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Updated: May 1, 2025
Another strange thing about him was that he had a single white lock of hair among his black wool. At last I spoke to him: "Indaba-zimbi, my friend," I said, "you may be a good witch-doctor, but you are certainly a fool. It is no good beckoning at the blue sky while your enemy is getting a start with the storm."
"Great is the magic of Indaba-zimbi!" said a man, at length. The chief turned and struck him a heavy blow with the kerrie in his hand. "Great or not, thou dog, he shall die," he cried, "and so shalt thou if thou singest his praises so loudly." I said nothing, but thinking it probable that Indaba-zimbi had shared the fate of his enemy, I went to look.
Stand forward, Indaba-zimbi, and tell the people what came about last night in the hut of Macumazahn." Accordingly old Indaba-zimbi came forward, and, squatting down, told his moving tale with much descriptive force and many gestures, finishing up by producing the great knife from which his watchfulness had saved me.
"Our faces were towards the north before we met the Zulus," answered Indaba-zimbi; "let us still keep them to the north. Ride on, Macumazahn; to-night when we off-saddle I will look into the matter." So all that long afternoon we rode on, following the course of the river.
Henceforth we have each of us a friend the less." "Heavy words," I said. "True words," he answered. Well, I have little heart to write the rest of it. I went, leaving Indaba-zimbi in charge of the place, and making him a present of such cattle and goods as I did not want. Tota, I of course took with me. Fortunately by this time she had almost recovered the shock to her nerves.
Then I pulled up, with such a feeling of thankfulness in my heart as cannot be told in words; for now I knew that, mounted as we were, those black demons could never catch us. But where were we to steer for? I put the question to Indaba-zimbi, asking him if he thought that we had better try and follow the oxen which we had sent away with the Kaffirs and women on the preceding night.
He nodded his head. "I did not follow it all just now, because it winds," he said. "But I know it. We shall want the ropes." "Then let us be starting; the men have eaten." He nodded his head again, and going to the men I told them to make ready, adding that Indaba-zimbi knew the way. They said that was all right, if Indaba-zimbi had "smelt her out," they should soon find the Star.
So we started cheerfully enough, and my spirits were so much improved that I was able to eat a boiled mealie cob or two as we walked. We went up the valley, following the course of the stream for about a mile; then Indaba-zimbi made a sudden turn to the right, along another kloof, of which there were countless numbers in the base of the great hill. On we went through kloof after kloof.
I dreamed that Indaba-zimbi stood over me nodding his white lock, and spoke to me in Kaffir, telling me not to be frightened, for you would soon be with me, and that meanwhile I must humour Hendrika, pretending to be pleased to have her near me. The dream was so vivid that I actually seemed to see and hear him, as I see and hear him now."
I knelt down, not because I wished to, but because I must. I had not overmuch faith in Indaba-zimbi, and thought it probable that he was in truth about to make an end of me. But really I was so worn out with fears, and the horrors of the night and day had so shaken my nerves, that I did not greatly care what befell me. When I had been kneeling thus for about half a minute Indaba-zimbi spoke.
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