me to countenance by my presence such a scene of
cold-blooded atrocity!"

"Nay, my friend," answered Mapela, laying his hand impressively upon my
arm, "you must not dream of attempting to evade the king's command. To
do so would be fatal to you and your followers, for it would be
interpreted to mean that in your heart you cherish evil thoughts against
the king, and fear to face the ordeal. And an impi would instantly be
dispatched with orders to `eat up' you and yours! No; however
disagreeable to you may be the sights which you will witness to-morrow,
you must on no account seek to evade them. I tell you this as your
friend, because I wish you well, and because my snake tells me that in
some way--how I know not--your presence at the `smelling out' to-morrow
will be the means whereby many valuable lives will be saved. And now it
is time that we should depart; we have been with you long enough. Sala
guhli, Chia'gnosi, until to-morrow. And bear well in mind my caution to
you," he concluded in a whisper. Then, rising, he made a sign to the
rest of the chiefs, who sprang to their feet, saluted, and retired in a
body, after reiterating their thanks for the "splendid" gifts I had
bestowed upon them.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

MACHENGA, THE CHIEF WITCH DOCTOR OF THE MASHONA.

It was about mid-afternoon of that same day when, as I sat in the shadow
of the wagon tent, pondering upon the possibility of my being able
successfully to approach the king upon the question of a concession to
mine gold in Mashonaland, Piet informed me that certain men, whom 'Mfuni
recognised as messengers from the king, were coming toward the wagon
from Gwanda; and some five minutes later they arrived.

There were six of them, and they were laden with goods which I needed
not their explanation to assure me were presents from the king. One
bore a complete Mashona warrior's panoply, consisting of plumed
headdress, leopard-skin mantle, mucha of leopards' tails, armlets,
anklets, and garters of cows' tails, a necklace consisting of about
forty gold nuggets, bored and strung upon a strip of rimpi, shield, war
club, and an immense bangwan, or stabbing spear. This gift was of
course to be regarded as a logical sequence and appropriate return for
the uniform which I had presented to His Majesty that morning. But
there were other gifts as well, and exceedingly valuable ones, too,
three of the other messengers being bearers each of a most magnificent