ivate discussion, and determined
therefore to play his game boldly and in public. The dusk of evening
was just setting in, and some women had kindled a bright fire.

"My Chief," he said, "I come with the words of Indabeni, who has chosen
me because he knows I am your younger brother" (figurative).

"Indabeni is a great man," said Sololo; "he has eyes all round his
head. His words are good to hear--speak them, son of my father."

"Indabeni's heart is heavy, my Chief, because you, the leopard, are
placing yourself in the path of the buffalo, which is the Government.
Men have told Indabeni that you refuse to deliver to the Magistrate one
who has done wrong."

"The leopard may stand on one side and tear the flank of the buffalo as
he passes. He may then hide in the caves of the rocks where the buffalo
cannot follow," said Sololo, sententiously.

"The buffalo may call the wolves to his aid to drive the leopard from
his cave," rejoined Vooda, developing the allegory further; "but why
will you not give up the wrong-doer to the magistrate?"

"Why must I give up my friend to be choked with a rope?" said Sololo,
excitedly. "He has not slain a white man, but one of my own people.
Government must leave him to be punished according to the law of the
native. If one of my tribe slays a white man, I will deliver up the
slayer."

"But you know what the Government is, my Chief--it is over all of us.
Even Indabeni himself has to do as it tells him."

"Indabeni is not a Pondo, neither am I Indabeni," said Sololo,
appealing, with a look, to the audience.

"Yebo, Yebo, Ewe--E-hea," shouted all the men.

"I did not ask Government for its laws," continued the Chief.
"'U-Sessellodes' [The native attempt at pronouncing the name of Mr. Cecil
Rhodes, Premier of the Cape Colony.] came here and said in a loud voice
that we all belonged to him. We were surprised, and could not think or
speak. Besides, who listens to the bleating of a goat when an angry
bull bellows? Now we have thought and spoken together, and we can also
fight; I will never give up my friend to be choked with a rope."

"E-hea," shouted the audience.

"My Chief," said Vooda, "your words are like milk flowing from a great
black cow ten days after she has calved, but there is one thing you
have not seen, but which I have seen and trembled at."

"What is this thing that frightens a man who is the father of
children?"

"The magic (umtagati) of U-Sessellodes, which he has