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Updated: April 30, 2025
In the afternoon, Macora informed his guests that he should give them an entertainment; and, in order that they should enjoy the spectacle intended for them, he informed them, by way of prologue, of the circumstances under which it was to be enacted.
The night passed without their being disturbed; and soon after sunrise they arose, not all at the same time, for one of the party had risen and taken his departure an hour earlier than the rest. It was Macora, whom they had entertained the evening before.
Macora could hold out but little hopes of their meeting giraffes anywhere on that part of the Limpopo. He had heard of one or two having been occasionally seen; but it was not a giraffe country, and they were stray animals. "Ask him if he knows where there is such a country," demanded Willem, who seemed more interested in learning something about giraffes than either of his companions.
Plenty of other timber was growing near, such as would be needed in constructing the required inclosure. Macora promised that his people should go to work on the following day; when pits should be dug and trees felled for the fence of the hopo. Willem inquired if they had not better first make sure that giraffes were in the neighbourhood, before expending their labour in constructing the trap.
During nearly an hour that they remained by the drift, no other attempt was made by the Matabili to approach near the bank. Nothing was seen of them; and Macora, beginning to suspect that they might have withdrawn from the place and got over by some other drift, suggested the giving up the guard, and hastening on after his tribe.
Groot Willem urged that he could be banished from the kraal, and forbidden to return to it on penalty of death. Macora hesitated a little longer; but remembering that he had promised to grant any favour to the one who had released him from imprisonment in the tree, he yielded. Sindo's life should be spared on condition of his expatriating himself at once and forever from the kraal of Macora.
Willem, Hendrik, and Macora led one to the left, while Hans, Arend, and a principal warrior and hunter of the Makololo conducted the other to the right, thus taking the mimosa forest on both flanks. The area to be surrounded was about four miles in length and three in breadth. On arriving at its northern edge, the great cover was entered by the beaters along with most of the dogs.
By sunset the whole tribe, with all their property, was safe on the opposite shore, where the warriors were placed in a strong position to repel any attempt on the part of the Matabili to effect a crossing. This being done, the retreat was continued. Macora had now no country. He had lost his home, by assisting his white friends.
By hurrying on to the west, they may yet succeed in evading the pursuit of these Matabili, and join their own kindred under the sway of the great chief Sebituane. He would be able to protect them. As for me," added Macora with a sigh, "I cannot go along with them." The young hunters asked for an explanation, and it was given.
Immediately on seeing us they commenced yelling, and rushing about the plain; and, as we turned to ride back, several spears were sent after us." "Then the sooner we get away from here the better," suggested Hans. "There are too many of them for us to hold our own with." "Macora does not seem to think so," observed Groot Willem.
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