had not yet attained to the honour of the 〃ring〃 of polished wax laid
over strips of rush bound round with sinew and sewn to the hair； the
〃isicoco〃 which at a certain age or dignity； determined by the king；
Zulus are allowed to assume。 But his face struck me more even than his
grace； strength and stature。 Undoubtedly it was a very fine face； with
little or nothing of the negroid type about it； indeed； he might have
been a rather dark…coloured Arab； to which stock he probably threw back。
The eyes； too； were large and rather melancholy； and in his reserved；
dignified air there was something that showed him to be no common
fellow； but one of breeding and intellect。
〃Siyakubona〃 （that is； 〃we see you；〃 anglice 〃good morrow〃） 〃Saduko；〃 I
said； eyeing him curiously。 〃Tell me； who is Mameena？〃
〃Inkoosi；〃 he answered in his deep voice； lifting his delicately shaped
hand in salutation； a courtesy that pleased me who； after all； was
nothing but a white hunter； 〃Inkoosi； has not her father said that she
is his daughter？〃
〃Aye；〃 answered the jolly old Umbezi； 〃but what her father has not said
is that Saduko is her lover； or； rather； would like to be。 Wow！
Saduko；〃 he went on； shaking his fat finger at him； 〃are you mad； man；
that you think a girl like that is for you？ Give me a hundred cattle；
not one less； and I will begin to think of it。 Why； you have not ten；
and Mameena is my eldest daughter； and must marry a rich man。〃
〃She loves me； O Umbezi；〃 answered Saduko； looking down； 〃and that is
more than cattle。〃
〃For you； perhaps； Saduko； but not for me who am poor and want cows。
Also；〃 he added； glancing at him shrewdly； 〃are you so sure that Mameena
loves you though you be such a fine man？ Now； I should have thought
that whatever her eyes may say； her heart loves no one but herself； and
that in the end she will follow her heart and not her eyes。 Mameena the
beautiful does not seek to be a poor man's wife and do all the hoeing。
But bring me the hundred cattle and we will see； for； speaking truth
from my heart； if you were a big chief there is no one I should like
better as a son…in…law； unless it were Macumazahn here；〃 he said；
digging me in the ribs with his elbow； 〃who would lift up my House on
his white back。〃
Now； at this speech Saduko shifted his feet uneasily； it seemed to me as
though he felt there was truth in Umbezi's estimate of his daughter's
character。 But he only said：
〃Cattle can be acquired。〃
〃Or stolen；〃 suggested Umbezi。
〃Or taken in war；〃 corrected Saduko。 〃When I have a hundred head I will
hold you to your word； O father of Mameena。〃
〃And then what would you live on； fool； if you gave all your beasts to
me？ There； there； cease talking wind。 Before you have a hundred head
of cattle Mameena will have six children who will not call _you_ father。
Ah； don't you like that？ Are you going away？〃
〃Yes； I am going；〃 he answered； with a flash of his quiet eyes； 〃only
then let the man whom they do call father beware of Saduko。〃
〃Beware of how you talk； young man；〃 said Umbezi in a grave voice。
〃Would you travel your father's road？ I hope not； for I like you well；
but such words are apt to be remembered。〃
Saduko walked away as though he did not hear。
〃Who is he？〃 I asked。
〃One of high blood；〃 answered Umbezi shortly。 〃He might be a chief
to…day had not his father been a plotter and a wizard。 Dingaan smelt
him out〃and he made a sideways motion with his hand that among the
Zulus means much。 〃Yes； they were killed； almost every one； the chief；
his wives； his children and his headmenevery one except Chosa his
brother and his son Saduko； whom Zikali the dwarf； the
Smeller…out…of…evil…doers； the Ancient； who was old before Senzangakona
became a father of kings； hid him。 There； that is an evil tale to talk
of；〃 and he shivered。 〃Come； White Man； and doctor that old Cow of
mine； or she will give me no peace for months。〃
So I went to see the Worn…out…Old…Cownot because I had any particular
interest in her； for； to tell the truth； she was a very disagreeable and
antique person； the cast…off wife of some chief whom at an unknown date
in the past the astute Umbezi had married from motives of policybut
because I hoped to hear more of Miss Mameena； in whom I had become
interested。
Entering a large hut； I found the lady so impolitely named 〃the Old Cow〃
in a parlous state。 There she lay upon the floor； an unpleasant object
because of the blood that had escaped from her wound； surrounded by a
crowd of other women and of children。 At regular intervals she
announced that she was dying； and emitted a fearful yell； whereupon all
the audience yelled also； in short； the place was a perfect pandemonium。
Telling Umbezi to get the hut cleared； I said that I would go to fetch
my medicines。 Meanwhile I ordered my servant； Scowl； a humorous…looking
fellow； light yellow in hue； for he had a strong dash of Hottentot in
his composition； to cleanse the wound。 When I returned from the wagon
ten minutes later the screams were more terrible than before； although
