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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:16:40 -0700 |
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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:16:40 -0700 |
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diff --git a/1207-h/1207-h.htm b/1207-h/1207-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a4553db --- /dev/null +++ b/1207-h/1207-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,15139 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Nada the Lily, by H. Rider Haggard</title> + +<style type="text/css"> + +body { margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + text-align: justify; } + +h1, h2, h3, h4, h5 {text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-weight: +normal; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: .5em; margin-bottom: .5em;} + +h1 {font-size: 300%; + margin-top: 0.6em; + margin-bottom: 0.6em; + letter-spacing: 0.12em; + word-spacing: 0.2em; + text-indent: 0em;} +h2 {font-size: 150%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +h3 {font-size: 130%; margin-top: 1em;} +h4 {font-size: 120%;} +h5 {font-size: 110%;} + +.no-break {page-break-before: avoid;} /* for epubs */ + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always; margin-top: 4em;} + +hr {width: 80%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + +p {text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-bottom: 0.25em; } + +.p2 {margin-top: 2em;} + +p.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: 90%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +p.right {text-align: right; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.footnote {font-size: 90%; + text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +sup { vertical-align: top; font-size: 0.6em; } + +a:link {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:visited {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:hover {color:red} + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1207 ***</div> + +<h1>Nada the Lily</h1> + +<h2 class="no-break">by H. Rider Haggard</h2> + +<hr /> + +<h2>Contents</h2> + +<table summary="" style=""> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#pref01">DEDICATION</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#pref02">PREFACE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#pref03">NADA THE LILY</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#pref04">INTRODUCTION</a><br /><br /></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap01">CHAPTER I. THE BOY CHAKA PROPHESIES</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap02">CHAPTER II. MOPO IS IN TROUBLE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap03">CHAPTER III. MOPO VENTURES HOME</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap04">CHAPTER IV. THE FLIGHT OF MOPO AND BALEKA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap05">CHAPTER V. MOPO BECOMES THE KING’S DOCTOR</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap06">CHAPTER VI. THE BIRTH OF UMSLOPOGAAS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap07">CHAPTER VII. UMSLOPOGAAS ANSWERS THE KING</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap08">CHAPTER VIII. THE GREAT INGOMBOCO</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap09">CHAPTER IX. THE LOSS OF UMSLOPOGAAS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap10">CHAPTER X. THE TRIAL OF MOPO</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap11">CHAPTER XI. THE COUNSEL OF BALEKA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap12">CHAPTER XII. THE TALE OF GALAZI THE WOLF</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap13">CHAPTER XIII. GALAZI BECOMES KING OF THE WOLVES</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap14">CHAPTER XIV. THE WOLF-BRETHREN</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap15">CHAPTER XV. THE DEATH OF THE KING’S SLAYERS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap16">CHAPTER XVI. UMSLOPOGAAS VENTURES OUT TO WIN THE AXE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap17">CHAPTER XVII. UMSLOPOGAAS BECOMES CHIEF OF THE PEOPLE OF THE AXE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap18">CHAPTER XVIII. THE CURSE OF BALEKA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap19">CHAPTER XIX. MASILO COMES TO THE KRAAL DUGUZA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap20">CHAPTER XX. MOPO BARGAINS WITH THE PRINCES</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap21">CHAPTER XXI. THE DEATH OF CHAKA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap22">CHAPTER XXII. MOPO GOES TO SEEK THE SLAUGHTERER</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap23">CHAPTER XXIII. MOPO REVEALS HIMSELF TO THE SLAUGHTERER</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap24">CHAPTER XXIV. THE SLAYING OF THE BOERS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap25">CHAPTER XXV. THE WAR WITH THE HALAKAZI PEOPLE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap26">CHAPTER XXVI. THE FINDING OF NADA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap27">CHAPTER XXVII. THE STAMPING OF THE FIRE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap28">CHAPTER XXVIII. THE LILY IS BROUGHT TO DINGAAN</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap29">CHAPTER XXIX. MOPO TELLS HIS TALE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap30">CHAPTER XXX. THE COMING OF NADA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap31">CHAPTER XXXI. THE WAR OF THE WOMEN</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap32">CHAPTER XXXII. ZINITA COMES TO THE KING </a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap33">CHAPTER XXXIII. THE END OF THE PEOPLE, BLACK AND GREY</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap34">CHAPTER XXXIV. THE LILY’S FAREWELL</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap35">CHAPTER XXXV. THE VENGEANCE OF MOPO AND HIS FOSTERLING</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap36">CHAPTER XXXVI. MOPO ENDS HIS TALE</a></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="pref01"></a>DEDICATION</h2> + +<p class="letter"> + +Sompseu: +</p> + +<p> +For I will call you by the name that for fifty years has been honoured by every +tribe between Zambesi and Cape Agulbas,—I greet you! +</p> + +<p> +Sompseu, my father, I have written a book that tells of men and matters of +which you know the most of any who still look upon the light; therefore, I set +your name within that book and, such as it is, I offer it to you. +</p> + +<p> +If you knew not Chaka, you and he have seen the same suns shine, you knew his +brother Panda and his captains, and perhaps even that very Mopo who tells this +tale, his servant, who slew him with the Princes. You have seen the circle of +the witch-doctors and the unconquerable Zulu impis rushing to war; you have +crowned their kings and shared their counsels, and with your son’s blood +you have expiated a statesman’s error and a general’s fault. +</p> + +<p> +Sompseu, a song has been sung in my ears of how first you mastered this people +of the Zulu. Is it not true, my father, that for long hours you sat silent and +alone, while three thousand warriors shouted for your life? And when they grew +weary, did you not stand and say, pointing towards the ocean: “Kill me if +you wish, men of Cetywayo, but I tell you that for every drop of my blood a +hundred avengers shall rise from yonder sea!” +</p> + +<p> +Then, so it was told me, the regiments turned staring towards the Black Water, +as though the day of Ulundi had already come and they saw the white slayers +creeping across the plains. +</p> + +<p> +Thus, Sompseu, your name became great among the people of the Zulu, as already +it was great among many another tribe, and their nobles did you homage, and +they gave you the <i>Bayéte</i>, the royal salute, declaring by the mouth of +their Council that in you dwelt the spirit of Chaka. +</p> + +<p> +Many years have gone by since then, and now you are old, my father. It is many +years even since I was a boy, and followed you when you went up among the Boers +and took their country for the Queen. +</p> + +<p> +Why did you do this, my father? I will answer, who know the truth. You did it +because, had it not been done, the Zulus would have stamped out the Boers. Were +not Cetywayo’s impis gathered against the land, and was it not because it +became the Queen’s land that at your word he sent them murmuring to their +kraals?<a href="#fn-1" name="fnref-1" id="fnref-1"><sup>[1]</sup></a> To save +bloodshed you annexed the country beyond the Vaal. Perhaps it had been better +to leave it, since “Death chooses for himself,” and after all there +was killing—of our own people, and with the killing, shame. But in those +days we did not guess what we should live to see, and of Majuba we thought only +as a little hill! +</p> + +<p> +Enemies have borne false witness against you on this matter, Sompseu, you who +never erred except through over kindness. Yet what does that avail? When you +have “gone beyond” it will be forgotten, since the sting of +ingratitude passes and lies must wither like the winter veldt. Only your name +will not be forgotten; as it was heard in life so it shall be heard in story, +and I pray that, however humbly, mine may pass down with it. Chance has taken +me by another path, and I must leave the ways of action that I love and bury +myself in books, but the old days and friends are in my mind, nor while I have +memory shall I forget them and you. +</p> + +<p> +Therefore, though it be for the last time, from far across the seas I speak to +you, and lifting my hand I give your “Sibonga”<a href="#fn-2" +name="fnref-2" id="fnref-2"><sup>[2]</sup></a> and that royal salute, to which, +now that its kings are gone and the “People of Heaven” are no more +a nation, with Her Majesty you are alone entitled:— +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +<i>Bayéte!</i> Baba, Nkosi ya makosi!<br /> +Ngonyama! Indhlovu ai pendulwa!<br /> +Wen’ o wa vela wasi pata!<br /> +Wen’ o wa hlul’ izizwe zonke za patwa nguive!<br /> +Wa geina nge la Mabun’ o wa ba hlul’ u yedwa!<br /> +Umsizi we zintandane e ziblupekayo!<br /> +Si ya kuleka Baba!<br /> +<i>Bayéte</i>, T’ Sompseu!<a href="#fn-3" name="fnref-3" id="fnref-3"><sup>[3]</sup></a> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +and farewell! +</p> + +<p class="right"> +H. RIDER HAGGARD. +</p> + +<p class="letter"> + +To Sir Theophilus Shepstone, K.C.M.G., Natal.<br /> +13 <i>September</i>, 1891. +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-1" id="fn-1"></a> <a href="#fnref-1">[1]</a> “I thank my +father Sompseu for his message. I am glad that he has sent it, because the +Dutch have tired me out, and I intended to fight them once and once only, and +to drive them over the Vaal. Kabana, you see my impis are gathered. It was to +fight the Dutch I called them together; now I send them back to their +homes.” —Message from Cetywayo to Sir. T. Shepstone, April, 1877. +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-2" id="fn-2"></a> <a href="#fnref-2">[2]</a> Titles of praise. +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-3" id="fn-3"></a> <a href="#fnref-3">[3]</a> <i>Bayéte</i>, Father, +Chief of Chiefs!<br /> +Lion! Elephant that is not turned!<br /> +You who nursed us from of old!<br /> +You who overshadowed all peoples and took charge of them,<br /> +And ended by mastering the Boers with your single strength!<br /> +Help of the fatherless when in trouble!<br /> +Salutation to you, Father!<br /> +<i>Bayéte</i>, O Sompseu! +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="pref02"></a>PREFACE</h2> + +<p> +The writer of this romance has been encouraged to his task by a purpose +somewhat beyond that of setting out a wild tale of savage life. When he was yet +a lad,—now some seventeen years ago,—fortune took him to South +Africa. There he was thrown in with men who, for thirty or forty years, had +been intimately acquainted with the Zulu people, with their history, their +heroes, and their customs. From these he heard many tales and traditions, some +of which, perhaps, are rarely told nowadays, and in time to come may cease to +be told altogether. Then the Zulus were still a nation; now that nation has +been destroyed, and the chief aim of its white rulers is to root out the +warlike spirit for which it was remarkable, and to replace it by a spirit of +peaceful progress. The Zulu military organisation, perhaps the most wonderful +that the world has seen, is already a thing of the past; it perished at Ulundi. +It was Chaka who invented that organisation, building it up from the smallest +beginnings. When he appeared at the commencement of this century, it was as the +ruler of a single small tribe; when he fell, in the year 1828, beneath the +assegais of his brothers, Umhlangana and Dingaan, and of his servant, Mopo or +Umbopo, as he is called also, all south-eastern Africa was at his feet, and in +his march to power he had slaughtered more than a million human beings. An +attempt has been made in these pages to set out the true character of this +colossal genius and most evil man,—a Napoleon and a Tiberius in +one,—and also that of his brother and successor, Dingaan, so no more need +be said of them here. The author’s aim, moreover, has been to convey, in +a narrative form, some idea of the remarkable spirit which animated these kings +and their subjects, and to make accessible, in a popular shape, incidents of +history which are now, for the most part, only to be found in a few scarce +works of reference, rarely consulted, except by students. It will be obvious +that such a task has presented difficulties, since he who undertakes it must +for a time forget his civilisation, and think with the mind and speak with the +voice of a Zulu of the old regime. All the horrors perpetrated by the Zulu +tyrants cannot be published in this polite age of melanite and torpedoes; their +details have, therefore, been suppressed. Still much remains, and those who +think it wrong that massacre and fighting should be written of,—except by +special correspondents,—or that the sufferings of mankind beneath one of +the world’s most cruel tyrannies should form the groundwork of romance, +may be invited to leave this book unread. Most, indeed nearly all, of the +historical incidents here recorded are substantially true. Thus, it is said +that Chaka did actually kill his mother, Unandi, for the reason given, and +destroy an entire tribe in the Tatiyana cleft, and that he prophesied of the +coming of the white man after receiving his death wounds. Of the incident of +the Missionary and the furnace of logs, it is impossible to speak so certainly. +It came to the writer from the lips of an old traveller in “the +Zulu”; but he cannot discover any confirmation of it. Still, these kings +undoubtedly put their soldiers to many tests of equal severity. Umbopo, or +Mopo, as he is named in this tale, actually lived. After he had stabbed Chaka, +he rose to great eminence. Then he disappears from the scene, but it is not +accurately known whether he also went “the way of the assegai,” or +perhaps, as is here suggested, came to live near Stanger under the name of +Zweete. The fate of the two lovers at the mouth of the cave is a true Zulu +tale, which has been considerably varied to suit the purposes of this romance. +The late Mr. Leslie, who died in 1874, tells it in his book “Among the +Zulus and Amatongas.” “I heard a story the other day,” he +says, “which, if the power of writing fiction were possessed by me, I +might have worked up into a first-class sensational novel.” It is the +story that has been woven into the plot of this book. To him also the writer is +indebted for the artifice by which Umslopogaas obtained admission to the Swazi +stronghold; it was told to Mr. Leslie by the Zulu who performed the feat and +thereby won a wife. Also the writer’s thanks are due to his friends, Mr. +F. B. Fynney,<a href="#fn-4" name="fnref-4" id="fnref-4"><sup>[1]</sup></a> +late Zulu border agent, for much information given to him in bygone years by +word of mouth, and more recently through his pamphlet “Zululand and the +Zulus,” and to Mr. John Bird, formerly treasurer to the Government of +Natal, whose compilation, “The Annals of Natal,” is invaluable to +all who would study the early history of that colony and of Zululand. +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-4" id="fn-4"></a> <a href="#fnref-4">[1]</a> I grieve to state that +I must now say the late Mr. F. B. Fynney. +</p> + +<p> +As for the wilder and more romantic incidents of this story, such as the +hunting of Umslopogaas and Galazi with the wolves, or rather with the +hyaenas,—for there are no true wolves in Zululand,—the author can +only say that they seem to him of a sort that might well have been mythically +connected with the names of those heroes. Similar beliefs and traditions are +common in the records of primitive peoples. The club “Watcher of the +Fords,” or, to give its Zulu name, U-nothlola-mazibuko, is an historical +weapon, chronicled by Bishop Callaway. It was once owned by a certain +Undhlebekazizwa. He was an arbitrary person, for “no matter what was +discussed in our village, he would bring it to a conclusion with a +stick.” But he made a good end; for when the Zulu soldiers attacked him, +he killed no less than twenty of them with the Watcher, and the spears stuck in +him “as thick as reeds in a morass.” This man’s strength was +so great that he could kill a leopard “like a fly,” with his hands +only, much as Umslopogaas slew the traitor in this story. +</p> + +<p> +Perhaps it may be allowable to add a few words about the Zulu mysticism, magic, +and superstition, to which there is some allusion in this romance. It has been +little if at all exaggerated. Thus the writer well remembers hearing a legend +how the Guardian Spirit of the Ama-Zulu was seen riding down the storm. Here is +what Mr. Fynney says of her in the pamphlet to which reference has been made: +“The natives have a spirit which they call Nomkubulwana, or the +Inkosazana-ye-Zulu (the Princess of Heaven). She is said to be robed in white, +and to take the form of a young maiden, in fact an angel. She is said to appear +to some chosen person, to whom she imparts some revelation; but, whatever that +revelation may be, it is kept a profound secret from outsiders. I remember +that, just before the Zulu war, Nomkubulwana appeared, revealing something or +other which had a great effect throughout the land, and I know that the Zulus +were quite impressed that some calamity was about to befall them. One of the +ominous signs was that fire is said to have descended from heaven, and ignited +the grass over the graves of the former kings of Zululand. ... On another +occasion Nomkubulwana appeared to some one in Zululand, the result of that +visit being, that the native women buried their young children up to their +heads in sand, deserting them for the time being, going away weeping, but +returning at nightfall to unearth the little ones again.” +</p> + +<p> +For this divine personage there is, therefore, authority, and the same may be +said of most of the supernatural matters spoken of in these pages. The exact +spiritual position held in the Zulu mind by the Umkulunkulu,—the +Old—Old,—the Great—Great,—the Lord of Heavens,—is +a more vexed question, and for its proper consideration the reader must be +referred to Bishop Callaway’s work, the “Religious System of the +Amazulu.” Briefly, Umkulunkulu’s character seems to vary from the +idea of an ancestral spirit, or the spirit of an ancestor, to that of a god. In +the case of an able and highly intelligent person like the Mopo of this story, +the ideal would probably not be a low one; therefore he is made to speak of +Umkulunkulu as the Great Spirit, or God. +</p> + +<p> +It only remains to the writer to express his regret that this story is not more +varied in its hue. It would have been desirable to introduce some gayer and +more happy incidents. But it has not been possible. It is believed that the +picture given of the times is a faithful one, though it may be open to +correction in some of its details. At the least, the aged man who tells the +tale of his wrongs and vengeance could not be expected to treat his subject in +an optimistic or even in a cheerful vein. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="pref03"></a>NADA THE LILY</h2> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="pref04"></a>INTRODUCTION</h2> + +<p> +Some years since—it was during the winter before the Zulu War—a +White Man was travelling through Natal. His name does not matter, for he plays +no part in this story. With him were two wagons laden with goods, which he was +transporting to Pretoria. The weather was cold and there was little or no grass +for the oxen, which made the journey difficult; but he had been tempted to it +by the high rates of transport that prevailed at that season of the year, which +would remunerate him for any probable loss he might suffer in cattle. So he +pushed along on his journey, and all went well until he had passed the little +town of Stanger, once the site of Duguza, the kraal of Chaka, the first Zulu +king and the uncle of Cetywayo. The night after he left Stanger the air turned +bitterly cold, heavy grey clouds filled the sky, and hid the light of the +stars. +</p> + +<p> +“Now if I were not in Natal, I should say that there was a heavy fall of +snow coming,” said the White Man to himself. “I have often seen the +sky look like that in Scotland before snow.” Then he reflected that there +had been no deep snow in Natal for years, and, having drunk a “tot” +of squareface and smoked his pipe, he went to bed beneath the after-tent of his +larger wagon. +</p> + +<p> +During the night he was awakened by a sense of bitter cold and the low moaning +of the oxen that were tied to the trek-tow, every ox in its place. He thrust +his head through the curtain of the tent and looked out. The earth was white +with snow, and the air was full of it, swept along by a cutting wind. +</p> + +<p> +Now he sprang up, huddling on his clothes and as he did so calling to the +Kaffirs who slept beneath the wagons. Presently they awoke from the stupor +which already was beginning to overcome them, and crept out, shivering with +cold and wrapped from head to foot in blankets. +</p> + +<p> +“Quick! you boys,” he said to them in Zulu; “quick! Would you +see the cattle die of the snow and wind? Loose the oxen from the trek-tows and +drive them in between the wagons; they will give them some shelter.” And +lighting a lantern he sprang out into the snow. +</p> + +<p> +At last it was done—no easy task, for the numbed hands of the Kaffirs +could scarcely loosen the frozen reins. The wagons were outspanned side by side +with a space between them, and into this space the mob of thirty-six oxen was +driven and there secured by reims tied crosswise from the front and hind wheels +of the wagons. Then the White Man crept back to his bed, and the shivering +natives, fortified with gin, or squareface, as it is called locally, took +refuge on the second wagon, drawing a tent-sail over them. +</p> + +<p> +For awhile there was silence, save for the moaning of the huddled and restless +cattle. +</p> + +<p> +“If the snow goes on I shall lose my oxen,” he said to himself; +“they can never bear this cold.” +</p> + +<p> +Hardly had the words passed his lips when the wagon shook; there was a sound of +breaking reims and trampling hoofs. Once more he looked out. The oxen had +“skrecked” in a mob. There they were, running away into the night +and the snow, seeking to find shelter from the cold. In a minute they had +vanished utterly. There was nothing to be done, except wait for the morning. +</p> + +<p> +At last it came, revealing a landscape blind with snow. Such search as could be +made told them nothing. The oxen had gone, and their spoor was obliterated by +the fresh-fallen flakes. The White Man called a council of his Kaffir servants. +“What was to be done?” he asked. +</p> + +<p> +One said this thing, one that, but all agreed that they must wait to act until +the snow melted. +</p> + +<p> +“Or till we freeze, you whose mothers were fools!” said the White +Man, who was in the worst of tempers, for had he not lost four hundred +pounds’ worth of oxen? +</p> + +<p> +Then a Zulu spoke, who hitherto had remained silent. He was the driver of the +first wagon. +</p> + +<p> +“My father,” he said to the White Man, “this is my word. The +oxen are lost in the snow. No man knows whither they have gone, or whether they +live or are now but hides and bones. Yet at the kraal yonder,” and he +pointed to some huts about two miles away on the hillside, “lives a witch +doctor named Zweete. He is old—very old—but he has wisdom, and he +can tell you where the oxen are if any man may, my father.” +</p> + +<p> +“Stuff!” answered the White Man. “Still, as the kraal cannot +be colder than this wagon, we will go and ask Zweete. Bring a bottle of +squareface and some snuff with you for presents.” +</p> + +<p> +An hour later he stood in the hut of Zweete. Before him was a very ancient man, +a mere bag of bones, with sightless eyes, and one hand—his +left—white and shrivelled. +</p> + +<p> +“What do you seek of Zweete, my white father?” asked the old man in +a thin voice. “You do not believe in me and my wisdom; why should I help +you? Yet I will do it, though it is against your law, and you do wrong to ask +me,—yes, to show you that there is truth in us Zulu doctors, I will help +you. My father, I know what you seek. You seek to know where your oxen have run +for shelter from the cold! Is it not so?” +</p> + +<p> +“It is so, Doctor,” answered the White Man. “You have long +ears.