nmingled with
amusement, for I could not rid my mind of recollections of the utter
terror of the "Eater-up-of-Elephants" when he was brought face to face
with the dreadful and concentrated rage of the robbed Saduko and the
promise of his vengeance. Ultimately I arrived at the Great Place
without experiencing any adventure that is worthy of record, and camped
in a spot that was appointed to me by some _induna_ whose name I forget,
but who evidently knew of my approach, for I found him awaiting me at
some distance from the town. Here I sat for quite a long while, two or
three days, if I remember right, amusing myself with killing or missing
turtle-doves with a shotgun, and similar pastimes, until something
should happen, or I grew tired and started for Natal.

In the end, just as I was about to trek seawards, an old friend, Maputa,
turned up at my wagons--that same man who had brought me the message
from Panda before we started to attack Bangu.

"Greeting, Macumazahn," he said. "What of the Amakoba? I see they did
not kill you."

"No," I answered, handing him some snuff, "they did not quite kill me,
for here I am. What is your pleasure with me?"

"O Macumazana, only that the King wishes to know whether you have any of
those little balls left in the box which I brought back to you, since,
if so, he thinks he would like to swallow one of them in this hot
weather."

I proffered him the whole box, but he would not take it, saying that the
King would like me to give it to him myself. Now I understood that this
was a summons to an audience, and asked when it would please Panda
to receive me and "the-little-black-stones-that-work-wonders." He
answered--at once.

So we started, and within an hour I stood, or rather sat, before Panda.

Like all his family, the King was an enormous man, but, unlike Chaka and
those of his brothers whom I had known, one of a kindly countenance.
I saluted him by lifting my cap, and took my place upon a wooden stool
that had been provided for me outside the great hut, in the shadow of
which he sat within his isi-gohlo, or private enclosure.

"Greeting, O Macumazana," he said. "I am glad to see you safe and well,
for I understand that you have been engaged upon a perilous adventure
since last we met."

"Yes, King," I answered; "but to which adventure do you refer--that
of the buffalo, when Saduko helped me, or that of the Amakoba, when I
helped Saduko?"

"The latter, Macumazahn, of which I