or her.

This idea met with something like universal acceptance. Shrewd and
intelligent as they are in ordinary matters, Kafirs are given to the
most childish superstitions, and, in adopting the above suggestion,
these credulous savages really did look forward to witnessing something
novel in the way of a competition in magic. In their minds the
experiment was likely to prove a thing worth seeing.

"_Ewa! Ewa_!" ["Yes--yes"] they cried emphatically. "Let Ngcenika be
called."

"So be it," assented Kreli. "Let the witch-doctress be sought."

But almost before the words had left his lips--there pealed forth a
wild, unearthly shriek--a frightful yell--emanating from the line of
rugged and bush-grown rocks which shut in one side of the clearing.
Chiefs, _amapakati_, warriors--all turned towards the sound, an anxious
expression upon every face--upon many, one of apprehension, of fear.
Even to the white prisoner the interruption was sufficiently startling.
And then there bounded forth into their midst a hideous, a truly
appalling apparition.

CHAPTER THIRTY.

THE WITCH-DOCTRESS.

Man, woman, or demon--which was it?

A grim, massive face, a pair of fierce, rolling eyes, which seemed to
sparkle with a cruel and blood thirsty scintillation, a large, strongly
built trunk, whose conformation alone betrayed the sex of the creature.
Limbs and body were hung around thickly with barbarous "charms" in
hideous and disgusting profusion--birds' heads and claws, frogs and
lizards, snakes' skins, mingling with the fresh and bloody entrails of
some animal. But the head of this revolting object was simply
demoniacal in aspect. The hair, instead of being short and woolly, had
been allowed to attain some length, and hung down on each side of the
frightful face in a black, kinky mane, save for two lengths of it,
which, stiffened with some sort of horrid pigment, stood erect like a
couple of long red horns on each side of the wearer's ears. Between
these "horns," and crowning the creature's head, grinned a human skull,
whose eyeless sockets were smeared round with a broad circle in dark
crimson. And that nothing should be wanting to complete the diabolical
horror of her appearance, the repulsive and glistening coils of a live
serpent were folding and unfolding about the left arm and shoulder of
the sorceress.

Something like a shudder of fear ran through the ranks of the armed
warriors as they gazed upon this frightful ap