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, my white father, I have long ears, though they say that I grow +deaf. I have keen eyes also, and yet I cannot see your face. Let me hearken! +Let me look!” +</p> + +<p> +For awhile he was silent, rocking himself to and fro, then he spoke: “You +have a farm, White Man, down near Pine Town, is it not? Ah! I thought +so—and an hour’s ride from your farm lives a Boer with four fingers +only on his right hand. There is a kloof on the Boer’s farm where +mimosa-trees grow. There, in the kloof, you shall find your oxen—yes, +five days’ journey from here you will find them all. I say all, my +father, except three only—the big black Africander ox, the little red +Zulu ox with one horn, and the speckled ox. You shall not find these, for they +have died in the snow. Send, and you will find the others. No, no! I ask no +fee! I do not work wonders for reward. Why should I? I am rich.” +</p> + +<p> +Now the White Man scoffed. But in the end, so great is the power of +superstition, he sent. And here it may be stated that on the eleventh day of +his sojourn at the kraal of Zweete, those whom he sent returned with the oxen, +except the three only. After that he scoffed no more. Those eleven days he +spent in a hut of the old man’s kraal, and every afternoon he came and +talked with him, sitting far into the night. +</p> + +<p> +On the third day he asked Zweete how it was that his left hand was white and +shrivelled, and who were Umslopogaas and Nada, of whom he had let fall some +words. Then the old man told him the tale that is set out here. Day by day he +told some of it till it was finished. It is not all written in these pages, for +portions may have been forgotten, or put aside as irrelevant. Neither has it +been possible for the writer of it to render the full force of the Zulu idiom +nor to convey a picture of the teller. For, in truth, he acted rather than told +his story. Was the death of a warrior in question, he stabbed with his stick, +showing how the blow fell and where; did the story grow sorrowful, he groaned, +or even wept. Moreover, he had many voices, one for each of the actors in his +tale. This man, ancient and withered, seemed to live again in the far past. It +was the past that spoke to his listener, telling of deeds long forgotten, of +deeds that are no more known. +</p> + +<p> +Yet as he best may, the White Man has set down the substance of the story of +Zweete in the spirit in which Zweete told it. And because the history of Nada +the Lily and of those with whom her life was intertwined moved him strangely, +and in many ways, he has done more, he has printed it that others may judge of +it. +</p> + +<p> +And now his part is played. Let him who was named Zweete, but who had another +name, take up the story. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap01"></a>CHAPTER I.<br /> +THE BOY CHAKA PROPHESIES</h2> + +<p> +You ask me, my father, to tell you the tale of the youth of Umslopogaas, holder +of the iron Chieftainess, the axe Groan-maker, who was named Bulalio the +Slaughterer, and of his love for Nada, the most beautiful of Zulu women. It is +long; but you are here for many nights, and, if I live to tell it, it shall be +told. Strengthen your heart, my father, for I have much to say that is +sorrowful, and even now, when I think of Nada the tears creep through the horn +that shuts out my old eyes from light. +</p> + +<p> +Do you know who I am, my father? You do not know. You think that I am an old, +old witch-doctor named Zweete. So men have thought for many years, but that is +not my name. Few have known it, for I have kept it locked in my breast, lest, +though I live now under the law of the White Man, and the Great Queen is my +chieftainess, an assegai still might find this heart did any know my name. +</p> + +<p> +Look at this hand, my father—no, not that which is withered with fire; +look on this right hand of mine. You see it, though I who am blind cannot. But +still, within me, I see it as it was once. Ay! I see it red and +strong—red with the blood of two kings. Listen, my father; bend your ear +to me and listen. I am Mopo—ah! I felt you start; you start as the +regiment of the Bees started when Mopo walked before their ranks, and from the +assegai in his hand the blood of Chaka<a href="#fn-1.1" name="fnref-1.1" id="fnref-1.1"><sup>[1]</sup></a> +dropped slowly to the earth. I am Mopo who slew Chaka the king. I killed him +with Dingaan and Umhlangana the princes; but the wound was mine that his life +crept out of, and but for me he would never have been slain. I killed him with +the princes, but Dingaan, I and one other slew alone. +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-1.1" id="fn-1.1"></a> <a href="#fnref-1.1">[1]</a> The Zulu +Napoleon, one of the greatest geniuses and most wicked men who ever lived. He +was killed in the year 1828, having slaughtered more than a million human +beings.—ED. +</p> + +<p> +What do you say? “Dingaan died by the Tongola.” +</p> + +<p> +Yes, yes, he died, but not there; he died on the Ghost Mountain; he lies in the +breast of the old Stone Witch who sits aloft forever waiting for the world to +perish. But I also was on the Ghost Mountain. In those days my feet still could +travel fast, and vengeance would not let me sleep. I travelled by day, and by +night I found him. I and another, we killed him—ah! ah! +</p> + +<p> +Why do I tell you this? What has it to do with the loves of Umslopogaas and +Nada the Lily? I will tell you. I stabbed Chaka for the sake of my sister, +Baleka, the mother of Umslopogaas, and because he had murdered my wives and +children. I and Umslopogaas slew Dingaan for the sake of Nada, who was my +daughter. +</p> + +<p> +There are great names in the story, my father. Yes, many have heard the names: +when the Impis roared them out as they charged in battle, I have felt the +mountains shake and seen the waters quiver in their sound. But where are they +now? Silence has them, and the white men write them down in books. I opened the +gates of distance for the holders of the names. They passed through and they +are gone beyond. I cut the strings that tied them to the world. They fell off. +Ha! ha! They fell off! Perhaps they are falling still, perhaps they creep about +their desolate kraals in the skins of snakes. I wish I knew the snakes that I +might crush them with my heel. Yonder, beneath us, at the burying-place of +kings, there is a hole. In that hole lie the bones of Chaka, the king who died +for Baleka. Far away in Zululand there is a cleft upon the Ghost Mountain. At +the foot of that cleft lie the bones of Dingaan, the king who died for Nada. It +was far to fall and he was heavy; those bones of his are broken into little +pieces. I went to see them when the vultures and the jackals had done their +work. And then I laughed three times and came here to die. +</p> + +<p> +All that is long ago, and I have not died; though I wish to die and follow the +road that Nada trod. Perhaps I have lived to tell you this tale, my father, +that you may repeat it to the white men if you will. How old am I? Nay, I do +not know. Very, very old. Had Chaka lived he would have been as old as I.<a +href="#fn-1.2" name="fnref-1.2" id="fnref-1.2"><sup>[2]</sup></a> None are +living whom I knew when I was a boy. I am so old that I must hasten. The grass +withers, and the winter comes. Yes, while I speak the winter nips my heart. +Well, I am ready to sleep in the cold, and perhaps I shall awake again in the +spring. +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-1.2" id="fn-1.2"></a> <a href="#fnref-1.2">[2]</a> This would have +made him nearly a hundred years old, an age rarely attained by a native. The +writer remembers talking to an aged Zulu woman, however, who told him that she +was married when Chaka was king.—ED. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Before the Zulus were a people—for I will begin at the beginning—I +was born of the Langeni tribe. We were not a large tribe; afterwards, all our +able-bodied men numbered one full regiment in Chaka’s army, perhaps there +were between two and three thousand of them, but they were brave. Now they are +all dead, and their women and children with them,—that people is no more. +It is gone like last month’s moon; how it went I will tell you +by-and-bye. +</p> + +<p> +Our tribe lived in a beautiful open country; the Boers, whom we call the +Amaboona, are there now, they tell me. My father, Makedama, was chief of the +tribe, and his kraal was built on the crest of a hill, but I was not the son of +his head wife. One evening, when I was still little, standing as high as a +man’s elbow only, I went out with my mother below the cattle kraal to see +the cows driven in. My mother was very fond of these cows, and there was one +with a white face that would follow her about. She carried my little sister +Baleka riding on her hip; Baleka was a baby then. We walked till we met the +lads driving in the cows. My mother called the white-faced cow and gave it +mealie leaves which she had brought with her. Then the boys went on with the +cattle, but the white-faced cow stopped by my mother. She said that she would +bring it to the kraal when she came home. My mother sat down on the grass and +nursed her baby, while I played round her, and the cow grazed. Presently we saw +a woman walking towards us across the plain. She walked like one who is tired. +On her back was a bundle of mats, and she led by the hand a boy of about my own +age, but bigger and stronger than I was. We waited a long while, till at last +the woman came up to us and sank down on the veldt, for she was very weary. We +saw by the way her hair was dressed that she was not of our tribe. +</p> + +<p> +“Greeting to you!” said the woman. +</p> + +<p> +“Good-morrow!” answered my mother. “What do you seek?” +</p> + +<p> +“Food, and a hut to sleep in,” said the woman. “I have +travelled far.” +</p> + +<p> +“How are you named?—and what is your people?” asked my +mother. +</p> + +<p> +“My name is Unandi: I am the wife of Senzangacona, of the Zulu +tribe,” said the stranger. +</p> + +<p> +Now there had been war between our people and the Zulu people, and Senzangacona +had killed some of our warriors and taken many of our cattle. So, when my +mother heard the speech of Unandi she sprang up in anger. +</p> + +<p> +“You dare to come here and ask me for food and shelter, wife of a dog of +a Zulu!” she cried; “begone, or I will call the girls to whip you +out of our country.” +</p> + +<p> +The woman, who was very handsome, waited till my mother had finished her angry +words; then she looked up and spoke slowly, “There is a cow by you with +milk dropping from its udder; will you not even give me and my boy a gourd of +milk?” And she took a gourd from her bundle and held it towards us. +</p> + +<p> +“I will not,” said my mother. +</p> + +<p> +“We are thirsty with long travel; will you not, then, give us a cup of +water? We have found none for many hours.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will not, wife of a dog; go and seek water for yourself.” +</p> + +<p> +The woman’s eyes filled with tears, but the boy folded his arms on his +breast and scowled. He was a very handsome boy, with bright black eyes, but +when he scowled his eyes were like the sky before a thunderstorm. +</p> + +<p> +“Mother,” he said, “we are not wanted here any more than we +were wanted yonder,” and he nodded towards the country where the Zulu +people lived. “Let us be going to Dingiswayo; the Umtetwa people will +protect us.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, let us be going, my son,” answered Unandi; “but the +path is long, we are weary and shall fall by the way.” +</p> + +<p> +I heard, and something pulled at my heart; I was sorry for the woman and her +boy, they looked so tired. Then, without saying anything to my mother, I +snatched the gourd and ran with it to a little donga that was hard by, for I +knew that there was a spring. Presently I came back with the gourd full of +water. My mother wanted to catch me, for she was very angry, but I ran past her +and gave the gourd to the boy. Then my mother ceased trying to interfere, only +she beat the woman with her tongue all the while, saying that evil had come to +our kraals from her husband, and she felt in her heart that more evil would +come upon us from her son. Her <i>Ehlosé</i><a href="#fn-1.3" name="fnref-1.3" id="fnref-1.3"><sup>[3]</sup></a> +told her so. Ah! my father, her <i>Ehlosé</i> told her true. If the woman +Unandi and her child had died that day on the veldt, the gardens of my people +would not now be a wilderness, and their bones would not lie in the great +gulley that is near U’Cetywayo’s kraal. +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-1.3" id="fn-1.3"></a> <a href="#fnref-1.3">[3]</a> Guardian +spirit.—ED. +</p> + +<p> +While my mother talked I and the cow with the white face stood still and +watched, and the baby Baleka cried aloud. The boy, Unandi’s son, having +taken the gourd, did not offer the water to his mother. He drank two-thirds of +it himself; I think that he would have drunk it all had not his thirst been +slaked; but when he had done he gave what was left to his mother, and she +finished it. Then he took the gourd again, and came forward, holding it in one +hand; in the other he carried a short stick. +</p> + +<p> +“What is your name, boy?” he said to me as a big rich man speaks to +one who is little and poor. +</p> + +<p> +“Mopo is my name,” I answered. +</p> + +<p> +“And what is the name of your people?” +</p> + +<p> +I told him the name of my tribe, the Langeni tribe. +</p> + +<p> +“Very well, Mopo; now I will tell you my name. My name is Chaka, son of +Senzangacona, and my people are called the Amazulu. And I will tell you +something more. I am little to-day, and my people are a small people. But I +shall grow big, so big that my head will be lost in the clouds; you will look +up and you shall not see it. My face will blind you; it will be bright like the +sun; and my people will grow great with me; they shall eat up the whole world. +And when I am big and my people are big, and we have stamped the earth flat as +far as men can travel, then I will remember your tribe—the tribe of the +Langeni, who would not give me and my mother a cup of milk when we were weary. +You see this gourd; for every drop it can hold the blood of a man shall +flow—the blood of one of your men. But because you gave me the water I +will spare you, Mopo, and you only, and make you great under me. You shall grow +fat in my shadow. You alone I will never harm, however you sin against me; this +I swear. But for that woman,” and he pointed to my mother, “let her +make haste and die, so that I do not need to teach her what a long time death +can take to come. I have spoken.” And he ground his teeth and shook his +stick towards us. +</p> + +<p> +My mother stood silent awhile. Then she gasped out: “The little liar! He +speaks like a man, does he? The calf lows like a bull. I will teach him another +note—the brat of an evil prophet!” And putting down Baleka, she ran +at the boy. +</p> + +<p> +Chaka stood quite still till she was near; then suddenly he lifted the stick in +his hand, and hit her so hard on the head that she fell down. After that he +laughed, turned, and went away with his mother Unandi. +</p> + +<p> +These, my father, were the first words I heard Chaka speak, and they were words +of prophecy, and they came true. The last words I heard him speak were words of +prophecy also, and I think that they will come true. Even now they are coming +true. In the one he told how the Zulu people should rise. And say, have they +not risen? In the other he told how they should fall; and they did fall. Do not +the white men gather themselves together even now against U’Cetywayo, as +vultures gather round a dying ox? The Zulus are not what they were to stand +against them. Yes, yes, they will come true, and mine is the song of a people +that is doomed. +</p> + +<p> +But of these other words I will speak in their place. +</p> + +<p> +I went to my mother. Presently she raised herself from the ground and sat up +with her hands over her face. The blood from the wound the stick had made ran +down her face on to her breast, and I wiped it away with grass. She sat for a +long while thus, while the child cried, the cow lowed to be milked, and I wiped +up the blood with the grass. At last she took her hands away and spoke to me. +</p> + +<p> +“Mopo, my son,” she said, “I have dreamed a dream. I dreamed +that I saw the boy Chaka who struck me: he was grown like a giant. He stalked +across the mountains and the veldt, his eyes blazed like the lightning, and in +his hand he shook a little assegai that was red with blood. He caught up people +after people in his hands and tore them, he stamped their kraals flat with his +feet. Before him was the green of summer, behind him the land was black as when +the fires have eaten the grass. I saw our people, Mopo; they were many and fat, +their hearts laughed, the men were brave, the girls were fair; I counted their +children by the hundreds. I saw them again, Mopo. They were bones, white bones, +thousands of bones tumbled together in a rocky place, and he, Chaka, stood over +the bones and laughed till the earth shook. Then, Mopo, in my dream, I saw you +grown a man. You alone were left of our people. You crept up behind the giant +Chaka, and with you came others, great men of a royal look. You stabbed him +with a little spear, and he fell down and grew small again; he fell down and +cursed you. But you cried in his ear a name—the name of Baleka, your +sister—and he died. Let us go home, Mopo, let us go home; the darkness +falls.” +</p> + +<p> +So we rose and went home. But I held my peace, for I was afraid, very much +afraid. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap02"></a>CHAPTER II.<br /> +MOPO IS IN TROUBLE</h2> + +<p> +Now, I must tell how my mother did what the boy Chaka had told her, and died +quickly. For where his stick had struck her on the forehead there came a sore +that would not be healed, and in the sore grew an abscess, and the abscess ate +inwards till it came to the brain. Then my mother fell down and died, and I +cried very much, for I loved her, and it was dreadful to see her cold and +stiff, with not a word to say however loudly I called to her. Well, they buried +my mother, and she was soon forgotten. I only remembered her, nobody else +did—not even Baleka, for she was too little—and as for my father he +took another young wife and was content. After that I was unhappy, for my +brothers did not love me, because I was much cleverer than they, and had +greater skill with the assegai, and was swifter in running; so they poisoned +the mind of my father against me and he treated me badly. But Baleka and I +loved each other, for we were both lonely, and she clung to me like a creeper +to the only tree in a plain, and though I was young, I learned this: that to be +wise is to be strong, for though he who holds the assegai kills, yet he whose +mind directs the battle is greater than he who kills. Now I saw that the +witch-finders and the medicine-men were feared in the land, and that everybody +looked up to them, so that, even when they had only a stick in their hands, ten +men armed with spears would fly before them. Therefore I determined that I +should be a witch-doctor, for they alone can kill those whom they hate with a +word. So I learned the arts of the medicine-men. I made sacrifices, I fasted in +the veldt alone, I did all those things of which you have heard, and I learned +much; for there is wisdom in our magic as well as lies—and you know it, +my father, else you had not come here to ask me about your lost oxen. +</p> + +<p> +So things went on till I was twenty years of age—a man full grown. By now +I had mastered all I could learn by myself, so I joined myself on to the chief +medicine-man of our tribe, who was named Noma. He was old, had one eye only, +and was very clever. Of him I learned some tricks and more wisdom, but at last +he grew jealous of me and set a trap to catch me. As it chanced, a rich man of +a neighbouring tribe had lost some cattle, and came with gifts to Noma praying +him to smell them out. Noma tried and could not find them; his vision failed +him. Then the headman grew angry and demanded back his gifts; but Noma would +not give up that which he once had held, and hot words passed. The headman said +that he would kill Noma; Noma said that he would bewitch the headman. +</p> + +<p> +“Peace,” I said, for I feared that blood would be shed. +“Peace, and let me see if my snake will tell me where the cattle +are.” +</p> + +<p> +“You are nothing but a boy,” answered the headman. “Can a boy +have wisdom?” +</p> + +<p> +“That shall soon be known,” I said, taking the bones in my hand.<a +href="#fn-2.1" name="fnref-2.1" id="fnref-2.1"><sup>[1]</sup></a> +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-2.1" id="fn-2.1"></a> <a href="#fnref-2.1">[1]</a> The Kafir +witch-doctors use the knuckle-bones of animals in their magic rites, throwing +them something as we throw dice.—ED. +</p> + +<p> +“Leave the bones alone!” screamed Noma. “We will ask nothing +more of our snakes for the good of this son of a dog.” +</p> + +<p> +“He shall throw the bones,” answered the headman. “If you try +to stop him, I will let sunshine through you with my assegai.” And he +lifted his spear. +</p> + +<p> +Then I made haste to begin; I threw the bones. The headman sat on the ground +before me and answered my questions. You know of these matters, my +father—how sometimes the witch-doctor has knowledge of where the lost +things are, for our ears are long, and sometimes his <i>Ehlosé</i> tells him, +as but the other day it told me of your oxen. Well, in this case, my snake +stood up. I knew nothing of the man’s cattle, but my Spirit was with me +and soon I saw them all, and told them to him one by one, their colour, their +age—everything. I told him, too, where they were, and how one of them had +fallen into a stream and lay there on its back drowned, with its forefoot +caught in a forked root. As my <i>Ehlosé</i> told me so I told the headman. +</p> + +<p> +Now, the man was pleased, and said that if my sight was good, and he found the +cattle, the gifts should be taken from Noma and given to me; and he asked the +people who were sitting round, and there were many, if this was not just. +“Yes, yes,” they said, it was just, and they would see that it was +done. But Noma sat still and looked at me evilly. He knew that I had made a +true divination, and he was very angry. It was a big matter: the herd of cattle +were many, and, if they were found where I had said, then all men would think +me the greater wizard. Now it was late, and the moon had not yet risen, +therefore the headman said that he would sleep that night in our kraal, and at +the first light would go with me to the spot where I said the cattle were. +After that he went away. +</p> + +<p> +I too went into my hut and lay down to sleep. Suddenly I awoke, feeling a +weight upon my breast. I tried to start up, but something cold pricked my +throat. I fell back again and looked. The door of the hut was open, the moon +lay low on the sky like a ball of fire far away. I could see it through the +door, and its light crept into the hut. It fell upon the face of Noma the +witch-doctor. He was seated across me, glaring at me with his one eye, and in +his hand was a knife. It was that which I had felt prick my throat. +</p> + +<p> +“You whelp whom I have bred up to tear me!” he hissed into my ear, +“you dared to divine where I failed, did you? Very well, now I will show +you how I serve such puppies. First, I will pierce through the root of your +tongue, so that you cannot squeal, then I will cut you to pieces slowly, bit by +bit, and in the morning I will tell the people that the spirits did it because +you lied. Next, I will take off your arms and legs. Yes, yes, I will make you +like a stick! Then I will”—and he began driving in the knife under +my chin. +</p> + +<p> +“Mercy, my uncle,” I said, for I was frightened and the knife hurt. +“Have mercy, and I will do whatever you wish!” +</p> + +<p> +“Will you do this?” he asked, still pricking me with the knife. +“Will you get up, go to find the dog’s cattle and drive them to a +certain place, and hide them there?” And he named a secret valley that +was known to very few. “If you do that, I will spare you and give you +three of the cows. If you refuse or play me false, then, by my father’s +spirit, I will find a way to kill you!” +</p> + +<p> +“Certainly I will do it, my uncle,” I answered. “Why did you +not trust me before? Had I known that you wanted to keep the cattle, I would +never have smelt them out. I only did so fearing lest you should lose the +presents.” +</p> + +<p> +“You are not so wicked as I thought,” he growled. “Get up, +then, and do my bidding. You can be back here two hours after dawn.” +</p> + +<p> +So I got up, thinking all the while whether I should try to spring on him. But +I was without arms, and he had the knife; also if, by chance, I prevailed and +killed him, it would have been thought that I had murdered him, and I should +have tasted the assegai. So I made another plan. I would go and find the cattle +in the valley where I had smelt them out, but I would not bring them to the +secret hiding-place. No; I would drive them straight to the kraal, and denounce +Noma before the chief, my father, and all the people. But I was young in those +days, and did not know the heart of Noma. He had not been a witch-doctor till +he grew old for nothing. Oh! he was evil!