of the last regiments of +warriors to enter Gwanda were winding snake-like through the four +entrance gates; therefore, to give them time to reach their appointed +positions in the great square before my arrival, I proceeded at a +foot-pace, with the result that I was the last person to enter the town: +and immediately I had passed in through the south gateway the massive +gates were swung to and barred behind me, while a company of some fifty +warriors drew up across the face of the closed gates, barring all +possibility of exit--to my great inward discomposure. I was careful, +however, not to permit any smallest outward indication of that inward +discomposure to manifest itself, but proceeded onward up the long +street, still riding at a foot-pace, and wearing as complete an air of +nonchalance as I was able to assume under the somewhat disconcerting +circumstances. During my progress through the town I glanced right and +left about me from time to time, but saw not a solitary man in any of +the narrow lanes between the huts--they were evidently all congregated +in the great square in the centre of the town; but here and there I +caught a passing glimpse of a woman or two, or a little group of +children, peering curiously at me from the interior of the huts as I +passed. Finally, I reached the junction of the square with the street +which I was traversing, and, dismounting, turned over my horse to the +care of a lad of about fourteen, directing the umfaan to lead the animal +into the shadow of a certain hut which I indicated, and there carefully +hold him by the bridle until I should return. Then, on foot, I passed +through a narrow gap in a solid phalanx of warriors, and found myself in +the square, with Mapela waiting to conduct me to the place which had +been assigned to me, and from which I was unwillingly to witness the +forthcoming spectacle. + +Imposing as had been the scene in the great square on the preceding day, +it was as nothing compared to what I now beheld; for, with the exception +of a small open space about one hundred feet in diameter in the +north-west corner of the square, the vast quadrangle was literally +packed with warriors, all in full war equipment, regiment after regiment +being drawn up in such close order that there was only a narrow space of +less than a yard in width between the ranks. As Mapela conducted me +through the serried ranks I idly wondered what these narrow spaces were +for. I was to learn their purpose all too soon. + +"I am glad that thou hast come, Chia'gnosi," murmured my companion in my +ear, as we made our way slowly toward the small open space. +"Nevertheless, I say unto thee, be watchful, and do nothing that may by +any chance anger the Great, Great One, for he is in a black mood +to-day--why, I know not--and when the king frowns it means death! This +is thy place," indicating a stool placed close to the king's empty +throne. "Stand here until the king is seated, for it is not lawful for +any man to sit until he is bidden to do so by the king. Farewell!" + +So saying, Mapela saluted and withdrew, making his way toward the +regiment of which he was induna. + +And now, left absolutely to myself in that vast space, I became acutely +conscious of the terribly oppressive silence that prevailed, +notwithstanding the fact that, according to my estimate, there must have +been nearly fifty thousand men in the enclosure. But every one of them +stood straight up, staring intently into space immediately in front of +him, moving not so much as a muscle, scarcely daring to breathe--as it +seemed to me--and mute as a figure carved in stone. + +For perhaps ten minutes--although it seemed more like half an hour to +me--this dreadful, breathless stillness remained unbroken; then a faint +sound, like that of a sudden breeze sweeping over grass, but which was +in reality an involuntary sigh of relief from suspense emanating from +fifty thousand breasts, stirred the air as the curtain veiling the +entrance to the itunkulu, or king's house, was drawn aside, and the +figure of Lomalindela, fully clad in his hussar uniform, sword included, +appeared. For a brief space he stood there in the doorway, glowering; +then, doubtless in obedience to some signal that I failed to note, the +spear which every warrior held in his right hand was raised aloft, and +the royal salute of "Bayete! Bayete! Bayete!" pealed out like a +thunderclap on the startled air, and all was silent again. + +For a moment the king's brow cleared, and the ghost of a smile flitted +across his countenance: I would defy any man living, civilised or +savage, to remain entirely indifferent to such a tremendous outburst of +homage--all the more intense because of the imposing figure which His +Majesty cut in his new rig-out. Then the smile passed, the scowl +returned, and, with a glare that seemed to be concentrated especially on +me, Lomalindela strode majestically forward, and, scarcely deigning to +acknowledge my salute, slowly seated himself in his chair, or throne. +And, as he did so, a company of a hundred picked warriors--His Majesty's +own bodyguard--marched out from behind the itunkulu, and, under an +induna in an especially imposing war dress, ranged themselves in a +semicircle round and immediately behind the king's person. + +Then, from somewhere in the rear of where I was sitting, there suddenly +came leaping and bounding into the small open space a most extraordinary +and horrible figure. It was that of a man--the man who had visited me +at my wagon on the previous night, I presently perceived, although I did +not immediately recognise him; for his dark body was painted, back and +front, from head to foot, in white, in such a manner as to represent, +with considerable skill and fidelity, a fleshless skeleton. His head +was decorated with a pair of bullock's horns, firmly secured by means of +straps; round his neck he wore a necklace composed entirely of skeleton +human hands, which had been severed at the wrists; about his waist was a +girdle of animals' teeth and claws, supporting a mucha, or rather a +short petticoat made of dry grass, from beneath the rear portion of +which dangled a bullock's tail; and in his right hand he carried a +formidable bangwan or stabbing spear. + +Notwithstanding his great age, this man--who, of course, was Machenga, +the dreaded chief witch doctor--capered and pirouetted with astounding +agility in the centre of the arena for fully five minutes; then he +suddenly dashed forward, and, prostrating himself at Lomalindela's feet, +proceeded to do bonga, or homage, by shouting the various titles of the +king, and exalting His Majesty to the skies as the greatest, most +potent, most wonderful, most glorious monarch in the universe, the only +king, in fact, worthy of serious mention. This sort of thing, +punctuated at intervals by thunderous shouts of acclamation from the +troops, continued until the king, satiated with praise, put a stop to +it, when the man, after a brief interval of silence, rose to his feet +and stood staring intently for a few minutes up into the rich blue +splendour of the cloudless sky. + +Then, gliding meanwhile slowly hither and thither in a series of narrow +circles and turns and twists, in a kind of slow waltz step, Machenga +began a song, the burden of which was the glory, majesty, and power of +the king, and the inexpressible wickedness of those who presumptuously +dared to entertain evil thoughts of him. This continued for about +twenty minutes, during which the singer gradually worked himself up into +a state of excitement and exaltation that finally became a perfect +frenzy, under the influence of which his voice rose to a piercing +shriek, while he dashed hither and thither with a display of strength, +agility, and fury that seemed to me incredible. Finally, the man +collapsed and sank to the ground exhausted, and foaming at the mouth; +and at the same instant out from the rear dashed the entire company of +subordinate witch doctors, in number fully one hundred, who, forming up +about their prostrate chief, began to dance madly round him, singing a +weird song of which I could make nothing except an occasional word, here +and there, that conveyed no particular meaning to me. + +These men were all decorated and garbed exactly like their chief, +excepting that, instead of a bangwan, each carried a slender white wand, +about twelve feet in length, in his right hand. For a period of about +five minutes these terrible beings whirled and flashed hither and +thither in bewildering confusion; then, with the precision of highly +trained soldiers, they suddenly halted, and I became aware that +Machenga, their chief, was again upon his feet, standing in their midst. +Then, while the cloud of dust raised by their mad gyrations still +hovered in the air, half obscuring the company, the tramp of feet was +heard, and into the small arena marched twenty stalwarts, ten of whom +were armed with enormous bangwans, while the remainder carried heavy, +straight-bladed knives, about two feet long, and some six inches wide at +the hilt, tapering away from there to a sharp point. These twenty--whom +Lomalindela grimly condescended to inform me were the Slayers--halted on +the king's left, just clear of the left wing of His Majesty's bodyguard, +arranging themselves in pairs--a spearman and a knife-bearer +alternately--as they did so. Then Machenga, at a nod from the king, +raised his bangwan, and immediately his satellites began to circle +hither and thither, with a slow, waltz-like movement, similar to that +with which he had begun his own mad dance; and as they moved, gradually +widening their circles until they were strung out all along the face of +the motionless regiments, they hummed a low, weird, wordless song that +was somehow inexpressibly suggestive of vague, nameless horror. As for +Machenga, after watching his assistants for a minute or two, he stalked +slowly toward the king and seated himself at His Majesty's feet, where, +after a time, he seemed to lose all consciousness of outward things, and +to sink into a state of profound and anxious thought. Meanwhile the +general company of the witch doctors had separated into units who were +slowly working their way along the front ranks of the closely packed +regiments, pausing occasionally as though in doubt, and then passing on +again, to the obvious relief of the individuals before whom the ominous +pause had been made. For a little while, possibly five or six minutes, +matters proceeded thus, and nothing happened; then I observed that one +of the witch doctors had halted, with his head thrown up, and was +sniffing the air, like a dog that has scented game. He turned his head +eagerly here and there, as though trying the air, seemed to get the +scent for which he was seeking, and then looked square into the eyes of +a man in the ranks, who visibly quailed beneath his gaze. Then, +sniffing again, the witch doctor suddenly sprang forward, thrust his +face close to that of the man who seemed to have incurred his suspicion, +and, after a momentary pause, as though to make quite sure of what he +suspected, stepped back a pace, and, stretching forth the wand in his +hand, lightly touched the unfortunate warrior on the breast with it. + +Instantly the man's comrades to right and left of him seized the unhappy +wight by the arms and led him forward unresisting to within about ten +paces of the king. For a moment the king regarded the supposed culprit +with a cold, frowning stare: then he turned toward where the Slayers +were drawn up and nodded, upon which a pair of them stepped forward and +stationed themselves, the bangwan-bearer in front and the knife-bearer +behind the doomed man, who stood with his hands clenched by his sides, +his comrades having, at the king's nod, taken from him his spear and +shield and laid them at His Majesty's feet. Then, as I saw the right +arms of the executioners raised to strike, I shut my eyes. A moment +later I heard the dull sound of a blow, followed by the thud of a +falling body; and when I opened my eyes the first victim of the +diabolical rite of "smelling out" lay stretched out upon his face, dead, +with skull cloven and a bangwan wound that must have cut his heart in +twain. It was a sickening sight; but there was one redeeming feature +about it, the mode of death was at least merciful, for the Slayers had +done their work so well and so quickly that the unhappy man must have +died instantly, with perhaps scarcely a pang to mark his dissolution. +He was a mere nobody, just a common soldier from the ranks, who had +probably never harboured in his simple heart a single thought disloyal +to the king; but Machenga was cunning enough to realise that a certain +number of such unconsidered and inconspicuous victims must be sacrificed +if he would avoid attracting undue attention to the fact that the +holocaust included all those whose death advantaged him either +pecuniarily or as the gratification of his revenge. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +I KILL MACHENGA, AND AM EXPELLED FROM MASHONALAND. + +After the fall of the first victim the dreadful work proceeded quite +briskly, each witch doctor seeming to feel it incumbent upon him to +display his skill and zeal by providing at least as many victims as the +most active and zealous of his brother practitioners. And as victim +after victim fell a sacrifice to as cruel, wicked, and debasing a +superstition as it is possible for the mind to conceive, so did my anger +burn the more fiercely, until I felt an almost irresistible impulse +impelling me to spring to my feet, and, with my pistol levelled at the +king's head, insist upon an end being put to the slaughter. + +Yet all the while I knew that I could do nothing in the way of +interposition; I was as utterly helpless as though I had been a thousand +miles away, instead of sitting there within arm's length of the man who +was responsible for it all. For supposing that I should be crazy enough +to obey that impulse, what would happen? Why, the king's guards would +be upon me in a second, and I should be hacked to pieces by their +terrible bangwans in the drawing of a single breath, while probably an +even worse fate would befall my hapless followers! No, of course, the +idea was madness, the act an impossibility; yet when a few minutes later +I saw the tall induna, Logwane--Mapela's friend--led forth and +mercilessly done to death, I could not refrain from leaning toward the +king and murmuring: + +"O King, your witch doctors are not infallible; they made a dreadful +mistake when they smelled out that man! Among all your subjects none +was more loyal and faithful than Logwane. Why did you suffer him to be +slain?" + +The king glowered at me for a moment, his eyes smouldering with +suppressed anger. Then he answered coldly: + +"White man, I believed Logwane to be all that you say. But I was +mistaken, for my witch doctors cannot err; no man can hide his guilt +from them: and had Logwane not harboured treachery in his heart they +would not have smelled him out. Therefore I suffered him to be slain. +No man may think evil of me and continue to live." + +At this moment Machenga, who seemed to have gradually sunk into a kind +of trance, rose slowly to his feet, and, with fixed, glassy eyes staring +straight before him, began to mutter to himself in a voice pitched so +low that at first I could distinguish nothing of what he said. Then he +began to glide slowly round in a very small circle, and I perceived that +presently, when he faced me, he raised his head and sniffed the air +strongly. This occurred three times, and upon the third occasion I +detected that for an instant the fixed, glassy stare of his eyes gave +place to a lightning-like glance of triumphant malignity; and then I +knew that his entire pose was merely a piece of exceedingly clever +acting, and that he was no more in a trance than I was. When he had +completed the fourth half-circle he halted, at a distance of about ten +yards from where I was sitting, and, with his back turned toward me, +proceeded to sniff the air still more strongly. + +"Yes," he presently exclaimed in a voice quite loud enough for the king +and me to hear, "I am not deceived, I smell him; though his skin is +white his heart is black, and I smell the evil thoughts against the +Great, Great One that lurk deep down in it!" And a smile of diabolical +malice overspread his evil face as he shook his great spear aloft and +began to dance very slowly, singing softly to himself. + +So that was it--the villain was actually going to smell me out! +But--"Not if I know it," thought I; and starting to my feet as I drew a +pistol from my belt and levelled it at him, I cried: + +"Halt there, Machenga! Halt, I say, or thou diest! Deceiver and +murderer, destroyer of the king's most faithful friends, and giver of +evil counsel to the Great, Great One, my magic tells me that in that +evil heart of thine thou hast conceived the design to slay me, because +when thou didst come secretly to my wagon last night I refused to give +thee one of my magic fire tubes. Now I will prove thee, rascal; I will +show the king that thou, his chief witch doctor forsooth, art nothing +but a base pretender, a player upon his credulity. Thou dost claim to +be a great and powerful magician; well, so am I. Kill me, if thou +canst; and it shall be that he of us two who kills the other shall be +the more powerful magician, and shall also be the one whose mouth speaks +the truth." + +Meanwhile, during this interlude, brief as it was, five new victims--two +of them indunas--had been smelled out and brought forward; but the king, +intent only upon what was passing between Machenga and myself, had +forborne to give the fatal signal to the Slayers, and thus the little +group of victims and executioners stood motionless in the centre of the +arena, while every eye was turned upon the chief witch doctor and +myself. + +Machenga had obeyed my imperative command to halt, thus unconsciously +demonstrating at once that his state of trance was merely a pretence; +and when I ceased to speak he further betrayed himself by answering me. + +"Au, Chia'gnosi!" he exclaimed, "so thou, too, art a magician? And thou +dost threaten to kill me! Fool! no man living, magician or otherwise, +can kill me, else I should have died ages before thou wert born. But I +can and will kill thee, in despite of thy magic, and thus I do it!" + +And, as he spoke, up went his right hand, with the great bangwan in it, +his intent being evidently to transfix me by hurling the spear at me. +But I guessed at his purpose, read it in his eyes; and, quick though he +was, I was the quicker, and before he had time to gather his strength to +cast the spear I had levelled my pistol and pulled the trigger. The +good little weapon barked out as the hammer fell, and through the thin +veil of powder smoke I saw Machenga spin round on his heels, flinging up +his arms at the same time, and the next instant down he crashed upon his +back, with a small blue hole in the very centre of his forehead, from +which a thin stream of blood began to trickle slowly. + +With a lightning-like movement I thrust the empty pistol into my jacket +pocket, and transferred my rifle from my left hand to my right, at the +same time wheeling sharply round upon the king to see what action, if +any, he intended to take. I caught him in the act of springing to his +feet, and at once flung up my left hand warningly. + +"Nay, O Great, Great One," I said very firmly, "rise not, I pray thee, +lest evil befall. My magic is just now very strong, as thou hast seen-- +so strong that I can scarcely control it--and if anyone here cherishes +evil designs against me he had better forget them now, this instant, +lest they rise up and destroy him. So: that is well!"--as the king sank +limply back into his seat. "Now," I continued, raising my voice so that +it could be heard by at least the greater part of the warriors gathered +there in the great square, "the king and I are about to confer together; +therefore let no man move hand or foot, or utter a single word, for the +air is full of terrible magic that only I can control; and if we are +disturbed it may break loose, when--!" I concluded with an expressive +gesture which was meant to convey all sorts of dreadful things; and I +had the satisfaction of seeing Lomalindela's black skin turn a kind of +slate colour, while his lips became a dirty blue-white. + +For a few seconds the king stared stupidly at Machenga's dead body, as +though he could not believe the evidence of his own eyes; then he turned +to me and said: + +"Truly, Chia'gnosi, thou art well named, for thy lightning has slain him +who was as we have always known him, even when the oldest living man in +Mashonaland was a boy running at his mother's heels. Why hast thou +slain the chief of my witch doctors?" + +"I slew him, O King," answered I, "because he was a liar, a cheat, a +betrayer, and a murderer. He lied to thee and cheated thee by +pretending that he could smell out thine enemies, whereas he possessed +no such power; and he smelled out and caused to be destroyed Logwane, +one of the most loyal and faithful of your indunas, because, after +heavily bribing Machenga for several years, in order to obtain immunity, +Logwane refused to submit to further robbery. And what he has done to +Logwane he has, doubtless, done to many others of Your Majesty's loyal +and faithful subjects." + +"How knowest thou all this, Chia'gnosi," demanded the king; "and how am +I to know that thy words are true?" + +"Have I not proved it to thee by destroying Machenga?" retorted I. +"Thinkest thou that if Machenga had been what he claimed to be I could +have slain him? As to how I know it, my snake told me, and he never +lies. And if thou dost still doubt me, question the indunas. Doubtless +there are some among them whom thou canst trust, who will tell thee +whether Logwane was true, or whether he was false to thee." + +The king frowningly considered my proposition for a little, and finally, +looking up, called Mapela to approach. + +"Mapela," said Lomalindela, when the induna had drawn near and saluted, +"I am perplexed, and know not what to believe. I can believe thy words, +because I have proved thee, and know thee to be faithful and true. Thou +didst know Logwane intimately; tell me, therefore, was he loyal to me, +or was he not?" + +"There was no man in all Mashonaland more faithful to thee than +Logwane," answered Mapela. + +"Yet Machenga smelled him out and caused him to be slain as an enemy of +mine," the king reminded him. + +"Do I not know it?" retorted the old man bitterly. "And if Machenga had +smelled me out, I too should have been slain, although, as thou sayest, +thou hast proved me and know me to be faithful and true! But thank thy +snake, O Lomalindela, King of the Mashona, that Chia'gnosi saw the evil +and falsehood that lurked in that black heart,"--pointing to the dead +body of Machenga--"else would many another of thy friends--myself among +the number, perchance--have died before yon sun sank behind the hills." + +The king placed his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his hands +for several minutes, evidently overwhelmed by a sense of profound +perplexity. At length, however, he looked up again, and, still +addressing Mapela, asked: + +"And think ye, Mapela, that all those,"--pointing to the long array of +slain--"suffered unjustly?" + +"Nay," answered Mapela, "I am but a simple induna, knowing nothing save +the art of warfare, and the way in which warriors should be trained in +order to make good fighters of them. Who am I that I should presume to +answer such a question? Ask Chia'gnosi; he is young, but he is very +wise. Perhaps his wisdom may be able to answer thee. Ask him." + +The king turned to me. + +"Thou hast heard my question, Chia'gnosi, and Mapela's answer," said he. +"Canst thou tell me what I want to know?" + +"Listen to my words, O King," said I. "Last night, when the moon was so +high in the heavens,"--I pointed to the approximate altitude of the +planet--"Machenga came secretly and in disguise to my wagon, asking for +gifts. I knew not then who he was, nor did he say; indeed, he pretended +to be a messenger from Machenga: but presently I knew him for Machenga +himself, although I had never before seen him, and I set forth certain +gifts, which I offered him. But he refused them, demanding as a gift +one of my magic fire tubes; and when I refused him he went away, +threatening me that to-day I should be sorry that I had refused him. +Then I knew that it was no messenger, but Machenga himself who had +visited me; and I knew the man for a liar and cheat. Thou dost ask +whether all those slain suffered unjustly. I answer thee that they did! +I know none of them save Logwane; but send thou and ascertain the names +of the other indunas who have died to-day by the hands of the Slayers, +and thou shalt find that, like Logwane, they were rich men, the half of +whose riches would pass to Machenga; or they were men who had incurred +Machenga's hatred. Let the smellers-out be brought before thee and +questioned, and thou shalt find that it was by Machenga's orders that +they smelled out the indunas. As for the others, it was necessary that +a certain number of the common people should also die, else would the +choice of the indunas have been too obvious." + +"By the bones of my royal father, thy words, Chia'gnosi, are the words +of wisdom, and I will do as thou sayest!" exclaimed the king. "Mapela, +give orders that the smellers-out be brought before me." + +Some ten minutes