n the hope of diverting the king's mind from the idea of the
suggested duel.

"This," said I, removing the chain and mirror from my neck and offering
it to His Majesty, "is great magic, for it enables a man to see himself.
Behold!" And I held it up so that Lomalindela might see the reflection
of his own visage in it. He took it doubtingly and hesitatingly in his
hand--for there is nothing a South African savage dreads so much as
magic or witchcraft--and a low, awestricken ejaculation of "Au!" escaped
him at what he beheld.

"And that is not all," I continued. "This magic disk enables its owner
to see what is happening behind him. As thus:" and I slightly turned
the mirror in his hand as he held it, in such a fashion that he could
see the faces of the various chiefs who stood behind him.

"Finally," I proceeded, "it has the power of temporarily blinding an
enemy, and so giving its possessor power over him--thus:" and, as I
spoke, I turned the mirror in such a fashion that it flashed the rays of
the sun right into the eyes of several of the soldiers lining the
square, who, despite the awful breach of discipline involved in the
action, incontinently raised their shields as the dazzling reflection
struck their eyes.

"Au!" ejaculated Lomalindela in awestruck tones, as he handled the
mirror doubtfully; "it is great and good magic, for it enables a man to
see the enemy who comes creeping up behind him, and to blind the enemy
who assails him in front. I thank thee, white man. Thou shalt show me
how to use it too."

"Certainly," I replied hastily. "All in good time. And now, lastly,
behold! here are boxes of beads for thy favourite wives, wherewith they
may adorn themselves."

The king took the brass boxes, one by one, in his hands, turned them
over and looked at them, and then calmly drew from the lobe of his right
ear an ivory snuffbox about the same size, and substituted therefor one
of the other boxes, amid low murmurs of admiration from the chiefs in
his rear.

"It is good; and again I thank thee, white man," he remarked, as he
placed the remaining brass boxes in the hands of one of the chiefs, with
a low-murmured order, the purport of which I could not catch. "Yes, it
is good," he repeated, turning to me. "But what are these things good
for?" he enquired, pointing to the little pile of clothes which I had
replaced in the bundle.

"Listen, O King, and I will tell thee," I replied. "In the land where
t