he same morose and dissatisfied expression upon
his face. But upon that of Tyuyumane, the King's relation, I thought I
could detect a lively expression of fear--also upon that of Senkonya--
and I laughed behind my shield, for I was in full dress as a
war-captain.

"Ah! ah!" I said to myself. "The Great Great One was right. These
_abatagati_ are about to weep blood. No swift and merciful death in the
darkness is to be theirs."

Now the King came forth attended by his shield-bearer, and all the
nation assembled there bowed low and thundered out the _Bayete_. But
the countenance of the Great Great One was gloomy and stern, as his gaze
travelled over the enormous bending crowd. He advanced to his usual
place, at the head of the open space, and seated himself. And then the
_izanusi_, bedecked in all their hideousness of skulls and entrails and
streaming blood and rattling bones, came dancing and howling before the
King, and clamouring to be let loose upon the wizards who had bewitched
his dreams.

Notalwa was at their head. He was arrayed in a cloak of quagga-skin
vividly striped, and was crowned with the lower jaw of a sea-cow
cunningly joined with the upper part of a lion's skull, the whole
painted red and surmounted by cranes' feathers. For my own part, I
laughed to myself at the sight of this cowardly boaster, who had never
shed blood, save that of some wretched _umtagati_ whom he had smelt out,
trying to render his appearance terrific. So, too, did several among us
war-captains. But the bulk of the people saw terror in him, and groaned
loudly.

This hideous band began to dance before the King, sweeping the ground
and air with wands tipped with giraffe tails, as they circled round, and
howling--

"Great Great One! Black Buffalo Bull! Elephant who bears the world!
give the word, that we may name the _abatagati_! Thou whose glance is
brighter than the sun! give the word that we may consume them with
lightning! Hou! Hou! Hou!"

With these and such-like bellowings did the _izanusi_ rave for long; but
the King sat and took snuff in silence, as though they were not there at
all. At last he said--

"Away from me, ye jackals! ye who are impostors, and no _izanusi_ at
all! Still your howlings; for there is a greater than you, who shall
find out quickly what ye never shall."

I had my eyes upon Notalwa's face, and saw that he feared. The others
fell back in awed silence, for there was that in the Ki