—he was cunning as a jackal, and +fierce like a lion. He had planted me by him like a tree, but he meant to keep +me clipped like a bush. Now I had grown tall and overshadowed him; therefore he +would root me up. +</p> + +<p> +I went to the corner of my hut, Noma watching me all the while, and took a +kerrie and my small shield. Then I started through the moonlight. Till I was +past the kraal I glided along quietly as a shadow. After that, I began to run, +singing to myself as I went, to frighten away the ghosts, my father. +</p> + +<p> +For an hour I travelled swiftly over the plain, till I came to the hillside +where the bush began. Here it was very dark under the shade of the trees, and I +sang louder than ever. At last I found the little buffalo path I sought, and +turned along it. Presently I came to an open place, where the moonlight crept +in between the trees. I knelt down and looked. Yes! my snake had not lied to +me; there was the spoor of the cattle. Then I went on gladly till I reached a +dell through which the water ran softly, sometimes whispering and sometimes +talking out loud. Here the trail of the cattle was broad: they had broken down +the ferns with their feet and trampled the grass. Presently I came to a pool. I +knew it—it was the pool my snake had shown me. And there at the edge of +the pool floated the drowned ox, its foot caught in a forked root. All was just +as I had seen it in my heart. +</p> + +<p> +I stepped forward and looked round. My eye caught something; it was the faint +grey light of the dawn glinted on the cattle’s horns. As I looked, one of +them snorted, rose and shook the dew from his hide. He seemed big as an +elephant in the mist and twilight. +</p> + +<p> +Then I collected them all—there were seventeen—and drove them +before me down the narrow path back towards the kraal. Now the daylight came +quickly, and the sun had been up an hour when I reached the spot where I must +turn if I wished to hide the cattle in the secret place, as Noma had bid me. +But I would not do this. No, I would go on to the kraal with them, and tell all +men that Noma was a thief. Still, I sat down and rested awhile, for I was +tired. As I sat, I heard a noise, and looked up. There, over the slope of the +rise, came a crowd of men, and leading them was Noma, and by his side the +headman who owned the cattle. I rose and stood still, wondering; but as I +stood, they ran towards me shouting and waving sticks and spears. +</p> + +<p> +“There he is!” screamed Noma. “There he is!—the clever +boy whom I have brought up to bring shame on me. What did I tell you? Did I not +tell you that he was a thief? Yes—yes! I know your tricks, Mopo, my +child! See! he is stealing the cattle! He knew where they were all the time, +and now he is taking them away to hide them. They would be useful to buy a wife +with, would they not, my clever boy?” And he made a rush at me, with his +stick lifted, and after him came the headman, grunting with rage. +</p> + +<p> +I understood now, my father. My heart went mad in me, everything began to swim +round, a red cloth seemed to lift itself up and down before my eyes. I have +always seen it thus when I was forced to fight. I screamed out one word only, +“Liar!” and ran to meet him. On came Noma. He struck at me with his +stick, but I caught the blow upon my little shield, and hit back. Wow! I did +hit! The skull of Noma met my kerrie, and down he fell dead at my feet. I +yelled again, and rushed on at the headman. He threw an assegai, but it missed +me, and next second I hit him too. He got up his shield, but I knocked it down +upon his head, and over he rolled senseless. Whether he lived or died I do not +know, my father; but his head being of the thickest, I think it likely that he +lived. Then, while the people stood astonished, I turned and fled like the +wind. They turned too, and ran after me, throwing spears at me and trying to +cut me off. But none of them could catch me—no, not one. I went like the +wind; I went like a buck when the dogs wake it from sleep; and presently the +sound of their chase grew fainter and fainter, till at last I was out of sight +and alone. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap03"></a>CHAPTER III.<br /> +MOPO VENTURES HOME</h2> + +<p> +I threw myself down on the grass and panted till my breath came back; then I +went and hid in a patch of reeds down by a swamp. All day long I lay there +thinking. What was I to do? Now I was a jackal without a hole. If I went back +to my people, certainly they would kill me, whom they thought a thief. My blood +would be given for Noma’s, and that I did not wish, though my heart was +sad. Then there came into my mind the thought of Chaka, the boy to whom I had +given the cup of water long ago. I had heard of him: his name was known in the +land; already the air was big with it; the very trees and grass spoke it. The +words he had said and the vision that my mother had seen were beginning to come +true. By the help of the Umtetwas he had taken the place of his father +Senzangacona; he had driven out the tribe of the Amaquabe; now he made war on +Zweete, chief of the Endwande, and he had sworn that he would stamp the +Endwande flat, so that nobody could find them any more. Now I remembered how +this Chaka promised that he would make me great, and that I should grow fat in +his shadow; and I thought to myself that I would arise and go to him. Perhaps +he would kill me; well, what did it matter? Certainly I should be killed if I +stayed here. Yes, I would go. But now my heart pulled another way. There was +but one whom I loved in the world—it was my sister Baleka. My father had +betrothed her to the chief of a neighbouring tribe, but I knew that this +marriage was against her wish. Perhaps my sister would run away with me if I +could get near her to tell her that I was going. I would try—yes, I would +try. +</p> + +<p> +I waited till the darkness came down, then I rose from my bed of weeds and +crept like a jackal towards the kraal. In the mealie gardens I stopped awhile, +for I was very hungry, and filled myself with the half-ripe mealies. Then I +went on till I came to the kraal. Some of my people were seated outside of a +hut, talking together over a fire. I crept near, silently as a snake, and hid +behind a little bush. I knew that they could not see me outside the ring of the +firelight, and I wanted to hear what they said. As I guessed, they were talking +of me and called me many names. They said that I should bring ill-luck on the +tribe by having killed so great a witch-doctor as Noma; also that the people of +the headman would demand payment for the assault on him. I learned, moreover, +that my father had ordered out all the men of the tribe to hunt for me on the +morrow and to kill me wherever they found me. “Ah!” I thought, +“you may hunt, but you will bring nothing home to the pot.” Just +then a dog that was lying by the fire got up and began to sniff the air. I +could not see what dog it was—indeed, I had forgotten all about the dogs +when I drew near the kraal; that is what comes of want of experience, my +father. The dog sniffed and sniffed, then he began to growl, looking always my +way, and I grew afraid. +</p> + +<p> +“What is the dog growling at?” said one man to another. “Go +and see.” But the other man was taking snuff and did not like to move. +“Let the dog go and see for himself,” he answered, sneezing, +“what is the good of keeping a dog if you have to catch the thief?” +</p> + +<p> +“Go on, then,” said the first man to the dog. And he ran forward, +barking. Then I saw him: it was my own dog, Koos, a very good dog. Presently, +as I lay not knowing what to do, he smelt my smell, stopped barking, and +running round the bush he found me and began to lick my face. “Be quiet, +Koos!” I whispered to him. And he lay down by my side. +</p> + +<p> +“Where has that dog gone now?” said the first man. “Is he +bewitched, that he stops barking suddenly and does not come back?” +</p> + +<p> +“We will see,” said the other, rising, a spear in his hand. +</p> + +<p> +Now once more I was terribly afraid, for I thought that they would catch me, or +I must run for my life again. But as I sprang up to run, a big black snake +glided between the men and went off towards the huts. They jumped aside in a +great fright, then all of them turned to follow the snake, saying that this was +what the dog was barking at. That was my good <i>Ehlosé</i>, my father, which +without any doubt took the shape of a snake to save my life. +</p> + +<p> +When they had gone I crept off the other way, and Koos followed me. At first I +thought that I would kill him, lest he should betray me; but when I called to +him to knock him on the head with my kerrie, he sat down upon the ground +wagging his tail, and seemed to smile in my face, and I could not do it. So I +thought that I would take my chance, and we went on together. This was my +purpose: first to creep into my own hut and get my assegais and a skin blanket, +then to gain speech with Baleka. My hut, I thought, would be empty, for nobody +sleeps there except myself, and the huts of Noma were some paces away to the +right. I came to the reed fence that surrounded the huts. Nobody was to be seen +at the gate, which was not shut with thorns as usual. It was my duty to close +it, and I had not been there to do so. Then, bidding the dog lie down outside, +I stepped through boldly, reached the door of my hut, and listened. It was +empty; there was not even a breath to be heard. So I crept in and began to +search for my assegais, my water-gourd, and my wood pillow, which was so nicely +carved that I did not like to leave it. Soon I found them. Then I felt about +for my skin rug, and as I did so my hand touched something cold. I started, and +felt again. It was a man’s face—the face of a dead man, of Noma, +whom I had killed and who had been laid in my hut to await burial. Oh! then I +was frightened, for Noma dead and in the dark was worse than Noma alive. I made +ready to fly, when suddenly I heard the voices of women talking outside the +door of the hut. I knew the voices; they were those of Noma’s two wives, +and one of them said she was coming in to watch by her husband’s body. +Now I was in a trap indeed, for before I could do anything I saw the light go +out of a hole in the hut, and knew by the sound of a fat woman puffing as she +bent herself up that Noma’s first wife was coming through it. Presently +she was in, and, squatting by the side of the corpse in such a fashion that I +could not get to the door, she began to make lamentations and to call down +curses on me. Ah! she did not know that I was listening. I too squatted by +Noma’s head, and grew quick-witted in my fear. Now that the woman was +there I was not so much afraid of the dead man, and I remembered, too, that he +had been a great cheat; so I thought I would make him cheat for the last time. +I placed my hands beneath his shoulders and pushed him up so that he sat upon +the ground. The woman heard the noise and made a sound in her throat. +</p> + +<p> +“Will you not be quiet, you old hag?” I said in Noma’s voice. +“Can you not let me be at peace, even now when I am dead?” +</p> + +<p> +She heard, and, falling backwards in fear, drew in her breath to shriek aloud. +</p> + +<p> +“What! will you also dare to shriek?” I said again in Noma’s +voice; “then I must teach you silence.” And I tumbled him over on +to the top of her. +</p> + +<p> +Then her senses left her, and whether she ever found them again I do not know. +At least she grew quiet for that time. For me, I snatched up the +rug—afterwards I found it was Noma’s best kaross, made by Basutos +of chosen cat-skins, and worth three oxen—and I fled, followed by Koos. +</p> + +<p> +Now the kraal of the chief, my father, Makedama, was two hundred paces away, +and I must go thither, for there Baleka slept. Also I dared not enter by the +gate, because a man was always on guard there. So I cut my way through the reed +fence with my assegai and crept to the hut where Baleka was with some of her +half-sisters. I knew on which side of the hut it was her custom to lie, and +where her head would be. So I lay down on my side and gently, very gently, +began to bore a hole in the grass covering of the hut. It took a long while, +for the thatch was thick, but at last I was nearly through it. Then I stopped, +for it came into my mind that Baleka might have changed her place, and that I +might wake the wrong girl. I almost gave it over, thinking that I would fly +alone, when suddenly I heard a girl wake and begin to cry on the other side of +the thatch. “Ah,” I thought, “that is Baleka, who weeps for +her brother!” So I put my lips where the thatch was thinnest and +whispered:— +</p> + +<p> +“Baleka, my sister! Baleka, do not weep! I, Mopo, am here. Say not a +word, but rise. Come out of the hut, bringing your skin blanket.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Baleka was very clever: she did not shriek, as most girls would have done. +No; she understood, and, after waiting awhile, she rose and crept from the hut, +her blanket in her hand. +</p> + +<p> +“Why are you here, Mopo?” she whispered, as we met. “Surely +you will be killed!” +</p> + +<p> +“Hush!” I said. And then I told her of the plan which I had made. +“Will you come with me?” I said, when I had done, “or will +you creep back into the hut and bid me farewell?” +</p> + +<p> +She thought awhile, then she said, “No, my brother, I will come, for I +love you alone among our people, though I believe that this will be the end of +it—that you will lead me to my death.” +</p> + +<p> +I did not think much of her words at the time, but afterwards they came back to +me. So we slipped away together, followed by the dog Koos, and soon we were +running over the veldt with our faces set towards the country of the Zulu +tribe. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap04"></a>CHAPTER IV.<br /> +THE FLIGHT OF MOPO AND BALEKA</h2> + +<p> +All the rest of that night we journeyed, till even the dog was tired. Then we +hid in a mealie field for the day, as we were afraid of being seen. Towards the +afternoon we heard voices, and, looking through the stems of the mealies, we +saw a party of my father’s men pass searching for us. They went on to a +neighbouring kraal to ask if we had been seen, and after that we saw them no +more for awhile. At night we travelled again; but, as fate would have it, we +were met by an old woman, who looked oddly at us but said nothing. After that +we pushed on day and night, for we knew that the old woman would tell the +pursuers if she met them; and so indeed it came about. On the third evening we +reached some mealie gardens, and saw that they had been trampled down. Among +the broken mealies we found the body of a very old man, as full of assegai +wounds as a porcupine with quills. We wondered at this, and went on a little +way. Then we saw that the kraal to which the gardens belonged was burnt down. +We crept up to it, and—ah! it was a sad sight for us to see! Afterwards +we became used to such sights. All about us lay the bodies of dead people, +scores of them—old men, young men, women, children, little babies at the +breast—there they lay among the burnt huts, pierced with assegai wounds. +Red was the earth with their blood, and red they looked in the red light of the +setting sun. It was as though all the land had been smeared with the bloody +hand of the Great Spirit, of the Umkulunkulu. Baleka saw it and began to cry; +she was weary, poor girl, and we had found little to eat, only grass and green +corn. +</p> + +<p> +“An enemy has been here,” I said, and as I spoke I thought that I +heard a groan from the other side of a broken reed hedge. I went and looked. +There lay a young woman: she was badly wounded, but still alive, my father. A +little way from her lay a man dead, and before him several other men of another +tribe: he had died fighting. In front of the woman were the bodies of three +children; another, a little one, lay on her body. I looked at the woman, and, +as I looked, she groaned again, opened her eyes and saw me, and that I had a +spear in my hand. +</p> + +<p> +“Kill me quickly!” she said. “Have you not tortured me +enough?” +</p> + +<p> +I said that I was a stranger and did not want to kill her. +</p> + +<p> +“Then bring me water,” she said; “there is a spring there +behind the kraal.” +</p> + +<p> +I called to Baleka to come to the woman, and went with my gourd to the spring. +There were bodies in it, but I dragged them out, and when the water had cleared +a little I filled the gourd and brought it back to the woman. She drank deep, +and her strength came back a little—the water gave her life. +</p> + +<p> +“How did you come to this?” I asked. +</p> + +<p> +“It was an impi of Chaka, Chief of the Zulus, that ate us up,” she +answered. “They burst upon as at dawn this morning while we were asleep +in our huts. Yes, I woke up to hear the sound of killing. I was sleeping by my +husband, with him who lies there, and the children. We all ran out. My husband +had a spear and shield. He was a brave man. See! he died bravely: he killed +three of the Zulu devils before he himself was dead. Then they caught me, and +killed my children, and stabbed me till they thought that I was dead. +Afterwards, they went away. I don’t know why they came, but I think it +was because our chief would not send men to help Chaka against Zweete.” +</p> + +<p> +She stopped, gave a great cry, and died. +</p> + +<p> +My sister wept at the sight, and I too was stirred by it. “Ah!” I +thought to myself, “the Great Spirit must be evil. If he is not evil such +things would not happen.” That is how I thought then, my father; now I +think differently. I know that we had not found out the path of the Great +Spirit, that is all. I was a chicken in those days, my father; afterwards I got +used to such sights. They did not stir me any more, not one whit. But then in +the days of Chaka the rivers ran blood—yes, we had to look at the water +to see if it was clean before we drank. People learned how to die then and not +make a noise about it. What does it matter? They would have been dead now +anyway. It does not matter; nothing matters, except being born. That is a +mistake, my father. +</p> + +<p> +We stopped at the kraal that night, but we could not sleep, for we heard the +<i>Itongo</i>, the ghosts of the dead people, moving about and calling to each +other. It was natural that they should do so; men were looking for their wives, +and mothers for their children. But we were afraid that they might be angry +with us for being there, so we clung together and trembled in each +other’s arms. Koos also trembled, and from time to time he howled loudly. +But they did not seem to see us, and towards morning their cries grew fainter. +</p> + +<p> +When the first light came we rose and picked our way through the dead down to +the plain. Now we had an easy road to follow to Chaka’s kraal, for there +was the spoor of the impi and of the cattle which they had stolen, and +sometimes we came to the body of a warrior who had been killed because his +wounds prevented him from marching farther. But now I was doubtful whether it +was wise for us to go to Chaka, for after what we had seen I grew afraid lest +he should kill us. Still, we had nowhere to turn, so I said that we would walk +along till something happened. Now we grew faint with hunger and weariness, and +Baleka said that we had better sit down and die, for then there would be no +more trouble. So we sat down by a spring. But I did not wish to die yet, though +Baleka was right, and it would have been well to do so. As we sat, the dog Koos +went to a bush that was near, and presently I heard him spring at something and +the sound of struggling. I ran to the bush—he had caught hold of a duiker +buck, as big as himself, that was asleep in it. Then I drove my spear into the +buck and shouted for joy, for here was food. When the buck was dead I skinned +him, and we took bits of the flesh, washed them in the water, and ate them, for +we had no fire to cook them with. It is not nice to eat uncooked flesh, but we +were so hungry that we did not mind, and the food refreshed us. When we had +eaten what we could, we rose and washed ourselves at the spring; but, as we +washed, Baleka looked up and gave a cry of fear. For there, on the crest of the +hill, about ten spear-throws away, was a party of six armed men, people of my +own tribe—children of my father Makedama—who still pursued us to +take us or kill us. They saw us—they raised a shout, and began to run. We +too sprang up and ran—ran like bucks, for fear had touched our feet. +</p> + +<p> +Now the land lay thus. Before us the ground was open and sloped down to the +banks of the White Umfolozi, which twisted through the plain like a great and +shining snake. On the other side the ground rose again, and we did not know +what was beyond, but we thought that in this direction lay the kraal of Chaka. +We ran for the river—where else were we to run? And after us came the +warriors. They gained on us; they were strong, and they were angry because they +had come so far. Run as we would, still they gained. Now we neared the banks of +the river; it was full and wide. Above us the waters ran angrily, breaking into +swirls of white where they passed over sunken rocks; below was a rapid, in +which none might live; between the two a deep pool, where the water was quiet +but the stream strong. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah! my brother, what shall we do?” gasped Baleka. +</p> + +<p> +“There is this to choose,” I answered; “perish on the spears +of our people or try the river.” +</p> + +<p> +“Easier to die by water than on iron,” she answered. +</p> + +<p> +“Good!” I said. “Now may our snakes look towards us and the +spirits of our fathers be with us! At the least we can swim.” And I led +her to the head of the pool. We threw away our blankets—everything except +an assegai, which I held in my teeth—and we plunged in, wading as far as +we could. Now we were up to our breasts; now we had lost the earth and were +swimming towards the middle of the river, the dog Koos leading the way. +</p> + +<p> +Then it was that the soldiers appeared upon the bank. “Ah! little +people,” one cried, “you swim, do you? Well, you will drown; and if +you do not drown we know a ford, and we will catch you and kill you—yes! +if we must run over the edge of the world after you we will catch you.” +And he hurled an assegai after us, which fell between us like a flash of light. +</p> + +<p> +While he spoke we swam hard, and now we were in the current. It swept us +downwards, but still we made way, for we could swim well. It was just this: if +we could reach the bank before we were swept into the rapids we were safe; if +not, then—good-night! Now we were near the other side, but, alas! we were +also near the lip of the foaming water. We strained, we struggled. Baleka was a +brave girl, and she swam bravely; but the water pushed her down below me, and I +could do nothing to help her. I got my foot upon the rock and looked round. +There she was, and eight paces from her the broken water boiled. I could not go +back. I was too weak, and it seemed that she must perish. But the dog Koos saw. +He swam towards her, barking, then turned round, heading for the shore. She +grasped him by the tail with her right hand. Then he put out his +strength—he was very strong. She too struck out with her feet and left +hand, and slowly—very slowly—drew near. Then I stretched out the +handle of my assegai towards her. She caught it with her left hand. Already her +feet were over the brink of the rapids, but I pulled and Koos pulled, and we +brought her safe into the shallows, and from the shallows to the bank, and +there she fell gasping. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the soldiers on the other bank saw that we had crossed, they shouted +threats at us, then ran away down the bank. +</p> + +<p> +“Arise, Baleka!” I said: “they have gone to see a +ford.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, let me die!” she answered. +</p> + +<p> +But I forced her to rise, and after awhile she got her breath again, and we +walked on as fast as we could up the long rise. For two hours we walked, or +more, till at last we came to the crest of the rise, and there, far away, we +saw a large kraal. +</p> + +<p> +“Keep heart,” I said. “See, there is the kraal of +Chaka.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, brother,” she answered, “but what waits us there? Death +is behind us and before us—we are in the middle of death.” +</p> + +<p> +Presently we came to a path that ran to the kraal from the ford of the +Umfolozi. It was by it that the Impi had travelled. We followed the path till +at last we were but half an hour’s journey from the kraal. Then we looked +back, and lo! there behind us were the pursuers—five of them—one +had drowned in crossing the river. +</p> + +<p> +Again we ran, but now we were weak, and they gained upon us. Then once more I +thought of the dog. He was fierce and would tear any one on whom I set him. I +called him and told him what to do, though I knew that it would be his death. +He understood, and flew towards the soldiers growling, his hair standing up on +his spine. They tried to kill him with spears and kerries, but he jumped round +them, biting at them, and kept them back. At last a man hit him, and he sprang +up and seized the man by the throat. There he clung, man and dog rolling over +and over together, till the end of it was that they both died. Ah! he was a +dog! We do not see such dogs nowadays. His father was a Boer hound, the first +that came into the country. That dog once killed a leopard all by himself. +Well, this was the end of Koos! +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, we had been running. Now we were but three hundred paces from the +gate of the kraal, and there was something going on inside it; that we could +see from the noise and the dust. The four soldiers, leaving the dead dog and +the dying man, came after us swiftly. I saw that they must catch us before we +reached the gate, for now Baleka could go but slowly. Then a thought came into +my head. I had brought her here, I would save her life if I could. Should she +reach the kraal without me, Chaka would not kill a girl who was so young and +fair. +</p> + +<p> +“Run on, Baleka! run on!” I said, dropping behind. Now she was +almost blind with weariness and terror, and, not seeing my purpose, staggered +towards the gate of the kraal. But I sat down on the veldt to get my breath +again, for I was about to fight four men till I was killed. My heart beat and +the blood drummed in my ears, but when they drew near and I rose—the +assegai in my hand—once more the red cloth seemed to go up and down +before my eyes, and all fear left me. +</p> + +<p> +The men were running, two and two, with the length of a spear throw between +them. But of the first pair one was five or six paces in front of the other. +This man shouted out loud and charged me, shield and spear up. Now I had no +shield—nothing but the assegai; but I was crafty and he was overbold. On +he came. I stood waiting for him till he drew back the spear to stab me. Then +suddenly I dropped to my knees and thrust upward with all my strength, beneath +the rim of his shield, and he also thrust, but over me, his spear only cutting +the flesh of my shoulder—see! here is its scar; yes, to this day. And my +assegai? Ah! it went home; it ran through and through his middle. He rolled +over and over on the plain. The dust hid him; only I was now weaponless, for +the haft of my spear—it was but a light throwing assegai—broke in +two, leaving nothing but a little bit of stick in my hand. And the other one +was upon me. Then in the darkness I saw a light. I fell on to my hands and +knees and flung myself over sideways. My body struck the legs of the man who +was about to stab me, lifting his feet from beneath him. Down he came heavily. +Before he had touched the ground I was off it. His spear had fallen from his +hand. I stooped, seized it, and as he rose I stabbed him through the back. It +was all done in the shake of a leaf, my father; in the shake of a leaf he also +was dead. Then I ran, for I had no stomach for the other two; my valour was +gone. +</p> + +<p> +About a hundred paces from me Baleka was staggering along with her arms out +like one who has drunk too much beer. By the time I caught her she was some +forty paces from the gate of the kraal. But then her strength left her +altogether. Yes! there she fell senseless, and I stood by her. And there, too, +I should have been killed, had not this chanced, since the other two men, +having stayed one instant by their dead fellows, came on against me mad with +rage. For at that moment the gate of the kraal opened, and through it ran a +party of soldiers dragging a prisoner by the arms. After them walked a great +man, who wore a leopard skin on his shoulders, and was laughing, and with him +were five or six ringed councillors, and after them again came a company of +warriors. +</p> + +<p> +The soldiers saw that killing was going on, and ran up just as the slayers +reached us. +</p> + +<p> +“Who are you?” they cried, “who dare to kill at the gate of +the Elephant’s kraal? Here the Elephant kills alone.” +</p> + +<p> +“We are of the children of Makedama,” they answered, “and we +follow these evildoers who have done wickedness and murder in our kraal. See! +but now two of us are dead at their hands, and others lie dead along the road. +Suffer that we slay them.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ask that of the Elephant,” said the soldiers; “ask too that +he suffer you should not be slain.” +</p> + +<p> +Just then the tall chief saw blood and heard words. He stalked up; and he was a +great man to look at, though still quite young in years. For he was taller by a +head than any round him, and his chest was big as the chests of two; his face +was fierce and beautiful, and when he grew angry his eye flashed like a smitten +brand. +</p> + +<p> +“Who are these that dare to stir up dust at the gates of my kraal?” +he asked, frowning. +</p> + +<p> +“O Chaka, O Elephant!” answered the captain of the soldiers, +bending himself double before him, “the men say that these are evildoers +and that they pursue them to kill them.” +</p> + +<p> +“Good!” he answered. “Let them slay the evildoers.” +</p> + +<p> +“O great chief! thanks be to thee, great chief!” said those men of +my people who sought to kill us. +</p> + +<p> +“I hear you,” he answered, then spoke once more to the captain. +“And when they have slain the evildoers, let themselves be blinded and +turned loose to seek their way home, because they have dared to lift a spear +within the Zulu gates. Now praise on, my children!” And he laughed, while +the soldiers murmured, “<i>Ou!</i> he is wise, he is great, his justice +is bright and terrible like the sun!” +</p> + +<p> +But the two men of my people cried out in fear, for they did not seek such +justice as this. +</p> + +<p> +“Cut out their tongues also,” said Chaka. “What? shall the +land of the Zulus suffer such a noise? Never! lest the cattle miscarry. To it, +ye black ones! There lies the girl. She is asleep and helpless. Kill her! What? +you hesitate? Nay, then, if you will have time for thought, I give it. Take +these men, smear them with honey, and pin them over ant-heaps; by +to-morrow’s sun they will know their own minds. But first kill these two +hunted jackals,” and he pointed to Baleka and myself. “They seem +tired and doubtless they long for sleep.” +</p> + +<p> +Then for the first time I spoke, for the soldiers drew near to slay us. +</p> + +<p> +“O Chaka,” I cried, “I am Mopo, and this is my sister +Baleka.” +</p> + +<p> +I stopped, and a great shout of laughter went up from all who stood round. +</p> + +<p> +“Very well, Mopo and thy sister Baleka,” said Chaka, grimly. +“Good-morning to you, Mopo and Baleka—also, good-night!” +</p> + +<p> +“O Chaka,” I broke in, “I am Mopo, son of Makedama of the +Langeni tribe. It was I who gave thee a gourd of water many years ago, when we +were both little. Then thou badest me come to thee when thou hadst grown great, +vowing that thou wouldst protect me and never do me harm. So I have come, +bringing my sister with me; and now, I pray thee, do not eat up the words of +long ago.” +</p> + +<p> +As I spoke, Chaka’s face changed, and he listened earnestly, as a man who +holds his hand behind his ear. “Those are no liars,” he said. +“Welcome, Mopo! Thou shalt be a dog in my hut, and feed from my hand. But +of thy sister I said nothing. Why, then, should she not be slain when I swore +vengeance against all thy tribe, save thee alone?” +</p> + +<p> +“Because she is too fair to slay, O Chief!” I answered, boldly; +“also because I love her, and ask her life as a boon!” +</p> + +<p> +“Turn the girl over,” said Chaka. And they did so, showing her +face. +</p> + +<p> +“Again thou speakest no lie, son of Makedama,” said the chief. +“I grant thee the boon. She also shall lie in my hut, and be of the +number of my ‘sisters.’ Now tell me thy tale, speaking only the +truth.” +</p> + +<p> +So I sat down and told him all. Nor did he grow weary of listening. But, when I +had done, he said but one thing—that he would that the dog Koos had not +been killed; since, if he had still been alive, he would have set him on the +hut of my father Makedama, and made him chief over the Langeni. +</p> + +<p> +Then he spoke to the captain of the soldiers. “I take back my +words,” he said. “Let not these men of the Langeni be mutilated. +One shall die and the other shall go free. Here,” and he pointed to the +man whom we had seen led out of the kraal-gate, “here, Mopo, we have a +man who has proved himself a coward. Yesterday a kraal of wizards yonder was +eaten up by my order—perhaps you two saw it as you travelled. This man +and three others attacked a soldier of that kraal who defended his wife and +children. The man fought well—he slew three of my people. Then this dog +was afraid to meet him face to face. He killed him with a throwing assegai, and +afterwards he stabbed the woman. That is nothing; but he should have fought the +husband hand to hand. Now I will do him honour. He shall fight to the death +with one of these pigs from thy sty,” and he pointed with his spear to +the men of my father’s kraal, “and the one who survives shall be +run down as they tried to run you down. I will send back the other pig to the +sty with a message. Choose, children of Makedama, which of you will +live.” +</p> + +<p> +Now the two men of my tribe were brothers, and loved one another, and each of +them was willing to die that the other might go free. Therefore, both of them +stepped forward, saying that they would fight the Zulu. +</p> + +<p> +“What, is there honour among pigs?” said Chaka. “Then I will +settle it. See this assegai? I throw it into the air; if the blade falls +uppermost the tall man shall go free; if the shaft falls uppermost, then life +is to the short one, so!” And he sent the little spear whirling round and +round in the air. Every eye watched it as it wheeled and fell. The haft struck +the ground first. +</p> + +<p> +“Come hither, thou,” said Chaka to the tall brother. “Hasten +back to the kraal of Makedama, and say to him, Thus says Chaka, the Lion of the +Zulu-ka-Malandela, ‘Years ago thy tribe refused me milk. To-day the dog +of thy son Mopo howls upon the roof of thy hut.’ Begone!”<a +href="#fn-4.1" name="fnref-4.1" id="fnref-4.1"><sup>[1]</sup></a> +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-4.1" id="fn-4.1"></a> <a href="#fnref-4.1">[1]</a> Among the Zulus +it is a very bad omen for a dog to climb the roof of a hut. The saying conveyed +a threat to be appreciated by every Zulu.—ED. +</p> + +<p> +The man turned, shook his brother by the hand, and went, bearing the words of +evil omen. +</p> + +<p> +Then Chaka called to the Zulu and the last of those who had followed us to kill +us, bidding them fight. So, when they had praised the prince they fought +fiercely, and the end of it was that the man of my people conquered the Zulu. +But as soon as he had found his breath again he was set to run for his life, +and after him ran five chosen men. +</p> + +<p> +Still, it came about that he outran them, doubling like a hare, and got away +safely. Nor was Chaka angry at this; for I think that he bade the men who +hunted him to make speed slowly. There was only one good thing in the cruel +heart of Chaka, that he would always save the life of a brave man if he could +do so without making his word nothing. And for my part, I was glad to think +that the man of my people had conquered him who murdered the children of the +dying woman that we found at the kraal beyond the river. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap05"></a>CHAPTER V.<br /> +MOPO BECOMES THE KING’S DOCTOR</h2> + +<p> +These, then, my father, were the events that ended in the coming of me, Mopo, +and of my sister Baleka to the kraal of Chaka, the Lion of the Zulu. Now you +may ask why have I kept you so long with this tale, which is as are other tales +of our people. But that shall be seen, for from these matters, as a tree from a +seed, grew the birth of Umslopogaas Bulalio, Umslopogaas the Slaughterer, and +Nada the Beautiful, of whose love my story has to tell. For Nada was my +daughter, and Umslopogaas, though few knew it, was none other than the son of +Chaka, born of my sister Baleka. +</p> + +<p> +Now when Baleka recovered from the weariness of our flight, and had her beauty +again, Chaka took her to wife, numbering her among his women, whom he named his +“sisters.” And me Chaka took to be one of his doctors, of his +<i>izinyanga</i> of medicine, and he was so well pleased with my medicine that +in the end I became his head doctor. Now this was a great post, in which, +during the course of years, I grew fat in cattle and in wives; but also it was +one of much danger. For when I rose strong and well in the morning, I could +never know but that at night I should sleep stiff and red. Many were the +doctors whom Chaka slew; doctored they never so well, they were killed at last. +For a day would surely come when the king felt ill in his body or heavy in his +mind, and then to the assegai or the torment with the wizard who had doctored +him! Yet I escaped, because of the power of my medicine, and also because of +that oath which Chaka had sworn to me as a child. So it came about that where +the king went there I went with him. I slept near his hut, I sat behind him at +council, in the battle I was ever at his side. +</p> + +<p> +Ah! the battle! the battle! In those days we knew how to fight, my father! In +those days the vultures would follow our impis by thousands, the hyenas would +steal along our path in packs, and none went empty away. Never may I forget the +first fight I stood in at the side of Chaka. It was just after the king had +built his great kraal on the south bank of the Umhlatuze. Then it was that the +chief Zwide attacked his rival Chaka for the third time and Chaka moved out to +meet him with ten full regiments,<a href="#fn-5.1" name="fnref-5.1" id="fnref-5.1"><sup>[1]</sup></a> +now for the first time armed with the short stabbing-spear. +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-5.1" id="fn-5.1"></a> <a href="#fnref-5.1">[1]</a> About 30,000 +men.—ED. +</p> + +<p> +The ground lay thus: On a long, low hill in front of our impi were massed the +regiments of Zwide; there were seventeen of them; the earth was black with +their number; their plumes filled the air like snow. We, too, were on a hill, +and between us lay a valley down which there ran a little stream. All night our +fires shone out across the valley; all night the songs of soldiers echoed down +the hills. Then the grey dawning came, the oxen lowed to the light, the +regiments arose from their bed of spears; they sprang up and shook the dew from +hair and shield—yes! they arose! the glad to die! The impi assumed its +array regiment by regiment. There was the breast of spears, there were the +horns of spears, they were numberless as the stars, and like the stars they +shone. The morning breeze came up and fanned them, their plumes bent in the +breeze; like a plain of seeding grass they bent, the plumes of the soldiers +ripe for the assegai. Up over the shoulder of the hill came the sun of +Slaughter; it glowed red upon the red shields, red grew the place of killing; +the white plumes of the chiefs were dipped in the blood of heaven. They knew +it; they saw the omen of death, and, ah! they laughed in the joy of the waking +of battle. What was death? Was it not well to die on the spear? What was death? +Was it not well to die for the king? Death was the arms of Victory. Victory +would be their bride that night, and oh! her breast is fair. +</p> + +<p> +Hark! the war-song, the Ingomo, the music of which has the power to drive men +mad, rose far away to the left, and was thrown along from regiment to +regiment—a rolling ball of sound— +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +We are the king’s kine, bred to be butchered,<br /> + You, too, are one of us!<br /> +We are the Zulu, children of the Lion,<br /> + What! did you tremble? +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly Chaka was seen stalking through the ranks, followed by his captains, +his indunas, and by me. He walked along like a great buck; death was in his +eyes, and like a buck he sniffed the air, scenting the air of slaughter. He +lifted his assegai, and a silence fell; only the sound of chanting still rolled +along the hills. +</p> + +<p> +“Where are the children of Zwide?” he shouted, and his voice was +like the voice of a bull. +</p> + +<p> +“Yonder, father,” answered the regiments. And every spear pointed +across the valley. +</p> + +<p> +“They do not come,” he shouted again. “Shall we then sit here +till we grow old?” +</p> + +<p> +“No, father,” they answered. “Begin! begin!” +</p> + +<p> +“Let the Umkandhlu regiment come forward!” he shouted a third time, +and as he spoke the black shields of the Umkandhlu leaped from the ranks of the +impi. +</p> + +<p> +“Go, my children!” cried Chaka. “There is the foe. Go and +return no more!” +</p> + +<p> +“We hear you, father!” they answered with one voice, and moved down +the slope like a countless herd of game with horns of steel. +</p> + +<p> +Now they crossed the stream, and now Zwide awoke. A murmur went through his +companies; lines of light played above his spears. +</p> + +<p> +<i>Ou!</i> they are coming! <i>Ou!</i> they have met! Hearken to the thunder of +the shields! Hearken to the song of battle! +</p> + +<p> +To and fro they swing. The Umkandhlu gives way—it flies! They pour back +across the stream—half of them; the rest are dead. A howl of rage goes up +from the host, only Chaka smiles. +</p> + +<p> +“Open up! open up!” he cries. “Make room for the Umkandhlu +<i>girls!</i>” And with hanging heads they pass us. +</p> + +<p> +Now he whispers a word to the indunas. The indunas run; they whisper to Menziwa +the general and to the captains; then two regiments rush down the hill, two +more run to the right, and yet another two to the left. But Chaka stays on the +hill with the three that are left. Again comes the roar of the meeting shields. +Ah! these are men: they fight, they do not run. Regiment after regiment pours +upon them, but still they stand. They fall by hundreds and by thousands, but no +man shows his back, and on each man there lie two dead. <i>Wow!</i> my father, +of those two regiments not one escaped. They were but boys, but they were the +children of Chaka. Menziwa was buried beneath the heaps of his warriors. Now +there are no such men. +</p> + +<p> +They are all dead and quiet. Chaka still holds his hand! He looks to the north +and to the south. See! spears are shining among the trees. Now the horns of our +host close upon the flanks of the foe. They slay and are slain, but the men of +Zwide are many and brave, and the battle turns against us. +</p> + +<p> +Then again Chaka speaks a word. The captains hear, the soldiers stretch out +their necks to listen. +</p> + +<p> +It has come at last. “<i>Charge! Children of the Zulu!</i>” +</p> + +<p> +There is a roar, a thunder of feet, a flashing of spears, a bending of plumes, +and, like a river that has burst its banks, like storm-clouds before the gale, +we sweep down upon friend and foe. They form up to meet us; the stream is +passed; our wounded rise upon their haunches and wave us on. We trample them +down. What matter? They can fight no more. Then we meet Zwide rushing to greet +us, as bull meets bull. <i>Ou!</i> my father, I know no more. Everything grows +red. That fight! that fight! We swept them away. When it was done there was +nothing to be seen, but the hillside was black and red. Few fled; few were left +to fly. We passed over them like fire; we ate them up. Presently we paused, +looking for the foe. All were dead. The host of Zwide was no more. Then we +mustered. Ten regiments had looked upon the morning sun; three regiments saw +the sun sink; the rest had gone where no suns shine. +</p> + +<p> +Such were our battles in the days of Chaka! +</p> + +<p> +You ask of the Umkandhlu regiment which fled. I will tell you. When we reached +our kraal once more, Chaka summoned that regiment and mustered it. He spoke to +them gently, gently. He thanked them for their service. He said it was natural +that “<i>girls</i>” should faint at the sight of blood and turn to +seek their kraals. Yet he had bid them come back no more and they had come +back! What then was there now left for him to do? And he covered his face with +his blanket. Then the soldiers killed them all, nearly two thousand of +them—killed them with taunts and jeers. +</p> + +<p> +That is how we dealt with cowards in those days, my father. After that, one +Zulu was a match for five of any other tribe. If ten came against him, still he +did not turn his back. “Fight and fall, but fly not,” that was our +watchword. Never again while Chaka lived did a conquered force pass the gates +of the king’s kraal. +</p> + +<p> +That fight was but one war out of many. With every moon a fresh impi started to +wash its spears, and came back few and thin, but with victory and countless +cattle. Tribe after tribe went down before us. Those of them who escaped the +assegai were enrolled into fresh regiments, and thus, though men died by +thousands every month, yet the army grew. Soon there were no other chiefs left. +Umsuduka fell, and after him Mancengeza. Umzilikazi was driven north; Matiwane +was stamped flat. Then we poured into this land of Natal. When we entered, its +people could not be numbered. When we left, here and there a man might be found +in a hole in the earth—that was all. Men, women, and children, we wiped +them out; the land was clean of them. Next came the turn of U’Faku, chief +of the Amapondos. Ah! where is U’Faku now? +</p> + +<p> +And so it went on and on, till even the Zulus were weary of war and the +sharpest assegais grew blunt. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap06"></a>CHAPTER VI.