tell the truth, I wish you had brought
more guns, for I live amongst a terrible lot of people. Masapo, who is
furious with Mameena because she will have none of him, and therefore
with me, as though I could control Mameena; Mameena, who is mad with
Masapo, and therefore with me, because I gave her in marriage to him;
Saduko, who foams at the mouth at the name of Masapo, because he has
married Mameena, whom, it is said, he still loves, and therefore at me,
because I am her father and did my best to settle her in the world. Oh,
give me some more of that fire-water, Macumazahn, for it makes me forget
all these things, and especially that my guardian spirit made me the
father of Mameena, with whom you would not run away when you might have
done so. Oh, Macumazahn, why did you not run away with Mameena, and turn
her into a quiet white woman who ties herself up in sacks, sings songs
to the 'Great-Great' in the sky--[that is, hymns to the Power above
us]--and never thinks of any man who is not her husband?"

"Because if I had done so, Umbezi, I should have ceased to be a quiet
white man. Yes, yes, my friend, I should have been in some such place as
yours to-day, and that is the last thing that I wish. And now, Umbezi,
you have had quite enough 'squareface,' so I will take the bottle away
with me. Good-night."

On the following morning I trekked very early from Umbezi's
kraal--before he was up indeed, for the "squareface" made him sleep
sound. My destination was Nodwengu, Panda's Great Place, where I hoped
to do some trading, but, as I was in no particular hurry, my plan was
to go round by Masapo's, and see for myself how it fared between him and
Mameena. Indeed, I reached the borders of the Amasomi territory, whereof
Masapo was chief, by evening, and camped there. But with the night came
reflection, and reflection told me that I should do well to keep clear
of Mameena and her domestic complications, if she had any. So I changed
my mind, and next morning trekked on to Nodwengu by the only route
that my guides reported to be practicable, one which took me a long way
round.

That day, owing to the roughness of the road--if road it could be
called--and an accident to one of the wagons, we only covered about
fifteen miles, and as night fell were obliged to outspan at the first
spot where we could find water. When the oxen had been unyoked I
looked about me, and saw that we were in a place that, although I had
approached it fro