was said and done I did
not like this tale of the presence of Hendrika with countless hosts of
baboons.

[*] For an instance of this, see Anderson's "Twenty-five
Years in a Waggon," vol. i. p. 262.--Editor.

So I went in to Stella, and without saying a word to her of the baboon
story, told her I had been thinking matters over, and had come to the
conclusion that it was our duty to follow her father's instructions to
the letter, and leave Babyan Kraals at once. Into all our talk I need
not enter, but the end of it was that she agreed with me, and declared
that she could quite well manage the journey, saying, moreover, that now
that her dear father was dead she would be glad to get away.

Nothing happened to disturb us that night, and on the following morning
I was up early making preparations. The despair of the people when they
learned that we were going to leave them was something quite pitiable. I
could only console them by declaring that we were but on a journey, and
would return the following year.

"They had lived in the shadow of their father, who was dead," they
declared; "ever since they were little they had lived in his shadow. He
had received them when they were outcasts and wanderers without a mat
to lie on, or a blanket to cover them, and they had grown fat in his
shadow. Then he had died, and the Star, their father's daughter, had
married me, Macumazahn, and they had believed that I should take their
father's place, and let them live in my shadow. What should they do when
there was no one to protect them? The tribes were kept from attacking
them by fear of the white man. If we went they would be eaten up," and
so on. Alas! there was but too much foundation for their fears.

I returned to the huts at mid-day to get some dinner. Stella said
that she was going to pack during the afternoon, so I did not think it
necessary to caution her about going out alone, as I did not wish to
allude to the subject of Hendrika and the baboons unless I was obliged
to. I told her, however, that I would come back to help her as soon as
I could get away. Then I went down to the native kraals to sort out such
cattle as had belonged to Mr. Carson from those which belonged to the
Kaffirs, for I proposed to take them with us. It was a large herd,
and the business took an incalculable time. At length, a little before
sundown, I gave it up, and leaving Indaba-zimbi to finish the job, got
on my horse and rode homewards.