"Once I was caught thus. There lived a certain wife of mine who set her
ear to the smoke-hole and so brought about the death of many, and among
them of herself and of our children. Enter. All is safe. Yet if you
talk, speak low."

So we went into the hut taking the stools with us, and seated ourselves
by the fire that burned there on to which Umslopogaas threw chips of
resinous wood.

"Now," he said.

I opened my shirt and by the clear light of the flame showed him the
image of Zikali which hung about my neck. He stared at it, though touch
it he would not. Then he stood up and lifting his great axe, he saluted
the image with the word "_Makosi!_" the salute that is given to great
wizards because they are supposed to be the home of many spirits.

"It is the big Medicine, the Medicine itself," he said, "that which has
been known in the land since the time of Senzangacona, the father of the
Zulu Royal House, and as it is said, before him."

"How can that be?" I asked, "seeing that this image represents Zikali,
Opener-of-Roads, as an old man, and Senzangacona died many years ago?"

"I do not know," he answered, "but it is so. Listen. There was a certain
Mopo, or as some called him, Umbopo, who was Chaka's body-servant and my
foster-father, and he told me that twice this Medicine," and he pointed
to the image, "was sent to Chaka, and that each time the Lion obeyed the
message that came with it. A third time it was sent, but he did not obey
the message and then--where was Chaka?"