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Updated: June 16, 2025
Mavovo looked at the Hottentot and felt his clothes and boots to see whether they were wet with the night dew. "Ow!" he exclaimed in a surly voice, "I said that nothing which walks could reach you, Macumazana, but this yellow snake has crawled between us on his belly. Look at the new mud that stains his waistcoat." "Yet snakes can bite and kill," answered Hans with a snigger.
When they had almost reached the boma whence we watched them amazed, they split into two bodies, half of them passing to our left, apparently under the command of the Mazitu who had accompanied Hans to the slave-camp, and the other half to the right following the old Hottentot himself. I stared at Mavovo, for I was too thunderstruck to speak.
After all, dangers are everywhere; those who turn back because of dangers will never succeed in any life that we can imagine. "Mavovo," I said presently, pointing to Stephen with my pipe, "the inkoosi Wazela does not wish to try to escape. He wishes to go on to the country of the Pongo people if we can get there. And, Mavovo, remember that he has paid for everything; we are his hired servants.
"Things have happened as you foretold, how or why I do not understand." Now you have learned that this is not so. I am content. The false doctors are all dead, my father, and I think that Imbozwi " I held up my hand, not wishing to hear details. Mavovo rose, and with a little smile, went about his business. "What does he mean about his Snake?" inquired Brother John curiously.
Yet it must be common, for now that I come to think of it, no gipsy will tell a "true fortune" unless her hand is crossed with silver. "I say, Quatermain," said Stephen idly, "since our friend Mavovo seems to know so much, ask him what has become of Brother John, as Hans suggested. Tell me what he says afterwards, for I want to see something."
Then he waved his hand again, and Stephen stepped aside muttering something, for he and Mavovo had been very intimate and his voice choked in his throat with grief. Now the old Zulu's glazing eye fell upon Hans, who was sneaking about, I think with a view of finding an opportunity of bidding him a last good-bye. "Ah!
"Not a popular character, Imbozwi," Stephen remarked to me in a reflective voice. "Well, he is going to be served hot on his own toast now, and serve the brute right." "Who is the false doctor now?" mocked Mavovo in the silence that followed.
"Of course," I answered, "or how should I be here?" adding cheerfully, "Are you comfortable in that nice warm skin on this wet night, Hans?" "Oh! Baas," answered the voice, "tell me what happened. Even in this stink I burn to know." "Death happened to the Motombo, Hans. Here, Stephen, give me your hand and my clothes, and, Mavovo, hold the rifle and the canoe while I put them on."
Afterwards Stephen told me that while I was engaged with Mavovo on the previous night, a message had reached him from Sammy who was on board the ship in charge of our belongings, saying that he would be glad of some company. Knowing the cook's nervous nature, fortunately enough he made up his mind at once to go and sleep upon the Maria. In the morning trouble arose as Sammy had told me.
At last I struck and said that we must move on as Stephen was now fit to travel. "Quite so," said Brother John, mildly. "What have you arranged, Allan?" With some irritation, for I hated that sentence of Brother John's, I replied that I had arranged nothing, but that as none of them seemed to have any suggestions to make, I would go out and talk the matter over with Hans and Mavovo, which I did.
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