later the subordinate witch doctors, or "smellers-out", +were called together and drawn up before the king, when, prompted by me, +Mapela subjected the wretches to a searching cross-examination, with the +result that my surmise was completely confirmed. It is not easy to +shock a savage, but there could be no doubt that when the investigation +was finished Lomalindela was shocked, not so much at the fact that a +great deal of innocent blood had been shed, but that so many of his most +loyal and devoted indunas had been removed, and could therefore no +longer exercise their loyalty and fidelity on his behalf; and no one +knows better than a savage autocrat the value of true loyalty and +fidelity. He was distinctly perturbed at the disquieting thoughts that +came crowding into his mind; and it was characteristic of him that he +seemed more than half-inclined to blame me for what had happened--on the +principle, I suppose, that but for me he would have known nothing about +it, and would consequently have escaped the perturbation and disquiet +which resulted from the revelation. At all events, when the revelation +was complete, it was upon me that he turned, demanding sharply: + +"And now, Chia'gnosi, having revealed the evil, reveal also the remedy." + +"That, O Great, Great One, is easy," I replied. "Let there be no more +smelling out, and there will be no more mistakes." + +"No more smelling out?" he repeated. "Then how shall those who meditate +evil against me be found?" + +"They will not need to be found," I replied; "for if such there be, rest +assured that they will betray themselves, even as Machenga betrayed +himself to me. I repeat, let there be no more smelling out; but if any +man be discovered meditating evil, let his accusers bring him before +thee and bear witness against him, and if he be found guilty, let him +suffer." + +The king meditated upon this proposition at considerable length, and +asked a multitude of questions before he appeared able to grasp the idea +fully; but finally he seemed to apprehend my plan, and graciously +announced his willingness to consider it. The "smelling out" function +was thus brought to a somewhat premature conclusion--to the obvious +relief of everybody except perhaps Lomalindela himself--and the troops +were dismissed. But when I, too hastily assuming that everything was +over, rose to take my leave and return to the wagon, I was imperiously +ordered to stop. Upon resuming my seat I was thanked by the king in a +somewhat perfunctory, half-hearted way for what I had done; but he added +that my revelations had so upset him that he found it impossible to +tolerate my presence in his country any longer, and he therefore begged +me so to arrange matters that I could resume my journey that same +afternoon. Naturally, I remonstrated against such discourteous +treatment, reminding His Majesty that although the revelation was +certainly mine, the evil-doing was Machenga's; and I wound up by saying +that, so far from expecting to be expelled from the country, I had +confidently reckoned upon being granted a concession to mine gold in +Mashonaland. But it was all of no avail; it was through me that the +upset had occurred, therefore out I must go--escorted by an impi, the +induna of which would receive instructions to see that I did not unduly +loiter on the way. And, as to gold, if I wanted that, the king strongly +advised me to go to the Bandokolo country, far away to the north, where +I would doubtless be able to obtain as much of the metal as I needed. +After generously giving me this piece of valuable advice His Majesty +curtly dismissed me, with the intimation that I must be prepared to +start in the equivalent of two hours' time--or take the consequences of +my disobedience. Upon which I, in turn, got angry, and, having told the +king one or two plain truths in distinctly undiplomatic language, bade +him an abrupt farewell and hastened back to the wagon. + +We were quite ready to make a start, even to the extent of having the +oxen inspanned, by the time that the escorting impi put in an +appearance; and when it did I was thankful to discover that it was +commanded by my friend Mapela. + +"Au, Chia'gnosi!" the old chap exclaimed, as the impi halted and +saluted, with great heartiness; "so thou art ready. It is well; for the +Great, Great One is in an evil temper, and his face is black toward thee +because thou hast spoiled the festival: therefore it will be good for +thee to withdraw thyself from before his eyes as soon as possible. +Which way go ye--forward or backward?" + +"I go forward, Mapela," I replied. "I came to this country in the hope +of obtaining gold, and gold I must have; therefore I am going forward to +the country of the Bandokolo, where, so your king tells me, gold is to +be obtained in great abundance." + +"Wao! ma me! the Bandokolo!" exclaimed the old fellow in great +astonishment. "Know ye aught of the Bandokolo, or where they are to be +found?" he demanded. + +"Nay," answered I; "I know nothing of them, save that their country lies +far to the north, and that they have much gold." + +"That is true," returned Mapela. "Then, let us start, for delay is +dangerous; and if we linger, the Great, Great One may change his mind +and not suffer thee to go at all. Yonder is the way, up that valley. +Give the word, Chia'gnosi. And, as we go, we can talk together; and if +what I can tell thee should cause thee to change thy mind, we can take +the road back on the other side of the mountains when we have passed +through the valley." + +He paused and left me for a moment while the wagon was getting into +motion and the impi was forming up round it; then, when we were fairly +under way, he came to my side again, and remarked: + +"Au, Chia'gnosi! thine arrival at Gwanda was well timed; for many are +still alive who, but for thee, would have lain dead in the great square +before the setting of yonder sun. Did not I say that my snake told me +thou wouldst save many lives? And thou hast done so; and mark thou +this, Chia'gnosi, though to-day the king's face be black against thee, +the people know what thou hast done; and henceforth thy name will be +hlonipa among the Mashona." [Hlonipa means "unmentionable". To make a +man's name hlonipa is the highest honour that the Kafirs can render the +bearer; for it indicates that the name is regarded as too sacred, too +highly venerated, to be spoken. Thus I subsequently learned that after +my departure from the country the Mashona never mentioned Chia'gnosi +(Smiter with Lightning), but, when they referred to me, spoke of "Him +who slew with thunderbolts", or in some other more or less roundabout +fashion evaded any direct use of the word lightning.] + +"Well," I replied, "to be quite candid with you, Mapela, I believe it is +a very good thing for the Mashona that Machenga is dead; and I am not +sorry that he compelled me to kill him. Also I am glad that the king +has promised to abolish the system of `smelling out', for in the first +place I do not in the least believe in it, and, in the next, it is +perfectly evident that an unscrupulous scoundrel like Machenga would +only be too likely to use it for his own vile purposes. And now let us +talk about something else. Tell me, for instance, what you know about +the Bandokolo, and whereabout their country is situated." + +"Their country lies yonder," answered Mapela, pointing a little to the +west of north; "and it is a long way off. Thou wilt have to cross the +Great River (Zambezi), and then travel through the wilderness for the +space of a moon and a half, or, maybe, two moons, before thou wilt reach +it. For myself, I have never been beyond the Great River; but many +moons ago there came into Mashonaland a stranger who said that he had +been one of a band accompanying a white man from afar, who, after much +weary wandering, had arrived in the Bandokolo country, and had there +died--how I know not. And when the white man died the Bandokolo took +his followers and made slaves of them, treating them so cruelly that at +last the man who told me these things resolved to escape. And after +waiting many moons for an opportunity it came, and he succeeded. But +when he arrived in Mashonaland he was so weak and ill with fever and +starvation that, after lingering for a short time, he died. + +"But before he died he told me many wonderful things about the +Bandokolo. He said that they were little people, about so tall +(indicating with his hand a stature of about four feet eight or nine +inches). Also, that instead of being black, as I am, they are almost +white; that they live in great houses dug out of the rocks of the +hillside; that the men wear clothes made of small plates of gold, and +carry spears, shields, and great knives made of gold; that they adorn +themselves with shining stones which they dig out of the ground; and +that they are all 'mkulu 'mtagati (great wizards)." + +"That is a very extraordinary story, Mapela," said I. "Did you believe +it; or do you think that the man who told you had a sick brain and +imagined things that were not?" + +"Nay, who can say?" returned Mapela. "As I have told you, the man was +very sick when he reached Mashonaland; but I think his sickness was of +the body, not of the mind: and he told me these things many times before +he died, therefore I believed him." + +I spent the best part of the afternoon in cross-questioning Mapela upon +the exceedingly interesting and remarkable story which he had told me; +but the old fellow stuck to his text so perfectly that at length I was +forced to the conclusion that what he had told me was substantially what +he had himself been told, and that if there was any falsehood or +exaggeration in the yarn it was not he who was responsible for it. We +outspanned that night at a distance of twelve good miles north-east of +Gwanda, in a most beautiful valley full of lush grass, and beside the +stream, now much diminished in volume, which we had been following ever +since our passage of the Limpopo; and, I having shot an elephant about +an hour before our arrival at the outspan, we all feasted royally that +night, the impi building an enormous watch fire and squatting round it, +stuffing themselves with elephant meat until they could eat no more. + +Early in the forenoon of the eleventh day after our departure from +Gwanda we reached the Zambezi, at a point where, by a stroke of good +luck, the river chanced to be fordable; and, having got the wagon and +all my other belongings safely across to the left bank, I immediately +outspanned, and then proceeded to distribute liberal largesse among the +subordinate officers of the impi, gave Mapela a specially handsome +present, and so parted upon excellent terms from my Mashona friends, not +without a qualm of regret and of wistful surmise as to my chances of +ever again seeing them. Later on, after a meal and a rest, we again +inspanned, and, trekking a few miles upstream, rounded the shoulder of a +range of low hills and plunged into a valley stretching northward, with +a small southward-flowing stream running through its centre and +discharging into the Zambezi, upon which splendid river we now turned +our backs. 'Mfuni, the man who had fought me by command of Lomalindela, +and had afterwards attached himself to my train, exhibited some slight +symptoms of regret at parting from his friends in the returning impi; +but he quickly recovered from his fit of the blues, and, evidently being +very fond of animals, devoted himself with zest to the task of making +friends with the horses and dogs. Also the poor fellow speedily +developed a most devoted attachment to myself, so arousing in Piet a +feeling of profound jealousy and disgust which I only succeeded in +dissipating with difficulty after the occurrence of several more or less +serious quarrels between the pair. + +During the three weeks that immediately followed our passage of the +Zambezi, our route lay through a wilderness in which for days together +we never saw a solitary human being. But this did not very greatly +matter, for the country, consisting for the most part of low, rolling +hills, was well watered by streams which, flowing generally in a +direction more or less north and south, we were able to follow day after +day, while the grass was plentiful and of very good quality. Moreover, +there was not much bush, which would have been to some extent a +disadvantage but for the fact that, as we advanced, the game became so +tame that we had very little difficulty in stalking it through the long +grass. During this particular period of our journey we encountered very +few elephants or big game of any kind, but antelope of various +descriptions were abundant, so that we always had plenty of buck meat in +the larder. Then, one day, scouting far ahead of the wagon, accompanied +by Piet, 'Mfuni, and the dogs, I discovered that we were approaching a +vast open plain, where the grass was not nearly so good. I therefore +rode back a few miles, and, upon meeting the wagon, gave orders for a +prolonged outspan at a suitable spot, so that the oxen, which were +becoming thin from constant work, might have a few days' rest, and +recover flesh in preparation for the journey across the plain. + +We remained at that outspan five days, and when we resumed our journey I +had every reason to regard the time as well spent; for as we pushed +forward across the open plain the grass became so poor that, but for the +period of rest and recuperation which I had allowed them, I am convinced +that the oxen would never have accomplished the journey at all. Luckily +for us, when we had lost three oxen, and the remainder had become little +better than walking skeletons, we reached the other side of the plain, +and once more came to good grass and water; and here we rested again for +a week. + +On the second day after the resumption of our trek, two mountains of +almost perfect pyramidal form were sighted right ahead and apparently +about fifty miles apart; and on the following day the flat, open plain +gave place to undulating country, which gradually grew more rugged and +park-like as we advanced, with good grass, small, detached patches of +bush, and a few trees, singly or in clumps, scattered thinly here and +there. But we soon noticed that, apart from the grass, the vegetation +generally was new and strange, of a kind that none of us had ever before +seen; the trees in particular being very curious and grotesque in shape, +both as to their trunks and branches, and their foliage being of almost +any other colour than green. In some cases the trees, notwithstanding +their strange and abnormal configuration, were very beautiful, the +large, heart-shaped leaves being of almost every conceivable tint of +red, ranging from palest pink to a very deep, rich crimson, with great +bunches of snow-white blossom; while at the opposite end of the scale, +as it were, there occurred examples in which the trunks and branches +were swollen, knotted, and twisted into the most extraordinary and +uncouth shapes, while the foliage consisted of long, flat, ribbon-like +streamers of a dirty brownish-grey hue, coated with an exudation the +odour of which was offensive beyond the power of words to express. +Fortunately for us, these last were comparatively rare, and we soon +learned to give them plenty of room and to pass them to windward, where +possible. + +And here, too, we saw the first of several new and strange forms of +animal life. As Piet and I were, as usual, riding forward some distance +ahead of the wagon, we suddenly came upon a small herd of seven +curious-looking animals, which we at first mistook for young giraffes; +but as they stood gazing at us curiously, thus permitting us to approach +within less than a hundred yards of them, we observed that while the +creatures bore a certain general resemblance to giraffes, there were +differences, the most important of which was that of size. For these +creatures stood, at the shoulders, only about as high as an eland; the +neck, although abnormally long, was not proportionately as long as that +of a giraffe; the head was hornless, and of quite different shape from a +giraffe's head; and, lastly, their colour was a deep, rich, ruddy brown +on the head, shading gradually away along the body and legs until, about +the fetlock, it became quite a pale buff. I shot one of them, and have +the skin to this day, which has been a source of great interest and also +a bit of a puzzle to several naturalists who have seen it, and who all +declare it to have belonged to an animal of which they had no knowledge +whatever. The flesh of the creature proved to be very tender and juicy, +and my "boys" ate of it freely; but after trying a mouthful I decided +that I did not care for it, the meat having a very strong and peculiar +musky flavour which I found much the reverse of appetising. + +And then, as an appropriate wind-up to a day that had been rich in +surprises, while we were looking about for a suitable spot at which to +outspan for the night, we came upon the first of the Bandokolo people, +or rather, she--for it was a woman--came upon us. We were, at the +moment, riding through a shallow depression, about half a mile wide, +bordered on either side by rising, bush-clad ground that was scarcely +high enough to be worthy of the name of hills, with a narrow, shallow +rivulet on our right; and we had about decided that the spot where we +had reined up would answer our purpose quite well, when the two dogs, +Thunder and Juno, who had been following quietly enough at our horses' +heels, suddenly ran forward a few paces and then stood pointing, +uttering low, half-yelping, half-whining noises the while, as was their +wont when they were puzzled. For a few moments I could see nothing to +account for their excitement, and I was about to speak to them, when, +looking forward, I suddenly saw something raise itself in the grass, +remain visible for perhaps half a dozen seconds, and then sink down +again. It was about a hundred yards from the spot where we had pulled +up, and from the brief glimpse which I had obtained I almost thought +that, strange as it might be, I had seen a child! To satisfy myself, +therefore, I called to Piet, and, accompanied by the dogs, cantered +forward toward the place where the strange apparition had appeared. + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +SOME MARVELS OF THE BANDOKOLO COUNTRY. + +Our horses had not advanced more than half a dozen strides when the +strange-looking object again appeared and came stumbling toward us, and +then we saw that it was indeed a human being, apparently a girl of about +twelve years of age, from her stature. The first thing that I +particularly observed was that her skin was a kind of brownish white, +the next that she had a mop of black hair streaming loosely down over +her shoulders; then I saw that she was half-naked, for the single +garment in which she was clad was in such a tattered condition that all +that remained of it was a few fluttering rags. It was evident that the +poor creature was in the very last stages of exhaustion, for she reeled +and staggered as she came toward us with outstretched, appealing arms; +and presently, when we were still a few yards apart, with a low, wailing +cry she fell prone and lay huddled up in a pathetic little heap in the +long grass, while the dogs dashed forward and stood alternately nuzzling +her and looking up to us with plaintive whines. The next instant I +swung out of my saddle, and, bending down, raised the unfortunate +creature in my arms, when I saw, to my amazement, that she was evidently +a full-grown woman, but of very diminutive stature, being only about +four feet six inches in height. Moreover she was in a most shockingly +emaciated condition, and on her back was a close network of scarcely +healed scars, which looked as though they might have resulted from a +most merciless scourging; and she was in a deep swoon, having apparently +exhausted her last particle of strength in the endeavour to reach us. + +Taking off my hat, I handed it to Piet, with instructions that he should +fill it and his own at the brook, and return to me with all speed; and +while he was gone I pulled off my jacket and wrapped the frail, +senseless form in it. For I saw at once that this creature had not been +accustomed, like the native women with whom I had thus far come in +contact, to go about in such a state; the rags which still clung to her +attenuated form showed that she habitually wore clothing, and there was +a certain suggestion of refinement in the mould of her features that led +me to the conclusion that she belonged to a race of people having some +claim to be regarded as civilised, in their own peculiar fashion. In +short, she answered in every respect to Mapela's description of the +Bandokolo; and I had gathered, from what he said, that they were in some +sort a civilised race. + +It was a long time before we succeeded in restoring the poor creature to +her senses, so long, indeed, that when at length she opened her eyes and +began to look wonderingly about her, the wagon was close at hand. As +soon, therefore, as it was within easy hailing distance I ordered Jan to +outspan, instructed Piet to prepare my cartel, and, when the latter was +ready, carried my patient to it and laid her upon it. Then, having shot +a buck earlier in the day, we started a fire and set to work to prepare +some good strong broth, which, when it was ready, I administered, with +seemingly good effect, for when the woman had partaken of it she spoke a +word or two which sounded like an enquiry. But I could make nothing of +it, nor could Piet, whereupon 'Mfuni came forward, and presently he +contrived to hit upon a kind of Bantu dialect which the woman +understood. And then, when we had satisfied her curiosity as to who we +were, where we came from, and whither we were going, and had assured her +that we were friends and that she might regard herself as perfectly safe +with us, she informed us, in turn, that she was of the Bandokolo, and +that she had been driven out of the country--the border of which was +then one day's march distant--for some offence. This she was +endeavouring to explain, when she sank back exhausted upon the cartel, +and again fell into a swoon. + +It soon became evident that the unfortunate little creature was in a +most critical condition, from the combined effects, as I supposed, of +fiendish ill treatment, violent exertion, and insufficient nourishment; +and we were kept busy all that night reviving her from swoon after +swoon, and in the preparation and administration of strong broth, with +which to combat the terrible prostration that was her most alarming +symptom. Toward morning, however, she seemed to revive a little, and +after absorbing another liberal dose of broth, slightly dashed with +brandy, she complained of weariness, and soon afterward sank into a deep +sleep, from the restorative effects of which I hoped much. But of +course the idea of continuing our trek that day was quite out of the +question; we therefore remained where we were, and I set Jan and +'Ngulubi to look after the oxen and see that they came to no harm, while +Piet, 'Mfuni, and I devoted ourselves to the task of looking after the +invalid, though, goodness knows, our ignorance of everything connected +with the leech's art was so complete that we could do nothing more than +pour into her all the nourishment that she could be persuaded to absorb. + +And I am afraid that it was this lamentable ignorance of ours that was +responsible for her condition when she awoke about ten o'clock in the +morning. For after tossing restlessly upon the cartel for about half an +hour, she suddenly sat up, and stared about her with glassy, +terrorstricken eyes, and began to mutter rapidly to herself; and upon +feeling her pulse I found that it was throbbing furiously; also her skin +was dry, and scorching hot: in short, it was evident that she was in a +state of high fever closely bordering on delirium. We improved matters +a little by withdrawing the cartel from beneath the close, suffocatingly +hot tent of the wagon, and placing it on the grass, in the shadow of the +wagon, where the soft breeze could play freely upon the patient, also by +swathing her head in towels which were kept continually dripping wet; +and after about an hour of this treatment the fever so far abated as to +permit her to talk coherently, when she told us her story, to the +following effect. + +"My name," said she, "is Siluce, and I am of the Bandokolo. I am two +hundred and twenty-five moons (a little more than seventeen years) old; +and my father, Mindula, is one of the most powerful chiefs of the +nation. A little more than fifteen moons ago he used his influence to +secure me what is greatly coveted and regarded as a very high honour in +Bandokolo, namely a position in the household of Bimbane, the queen. +And for a time all went well, and I was happy, although Bimbane--who is +so old that no man living knows how old she is--is very severe, +tyrannical, and cruel to all those who are brought into contact with +her. Then, six moons ago, I met Anuti, one of the captains of the +queen's guard, and we learned to love each other. Four moons passed, +and then, in accordance with the custom of our country, Anuti presented +himself before the queen, and besought her permission to make me his +wife. + +"Now, Anuti is one of the most splendid men of the Bandokolo: he is +three hundred and seventeen moons (nearly twenty-four and a half years) +old; in stature he stands a full head taller than myself; he is a +valiant