Arriving in front of him she touched the ground with her forehead, then lifting her right arm, gave the salute of Makosi, to which as a great wizard he was entitled, being supposed to be the home of many spirits.

So far as I could see he took no notice of her.
Presently she moved and squatted herself down on his right hand, while two of his attendants appeared from behind the hut and took their stand between him and its doorway, holding their spears raised.

About a minute later Nombe beckoned to us to approach, and we went forward across the courtyard, I a little ahead of the others.

As we drew near Zikali opened his mouth and uttered a loud and terrifying laugh.

How well I remembered that laugh which I had first heard at Dingaan's kraal as a boy after the murder of Retief and the Boers.* [*--See the book called _Marie,_ by H.Rider Haggard.] "I begin to think that you are right and that this old gentleman must be the devil," said Anscombe to Heda, then lapsed into silence.
As I was determined not to speak first I took the opportunity to fill my pipe.