She and Allan | Page 7

making grooves for streams, certain marks for bush and forest,
wavy lines for water and swamps and little heaps for hills.
When he had finished it all he bade me come round the fire and study
the picture across which by an after-thought he drew a wandering
furrow with the edge of the assegai to represent a river, and gathered
the ashes in a lump at the northern end to signify a large mountain.
"Look at it well, Macumazahn," he said, "and forget nothing, since if
you make this journey and forget, you die. Nay, no need to copy it in
that book of yours, for see, I will stamp it on your mind."
Then suddenly he gathered up the warm ashes in a double handful and
threw them into my face, muttering something as he did so and adding
aloud,
"There, now you will remember."
"Certainly I shall," I answered, coughing, "and I beg that you will not
play such a joke upon me again."
As a matter of fact, whatever may have been the reason, I never forgot
any detail of that extremely intricate map.
"That big river must be the Zambesi," I stuttered, "and even then the
mountain of your Queen, if it be her mountain, is far away, and how
can I come there alone?"
"I don't know, Macumazahn, though perhaps you might do so in
company. At least I believe that in the old days people used to travel to
the place, since I have heard a great city stood there once which was the
heart of a mighty empire."

Now I pricked up my ears, for though I believed nothing of Zikali's
story of a wonderful Queen, I was always intensely interested in past
civilisations and their relics. Also I knew that the old wizard's
knowledge was extensive and peculiar, however he came by it, and I
did not think that he would lie to me in this matter. Indeed to tell the
truth, then and there I made up my mind that if it were in any way
possible, I would attempt this journey.
"How did people travel to the city, Zikali?"
"By sea, I suppose, Macumazahn, but I think that you will be wise not
to try that road, since I believe that on the sea side the marshes are now
impassable and you will be safer on your feet."
"You want me to go on this adventure, Zikali. Why? I know you never
do anything without motive."
"Oho! Macumazahn, you are clever and see deeper into the trunk of a
tree than most. Yes, I want you to go for three reasons. First, that you
may satisfy your soul on certain matters and I would help you to do so.
Secondly, because I want to satisfy mine, and thirdly, because I know
that you will come back safe to be a prop to me in things that will
happen in days unborn. Otherwise I would have told you nothing of
this story, since it is necessary to me that you should remain living
beneath the sun."
"Have done, Zikali. What is it that you desire?"
"Oh! a great deal that I shall get, but chiefly two things, so with the rest
I will not trouble you. First I desire to know to know whether these
dreams of mine of a wonderful white witch-doctoress, or witch, and of
my converse with her are indeed more than dreams. Next I would learn
whether certain plots of mine at which I have worked for years, will
succeed."
"What plots, Zikali, and how can my taking a distant journey tell you
anything about them?"

"You know them well enough, Macumazahn; they have to do with the
overthrow of a Royal House that has worked me bitter wrong. As to
how your journey can help me, why, thus. You shall promise to me to
ask of this Queen whether Zikali, Opener-of-Roads, shall triumph or be
overthrown in that on which he has set his heart."
"As you seem to know this witch so well, why do you not ask her
yourself, Zikali?"
"To ask is one thing, Macumazahn. To get an answer is another. I have
asked in the watches of the night, and the reply was, 'Come hither and
perchance I will tell you.' 'Queen,' I said, 'how can I come save in the
spirit, who am an ancient and a crippled dwarf scarcely able to stand
upon my feet?'
"'Then send a messenger, Wizard, and be sure that he is white, for of
black savages I have seen more than enough. Let him bear a token also
that he comes from you and tell me of it in your sleep. Moreover let
that token be something of power which will protect him on the
journey.'
"Such