Swallow: A Tale of the Great Trek

  CHAPTER XXII

  THE WAR OF THE CLEAN SPEAR

  When Sihamba arose next day, Suzanne asked her if the home of herpeople, the Umpondwana, was a great mountain faced round with slab-sidedprecipices and having ridges on its eastern face like to the thumb andfingers of a hand, with a stream of water gushing from between the thumband first finger, upon the banks of which grew flat-topped trees withthick green leaves and white flowers.

  Sihamba stared at her, saying:

  "Such is the place indeed, and there are no trees like to those youspeak of to be found anywhere else. The maidens use the flowers of themto adorn their hair, and from the leaves is made a salve that is verygood for wounds. But, say, Swallow, who told you about the mountainUmpondwana that is so far away, since I never described it to you?"

  "Nobody told me," she answered, and she repeated the vision to her, oras much of it as she wished.

  Sihamba listened, and when the tale was done she nodded her little head,saying:

  "So even you white people have something of the power which has beengiven to us Kaffir witch-doctors from the beginning. Without a doubtyour spirit spoke to the spirit of your husband last night and I am gladof it, for now, although you are apart from each other, the hearts ofboth of you will be rested. Now also I am sure that we must go to mypeople and live among them for so long as may be appointed, seeingthat there and nowhere else you and the Baas Kenzie will come togetheragain."

  "I had sooner go back to the stead," sighed Suzanne.

  "That cannot be, Swallow, for it is not fated, and for the rest, if youmeet, what does it matter where you meet?"