warrior, a clever hunter; and he has royal blood in his veins, +for his father's father's father was the son of a prince of the royal +house, and was said to be a tenth cousin of Bimbane, the queen." + +"But," I interrupted, at this point, "how could that be? The prince +from whom Anuti descended must have lived--let me see--yes, more than +one thousand six hundred moons ago. Surely your queen is not so old as +that!" + +"Ah, but she is, and infinitely older!" answered Siluce. "No man knows +how old she is; there is no record of her birth and parentage; she has +been queen of the Bandokolo for unnumbered ages." + +"Oh, but that is nonsense, you know!" I retorted; "unless of course +your records have been very badly kept. Why, in my country, if a man +lives to be thirteen hundred moons old we regard him as a marvel. +Surely your queen cannot be older than that?" + +"Yes," answered Siluce; "indeed she is. You do not understand. Bimbane +is a great magician, who keeps herself alive by certain secret arts +unknown to the rest of us. And she does so, not only because she fears +to die, but also because she is persuaded that somewhere in the world +there is--or will be--a man who, if she can find him and induce him to +become her spouse, will restore to her her long-lost youth and all the +joy of life that she once knew. It is the great desire of her life to +find this man, and no sooner did she see Anuti than the thought arose +that he might be the one through whom she would attain the fulfilment of +her desires; and by the exercise of her magic she stole his heart from +me, and induced him to wed her. And because I protested she first +caused me to be publicly whipped, and then ordered me to leave the +country, saying that at sunrise of the following day she would send +forth hunters to seek for and destroy me if they found me. And, knowing +that Bimbane would keep her word, I fled forthwith, all smarting from my +whipping as I was, and made southward, avoiding all villages on my way, +and following the most lonely bypaths that I could find. For just half +a moon have I maintained a continuous flight, living on such fruit and +other food as I chanced to come upon while pursuing my way, hiding +whenever I saw man or woman, and scarce daring to rest or sleep lest +savage beasts or the still more savage hunters should come upon and slay +me. And now all my strength has gone; the hardships of my flight have +sapped my life; and naught remains for me but to die, glad that I am +permitted to pass painlessly in your hands rather than by those of the +cruel hunters, who would drain the last remnant of my miserable life +from me by slow torture!" And as the unhappy creature uttered the last +words she threw up her hands with a gesture of despair and burst into a +passion of hysterical weeping which I made no effort to check, hoping +that thus she might gain relief to her overwrought feelings. + +But instead of that happening, the thoughts and memories which had been +awakened during the recital of her terrible experiences only increased +her excitement, until in the course of half an hour the unhappy girl was +fighting us and screaming in high delirium. Yet through it all there +was one idea that seemed to haunt her, for later on, during a +comparatively quiet period, she looked up into my face, and, seizing me +by the hand, said: + +"O wonderful white man, great and strong, you are going to +Masakisale,"--the capital of Bandokolo--"and will see Bimbane. Take +notice, and you will see that on the thumb of her right hand she wears a +ring in which is set a wonderful stone that shines like the sun at +eventide. That stone is a magic stone, a potent amulet, by virtue of +which she is able to do many marvellous things, and, among others, to +win the hearts of men. Some think that it is the possession of that +stone which enables her to prolong her life indefinitely. If it were +taken from her, and she were to die, all Bandokolo would rejoice; for +Bimbane is a cruel tyrant, grinding down the people, and making the +lives of many an intolerable burden to them. There have been those who +have sought to take the stone from her, but by the power of her magic +she has discovered their purpose and has destroyed them. But it may be +that her magic will have no power over you, O white man; therefore, if +you can, take from her that stone, and so deliver Bandokolo from her +merciless tyranny. You will do it? Promise me." + +"I promise you, Siluce, that, if I can, I will take the stone from her," +I answered, more to soothe the unhappy little creature's consuming +anxiety, I must confess, than with any serious intention at that moment +of fulfilling my promise. I meant well, and I was glad to see that my +promise had produced a beneficial effect, for her agitation gradually +subsided, and a little later, after partaking of more broth, she sank +into a slumber that, uneasy at first, gradually became quiet and +profound. + +But the improvement was only of brief duration, for in little more than +an hour she was again awake and raving in high delirium, fighting with +us more fiercely than ever, under the impression, apparently, that we +were the hunters who had been sent out to destroy her. Fortunately, I +possessed a very fair knowledge of the Bantu dialect that she seemed to +understand, and, using this, I did my utmost to soothe her and calm her +fears. But all my efforts were worse than unavailing, for they only +seemed to increase her terror; moreover, she appeared now to have become +raving mad: therefore, in despair, and because I saw that in her +struggles with us she was rapidly wearing out what little strength +remained to her, I suddenly released my hold upon her, and bade Piet and +'Mfuni do the same; whereupon she sprang from the cartel and dashed off +down the valley with the speed of a hunted deer. There was nothing for +it, of course, but to follow, and this I did on horseback, with Piet and +the dogs accompanying me. We proceeded at an easy canter, taking care +to maintain a good distance, so that she might not be conscious of being +followed, but just keeping her in sight; and in this fashion the poor, +demented creature ran quite two miles before she fell exhausted. + +When we came up to where she lay, we found her doubled up in the long +grass, apparently senseless, but moaning pitifully; and again, as on the +previous day, I sent Piet off to the river for water with which to +restore her. But all our efforts were vain, for in less than half an +hour after we had come to her the unhappy girl died, without recovering +consciousness. As soon as I was quite sure that she was dead I mounted +my horse, and, bidding Piet place the poor scarred, emaciated corpse in +my arms, rode back to the wagon; and, procuring the necessary tools, I +dug a grave in which we laid the poor inanimate body to rest, covering +it well with big boulders from the river to protect it from the ravages +of the jackals and hyenas. Then, notwithstanding that it was by this +time late in the afternoon, we inspanned and trekked a good ten miles up +the valley; for there is nothing that a South African savage fears much +more than a grave, and I knew that nothing would have induced my "boys" +to pass the night within half a dozen miles of poor Siluce's last +resting place. + +Two days later, about mid-afternoon, we outspanned close to the +headwaters of the small stream, the course of which we had been +following for so many days. It had its source in the slopes of the more +eastern of the two mountains toward which we had been travelling, and we +outspanned at the very base of the mountain and close to the margin of +the rivulet, which at this point had dwindled to a width that I could +easily leap across. And now, having arrived at a point where this +particular stream would be of no further service to us, our first +business, before continuing our journey, must be to find another stream, +flowing northward in a direction corresponding generally with that which +we desired to pursue. Accordingly, as there still remained to us some +three hours of daylight, Piet and I, accompanied by 'Mfuni, who had by +this time learned to sit a horse, set out upon a short exploring +expedition northward. + +The spot upon which the wagon was outspanned was at the extremity of the +south-western slope of the mountain, almost on the northernmost +extremity of a wide, flat plain; and from this position, looking +northward, we saw that the country again presented a somewhat broken +appearance, with high ground to the right and left, and something in the +nature of a valley directly ahead. And, a valley being obviously the +place where one would most naturally expect to find water, it was toward +the entrance to this one that we wended our way, with the steep slope of +the mountain, shaggy with thickly growing timber, of strange forms and +still stranger colours, on our right. + +As it happened, we were exceptionally fortunate in our exploration on +this occasion, for we had not ridden more than six miles when, issuing +from the northern slope of the mountain, the base of which we had been +skirting, we discovered another rivulet, very similar in character to +that near which we had left the wagon outspanned, and upon tasting the +water we found it to be deliciously sweet and cool; moreover, the stream +was flowing northward, or precisely in the direction toward which we +wished to travel. We followed the course of the stream for a distance +of some four miles down the valley, and then, finding that it continued +to flow northward, and showed a tendency to increase in volume, being +fed by other small brooks flowing into it here and there, we turned our +horses' heads and cantered back to the wagon, very well satisfied with +the result of our ride. + +Inspanning at dawn the next morning, we easily accomplished the trek +from the headwaters of the stream we were leaving behind us to those of +the stream which we intended to follow before the heat of the day had +fairly set in, outspanning at length, about eleven o'clock in the +morning, in a nicely wooded, shady valley, which gradually widened as we +progressed, with the stream on our left and rising ground on both sides +of us. Here we allowed the oxen to rest and graze for nearly three +hours, resuming our journey about half-past two o'clock in the +afternoon. + +As usual, Piet and I, on horseback and accompanied by the two dogs, +preceded the wagon, the pace of the horses, even at a walk, being so +much faster than that of the slower-moving oxen that we generally +managed to find ourselves at least two or three miles ahead by the time +that a suitable spot for the next outspan was reached. But upon this +occasion I was desirous of exploring our route for some little distance +ahead; therefore, upon mounting, we put our horses into an easy canter, +and soon left the wagon out of sight and hearing behind us. Proceeding +in this fashion, with an occasional rein-up to breathe our horses, we +found ourselves, in the course of an hour and a half, about ten miles +from our starting-point, in the midst of a beautifully wooded, park-like +plain about five miles in width, with the stream, now considerably +augmented in volume, purling musically over a shingly bed on the eastern +margin of the plain, and the high land, rising by this time almost to +the dignity of hills, still shutting us in on either hand. + +The spot which we had reached seemed well enough adapted for our nightly +outspan, therefore Piet proceeded to mark the spot by setting up our +usual signal, which was a small branch of a tree, with its leaves +attached, broken from the parent stem and stuck upright in the soil. +This would at once arrest the attention of Jan, the Hottentot driver, +upon his arrival at the spot; and seeing it, he would outspan, even if +we chanced to be elsewhere when he arrived. Then, mounting again, we +resumed our journey down the valley, in search of something wherewith to +replenish our empty larder. + +At a distance of some five miles farther down the valley we secured what +we wanted, having come quite unexpectedly, while our horses were +walking, upon a herd of black antelope, among them a number of +half-grown fawns, one of which I managed to bowl over before they had +sufficiently recovered from their surprise to get away; and having +secured our prize upon the back of Piet's horse, behind his saddle, we +proceeded to retrace our steps leisurely. But we had scarcely covered a +mile upon our backward way when we became aware of certain strange +roaring and grunting sounds, of a kind quite new to us, apparently +proceeding from the far side of a big clump of bush which lay at a +distance of a short quarter of a mile on our right front. Curious to +learn what could be the origin of those strange sounds, we turned our +horses' heads in that direction, and a few minutes later, upon rounding +the extremity of the clump, we came upon a most extraordinary sight. + +The scene was an open glade of about four acres in extent, bordered by +trees, among which were a few specimens of the kind described in the +preceding chapter, with weirdly shaped, swollen, knotted, and twisted +trunks and branches, and long, flat, ribbon-like streamers of leaves, +coated with a vile-smelling exudation. But it was not so much the glade +itself--strange as was its appearance, with its weird-looking +vegetation--that attracted our attention, as what was being enacted in +it. For away toward one edge of it was a big boulder, on the top of +which crouched the figure of--was it a woman, or a monkey? The creature +seemed to partake about equally of the characteristics of both; she was +entirely unclothed, her whole body was covered with short, thick, +golden-brown hair, that on her head being much longer than that on the +rest of her body, while her features might be described as very +human-looking for a monkey, or very monkeyfied for a human being. But I +noticed that her arms were disproportionately long, as compared with +those of a woman; and a further glance revealed that her feet had a +distinct resemblance to hands, her great toes looking very much more +like thumbs. + +It was not from her, however, that the roaring and grunting sounds +emanated--for she sat quite silent--but from two males of her own +species, who, in the middle of the arena, were engaged in deadly combat, +using their hands, feet, and teeth as weapons, which they employed with +most ferocious energy. Gripping each other by the throat with the left +hand, apparently with the twofold purpose of strangling and preventing +the opponent from biting, while with the right fist they battered each +other savagely, occasionally using the right foot in an endeavour to +throw each other, the combatants--both of whom stood well over six feet +high--whirled hither and thither with astounding agility, so completely +occupied with each other--and the female so absorbed in watching them-- +as to be utterly oblivious of our presence there on the edge of the +arena, partially concealed beneath the shadow of the trees. + +For several minutes they fought thus, locked together in a deadly grip; +then, as though by mutual consent, they drew apart a few paces, +evidently for the purpose of recovering their breath, glaring +ferociously at each other meanwhile, and uttering low, deep, rumbling, +snarling growls: and the tremendous energy which they must have expended +during the struggle was abundantly evidenced by the convulsive heaving +of their great, hairy chests. Then suddenly they rushed at each other +again, and became locked in a deadly embrace, each fixing his strong, +fang-like teeth deeply in the shoulder of the other, and each apparently +striving to crush the body of the other in the grip of his great, hairy +arms, the enormously powerful muscles of which could be plainly seen +working beneath the skin. To and fro they swayed, still tightly locked +together, growling and snapping at each other with such deadly ferocity +that in a few moments the blood was streaming copiously from their +lacerated shoulders and arms; and then one, apparently the younger of +the two, succeeded in throwing his opponent violently to the ground. +The shock seemed partially to stun the thrown one for a few seconds, and +of this his opponent took instant advantage by flinging himself astride +upon his antagonist's body, pinning his arms down by kneeling upon them, +and gripping his throat with both hands in a throttling grasp that soon +reduced his enemy to a condition of utter helplessness. Then, rising +heavily and somewhat unsteadily to his feet, the conqueror glared about +him for a moment, and, seeming to see what he was looking for, stooped +over his insensible foe, seized him by an arm and a leg, and, lifting +him above his head, went staggering across the open space toward one of +the weird-looking trees already mentioned, into the foliage of which he +flung the body. And forthwith, to our unspeakable horror, the long, +sticky, ribbon-like leaves, sensitive as those of a mimosa, seized and +wrapped themselves about the body, until, in less time than it takes to +tell, it was so completely enveloped that nothing of it was to be seen, +while the leaves of the tree--which was only about fourteen feet high-- +had formed themselves into a great, horrible, tightly compressed mass, +in which I seemed to detect, for the space of a minute or two, signs of +an internal struggle. Meanwhile, the conqueror, having thus effectually +and terribly disposed of his foe, went reeling and staggering over to +where the female sat impassively upon the boulder, seized her roughly by +the arm, and dragged her, unresisting, into the depths of the wood, +where we soon lost sight of them. + +Speechless with horror for the moment, even more at the demoniacal +ferocity displayed by the combatants than at the weird ghastliness of +the manner in which the fight had ended, I signed to Piet, and, wheeling +our horses, we galloped away from the scene of the tragedy, nor drew +rein again until we reached the wagon, which was in the act of being +outspanned. Then, dismounting, I beckoned to 'Mfuni, related what we +had seen, and asked him whether he had ever heard of such creatures as +those men, or monkeys, that Piet and I had beheld fighting. But 'Mfuni +shook his head and replied in the negative; he had never before been +anything like so far north, and his knowledge of the Bandokolo country, +it appeared, was even less than that which I had gained from Mapela. + +In the course of the next day's trek we passed close to the scene of the +combat, and, for the satisfaction of my curiosity, I made a point of +carefully examining the tree into which the body of the vanquished had +been thrown. The leaves were still bunched tightly together; but I +observed that the mass thus formed was distinctly smaller than it had +been when I last looked upon it, and I believed I could guess pretty +accurately at the process which was going on within it. I felt very +strongly disposed to have the tree cut down and subjected to +examination; but there were two strong arguments against this, one being +the overpowering carrion-like effluvium which the tree exhaled, while +the other was Piet's point-blank refusal to have anything to do with +such an attempt. + +On this day we saw two new species of animals, one being a hyena nearly +twice as big as any that I had hitherto seen, and of quite different +marking, the ground colour of its skin being very similar to that of the +lion, while it had a black head, a distinct black mane, a broad black +line running along its spine from the base of the skull to the tail, and +an alternation of black stripes and irregular blotches upon the whole of +its body except the under part, which was white. We came rather +suddenly upon a pack of eleven of these creatures disputing possession +of the carcass of a buffalo with a flock of vultures, and were therefore +afforded an excellent opportunity to note carefully their peculiarities +before they made off, which they did slowly and unwillingly, uttering +the most dreadful maniacal laughs as they went. The other creature was +a kind of jackal, as big as a full-grown leopard, with a splendid coat +of long, fine, glossy black fur. This beast broke cover about fifty +yards away from us, and, unlike the rest of his species, instead of +beating a hasty retreat upon seeing us, turned promptly and attacked us +with indescribable fury. Luckily, I had my rifle ready, and shot the +brute dead as he was in the very act of leaping at Prince's throat; and +it was well that I did so, for upon examining him we found that he was +possessed of a set of terrible fangs, capable of inflicting dreadful +injuries had he been afforded the chance. We stripped off his hide, and +left the carcass to the vultures to dispose of, which they did with +commendable promptitude, as Jan subsequently informed us when we +rejoined him at the next outspan. We also saw in the distance, on that +same day, a herd of about thirty elephants; but I did not attempt to +interfere with them, as I hoped that before long I should have something +even more valuable than ivory with which to load the wagon. + +As we proceeded, the country steadily became more broken and irregular, +the hills higher and more precipitous, with frequent outcrops of +enormous granite boulders and towering cliffs of felspar, from the +interstices of which sprang strange and beautiful ferns, interspersed +with bushes bearing flowers of remarkable shapes and the most splendid +colours. The trees, too, grew more closely together: the streams +increased in number, many of them pouring down the face of the cliffs in +the form of waterfalls, which dissolved into spray and mist long before +they reached the bottom, veiling the dark and rugged rocks in soft +clouds of delicate vapour reflecting every hue of the rainbow. In +short, with every mile of our advance the scenery grew more wildly and +romantically beautiful, yet withal there were spots, deep narrow glens +and ravines shut in by towering cliffs and overshadowing trees, where +the effect was as weird as a scene copied from Dante's Inferno, and in +the midst of which one felt that the strangest happenings would have +excited no surprise. + +It was in the midst of such a scene that we again encountered the +gigantic man-like monkeys, which, I subsequently learned, formed part of +the fauna peculiar to this remarkable country. There were two of them +this time, a male and a female, and they were coming toward us when we +sighted them. The instant that they caught sight of us, the female +turned and ran for the face of the nearest cliff, which she scaled with +incredible agility; but the male halted and stood his ground, evidently +prepared to dispute our passage, if necessary, and to cover his +companion's retreat. But I had no fancy for engaging in a fight with a +creature which was such a strange and unnatural compound of man and +beast. I therefore spoke a word to Piet, and we reined up; whereupon +the creature, after much snarling, growling, and baring of teeth, slowly +retreated, following his mate, but keeping a wary eye upon us meanwhile, +until he too reached the foot of the cliff, when, with a parting snarl +of defiance, he climbed the vertical face of the rock with an agility no +less extraordinary than that displayed by his mate. