nt the Zulus, whose name means
the Heavens.) "Be clever, dear Finger which caressed me once, me, the
'Thing-that-should-not-have-been-born,' as more will think before I die,
and write those matters that it pleases the House of Senzangakona to
know this day."

Then he bent down, and with the dead finger at three separate spots made
certain markings in the fallen dust, which to me seemed to consist of
circles and dots; and a strange and horrid sight it was to see him do
it.

"I thank you, dear Finger. Now sleep, sleep, your work is done," and
slowly he wrapped the relic up in some soft material and restored it to
his pouch.

Then he studied the first of the markings and asked: "What am I here
for? What am I here for? Does he who sits upon the Throne desire to know
how long he has to reign?"

Now, those of the inner circle of the spectators, who at these
"smellings-out" act as a kind of chorus, looked at the King, and, seeing
that he shook his head vigorously, stretched out their right hands,
holding the thumb downwards, and said simultaneously in a cold, low
voice:

"Izwa!" (That is, "We hear you.")

Zikali stamped upon this set of markings.

"It is well," he said. "He who sits upon the Throne does not desire to
know how long he has to reign, and therefore the dust has forgotten and
shows it not to me."

Then he walked to the next markings and studied them.

"Does the Child of Senzangakona desire to know which of his sons shall
live and which shall die; aye, and which of them shall sleep in his hut
when he is gone?"

Now a great roar of "Izwa!" accompanied by the clapping of hands, rose
from all the outer multitude who heard, for there was no information
that the Zulu people desired so earnestly as this at the time of which I
write.

But again Panda, who, I saw, was thoroughly alarmed at the turn things
were taking, shook his head vigorously, whereon the obedient chorus
negatived the question in the same fashion as before.

Zikali stamped upon the second set of markings, saying:

"The people desire to know, but the Great Ones are afraid to learn, and
therefore the dust has forgotten who in the days to come shall sleep in
the hut of the King and who shall sleep in the bellies of the jackals
and the crops of the vultures after they have 'gone beyond' by the
bridge of spears."

Now, at this awful speech (which, both because of all that it implied of
bloodshed and civil war and of the wild, wailing voice i