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Now Sigwe and two of his captains walked to where the diviners stood and
took counsel with them, speaking low and earnestly. Then he returned and
said:

"Sihamba, Walker-by-Moonlight, and you, Lady Swallow, listen to me. A
wonderful thing has come to pass in the kraal of Sigwe this day, such
a thing as our fathers have not known. You see that my host is gathered
yonder: well, to-morrow they start to make war upon these very Endwandwe
of whom you have spoken because of a deadly insult which they have put
upon me and my house. Therefore, according to custom, this morning the
soldiers were assembled at dawn to be doctored and that the diviners
might search out the omens of the war. So the diviners searched, and she
who was chosen among them ate the medicine and sank into the witch sleep
here before us all. Yes, this one," and he pointed to a tall woman with
dreamy eyes who was bedizened with bones and snakeskins.

"Now in her sleep she spoke, and we hung upon her words, for we knew
that they would be the words of omen. Sihamba, these were the words, as
all can testify:

"'Thus say the spirits of your fathers, and thus speaks the Snake of
your tribe. Unless a _White Swallow_ guide your footsteps in the war
with the Men of the Mountains you shall perish and your impis shall be
scattered, but if a _White Swallow_ flies before your spears than but
little of your blood shall be shed, and you shall return with honour and
with one whom you seek. Only the Swallow shall not return with you, for
if she set her face southward, then, Sigwe, woe to you and your armies.'

"Sihamba, these were the words of the dreamer. Scarcely was she awake
again, while we wondered at their strangeness, and asked her questions
of their meaning, which she could not answer, for here the wisdom of
the wisest was at fault, lo! you rode over the hill, and with you a
beautiful white woman whose name you say is Swallow. Yes, this is the
White Swallow who shall fly in front of my regiments, bringing me honour
and good fortune in the war, and therefore, Sihamba, your prayer is
granted, though not all of it, for you shall go northward and not
southward, and among your own people I will leave you and the Swallow
with you, and for her sake I will spare your people, the people of
Umpondwana, although they are subject to my foe, the Endwandwe, and of
the same blood. Moreover, while you are among us all honour shall be
done to you and the Swallow, and of the c