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +I LEARN SOME INTERESTING PARTICULARS CONCERNING THE QUEEN. + +It was a little after ten o'clock on the following morning when Piet and +I, mounted as usual, and riding about a mile ahead of the wagon, emerged +from a narrow, winding gorge, hemmed in on either hand by stupendous, +almost vertical, cliffs, drawn so closely together that, riding though +we were beside the margin of the river, there was little more than bare +room for us to travel abreast. It was not until we rounded a bend in +the gorge that we knew how near we were to the end of it; and the sight +which then greeted our eyes caused me to utter a shout of delight: for +before us, at a distance of a short quarter of a mile, was the extremity +of the gorge, a mere narrow slit between two mighty walls of overhanging +sandstone, through which we caught a glimpse of an open, grassy, +sun-bathed plain, the long rich grass billowing to the sweep of a fresh +breeze, and its wide stretches of level surface darkened here and there +with the rich purple shadows of slow-moving clouds, promising a welcome +change from the close, suffocating, enervating, insect-haunted +atmosphere of the gorge. And as a background to this breezy, sunlit +scene, there towered high into the air, at a distance of some ten miles, +a magnificent sweep of lofty mountains, rugged and broken of outline, +tree-clad to their summits, and gleaming like emeralds in the strong +blaze of the morning sun. + +With another shout of delight I pressed my heels to Prince's ribs, and +three minutes later Piet and I trotted gaily out through the mouth of +the gorge into the sunlit plain--to find ourselves confronted by a troop +of some fifty of the most extraordinary-looking warriors I had ever +seen, who had evidently been lying _perdu_ in waiting for us behind the +screen of towering rocks that formed the gateway, as it were, of the +gorge. + +They were little fellows, about the height of a well-grown English boy +of ten years of age, but that they were full-grown men was evidenced by +the luxuriant beards and moustaches which they all wore; indeed, one of +them, their leader, appeared to be well advanced in years, for his hair +and beard were dashed here and there with grey. It was a little +difficult to judge what their natural complexion might be, for they were +all deeply tanned by the sun, but I imagined it could be very little +darker than my own, for I was as deeply bronzed as any of them, as I +could see by a glance at my own sunburnt hands. They were clad in a +uniform consisting of a sleeveless shirt that looked as though made of +white thick silk, over which was worn a kind of tunic of fine scale +armour, which gleamed and flashed in the sun as though made of gold--as +indeed it afterwards proved to be. On their heads they wore plumed +helmets of the same precious metal; their legs were bare, save for a +kind of buskin made of leather, coloured white, reaching to just below +the knee; they were armed with a short, broad-bladed sword, and a round +target or shield, finely embossed, also made of gold; and they were +mounted on zebras, the trappings of which were thickly studded with +small gold bosses, the saddles consisting of thickly rolled blankets of +some soft material strapped over big saddle cloths of crimson silk, +edged with stout gold cord and adorned at the corners with tassels of +gold bullion. There was a standard-bearer with them whose trappings +were even richer and more ornate than those of the rank and file, and +who bore aloft upon a slender lance a small standard of crimson silk, +deeply edged with gold fringe, and beautifully emblazoned in gold thread +with a device which seemed to be a hieroglyphic of some sort, of which I +could make nothing. + +Upon finding ourselves thus suddenly confronted with this extraordinary +array, we promptly reined our horses back upon their haunches, while I +with equal promptitude unslung my rifle and brought it to the "present", +more by instinct than anything else, for of course the idea of +successfully resisting fifty of even such little fellows as these, if +they were evilly disposed toward us and were possessed of only ordinary +courage, was absurd. But their chief, or leader, quickly set our minds +at rest, for without moving from his place in the front of his troop he +threw up his right hand and exclaimed, in a rather high-pitched voice, +and in the Bantu dialect with which I happened to be acquainted: + +"Nay, mighty and noble lord, slay us not with thy lightnings, I pray +thee, for we mean naught but good to thee and thine! I, Pousa, captain +of the queen's bodyguard, have been dispatched by Bimbane, the Deathless +One, the Possessor of all Knowledge, the Reader of all Secrets, the High +and Mighty Queen of the Bandokolo, to bid thee welcome to her country +and to conduct thee in all honour to her gracious presence." + +"It is well, O Pousa, and I thank you," answered I, as I lowered my +rifle. "But tell me, I pray you, how came Bimbane to know that it is my +purpose to visit her, and how came you to know where you would find me?" + +"The queen knows all things; there is no secret hidden from her," +answered Pousa simply. "She has long known of thy coming and the reason +for it, and at first she was minded to destroy thee and thy following +and seize all thy belongings. Then she changed her mind and determined +to forbid thine entrance into her country. And now, quite recently, she +has again changed her mind, and has decided to receive thee in peace, +with all honour. She it was who directed me how and when to come and +where to lie in wait for thee. Ay, she even knows that Siluce, the +outlawed rebel, went out upon the Dark Path from thine arms." + +"The dickens she does!" exclaimed I in English, in the height of my +astonishment. "Nay, but how can that be, seeing that no one has passed +from me to her to tell her so?" I continued in Bantu. + +"It matters not, she knows," answered Pousa; adding, with just a touch +of impatience: "Do I not tell thee that she knows all things?" + +"Yes," I answered, "you certainly tell me so, but--" + +I checked myself abruptly, realising that I was on the point of saying +something that might easily be construed as offensive. "It will give me +great pleasure to make the acquaintance of your queen," I continued; +"for a woman who possesses such an extraordinary gift of knowledge must +be very well worth knowing. There are one or two matters upon which I +am badly in need of reliable information. Perhaps she may be induced to +give me that information?" + +"She will, without doubt--if it so pleases her," answered Pousa. "But," +he continued, "where is thy house that travels, being drawn of oxen, and +where are the rest of thy followers? The queen told me that there were +with thee four black ones, and that--" + +"My wagon--which you call a house that travels--and the remaining three +of my followers are behind," I answered. "They will doubtless be with +us in the course of a few minutes. I shall outspan here, so that my +oxen may rest in the shade of the gorge. Will you not direct your men +to dismount and rest their zebras? We shall not resume our march for +about three hours." + +Pousa regarded me for a moment, a little doubtfully I thought; then as I +calmly dismounted and turned Prince over to Piet to be off-saddled, the +little soldier gave a few crisp orders, in a tongue of which I was +ignorant, and his troopers at once dismounted, stripped their zebras of +their trappings, hobbled them, and turned them loose to graze; then the +men, arranging themselves in small parties, proceeded to open their +ration sacks and refresh themselves with a meal consisting, as I +noticed, of sun-dried meat and small cakes. Pousa very politely invited +me to share his ration with him; but as I just then caught the sounds of +Jan's shrieks to his oxen, and the cracking of his long whip, I as +politely declined, inviting him in return to defer his meal for a time +and join me at luncheon, which invitation he eagerly accepted, somewhat +to my surprise, I confess, seeing that the little chap could not +possibly guess what kind of food he would be offered, or whether he +would like it when it was placed before him. + +A few minutes later the wagon arrived and was outspanned, its appearance +exciting the utmost curiosity and admiration of the Bandokolo, who, I +now learned, had never before seen a wheeled vehicle, and were +profoundly interested when I endeavoured to explain the principle of the +wheel to them. But they were infinitely more interested and amazed when +'Mfuni, having collected a quantity of dry leaves and sticks with which +to build a fire, came to me, and, receiving from me the burning-glass +which I habitually carried in my pocket, calmly proceeded to kindle the +fire with its aid as usual, it being our regular practice to economise +our flint and steel as much as possible by never using it when a +burning-glass could be made to serve the same purpose. The Bandokolo, +it appeared, used fire for a number of purposes, but possessed no +knowledge of how to produce it, and were therefore obliged to conserve +it by keeping lamps perpetually burning; and I could readily understand +that, as Pousa explained, there were occasions when, as in times of +violent storm and heavy rain, they were put to the gravest inconvenience +through their inability to convey a lighted lamp from one place to +another. + +While we were partaking of luncheon--for which, by the way, Pousa +displayed great relish, after regarding the roast deer flesh for a +moment or two rather dubiously--I endeavoured to pump my guest with +regard to the character and disposition of Her Majesty Queen Bimbane; +but I found the old fellow rather inclined to be reticent upon the +subject, and uneasy when I began to question him, the reason being--as +he presently informed me furtively in a whisper--that, as likely as not, +the queen would be with us in spirit, listening to our conversation, and +that he had no wish to offend the lady by affording information that she +would perhaps prefer should be withheld. 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. The scales of their armour, I was told, were also treated in the +same way, and were so hard that it was impossible to pierce them either +with sword or spear. Then I exhibited my hunting knife, which excited +Pousa's highest admiration, and also a certain amount of apprehension +when, of set purpose, I casually mentioned my conviction that I could +drive the blade through the best scale armour that the Bandokolo could +produce. "Shining stones", also, it seemed, were fairly abundant, but +they had no particular use for these excepting as adornments, the stones +being admired because of the extreme brilliancy with which they +reflected light and colour. + +We had been trekking a little more than an hour when, suddenly, without +the least warning, an enormous two-horned rhinoceros hove himself up out +of the long grass about a hundred and fifty yards in front of us, and +stood regarding us doubtfully, with his little eyes gleaming and his +tail switching angrily. At this unexpected apparition we all drew +bridle, as with one accord, to await developments, while I quickly +unslung my rifle and prepared for action. I could not help noticing +that Pousa viewed the creature with considerable trepidation, while as +for the troopers in our rear, with one accord they wheeled their zebras, +with the evident intention of making a bolt if necessary. And that it +would be necessary soon became evident, for rhino, instead of being +alarmed at our imposing display of force, and making himself scarce, was +clearly annoyed at our presumption in daring to disturb him; and +presently he lowered his head and, with loud squeals of rage, came +charging straight down upon us, whereupon our escort incontinently dug +their heels into the ribs of their frightened zebras and dashed off, +scattering in all directions, to my intense amusement. But the wagon +was not very far in our rear, and if rhino were allowed to get past us, +and should choose to attack it, he might easily play havoc with my +diminished team of oxen; therefore, hastily dismounting, lest Prince, +despite his training, should flinch and swerve at the critical moment +and so spoil my aim, I raised my rifle to my shoulder, and, waiting +until the now thoroughly exasperated beast was within ten yards of me, +fired and sent a bullet through his right eye into the brain, bowling +him over like a rabbit. Then, quickly reloading my rifle, I quietly +waited for Pousa to rejoin me, which he presently did, after re-forming +his scattered command, without seeming to be in the slightest degree +abashed at his desertion of me. + +Approaching me with considerable circumspection, as I stood over the +fallen brute, with Prince beside me, he raised his right hand and +saluted, as he exclaimed: + +"Truly, white lord, thou art well named Smiter with Lightning, for I +beheld the flash wherewith thou didst slay this fierce and terrible +beast, before whose anger not even the bravest warrior of the Bandokolo +may stand! Thou art as mighty a wizard as the Deathless One, for thou +canst slay without fighting, even as she can." + +"It is true, Pousa, I can," answered I, willing to avail myself to the +utmost of the opportunity that had been afforded me to display my power. +"But," I continued, "who told thee that I was named Smiter with +Lightning?" + +"Who but the Wise One, even Bimbane, the queen?" retorted Pousa, in +tones which seemed to suggest: "Who else do you suppose it can possibly +have been?" + +"Not only did she tell me how thou wert called, but she described thee +to me, told me of thy huge stature and immense strength, how thou wert +clothed, the wonderful weapon from which thou dost discharge thy +lightnings, and even the great black beast which thou dost bestride!" + +I fell into a rather uneasy reverie. Could this man be by any +possibility telling the truth? The story was so astounding, so utterly +incredible--and yet it was told so simply, and with such an utter lack +of all straining after effect: the man made no attempt to impress me +with the marvel of it all; his tone and manner were those of one who +told of the most matter-of-fact, everyday occurrences. Besides, if he +were not telling the truth, how could he possibly have come to know the +name which had been given me by Lomalindela, the King of the Mashona?-- +for I was perfectly certain that he had had no opportunity to learn it +from either of my own "boys." + +But if this and the other things that he had told me concerning Bimbane +were indeed true, she must be a most extraordinary woman, endowed with +strange and wonderful powers, and it might be that I should find her +rather more than I could manage before I had done with her. To admit +the possibility that she might indeed possess such uncanny powers led +inevitably toward several very unpleasantly suggestive reflections; but +with an effort I threw them off, for I had already determined to go +through with the adventure, and would not allow myself to be diverted +from my purpose by the thought of any possibilities, however unpleasant. +Therefore I roused myself and continued my conversation with Pousa by +describing the fight between the men-monkeys and its awful conclusion, +and asked him to tell me what he could about both the beasts and the +trees. He could not tell me much about either, but what he did tell was +grim enough; for, with regard to the monkeys, he informed me that they +were well known as the most ferocious beasts to be found in Bandokolo, +and that a certain number were captured by means of pitfalls, in which +they were permitted to remain until they were all but dead from +starvation, when they were removed to Masakisale (the capital city), and +carefully tended until they were restored to a condition of normal +health and strength. Then they were used to test the guilt or otherwise +of persons charged with offences of exceptional enormity; the test being +made by setting the accused to fight with one or more of the brutes, +when, if he conquered, it was presumed that he was innocent. + +I naturally enquired whether anyone had ever thus succeeded in +demonstrating his innocence, and was not surprised to be answered in the +negative. Then I asked why, if Bimbane really knew all things, it was +necessary to subject a suspect to such a test in order to determine his +guilt or innocence, to which Pousa replied that, of course, the test was +quite unnecessary, for the queen could always tell whether or not a man +was guilty, and to sentence a prisoner to such an ordeal was equivalent +to pronouncing him guilty and ordering his execution; but the form of +trial was retained since it was one of the institutions of the country +which had existed from time immemorial. + +As to the tree, into the foliage of which the victorious monkey had +flung his antagonist, I was told that it, like the monkeys, was +indigenous to Bandokolo, and that one of its most gruesome peculiarities +was the ghoulish avidity with which it enveloped any unfortunate +individual or animal in its tentacle-like leaves and forthwith proceeded +to absorb its victim into itself. These trees, Pousa added, were +sometimes employed instead of the monkeys as a means for the disposal of +criminals. "A truly charming country and people," thought I, +"apparently abounding in the most delightful characteristics!" + +About half an hour before sunset we reached the foot of the mountains +toward which we had been trekking all through the afternoon, and +outspanned on the veld at the entrance to a pass which had revealed +itself about an hour earlier. + +The scenery in this pass, when we entered it on the following morning, +proved to be very similar in character to that of the gorge through +which we had passed on the previous day, before encountering Pousa and +his troopers, but, if anything, even more wild, gloomy, and sombre; and +I was not sorry when, about eleven o'clock, we emerged from it into a +kind of basin, hemmed in on all sides by hills. Through the centre of +this basin a narrow road ran, bordering a tiny rivulet which had its +rise somewhere among the adjacent hills; and on either hand the ground +was cultivated, maize, sugar cane, cassava, and fruit of various kinds +being among its products, while the far end of the basin consisted of +pasture land, upon which a herd of quite a thousand cattle were grazing. +There were a few people at work in the field and orchards, pygmies, +like Pousa and his band, but at sight of us they hastily retired, having +been previously ordered--as I subsequently learned--to keep well out of +our way and not intrude their presence upon us. There was no sign of +buildings of any description, but when I questioned Pousa on the subject +he drew my attention to a large number of almost invisible openings in +the rocky sides of the encircling hills, which he told me were the +entrances to the cave dwellings of this extraordinary people; and when I +examined them through my telescope I discovered that the reason why +these openings were so difficult to detect was because they were each +choked with people staring intently out at us as we wound our way +through the valley far below them. My telescope enabled me to discover +that almost every opening, however small, was decorated with more or +less carving, executed in the living rock; and beneath each I also +noticed the little heap of debris which had been thrown out by the owner +when he took possession of his cave and proceeded to enlarge its +interior according to his wants. + +We outspanned at the far end of the valley, where the pasture had been +reserved, and spent the night there, having made a sort of forced march +through the valley in order to reach grass for the cattle--that forced +march, by the way, costing me one of my rapidly diminishing team of +oxen. + +On the following day we passed another of the extraordinary Bandokolo +villages, and, on the day following that, two more, each being +considerably larger than the preceding one, while the distance between +them steadily decreased, so that on the tenth day after Pousa found us +we passed through no less than five villages, the last two being within +three miles of each other, and of such extent that I estimated each of +them to contain at least four thousand inhabitants, if not more. And +now, as every mile brought us appreciably nearer to Masakisale, the +capital and the abode of the mysterious and redoubtable Queen Bimbane, +it was no longer possible to keep the people at a distance, and I had +abundant opportunity to study their appearance, manners, dress, and +customs generally. + +I feel bound to say that, taking into consideration all that I had heard +about them, my first impression was distinctly favourable. For, pygmies +though they were, they were as a rule perfectly formed; their colour was +so light that it soon became scarcely noticeable; their expression was +intelligent, and by no means unamiable, at least in the case of the +women, while as for the latter, though real beauty might be rare it was +certainly not entirely absent, and many of the younger ones were quite +good-looking, if not actually pretty. In the matter of attire, the +dress generally worn was admirably adapted to the tropical climate in +which the wearers lived, that of the men consisting simply of a pair of +tight-fitting drawers reaching to just above the knee, over which was +worn a sleeveless shirt of thick silk, confined at the waist by a belt; +while that of the women appeared to be a single garment of thick silk, +generally white, but occasionally dyed, the favourite colours being a +rich crimson, a sea green, and a very pale blue. But, apart from the +soldiers, neither sex wore any head covering, their thick hair seeming +to afford them all the protection needed from the fierce rays of the +vertical sun; but both sexes wore a kind of buskin of soft leather +reaching to just below the knee, the sole consisting of a shaped piece +of thick hide stitched on to the under part of the buskin. + +The abundance of gold in the country was amply testified by the fact +that all adorned themselves more or less with ornaments, such as belts, +bracelets, armlets, or necklaces, made of the metal, many of the women +wearing, in addition, small plaques or bosses of hammered gold stitched +to the hems of their dresses, while others wore a kind of coronet, +formed of hammered or chiselled gold, in their hair. A rather sinister +feature which quickly attracted my attention was that, with scarcely a +solitary exception, the men went armed, each with a heavy, +murderous-looking knife of hardened gold thrust into his belt. Diamonds +also now came in evidence, a few of the women wearing the rough, uncut +stones set in gold, as necklaces, in their belts, or as adjuncts to +their coronets. And now, too, for the first time, I had an opportunity +to see the kind of vehicle in general use among the Bandokolo, this +consisting of a rough kind of sleigh, usually drawn by a single +elephant, although I encountered, here and there, sleighs big enough to +need, when fully loaded, two elephants to draw them. The horse was a +hitherto unknown beast among them, and it was amusing to note the wonder +and admiration which my animals excited among the people as we passed. +But they had contrived completely to domesticate the zebra, which seemed +to be quite common among them, although it was used exclusively as a +saddle animal. + +Up to the present I had been afforded no opportunity to view the +interior of the rock dwellings of this extraordinary people; but as we +drew ever nearer to the capital I could not help feeling impressed by +the increasing elaboration of the decoration of the entrances, and the +high degree of artistic taste displayed. Some of the dwellings, indeed, +seemed to be wholly artificial, that is to say, the owner appeared to +have chosen a particular spot on the face of the living rock, and, +attacking it, had begun work by hewing out first the entrance--which was +usually rectangular in shape, ornamented with columns supporting a +sculptured pediment--and thence proceeding to excavate inward as many +apartments as were needed for the accommodation of his family. Such a +structure would, if executed by the members of the family alone, require +many years of continuous labour to complete; but Pousa informed me that +the usual practice was for a young man to start his house as soon as he +attained the age of two hundred and thirty-four moons (eighteen years), +leaving the exterior ornamentation quite rough, to be completed at his +leisure, and, hewing out a central passage, to employ others to help him +in excavating the interior apartments, adding to their number from time +to time as the need for them arose. + +About mid-afternoon on the eleventh day after Pousa and his detachment +had taken charge of us, we reached the city of Masakisale, the capital +of Bandokolo; and after what has already been said with regard to this +remarkable people, the reader will not be surprised to learn that it was +far and away the most extraordinary city that I had ever seen or heard +of. It was situated in a kind of basin about eight miles wide by about +twenty-two miles long, hemmed in on every side by precipitous mountains, +and approached through one of the weirdest, wildest, and most +forbiddingly picturesque gorges that it is possible for the mind of man +to imagine. A mountain torrent foamed and raged over a rocky bed +through this gorge into the basin, and finally discharged itself into a +gloomy tarn, about two miles wide by three and a half miles long, which +occupied the whole of the lower or northern end of the valley. A wide, +straight road ran lengthwise through the valley from end to end, and was +intersected, at intervals of about a mile, by cross roads, between which +the whole of the valley was under cultivation, except for a patch of +about five miles long adjoining the tarn, one-third of which was pasture +land, while the remainder was devoted to the raising of hay, four crops +of which were cut every year. A road, with which the intersecting roads +communicated, ran right round the valley, at the base of the precipitous +mountain slopes which formed the sides of the basin, and from it other +roads zigzagged up the slopes to the very summit. + +These zigzag roads gave access to the rock dwellings honeycombing the +mountains, the sculptured entrances to which were clearly discernible +through the variegated colours that splashed the slopes, these +variegated colours being due to the fact that the mountain slopes had +been terraced from base to summit, filled with earth where required, and +converted into gardens and fruit orchards. + +The industrial portion of the city was situated at the northern end of +the valley, the prevailing wind here being from the south; thus the +smoke of the factory furnaces was carried away out of the valley at its +northern end, which obviated all nuisance. The population of Masakisale +numbered fully twenty thousand, according to Pousa; and I afterward had +reason to believe that he was very far within the mark, for I roughly +estimated that there must be nearly that number of dwellings in the +valley, and they would accommodate, on an average, at least four persons +each. There appeared to be nearly or quite five thousand people at work +in the fields when we entered the valley, assisted by some forty or +fifty elephants, which seemed to be employed here and there in ploughing +up the land and preparing it for a new crop. There was also a +considerable amount of traffic, pedestrian and vehicular, on the various +roads; and when the news of our arrival spread through the valley--which +it appeared to