ttered about in Kafirland that the
one which you have just shown me should be difficult to find?"

"What did it look like, 'mlungu?" demanded Mafuta.

"What did it look like?" I repeated. "Is not that a quite unnecessary
question to ask, Mafuta? You must have seen everything that I saw,
otherwise--"

"Nay," interrupted Mafuta, "I saw nothing; nor do I know what you saw,
excepting that I willed you to see the 'ntombi. Tell me everything that
you beheld, and maybe I can help you to find the place."

Thereupon I proceeded to describe minutely the entire scene as I had
beheld it, the big town with its huts, to the number of two thousand or
more, symmetrically arranged within its circle of stout, high palings;
the kopje close by, with its scattered piles of rock interspersed with
straggling clumps of bush, and its vultures; the great plain with its
herds of grazing cattle beside the stream--in short, every feature of my
vision, as I vividly recalled it. And when I had finished, Mafuta sat
for several minutes ruminating deeply. At length, however, he looked
up, and, shaking his head, said:

"White man, I have never seen the place you describe, otherwise I am
sure that I should recognise it. The kopje with its rocks and its
aasvogels would alone suffice for its identification. That kopje is
doubtless the place where criminals are executed; the presence of the
aasvogels seems to indicate that. And the size and general importance
of the place lead me to believe that it is where a king sits; but what
king I know not. Of one thing, however, I can assure you; it is not
Moshesh's Place."

"Well," said I, "that at least is something to know, for it is one place
the less to trouble about. And that is all the help you can give me?"

"That is all the help I can give you," repeated Mafuta.

"But surely it is much, is it not, 'mlungu? You have seen the place
with the eyes of your mind, seen it as plainly as if you had beheld it
with your bodily eyes; and you will remember what it looks like. You
will be able to describe it minutely to others; and as you go upon your
way you will have opportunity to speak of it to others, and--yes, it
comes to me that eventually you will meet with one who will enable you
to find it."

"Thanks, very much," said I. "That is a most comforting thing to know,
and, since you say that such a thing will happen, I quite believe it
will, after the exhibition of your powers which you have alre