had said that the king would treat me well, and help me
onwards. From all I could see, however, I had fallen into
very bad hands; but there was now no remedy excepting to
await the decision of fate. The Landin must have told
Chikuse that I was en route to the lake.
Beer drinking seemed to be going on to some extent in
the huts immediately adjacent to that which I occupied.
I have had a good deal of reflective comparison during
the quieter moments of my travels, and at this time I began
to think that the climax of awkward experiences had been
attained. We are but creatures of a moment in action and
in life, so that we are often impelled to meditate upon the
past and compare it with the present. This seemed the
worst of all the vicissitudes which had yet disturbed me.
The doubt as to what was going to happen was as bad as
staring pale death in the face. What would the king do
with me ? There was but one thing, should he suspect me
of being a spy. I soon resigned myself to fate. Oh, if I
could only speak to the people!
Disturbed nights were passed, and in the daytime I had
many moments of terrible suspense. One night as I sat in
that wild place my thoughts wandered to John, to Taroman
and the few “ faithfuls ” who had left me many, many miles
to the south. Had they ever arrived at the “ New Yalhalla,”
at Buluwayo, to tell my old friends where and how I had
been deserted? How strong was the yearning to know
what had happened ! I t was now long since I had bidden
adieu to my old followers.
During this reverie I had been oblivious to surrounding
noises of passers-by. All at once, however, I was startled
•by a piercing shriek as of some one in dire distress, the,cry
being instantaneously followed by the sharp report of a
gun in close proximity. Springing to my feet I was outside
the small enclosure in a moment. Not a soul was to
be seen, not a sound heard; the place was as silent as the
tomb.
Much impressed by this mystery, and cogitating upon
its possible meaning, I returned to the hut, and, closing
the small grass-thatched door, lay down to try and sleep
away the uneasy night. .The effort was useless, for in a little
time arose the noise of many disputing voices, while the
people in crowds surged past the hut talking as though
their lives depended upon their words. I wondered if all
the hubbub was about me, and if so what might be the next
move. Attributing the whole uproar to the influence of
their accursed beer, I once more rolled over in the endeavour
to forget myself and the world,
I certainly fell asleep, but was again awakened. I heard
as though whispered from without some words of a language
which to me was perfectly strange. On hearing the sound
I sat up, for drowsiness was easily thrown off.
At the door were two dark figures. They turned out to
be two women, who had evidently been stimulated to approach
by copious indulgence in the favourite beverage.
The pair did not move from the door until they were captivated
by the sight of some blue beads, a small packet of
which I had with me, which made them bolder, so that they
entered the hut and sat down. I needed company very
much, and was not particular. One of my unexpected
visitors was a ■ very old and withered woman, and from
former experience I judged her to be a slave. The other
was a young and fat dame, with skin the colour of a cigar.
She resembled the type that I had seen in Matabeli-land,
and was evidently a good-natured girl, although she seemed
to be in an anxiously watchful and timid state, not in fear
of me, but apparently in case of being discovered in my