ou;' and she glanced round at the bodies of those whom the
slave-traders had murdered, at the captives upon whom they were setting
chains and forks of wood, and the columns of smoke that were rising from
her home, for the roof of the Settlement had been fired.

"For a moment the Portuguese looked frightened, then he laughed aloud
and said with an oath, crossing himself after the fashion of his people
as a protection against the curse, 'What! you prophesy, do you, my dove,
and you can escape me at your will, can you? Well, we shall see. Bring
the other mule for this lady, you fellows.'

"The mule was brought, and Juanna, my mistress, was set upon it. Then
the slave-traders shot down such of the captives as they thought to be
of no value, the drivers flogged the slaves with their three-thonged
_sjambochs_ of hippopotamus-hide, and the caravan moved on down the
banks of the river.

"When all had gone I crept from my hiding-place and sought out those men
of the Settlement who had escaped the slaughter, praying them to find
arms and follow on the Yellow Devil's spoor, waiting for an opportunity
to rescue the Shepherdess whom they loved. But they would not do this,
for the heart was out of them, they were cowed by fear, and most of the
head-men had been taken captive. No, they would do nothing except weep
over their dead and the burnt kraals. 'You cowards,' I said, 'if you
will not come, then I must go alone. At the least let some of you pass
up the river and search for Mavoom, to tell him what has chanced here in
his house.'

"The men said that they would do this, and taking a blanket and a little
food, I followed upon the track of the slave-drivers. For four days I
followed, sometimes coming in sight of them, till at length the meat was
done and my strength left me. On the morning of the fifth day I could
go no farther, so I crept to the top of a koppie and watched their long
line winding across the plain. In its centre were two mules, and on one
of these mules sat a woman. Then I knew that no harm had befallen my
mistress as yet, for she still lived.

"Now from the koppie I saw a little kraal far away to the right, and to
this kraal I came that same afternoon with my last strength. I told its
people that I had escaped from the slave-drivers, and they treated me
kindly. Here it was also I learnt that some white men from Natal were
digging for gold in these mountains, and next day I travelled on in
search of them, think