do with marvellous celerity--this traffic increased a +hundredfold at least, so that within an hour of our arrival it seemed as +though every man, woman, and child in the valley had turned out to stare +at us. And I confess that I was by no means favourably impressed with +the manner in which the men at least of Masakisale regarded my +appearance among them, for if I correctly interpreted the expression of +their countenances it was made up, in about equal proportions, of hatred +and fear; while that of the women, on the other hand, seemed chiefly to +indicate wonder, probably at my stature, for, compared with their +fifty-four inches, my seventy-four must have appeared gigantic. + +There was no difficulty at all in identifying the royal palace; for +whereas most of the other dwellings in the valley were indicated merely +by a more or less elaborately sculptured doorway hewn out of the living +rock, the abode of Queen Bimbane measured--judging by the eye alone--at +least five hundred feet long by sixty feet high, the whole surface of +which was sculptured into the form of a house front, consisting of a +doorway with window openings on either side of it, and, above that, two +other tiers of window openings giving upon wide projecting balconies, +the whole very elaborately decorated with mouldings, balusters, +architraves, pediments, columns, entablatures, and other architectural +features, in a style quite strange to me, yet very handsome and +impressive, and representing, I should say, the life's work of several +hundred masons. Moreover, there was a banner flying over the centre of +the building, consisting of a replica, upon a very much larger scale, of +that borne by the standard-bearer who accompanied my escort. + +This remarkable building--if indeed it may so be called--was situated +about three miles down the valley, on its western side and consequently +facing east, so that for the greater part of the day it was in shadow, +while every one of its window openings was shaded from the morning sun +by awnings of some material (which I afterward found was silk) arranged +in alternate stripes of green and white. I sighted and identified it at +a distance of more than a mile away; and when we arrived opposite it I +found that, as of course might be expected, one of the intersecting +roads crossing the main road led up to it. But there was this +difference between that particular road and all the others, that whereas +the others had cultivated fields on either side of them, this road was +bordered on either hand by beautiful smooth grassy lawns, kept cut quite +close, interspersed at frequent intervals with great, fancifully shaped +beds of flowers, while here and there enormous shade trees had been +left, beneath which quite a large number of handsomely attired men and +women were lounging. These were, of course, the palace gardens; and +when I enquired, Pousa informed me that the loungers belonged to the +queen's retinue, the general public being rigorously excluded from them. +Upon our arrival at the point where the road leading to the palace +branched off from the main road, Pousa informed me that I must now bid a +temporary adieu to the wagon and my followers, these being destined to +the lower end of the valley, where the pasture was situated, while, by +command of the queen, I was to be lodged in the palace; therefore if I +would indicate such of my personal belongings as I wished to have taken +to my new quarters, he would see that they were duly conveyed thither. +I rather demurred at this, not caring to be separated from Piet and +'Mfuni; but upon learning that the arrangement had been ordered by the +queen, and could not now be altered, I yielded, with the best grace I +could muster, and gave instructions that all my spare guns and a +plentiful supply of ammunition should be conveyed to my destined +quarters with the utmost circumspection, and there deposited. + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN. + +THE PLOT THICKENS. + +Separated from the wagon, and thus under no further obligation to +regulate our pace by that of the slow-moving oxen, we now, at Pousa's +command, advanced at a trot along the road leading directly to the +palace; and as we rapidly approached that structure I became +increasingly impressed by the remarkable grace and beauty of its +architectural decorations, the exquisite details of which forced +themselves more insistently upon my attention with every foot of our +progress. For instance, I saw now that certain irregularities in the +surface of the walls and the shafts of the columns, which in the +distance I had taken as due to the effect of weather, were really a vast +number of small pictures, sculptured in very low relief, representing +scenes in the history of Bandokolo, many of those scenes being, +naturally, battles. And although the figures were conventionally drawn, +the vigour of action and the truth to nature of the attitudes portrayed +evidenced the work of an artist of no mean power. + +But I had no opportunity just then to study the sculptures at leisure, +for Pousa was evidently very anxious to complete his responsible task of +delivering me safely within the precincts of the palace. I was +therefore obliged to content myself with a hasty glance at the facade as +a whole, while dismounting and resigning my horse to the care of a groom +who awaited my arrival at the foot of the broad flight of steps leading +up to the main entrance. Then, accompanied by Pousa, who also had +dismounted, I ascended the steps, fifty in number, and was ushered +through a wide and lofty doorway provided with a pair of heavy swing +doors of massive gold, the panels of which were decorated with figures +in high relief, into a cool and lofty hall, where I was received by and +formally turned over to an official whom I afterward learned was the +major-domo, or master of the queen's household. This individual very +cordially welcomed me to Masakisale, in the name of the queen, and, +bidding me and the attendants bearing my belongings to follow him, led +the way to the rear of the hall, which, as soon as my eyes grew +accustomed to the somewhat subdued light, I saw was about fifty feet +long by fifty feet high by twenty-five feet wide, with a broad balcony, +supported by columns, running all round it at a height of some thirty +feet from the pavement. + +At the far end of the hall was a massive flight of steps, hewn out of +the solid rock wall, leading up to the interior balcony, to which we +climbed; and, arrived there, I was conducted to a suite of two rooms, +which I was given to understand had been assigned for my use by the +queen. The larger room of the two was a front room looking out upon the +palace gardens, and was evidently intended for day use; while the one +behind, which had no window and derived its light from the front room +and from a handsome gold lamp suspended from the ceiling, was a combined +bathroom and sleeping chamber. This latter room, the stone floor of +which was covered with fine matting, contained a very beautiful and +spacious ivory couch, most luxuriously furnished, a number of elegant +and equally luxurious divans, and an immense bath, almost big enough to +swim in, sunk into the floor. The official who had me in charge pointed +out these various matters to me, as well as a very handsome suit of +clothing, evidently made expressly for me, which, he intimated, it was +the queen's wish I should wear during my stay in the country; told me +that by clapping my hands I could summon a servant who had been detailed +to attend upon me; and then bowed himself out. + +Left at length to myself, I instructed the people who had brought my +belongings where to put them, satisfied myself that nothing was missing, +and then, dismissing the men, proceeded to take stock of my +surroundings. The apartments assigned to me were very spacious, lofty, +cool, and airy, and were furnished with a degree of elegance and luxury +that was simply astounding, especially in view of the fact that I was in +a part of Africa which, so far as I knew, but one white man had ever +visited before, and from which no white man had ever emerged; and I felt +that I was fully justified in regarding myself as very highly honoured. +Then, when I had completed my inspection, I clapped my hands, and, upon +the appearance of the attendant, intimated that I should like a bath; +whereupon the man withdrew a wooden plug from a hole in the wall, and in +a few minutes the immense bath was full to the brim of bright, cold, +sparkling spring water, into which I at once plunged, completely +submerging myself for about half a minute, to the amazement and +consternation of my attendant, who afterward confessed that he feared I +was bent upon drowning myself, none of the Bandokolo, it appeared, +possessing the slightest knowledge of natation. My use of soap, too, +and the facility with which by its aid I was enabled to remove the dust +and grime accumulated during the day's travel, was another revelation to +him; as was also the comb wherewith I arranged my now much too luxuriant +locks. My bath towels likewise came in for a share of his admiration; +but the thing which, next to my stature, most excited the fellow's +astonishment was the whiteness of my skin, where it had been protected +by my clothing, compared with the deep bronze of my face and hands. +Having bathed to my satisfaction I proceeded to clothe myself in the new +garments which had been so thoughtfully provided for me--and for which I +was indeed grateful, for the best of my own clothes were by this time +little better than rags. These new garments consisted of a pair of +bathing drawers--at least that is what they were like, for they only +reached down to just above the knees--a tunic-like, sleeveless shirt, +and a pair of buskins made of soft white leather, soled with ox-hide. +The drawers were made quite plain, of thick white silk, and fitted +fairly tight to the body; the shirt also was made of the same material, +but about the armholes and the hem of it there was stitched a broad band +of crimson silk, sewn in a beautiful pattern with gold thread and +thickly studded with small gold bosses about the size of ordinary coat +buttons, each boss being beautifully chiselled with a flower-like +pattern in high relief. There was also a waist belt, made of solid gold +links fastened together with a sort of hinge, and clasped in front with +a pair of massive gold sculptured plaques, forming a very handsome +adornment to one's person, and very convenient, too, for it happened to +be of just the right width to take my pistol holsters. These garments +all fitted me as though made to measure, to my great astonishment; and +when I asked Langila--that being the name of my new servant--how he +accounted for such an extraordinary fact, he further amazed me by +saying, as calmly as though it were the most natural thing imaginable, +that the articles had all been made according to measurements supplied +by the queen! And when I pushed my curiosity farther by asking how Her +Majesty could possibly guess so accurately at the proportions of a man +whom she had never seen, he simply shrugged his shoulders and repeated +Pousa's astounding statement that "the queen knows all things!" After +which I requested that I might be left to myself; for I wished to give +this statement my most careful consideration, and to endeavour to fathom +all that it might possibly mean to me. + +Was it possible that this extraordinary woman, reputed to be old far +beyond the limits of the age usually ascribed to humanity--this queen of +a wonderful people hidden away in the mysterious depths of Africa, the +continent of strange and mystic happenings, was really the possessor of +the gift of unlimited knowledge? To me, a plain, simple, matter-of-fact +Briton, such a thing seemed impossible; yet Pousa had already supplied +me with proof that surely ought to have been convincing to any +reasonable man. He had been told that on a certain date and at a +certain spot he would encounter me, and he had done so; my appearance +had been described to him, and the description had proved accurate in +every particular, down to the most minute detail; and he had even +learned the facts connected with the death of the unhappy Siluce! How +had the queen, his informant, become acquainted with all these matters, +seeing that even the fact of my impending visit to Bandokolo could not +possibly have been made known through any of the ordinary recognised +channels of communication? It was an exceedingly disquieting +circumstance; for if Bimbane actually possessed this astounding, +supernatural gift of knowledge it practically rendered her all-powerful, +and how could any ordinary individual--myself, for instance-- +successfully contend with such a being--if contention should ever become +necessary? I decided that contention, strife, between her and myself +must not be permitted to become necessary: I must cultivate her goodwill +and gain her friendship if I could, then all might be well; whereas if I +should be so unfortunate as to incur her displeasure--well, there was no +use in blinking the fact that she was powerful enough to destroy me. + +I had just about arrived at the above conclusion when Langila appeared +and respectfully enquired when it would be my pleasure to eat, which +reminded me that several hours had elapsed since I had last partaken of +a meal, and that, despite the disquieting nature of my recent +reflections, I was hungry. I therefore intimated that I was quite ready +for a meal at any moment, whereupon he disappeared, to return a few +minutes later accompanied by half a dozen servants, who quickly and +deftly prepared a table by covering it with a very handsome cloth of +spotless white linen, upon which they placed a number of elegantly +wrought dishes of polished agate, heaped high with fruits of various +kinds arranged with their respective leaves, a most beautiful vase of +some wonderfully marked and highly polished stone, full of wine, and +several elaborately chased plates and dishes of massive gold, one of +which contained a little pile of thin, flat cakes of a kind of bread, +smoking hot. Then another man entered, bearing a gold dish containing +what looked like a roast fowl, but what I presently discovered was a +parrot; and Langila intimated that my dinner was served. And a very +excellent dinner it proved to be; for the parrot was tender, juicy, of +very appetising flavour, and perfectly cooked, while the little cakes of +hot bread were particularly good. Then the wine! It was of a rich ruby +colour and exquisite aroma, but light and innocuous as water. As for +the fruits, I had never before--and have never since--tasted such +luscious peaches and grapes. And all this elegance and luxury, I kept +reminding myself, existed in a part of Africa utterly unknown to the +white man! + +Whether it was the novelty of my surroundings, the somewhat perturbing +character of my reflections, or the contrast between the luxuriousness +of my couch and the hard cartel upon which I had reposed for so many +months under a stifling wagon tent, I know not, but sleep was slow to +come to me on that first night of my sojourn in the palace of Queen +Bimbane; and when at length it visited me it seemed that I had scarcely +closed my eyes before I opened them again to find that it was day, and +that Langila was standing beside my couch, respectfully enquiring +whether it would please me to bathe before dressing for breakfast. I +replied that it certainly would, whereupon the fellow filled my bath for +me, and a few minutes later I was luxuriously wallowing in the cold, +crystal-clear water. To towel myself dry and dress was the work of but +a minute or two, and then I sat down to a meal which in point of +elegance and luxury was the equal of that partaken of on the previous +evening. + +When I had finished, Langila, who was really a most admirable servant, +respectfully enquired what I next proposed to do; and when I informed +him that I intended to ride to the lower end of the valley, to see how +my servants were faring, and that the wagon and oxen were being properly +looked after, he assured me that I might rest perfectly easy as to that, +but that if I were determined upon doing as I proposed it was the wish +of the queen that I should appear in public suitably arrayed. Thereupon +he vanished, and presently returned bearing a superb doublet of gold +scale armour upon a foundation of doeskin as soft as a kid glove, a +broad belt of massive gold links heavily studded with uncut diamonds, +supporting a gold-bladed sword in a richly chased golden sheath, and a +gold helmet, wadded and lined with silk and surmounted by a splendid +plume of ostrich feathers dyed a deep, rich crimson! And, thus +magnificently bedizened, I presently set forth, mounted upon Prince, +who, in his turn, had not been forgotten, he also proving to be a +beneficiary to the extent of a superb crimson silk, gold-fringed saddle +cloth, and a new bridle of a kind of velvet, dyed crimson, and heavily +studded with gold bosses. + +The ride to the lower end of the valley and back proved exceedingly +interesting, for there was novelty everywhere; and I noticed that my +gorgeous trappings seemed to produce a profound effect upon the people, +who now saluted me with the utmost reverence, the fact being--although I +did not know it at the time--that I was dressed in the uniform of a +general of the Bandokolo army. I found the wagon all right, and the +remnant of my team of oxen luxuriating in the rich pasture by the margin +of the lake; while as for Piet, Jan, and 'Ngulubi, they had plenty to +eat and no work to do, and were therefore perfectly happy. But 'Mfuni, +who had developed a most extraordinary devotion to me, gloomily informed +me that the country and the people were "'mkulu 'mtagati", and that he +did not at all approve of my being housed in the palace, surrounded by +strangers, and with him miles away and quite unable to watch over my +welfare. Upon hearing which, I comforted the poor fellow as well as I +could by assuring him that I was not in the slightest danger, that the +arrangement was merely temporary, and that at the first opportunity I +would endeavour to persuade the queen to allow him to come to the palace +as my personal attendant. + +Upon my return to the palace I was informed by Langila that the queen +was in her apartment, and had given instructions that, upon my return, I +was to be conducted into her presence, that she might personally express +her satisfaction at my arrival in the country; therefore I at once +proceeded to bathe, and, when I was ready, desired Langila to announce +me. I had not far to go, for the royal apartments were situated, it +appeared, in the wing of the palace opposite to my own, just on the +other side of the grand staircase; and in a few minutes I found myself +in the royal presence. + +The room in which Queen Bimbane received me was a superb apartment, +magnificently decorated with elaborately carved columns supporting a +kind of groined roof, the walls being draped with splendid tapestry +worked on silk in gold thread, and hung with several enormous mirrors of +polished silver in massive gold frames--brackets supporting clusters of +lamps on either side of each. The stone floor was covered with fine +grass matting worked in a very tasteful pattern with different-coloured +grasses; and at the far end of the room was a divan that looked as +though made of solid gold, upholstered in embroidered silk. Upon this +divan reclined a diminutive figure entirely shrouded in white silk +draperies, so that only the two eyes could be seen through a narrow +slit; and behind this figure stood two handsome young women, gorgeously +attired, who perpetually waved two enormous fans of ostrich feathers to +and fro over their mistress. + +The lord chamberlain, who took me over from the hands of Langila, duly +announced me and forthwith retired; and I noticed that as I strode +through the doorway, attired in all my bravery, the little figure on the +divan started and gave utterance to a faint ejaculation. But she +instantly recovered herself, and, stretching out her right hand, swathed +in silken wrappings, exclaimed in a low, pleasant voice: + +"Greeting, and many welcomes, Chia'gnosi! I have been anticipating this +moment with much curiosity, and also with a little trepidation, for my +prescience tells me that you are destined to exercise a great, indeed a +vital, influence upon my future; and I have wondered whether that +influence will be for good, or for evil." + +"For good, I trust, Your Majesty," I replied, as, sinking on one knee, I +placed my right hand beneath hers and raised it respectfully to my lips. +As I have said, that hand was swathed in silken wrappings, so that I +could not see it, but my sense of touch told me that it was small and, +as it seemed to me, painfully thin. But although I did not see the hand +I saw something else, and that was the orange and ruddy flashes of a +jewel on the thumb, the brilliance of which was so great that it made +itself manifest even through the silken veil in which it was enveloped; +and I immediately remembered the "potent amulet", containing a stone +"which shines like the sun at eventide", mentioned by Siluce, which she +had besought me to take from its owner. + +"I, too, trust that it will be for good, Chia'gnosi, otherwise you would +never have been allowed to come here," answered the queen. "My +prescience--which has never yet deceived me--tells me that in you I +shall find a man who can be either a true, loyal, steadfast friend, or +an implacable enemy; and as I am determined to make you my friend, I am +not afraid. Yet I see that, in the depths of your heart, you are +already prejudiced against me; and since that prejudice must be removed +before friendship can be born, tell me, I pray you, how did that +prejudice originate? But first, rise, and sit beside me, here." + +I rose and obeyed, in some confusion; for how, I asked myself, could +this woman possibly read my inmost thoughts, as she appeared able to do? +Nevertheless, it seemed to me that honesty was the best policy, +therefore I answered her, after seating myself at as respectful a +distance from her as the divan would allow: + +"If I am indeed prejudiced at all against Your Majesty, it is because of +the story that Siluce told me." + +"Ah, yes, Siluce!" retorted the queen rather bitterly. "She died in +your arms. And, before dying, she no doubt told you that the Bandokolo +are a cruel, wicked people; and that I, their queen, am the most cruel +and wicked of them all. Did she not?" + +"I am told that you know all things," I returned. "If that be true, you +must be fully aware of every word which that unhappy young woman said." + +"Ye-e-es," answered Bimbane slowly, "I ought to know, certainly; but it +happens that I do not. For at the moment when you encountered Siluce, +it chanced that my attention was distracted from you for a time; and +when at length I was again free to visualise you, the woman was lying +dead in your arms, and so I missed hearing what she told you. But I can +guess; and I have guessed aright, have I not?" + +"Pretty nearly," I replied. And then I repeated what Siluce had said as +to the treatment which she had received, and the causes for that +treatment; and I ventured to hint that, according to the views of +civilised people, the unhappy girl had been atrociously misused. + +"So that was the story Siluce told you?" remarked the queen, when I had +finished. "Now listen to mine, and judge between us. + +"I am not a young woman; I am indeed old, as you have already guessed: +yet when the time of mourning for my late consort was past, many chiefs +and nobles urged me to wed again, and offered themselves as suitable +candidates for the position of spouse to the queen. I knew that these +proposals were made only because of the power, influence, and wealth +which belong to the position; yet, because I am a woman, with all a +woman's weaknesses, and the Bandokolo are a fickle, turbulent people, +impatient of restraint and difficult to govern, it seemed desirable that +I should choose another consort from among the many suitors for the +honour. And after careful consideration I chose Anuti, one of the +captains of my guard, because he seemed the most suitable for the +position, and the man most likely to be helpful to me in my difficult +task of government. + +"But Siluce, who was one of the women of my household, had already seen +Anuti, and desired him as her husband, although the man would have +naught to do with her. And when the forthcoming espousals of Anuti and +myself were announced, Siluce forced her way into my presence, upbraided +me for robbing her of her lover, and sought to slay me! Therefore I +dismissed her from my household, and forbade her ever to appear again in +my presence; but it was Anuti who caused her to be whipped, and +afterwards ordered her banishment. And because, after our espousals, I +learned this, and rebuked Anuti for his cruelty, he has quarrelled with +me and become my enemy." + +"U-um!" I returned. "That, of course, is a very different story from +the one told me by Siluce." + +"And it is the truth," asserted the queen; "although doubtless there are +those who will declare to the contrary. I possess much knowledge, +Chia'gnosi, yet I know not how I am to convince you of the truth; for +he, my husband, who could verify my words, resents my rebuke and has +become my most bitter and implacable enemy, and doubtless he will seek +to win you over to his side by bearing