the chorus now stood without the hut。 Nor was this altogether
wonderful； for on entering the place I found Scowl trimming up 〃the Old
Cow's〃 ear with a pair of blunt nail…scissors。
〃O Macumazana；〃 said Umbezi in a hoarse whisper； 〃might it not perhaps
be as well to leave her alone？ If she bled to death； at any rate she
would be quieter。〃
〃Are you a man or a hyena？〃 I answered sternly； and set about the job；
Scowl holding the poor woman's head between his knees。
It was over at length； a simple operation in which I exhibitedI
believe that is the medical terma strong solution of caustic applied
with a feather。
〃There； Mother；〃 I said； for now we were alone in the hut； whence Scowl
had fled； badly bitten in the calf； 〃you won't die now。〃
〃No； you vile White Man；〃 she sobbed。 〃I shan't die； but how about my
beauty？〃
〃It will be greater than ever；〃 I answered； 〃no one else will have an
ear with such a curve in it。 But； talking of beauty； where is Mameena？〃
〃I don't know where she is；〃 she replied with fury； 〃but I very well
know where she would be if I had my way。 That peeled willow…wand of a
girl〃here she added certain descriptive epithets I will not
repeat〃has brought this misfortune upon me。 We had a slight quarrel
yesterday； White Man； and； being a witch as she is； she prophesied evil。
Yes； when by accident I scratched her ear； she said that before long
mine should burn； and surely burn it does。〃 （This； no doubt； was true；
for the caustic had begun to bite。）
〃O devil of a White Man；〃 she went on； 〃you have bewitched me； you have
filled my head with fire。〃
Then she seized an earthenware pot and hurled it at me； saying； 〃Take
that for your doctor…fee。 Go； crawl after Mameena like the others and
get her to doctor you。〃
By this time I was half through the bee…hole of the hut； my movements
being hastened by a vessel of hot water which landed on me behind。
〃What is the matter； Macumazahn？〃 asked old Umbezi； who was waiting
outside。
〃Nothing at all； friend；〃 I answered with a sweet smile； 〃except that
your wife wants to see you at once。 She is in pain； and wishes you to
soothe her。 Go in； do not hesitate。〃
After a moment's pause he went inthat is； half of him went in。 Then
came a fearful crash； and he emerged again with the rim of a pot about
his neck and his countenance veiled in a coating of what I took to be
honey。
〃Where is Mameena？〃 I asked him as he sat up spluttering。
〃Where I wish I was；〃 he answered in a thick voice； 〃at a kraal five
hours' journey away。〃
Well； that was the first I heard of Mameena。
That night as I sat smoking my pipe under the flap lean…to attached to
the wagon； laughing to myself over the adventure of 〃the Old Cow；〃
falsely described as 〃worn out；〃 and wondering whether Umbezi had got
the honey out of his hair； the canvas was lifted； and a Kafir wrapped in
a kaross crept in and squatted before me。
〃Who are you？〃 I asked； for it was too dark to see the man's face。
〃Inkoosi；〃 answered a deep voice； 〃I am Saduko。〃
〃You are welcome；〃 I answered； handing him a little gourd of snuff in
token of hospitality。 Then I waited while he poured some of the snuff
into the palm of his hand and took it in the usual fashion。
〃Inkoosi；〃 he said； when he had scraped away the tears produced by the
snuff； 〃I have come to ask you a favour。 You heard Umbezi say to…day
that he will not give me his daughter； Mameena； unless I give him a
hundred head of cows。 Now； I have not got the cattle； and I cannot earn
them by work in many years。 Therefore I must take them from a certain
tribe I know which is at war with the Zulus。 But this I cannot do
unless I have a gun。 If I had a good gun； Inkoosione that only goes
off when it is asked； and not of its own fancy； I who have some name
could persuade a number of men whom I know； who once were servants of my
father； or their sons； to be my companions in this venture。〃
〃Do I understand that you wish me to give you one of my good guns with
two mouths to it （i。e。 double…barrelled）； a gun worth at least twelve
oxen； for nothing； O Saduko？〃 I asked in a cold and scandalised voice。
〃Not so； O Watcher…by…Night；〃 he answered； 〃not so； O
He…who…sleeps…with…one…eye…open〃 （another free and difficult rendering
of my native name； Macumazahn； or more correctly； Macumazana）〃I should
never dream of offering such an insult to your high…born intelligence。〃
He paused and took another pinch of snuff； then went on in a meditative
voice： 〃Where I propose to get those hundred cattle there are many more；
I am told not less than a thousand head in all。 Now； Inkoosi；〃 he
added； looking at me sideways； 〃suppose you gave me the gun I ask for；
and suppose you accompanied me with your own gun and your armed hunters；
it would be fair that you should have half the cattle； would it not？〃
〃That's cool；〃 I said。 〃So； young man； you want to turn me into a
cow…thief and get my throat cut by Panda for breaking the peace of his
country？〃
〃Neither； Macumazahn； for these are my own cattle。 Listen； now； and I
will tell you a story。 You have