weather-prophets believed it to be brewing.

I inquired what would happen if neither of the men were struck, and was
told that they must then wait for another storm. If they escaped the
second time, however, they would be held to be equal in power, and be
jointly consulted by the tribe upon occasions of importance.

The prospect of being a spectator of so unusual a sight overcame my
desire to be gone, and I accepted the chief's invitation to see it
out. Before mid-day I regretted it, for though the western heavens grew
darker and darker, and the still air heralded the coming of the storm,
yet it did not come. By four o'clock, however, it became obvious that
it must burst soon--at sunset, the old chief said, and in the company
of the whole assembly I moved down to the place of combat. The kraal was
built on the top of a hill, and below it the land sloped gently to the
banks of a river about half a mile away. On the hither side of the
bank was the piece of land that was, the natives said, "loved of the
lightning." 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