e far-shooting
guns, ten times ten of them, and the powder, and the bullets wherewith
I may drive off the Matabele, but not otherwise. My son, Tamas, and my
councillors will drive your waggon into my country but you must bring
no strange servants. The Spirit of the white woman who killed herself
before the eyes of my forefather has been seen of late standing upon the
point of rock; also she has visited me at night in my secret place where
her companions died. I do not know all that this portends, but I think
that amongst other things she wished to tell me that the Matabele are
about to attack us. I await the decree of the Heavens. I send you two
karosses as a gift, and a little ancient gold, since ivory is too heavy
for my messengers to carry, and I have no waggon. Farewell.'"

"We have heard you," said Meyer, when Mr. Clifford had finished
translating, "and we wish to ask you a question. What do you mean when
you say that the Spirit of the white woman has been seen?"

"I mean what I say, white man," answered Tamas. "She was seen by all
three of us, standing upon the pinnacle at the dawn; also my father saw
and spoke with her alone in his sleep at night. This is the third time
in my father's day that she has appeared thus, and always before some
great event."

"What was she like?" asked Meyer.

"Like? Oh! like the lady who sits yonder. Yes, quite the same, or so it
seemed to us. But who knows? We have seen no other white women, and we
were not very near. Let the lady come and stand side by side with the
Spirit, so that we can examine them both, and we shall be able to answer
better. Do you accept the offer of the Molimo?"

"We will tell you to-morrow morning," replied Meyer. "A hundred rifles
are many to find, and will cost much money. Meanwhile, for you there is
food and a sleeping-place."

The three men seemed disappointed at his answer, which they evidently
believed to be preliminary to a refusal. For a moment or two they
consulted together, then Tamas put his hand into a pouch and drew from
it something wrapped in dry leaves, which he undid, revealing a quaint
and beautiful necklace, fashioned of twisted gold links, wherein were
set white stones, that they had no difficulty in recognising as uncut
diamonds of considerable value. From this necklace also hung a crucifix
moulded in gold.

"We offer this gift," he said, "on behalf of Mambo, my father, to the
lady yonder, to whom the karosses and the rough gold a