elieve a
certain thing although I do not understand it, but will not believe
something else for the same reason? Now, I was keenly interested in the
subject of the nyanga's alleged powers for a variety of reasons, two of
which will, I think, justify me in determining to put them to the test,
now that I had the opportunity: one reason being simple curiosity, and
the other the desire to obtain information as to the whereabouts of Nell
Lestrange. Therefore I said to 'Ngaga:

"Very well; let that matter pass. You were about to tell me that there
is trouble in the village, of a kind that I can cure. Was it not so?"

"Even so, 'Nkos'," answered 'Ngaga. "The trouble is this. A leopard
has lately taken up his abode yonder," pointing to a spot about half a
mile distant, where a great granite kopje towered some sixty feet above
the general surface of the ground, forming a hill of about three or four
acres in extent. "He haunts a cave in the rock," continued 'Ngaga, "and
comes every night to the village, stealing our chickens, killing our
dogs and cattle; and last night he even entered a hut and carried off a
two-year-old child from its sleeping mother's side. We have tried to
kill the beast; but he is too wise for us, for while we are watching for
him in one place he goes round by another way, and all our efforts thus
far have been in vain. So to-day we consulted Mafuta upon the matter;
and after he had heard us, and had shut himself up in the hut for as
long as it takes the sun to travel that far through the sky,"--
indicating an arc which would represent about half an hour--"he came
forth and said that a white man--yourself, 'Nkos'--would arrive at the
village to-night, and would undertake to free us of the beast. Will you
do this for us, O my father? He is very wary, and will not allow us to
approach him within the length of a spear cast; but he cannot escape
your fire weapon: and it shall be that if you slay him, I, 'Ngaga, will
send forward a messenger to the Great One, Moshesh, announcing thy
coming to his kraal, and taking with him a tale that shall cause the
Great One's face to smile upon thee."

"Very well," I said; "I am willing to do what I can for thee and thine,
O 'Ngaga, and thus will I do it. Thou shalt to-night station two men in
a place from which they can watch the path leading from the leopard's
den to the village; and it shall be that if the beast shows himself, one
man shall hasten hither to the