r colouring to that of a fair
octoroon. Her beauty amazed me. I have been in the West Indies, where,
especially among the French islands, are to be seen some of the most
beautiful coloured women in the world. Mapana's beauty and grace
reminded me in the strongest manner of some of these French octoroons.
Her hair was soft and wavy--not harsh, like a pure African's--and curled
naturally upon her well-shaped head. Her features were good and
regular; her mouth bewitching; her dark eyes tender, kindly, and
marvellously beautiful. There was an air of refinement and grace about
her, which strangely puzzled me. She wore a necklet of bright gold
coins about her neck, and thick ivory bangles upon her shapely arms. A
little cloak of antelope skin just covered her shoulders, but concealed
not at all her perfect shape and bust. A short kilt or petticoat of
dressed antelope skin, and neat sandals of giraffe hide, completed her
costume. It is hard to judge the age of Africans. I guessed Mapana's
years at one or two and twenty. She sat there in an attitude of easy,
natural grace, her pretty hands just covering a sword, apparently of
European make, which lay across her lap. I think I never set eyes on a
more perfectly captivating creature. I am not as a rule at all
impressionable, but, as Mapana spoke, my downfall was complete--I fell
in love with her at once.

"Mapana had one of those rare voices which, almost more than mere beauty
alone, seem created to enslave mankind. I once, years ago, on a trip
home to England, heard Sarah Bernhardt. The tones of her silvery voice
came nearer to Mapana's than any I ever heard.

"How so fair a woman came to be heading a barbarous tribe here in this
outlandish corner of Africa, and whence she took her European descent,
puzzled me intensely. I was determined somehow to hunt out the mystery.
I had noticed, when we first encountered Mapana's tribesmen at the foot
of the mountains, that much of their speech resembled the Sechuana and
Basuto tongues, with which I am well acquainted. The languages of the
various Bantu tribes have strong affinities. I noticed many words even
resembling Zulu and Amakosa among these people, who, by the way, called
themselves Umfanzi. The difference of idiom and intonation at first
bothered me; in a little while, however, as Mapana questioned and
cross-questioned the Bushmen, I began pretty clearly to understand her.
I spoke in a low tone to April; he too