<br /> +THE BIRTH OF UMSLOPOGAAS</h2> + +<p> +This was the rule of the life of Chaka, that he would have no children, though +he had many wives. Every child born to him by his “sisters” was put +away at once. +</p> + +<p> +“What, Mopo,” he said to me, “shall I rear up children to put +me to the assegai when they grow great? They call me tyrant. Say, how do those +chiefs die whom men name tyrants? They die at the hands of those whom they have +bred. Nay, Mopo, I will rule for my life, and when I join the spirits of my +fathers let the strongest take my power and my place!” +</p> + +<p> +Now it chanced that shortly after Chaka had spoken thus, my sister Baleka, the +king’s wife, fell in labour; and on that same day my wife Macropha was +brought to bed of twins, and this but eight days after my second wife, Anadi, +had given birth to a son. You ask, my father, how I came to be married, seeing +that Chaka forbade marriage to all his soldiers till they were in middle life +and had put the man’s ring upon their heads. It was a boon he granted me +as <i>inyanga</i> of medicine, saying it was well that a doctor should know the +sicknesses of women and learn how to cure their evil tempers. As though, my +father, that were possible! +</p> + +<p> +When the king heard that Baleka was sick he did not kill her outright, because +he loved her a little, but he sent for me, commanding me to attend her, and +when the child was born to cause its body to be brought to him, according to +custom, so that he might be sure that it was dead. I bent to the earth before +him, and went to do his bidding with a heavy heart, for was not Baleka my +sister? and would not her child be of my own blood? Still, it must be so, for +Chaka’s whisper was as the shout of other kings, and, if we dared to +disobey, then our lives and the lives of all in our kraals would answer for it. +Better that an infant should die than that we should become food for jackals. +Presently I came to the <i>Emposeni</i>, the place of the king’s wives, +and declared the king’s word to the soldiers on guard. They lowered their +assegais and let me pass, and I entered the hut of Baleka. In it were others of +the king’s wives, but when they saw me they rose and went away, for it +was not lawful that they should stay where I was. Thus I was left alone with my +sister. +</p> + +<p> +For awhile she lay silent, and I did not speak, though I saw by the heaving of +her breast that she was weeping. +</p> + +<p> +“Hush, little one!” I said at length; “your sorrow will soon +be done.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” she answered, lifting her head, “it will be but begun. +Oh, cruel man! I know the reason of your coming. You come to murder the babe +that shall be born of me.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is the king’s word, woman.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is the king’s word, and what is the king’s word? Have I, +then, naught to say in this matter?” +</p> + +<p> +“It is the king’s child, woman.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is the king’s child, and it is not also my child? Must my babe +be dragged from my breast and be strangled, and by you, Mopo? Have I not loved +you, Mopo? Did I not flee with you from our people and the vengeance of our +father? Do you know that not two moons gone the king was wroth with you because +he fell sick, and would have caused you to be slain had I not pleaded for you +and called his oath to mind? And thus you pay me: you come to kill my child, my +first-born child!” +</p> + +<p> +“It is the king’s word, woman,” I answered sternly; but my +heart was split in two within me. +</p> + +<p> +Then Baleka said no more, but, turning her face to the wall of the hut, she +wept and groaned bitterly. +</p> + +<p> +Now, as she wept I heard a stir without the hut, and the light in the doorway +was darkened. A woman entered alone. I looked round to see who it was, then +fell upon the ground in salutation, for before me was Unandi, mother of the +king, who was named “Mother of the Heavens,” that same lady to whom +my mother had refused the milk. +</p> + +<p> +“Hail, Mother of the Heavens!” I said. +</p> + +<p> +“Greeting, Mopo,” she answered. “Say, why does Baleka weep? +Is it because the sorrow of women is upon her?” +</p> + +<p> +“Ask of her, great chieftainess,” I said. +</p> + +<p> +Then Baleka spoke: “I weep, mother of a king, because this man, who is my +brother, has come from him who is my lord and thy son, to murder that which +shall be born of me. O thou whose breasts have given suck, plead for me! Thy +son was not slain at birth.” +</p> + +<p> +“Perhaps it were well if he had been so slain, Baleka,” said +Unandi; “then had many another man lived to look upon the sun who is now +dead.” +</p> + +<p> +“At the least, as an infant he was good and gentle, and thou mightest +love him, Mother of the Zulu.” +</p> + +<p> +“Never, Baleka! As a babe he bit my breast and tore my hair; as the man +is so was the babe.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yet may his child be otherwise, Mother of the Heavens! Think, thou hast +no grandson to comfort thee in thy age. Wilt thou, then, see all thy stock +wither? The king, our lord, lives in war. He too may die, and what then?” +</p> + +<p> +“Then the root of Senzangacona is still green. Has the king no +brothers?” +</p> + +<p> +“They are not of thy flesh, mother. What? thou dost not hearken! Then as +a woman to woman I plead with thee. Save my child or slay me with my +child!” +</p> + +<p> +Now the heart of Unandi grew gentle, and she was moved to tears. +</p> + +<p> +“How may this be done, Mopo?” she said. “The king must see +the dead infant, and if he suspect, and even reeds have ears, you know the +heart of Chaka and where we shall lie to-morrow.” +</p> + +<p> +“Are there then no other new-born babes in Zululand?” said Baleka, +sitting up and speaking in a whisper like the hiss of a snake. “Listen, +Mopo! Is not your wife also in labour? Now hear me, Mother of the Heavens, and, +my brother, hear me also. Do not think to play with me in this matter. I will +save my child or you twain will perish with it. For I will tell the king that +you came to me, the two of you, and whispered plots into my ear—plots to +save the child and kill the king. Now choose, and swiftly!” +</p> + +<p> +She sank bank, there was silence, and we looked one upon another. Then Unandi +spoke. +</p> + +<p> +“Give me your hand, Mopo, and swear that you will be faithful to me in +this secret, as I swear to you. A day may come when this child who has not seen +the light rules as king in Zululand, and then in reward you shall be the +greatest of the people, the king’s voice, whisperer in the king’s +ear. But if you break your oath, then beware, for I shall not die alone!” +</p> + +<p> +“I swear, Mother of the Heavens,” I answered. +</p> + +<p> +“It is well, son of Makedama.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is well, my brother,” said Baleka. “Now go and do that +which must be done swiftly, for my sorrow is upon me. Go, knowing that if you +fail I will be pitiless, for I will bring you to your death, yes, even if my +own death is the price!” +</p> + +<p> +So I went. “Whither do you go?” asked the guard at the gate. +</p> + +<p> +“I go to bring my medicines, men of the king,” I answered. +</p> + +<p> +So I said; but, oh! my heart was heavy, and this was my plan—to fly far +from Zululand. I could not, and I dared not do this thing. What? should I kill +my own child that its life might be given for the life of the babe of Baleka? +And should I lift up my will against the will of the king, saving the child to +look upon the sun which he had doomed to darkness? Nay, I would fly, leaving +all, and seek out some far tribe where I might begin to live again. Here I +could not live; here in the shadow of Chaka was nothing but death. +</p> + +<p> +I reached my own huts, there to find that my wife Macropha was delivered of +twins. I sent away all in the hut except my other wife, Anadi, she who eight +days gone had borne me a son. The second of the twins was born; it was a boy, +born dead. The first was a girl, she who lived to be Nada the Beautiful, Nada +the Lily. Then a thought came into my heart. Here was a path to run on. +</p> + +<p> +“Give me the boy,” I said to Anadi. “He is not dead. Give him +to me that I may take him outside the kraal and wake him to life by my +medicine.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is of no use—the child is dead,” said Anadi. +</p> + +<p> +“Give him to me, woman!” I said fiercely. And she gave me the body. +</p> + +<p> +Then I took him and wrapped him up in my bundle of medicines, and outside of +all I rolled a mat of plaited grass. +</p> + +<p> +“Suffer none to enter the hut till I return,” I said; “and +speak no word of the child that seems to be dead. If you allow any to enter, or +if you speak a word, then my medicine will not work and the babe will be dead +indeed.” +</p> + +<p> +So I went, leaving the women wondering, for it is not our custom to save both +when twins are born; but I ran swiftly to the gates of the <i>Emposeni</i>. +</p> + +<p> +“I bring the medicines, men of the king!” I said to the guards. +</p> + +<p> +“Pass in,” they answered. +</p> + +<p> +I passed through the gates and into the hut of Baleka. Unandi was alone in the +hut with my sister. +</p> + +<p> +“The child is born,” said the mother of the king. “Look at +him, Mopo, son of Makedama!” +</p> + +<p> +I looked. He was a great child with large black eyes like the eyes of Chaka the +king; and Unandi, too, looked at me. “Where is it?” she whispered. +</p> + +<p> +I loosed the mat and drew the dead child from the medicines, glancing round +fearfully as I did so. +</p> + +<p> +“Give me the living babe,” I whispered back. +</p> + +<p> +They gave it to me and I took of a drug that I knew and rubbed it on the tongue +of the child. Now this drug has the power to make the tongue it touches dumb +for awhile. Then I wrapped up the child in my medicines and again bound the mat +about the bundle. But round the throat of the still-born babe I tied a string +of fibre as though I had strangled it, and wrapped it loosely in a piece of +matting. +</p> + +<p> +Now for the first time I spoke to Baleka: “Woman,” I said, +“and thou also, Mother of the Heavens, I have done your wish, but know +that before all is finished this deed shall bring about the death of many. Be +secret as the grave, for the grave yawns for you both.” +</p> + +<p> +I went again, bearing the mat containing the dead child in my right hand. But +the bundle of medicines that held the living one I fastened across my +shoulders. I passed out of the <i>Emposeni</i>, and, as I went, I held up the +bundle in my right hand to the guards, showing them that which was in it, but +saying nothing. +</p> + +<p> +“It is good,” they said, nodding. +</p> + +<p> +But now ill-fortune found me, for just outside the <i>Emposeni</i> I met three +of the king’s messengers. +</p> + +<p> +“Greeting, son of Makedama!” they said. “The king summons you +to the <i>Intunkulu</i>”—that is the royal house, my father. +</p> + +<p> +“Good!” I answered. “I will come now; but first I would run +to my own place to see how it goes with Macropha, my wife. Here is that which +the king seeks,” and I showed them the dead child. “Take it to him +if you will.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is not the king’s command, Mopo,” they answered. +“His word is that you should stand before him at once.” +</p> + +<p> +Now my heart turned to water in my breast. Kings have many ears. Could he have +heard? And how dared I go before the Lion bearing his living child hidden on my +back? Yet to waver was to be lost, to show fear was to be lost, to disobey was +to be lost. +</p> + +<p> +“Good! I come,” I answered. And we walked to the gate of the +<i>Intunkulu</i>. +</p> + +<p> +It was sundown. Chaka was sitting in the little courtyard in front of his hut. +I went down on my knees before him and gave the royal salute, <i>Bayéte</i>, +and so I stayed. +</p> + +<p> +“Rise, son of Makedama!” he said. +</p> + +<p> +“I cannot rise, Lion of the Zulu,” I answered, “I cannot +rise, having royal blood on my hands, till the king has pardoned me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Where is it?” he asked. +</p> + +<p> +I pointed to the mat in my hand. +</p> + +<p> +“Let me look at it.” +</p> + +<p> +Then I undid the mat, and he looked on the child, and laughed aloud. +</p> + +<p> +“He might have been a king,” he said, as he bade a councillor take +it away. “Mopo, thou hast slain one who might have been a king. Art thou +not afraid?” +</p> + +<p> +“No, Black One,” I answered, “the child is killed by order of +one who is a king.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sit down, and let us talk,” said Chaka, for his mood was idle. +“To-morrow thou shalt have five oxen for this deed; thou shalt choose +them from the royal herd.” +</p> + +<p> +“The king is good; he sees that my belt is drawn tight; he satisfies my +hunger. Will the king suffer that I go? My wife is in labour and I would visit +her.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, stay awhile; say how it is with Baleka, my sister and thine?” +</p> + +<p> +“It is well.” +</p> + +<p> +“Did she weep when you took the babe from her?” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, she wept not. She said, ‘My lord’s will is my +will.’” +</p> + +<p> +“Good! Had she wept she had been slain also. Who was with her?” +</p> + +<p> +“The Mother of the Heavens.” +</p> + +<p> +The brow of Chaka darkened. “Unandi, my mother, what did she there? By +myself I swear, though she is my mother—if I thought”—and he +ceased. +</p> + +<p> +There was a silence, then he spoke again. “Say, what is in that +mat?” and he pointed with his little assegai at the bundle on my +shoulders. +</p> + +<p> +“Medicine, king.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou dost carry enough to doctor an impi. Undo the mat and let me look +at it.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now, my father, I tell you that the marrow melted in my bones with +terror, for if I undid the mat I feared he must see the child and +then—” +</p> + +<p> +“It is <i>tagati</i>, it is bewitched, O king. It is not wise to look on +medicine.” +</p> + +<p> +“Open!” he answered angrily. “What? may I not look at that +which I am forced to swallow—I, who am the first of doctors?” +</p> + +<p> +“Death is the king’s medicine,” I answered, lifting the +bundle, and laying it as far from him in the shadow of the fence as I dared. +Then I bent over it, slowly undoing the rimpis with which it was tied, while +the sweat of terror ran down my face blinding me like tears. What would I do if +he saw the child? What if the child awoke and cried? I would snatch the assegai +from his hand and stab him! Yes, I would kill the king and then kill myself! +Now the mat was unrolled. Inside were the brown leaves and roots of medicine; +beneath them was the senseless babe wrapped in dead moss. +</p> + +<p> +“Ugly stuff,” said the king, taking snuff. “Now see, Mopo, +what a good aim I have! This for thy medicine!” And he lifted his assegai +to throw it through the bundle. But as he threw, my snake put it into the +king’s heart to sneeze, and thus it came to pass that the assegai only +pierced the outer leaves of the medicine, and did not touch the child. +</p> + +<p> +“May the heavens bless the king!” I said, according to custom. +</p> + +<p> +“Thanks to thee, Mopo, it is a good omen,” he answered. “And +now, begone! Take my advice: kill thy children, as I kill mine, lest they live +to worry thee. The whelps of lions are best drowned.” +</p> + +<p> +I did up the bundle fast—fast, though my hands trembled. Oh! what if the +child should wake and cry. It was done; I rose and saluted the king. Then I +doubled myself up and passed from before him. Scarcely was I outside the gates +of the <i>Intunkulu</i> when the infant began to squeak in the bundle. If it +had been one minute before! +</p> + +<p> +“What,” said a soldier, as I passed, “have you got a puppy +hidden under your moocha,<a href="#fn-6.1" name="fnref-6.1" id="fnref-6.1"><sup>[1]</sup></a> +Mopo?” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-6.1" id="fn-6.1"></a> <a href="#fnref-6.1">[1]</a> Girdle composed +of skin and tails of oxen.-ED. +</p> + +<p> +I made no answer, but hurried on till I came to my huts. I entered; there were +my two wives alone. +</p> + +<p> +“I have recovered the child, women,” I said, as I undid the bundle. +</p> + +<p> +Anadi took him and looked at him. +</p> + +<p> +“The boy seems bigger than he was,” she said. +</p> + +<p> +“The breath of life has come into him and puffed him out,” I +answered. +</p> + +<p> +“His eyes are not as his eyes were,” she said again. “Now +they are big and black, like the eyes of the king.” +</p> + +<p> +“My spirit looked upon his eyes and made them beautiful,” I +answered. +</p> + +<p> +“This child has a birth-mark on his thigh,” she said a third time. +“That which I gave you had no mark.” +</p> + +<p> +“I laid my medicine there,” I answered. +</p> + +<p> +“It is not the same child,” she said sullenly. “It is a +changeling who will lay ill-luck at our doors.” +</p> + +<p> +Then I rose up in my rage and cursed her heavily, for I saw that if she was not +stopped this woman’s tongue would bring us all to ruin. +</p> + +<p> +“Peace, witch!” I cried. “How dare you to speak thus from a +lying heart? Do you wish to draw down a curse upon our roof? Would you make us +all food for the king’s spear? Say such words again, and you shall sit +within the circle—the <i>Ingomboco</i> shall know you for a witch!” +</p> + +<p> +So I stormed on, threatening to bring her to death, till at length she grew +fearful, and fell at my feet praying for mercy and forgiveness. But I was much +afraid because of this woman’s tongue, and not without reason. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap07"></a>CHAPTER VII.<br /> +UMSLOPOGAAS ANSWERS THE KING</h2> + +<p> +Now the years went on, and this matter slept. Nothing more was heard of it, but +still it only slept; and, my father, I feared greatly for the hour when it +should awake. For the secret was known by two women—Unandi, Mother of the +Heavens, and Baleka, my sister, wife of the king; and by two +more—Macropha and Anadi, my wives—it was guessed at. How, then, +should it remain a secret forever? Moreover, it came about that Unandi and +Baleka could not restrain their fondness for this child who was called my son +and named Umslopogaas, but who was the son of Chaka, the king, and of Baleka, +and the grandson of Unandi. So it happened that very often one or the other of +them would come into my hut, making pretence to visit my wives, and take the +boy upon her lap and fondle it. In vain did I pray them to forbear. Love pulled +at their heart-strings more heavily than my words, and still they came. This +was the end of it—that Chaka saw the child sitting on the knee of Unandi, +his mother. +</p> + +<p> +“What does my mother with that brat of thine, Mopo?” he asked of +me. “Cannot she kiss me, if she will find a child to kiss?” And he +laughed like a wolf. +</p> + +<p> +I said that I did not know, and the matter passed over for awhile. But after +that Chaka caused his mother to be watched. Now the boy Umslopogaas grew great +and strong; there was no such lad of his years for a day’s journey round. +But from a babe he was somewhat surly, of few words, and like his father, +Chaka, afraid of nothing. In all the world there were but two people whom he +loved—these were I, Mopo, who was called his father, and Nada, she who +was said to be his twin sister. +</p> + +<p> +Now it must be told of Nada that as the boy Umslopogaas was the strongest and +bravest of children, so the girl Nada was the gentlest and most fair. Of a +truth, my father, I believe that her blood was not all Zulu, though this I +cannot say for certain. At the least, her eyes were softer and larger than +those of our people, her hair longer and less tightly curled, and her skin was +lighter—more of the colour of pure copper. These things she had from her +mother, Macropha; though she was fairer than Macropha—fairer, indeed, +than any woman of my people whom I have seen. Her mother, Macropha, my wife, +was of Swazi blood, and was brought to the king’s kraal with other +captives after a raid, and given to me as a wife by the king. It was said that +she was the daughter of a Swazi headman of the tribe of the Halakazi, and that +she was born of his wife is true, but whether he was her father I do not know; +for I have heard from the lips of Macropha herself, that before she was born +there was a white man staying at her father’s kraal. He was a Portuguese +from the coast, a handsome man, and skilled in the working of iron. This white +man loved the mother of my wife, Macropha, and some held that Macropha was his +daughter, and not that of the Swazi headman. At least I know this, that before +my wife’s birth the Swazi killed the white man. But none can tell the +truth of these matters, and I only speak of them because the beauty of Nada was +rather as is the beauty of the white people than of ours, and this might well +happen if her grandfather chanced to be a white man. +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas and Nada were always together. Together they ate, together they +slept and wandered; they thought one thought and spoke with one tongue. +<i>Ou!</i> it was pretty to see them! Twice while they were still children did +Umslopogaas save the life of Nada. +</p> + +<p> +The first time it came about thus. The two children had wandered far from the +kraal, seeking certain berries that little ones love. On they wandered and on, +singing as they went, till at length they found the berries, and ate heartily. +Then it was near sundown, and when they had eaten they fell asleep. In the +night they woke to find a great wind blowing and a cold rain falling on them, +for it was the beginning of winter, when fruits are ripe. +</p> + +<p> +“Up, Nada!” said Umslopogaas, “we must seek the kraal or the +cold will kill us.” +</p> + +<p> +So Nada rose, frightened, and hand in hand they stumbled through the darkness. +But in the wind and the night they lost their path, and when at length the dawn +came they were in a forest that was strange to them. They rested awhile, and +finding berries ate them, then walked again. All that day they wandered, till +at last the night came down, and they plucked branches of trees and piled the +branches over them for warmth, and they were so weary that they fell asleep in +each other’s arms. At dawn they rose, but now they were very tired and +berries were few, so that by midday they were spent. Then they lay down on the +side of a steep hill, and Nada laid her head upon the breast of Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +“Here let us die, my brother,” she said. +</p> + +<p> +But even then the boy had a great spirit, and he answered, “Time to die, +sister, when Death chooses us. See, now! Do you rest here, and I will climb the +hill and look across the forest.” +</p> + +<p> +So he left her and climbed the hill, and on its side he found many berries and +a root that is good for food, and filled himself with them. At length he came +to the crest of the hill and looked out across the sea of green. Lo! there, far +away to the east, he saw a line of white that lay like smoke against the black +surface of a cliff, and knew it for the waterfall beyond the royal town. Then +he came down the hill, shouting for joy and bearing roots and berries in his +hand. But when he reached the spot where Nada was, he found that her senses had +left her through hunger, cold, and weariness. She lay upon the ground like one +asleep, and over her stood a jackal that fled as he drew nigh. Now it would +seem that there were but two shoots to the stick of Umslopogaas. One was to +save himself, and the other to lie down and die by Nada. Yet he found a third, +for, undoing the strips of his moocha, he made ropes of them, and with the +ropes he bound Nada on his back and started for the king’s kraal. He +could never have reached it, for the way was long, yet at evening some +messengers running through the forest came upon a naked lad with a girl bound +to his back and a staff in his hand, who staggered along slowly with starting +eyes and foam upon his lips. He could not speak, he was so weary, and the ropes +had cut through the skin of his shoulders; yet one of the messengers knew him +for Umslopogaas, the son of Mopo, and they bore him to the kraal. They would +have left the girl Nada, thinking her dead, but he pointed to her breast, and, +feeling it, they found that her heart still beat, so they brought her also; and +the end of it was that both recovered and loved each other more than ever +before. +</p> + +<p> +Now after this, I, Mopo, bade Umslopogaas stay at home within the kraal, and +not lead his sister to the wilds. But the boy loved roaming like a fox, and +where he went there Nada followed. So it came about that one day they slipped +from the kraal when the gates were open, and sought out a certain deep glen +which had an evil name, for it was said that spirits haunted it and put those +to death who entered there. Whether this was true I do not know, but I know +that in the glen dwelt a certain woman of the woods, who had her habitation in +a cave and lived upon what she could kill or steal or dig up with her hands. +Now this woman was mad. For it had chanced that her husband had been +“smelt out” by the witch-doctors as a worker of magic against the +king, and slain. Then Chaka, according to custom, despatched the slayers to eat +up his