“The izanusi went howling round the circle as is their wont, and all hearts quailed. Not a man could tell but that a wizard rod should be turned his way; yet on this occasion it was the women who had the most cause to fear, for had not Sekweni declared that his captors wore female shape? All, however, as the witch-doctors ran howling before them, kept up a most doleful song, calling for the speedy finding and punishment of the witch. Still, the izanusi ran twice round the circle without naming anybody, and, indeed, I, among others, thought I knew the reason of this; for it happened that at the last ‘smelling-out’ they had named one of the King’s favourite fighting chiefs, which had so enraged Umzilikazi, whom it had put to so much difficulty in finding a pretext for sparing the denounced man’s life, that he had more than half vowed the death of the witch-doctors the next time they should accuse the wrong person. This, then, was the cause of their hesitation, the more so that they suspected the old Mosutu had been spared in order to supersede themselves.
“But now indeed I had cause to quake, for the izanusi had stopped, and with renewed vigour were howling and dancing in front of the group of women among whom Nangeza was the most prominent. I could see the faces of these women quivering with fear, but not so hers. She echoed the witch-finding song louder than any, seeming to fling it back defiantly into their faces.
“‘We name—’ they shrieked, flourishing their arms and rattles, and leaping high in the air. The rods were already extended.
“‘We name—’
“‘Hold!’ cried the King. ‘Go no further. I have a new idea. Where is Masuka? Where is the old Mosutu?’
“‘Here, lord,’ said the old man, coming from a hut close by.
“‘Hast thou been making múti alone, Masuka?’ said the King.
“‘I require no múti, O Black Elephant. That may be needful to such as these.’
“‘I hear thee, Masuka. Look, now. Twice have these izanusi gone round the circle, and yet have named no one. Let them stand aside now, and go thou around it once; for I believe their múti is worn thin, and thy power without it is greater than theirs with it.’
“‘The King shall be satisfied,’ answered the Mosutu.