false witness against me. I +would that I could make you my friend, Chia'gnosi, for never have I so +sorely needed a friend as now, when Anuti has turned against me and +seeks to oust me from my place and become supreme in the land. And you +are wise with the wisdom of the white man; you are a warrior, and come +of the race of those who always conquer: therefore if I could win you to +my side I should certainly triumph in the struggle that I foresee is at +hand. Tell me, Chia'gnosi, how may I win you to become my champion?" + +"Nay, O Queen," answered I, "ask me not, I pray you; for I came here not +to take part in any quarrel, but merely to--" + +"Yes, I know," interrupted the queen. "You came hither hoping to obtain +much gold and many shining stones. Well, whether or not you will become +my friend, I can at least help you to realise your wish. You shall have +as much gold and as many shining stones as you can carry away. I have +many stones already, and I will give orders that more shall be obtained, +so that you may have as many as you desire; while as for gold, all that +I possess is yours for the asking." + +What could I say by way of reply to such lavish generosity as this? I +could but thank the queen with all my heart, and did so, yet with a +lurking dread that she might attach to the acceptance of her gift some +condition which I certainly could not assent to without a great deal +more knowledge than I then possessed. But she did not: on the contrary, +she led me to understand that her gift was quite unconditional; and we +then proceeded to talk of other matters, with the result that when at +length I was dismissed, I left the royal presence strongly impressed +with the conviction that my hostess was a very much misunderstood and +maligned woman, earnestly desirous of governing an unruly people wisely +and well, in the face of strenuous opposition on the part of a clique of +ambitious and unscrupulous nobles, of whom the most ambitious and +unscrupulous was Anuti, her husband, who, it seemed pretty evident, +aimed at nothing short of her dethronement and death, and the usurpation +of supreme power. I confess I felt very sorry for the poor old +creature; and although I was particularly careful to pledge myself to +nothing, I was conscious of a very strong inclination to espouse her +cause and do what I might to defeat the machinations of her powerful +enemies. She readily assented to my petition that 'Mfuni, my Mashona, +might be permitted to come to the palace, to act as groom to Prince, +that animal having manifested a distinct distaste for the attentions of +the Bandokolo stableman; and the man presented himself that same +afternoon, in response to a message which I sent, commanding his +immediate appearance. + +For nearly a week after this nothing of any particular import happened. +Upon one pretext or another the queen sent for me every day, sometimes +more than once, to converse with her; and by the end of the fifth day +after my arrival I had practically forgotten Siluce's charges against +her, forgotten that she was an old woman--although on the occasion of +our third interview she had permitted me to see her small, withered, +wrinkled old face--forgotten everything, in fact, except that I had come +to the conclusion that she was the most charming, delightful, and +interesting, as well as the most friendless and vilely betrayed woman I +had ever heard of. She had kept her word right royally in the matter of +the diamonds, having sent me a goatskin sack full of the most +magnificent stones, while I was led to understand that more were being +diligently sought for; and as for gold, there was already enough of it +in my apartment to tax the strength of my diminished team of oxen to the +utmost to draw it when it should be loaded into the wagon. + +On the sixth day after my arrival in Masakisale I encountered Anuti, the +queen's husband, while riding from the palace to the wagon, as was my +daily wont. He joined me when I was about halfway down the valley, +riding out from one of the side roads, which, it appeared, led to the +house that he was then inhabiting, he having deserted the palace +immediately after his quarrel with the queen. He approached and +accosted me, introducing himself quite frankly; and upon learning that I +was on my way to the lower end of the valley, asked permission to +accompany me, which I accorded rather ungraciously, I am afraid, for I +was by that time very bitterly prejudiced against him. Yet, as we rode, +conversing together, I found it hard to maintain that prejudice, for he +was as unlike the man I had pictured him as it was possible for a man to +be; indeed, I was amazed at the frankness, geniality, and courteousness +of his manner. He professed to be rejoiced at the opportunity that I +was affording him to make my acquaintance, for which he thanked me; very +delicately hinted his admiration of my prowess in killing the rhinoceros +which had attacked the escort; and expressed an earnest desire that, +despite the suspicion and dislike with which I at that moment regarded +him, the time was not far-distant when we should be stanch friends. He +added that there were several of Bandokolo's most influential nobles and +chiefs who were anxious to be made known to me; and when I received this +intimation with a return to my original frigidity of manner he turned to +me and exclaimed, with an almost startling earnestness of manner: + +"Ah, Chia'gnosi, I would that you could be persuaded to lay aside your +prejudices, and treat me and my friends fairly! Our conception of you +has been that of a man who loves justice and fairness above all things, +else would you never have been permitted to come hither. I know that +you have been a sojourner in the palace for the last five days, and that +you have been daily--ay, almost hourly--brought under the influence of +the queen, consequently I fully understand your antagonism to me. She +has told you her story, and has cunningly played upon your sympathy and +the chivalry of your character, leading you to believe that she is the +most unfortunate, most maligned and persecuted woman in the whole world. +But that is only her version of the story; and I swear to you that it +is false! I know the story which the lips of the dying Siluce whispered +into your ears, for my spirit was with you both then, and I say that +every word of it is true, although I know that Bimbane has asserted the +contrary. Think of this, therefore, Chia'gnosi, and ask yourself +whether you may not have been led by a cunning, unscrupulous, and lying +old witch to give your sympathy to the wrong person. If you are capable +of being convinced by the truth--as I believe you are--I can convince +you. But you must give me the opportunity; and if you will but do this, +I tell you that you will thank me for asking you to hear what I have to +say." + +To say that I was amazed and shocked beyond all power of expression at +the possibility that I had been hoodwinked and played with by a +preternaturally plausible old woman is to put the matter very mildly; +yet slowly the conviction dawned upon me that it might be so. I +suddenly remembered my own youth and inexperience, and the tales that +had been told me of Bimbane's unnatural longevity; and gradually I came +to realise how easy a woman of her prolonged and wide experience would +find it to play upon my sympathy and credulity until she had brought me +to a state of mind in which I should be prepared to believe whatever she +might choose to tell me. She had indeed almost brought me to that state +of mind, but not quite; I still retained sense enough to recognise that +my judgment was not infallible, my wisdom not so great but that it might +be possible for an exceedingly clever person to deceive me. And then it +suddenly occurred to me that Bimbane's version of the Siluce incident +was entirely unsupported save by her own assertions, while the statement +of Siluce herself--made with her dying breath, when, it might be +assumed, she could have no possible motive for telling a falsehood--was +fully confirmed by Anuti. Yes; the two stories differed so completely +that one of them must necessarily be untrue, and I felt that I owed it +to myself to discover which of them it was. It was all very well for me +to pretend that I would not permit myself to be involved in a quarrel +with which I had no concern, but I began to realise that possibly I +might not be allowed any option in the matter, and that in spite of +myself I might be compelled to take one side or the other; and if that +should prove to be the case I must see to it that I was not inveigled +into espousing the wrong side. Therefore, when I had reasoned the +matter out in my own mind, somewhat after the above fashion, I turned to +Anuti, and, giving him my hand, said: + +"You are right, Anuti; you are entitled to demand that I shall afford +you the opportunity to set forth your version of the dispute between the +queen and yourself, and to bring forward proofs of the soundness and +justice of your own contention, and you shall have it. Therefore, make +such arrangements as you may deem necessary; and when you are ready I +shall be prepared to listen to you. But, understand this: your proofs +will have to be very full and complete to be wholly convincing, for, +rightly or wrongly, I have been very strongly impressed with the +conviction that the queen is the victim of a powerful band of thoroughly +ruthless, unscrupulous conspirators." + +Anuti laughed heartily as he grasped my extended hand. "There was no +need for you to tell me that, Chia'gnosi," he said, "for I know Bimbane, +and am fully aware of her extraordinary powers of persuasion. Her magic +is potent and wonderful, ay, even to the extent of enabling her to +persuade you that this blaze of sunlight is the darkness of the great +cavern whence we obtain our shining stones, that yonder sun is the +day-old moon, or that she herself is young and beautiful. Therefore I +am in nowise astonished that you insist upon my proofs being complete. +I am fully aware that they will have to be so in order to convince you; +and I promise you that they shall be. And now, a word of warning. It +may be that Bimbane is cognisant of what has passed between us, for I +doubt not that she watches your every movement; and, if so, she will be +fully aware, not only that we have met, but of every word that we have +spoken. In that case, Chia'gnosi, you will be in some danger; and if I +thought that you feared danger I would express my regret for having +brought you within touch of it. But I know that you do not; therefore I +will merely say to you, be on the watch, for when the peril comes it +will come swiftly, without warning, and you will need all your courage +and all your great strength to meet it. Farewell, Chia'gnosi, and +thanks for the courtesy and fairness with which you have hearkened to +me. I will collect my facts and my witnesses; and when all is ready you +shall hear from me. Again, farewell!" + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. + +AT LAST I LEARN THE TRUTH. + +Profoundly perplexed, and quite unable to decide which of these two, +Bimbane or Anuti, was telling me the truth, I rode slowly and +thoughtfully back to the palace, and, surrendering Prince to the care of +'Mfuni, sought the privacy of my own apartments, anxious to think over +quietly and free from all distraction what I had heard, in the hope of +being able to arrive at some definite conclusion with regard to the +matter. Also, I was anxious to learn whether there was any foundation +for Anuti's suggestion that Bimbane was probably aware of his meeting +with me, and of what had passed between us, believing that if such were +indeed the case the queen would assuredly betray her knowledge either by +her speech or in her manner. But although I had scarcely been back long +enough to bathe and change into the garments which I usually wore +indoors when I was invited to join the queen in her apartments, I could +detect nothing in either her manner of greeting me or in her subsequent +speech to indicate that she had the least suspicion that I had spent +nearly two hours in her husband's company. There was not the slightest +shade of difference in her cordiality of manner toward me, not the +faintest suggestion of uneasiness or anxiety; and as for her +conversation, after informing me that she had received information from +the mine to the effect that a large consignment of the shining stones +might be expected shortly, she proceeded to question me with regard to +the details of my past life--of which she appeared to possess a quite +extraordinary general knowledge--and finally referred, in a perfectly +natural manner, to little Nell Lestrange, asking whether I still adhered +to my original intention of endeavouring to find the child. And upon my +assuring her that I certainly did, she asserted that she possessed the +power to help me very materially in my search, and was perfectly willing +to afford me that help, if I cared to avail myself of it; to which I +replied that I would gladly do so, and would feel infinitely obliged and +grateful for it. Whereupon she offered to show me, there and then, the +road which I must follow, upon leaving Masakisale, in order to reach the +place where the lost child might be found. + +To one who thought somewhat slowly, as I generally do, this seemed to be +rather rushing matters, and, with Anuti's warning fresh in my mind, I +hesitated for just the fraction of a second, wondering whether perchance +this might not be some subtle scheme on Bimbane's part to get me into +her power; but the friendly, ingenuous look in her eyes, as I glanced +into them, disarmed my momentary suspicion, and a few seconds later, +animated by the intensity of my desire to learn what I might regarding +poor Nell's whereabouts, I found myself stretched at full length upon +the divan, with the little, shrivelled, decrepit figure of the queen +bending over me as, in obedience to her command, I stared intently at +the jewel on her right thumb, which she held within a few inches of my +eyes. + +For perhaps a minute I gazed at the wonderful flashing and changing +colours of the stone, which seemed to be something between a diamond and +an opal; and then, suddenly, I seemed to be mounted on Prince and +journeying back along the road by which we had reached Masakisale, with +Piet and 'Mfuni beside me and the wagon in the rear. We seemed to be +passing the spot where I had buried the remains of the unhappy Siluce, +and in my dream we turned aside to examine the grave, and assured +ourselves that it had not been disturbed. Back, mile after mile, we +travelled until we reached a certain mountain that I remembered +perfectly well, and here we abandoned the route by which we had formerly +travelled, striking eastward round the southern side of the mountain, +and following for several days a stream that led south-eastward. Then, +abandoning that stream, and still journeying south-eastward, we "struck" +another stream that finally led us to a broad river which I somehow knew +to be the Zambezi. Along the left bank of this great river we seemed to +journey for several days, carefully noting the natural features of the +country as we went, and especially some very fine falls--which were not, +however, the famous Victoria Falls, discovered by Livingstone--and +shortly afterward we reached a drift which enabled us to cross the +river; and here we turned our backs upon it and followed upstream a +smaller river discharging into it. And thus we seemed to go, day after +day and week after week, until two months were past, when suddenly, +toward the close of a certain day, I seemed to find myself in the midst +of surroundings that I dimly remembered having seen before; and +presently it dawned upon me that I was looking upon the plain which +Mafuta, the Basuto nyanga, had shown me in the vision wherein I had been +permitted a brief glimpse of Nell Lestrange. Yes, that was the place, +without a doubt; and as I stood gazing in wonder at it a Kafir at my +side, who had come from I know not where, informed me, in reply to a +question, that the place was named Umgungundhlovu, and that it was the +Great Place of Dingaan, the king of the Zulu nation. And therewith, as +the man's words fixed themselves in my memory, the vision faded; and, +opening my eyes, I found myself staring into those of Bimbane, who was +still bending over me. + +"Well, Chia'gnosi," said she, with a smile that, even on her withered +features, I somehow thought very sweet and engaging, "you have slept +long. Have you seen aught?" + +"Yes," said I, rising to my feet. "I have seen the way from this place +to the spot where my friend's little daughter may be found; and I thank +you most heartily for granting me the vision. It is very wonderful, and +I wish that I possessed the power to gain such information by means of +self-induced dreams. I suppose the power lies in that ring, does it +not?" + +"Nay," answered Bimbane, quickly placing her right hand behind her, "the +power is in myself; the ring is but a means, and any bright thing would +do as well." (And then I suddenly remembered the bright disk by means +of which Mafuta, the Basuto nyanga, had produced the vision that I had +witnessed in his hut.) + +"And wish not for any such power, my friend," continued the queen, +seating herself upon the divan from which I had risen; "for while the +information so gained is sometimes useful, it is more often of a +distressing nature, and many times have I thus learned that those whom I +deemed my stanch friends were really secret enemies, industriously +plotting evil against me. One is far happier without such knowledge, +therefore I make use of my gift as seldom as possible. And now, go, +Chia'gnosi, for the exercise of my power has rendered me very weary, and +I must rest. But come to me again to-morrow; for although my magic has +enabled me to learn much of what happens in the world outside Bandokolo, +there are many things which I have never been able to understand until +now, when you have explained them to me, and I wish to learn all I can +while you are here to teach me." + +I retreated to my own apartments more puzzled than ever as to the true +character of the queen; for while I could not help feeling that Anuti +was perfectly sincere in his denunciation of her, the more I saw of her +the more convinced did I become that there was some frightful +misunderstanding somewhere, and that she was in reality a true, +tender-hearted, generously disposed woman. Finally, I called for +Prince, and took a long ride up the valley, seeking for light; but none +came, and when about sunset I returned to the palace, I was as much +befogged as ever. + +When on the following day I was again summoned to the queen's +apartments, I found her full of schemes for the better government of the +Bandokolo and the improvement in general of the condition of the people; +and upon these schemes she expressed herself anxious to have my opinion, +as well as any suggestions which I might see fit to offer. Now, I felt +that I was altogether top young to set myself up as an authority upon so +abstruse a subject as statesmanship; yet I was not quite destitute of +ideas, or the inclination to express them when they happened to be +strong and well-defined, consequently it was not long before we were so +deeply engrossed in conversation as to be practically oblivious of +everything else. Hence I was greatly astonished, not to say chagrined, +when after about an hour's animated and exceedingly interesting +conversation I suddenly became conscious that I had been asleep--for a +second or two only, it seemed to me, for when wakefulness returned the +queen was still speaking, and I gathered from her speech that I could +not have missed more than, at the most, half a dozen unimportant words. +I was profoundly annoyed with myself, for if there is one thing upon +which I especially pride myself it is my courtesy to women, let them be +young or old, rich or poor, and I felt that in permitting myself to lose +consciousness, even though it were but for a second, I had been guilty +of a piece of gross discourtesy to a woman whom I was daily growing to +respect and esteem more profoundly. Respect and esteem! Nay, those +were cold words in which to express the feeling with which I was rapidly +coming to regard this much vilified, much misunderstood woman; +admiration was a word much nearer the truth: and I sincerely hoped that +my momentary involuntary lapse of attention had escaped her notice. I +presently believed that it had, for when I ventured to look at her I +perceived that she was staring into vacancy, as people are apt to do +sometimes when they are expressing their views on a subject upon which +they feel very deeply. + +We conversed together for nearly three hours that morning, and when at +length the queen dismissed me the last shred of suspicion raised in my +mind against her by Anuti had vanished, and in its stead I was conscious +of a feeling of exalted, romantic devotion, such as the knights errant +of old must have felt when they went forth to perform some deed of +desperate gallantry in honour of the women who had won their admiration. + +When I rode out from the palace that afternoon, I was animated by a +fervent hope that I might encounter Anuti; for I longed for the +opportunity to convince him that the ideas which he had somehow formed +with regard to his royal wife were as far from the truth as darkness is +from light, or as the east is from the west. And, as sometimes happens, +my desire was gratified; for as I rode down the valley to pay my daily +visit to the wagon, I found the man obviously waiting for me at the spot +where we had previously met. + +Upon seeing me he pressed his heels to his zebra's sides, and galloped +forward to meet me, greeting me with the same frank friendliness as +before. + +"Well met, Anuti," said I. "I have been hoping that I might see you, +for I have several matters of moment that I wish to discuss with you. +Will you ride with me to the end of the valley, or shall I accompany you +to your house?" + +"Let us ride to the end of the valley first, Chia'gnosi," said he; +"then, afterwards, if you will accompany me to my house, I shall feel +myself very deeply honoured." + +"Right!" I said. "Forward, then! Now, Anuti, I wonder whether you can +guess why I am so anxious to have an opportunity to converse with you?" + +"I think I can," he answered, with that frank, genial smile of his which +had so favourably impressed me at our former meeting. "You want to +prove to me that my ideas concerning Bimbane are all wrong, and that I, +and those who regard her as I do, are doing her the utmost injustice. +Is not that it?" + +"Heavens, man, you must be a thought-reader!" I ejaculated in +astonishment. "How did you come to guess that?" + +"Oh," he replied laughingly, "it was quite easy! I knew that by the +time you next met me Bimbane would have fully convinced you that she is +a wronged and grossly maligned woman; and, having thoroughly read your +character at our last meeting, I was sure that no sooner would she have +done that than your chivalry of feeling would urge you to espouse her +cause and undertake the task of proving to me and the rest of her +enemies that, in regarding her as we do, we are doing her a hideous +injustice. Well, now is your opportunity to convince me--if you can. +She has convinced you. Tell me, how did she do it?" + +By way of reply I related in detail everything that had happened since I +had last met him, repeated our conversations word for word, so far as I +could recall them, and dwelt at length upon the many exalted sentiments +and lofty aspirations to which the queen had given expression; asking +him finally how he could possibly associate those sentiments and +aspirations with a woman of such a character as he believed that of +Bimbane to be. + +"Quite impossible, Chia'gnosi," he answered, "if she were sincere in +their expression." + +"And how do you know that she is not?" I demanded hotly. + +"How do you know that she is?" he retorted. "You have only her word for +it; she has not furnished you with a shadow of proof. It is easy for a +woman--or a man--to express exalted sentiments and lofty aspirations, +even though she--or he--may not feel them. As a matter of fact, I +entertain the precise sentiments and have the same aspirations with +which you credit Bimbane; but I suppose you will require something more +than my bare assertion before you will believe me. Yet why should you +doubt me, and believe her? I will tell you. It is because she has +thrown the spell of her magic over you! You tell me that yesterday she +cast you into a trance wherein you saw the way which you must follow in +order to find the captive child of your friend. By allowing her to do +that, you afforded her an opportunity to get you under her influence and +into her power; and to-day, when you fell asleep while she was +conversing with you, she was simply testing and strengthening her power +over you. You believed that your sleep lasted but a second or two; I +believe that it may have lasted half an hour or longer, during which she +was getting more complete control over you: and when at length she +aroused you from your trance she simply resumed her conversation at the +point where it had broken off at the moment when you lost consciousness; +hence you imagined--as she intended you should--that you had been asleep +but for a moment." + +"I will not believe it," I exclaimed hotly. "Nothing shall convince me +that any woman could be so