occupied in the great fight, where
the bones of the gallant Mavovo and my other hunters lay buried. Almost
did it seem to me as though I could hear their deep voices joining in
the shouts of welcome.

That night, while the Mazitu feasted in our honour, we held an _indaba_
in the big new guest house with Bausi II, a pleasant-faced young
man, and old Babemba. The king asked us how long we meant to stay at
Beza-Town, intimating his hope that the visit would be prolonged. I
replied, but a few days, as we were travelling far to the north to find
a people called the Kendah whom we wished to see, and hoped that he
would give us bearers to carry our goods as far as the confines of their
country. At the name of Kendah a look of astonishment appeared upon
their faces and Babemba said:

"Has madness seized you, Macumazana, that you would attempt this thing?
Oh surely you must be mad."

"You thought us mad, Babemba, when we crossed the lake to Rica Town, yet
we came back safely."

"True, Macumazana, but compared to the Kendah the Pongo were but as the
smallest star before the face of the sun."

"What do you know of them then?" I asked. "But stay--before you answer,
I will speak what I know," and I repeated what I had learned from Hans,
who confirmed my words, and from Harut and Marut, leaving out, however,
any mention of their dealings with Lady Ragnall.

"It is all true," said Babemba when I had finished, "for that old woman
of whom Light-in-the-Darkness speaks, was one of the wives of my uncle
and I knew her well. Hearken! These Kendah are a terrible nation and
countless in number and of all the people the fiercest. Their king is
called Simba, which means Lion. He who rules is always called Simba,
and has been so called for hundreds of years. He is of the Black Kendah
whose god is the elephant Jana, but as Light-in-Darkness has said, there
are also the White Kendah who are Arab men, the priests and traders of
the people. The Kendah will allow no stranger within their doors; if one
comes they kill him by torment, or blind him and turn him out into the
desert which surrounds their country, there to die. These things the
old woman who married my uncle told me, as she told them to
Light-in-Darkness, also I have heard them from others, and what she
did not tell me, that the White Kendah are great breeders of the beasts
called camels which they sell to the Arabs of the north. Go not near
them, for if you pass the desert the Blac