they knew that their mistress dwelt. From among these people, who still
did her service, she chose a young man named Zinti, who, although he
was supposed to be stupid, was still very clever about many things,
especially the remembering of any path that he had once trodden, and of
every _kopje_, stream, or pan by which it could traced. This youth she
bade to herd the cow which had been given her, telling him to follow it
whithersoever it should wander, even if it led him a ten days' journey,
and when he saw that it had reached home, to return himself without
being seen, and to give to her an exact report of the road which it had
travelled.

Now all happened as Sihamba expected, for on the first day that the cow
was turned out, watched by the lad, who was provided with food and a
blanket, so soon as it had filled itself it started straight over the
hills, running at times, and at times stopping to graze, till night came
on. Then it lay down for a while and its herd beside it, for he had
tied his wrist to its tail with a rimpi lest it should escape in the
darkness.

At the first breaking of the light the cow rose, filled itself with
grass and started forward on its homeward path, followed by Zinti. For
three days they travelled thus, the herd milking the cow from time to
time when its udder was full. On the evening of the third day, however,
the beast would not lie down, but walked forward all night, lowing now
and again, by which Zinti, who found it difficult to keep it in sight
because of the darkness, guessed that it must be near its home. So it
proved indeed, for when the sun rose Zinti saw a kraal before him
hidden away in a secret valley of the mountains over which they had been
travelling. Still following the cow, though at a distance, he moved
down towards the kraal and hid himself in a patch of bush. Presently the