kraal, and they came to the kraal and killed his people. Last of all +they killed his children, three young girls, and would have assegaied their +mother, when suddenly a spirit entered into her at the sight, and she went mad, +so that they let her go, being afraid to touch her afterwards. So she fled and +took up her abode in the haunted glen; and this was the nature of her madness, +that whenever she saw children, and more especially girl children, a longing +came upon her to kill them as her own had been killed. This, indeed, she did +often, for when the moon was full and her madness at its highest, she would +travel far to find children, snatching them away from the kraals like a hyena. +Still, none would touch her because of the spirit in her, not even those whose +children she had murdered. +</p> + +<p> +So Umslopogaas and Nada came to the glen where the child-slayer lived, and sat +down by a pool of water not far from the mouth of her cave, weaving flowers +into a garland. Presently Umslopogaas left Nada, to search for rock lilies +which she loved. As he went he called back to her, and his voice awoke the +woman who was sleeping in her cave, for she came out by night only, like a +jackal. Then the woman stepped forth, smelling blood and having a spear in her +hand. Presently she saw Nada seated upon the grass weaving flowers, and crept +towards her to kill her. Now as she came—so the child told +me—suddenly a cold wind seemed to breathe upon Nada, and fear took hold +of her, though she did not see the woman who would murder her. She let fall the +flowers, and looked before her into the pool, and there, mirrored in the pool, +she saw the greedy face of the child-slayer, who crept down upon her from +above, her hair hanging about her brow and her eyes shining like the eyes of a +lion. +</p> + +<p> +Then with a cry Nada sprang up and fled along the path which Umslopogaas had +taken, and after her leapt and ran the mad woman. Umslopogaas heard her cry. He +turned and rushed back over the brow of the hill, and, lo! there before him was +the murderess. Already she had grasped Nada by the hair, already her spear was +lifted to pierce her. Umslopogaas had no spear, he had nothing but a little +stick without a knob; yet with it he rushed at the mad woman and struck her so +smartly on the arm that she let go of the girl and turned on him with a yell. +Then, lifting her spear, she struck at him, but he leapt aside. Again she +struck; but he sprang into the air, and the spear passed beneath him. A third +time the woman struck, and, though he fell to earth to avoid the blow, yet the +assegai pierced his shoulder. But the weight of his body as he fell twisted it +from her hand, and before she could grasp him he was up, and beyond her reach, +the spear still fast in his shoulder. +</p> + +<p> +Then the woman turned, screaming with rage and madness, and ran at Nada to kill +her with her hands. But Umslopogaas set his teeth, and, drawing the spear from +his wound, charged her, shouting. She lifted a great stone and hurled it at +him—so hard that it flew into fragments against another stone which it +struck; yet he charged on, and smote at her so truly that he drove the spear +through her, and she fell down dead. After that Nada bound up his wound, which +was deep, and with much pain he reached the king’s kraal and told me this +story. +</p> + +<p> +Now there were some who cried that the boy must be put to death, because he had +killed one possessed with a spirit. But I said no, he should not be touched. He +had killed the woman in defence of his own life and the life of his sister; and +every one had a right to slay in self-defence, except as against the king or +those who did the king’s bidding. Moreover, I said, if the woman had a +spirit, it was an evil one, for no good spirit would ask the lives of children, +but rather those of cattle, for it is against our custom to sacrifice human +beings to the <i>Amatonga</i> even in war, though the Basuta dogs do so. Still, +the tumult grew, for the witch-doctors were set upon the boy’s death, +saying that evil would come of it if he was allowed to live, having killed one +inspired, and at last the matter came to the ears of the king. Then Chaka +summoned me and the boy before him, and he also summoned the witch-doctors. +</p> + +<p> +First, the witch-doctors set out their case, demanding the death of +Umslopogaas. Chaka asked them what would happen if the boy was not killed. They +answered that the spirit of the dead woman would lead him to bring evil on the +royal house. Chaka asked if he would bring evil on him, the king. They in turn +asked the spirits, and answered no, not on him, but on one of the royal house +who should be after him. Chaka said that he cared nothing what happened to +those who came after him, or whether good or evil befell them. Then he spoke to +Umslopogaas, who looked him boldly in the face, as an equal looks at an equal. +</p> + +<p> +“Boy,” he said, “what hast thou to say as to why thou +shouldst not be killed as these men demand?” +</p> + +<p> +“This, Black One,” answered Umslopogaas; “that I stabbed the +woman in defence of my own life.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is nothing,” said Chaka. “If I, the king, wished to +kill thee, mightest thou therefore kill me or those whom I sent? The +<i>Itongo</i> in the woman was a Spirit King and ordered her to kill thee; thou +shouldst then have let thyself be killed. Hast thou no other reason?” +</p> + +<p> +“This, Elephant,” answered Umslopogaas; “the woman would have +murdered my sister, whom I love better than my life.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is nothing,” said Chaka. “If I ordered thee to be +killed for any cause, should I not also order all within thy gates to be killed +with thee? May not, then, a Spirit King do likewise? If thou hast nothing more +to say thou must die.” +</p> + +<p> +Now I grew afraid, for I feared lest Chaka should slay him who was called my +son because of the word of the doctors. But the boy Umslopogaas looked up and +answered boldly, not as one who pleads for his life, but as one who demands a +right:— +</p> + +<p> +“I have this to say, Eater-up of Enemies, and if it is not enough, let us +stop talking, and let me be killed. Thou, O king, didst command that this woman +should be slain. Those whom thou didst send to destroy her spared her, because +they thought her mad. I have carried out the commandment of the king; I have +slain her, mad or sane, whom the king commanded should be killed, and I have +earned not death, but a reward.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well said, Umslopogaas!” answered Chaka. “Let ten head of +cattle be given to this boy with the heart of a man; his father shall guard +them for him. Art thou satisfied now, Umslopogaas?” +</p> + +<p> +“I take that which is due to me, and I thank the king because he need not +pay unless he will,” Umslopogaas answered. +</p> + +<p> +Chaka stared awhile, began to grow angry, then burst out laughing. +</p> + +<p> +“Why, this calf is such another one as was dropped long ago in the kraal +of Senzangacona!” he said. “As I was, so is this boy. Go on, lad, +in that path, and thou mayst find those who shall cry the royal salute of +<i>Bayéte</i> to thee at the end of it. Only keep out of my way, for two of a +kind might not agree. Now begone!” +</p> + +<p> +So we went out, but as we passed them I saw the doctors muttering together, for +they were ill-pleased and foreboded evil. Also they were jealous of me, and +wished to smite me through the heart of him who was called my son. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap08"></a>CHAPTER VIII.<br /> +THE GREAT INGOMBOCO</h2> + +<p> +After this there was quiet until the Feast of the First-fruits was ended. But +few people were killed at this feast, though there was a great +<i>Ingomboco</i>, or witch-hunt, and many were smelt out by the witch-doctors +as working magic against the king. Now things had come to this pass in +Zululand—that the whole people cowered before the witch-doctors. No man +might sleep safe, for none knew but that on the morrow he would be touched by +the wand of an <i>Isanusi</i>, as we name a finder of witches, and led away to +his death. For awhile Chaka said nothing, and so long as the doctors smelt out +those only whom he wished to get rid of—and they were many—he was +well pleased. But when they began to work for their own ends, and to do those +to death whom he did not desire to kill, he grew angry. Yet the custom of the +land was that he whom the witch-doctor touched must die, he and all his house; +therefore the king was in a cleft stick, for he scarcely dared to save even +those whom he loved. One night I came to doctor him, for he was sick in his +mind. On that very day there had been an <i>Ingomboco</i>, and five of the +bravest captains of the army had been smelt out by the <i>Abangoma</i>, the +witch-finders, together with many others. All had been destroyed, and men had +been sent to kill the wives and children of the dead. Now Chaka was very angry +at this slaying, and opened his heart to me. +</p> + +<p> +“The witch-doctors rule in Zululand, and not I, Mopo, son of +Makedama,” he said to me. “Where, then, is it to end? Shall I +myself be smelt out and slain? These <i>Isanusis</i> are too strong for me; +they lie upon the land like the shadow of night. Tell me, how may I be free of +them?” +</p> + +<p> +“Those who walk the Bridge of Spears, O king, fall off into +Nowhere,” I answered darkly; “even witch-doctors cannot keep a +footing on that bridge. Has not a witch-doctor a heart that can cease to beat? +Has he not blood that can be made to flow?” +</p> + +<p> +Chaka looked at me strangely. “Thou art a bold man who darest to speak +thus to me, Mopo,” he said. “Dost thou not know that it is +sacrilege to touch an <i>Isanusi?</i>” +</p> + +<p> +“I speak that which is in the king’s mind,” I answered. +“Hearken, O king! It is indeed sacrilege to touch a true <i>Isanusi</i>, +but what if the <i>Isanusi</i> be a liar? What if he smell out falsely, +bringing those to death who are innocent of evil? Is it then sacrilege to bring +him to that end which he has given to many another? Say, O king!” +</p> + +<p> +“Good words!” answered Chaka. “Now tell me, son of Makedama, +how may this matter be put to proof?” +</p> + +<p> +Then I leaned forward, whispering into the ear of the Black One, and he nodded +heavily. +</p> + +<p> +Thus I spoke then, because I, too, saw the evil of the <i>Isanusis</i>, I who +knew their secrets. Also, I feared for my own life and for the lives of all +those who were dear to me. For they hated me as one instructed in their magic, +one who had the seeing eye and the hearing ear. +</p> + +<p> +One morning thereafter a new thing came to pass in the royal kraal, for the +king himself ran out, crying aloud to all people to come and see the evil that +had been worked upon him by a wizard. They came together and saw this. On the +door-posts of the gateway of the <i>Intunkulu</i>, the house of the king, were +great smears of blood. The knees of men strong in the battle trembled when they +saw it; women wailed aloud as they wail over the dead; they wailed because of +the horror of the omen. +</p> + +<p> +“Who has done this thing?” cried Chaka in a terrible voice. +“Who has dared to bewitch the king and to strike blood upon his +house?” +</p> + +<p> +There was no answer, and Chaka spoke again. “This is no little +matter,” he said, “to be washed away with the blood of one or two +and be forgotten. The man who wrought it shall not die alone or travel with a +few to the world of spirits. All his tribe shall go with him, down to the baby +in his hut and cattle in his kraal! Let messengers go out east and west, and +north and south, and summon the witch-doctors from every quarter! Let them +summon the captains from every regiment and the headmen from every kraal! On +the tenth day from now the circle of the <i>Ingomboco</i> must be set, and +there shall be such a smelling out of wizards and of witches as has not been +known in Zululand!” +</p> + +<p> +So the messengers went out to do the bidding of the king, taking the names of +those who should be summoned from the lips of the indunas, and day by day +people flocked up to the gates of the royal kraal, and, creeping on their knees +before the majesty of the king, praised him aloud. But he vouchsafed an answer +to none. One noble only he caused to be killed, because he carried in his hand +a stick of the royal red wood, which Chaka himself had given him in bygone +years.<a href="#fn-8.1" name="fnref-8.1" id="fnref-8.1"><sup>[1]</sup></a> +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-8.1" id="fn-8.1"></a> <a href="#fnref-8.1">[1]</a> This beautiful +wood is known in Natal as “red ivory.”—ED. +</p> + +<p> +On the last night before the forming of the <i>Ingomboco</i>, the +witch-doctors, male and female, entered the kraal. There were a hundred and a +half of them, and they were made hideous and terrible with the white bones of +men, with bladders of fish and of oxen, with fat of wizards, and with skins of +snakes. They walked in silence till they came in front of the <i>Intunkulu</i>, +the royal house; then they stopped and sang this song for the king to +hear:— +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +We have come, O king, we have come from the caves and the rocks and the +swamps,<br /> + To wash in the blood of the slain;<br /> +We have gathered our host from the air as vultures are gathered in war<br /> + When they scent the blood of the slain.<br /> +<br /> +We come not alone, O king: with each Wise One there passes a ghost,<br /> + Who hisses the name of the doomed.<br /> +We come not alone, for we are the sons and Indunas of Death,<br /> + And he guides our feet to the doomed.<br /> +<br /> +Red rises the moon o’er the plain, red sinks the sun in the west,<br /> + Look, wizards, and bid them farewell!<br /> +We count you by hundreds, you who cried for a curse on the king.<br /> + Ha! soon shall we bid <i>you</i> farewell! +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +Then they were silent, and went in silence to the place appointed for them, +there to pass the night in mutterings and magic. But those who were gathered +together shivered with fear when they heard their words, for they knew well +that many a man would be switched with the gnu’s tail before the sun sank +once more. And I, too, trembled, for my heart was full of fear. Ah! my father, +those were evil days to live in when Chaka ruled, and death met us at every +turn! Then no man might call his life his own, or that of his wife or child, or +anything. All were the king’s, and what war spared that the witch-doctors +took. +</p> + +<p> +The morning dawned heavily, and before it was well light the heralds were out +summoning all to the king’s <i>Ingomboco</i>. Men came by hundreds, +carrying short sticks only—for to be seen armed was death—and +seated themselves in the great circle before the gates of the royal house. Oh! +their looks were sad, and they had little stomach for eating that morning, they +who were food for death. They seated themselves; then round them on the outside +of the circle gathered knots of warriors, chosen men, great and fierce, armed +with kerries only. These were the slayers. +</p> + +<p> +When all was ready, the king came out, followed by his indunas and by me. As he +appeared, wrapped in the kaross of tiger-skins and towering a head higher than +any man there, all the multitude—and it was many as the game on the +hills—cast themselves to earth, and from every lip sharp and sudden went +up the royal salute of <i>Bayéte</i>. But Chaka took no note; his brow was +cloudy as a mountain-top. He cast one glance at the people and one at the +slayers, and wherever his eye fell men turned grey with fear. Then he stalked +on, and sat himself upon a stool to the north of the great ring looking toward +the open space. +</p> + +<p> +For awhile there was silence; then from the gates of the women’s quarters +came a band of maidens arrayed in their beaded dancing-dresses, and carrying +green branches in their hands. As they came, they clapped their hands and sang +softly:— +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +We are the heralds of the king’s feast. Ai! Ai!<br /> + Vultures shall eat it. Ah! Ah!<br /> +It is good—it is good to die for the king! +</p> + +<p> +They ceased, and ranged themselves in a body behind us. Then Chaka held up his +hand, and there was a patter of running feet. Presently from behind the royal +huts appeared the great company of the <i>Abangoma</i>, the +witch-doctors—men to the right and women to the left. In the left hand of +each was the tail of a vilderbeeste, in the right a bundle of assegais and a +little shield. They were awful to see, and the bones about them rattled as they +ran, the bladders and the snake-skins floated in the air behind them, their +faces shone with the fat of anointing, their eyes started like the eyes of +fishes, and their lips twitched hungrily as they glared round the death-ring. +Ha! ha! little did those evil children guess who should be the slayers and who +should be the slain before that sun sank! +</p> + +<p> +On they came, like a grey company of the dead. On they came in silence broken +only by the patter of their feet and the dry rattling of their bony necklets, +till they stood in long ranks before the Black One. Awhile they stood thus, +then suddenly every one of them thrust forward the little shield in his hand, +and with a single voice they cried, “Hail, Father!” +</p> + +<p> +“Hail, my children!” answered Chaka. +</p> + +<p> +“What seekest thou, Father?” they cried again. “Blood?” +</p> + +<p> +“The blood of the guilty,” he answered. +</p> + +<p> +They turned and spoke each to each; the company of the men spoke to the company +of the women. +</p> + +<p> +“The Lion of the Zulu seeks blood.” +</p> + +<p> +“He shall be fed!” screamed the women. +</p> + +<p> +“The Lion of the Zulu smells blood.” +</p> + +<p> +“He shall see it!” screamed the women. +</p> + +<p> +“His eyes search out the wizards.” +</p> + +<p> +“He shall count their dead!” screamed the women. +</p> + +<p> +“Peace!” cried Chaka. “Waste not the hours in talk, but to +the work. Hearken! Wizards have bewitched me! Wizards have dared to smite blood +upon the gateways of the king. Dig in the burrows of the earth and find them, +ye rats! Fly through the paths of the air and find them, ye vultures! Smell at +the gates of the people and name them, ye jackals! ye hunters in the night! +Drag them from the caves if they be hidden, from the distance if they be fled, +from the graves if they be dead. To the work! to the work! Show them to me +truly, and your gifts shall be great; and for them, if they be a nation, they +shall be slain. Now begin. Begin by companies of ten, for you are many, and all +must be finished ere the sun sink.” +</p> + +<p> +“It shall be finished, Father,” they answered. +</p> + +<p> +Then ten of the women stood forward, and at their head was the most famous +witch-doctress of that day—an aged woman named Nobela, a woman to whose +eyes the darkness was no evil, whose scent was keen as a dog’s, who heard +the voices of the dead as they cried in the night, and spoke truly of what she +heard. All the other <i>Isanusis</i>, male and female, sat down in a half-moon +facing the king, but this woman drew forward, and with her came nine of her +sisterhood. They turned east and west, north and south, searching the heavens; +they turned east and west, north and south, searching the earth; they turned +east and west, north and south, searching the hearts of men. Then they crept +round and round the great ring like cats; then they threw themselves upon the +earth and smelt it. And all the time there was silence, silence deep as +midnight, and in it men hearkened to the beating of their hearts; only now and +again the vultures shrieked in the trees. +</p> + +<p> +At length Nobela spoke:— +</p> + +<p> +“Do you smell him, sisters?” +</p> + +<p> +“We smell him,” they answered. +</p> + +<p> +“Does he sit in the east, sisters?” +</p> + +<p> +“He sits in the east,” they answered. +</p> + +<p> +“Is he the son of a stranger, sisters?” +</p> + +<p> +“He is the son of a stranger.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they crept nearer, crept on their hands and knees, till they were within +ten paces of where I sat among the indunas near to the king. The indunas looked +on each other and grew grey with fear; and for me, my father, my knees were +loosened and my marrow turned to water in my bones. For I knew well who was +that son of a stranger of whom they spoke. It was I, my father, I who was about +to be smelt out; and if I was smelt out I should be killed with all my house, +for the king’s oath would scarcely avail me against the witch-doctors. I +looked at the fierce faces of the <i>Isanusis</i> before me, as they crept, +crept like snakes. I glanced behind and saw the slayers grasping their kerries +for the deed of death, and I say I felt like one for whom the bitterness is +overpast. Then I remembered the words which the king and I had whispered +together of the cause for which this <i>Ingomboco</i> was set, and hope crept +back to me like the first gleam of the dawn upon a stormy night. Still I did +not hope overmuch, for it well might happen that the king had but set a trap to +catch me. +</p> + +<p> +Now they were quite near and halted. +</p> + +<p> +“Have we dreamed falsely, sisters?” asked Nobela, the aged. +</p> + +<p> +“What we dreamed in the night we see in the day,” they answered. +</p> + +<p> +“Shall I whisper his name in your ears, sisters?” +</p> + +<p> +They lifted their heads from the ground like snakes and nodded, and as they +nodded the necklets of bones rattled on their skinny necks. Then they drew +their heads to a circle, and Nobela thrust hers into the centre of the circle +and said a word. +</p> + +<p> +“Ha! ha!” they laughed, “we hear you! His is the name. Let +him be named by it in the face of Heaven, him and all his house; then let him +hear no other name forever!” +</p> + +<p> +And suddenly they sprang up and rushed towards me, Nobela, the aged +<i>Isanusi</i>, at their head. They leaped at me, pointing to me with the tails +of the vilderbeestes in their hands. Then Nobela switched me in the face with +the tail of the beast, and cried aloud:— +</p> + +<p> +“Greeting, Mopo, son of Makedama! Thou art the man who smotest blood on +the door-posts of the king to bewitch the king. Let thy house be stamped +flat!” +</p> + +<p> +I saw her come, I felt the blow on my face as a man feels in a dream. I heard +the feet of the slayers as they bounded forward to hale me to the dreadful +death, but my tongue clave to the roof of my mouth—I could not say a +word. I glanced at the king, and, as I did so, I thought that I heard him +mutter: “Near the mark, not in it.