" Here the magicians took up their stand, while the spectators
grouped themselves on the hillside about two hundred yards away--which
was, I thought, rather too near to be pleasant. When we had sat there
for a while my curiosity overcame me, and I asked leave of the chief to
go down and inspect the arena. He said I might do so at my own risk. I
told him that the fire from above would not hurt white men, and went
to find that the spot was a bed of iron ore, thinly covered with grass,
which of course accounted for its attracting the lightning from the
storms as they travelled along the line of the river. At each end of
this iron-stone area were placed the combatants, Indaba-zimbi facing the
east, and his rival the west, and before each there burned a little
fire made of some scented root. Moreover they were dressed in all the
paraphernalia of their craft, snakeskins, fish-bladders, and I know not
what beside, while round their necks hung circlets of baboons' teeth
and bones from human hands. First I went to the western end where
the chief's son stood. He was pointing with his assegai towards the
advancing storm, and invoking it in a voice of great excitement.
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