When I awoke again she was gone, and in her place was old Umbezi, who, I noticed, took down a mat from the side of the hut and folded it up to serve as a cushion before he sat himself upon the stool.
"Greeting, Macumazahn," he said when he saw that I was awake; "how are you ?" "As well as can be hoped," I answered; "and how are you, Umbezi ?" "Oh, bad, Macumazahn; even now I can scarcely sit down, for that bull had a very hard nose; also I am swollen up in front where Sikauli struck me when he tumbled out of the tree.

Also my heart is cut in two because of our losses." "What losses, Umbezi ?" "Wow! Macumazahn, the fire that those low fellows of mine lit got to our camp and burned up nearly everything--the meat, the skins, and even the ivory, which it cracked so that it is useless.

That was an unlucky hunt, for although it began so well, we have come out of it quite naked; yes, with nothing at all except the head of the bull with the cleft horn, that I thought you might like to keep." "Well, Umbezi, let us be thankful that we have come out with our lives--that is, if I am going to live," I added.
"Oh, Macumazahn, you will live without doubt, and be none the worse.

Two of our doctors--very clever men--have looked at you and said so.

One of them tied you up in all those skins, and I promised him a heifer for the business, if he cured you, and gave him a goat on account.