Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-03-28
The Strange Story
OF
ALLAN QUATERMAIN'S WIFE.
A NEW AFRICAN ROMANCE.
BY Fl. RIDER HAGGARD.

A NEW AFRICAN ROMANCE.
BY four o'clock it became obvious tnat
it must burst sOon-at sunset, the oId
chief said, and in the company OF the
whole assembly / moved down to the place
of combat The kraal was built on the
top of a hill. and below it the land sloped
gently to the banks Of river, about hall
a mile awav On the hither side OF the
bank was the piece of land that was, the
natives said, ''Ioved of the lightning"
Here the magicians took up their stand
while the spectators grouped themselves
on the hillside about two hundred yards
away, which was, l thought, rather too
near to be pleasant.
When we had sat there for awhile, my
curiosity overcame me, and / asked leave
of the chief to 90 down and inspect the
arena He said might do so at my own
risk / told him that the fire from above
would not hurt white men, and went aud
found that it was bed Of iron ore, thinly
covered with grass, which of course ac
counted for its attracting the lightning
from the storms as they Travelled along
the line Of the river.
At each end of this iron-stOne area wers
placed the combatants. Indabazimba
facing the east, and his rival the west.
and before each there burned little fire
made of some scented root Moreover,
they were dressed in all the paraphernalia
of their craft. snake-skins, bladders,
and / know not what besides, while
round their necks hung circles of balloons
teeth, and bones from human hands.
First / went to the western end where
the chiefs son stood. He was pointing
with his agsegai towards the advancing
storm, and invoking ii in u voice of great
excitement.
Come, fire, and lick up Indaba-zimbi!
Hear me. Storm Devil and lick linda.
ba-zimbi with your red tongue!
spit on him with your rain!
"Whirl him away in your breath!
Make him. as nOthing-melt the mar
row in his bones!
Run into his heart and burn away the
lies!
SHOW all the people who is the true
Witch Finder!
Let me not be put to shame in the eyes
of this white manw
Thus he spoke or rather chanted. and
all the while rubbed his broad chest-foI
he WAS "A very fine man-with some filthy
compound of medicine al month.
Aftera while, getting tired of his song.
| walked across the iron-stone to where
Indaba-zimbi sat by his fire. He was not
chanting at all. but his performance was
much more impressive. 1t consisted in
staring at the eastern sky, which was per
fectIy clear of cloud, and every now and
again reckoning at it with his finger, then
turning round to point with the assegai
towards his rival.
For IL while looked at him in silence
He was n curious wizened man, apparent
ly over fifty years of age. with thin hands
that looked rs tough as wire. His nose
was much sharper than is usual among
these races, and he had queer habit of
holding his head sideways like a bird
when he spoke, which, in addition to the
humor that lurkcd in his eye, gave him D
most cDmical appearance. Another strange
thing about HIM was that he had a single
white lock of hair among his black wool.
Al last | spoke to him
"Indaba zimbi, my friend" | said,
"vou may be a good witch doctor but you
are certainly fool. II is no good beckon,
ing ut the blue sky while your enemy is
getting start with the Storm
"You may he clever, but don't think you
know everything, white man. the old
fellow answered, in a high cracked voice,
aud with something like grin.
They call YOU Irou-tougue, " ] went on;
"you had better use it, or the Storm Devil
won't hear YOU
1.-THE fire from above runs down iron, >
he answered, $50 keep my tongue quiet
Oh, yes, let him curse away. I'll put
him p.It ,,-Ift 4.
manr
looked, and in the eastern sky there
grew Il cloud. At first it was small, but
very black, but it gathered with extra
ordinary rapdity.
This was odd enough, but rs ! had seen
the same thing happen before, it did
not particularly astonsh me. 1t is by nc
means unusual in Africa for two thunder
storms to come up ut the same time froT
different points of the compass
You had better go on, Iudabazimbi,r
said; "thc big storm is coming along fast.
and will soon eat up that baby of yours, "
and pointed to the west.
Babies sometimes grow to giants white
man, ~ said lndaba-zimbi, reckoning away
vigorously. Look now at my cloud.
child"
looked; the eastern storm had spread
itself from earth to sky, aud in shape re.
sembled m enormous man. There was
its head, its shoulders, and its legs: yes, il
was like a huge giant travelling across the
heavens.
The light Of the setting sun escaping
from beneath the lower edge of the west
ern storm shot across the intervening
space in sheet of splcndor, and, lighting
upon the advancing figure, wrapped its
middle in hues of glory too wonderful tC
he described: but beneath and above
this glowing belt his feet and head were
black as jet. Presently, as | watched,
an awful flash of light shot from the
head of the cloud and Circled it about rs
though with crown of living fire and
vanished.
Aha" chuckled old Tudaba-ztmL', my
little boy is putting on his mans ring, ="
and he tapped the green ring on his own
head, which natives assume when they
reach a certain age and dignity. Now
white man, unless you are a bigger wizard
than either of us you had better clear off,
for the freight is about to begin"
thought this sound advice
Good 1t OK 90 with you, my black I'M.
Gle, said. Il hope You don't feel the
iniquiticS of a misspent life weighing on
you ut the last"
You look after yourself, ana InInK OF
your own sins, young man. he answered,
with grim smile, and taking pinch OF
snuff; and at that very moment a flash OF
lightning, don't know from which storm.
struck the ground within thirty PAGES OF
me. That was enough for me, | fairly
took to my heels and ms / went | heard
old ludaba-zimbi's dry chuckle of amuse.
meut.
| climbed the hill till | came to where
the chief was sitting with his Indunas,
and sat down near to him. ! looked at the
mans face and saw that he was intensely
anxious for his sons safety, and by nc
means confident of his powers to resist the
magic of Indaba-zimbi He was talking
in a low voice to the luduua next to him.
| affected to take no notice aud to be con-
CeutratinE my attention on the novel
scene before me; but in those days | had
very quick ears, and caught the drift OF
the conversation.
"Harkeu!" the chief was saving. ''if the
magic of indIba-zinlbi prevails against
my son viii endure him no more. OF
this am sure. that wheA he has slain my
son he Will slay me, ne also, and make