“A curious circumstance occurred during this affair:  his followers were seeking everywhere for plunder, when some of them entered the burial ground, and one of them, treading on an apparently new made grave, was astonished by soft notes of music proceeding from the ground beneath.

“Superstitious as the natives are, and having most of them, in former days, heard something of the Christian doctrines, they started and stood transfixed with astonishment, expecting the dead to arise, as they had been once told.  One of them mustered courage to put his foot again upon the spot, and the reply was soft and musical as before.  Away they all started to Africaner, to inform him that there was life and music in the grave.

“The chief, who feared neither the living nor the dead, went to the burial-ground with his men, and jumped upon the spot, which immediately gave out the soft note as before.  Africaner ordered an immediate exhumation, when the source of the mystery proved to be the piano-forte of the missionary’s wife, which being too cumbrous an article to take away, had been buried there, with the hope of being one day able to recover it.  Never having seen such an instrument before, Africaner had it dissected for the sake of the brass wires; and thus the piano was destroyed.”

“I doubt if it would ever have been dug up in Caffreland,” observed Alexander.

“I am convinced it never would have been, but have remained as a wonder and object of fear as long as it held together,” replied Swinton; “but to proceed—­

“The Mission station having been for some time broken up by this attack of Africaner, Mr. C., a missionary, anxious to restore it, wrote a letter to Africaner on the subject, and received a favorable reply, and a Mr. E. was sent to the residence of Africaner himself.  After a short time, Africaner and his two brothers, with a number of others, were baptized.

“At first it must be admitted that their profession of Christianity did not greatly improve their conduct; but this was very much to be ascribed to the circumstance that the duties of the station had devolved upon one who ought not to have been selected for the task.  Upon his removal, and a more fitting minister of the Gospel taking his place, a great change was soon observable in Africaner; and, from having been one of the most remorseless pursuers of his vengeance—­a firebrand spreading discord, war and animosity among the neighboring tribes—­he would now make every concession and any sacrifice to prevent collision and bloodshed between contending parties.

“Although his power was so great that he might have raised his arm and dared them to lift a spear or draw a bow, he would entreat them as a suppliant to be reconciled.

“‘Look at me,’ he would say, ’how many battles have I fought; how much cattle have I taken; but what has it done for me, but make me full of shame and sorrow?’

“In short, from that time till he died, he became a peacemaker and a Christian, both in word and deed.  His whole life was devoted to acts of kindness and charity—­to instructing and exhorting, and following the precepts of Him in whose faith eventually he lived and died.”