en; but there was a
look of truth in the face of the savage when he assured us none such
existed here. Well, we will go to Manica, and perhaps Machin, who is
represented as a powerful chief, may throw some light on that."

"Ay, but how will you get over the sacred nature of the ruins if they do
exist?"

"By bribery; depend upon it, nothing succeeds better with the virtuous
Amatonga."

"Well, good-bye to the ruins at present; and whether Solomon knew the
land or not, or whether Ophir be here of elsewhere, our object is the
skin of the panther."

Their rifles at the trail, the two hunters moved forward towards the
mountains, from which they were separated by several belts of forest,
guided by the gouts of blood which the wounded animal had left. These
tracks led at first across the open. Here there could be no mistake,
for the bowmen had followed the animal for some distance, shouting and
firing off their arrows, but the two hunters soon struck into the brush
once more, and still guided by the spots of blood, pressed on cautiously
but quickly. Hardly a word was spoken as they forced their way onward,
the yells and shouts of the Amatongas dying away; and, with the
exception of the breaking of the branches, and the sound of running
water in the bed of the stream, all was still. After heavy rains this
river must be a considerable one, but at that moment it was small, so
the hunters followed, so far as was practicable, its course, the wounded
panther having done the same. After having proceeded thus some two
miles in the brush, sometimes stumbling over the boulders of stone,
sometimes with difficulty forcing a pathway among the trees and bushes,
the river turned suddenly to the right, and as suddenly the forest
ceased.

The missionary halted, and looked about him anxiously.

"What's the matter?" asked Hughes in a low tone, cocking his rifle as he
spoke.

"See," answered the other, "the stream has been dammed up here, and
there are evident traces of masonry. This is strange."

"We are close to the end of this belt of forest-land, and shall soon
solve the mystery, if there be one."

"There is a considerable sheet of water here, and why should it exist?
Can we be near some large kraal?"

Slowly the two moved forward, and as they did so the trees became
gradually further apart, the banks of the stream seemed quite clear,
even from brushwood. A sharp bend led to the right, and there before
them, tumbled here