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he held up his spear, and all was silence. The slayers stopped in their +stride, the witch-doctors stood with outstretched arms, the world of men was as +though it had been frozen into sleep. +</p> + +<p> +“Hold!” he said. “Stand aside, son of Makedama, who art named +an evildoer! Stand aside, thou, Nobela, and those with thee who have named him +evildoer! What? Shall I be satisfied with the life of one dog? Smell on, ye +vultures, company by company, smell on! For the day the labour, at night the +feast!” +</p> + +<p> +So I rose, astonished, and stood on one side. The witch-doctresses also stood +on one side, wonderstruck, since no such smelling out as this had been seen in +the land. For till this hour, when a man was swept with the gnu’s tail of +the <i>Isanusi</i> that was the instant of his death. Why, then, men asked in +their hearts, was the death delayed? The witch-doctors asked it also, and +looked to the king for light, as men look to a thunder-cloud for the flash. But +from the Black One there came no word. +</p> + +<p> +So we stood on one side, and a second party of the <i>Isanusi</i> women began +their rites. As the others had done, so they did, and yet they worked +otherwise, for this is the fashion of the <i>Isanusis</i>, that no two of them +smell out in the same way. And this party swept the faces of certain of the +king’s councillors, naming them guilty of the witch-work. +</p> + +<p> +“Stand ye on one side!” said the king to those who had been smelt +out; “and ye who have hunted out their wickedness, stand ye with those +who named Mopo, son of Makedama. It well may be that all are guilty.” +</p> + +<p> +So these stood on one side also, and a third party took up the tale. And they +named certain of the great generals, and were in turn bidden to stand on one +side together with those whom they had named. +</p> + +<p> +So it went on through all the day. Company by company the women doomed their +victims, till there were no more left in their number, and were commanded to +stand aside together with those whom they had doomed. Then the male +<i>Isanusis</i> began, and I could see well that by this time their hearts were +fearful, for they smelt a snare. Yet the king’s bidding must be done, and +though their magic failed them here, victims must be found. So they smelt out +this man and that man till we were a great company of the doomed, who sat in +silence on the ground looking at each other with sad eyes and watching the sun, +which we deemed our last, climb slowly down the sky. And ever as the day waned +those who were left untried of the witch-doctors grew madder and more fierce. +They leaped into the air, they ground their teeth, and rolled upon the ground. +They drew forth snakes and devoured them alive, they shrieked out to the +spirits and called upon the names of ancient kings. +</p> + +<p> +At length it drew on to evening, and the last company of the witch-doctors did +their work, smelling out some of the keepers of the <i>Emposeni</i>, the house +of the women. But there was one man of their company, a young man and a tall, +who held back and took no share in the work, but stood by himself in the centre +of the great circle, fixing his eyes on the heavens. +</p> + +<p> +And when this company had been ordered to stand aside also together with those +whom they had smelt out, the king called aloud to the last of the +witch-doctors, asking him of his name and tribe, and why he alone did not do +his office. +</p> + +<p> +“My name is Indabazimbi, the son of Arpi, O king,” he answered, +“and I am of the tribe of the Maquilisini. Does the king bid me to smell +out him of whom the spirits have spoken to me as the worker of this +deed?” +</p> + +<p> +“I bid thee,” said the king. +</p> + +<p> +Then the young man Indabazimbi stepped straight forward across the ring, making +no cries or gestures, but as one who walks from his gate to the cattle kraal, +and suddenly he struck the king in the face with the tail in his hand, saying, +“I smell out the <i>Heavens above me!</i>”<a href="#fn-8.2" +name="fnref-8.2" id="fnref-8.2"><sup>[2]</sup></a> +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-8.2" id="fn-8.2"></a> <a href="#fnref-8.2">[2]</a> A Zulu title for +the king.—ED. +</p> + +<p> +Now a great gasp of wonder went up from the multitude, and all looked to see +this fool killed by torture. But Chaka rose and laughed aloud. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou hast said it,” he cried, “and thou alone! Listen, ye +people! <i>I</i> did the deed! <i>I</i> smote blood upon the gateways of my +kraal; with my own hand I smote it, that I might learn who were the true +doctors and who were the false! Now it seems that in the land of the Zulu there +is one true doctor—this young man—and of the false, look at them +and count them, they are like the leaves. See! there they stand, and by them +stand those whom they have doomed—the innocent whom, with their wives and +children, they have doomed to the death of the dog. Now I ask you, my people, +what reward shall be given to them?” +</p> + +<p> +Then a great roar went up from all the multitude, “Let them die, O +king!” +</p> + +<p> +“Ay!” he answered. “Let them die as liars should!” +</p> + +<p> +Now the <i>Isanusis</i>, men and women, screamed aloud in fear, and cried for +mercy, tearing themselves with their nails, for least of all things did they +desire to taste of their own medicine of death. But the king only laughed the +more. +</p> + +<p> +“Hearken ye!” he said, pointing to the crowd of us who had been +smelt out. “Ye were doomed to death by these false prophets. Now glut +yourselves upon them. Slay them, my children! slay them all! wipe them away! +stamp them out!—all! all, save this young man!” +</p> + +<p> +Then we bounded from the ground, for our hearts were fierce with hate and with +longing to avenge the terrors we had borne. The doomed slew the doomers, while +from the circle of the <i>Ingomboco</i> a great roar of laughter went up, for +men rejoiced because the burden of the witch-doctors had fallen from them. +</p> + +<p> +At last it was done, and we drew back from the heap of the dead. Nothing was +heard there now—no more cries or prayers or curses. The witch-finders +travelled the path on which they had set the feet of many. The king drew near +to look. He came alone, and all who had done his bidding bent their heads and +crept past him, praising him as they went. Only I stood still, covered, as I +was with mire and filth, for I did not fear to stand in the presence of the +king. Chaka drew near, and looked at the piled-up heaps of the slain and the +cloud of dust that yet hung over them. +</p> + +<p> +“There they lie, Mopo,” he said. “There lie those who dared +to prophesy falsely to the king! That was a good word of thine, Mopo, which +taught me to set the snare for them; yet methought I saw thee start when +Nobela, queen of the witch-doctresses, switched death on thee. Well, they are +dead, and the land breathes more freely; and for the evil which they have done, +it is as yonder dust, that shall soon sink again to earth and there be +lost.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spoke, then ceased—for lo! something moved beneath the cloud of +dust, something broke a way through the heap of the dead. Slowly it forced its +path, pushing the slain this way and that, till at length it stood upon its +feet and tottered towards us—a thing dreadful to look on. The shape was +the shape of an aged woman, and even through the blood and mire I knew her. It +was Nobela, she who had doomed me, she whom but now I had smitten to earth, but +who had come back from the dead to curse me! +</p> + +<p> +On she tottered, her apparel hanging round her in red rags, a hundred wounds +upon her face and form. I saw that she was dying, but life still flickered in +her, and the fire of hate burned in her snaky eyes. +</p> + +<p> +“Hail, king!” she screamed. +</p> + +<p> +“Peace, liar!” he answered; “thou art dead!” +</p> + +<p> +“Not yet, king. I heard thy voice and the voice of yonder dog, whom I +would have given to the jackals, and I will not die till I have spoken. I smelt +him out this morning when I was alive; now that I am as one already dead, I +smell him out again. He shall bewitch thee with blood indeed, Chaka—he +and Unandi, thy mother, and Baleka, thy wife. Think of my words when the +assegai reddens before thee for the last time, king! Farewell!” And she +uttered a great cry and rolled upon the ground dead. +</p> + +<p> +“The witch lies hard and dies hard,” said the king carelessly, and +turned upon his heel. But those words of dead Nobela remained fixed in his +memory, or so much of them as had been spoken of Unandi and Baleka. There they +remained like seeds in the earth, there they grew to bring forth fruit in their +season. +</p> + +<p> +And thus ended the great <i>Ingomboco</i> of Chaka, the greatest +<i>Ingomboco</i> that ever was held in Zululand. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap09"></a>CHAPTER IX.<br /> +THE LOSS OF UMSLOPOGAAS</h2> + +<p> +Now, after the smelling out of the witch-doctors, Chaka caused a watch to be +kept upon his mother Unandi, and his wife Baleka, my sister, and report was +brought to him by those who watched, that the two women came to my huts by +stealth, and there kissed and nursed a boy—one of my children. Then Chaka +remembered the prophecy of Nobela, the dead <i>Isanusi</i>, and his heart grew +dark with doubt. But to me he said nothing of the matter, for then, as always, +his eyes looked over my head. He did not fear me or believe that I plotted +against him, I who was his dog. Still, he did this, though whether by chance or +design I do not know: he bade me go on a journey to a distant tribe that lived +near the borders of the Amaswazi, there to take count of certain of the +king’s cattle which were in the charge of that tribe, and to bring him +account of the tale of their increase. So I bowed before the king, and said +that I would run like a dog to do his bidding, and he gave me men to go with +me. +</p> + +<p> +Then I returned to my huts to bid farewell to my wives and children, and there +I found that my wife, Anadi, the mother of Moosa, my son, had fallen sick with +a wandering sickness, for strange things came into her mind, and what came into +her mind that she said, being, as I did not doubt, bewitched by some enemy of +my house. +</p> + +<p> +Still, I must go upon the king’s business, and I told this to my wife +Macropha, the mother of Nada, and, as it was thought, of Umslopogaas, the son +of Chaka. But when I spoke to Macropha of the matter she burst into tears and +clung to me. I asked her why she wept thus, and she answered that the shadow of +evil lay upon her heart, for she was sure that if I left her at the +king’s kraal, when I returned again I should find neither her nor Nada, +my child, nor Umslopogaas, who was named my son, and whom I loved as a son, +still in the land of life. Then I tried to calm her; but the more I strove the +more she wept, saying that she knew well that these things would be so. +</p> + +<p> +Now I asked her what could be done, for I was stirred by her tears, and the +dread of evil crept from her to me as shadows creep from the valley to the +mountain. +</p> + +<p> +She answered, “Take me with you, my husband, that I may leave this evil +land, where the very skies rain blood, and let me rest awhile in the place of +my own people till the terror of Chaka has gone by.” +</p> + +<p> +“How can I do this?” I said. “None may leave the king’s +kraal without the king’s pass.” +</p> + +<p> +“A man may put away his wife,” she replied. “The king does +not stand between a man and his wife. Say, my husband, that you love me no +longer, that I bear you no more children, and that therefore you send me back +whence I came. By-and-bye we will come together again if we are left among the +living.” +</p> + +<p> +“So be it,” I answered. “Leave the kraal with Nada and +Umslopogaas this night, and to-morrow morning meet me at the river bank, and we +shall go on together, and for the rest may the spirits of our fathers hold us +safe.” +</p> + +<p> +So we kissed each other, and Macropha went on secretly with the children. +</p> + +<p> +Now at the dawning on the morrow I summoned the men whom the king had given me, +and we started upon our journey. When the sun was well up we came to the banks +of the river, and there I found my wife Macropha, and with her the two +children. They rose as I came, but I frowned at my wife and she gave me no +greeting. Those with me looked at her askance. +</p> + +<p> +“I have divorced this woman,” I said to them. “She is a +withered tree, a worn out old hag, and now I take her with me to send her to +the country of the Swazis, whence she came. Cease weeping,” I added to +Macropha, “it is my last word.” +</p> + +<p> +“What says the king?” asked the men. +</p> + +<p> +“I will answer to the king,” I said. And we went on. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Now I must tell how we lost Umslopogaas, the son of Chaka, who was then a great +lad drawing on to manhood, fierce in temper, well grown and broad for his +years. +</p> + +<p> +We had journeyed seven days, for the way was long, and on the night of the +seventh day we came to a mountainous country in which there were few kraals, +for Chaka had eaten them all up years before. Perhaps you know the place, my +father. In it is a great and strange mountain. It is haunted also, and named +the Ghost Mountain, and on the top of it is a grey peak rudely shaped like the +head of an aged woman. Here in this wild place we must sleep, for darkness drew +on. Now we soon learned that there were many lions in the rocks around, for we +heard their roaring and were much afraid, all except Umslopogaas, who feared +nothing. So we made a circle of thorn-bushes and sat in it, holding our +assegais ready. Presently the moon came up—it was a full-grown moon and +very bright, so bright that we could see everything for a long way round. Now +some six spear-throws from where we sat was a cliff, and at the top of the +cliff was a cave, and in this cave lived two lions and their young. When the +moon grew bright we saw the lions come out and stand upon the edge of the +cliff, and with them were two little ones that played about like kittens, so +that had we not been frightened it would have been beautiful to see them. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh! Umslopogaas,” said Nada, “I wish that I had one of the +little lions for a dog.” +</p> + +<p> +The boy laughed, saying, “Then, shall I fetch you one, sister?” +</p> + +<p> +“Peace, boy,” I said. “No man may take young lions from their +lair and live.” +</p> + +<p> +“Such things have been done, my father,” he answered, laughing. And +no more was said of the matter. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the cubs had played awhile, we saw the lioness take up the cubs in her +mouth and carry them into the cave. Then she came out again, and went away with +her mate to seek food, and soon we heard them roaring in the distance. Now we +stacked up the fire and went to sleep in our enclosure of thorns without fear, +for we knew that the lions were far away eating game. But Umslopogaas did not +sleep, for he had determined that he would fetch the cub which Nada had +desired, and, being young and foolhardy, he did not think of the danger which +he would bring upon himself and all of us. He knew no fear, and now, as ever, +if Nada spoke a word, nay, even if she thought of a thing to desire it, he +would not rest till it was won for her. So while we slept Umslopogaas crept +like a snake from the fence of thorns, and, taking an assegai in his hand, he +slipped away to the foot of the cliff where the lions had their den. Then he +climbed the cliff, and, coming to the cave, entered there and groped his way +into it. The cubs heard him, and, thinking that it was their mother who +returned, began to whine and purr for food. Guided by the light of their yellow +eyes, he crept over the bones, of which there were many in the cave, and came +to where they lay. Then he put out his hands and seized one of the cubs, +killing the other with his assegai, because he could not carry both of them. +Now he made haste thence before the lions returned, and came back to the thorn +fence where we lay just as dawn was breaking. +</p> + +<p> +I awoke at the coming of the dawn, and, standing up, I looked out. Lo! there, +on the farther side of the thorn fence, looking large in the grey mist, stood +the lad Umslopogaas, laughing. In his teeth he held the assegai, yet dripping +with blood, and in his hands the lion cub that, despite its whines and +struggles, he grasped by the skin of the neck and the hind legs. +</p> + +<p> +“Awake, my sister!” he cried; “here is the dog you seek. Ah! +he bites now, but he will soon grow tame.” +</p> + +<p> +Nada awoke, and rising, cried out with joy at the sight of the cub, but for a +moment I stood astonished. +</p> + +<p> +“Fool!” I cried at last, “let the cub go before the lions +come to rend us!” +</p> + +<p> +“I will not let it go, my father,” he answered sullenly. “Are +there not five of us with spears, and can we not fight two cats? I was not +afraid to go alone into their den. Are you all afraid to meet them in the +open?” +</p> + +<p> +“You are mad,” I said; “let the cub go!” And I ran +towards Umslopogaas to take it from him. But he sprang aside and avoided me. +</p> + +<p> +“I will never let that go of which I have got hold,” he said, +“at least not living!” And suddenly he seized the head of the cub +and twisted its neck; then threw it on to the ground, and added, “See, +now I have done your bidding, my father!” +</p> + +<p> +As he spoke we heard a great sound of roaring from the cave in the cliff. The +lions had returned and found one cub dead and the other gone. +</p> + +<p> +“Into the fence!—back into the fence!” I cried, and we sprang +over the thorn-bushes where those with us were making ready their spears, +trembling as they handled them with fear and the cold of the morning. We looked +up. There, down the side of the cliff, came the lions, bounding on the scent of +him who had robbed them of their young. The lion ran first, and as he came he +roared; then followed the lioness, but she did not roar, for in her mouth was +the cub that Umslopogaas had assegaied in the cave. Now they drew near, mad +with fury, their manes bristling, and lashing their flanks with their long +tails. +</p> + +<p> +“Curse you for a fool, son of Mopo,” said one of the men with me to +Umslopogaas; “presently I will beat you till the blood comes for this +trick.” +</p> + +<p> +“First beat the lions, then beat me if you can,” answered the lad, +“and wait to curse till you have done both.” +</p> + +<p> +Now the lions were close to us; they came to the body of the second cub, that +lay outside the fence of thorns. The lion stopped and sniffed it. Then he +roared—ah! he roared till the earth shook. As for the lioness, she +dropped the dead cub which she was carrying, and took the other into her mouth, +for she could not carry both. +</p> + +<p> +“Get behind me, Nada,” cried Umslopogaas, brandishing his spear, +“the lion is about to spring.” +</p> + +<p> +As the words left his mouth the great brute crouched to the ground. Then +suddenly he sprang from it like a bird, and like a bird he travelled through +the air towards us. +</p> + +<p> +“Catch him on the spears!” cried Umslopogaas, and by nature, as it +were, we did the boy’s bidding; for huddling ourselves together, we held +out the assegais so that the lion fell upon them as he sprang, and their blades +sank far into him. But the weight of his charge carried us to the ground, and +he fell on to us, striking at us and at the spears, and roaring with pain and +fury as he struck. Presently he was on his legs biting at the spears in his +breast. Then Umslopogaas, who alone did not wait his onslaught, but had stepped +aside for his own ends, uttered a loud cry and drove his assegai into the lion +behind the shoulder, so that with a groan the brute rolled over dead. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, the lioness stood without the fence, the second dead cub in her +mouth, for she could not bring herself to leave either of them. But when she +heard her mate’s last groan she dropped the cub and gathered herself +together to spring. Umslopogaas alone stood up to face her, for he only had +withdrawn his assegai from the carcase of the lion. She swept on towards the +lad, who stood like a stone to meet her. Now she met his spear, it sunk in, it +snapped, and down fell Umslopogaas dead or senseless beneath the mass of the +lioness. She sprang up, the broken spear standing in her breast, sniffed at +Umslopogaas, then, as though she knew that it was he who had robbed her, she +seized him by the loins and moocha, and sprang with him over the fence. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, save him!” cried the girl Nada in bitter woe. And we rushed +after the lioness shouting. +</p> + +<p> +For a moment she stood over her dead cubs, Umslopogaas hanging from her mouth, +and looked at them as though she wondered; and we hoped that she might let him +fall. Then, hearing our cries, she turned and bounded away towards the bush, +bearing Umslopogaas in her mouth. We seized our spears and followed; but the +ground grew stony, and, search as we would, we could find no trace of +Umslopogaas or of the lioness. They had vanished like a cloud. So we came back, +and, ah! my heart was sore, for I loved the lad as though he had indeed been my +son. But I knew that he was dead, and there was an end. +</p> + +<p> +“Where is my brother?” cried Nada when we came back. +</p> + +<p> +“Lost,” I answered. “Lost, never to be found again.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the girl gave a great and bitter cry, and fell to the earth saying, +“I would that I were dead with my brother!” +</p> + +<p> +“Let us be going,” said Macropha, my wife. +</p> + +<p> +“Have you no tears to weep for your son?” asked a man of our +company. +</p> + +<p> +“What is the use of weeping over the dead? Does it, then, bring them +back?” she answered. “Let us be going!” +</p> + +<p> +The man thought these words strange, but he did not know that Umslopogaas was +not born of Macropha. +</p> + +<p> +Still, we waited in that place a day, thinking that, perhaps, the lioness would +return to her den and that, at least, we might kill her. But she came back no +more. So on the next morning we rolled up our blankets and started forward on +our journey, sad at heart. In truth, Nada was so weak from grief that she could +hardly travel, but I never heard the name of Umslopogaas pass her lips again +during that journey. She buried him in her heart and said nothing. And I too +said nothing, but I wondered why it had been brought about that I should save +the life of Umslopogaas from the jaws of the Lion of Zulu, that the lioness of +the rocks might devour him. +</p> + +<p> +And so the time went on till we reached the kraal where the king’s +business must be done, and where I and my wife should part. +</p> + +<p> +On the morning after we came to the kraal, having kissed in secret, though in +public we looked sullenly on one another, we parted as those part who meet no +more, for it was in our thoughts, that we should never see each other’s +face again, nor, indeed, did we do so. And I drew Nada aside and spoke to her +thus: “We part, my daughter; nor do I know when we shall meet again, for +the times are troubled and it is for your safety and that of your mother that I +rob my eyes of the sight of you. Nada, you will soon be a woman, and you will +be fairer than any woman among our people, and it may come about that many +great men will seek you in marriage, and, perhaps, that I, your father, shall +not be there to choose for you whom you shall wed, according to the custom of +our land. But I charge you, as far as may be possible for you to do so, take +only a man whom you can love, and be faithful to him alone, for thus shall a +woman find happiness.” +</p> + +<p> +Here I stopped, for the girl took hold of my hand and looked into my face. +“Peace, my father,” she said, “do not speak to me of +marriage, for I will wed no man, now that Umslopogaas is dead because of my +foolishness. I will live and die alone, and, oh! may I die quickly, that I may +go to seek him whom I love only!” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, Nada,” I said, “Umslopogaas was your brother, and it is +not fitting that you should speak of him thus, even though he is dead.” +</p> + +<p> +“I know nothing of such matters, my father,” she said. “I +speak what my heart tells me, and it tells me that I loved Umslopogaas living, +and, though he is dead, I shall love him alone to the end. Ah! you think me but +a child, yet my heart is large, and it does not lie to me.” +</p> + +<p> +Now I upbraided the girl no more, because I knew that Umslopogaas was not her +brother, but one whom she might have married. Only I marvelled that the voice +of nature should speak so truly in her, telling her that which was lawful, even +when it seemed to be most unlawful. +</p> + +<p> +“Speak no more of Umslopogaas,” I said, “for surely he is +dead, and though you cannot forget him, yet speak of him no more, and I pray of +you, my daughter, that if we do not meet again, yet you should keep me in your +memory, and the love I bear you, and the words which from time to time I have +said to you. The world is a thorny wilderness, my daughter, and its thorns are +watered with a rain of blood, and we wander in our wretchedness like lost +travellers in a mist; nor do I know why our feet are set on this wandering. But +at last there comes an end, and we die and go hence, none know where, but +perhaps where we go the evil may change to the good, and those who were dear to +each other on the earth may become yet dearer in the heavens; for I believe +that man is not born to perish altogether, but is rather gathered again to the +Umkulunkulu who sent him on his journeyings. Therefore keep hope, my daughter, +for if these things are not so, at least sleep remains, and sleep is soft, and +so farewell.” +</p> + +<p> +Then we kissed and parted, and I watched Macropha, my wife, and Nada, my +daughter, till they melted into the sky, as they walked upon their journey to +Swaziland, and was very sad, because, having lost Umslopogaas, he who in after +days was named the Slaughterer and the Woodpecker, I must lose them also. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap10"></a>CHAPTER X.