base as to take such dastardly advantage of a +man as you suggest." + +"Has the mischief indeed gone so far as that?" demanded Anuti, soberly +enough now. "Then I am very sorry for you, Chia'gnosi; very sorry for +us all. For in that case you will never be permitted to leave +Bandokolo, never have the opportunity to rescue the captive daughter of +your friend; while as for the rest of us, we shall inevitably be plunged +into a disastrous civil war, in which many of Bandokolo's highest and +best will be slain. Probably Bimbane, aided by you, will triumph; but, +believe me, when it is too late and the evil has been wrought, you will +discover that you have made a disastrous mistake--or, rather, have been +hideously deceived. Ah, do not shake your head in unbelief, my friend, +for remember that I am speaking from experience. I know that what I say +is true, because it was through the influence which Bimbane gained over +me that she constrained me to become her spouse, although I loved +Siluce. You look incredulous; you doubtless think that I might have +resisted, had I chosen: but I swear to you that so complete was her +power over me that I was absolutely helpless, and although I fully +understood the enormity of the crime which she was committing, and which +she was compelling me to commit, I was powerless to resist, because I +could not escape from her. But afterward, when the foul wrong was done, +when I was irrevocably bound to her, and my poor Siluce had been driven +forth to perish miserably, Bimbane foolishly relaxed her hold upon me, +thinking, I suppose, that, the knot being tied, I should not attempt to +escape, but should accept the ignoble fate which she had designed for +me. Also I think she was indifferent, because the event proved that I +was not the man through whom she believes she is to recover her +long-lost youth and beauty. And I took advantage of this relaxation of +vigilance on her part to escape from the palace and from her influence, +and, despite her entreaties and commands, have steadfastly refused to +return: hence I have been able gradually to shake off her influence +until now I am quite free from it; and I tell you that never again shall +she have an opportunity to recover her power over me, if I can help it. +Now, if you are not so completely bewitched as to be incapable of +distinguishing between truth and falsehood, come with me, for I am +prepared to submit to you ample and convincing proof of the truth of all +my charges against Bimbane." + +"Very well," said I, "I will go with you, for although the matter is +really no concern of mine I am anxious to get at the truth, if only in +order that I may be of some assistance in adjusting this most unhappy +misunderstanding between the queen and the nobles. For I am convinced +that it is nothing more serious than a misunderstanding, and that a +little explanation on either side will suffice to clear it up +completely. But I warn you, Anuti, not to indulge in any false hopes of +your ability to persuade me of the queen's guilt, for I shall need +something far more convincing than unsupported assertions to satisfy +me." + +"Yet Bimbane's unsupported assertions have thus far completely satisfied +you; do not forget that, Chia'gnosi," retorted Anuti. "However," he +continued, "if you can persuade yourself to regard the question of the +queen's guilt or innocence as an open one for a little while, I have no +doubt of my ability to make you recognise the truth." + +Much more was said by Anuti to the same effect, but as it was in the +main but a reiteration and amplification of his previous statements, it +need not be repeated here; suffice it to say that by the time we reached +his house he had brought me to a state of mind which enabled me to +recognise that, after all, it was just possible that I might be +mistaken, that Bimbane might not be the sort of person I had allowed her +to persuade me she was, and that Anuti and his friends were at least +entitled to a dispassionate hearing. + +And then, when at length we reached Anuti's dwelling, that individual +introduced me to some thirty of the most important and influential +nobles and chiefs of Bandokolo, among whom was Mindula, the father of +the unhappy Siluce; and, one after the other, these men arose and +related the wrongs, the cruelties, and the injustices which they and +theirs had suffered at the hands of Bimbane, accompanying their +statements with proofs of so convincing a character that I no longer +found it possible to disbelieve. And when at length the session was +over I arose, stunned, astounded, horrified, and furious at the thought +of the danger which I had so narrowly escaped, of falling into the hands +of a vile, unscrupulous woman, and becoming her willing, deluded tool. + +"And now," I demanded, as the nobles rose to depart, "what am I to do? +It is impossible that I can continue to reside in the palace and remain +the guest of the queen; yet, having come so far, I do not like the idea +of quitting the country without at least enough of the gold and shining +stones to repay me for the toil and peril of my adventure. And I +suppose that when I announce my intention of quitting the palace the +queen will at once conjecture that I have been in communication with +you, and have learned the truth concerning her. Will she attempt to +detain me by force, think you?" + +"It is impossible to surmise what she may do," answered Anuti. "It is, +however, not force so much as persuasion that you have to fear, for I do +not believe that there is a man in Bandokolo who would be willing to +face your fire weapons, even at Bimbane's command: but if you venture to +return to the palace and see her again, rest assured that she will bring +the whole power of her influence to bear upon you in the effort to +persuade you that we have deceived you, and that your original opinion +of her was the correct one. And you best know whether you have now the +strength of will to resist her beguilements. It would be safer, +perhaps, not to risk it, but to take up your abode here with me. I will +send a messenger to your servant, if you like, telling him--" + +"No," said I decisively, as the thought that 'Mfuni was still in the +queen's power came to me for the first time, "I must return to the +palace, face the queen, inform her that I now know the truth concerning +her and refuse any longer to remain her guest, and see what comes of it. +As to her seeking to influence me, I have no doubt that she will do +that, but I must take the risk; and now that I am fully convinced of the +truth of all your assertions, I do not greatly dread the result. I will +go at once, and get the interview over; after which I can either return +here or ride to the wagon and make it my abode, as I have already done +for so many months." + +"Nay," said Anuti, "you shall certainly not do that. There is ample +room in this house for you, and so long as you remain in Masakisale you +must consent to be my most welcome and honoured guest." + +So it was arranged; and then, after a little further conversation, and +reiterated warnings to be on my guard against every possible description +of machination on the part of the queen, I mounted and rode back to the +palace at a hand gallop, determined to get through what was certain to +be a very unpleasant business forthwith. As 'Mfuni came out, at my +approach, to receive my horse, I bade him walk the animal to and fro, +instead of unsaddling him, and hold himself ready to accompany me to new +quarters upon my reappearance. Then, entering the palace, I made my way +straight to the queen's apartments, and sent in a message craving an +immediate interview. + +I was admitted at once, and found Her Majesty occupying her usual seat +upon the divan. At my entrance she dismissed her attendants; and, as +soon as we were alone, invited me by a gesture to seat myself at her +side. But I declined, saying that, as my interview would be but brief, +I preferred to stand. + +"Nay, Chia'gnosi," she returned, "it will not be so brief as you appear +to think; therefore sit, I pray you, if not by my side, then opposite +me, for it wearies me to see you standing. That is well!"--as I drew up +an ottoman and seated myself upon it. + +Bimbane kept silence for a short time, resting her chin upon her clasped +hands and regarding me with an inexpressibly mournful expression; and as +I returned her gaze I felt my anger against her dying away, and a great +pity for her taking its place in my heart. She looked so small, so +frail, so utterly helpless and lonely and miserable that all the innate +chivalry of my nature arose and clamoured that it was impossible she +could be guilty of the crimes imputed to her; that I had judged her +hastily and unfairly; that I had wronged her by lending a too ready ear +to her declared enemies; and that in deciding to forsake her I had been +guilty of a base and cowardly thing. Then a faint smile of dawning +triumph, which lighted up her eyes and irradiated her face, warned me of +my danger, warned me that again she was exercising her evil influence +upon me, and that I was fast succumbing to it; it reminded me of the +dreadful state of helplessness to which Anuti had been reduced by that +influence; and I pulled myself together and braced my mental powers to +meet and resist it. And as I did so the smile of triumph vanished from +her eyes, and was replaced by a gleam of malice and hatred so deadly +that although it was but momentary I recoiled in something that, if it +was not fear, was very closely akin to it. Yet I was glad that I had +caught that fleeting expression, for it reassured me; it afforded me a +transitory glimpse of the woman's true character, and taught me more +thoroughly, perhaps, than anything else could that Anuti and his friends +were right and justified in their denunciation of her character. And I +think she must have realised in that moment that she had betrayed +herself and lost her hold upon me, for when she spoke her voice was +harsh and bitter, and full of scornful anger. + +"So, Chia'gnosi," she said, "you, to whom I extended a cordial welcome +to my kingdom, whom I made a general of my army, upon whom I heaped +benefits innumerable, even to the bestowal upon you of all the shining +stones I possess, and which you have so greatly craved--you whom I +deemed the very soul and embodiment of chivalry and honour and truth-- +you have stooped so low as to clandestinely consort with my enemies, to +hearken to their slanderous tongues, to credit the base falsehoods about +me which they have poured into your ears; and now you have the assurance +to come to me with the purpose of telling me that I am so utterly vile +that even you, false and craven that you are, will no longer remain my +guest, from fear of contamination!" + +"I don't quite know how you came by your information, unless it was by +means of your accursed magic," I said, "but in the main you are right. +There are one or two errors with regard to detail, such, for example, as +your reference to the `falsehoods' told me about you by Anuti and his +friends, and also with regard to my reason for quitting the palace. +But, after all, these discrepancies are really of no moment, and may be +allowed to pass. That which is of moment is the fact that I cannot +possibly remain any longer the guest of a woman who has been guilty of +such crimes as you have perpetrated, nor can I submit to the degradation +of retaining any of the gifts which I have accepted from you. I shall +leave them all in my rooms when I presently quit them; and my regret at +abandoning them will be much less than that which I shall always feel +since it has been my misfortune to have been brought into contact with +yourself, and thus to have learned beyond question that such women +sometimes actually exist." + +"Oh, Chia'gnosi, you are cruel, bitterly cruel and unjust to say such +things to me!" she cried; and then, to my utter consternation, she burst +into a perfect passion of weeping, and again I felt my heart insidiously +softening and warming toward her, she looked so utterly woebegone, so +terribly helpless and friendless. But the moment that I became +conscious of the feeling I brought my will power to bear and +determinedly repressed it; although I confess that I never in my life +had a more difficult task than that which I battled with while Bimbane +proceeded to explain tearfully that although she had undoubtedly done +those deeds with which Anuti and his friends charged; her, she had been +compelled to do them in the interests of good government and for reasons +of state, and that if I would only listen to her explanation I would see +that they were capable of a very different interpretation from that put +upon them by her enemies. + +And I listened--I will do myself the justice to say that I listened +patiently to the woman's attempt to exculpate herself by proving that +her crimes were really not crimes at all, but grim necessities of the +peculiar position which she occupied as ruler of a turbulent and restive +people. But, having steeled myself against the effect of her tears and +her pathetic assumption of helplessness, I was able instantly to detect +and draw her attention to the weak points of her defence; with the +result that at last, realising, I suppose, that she had lost her power +over me and that I was no longer to be cajoled, she suddenly abandoned +her efforts and flew into a furious passion, abusing me most abominably, +and heaping upon my head every opprobrious epithet that she could think +of--and she was able to think of a good many. + +"And you are fool enough to think that after such treatment as I have +received at your hands I will let you go?" she shrieked in a perfect +frenzy of fury. "No, Chia'gnosi; you have humiliated me as I believe no +woman was ever before humiliated by a man, and since you have scorned my +friendship you shall learn what it means to incur my hate. See!" and +she flashed the ring on her thumb before my eyes. "By the power which +the possession of this stone confers upon me I slay all your cattle. +So! they are dead!" and she dashed her clenched right fist toward me. +"Now it is impossible for you to leave the country, unless you choose to +adventure into the wilderness without your wagon. But even that you +shall not do. You shall leave this palace, as you have determined, at +once, but it shall be to lodge in the cage next that occupied by the +captive man-monkeys; and as soon as I have disposed of Anuti and his +friends I will proclaim a festival, at which you and those of my enemies +who survive shall do battle with an equal number of the monkeys, for the +delectation and amusement of the people! Aha, Chia'gnosi, it will be a +rare sight to watch you, unarmed, fighting for your life against the +biggest and most savage man-monkey that my hunters can capture! Ha, +release me, brute! What would you do to me? Help--!" + +Although I had not the smallest belief in the woman's power to destroy +my cattle by any alleged occult virtue pertaining to her wonderful ring, +the sight of it flashed before my eyes in so provocative a manner +reminded me of my almost forgotten promise to Siluce to take the jewel +from Bimbane, if I could; and, exasperated at last beyond endurance by +her abuse and threats, I sprang to my feet, seized her right hand in +mine, and, while I stifled her cries for help with my left, drew the +ring from her thumb and thrust it upon my own little finger, animated by +some sudden impulse for which I could not in the least account. + +And as the ring passed from her possession into mine, the change that +occurred in us both was startling in the extreme, particularly so as +regarded Bimbane. For a few seconds after I released her she remained +absolutely silent and motionless, as though scarcely able to realise +what had happened; then, instead of summoning her guards and handing me +over to their custody, she instantly became abjectly apologetic and +pleading, entreating me to restore her ring in exchange for anything and +everything that I might choose to demand. She offered me gold and +diamonds without limit, perfect liberty to remain in the country as its +honoured guest as long as I pleased, and all the help I might need in +the transport of my spoils when it should please me to start upon my +return journey; in short, she gave me clearly to understand that I need +set no limits upon my demands if I would but restore the ring to her. +But as for me, the moment that I slipped the jewel upon my finger I +became conscious of a strange, new, exhilarating sense of power, of +ability to do things, of being generally complete master of the +situation; and I determined that I would keep the ring, if for no other +reason than that Bimbane seemed to attach such an extraordinary value to +it, and to require its restoration so badly. I therefore left her at +last, quite exhausted with her fruitless entreaties, and doubled up in a +little, shapeless, miserably sobbing heap on the divan; and as I went +forth from the apartment I summoned her waiting women and directed them +to go in and attend to the queen, as I feared that Her Majesty was +unwell. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. + +THE CLIMAX OF THE ADVENTURE. + +Hastening across to the suite of apartments I had thus far occupied, I +discarded the splendid garments which had been presented to me by the +queen, and in which I had been wont to appear in public, and resumed the +somewhat worn and faded suit in which I had arrived at Masakisale; after +which I turned my back upon the rooms, as I thought for ever, and +descended to where 'Mfuni awaited me, walking my horse to and fro before +the main entrance to the palace. The Mashona seemed somewhat startled +to behold me once more clad in my shabby travelling garments; but +without wasting any time in explaining matters I simply bade him hasten +to the wagon, ascertain how things were in that quarter, and report to +me at Anuti's house, which I pointed out to him. Then, urging Prince +into a gallop, I made the best of my way to Anuti's abode, anxious to +communicate to him what had passed at my final interview with Bimbane, +and to take counsel with him as to what was best to be done under the +circumstances. + +He was at home when I arrived, and might indeed have been watching for +me, for he came forth to me as I dismounted. + +"Aha, Chia'gnosi," he exclaimed, "welcome to my house, for I perceive +that something of import has happened at the palace, and that you have +indeed left it, as you resolved to do!" + +"Yes," said I. "I have left the palace, never to return to it; for I +have quarrelled with Bimbane beyond all possibility of reconciliation. +And now, if you are not afraid to give me lodgment for a short time, I +will very gladly avail myself of your offered hospitality; for I want to +tell you exactly what has happened, and to obtain your advice." + +"Pray, enter, and again welcome," he replied. "No, I am not at all +afraid to receive you as my guest; for you will be perfectly safe here, +and--But what is that I see on your finger?--surely not the magic ring +of Bimbane!" + +He seized my right hand, stared incredulously at the ring on my little +finger, and then, murmuring: "It is, it is!" sank upon one knee before +me, pressed the ring to his forehead, and exclaimed: + +"Salutations and homage, O high and mighty King! I know not how it has +come to pass, but this is a great and happy day for Bandokolo; for at +last the dominion has passed out of the hands of that cruel and wicked +woman, under whose galling yoke the country has groaned for unnumbered +generations, and has passed into yours, who will rule us mercifully, +wisely, and justly. Great is my pride and joy, O Chia'gnosi, that mine +is the privilege to be the first to hail you king. Deign to honour my +poor house with your gracious presence for a few hours, Your Majesty, +while I go forth and proclaim the glad tidings to the nobles and chiefs +here in Masakisale, and make arrangements for the news to be transmitted +to the uttermost parts of the kingdom--" + +"Stop, stop, for mercy's sake stop your wild talk, and tell me what is +the matter, and what you mean by all this rubbish about my being king!" +I exclaimed, as soon as I had sufficiently recovered from my amazement +to speak, at the same time dragging Anuti to his feet. + +"Ah, yes, I had forgotten!" replied Anuti. "Naturally Your Majesty does +not understand. How should you, since no one has explained? In a few +words, then, the matter stands thus. The possession of that ring +carries with it the sovereignty of Bandokolo, and since you now possess +it, you are, in virtue thereof, the monarch of the country; and right +glad will all be that such is the case. But, if I may be permitted to +ask, how passed the ring into your possession? For the tradition runs +that it may only pass as a free gift from the reigning monarch to his-- +or her--chosen successor when the former is at the point of death; to +attempt to steal it, or to take it by force, brings upon the would-be +robber the doom of a mysterious, terrible death, otherwise Bimbane the +Cruel would not have been permitted to reign so long. Yet I find it +difficult to imagine that--that--" + +"She surrendered it to me of her own free will?" I interrupted. "You +are right, Anuti, she did not. We quarrelled; she threatened to set you +and me, among others, to fight the man-monkeys, and declared that by +virtue of this ring she would destroy--has indeed destroyed--the +remainder of my team of oxen. This made me angry; and in my anger I +flung myself upon her, snatched the ring from her thumb, and placed it +upon my own finger. And--and--there it is, as you see," I finished +lamely. + +"Yes. And you still live!" said Anuti thoughtfully. "It is wonderful; +and it is proof conclusive that you are destined to be our king." + +"Nonsense, man," I retorted; "it is proof of nothing of the kind. I +have no desire to be your king. All that I want is to find the daughter +of my friend, rescue her from captivity, and return to my own country, +taking with me, by your goodwill, as many of the shining stones as will +enable me to retrieve my ruined fortunes. Therefore, permit me--" and +before Anuti knew what I was about I withdrew the fateful ring from my +own finger and slipped it on his. + +"There!" I continued, "now you are the king, which is as it should be. +The Bandokolo will rejoice to have you as their sovereign, while, as for +me, if you require any help or advice that I can give, it shall be +freely yours; and when once you are firmly established upon the throne I +will bid you farewell and go my way. But what about Bimbane; what will +you do with her?" + +"There will be neither trouble nor difficulty in disposing of her, for +she has not a friend in all Bandokolo," answered Anuti. "It will but be +necessary for me to display this ring and even her bodyguards will +gladly transfer their allegiance to me. And perhaps you are right, +Chia'gnosi, in the matter of the kingship; it is better that the +Bandokolo should be governed by one of themselves than by a stranger. +But you have this day done a service to the Bandokolo which we shall not +forget, for by your action in wresting this ring from the queen, and, +with it, all her power and authority, you have saved the country from +civil war, with all its attendant horrors and slaughter. And now it +will be well that the nobles and chiefs should be instantly informed of +what has happened; therefore, if you will excuse me for a short time, I +will dispatch the necessary messengers." + +Anuti had been absent about three-quarters of an hour when a servant +announced that two of my natives desired speech with me; and when they +were introduced they proved to be 'Mfuni and Piet, who had encountered +each other on the main road and now returned together, bringing with +them the astounding news that the whole of my oxen had suddenly dropped +dead while feeding, at the precise moment--so far as I was able to fix +it--when Bimbane had pronounced their death warrant! It was a very +extraordinary thing, much too extraordinary, I thought, to be a mere +coincidence; yet I was not so much astonished as I might otherwise have +been, for I had by this time been long enough in Bandokolo to have +realised that many surprising and startling things happened there which +would have been regarded as impossible in more civilised countries. + +But this was not the only, or even the most startling, occurrence of +that eventful day; for Anuti had scarcely returned to the house, +accompanied by half a dozen of the most powerful nobles, whom he had +been lucky enough to encounter, when a wild-eyed messenger arrived from +the palace with the astounding news that the queen was dead, having +taken poison! This news, if true, would of course simplify matters +immensely, since, the queen being childless, her husband would, +according to the laws of Bandokolo, succeed her; and accordingly we all +hastened to the palace to investigate the statement. + +Arrived at the royal residence, we found the place in a state of wild +commotion--although the excitement was not so intense as to make the +squadron of bodyguards then on duty forget to accord the royal salute to +Anuti upon his entrance. We were informed that the body of the queen +was in her sleeping chamber, and thither we hastened, to find the +apartment in possession of about a dozen physicians, who had hurried to +the palace upon the summons of the chief lady-in-waiting, and who had +just completed their examination of the body. They all agreed that +death was the result of poison, self-administered; and indeed there +seemed to be no room for any other conclusion, for when the corpse was +discovered a tiny flask was found tightly grasped in the right hand, the +odour clinging to which, and to the lips of the dead woman, proclaimed +beyond all question that it had contained bicari, a decoction prepared +from the root of the combuti plant, and one of the most deadly toxics +known to the Africans of the interior. + +The fact of the queen's death being fully established, Anuti gave orders +that the body should be prepared in the usual way for public cremation +on the following day, after which the chamber was to be closed and +sealed, and a guard of honour mounted before it. In the meantime, while +these orders were being carried out, we all adjourned to the council +chamber, where we were soon afterward joined by several other nobles and +chiefs, who had been hastily summoned; and a council was held at which +it was decided that, for expediency's sake, Anuti should at once take up +his abode at the palace, and that he should be proclaimed king that same +evening. Mounted messengers were accordingly sent forth into the city, +summoning the people to assemble before the palace at an hour +corresponding to ten o'clock; and at that hour the ceremony of +proclamation was duly performed. + +The scene was one of considerable barbaric splendour, chiefly by reason +of the magnificent dresses worn by the various personages who took part +in it. It happened that all the nobles and chiefs who were really of +paramount importance were dwellers in the city. It was consequently +possible for every one of them to be present; and as they all held high +rank either in the army or what may be called the civil service, and +wore the full-dress uniform of their rank upon this occasion, the +display of golden armour and weapons, richly embroidered robes and +banners, and jewelled and feathered head-dresses glittering in the +somewhat smoky light of thousands of blazing torches presented a +spectacle which I shall never forget. + +The act of proclamation was performed from the steps leading up to the +main entrance to the palace, upon the top landing of which stood Anuti, +clad in the resplendent uniform of a general, supported by the nobles +and chiefs--and also by myself, in my uniform, which I had resumed at +the urgent request of the king and his supporters; while the herald and +trumpeters also stood upon the steps, but halfway down. The actual +ceremony was of very brief duration, and simply consisted of seven +blasts upon the golden trumpets, followed by the formal statement by the +herald that, it having pleased the spirits who presided over the +destinies of the Bandokolo nation to summon Bimbane to her long-deferred +rest, her husband, the noble and illustrious Anuti, would take up the +reins of government and henceforth rule the people. Might the king live +for ever! Upon which the trumpets again sounded seven blasts, the +assembled multitude expressed their approval by loud and prolonged +applause, the nobles and chiefs present came forward in the order of +their rank and did homage to the new king, the royal bodyguard, paraded +in full strength for the occasion, deployed in front of the steps and +gave the royal salute, and the ceremony was at an end. At Anuti's +urgent request I resumed occupation of the apartments which I had lived +in during my stay in Masakisale; and as I did not wish to be further +mixed up in the political situation, and was moreover somewhat fatigued, +I at once retired to them and was soon sound asleep. + +The following day was scarcely less strenuous than that which had +preceded it, though in a different way; for it had been arranged that +the obsequies of the dead queen should take place at sunset, and all day +long the several Court officials concerned were busily engaged in making +the necessary preparations. + +The funeral pyre was erected in the centre of a spacious basin among the +hills at the head of the valley, some six miles from the palace, and +early in the afternoon the inhabitants began to gather in front of the +palace, to witness and take part in the spectacle. Then, about four +o'clock, the royal bodyguard, with their regimental banners twisted into +a knot and bound to the staves with broad white ribbons in token of +mourning, paraded before the palace, and the trumpeters sounded seven +blasts; whereupon the funeral cortege made its appearance, issuing from +the main entrance to the palace. First stalked the royal +standard-bearer, carrying the royal standard, knotted and bound to its +staff with white ribbon; then came the royal bier, which consisted of a +platform borne by twelve men attired wholly in white--the mourning +colour--and draped with white silk, heavily fringed with gold bullion, +which swept the ground. Upon this platform was placed the royal throne +of ivory heavily mounted in gold; and upon the throne, and securely +fastened to it, was seated the body of Bimbane, fully attired in her +robes of state, and crowned with a gold coronet set with uncut diamonds +and ornamented with the crimson wings of the orilu, which only a monarch +might wear. Then came Anuti, alone, in his full uniform, closely +followed by the nobles and chiefs of the nation--among whom the new king +had insisted that I should take my place. Slowly and with solemn step +we descended the broad flight of stone steps until we reached the +spacious quadrangle at their foot, and here our attendants led forward +our steeds and we mounted, Prince, with his glossy black coat, being +conspicuous among the array of zebras which constituted the mounts of +the rest. + +As the bier reached the quadrangle, a trumpet blast rang out, and the +royal bodyguard arranged itself into three sides of a hollow square, +into which the bier passed, when, with the royal standard-bearer riding +in front, the banners of the guard immediately following him, and the +trumpeters between them and the mounted troops blowing long, wailing +blasts at regular intervals, the cortege proceeded slowly and solemnly +along the road, the bier, surrounded by the bodyguard, being followed by +Anuti and the rest of us, while the inhabitants in general brought up +the rear. + +In this fashion the funeral cortege passed along the main road through +the city to the scene of the cremation, the march occupying just two +hours. We reached the funeral pyre as the last rays of the sun were +gilding the tops of the trees which hemmed in the valley, when the +bodyguard formed a hollow square round the pyre, with Anuti and the +nobles inside it, while the inhabitants ranged themselves upon the +adjacent hillside to witness, for the first time in their lives, the +spectacle of a royal cremation. About a hundred priests, arrayed in +long white robes, were gathered about the pyre when we reached it; and +as soon as the bier, with its dead occupant, had been deposited upon the +summit of the pyre, the arch-priest began the funeral service, which +lasted about a quarter of an hour. By the time that this was over it +was quite dark, the surrounding tree tops standing out black against the +star-studded sky; and only an occasional faint, evanescent gleam here +and there of starlight upon golden armour told of the presence of all +that multitude. + +Then, the religious service being at an end, a lighted torch was +mysteriously produced from somewhere and handed to Anuti, who, +approaching the pyre, thrust the burning brand into the heart of it and +retired again to his former place. For a second or two the darkness +continued; then here and there about the pyre small wreaths of smoke +floated out, quickly followed by little tongues of flame, rapidly +increasing in intensity until within a few minutes the whole of the +upper part of the pyre was ablaze, and the basin, with its crowds of +splendidly attired and mounted officials, was brilliantly illuminated by +the ruddy glare. I think the bier, and possibly the body also, must +have been treated with some highly combustible preparation, for I +noticed that the moment the flames reached them they seized upon them +with avidity, so that within ten minutes of the first kindling the bier +and the body were both enwrapped in a roaring volume of vivid flame, in +which the corpse seemed to shrink and shrivel so rapidly that when at +length the top of the pyre collapsed and fell in, scarcely a vestige of +bier or body was to be seen. The fire blazed so furiously--throwing out +an almost unendurable heat--that within half an hour the pyre had become +reduced to a heap of ruddy, dull-glowing ashes; whereupon Anuti gave a +signal, the trumpeters blew seven blasts by way of final salute to the +dead, the white ribbons were torn from the banners and cast upon the +flickering flames, the banners were unknotted, and, forming up in +military array, the mounted contingent wheeled and departed, making +their way back to the palace, and leaving the pedestrians to return home +at their leisure. + +On the following day a golden urn, containing ashes asserted to be those +of the dead queen, was deposited by the priests in the funeral chamber +beneath the palace, and Bimbane, with all her faults and crimes, finally +disappeared for ever from among the Bandokolo. + +The accession of Anuti to the throne was the cause of general rejoicing +throughout the country; and in accordance with custom the new king +proclaimed a grand festival in celebration of the event. But as the +festival--also in accordance with custom--necessarily consisted to a +great extent of fights between condemned criminals and wild animals, +especially man-monkeys, I declined to remain and be present; and Anuti, +knowing my views with regard to such barbarous spectacles, did not press +the point. On the contrary, he fully sympathised with me, and would +very gladly have abolished the custom, but public opinion was too strong +even for him; the sports were so highly appreciated that to have +suppressed them would have very seriously impaired his popularity, and +this he dared not risk just then, at the very beginning of his reign. +Therefore he did everything he could to expedite my departure, +presenting me with a beautiful team of twenty-four thoroughly broken +zebras to take the place of my slain oxen, lending me a driver to +instruct mine in the handling of them; also he insisted upon my +retaining every one of the gifts bestowed upon me by the late queen, and +added to them a second goatskin sackful of magnificent diamonds; and +finally he instructed my old friend Pousa to escort me with his squadron +to the frontier, more as a guard of honour than by way of protection, +for by that time my fame had spread to the uttermost parts of the +kingdom, and no Bandokolo would have dreamed of attempting to molest me. +And, thus magnificently rewarded for services that, after all, I at +least regarded as utterly insignificant, I took my departure from +Masakisale on my homeward journey, exactly a week after the celebration +of the funeral obsequies of Queen Bimbane, much to the regret, I was +assured, of all whose acquaintance I had made. + +My departure from Masakisale was a very different affair from that of my +entrance into it. For, although I was not permitted to suspect it at +the time, there can be no doubt that I entered the capital of Bandokolo +virtually as a prisoner, and was an object of curiosity and suspicion to +everybody who set eyes upon me; while now I went forth accompanied by +expressions of regard and regret from the entire inhabitants of the +city, who seemed to have turned out _en masse_ to witness my departure +and to bid me farewell. Also, excluding what remained of my ammunition +and provisions, my wagon was loaded to its utmost capacity with gold and +precious stones; and it no longer crawled over the ground at a bare +three miles an hour, but proceeded at quite double that speed behind the +sturdy, sprightly, high-spirited team of twenty-four zebras, which would +have travelled half as fast again had I not determined to work them very +lightly, in view of the long, toilsome journey that lay before me. + +And here, for the gratification of the curious, I may as well describe +the manner in which these animals were attached to the wagon. I suppose +everybody by this time knows, either from pictures or from having seen +the thing itself, what a South African wagon is like; and also knows +that it is drawn by a team of from twelve to eighteen oxen yoked +together in pairs, the cleverest pair being yoked next the wagon to the +disselboom--which answers to the ordinary carriage pole where a pair of +horses are driven abreast--while the remainder of the team are yoked, +also in pairs, to the trek chain, which is attached to the extremity of +the disselboom. Now, oxen pull upon a yoke which rests upon their necks +and is attached thereto by a strip of rein passing under their throats, +and this constitutes the whole of their very primitive harness. But it +was obvious that such an arrangement would be quite unsuited to my new +team of zebras: consequently harness had to be especially made for them, +consisting of a breast and shoulder strap, the former being made long +enough to form a pair of traces attachable to a splinter bar; there was +also added a headstall with a single rein, which was fastened to the +trek chain. This arrangement served for all but the leading pair of +zebras, the off animal of which was fitted with a saddle upon which the +driver sat postilion fashion, guiding the leaders and regulating the +pace of the whole team. + +During the first two days a Bandokolo drove the team, while 'Ngulubi, my +Bantu voorlouper, rode beside him on one of my horses, watching the +process and receiving instruction; but after that 'Ngulubi himself +undertook the driving, while the Bandokolo rode alongside and continued +his instruction. Thus, by the time that we reached the frontier, +'Ngulubi was quite qualified to act as driver, while he, Jan, and Piet +had also learned to look after the zebras when they were outspanned. + +With such a spanking team to draw the wagon, we took only eight and a +half days to cover the distance between Masakisale and the frontier, +instead of seventeen days, as on the outward journey; and here Pousa and +his squadron regretfully bade me farewell, the captain's regrets at +parting from me being mitigated to a great extent by the gift of a +shaving mirror and a burning-glass, the latter being esteemed by him at +about the value that I attached to my two sacks of diamonds. + +Our farewells were spoken at the precise spot where we had met on my +outward journey, but I did not pause there, pushing some twenty miles +into the defile where we had seen the man-monkeys before we outspanned +for the night. Two days later we passed the grave of the unhappy +Siluce, and I had the melancholy satisfaction of seeing that, thus far, +it had not been disturbed by wild animals. And on the following day we +arrived at the spot where, according to the vision in which Bimbane had +revealed to me the route I must follow in order to find Nell Lestrange, +it became necessary for us to forsake our former trail and enter upon +the new one. I took up this new trail without hesitation, the +conviction being strong upon me that I should be right in so doing; and +the event justified me, for on the evening of the sixty-second day after +my departure from Masakisale I arrived upon the north bank of the +Pongola River, and was informed by an astonished Kafir whom I +encountered that Zululand, the country of the redoubtable Dingaan, lay +upon the opposite shore of the stream. Of course I did not accomplish +this journey of two months' duration through a savage country without +meeting with a few adventures, yet they were surprisingly few, all +things considered, for I hunted now only for food for myself and my +followers; moreover, they were of a very similar character to those of +my outward journey, with a few unimportant variations in details. They +may, therefore, be passed over with merely this brief reference to them, +since to record them in detail would only render my story of altogether +too unwieldy dimensions, without adding very greatly to its interest. + +Arrived upon the Zululand border, I lost no time in dispatching a +message to the formidable and somewhat unscrupulous king of the country, +requesting his permission to pass through his territory on my way to +Cape Colony from the north; and four days later 'Mfuni, who was my +messenger for the occasion, returned with a reply to the effect that +Dingaan granted my request, with the proviso that I did not linger +unduly upon my journey, and that I should call upon him at his Place, +Umgungundhlovu, on my way, to pay my respects--and also, as I fully +understood, tribute, in the shape of a handsome present, for the +privilege. This, of course, suited me admirably, as I intended to call +upon the king in any case; and on the morning following the return of +'Mfuni we forded the river and entered upon the somewhat risky journey +across Zululand, taking things fairly easy, as I wished to keep my team +of zebras in good condition, in case it should be necessary to hurry, +later on, after my interview with the king. + +Two days later, about mid-afternoon, we arrived at Umgungundhlovu (or +the Multitude of Houses), and before we reached it the leading features +of the landscape began to assume an appearance of familiarity, until +finally I beheld with my bodily eyes the entire scene, complete down to +the smallest detail, which Mafuta, the Basuto nyanga, had revealed to me +in a vision some six months before. There was the great "town"-- +containing, I suppose, quite two thousand huts--built upon the crest of +a gently rising hill, and completely surrounded by a stout, high +palisade with an open gateway in it through which passed a number of +people going about their business, and merely pausing for a minute or +two to gaze in wonder at my handsome team of zebras; and there, too, +close at hand, was the singular-looking hog-backed kopje, with its +straggling bushes and its tumbled masses of dark rock, upon which were +perched some fifty or sixty vultures that seemed to be quite at home +there. Little did I dream of the ghastly tragedy of which that weird +kopje had been the scene a few months earlier, when, on the preceding +sixth of February, the treacherous and ruthless king had caused the +massacre upon it of the ill-fated Boer general, Pieter Retief, and some +sixty of his followers; otherwise I should have been a good deal more +uneasy in my mind than I actually was when I gave the order to outspan. + +Yet, although I had no knowledge of it, the memory of that tragedy, and +the fear lest the whites should eventually determine to avenge it, +proved of the utmost service to me in my negotiations with the savage +monarch; for when, adopting my usual tactics of "bluffing" boldly in my +dealings with savages, I informed Dingaan bluntly that my object in +visiting him was to demand the surrender of the white 'ntombozaan whom +he held in captivity, I saw at once that, for some reason which I could +not then guess, he was very greatly perturbed. But, like the savage he +was, he also attempted to "bluff", so that the matter soon resolved +itself into a "bluffing match" between us, in which, although I did not +know it, I held the advantage. First the king indignantly denied all +knowledge of the girl for whom I was then seeking; then, when I not only +insisted that she was in his power, but also minutely described her and +her two girl companions, just as I had seen them in my vision, he +retorted by declaring that it was in his mind to kill me and my +followers, destroy my wagon, and turn my zebras loose, so that no trace +should be left of any of us. Upon this I countered by asking him +whether he really believed me such a fool as to venture into his country +without sending a messenger to my countrymen by another way, informing +them where I had gone, and asking them to investigate my fate if I did +not arrive at home in due course. This retort proved to be my winning +card, for he gave in at once, acknowledging Nell's presence in the +place; but insinuating that, since he had kept her alive and treated her +well ever since the Tembu had sent her to him as a present, I ought to +buy her of him. Of course, after this, the remainder of our negotiation +was merely a matter of bargaining, and as I was not at all disposed to +prolong the agony by being over particular in the matter of price, +another half-hour saw the dear child sobbing happily in my arms, in +exchange for practically the whole of the "truck" that still remained to +me. + +Nell sat up quite late that night talking with me and telling her +adventures, beginning with that awful time when she awoke to find her +room full of armed Tembu warriors, who forced her to rise from her bed, +dress, and go with them; but although her tale was interesting enough to +me, I have no space in which to record it here. + +One incident, however, struck me as being sufficiently peculiar to be +worthy of mention, and it was this. She told me how, when she had been +at Dingaan's Place nearly a year, she left the town one morning, +accompanied by two young Zulu girls, to go down to a favourite haunt of +hers near the river; "and," said she, "when we were passing just about +here, where this wagon is outspanned, a very strange thing happened. +For, although I was not thinking of you at all just then, I suddenly +believed for an instant that I saw you standing two or three yards away, +with your hands outstretched and your lips moving as though you wanted +to speak to me. I seemed to see you so distinctly that for a moment I +was quite startled--indeed I believe I actually stopped under the +impression that you were really there; but, as I did so, you vanished, +and although I remember looking back I did not see you again." Now, the +most remarkable thing about this occurrence is that, by carefully +questioning the child, I was at length forced to the conclusion that it +had happened at the precise moment when I was beholding the vision +conjured up for me by Mafuta, the Basuto nyanga. + +We inspanned with the arrival of the dawn on the following morning, and, +pushing the zebras to their utmost capacity, swept down through Zululand +into Natal, and thence more leisurely through Kaffraria to Cape Colony, +arriving in Somerset East on the seventeenth day after our departure +from Umgungundhlovu, to the amazement and delight of Henderson and a +host of other friends who had long given me up as "wiped out". I told +them as much of my story as I deemed fit, though not all of it by any +means; neither did I ask anybody's advice, for my wanderings in the +wilds had given me so much self-reliance that I felt quite able to +depend upon my own judgment. In the first place I negotiated with the +manager of the local bank for the exchange of five hundred pounds' worth +of gold for coin, and then, learning that there were ships loading for +England at Algoa Bay, I installed 'Mfuni, Piet, Jan, and 'Ngulubi on my +estate, leaving the horses and zebras with them to be looked after +during my absence, packed up my belongings, and transferred Nell and +myself to Port Elizabeth, where I engaged passages for us both on a ship +which was on the point of sailing for home, leaving us just time to +procure our outfit prior to our departure. + +A pleasant voyage of a little under three months ended in our finding +ourselves in London in the early part of February, 1839, and although we +found the climate of England exceedingly cold and unpleasant after the +brilliant sunshine and warmth of South Africa, we managed to enjoy +ourselves thoroughly during the ensuing two months. Then, with Nell's +cordial approval, I put her to a first-rate school at Bath, where she +remained until her eighteenth birthday, emerging therefrom a very +beautiful, accomplished, and lovable young woman. + +Meanwhile, having disposed of Nell for the time being, I next turned my +attention to the disposal of my treasure. The Bank of England took all +my gold from me at its current value, thus placing me in immediate +possession of abundant funds; and eventually, before returning to South +Africa, I succeeded in finding a firm of jewellers who were prepared, +for a consideration, to undertake the task of disposing of my diamonds, +a small parcel at a time, so as not to flood the market. The reader may +gather some idea of the number of those diamonds when I say that now, at +the time of writing, this process is still going on, yet I have nearly +half of the original number left. The arrangement, although no doubt +exceedingly profitable to the firm of jewellers in question, has +provided me with a princely annual income, much of which has been spent +in restoring and extending Bella Vista, which is now one of the finest +and best-stocked estates in the whole of South Africa. + +Need I add that she who was once known as Nell Lestrange has been for +many years the beloved and cherished mistress of the beautiful house +that replaced the one in which the tragedy of more than fifty years ago +occurred? + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Through Veld and Forest, by Harry Collingwood + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH VELD AND FOREST *** + +***** This file should be named 24602.txt or 24602.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/0/24602/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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