fashion; Goroko rigged
up in the best witch-doctor's costume that he could improvise, duly
came under the influence of his "Spirit" and skipped about, waving a
wildebeeste's tail, and so forth.

Finally to my horror he broke out of the ring, and running to a group
of spectators from the village, switched Thomaso, who was standing among
them with a lordly and contemptuous air, across the face with the gnu's
tail, shouting out that he was the wizard who had poisoned the bowels of
the sick men. Thereon Thomaso, who although he could be insolent, like
most crossbreeds was not remarkable for courage, seeing the stir that
this announcement created amongst the fierce-faced Zulus and fearing
developments, promptly bolted, none attempting to follow him.

After this, just as I thought that everything was over and that the time
had come for me to speak a few earnest words to Umslopogaas, pointing
out that matters must go no further as regards Thomaso, whom I knew that
he and his people hated, Goroko went back to the circle and was seized
with a new burst of inspiration.

Throwing down his whisk, he lifted his arms above his head and stared at
the heavens. Then he began to shout out something in a loud voice which
I was too far off to catch. Whatever it may have been, evidently it
frightened his hearers, as I could see from the expressions on their
faces. Even Umslopogaas was alarmed, for he let his axe fall for a
moment, rose as though to speak, then sat down again and covered his
eyes with his hands.

In a minute it was over; Goroko seemed to become normal, took some snuff
and as I guessed, after the usual fashion of these doctors, began to
ask what he had been saying while the "Spirit" possessed him, which he
either had, or affected to have, forgotten. The circle, too, broke up
and its members began to talk to each other in a subdued way, while
Umslopogaas remained seated on the ground, brooding, and Hans slipped
away in his snake-like fashion, doubtless in search of me.

"What was it all about, Mr. Quatermain?" asked Inez.

"Oh! a lot of nonsense," I said. "I fancy that witch-doctor declared
that your friend Thomaso put something into those men's food to make
them sick."

"I daresay that he did; it would be just like him, Mr. Quatermain, as I
know that he hates them, especially Umslopogaas, of whom I am very fond.
He brought me some beautiful flowers this morning which he had found
somewhere, and made a long speech whic