eat dissatisfaction among both men and women. But it was
as nothing compared to the feeling that was evoked by Owen's preaching
against all war not undertaken in self-defence, and against the strict
laws which he prevailed upon the king to pass, suppressing the practice
of wizardry, and declaring the chief or doctor who caused a man to
be "smelt out" and killed upon charges of witchcraft to be guilty of
murder.

At first whenever Owen went abroad he was surrounded by thousands of
people who followed him in the expectation that he would work miracles,
which, after his exploits with the lightning, they were well persuaded
that he could do if he chose. But he worked no more miracles; he only
preached to them a doctrine adverse to their customs and foreign to
their thoughts.

So it came about that in time, when the novelty was gone off and the
story of his victory over the Fire-god had grown stale, although the
work of conversion went on steadily, many of the people grew weary of
the white man and his doctrines. Soon this weariness found expression in
various ways, and in none more markedly than by the constant desertions
from the ranks of the king's regiments. At first, by Owen's advice,
the king tolerated these desertions; but at length, having obtained
information that an entire regiment purposed absconding at dawn,
he caused it to be surrounded and seized by night. Next morning he
addressed that regiment, saying:--

"Soldiers, you think that because I have become a Christian and will not
permit unnecessary bloodshed, I am also become a fool. I will teach
you otherwise. One man in every twenty of you shall be killed, and
henceforth any soldier who attempts to desert will be killed also!"

The order was carried out, for Owen could not find a word to say against
it, with the result that desertions almost ceased, though not before the
king had lost some eight or nine thousand of his best soldiers. Worst of
all, these soldiers had gone to join Hafela in his mountain fastnesses;
and the rumour grew that ere long they would appear again, to claim the
crown for him or to take it by force of arms.

Now too a fresh complication arose. The old king sickened of his last
illness, and soon it became known that he must die. A month later die
he did, passing away peacefully in Owen's arms, and with his last
breath exhorting his people to cling to the Christian religion; to take
Nodwengo for their king and to be faithful to him.