ubbub
arose from without--the hubbub of a volume of deep, excited voices--
mingled with a wild bellowing, which was enough to make a man deaf.

"I think these ghost-bulls are upon us, too," said the King, with an
angry sneer. "Look forth, Untuswa, and see whether all the world has
gone mad."

Quickly I gained the gate in the woven fence which surrounded the
_isigodhlo_. From far and near people were flocking, while the great
open space within the kraal was becoming more and more densely packed;
and, making their way through the blackness of the crowd, which parted
eagerly to give them passage, came a weird and hideous throng, decked
with horrid devices of teeth and claws and the skulls of beasts, their
bodies hung with clusters of bleeding entrails and all the fooleries
which our _izanusi_ hang about themselves to strike terror into the
fearful. These, leaping and bounding in the air, rushed forward till it
seemed they were about to bear me down and pour into the _isigodhlo_
itself. But they halted--halted almost in the very gate--and redoubled
their bellowings, howling about the Valley of the Red Death and the woe
which should come upon our nation. And all the people, their faces
turned earthward, howled in response. Looking upon this, I bethought me
that there seemed truth in the King's words, and that all the world had
indeed gone mad. Making a sign to the _izanusi_ to desist their
howlings--a sign, however, which they did not obey--I returned to the
royal presence to report what I had seen.

"Send my guard, Untuswa, to beat back this mob," said the
King. "This must be looked into. As for these"--pointing to the
messengers--"custody them forth, for it may be I have further use for
them."

Quickly I went out to issue my orders, and hardly had I done so, than
the King himself came forward, and making a sign to myself and two or
three other _izinduna_ to attend him, sat himself down at the head of
the open space. The while the roars of _bonga_ which greeted his
appearance mingled with the howling of the gang of witch doctors and the
shouting and blows of the royal guard, beating back the excited crowd
with their sticks and shields. In very truth, _Nkose_, it seemed as
though the whole nation were gathered there.

Suddenly a silence fell upon the multitude, and even the bellowing of
the _izanusi_ was stayed, as there came through the throng, creeping
upon their hands and knees, nearly a score of men. Th