fear no
harm at his hands or those of his soldiers. In fact, the only person who
did not appreciate our black arts was Imbozwi himself. I caught a look
in his eye as he marched off which told me that he hated us bitterly,
and reflected to myself that perhaps I had been foolish to use that
burning-glass, although in truth I had not intended to set his head on
fire.

"My father," said Mavovo to me afterwards, "it would have been better to
let that snake burn to death, for then you would have killed his poison.
I am something of a doctor myself, and I tell you there is nothing our
brotherhood hates so much as being laughed at. You have made a fool of
him before all his people and he will not forget it, Macumazana."

CHAPTER IX

BAUSI THE KING

About midday we made a start for Beza Town where King Bausi lived, which
we understood we ought to reach on the following evening. For some hours
the regiment marched in front, or rather round us, but as we complained
to Babemba of the noise and dust, with a confidence that was quite
touching, he sent it on ahead. First, however, he asked us to pass our
word "by our mothers," which was the most sacred of oaths among many
African peoples, that we would not attempt to escape. I confess that I
hesitated before giving an answer, not being entirely enamoured of the
Mazitu and of our prospects among them, especially as I had discovered
through Jerry that the discomfited Imbozwi had departed from the
soldiers on some business of his own. Had the matter been left to me,
indeed, I should have tried to slip back into the bush over the border,
and there put in a few months shooting during the dry season, while
working my way southwards. This, too, was the wish of the Zulu hunters,
of Hans, and I need not add of Sammy. But when I mentioned the matter to
Stephen, he implored me to abandon the idea.

"Look here, Quatermain," he said, "I have come to this God-forsaken
country to get that great Cypripedium, and get it I will or die in the
attempt. Still," he added after surveying our rather blank faces, "I
have no right to play with your lives, so if you think the thing
too dangerous I will go on alone with this old boy, Babemba. Putting
everything else aside, I think that one of us ought to visit Bausi's
kraal in case the gentleman who you call Brother John should turn up
there. In short, I have made up my mind, so it is no use talking."

I lit my pipe, and