Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-02-15

the sides OF precipiccs formed Of water
riven rocks fantastically piled one upon
another; In vain we searched through
endless delIs and fern clad crannies.
There was nothing 10 be found. How
could we expect 10 find two human
beings hidden away in the recesscs OF
this vast stretch of mountain ground,
which no man yet had ever fully ex-
ploredf They were lost, and in all hu-
man probability lost for ever.
To and fro we wandered hopelessly,
ill at last dawn found us footsore and
weary nearly at the spot whence we had
started. We sat down waiting for the
sun TO rise, and the men ate OF such
food as they had brought with them, and
sent to the kraals for more.
sat upon stone with breaking
heart. ] cannot describe my feelings.
Let the reader put himself In my posi-
tion and perhaps he may get some idea
Of them. Near me was old Indaba-
zimbi, who sat staring straight before
him as though he were looking into
space, and taking note Of what went on
there. An idea struck me. This man
had some occult power. Several times
during our adventures he had prophe-
sled, and in every case his prophecies
had proved true. He 1t was who, when
we escaped from the Zulu lmpi, had
told me TO steer north, because there we
should find the place of white man
who lived under the shadow of great
peak that was full of balloons. Perhaps
he could help in this extremity--at any
rate IL was worth trying.
"Indaba-zi -zimbi," said, "you say that
you can send your spirit through the
doors of space and see what we cannot
see. At the least know that you can
do strange things. Can you not help
me now? II you can, and will save her,
will give you half the cattle that we
have here"
81 never said anything of the sort,
Macumazahn," he answered. 81 do
things, do not talk about them. Neither
do seek reward for what / do like a
common witch doctor. 1t Is well that
you have asked me to use my wisdom,
Macumazahn, for should not have used
II again without being asked-no, not
even for the sake of the Star and yourself,
whom / love, for If so my spirit would
have been angry. In the other matters
had part, for my life was concerned as
well as yours: but in this matter have
no part, and therefore l might not use
my wisdom unless you thought well to
call upon my spirit However, it would
have been no good to ask me before, for
have only just found the herb want"
and he produced handful Of leaves of
plant that was unfamiliar to me. IL
had prickly leaves, shaped very much
like those of the common English nettle.
"Now, Macumazahn," he went on,
"bid the men leave us alone, and then
follow me presently to the little glade
down there by the water"
I did so. When reached the glade
found lndaba-zimbi kindling small fire
under the shadow of Il tree by the edge of
the water.
"Sit there, Macumazahn," he said,
pointing to stone near the fire, land dc
not be surprised or frightened at any.
thing you see. If you move or. call out
we shall learn nothing"
/ sat down and watched. When the
fire was alight and burning brightly, the
old fellow stripped himself stark naked,
and, going to the foot of the pool, dipped
himself in the water. Then he came
back shivering with the cold, and, lean.
ing over the little fire, thrust leaves
of the plant have mentioned into his
mouth and began to chew them, mutter.
ing as he chewed. Most of the remaining
leaves he threw onto the fire. A dense
smoke rose from them, but he held his
head in this smoke and drew il down into
his lungs till saw that he was exhibiting
every sign of sulfocation. The veins in
his throat and chest swelled, he gasped
loudly, and his eyes, from which tears
were streaming, seemed as though they
were going to start from his head. Pres
emily he fell over on his side, and lay
senseless. / was terribly alarmed, ant
| my first impulse was to run to his assist
ance, but fortunately l remembered hi
caution and sat quiet.
lndaba-zimbi lay on the ground like |
person quite dead, His limbs had all thu
utter relaxation of death. But as
watched saw them begin to stitfen, cx
actly as though rigor mortis had SGT in
Then, to my astonishment, perceive,
them once more relax, and this tim
there appeared upon his chest the stall
of decomposition. ltspread and spread
in three minutes the man, to all appear
ance, was livid corpse.
! sat amazed watching this uncann,
sight, and wondering if any further nat
ural process was about to be enacted
Perhaps Indaba-zimbi was going to fal
to dust before my eyes. As l watched
observed that the discoloration was be
ginning to fade. First it vanished iron
the extremities, then from the large
limbs, and lastly from the trunk. The
in turn came the third stage of relaxa
tion, the second stage Of stiffness or rigol
and the first stage of after-death collapse
When all these had rapidly succeede
each other, lndaba-zimbi quietly wok
up.
l was too astonished to speak; simpl
looked at him with my mouth open.
"Well, Macumazahn," he said, putin
his head on one side like bird and NOD
ding his white lock in comical fashion
,"it is all right; have seen her."
"Seen who!' / said.
, "The Star, your wife, and the littl
maid. They are much frightened, bu
0nharmed. The babyan-frau watche
them She is mad, but the balloons ODE
her and do not hurt them. The Star wa
|, sleeping from weariness, so whispere
in her ear and told her not to be frigh
ened, for you would soon rescue her, an
that meanwhile she must seem to /
pleased to have Hendrika near her."
"You whispered in her carr / sale
"How could you whisper in her earl"
bah! Macumazahn. How could
seem to die and go rotten before you
eyes? You don't know, do you? Wei
will tell you one thing. had to die
pass the doors of space, as you call then