"How do I know that you are a true messenger?" I asked. "Have you
brought me any token?"
"Aye," he answered, and, fumbling under his cloak, he produced something
wrapped in dried leaves, which he undid and handed to me, saying: "This is the token that Panda sends to you, Macumazahn, bidding me
to tell you that you will certainly know it again; also that you are
welcome to it, since the two little bullets which he swallowed as you
directed made him very ill, and he needs no more of them."
I took the token, and, examining it in the moonlight, recognised it at
once.
It was a cardboard box of strong calomel pills, on the top of which was
written: "Allan Quatermain, Esq.: One only to be taken as directed."
Without entering into explanations, I may state that I had taken "one as
directed," and subsequently presented the rest of the box to King Panda,
who was very anxious to "taste the white man's medicine."
"Do you recognise the token, Macumazahn?" asked the induna.
"Yes," I replied gravely; "and let the King return thanks to the spirits
of his ancestors that he did not swallow three of the balls, for if
he had done so, by now there would have been another Head in Zululand.
Well, speak on, Messenger."
But to myself I reflected, not for the first time, how strangely these
natives could mix up the sublime with the ridiculous. Here was a matter
that must involve the death of many men, and the token sent to me by the
autocrat who stood at the back of it all, to prove the good faith of his
messenger, was a box of calomel pills! However, it served the purpose as
well as anything else.
Maputa and I drew aside, for I saw that he wished to speak with me
alone.
"O Macumazana," he said, when we were out of hearing of the others,
"these are the words of Panda to you: 'I understand that you,
Macumazahn, have promised to accompany Saduko, son of Matiwane, on an
expedition of his against Bangu, chief of the Amakoba. Now, were anyone
else concerned, I should forbid this expedition, and especially should I
forbid you, a white man in my country, to share therein. But this dog of
a Bangu is an evil-doer. Many years ago he worked on the Black One who
went before me to send him to destroy Matiwane, my friend, filling
the Black One's ears with false accusations; and thereafter he did
treacherously destroy him and all his tribe save Saduko, his son, and
some of the people and children who escaped. Moreover, of late he has
been working against me, the King, striving to stir up rebellion against
me, because he knows that I hate him for his crimes. Now I, Panda,
unlike those who went before me, am a man of peace who do not wish to
light the fire of civil war in the land, for who knows where such fires
will stop, or whose kraals they will consume? Yet I do wish to see Bangu
punished for his wickedness, and his pride abated. Therefore I give
Saduko leave, and those people of the Amangwane who remain to him,
to avenge their private wrongs upon Bangu if they can; and I give you
leave, Macumazahn, to be of his party. Moreover, if any cattle are
taken, I shall ask no account of them; you and Saduko may divide them as
you wish. But understand, O Macumazana, that if you or your people
are killed or wounded, or robbed of your goods, I know nothing of the
matter, and am not responsible to you or to the white House of Natal; it
is your own matter. These are my words. I have spoken.'"