e head or tail of it. It seemed to call upon some "Spirit
of the Dew" whatever that might be, and was so wrapped up in "dark" talk
as to be unintelligible failing a key. Then, as we looked, there arose
a splashing sound. The surface of the pool was disturbed. A sinuous
undulation ran through it in a wavy line, right across the pool, and
then--and then--a mighty length rose glistening from the water,
culminating in a hideous head whose grisly snout and sunken eye were
those of the python species. This horror glided straight across to
where the witch doctor stood, and as it reached him its widely-opened
jaws seemed to champ down upon his head. Not upon it, however, did they
close, but upon the body of the white kid which he had deftly placed
there, quickly springing back at the same time. Then it turned, and as
it glided back, the wretched little animal kicking and bleating
frantically in its jaws, it seemed as if the hideous brute were rushing
straight for us. Aida's face was white as death, and I had to repress
in her a panic longing to turn and fly. My firm touch however sufficed
to calm her, and we crouched motionless, watching Ukozi on the further
side. The serpent had disappeared from our view.

The whole thing was horrible and eerie to a degree. The witch doctor
now was in a species of frenzy, walking up and down, with a half-dancing
movement, as he called out, thick and fast, the _sibongo_ of the
serpent. It was a nasty, uncanny, heathenish performance, and revolted
me; although through it there shone one redeeming--even humorous--side.
We had sat and watched it while Ukozi was blissfully ignorant of our
presence. He, the great witch doctor, had no inspiration or inkling
that he was being watched! One day I would twit him with it.

Not long, however, did he stay there, and on Aida's account I was glad
to see the last of him. Had I been alone I might have gone after him
and asked the meaning of the performance. As it was, she had better
forget it. For a time we sat there in the dead silence of the
moonlight.

"What does it mean?" she whispered, when we had allowed Ukozi sufficient
time to make himself scarce.

"Oh, some Mumbo Jumbo arrangement all his own," I answered. "Well that
certainly is a whacking big python--the very biggest I've ever seen. If
I had anything in the shape of a gun I'd be inclined to try and sneak
the brute wherever he's lying."

"Wouldn't it be in the water then?"

"