( 152 ) 



this, however, I would not hear of, and gave them clearly to under- 

 stand that, if things came to the worst, and we had to fight for our 

 lives, I should unhesitatingly shoot the first man who showed the 

 white feather. Dinner was now placed before us, and for the first 

 time my people were off their feed, it was quite evidently the fate 

 that awaited us if attacked, for the cowardly curs were simply para- 

 lyzed with fear, and their voices trembled as they spoke. Both Yan 

 Sing and myself endeavoured to cheer them up ; but it was in 

 vain, they would not be fortified, and only replied " what is the use 

 of stopping here to risk our lives?" The whole village was by 

 this time a regular pandemonium, and the forest echoed again with 

 the wild shouts of the drunken crowd, as they kept chasing one 

 another about with lighted torches ; beating drums and gongs in 

 every direction, and discharging guns recklessly : two bullets 

 passed through the house we occupied, and one unpleasantly near 

 to where I sat. About midnight, our guide came and told us that 

 the Tswabwa had directed the Meetway to consult the ndts regarding 

 our final disposal, and that we had better leave our things and bolt 

 without delay. Such a move I saw was simply impracticable, for 

 the house was surrounded by men mad with drink, and to have 

 attempted to run the gauntlet must have resulted in the massacre 

 of us all ; so I resolved to brave it out to the last. 



261. About an hour later on, the maniacal cries and writhing 

 of the Metway could be distinctly heard, but fortunately the Tswabwa 

 by this time was dead drunk, and the rest of the party too inebriated 

 to take any part in restoring the soothsayer to his right senses, so 

 he was left to bring himself round, and retain, for his exclusive 

 benefit, the decision revealed by the ndts. Things now gradually 

 cemmenced to quiet down, and by early dawn, peace reigned 

 supreme — thus terminated one of the most anxious nights I had 

 ever spent. 



262. Friday, 23rd January 1874. — Day dawned to find us still 

 awake : the thermometer read 39°, and my peons were huddled 

 round the embers of last night's fire ; while Yan Sing and myself 

 sat nose and knees together waiting for results. Truly time hung 

 heavily for the last few hours ; but I must be thankful that I am alive 

 to chronicle events. As the sun rose, our prospects appeared to 

 brighten ; the little warblers gladdened us with their merry notes, 

 the womenfolk proceeded with their domestic duties, and even my 

 disconsolate peons cracked a joke at last night's misfortune. At 

 eight o'clock I ventured to go outside to look around me ; and, 

 following some women on their way to fetch water, reached a mountain 

 stream where I refreshed myself with a wash. The girls were not 

 scared by my presence, but rather regarded me a desirable acquaint- 



