To tell the truth, I was very glad that our trip had come to such a

satisfactory conclusion, for, although I would not admit it even to

myself, I could not get rid of a kind of sneaking dread lest after

all there might be something in the old dwarf's prophecy about a

disagreeable adventure with a buffalo which was in store for me. Well,

as it chanced, we had not so much as seen a buffalo, and as the road

which we were going to take back to the kraal ran over high, bare

country that these animals did not frequent, there was now little

prospect of our doing so--all of which, of course, showed what I already

knew, that only weak-headed superstitious idiots would put the slightest

faith in the drivelling nonsense of deceiving or self-deceived Kafir

medicine-men. These things, indeed, I pointed out with much vigour to

Saduko before we turned in on the last night of the hunt.

Saduko listened in silence and said nothing at all, except that he would

not keep me up any longer, as I must be tired.

Now, whatever may be the reason for it, my experience in life is that it

is never wise to brag about anything. At any rate, on a hunting trip, to

come to a particular instance, wait until you are safe at home till you

begin to do so. Of the truth of this ancient adage I was now destined to

experience a particularly fine and concrete example.

The place where we had camped was in scattered bush overlooking a great

extent of dry reeds, that in the wet season was doubtless a swamp fed by

a small river which ran into it on the side opposite to our camp. During

the night I woke up, thinking that I heard some big beasts moving in

these reeds; but as no further sounds reached my ears I went to sleep

again.

Shortly after dawn I was awakened by a voice calling me, which in a hazy

fashion I recognised as that of Umbezi.

"Macumazahn," said the voice in a hoarse whisper, "the reeds below us

are full of buffalo. Get up. Get up at once."

"What for?" I answered. "If the buffalo came into the reeds they will go

out of them. We do not want meat."

"No, Macumazahn; but I want their hides. Panda, the King, has demanded

fifty shields of me, and without killing oxen that I can ill spare I

have not the skins whereof to make them. Now, these buffalo are in a

trap. This swamp is like a dish with one mouth. They cannot get out

at the sides of the dish, and the mouth by which they came in is very

narrow. If we station ourselves at either side of it we can kill many of

them."




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