<br /> +THE TRIAL OF MOPO</h2> + +<p> +Now I sat four days in the huts of the tribe whither I had been sent, and did +the king’s business. And on the fifth morning I rose up, together with +those with me, and we turned our faces towards the king’s kraal. But when +we had journeyed a little way we met a party of soldiers, who commanded us to +stand. +</p> + +<p> +“What is it, king’s men?” I asked boldly. +</p> + +<p> +“This, son of Makedama,” answered their spokesman: “give over +to us your wife Macropha and your children Umslopogaas and Nada, that we may do +with them as the king commands.” +</p> + +<p> +“Umslopogaas,” I answered, “has gone where the king’s +arm cannot stretch, for he is dead; and for my wife Macropha and my daughter +Nada, they are by now in the caves of the Swazis, and the king must seek them +there with an army if he will find them. To Macropha he is welcome, for I hate +her, and have divorced her; and as for the girl, well, there are many girls, +and it is no great matter if she lives or dies, yet I pray him to spare +her.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus I spoke carelessly, for I knew well that my wife and child were beyond the +reach of Chaka. +</p> + +<p> +“You do well to ask the girl’s life,” said the soldier, +laughing, “for all those born to you are dead, by order of the +king.” +</p> + +<p> +“Is it indeed so?” I answered calmly, though my knees shook and my +tongue clove to my lips. “The will of the king be done. A cut stick puts +out new leaves; I can have more children.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ay, Mopo; but first you must get new wives, for yours are dead also, all +five of them.” +</p> + +<p> +“Is it indeed so?” I answered. “The king’s will be +done. I wearied of those brawling women.” +</p> + +<p> +“So, Mopo,” said the soldier; “but to get other wives and +have more children born to you, you must live yourself, for no children are +born to the dead, and I think that Chaka has an assegai which you shall +kiss.” +</p> + +<p> +“Is it so?” I answered. “The king’s will be done. The +sun is hot, and I tire of the road. He who kisses the assegai sleeps +sound.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus I spoke, my father, and, indeed, in that hour I desired to die. The world +was empty for me. Macropha and Nada were gone, Umslopogaas was dead, and my +other wives and children were murdered. I had no heart to begin to build up a +new house, none were left for me to love, and it seemed well that I should die +also. +</p> + +<p> +The soldiers asked those with me if that tale was true which I told of the +death of Umslopogaas and of the going of Macropha and Nada into Swaziland. They +said, Yes, it was true. Then the soldiers said that they would lead me back to +the king, and I wondered at this, for I thought that they would kill me where I +stood. So we went on, and piece by piece I learned what had happened at the +king’s kraal. +</p> + +<p> +On the day after I left, it came to the ears of Chaka, by the mouth of his +spies, that my second wife—Anadi—was sick and spoke strange words +in her sickness. Then, taking three soldiers with him, he went to my kraal at +the death of the day. He left the three soldiers by the gates of the kraal, +bidding them to suffer none to come in or go out, but Chaka himself entered the +large hut where Anadi lay sick, having his toy assegai, with the shaft of the +royal red wood, in his hand. Now, as it chanced, in the hut were Unandi, the +mother of Chaka, and Baleka, my sister, the wife of Chaka, for, not knowing +that I had taken away Umslopogaas, the son of Baleka, according to their +custom, these two foolish women had come to kiss and fondle the lad. But when +they entered the hut they found it full of my other wives and children. These +they sent away, all except Moosa, the son of Anadi—that boy who was born +eight days before Umslopogaas, the son of Chaka. But they kept Moosa in the +hut, and kissed him, giving him imphi<a href="#fn-10.1" name="fnref-10.1" id="fnref-10.1"><sup>[1]</sup></a> +to eat, fearing lest it should seem strange to the women, my wives, if, +Umslopogaas being gone, they refused to take notice of any other child. +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-10.1" id="fn-10.1"></a> <a href="#fnref-10.1">[1]</a> A variety of +sugar-cane.—ED. +</p> + +<p> +Now as they sat thus, presently the doorway was darkened, and, behold! the king +himself crept through it, and saw them fondling the child Moosa. When they knew +who it was that entered, the women flung themselves upon the ground before him +and praised him. But he smiled grimly, and bade them be seated. Then he spoke +to them, saying, “You wonder, Unandi, my mother, and Baleka, my wife, why +it is that I am come here into the hut of Mopo, son of Makedama. I will tell +you: it is because he is away upon my business, and I hear that his wife Anadi +is sick—it is she who lies there, is it not? Therefore, as the first +doctor in the land, I am come to cure her, Unandi, my mother, and Baleka, my +sister.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spoke, eyeing them as he did so, and taking snuff from the blade of his +little assegai, and though his words were gentle they shook with fear, for when +Chaka spoke thus gently he meant death to many. But Unandi, Mother of the +Heavens, answered, saying that it was well that the king had come, since his +medicine would bring rest and peace to her who lay sick. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes,” he answered; “it is well. It is pleasant, moreover, my +mother and sister, to see you kissing yonder child. Surely, were he of your own +blood you could not love him more.” +</p> + +<p> +Now they trembled again, and prayed in their hearts that Anadi, the sick woman, +who lay asleep, might not wake and utter foolish words in her wandering. But +the prayer was answered from below and not from above, for Anadi woke, and, +hearing the voice of the king, her sick mind flew to him whom she believed to +be the king’s child. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah!” she said, sitting upon the ground and pointing to her own +son, Moosa, who squatted frightened against the wall of the hut. “Kiss +him, Mother of the Heavens, kiss him! Whom do they call him, the young cub who +brings ill-fortune to our doors? They call him the son of Mopo and +Macropha!” And she laughed wildly, stopped speaking, and sank back upon +the bed of skins. +</p> + +<p> +“They call him the son of Mopo and Macropha,” said the king in a +low voice. “Whose son is he, then, woman?” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, ask her not, O king,” cried his mother and his wife, casting +themselves upon the ground before him, for they were mad with fear. “Ask +her not; she has strange fancies such as are not meet for your ears to hear. +She is bewitched, and has dreams and fancies.” +</p> + +<p> +“Peace!” he answered. “I will listen to this woman’s +wanderings. Perhaps some star of truth shines in her darkness, and I would see +light. Who, then, is he, woman?” +</p> + +<p> +“Who is he?” she answered. “Are you a fool that ask who he +is? He is—hush!—put your ear close—let me speak low lest the +reeds of the hut speak it to the king. He is—do you listen? He +is—the son of Chaka and Baleka, the sister of Mopo, the changeling whom +Unandi, Mother of the Heavens, palmed off upon this house to bring a curse on +it, and whom she would lead out before the people when the land is weary of the +wickedness of the king, her son, to take the place of the king.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is false, O king!” cried the two women. “Do not listen to +her; it is false. The boy is her own son, Moosa, whom she does not know in her +sickness.” +</p> + +<p> +But Chaka stood up in the hut and laughed terribly. “Truly, Nobela +prophesied well,” he cried, “and I did ill to slay her. So this is +the trick thou hast played upon me, my mother. Thou wouldst give a son to me +who will have no son: thou wouldst give me a son to kill me. Good! Mother of +the Heavens, take thou the doom of the Heavens! Thou wouldst give me a son to +slay me and rule in my place; now, in turn, I, thy son, will rob me of a +mother. Die, Unandi!—die at the hand thou didst bring forth!” And +he lifted the little assegai and smote it through her. +</p> + +<p> +For a moment Unandi, Mother of the Heavens, wife of Senzangacona, stood +uttering no cry. Then she put up her hand, and drew the assegai from her side. +</p> + +<p> +“So shalt thou die also, Chaka the Evil!” she cried, and fell down +dead there in the hut. +</p> + +<p> +Thus, then, did Chaka murder his mother Unandi. +</p> + +<p> +Now when Baleka saw what had been done, she turned and fled from the hut into +the <i>Emposeni</i>, and so swiftly that the guards at the gates could not stop +her. But when she reached her own hut Baleka’s strength failed her, and +she fell senseless on the ground. But the boy Moosa, my son, being overcome +with terror, stayed where he was, and Chaka, believing him to be his son, +murdered him also, and with his own hand. +</p> + +<p> +Then he stalked out of the hut, and leaving the three guards at the gate, +commanded a company of soldiers to surround the kraal and fire it. This they +did, and as the people rushed out they killed them, and those who did not run +out were burned in the fire. Thus, then, perished all my wives, my children, my +servants, and those who were within the gates in their company. The tree was +burned, and the bees in it, and I alone was left living—I and Macropha +and Nada, who were far away. +</p> + +<p> +Nor was Chaka yet satisfied with blood, for, as has been told, he sent +messengers bidding them kill Macropha, my wife, and Nada, my daughter, and him +who was named my son. But he commanded the messengers that they should not slay +me, but bring me living before him. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the soldiers did not kill me I took counsel with myself, for it was my +belief that I was saved alive only that I might die later, and in a more cruel +fashion. Therefore for awhile I thought that it would be well if I did that for +myself which another purposed to do for me. Why should I, who was already +doomed, wait to meet my doom? What had I left to keep me in the place of life, +seeing that all whom I loved were dead or gone? To die would be easy, for I +knew the ways of death. In my girdle I carried a secret medicine; he who eats +of it, my father, will see the sun’s shadow move no more, and will never +look upon the stars again. But I was minded to know the assegai or the kerrie; +nor would I perish more slowly beneath the knives of the tormentors, nor be +parched by the pangs of thirst, or wander eyeless to my end. Therefore it was +that, since I had sat in the doom ring looking hour after hour into the face of +death, I had borne this medicine with me by night and by day. Surely now was +the time to use it. +</p> + +<p> +So I thought as I sat through the watches of the night, ay! and drew out the +bitter drug and laid it on my tongue. But as I did so I remembered my daughter +Nada, who was left to me, though she sojourned in a far country, and my wife +Macropha and my sister Baleka, who still lived, so said the soldiers, though +how it came about that the king had not killed her I did not know then. Also +another thought was born in my heart. While life remained to me, I might be +revenged upon him who had wrought me this woe; but can the dead strike? Alas! +the dead are strengthless, and if they still have hearts to suffer, they have +no hands to give back blow for blow. Nay, I would live on. Time to die when +death could no more be put away. Time to die when the voice of Chaka spoke my +doom. Death chooses for himself and answers no questions; he is a guest to whom +none need open the door of his hut, for when he wills he can pass through the +thatch like air. Not yet would I taste of that medicine of mine. +</p> + +<p> +So I lived on, my father, and the soldiers led me back to the kraal of Chaka. +Now when we came to the kraal it was night, for the sun had sunk as we passed +through the gates. Still, as he had been commanded, the captain of those who +watched me went in before the king and told him that I lay without in bonds. +And the king said, “Let him be brought before me, who was my physician, +that I may tell him how I have doctored those of his house.” +</p> + +<p> +So they took me and led me to the royal house, and pushed me through the +doorway of the great hut. +</p> + +<p> +Now a fire burned in the hut, for the night was cold, and Chaka sat on the +further side of the fire, looking towards the opening of the hut, and the smoke +from the fire wreathed him round, and its light shone upon his face and +flickered in his terrible eyes. +</p> + +<p> +At the door of the hut certain councillors seized me by the arms and dragged me +towards the fire. But I broke from them, and prostrating myself, for my arms +were free, I praised the king and called him by his royal names. The +councillors sprang towards me to seize me again, but Chaka said, “Let him +be; I would talk with my servant.” Then the councillors bowed themselves +on either side, and laid their hands on their sticks, their foreheads touching +the ground. But I sat down on the floor of the hut over against the king, and +we talked through the fire. +</p> + +<p> +“Tell me of the cattle that I sent thee to number, Mopo, son of +Makedama,” said Chaka. “Have my servants dealt honestly with my +cattle?” +</p> + +<p> +“They have dealt honestly, O king,” I answered. +</p> + +<p> +“Tell me, then, of the number of the cattle and of their markings, Mopo, +forgetting none.” +</p> + +<p> +So I sat and told him, ox by ox, cow by cow, and heifer by heifer, forgetting +none; and Chaka listened silently as one who is asleep. But I knew that he did +not sleep, for all the while the firelight flickered in his fierce eyes. Also I +knew that he did but torment me, or that, perhaps, he would learn of the cattle +before he killed me. At length all the tale was told. +</p> + +<p> +“So,” said the king, “it goes well. There are yet honest men +left in the land. Knowest thou, Mopo, that sorrow has come upon thy house while +thou wast about my business.” +</p> + +<p> +“I have heard it, O king!” I answered, as one who speaks of a small +matter. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, Mopo, sorrow has come upon thy house, the curse of Heaven has +fallen upon thy kraal. They tell me, Mopo, that the fire from above ran briskly +through thy huts.” +</p> + +<p> +“I have heard it, O king!” +</p> + +<p> +“They tell me, Mopo, that those within thy gates grew mad at the sight of +the fire, and dreaming there was no escape, that they stabbed themselves with +assegais or leaped into the flames.” +</p> + +<p> +“I have heard it, O king! What of it? Any river is deep enough to drown a +fool!” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou hast heard these things, Mopo, but thou hast not yet heard all. +Knowest thou, Mopo, that among those who died in thy kraal was she who bore me, +she who was named Mother of the Heavens?” +</p> + +<p> +Then, my father, I, Mopo, acted wisely, because of the thought which my good +spirit gave me, for I cast myself upon the ground, and wailed aloud as though +in utter grief. +</p> + +<p> +“Spare my ears, Black One!” I wailed. “Tell me not that she +who bore thee is dead, O Lion of the Zulu. For the others, what is it? It is a +breath of wind, it is a drop of water; but this trouble is as the gale or as +the sea.” +</p> + +<p> +“Cease, my servant, cease!” said the mocking voice of Chaka; +“but know this, thou hast done well to grieve aloud, because the Mother +of the Heavens is no more, and ill wouldst thou have done to grieve because the +fire from above has kissed thy gates. For hadst thou done this last thing or +left the first undone, I should have known that thy heart was wicked, and by +now thou wouldst have wept indeed—tears of blood, Mopo. It is well for +thee, then, that thou hast read my riddle aright.” +</p> + +<p> +Now I saw the depths of the pit that Chaka had dug for me, and blessed my +<i>Ehlosé</i> who had put into my heart those words which I should answer. I +hoped also that Chaka would now let me go; but it was not to be, for this was +but the beginning of my trial. +</p> + +<p> +“Knowest thou, Mopo,” said the king, “that as my mother died +yonder in the flames of thy kraal she cried out strange and terrible words +which came to my ears through the singing of the fire. These were her words: +that thou, Mopo, and thy sister Baleka, and thy wives, had conspired together +to give a child to me who would be childless. These were her words, the words +that came to me through the singing of the fire. Tell me now, Mopo, where are +those children that thou leddest from thy kraal, the boy with the lion eyes who +is named Umslopogaas, and the girl who is named Nada?” +</p> + +<p> +“Umslopogaas is dead by the lion’s mouth, O king!” I +answered, “and Nada sits in the Swazi caves.” And I told him of the +death of Umslopogaas and of how I had divorced Macropha, my wife. +</p> + +<p> +“The boy with the lion eyes to the lion’s mouth!” said Chaka. +“Enough of him; he is gone. Nada may yet be sought for with the assegai +in the Swazi caves; enough of her. Let us speak of this song that my +mother—who, alas! is dead, Mopo—this song she sang through the +singing of the flames. Tell me, Mopo, tell me now, was it a true tale.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, O king! surely the Mother of the Heavens was maddened by the +Heavens when she sang that song,” I answered. “I know nothing of +it, O king.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou knowest naught of it, Mopo?” said the king. And again he +looked at me terribly through the reek of the fire. “Thou knowest naught +of it, Mopo? Surely thou art a-cold; thy hands shake with cold. Nay, man, fear +not—warm them, warm them, Mopo. See, now, plunge that hand of thine into +the heart of the flame!” And he pointed with his little assegai, the +assegai handled with the royal wood, to where the fire glowed reddest—ay, +he pointed and laughed. +</p> + +<p> +Then, my father, I grew cold indeed—yes, I grew cold who soon should be +hot, for I saw the purpose of Chaka. He would put me to the trial by fire. +</p> + +<p> +For a moment I sat silent, thinking. Then the king spoke again in a great +voice: “Nay, Mopo, be not so backward; shall I sit warm and see thee +suffer cold? What, my councillors, rise, take the hand of Mopo, and hold it to +the flame, that his heart may rejoice in the warmth of the flame while we speak +together of this matter of the child that was, so my mother sang, born to +Baleka, my wife, the sister of Mopo, my servant.” +</p> + +<p> +“There is little need for that, O king,” I answered, being made +bold by fear, for I saw that if I did nothing death would swiftly end my +doubts. Once, indeed, I bethought me of the poison that I bore, and was minded +to swallow it and make an end, but the desire to live is great, and keen is the +thirst for vengeance, so I said to my heart, “Not yet awhile; I will +endure this also; afterwards, if need be, I can die.” +</p> + +<p> +“I thank the king for his graciousness, and I will warm me at the fire. +Speak on, O king, while I warm myself, and thou shalt hear true words,” I +said boldly. +</p> + +<p> +Then, my father, I stretched out my left hand and plunged it into the +fire—not into the hottest of the fire, but where the smoke leapt from the +flame. Now my flesh was wet with the sweat of fear, and for a little moment the +flames curled round it and did not burn me. But I knew that the torment was to +come. +</p> + +<p> +For a short while Chaka watched me, smiling. Then he spoke slowly, that the +fire might find time to do its work. +</p> + +<p> +“Say, then, Mopo, thou knowest nothing of this matter of the birth of a +son to thy sister Baleka?” +</p> + +<p> +“I know this only, O king!” I answered, “that a son was born +in past years to thy wife Baleka, that I killed the child in obedience to thy +word, and laid its body before thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Now, my father, the steam from my flesh had been drawn from my hand by the +heat, and the flame got hold of me and ate into my flesh, and its torment was +great. But of this I showed no sign upon my face, for I knew well that if I +showed sign or uttered cry, then, having failed in the trial, death would be my +portion. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king spoke again, “Dost thou swear by my head, Mopo, that no son +of mine was suckled in thy kraals?” +</p> + +<p> +“I swear it, O king! I swear it by thy head,” I answered. +</p> + +<p> +And now, my father, the agony of the fire was such as may not be told. I felt +my eyes start forward in their sockets, my blood seemed to boil within me, it +rushed into my head, and down my face there ran two tears of blood. But yet I +held my hand in the fire and made no sign, while the king and his councillors +watched me curiously. Still, for a moment Chaka said nothing, and that moment +seemed to me as all the years of my life. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah!” he said at length, “I see that thou growest warm, Mopo! +Withdraw thy hand from the flame. I am answered; thou hast passed the trial; +thy heart is clean; for had there been lies in it the fire had given them +tongue, and thou hadst cried aloud, making thy last music, Mopo!” +</p> + +<p> +Now I took my hand from the flame, and for awhile the torment left me. +</p> + +<p> +“It is well, O king,” I said calmly. “Fire has no power of +hurt on those whose heart is pure.” +</p> + +<p> +But as I spoke I looked at my left hand. It was black, my father—black as +a charred stick, and the nails were gone from the twisted fingers. Look at it +now, my father; you can see, though my eyes are blind. The hand is white, like +yours—it is white and dead and shrivelled. These are the marks of the +fire in Chaka’s hut—the fire that kissed me many, many years ago; I +have had but little use of that hand since this night of torment. But my right +arm yet remained to me, my father, and, ah! I used it. +</p> + +<p> +“It seems that Nobela, the doctress, who is dead, lied when she +prophesied evil on me from thee, Mopo,” said Chaka again. “It seems +that thou art innocent of this offence, and that Baleka, thy sister, is +innocent, and that the song which the Mother of the Heavens sang through the +singing flames was no true song. It is well for thee, Mopo, for in such a +matter my oath had not helped thee. But my mother is dead—dead in the +flames with thy wives and children, Mopo, and in this there is witchcraft. We +will have a mourning, Mopo, thou and I, such a mourning as has not been seen in +Zululand, for all the people on the earth shall weep at it. And there shall be +a ‘smelling out’ at this mourning, Mopo. But we will summon no +witch-doctors, thou and I will be witch-doctors, and ourselves shall smell out +those who have brought these woes upon us. What! shall my mother die unavenged, +she who bore me and has perished by witchcraft, and shall thy wives and +children die unavenged—thou being innocent? Go forth, Mopo, my faithful +servant, whom I have honoured with the warmth of my fire, go forth!” And +once again he stared at me through the reek of the flame, and pointed with his +assegai to the door of the hut. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap11"></a>CHAPTER XI.<br /> +THE COUNSEL OF BALEKA</h2> + +<p> +I rose, I praised the king with a loud voice, and I went from the +<i>Intunkulu</i>, the house of the king. I walked slowly through the gates, but +when I was without the gates the anguish that took me because of my burnt hand +was more than I could bear. I ran to and fro groaning till I came to the hut of +one whom I knew. There I found fat, and having plunged my hand in the fat, I +wrapped it round with a skin and passed out again, for I could not stay still. +I went to and fro, till at length I reached the spot where my huts had been. +The outer fence of the huts still stood; the fire had not caught it. I passed +through the fence; there within were the ashes of the burnt huts—they lay +ankle-deep. I walked in among the ashes; my feet struck upon things that were +sharp. The moon was bright, and I looked; they were the blackened bones of my +wives and children. I flung myself down in the ashes in bitterness of heart; I +covered myself over with the ashes of my kraal and with the bones of my wives +and children. Yes, my father, there I lay, and on me were the ashes, and among +the ashes were the bones. Thus, then, did I lie for the last time in my kraal, +and was sheltered from the frost of the night by the dust of those to whom I +had given life. Such were the things that befell us in the days of Chaka, my +father; yes, not to me alone, but to many another also. +</p> + +<p> +I lay among the ashes and groaned with the pain of my burn, and groaned also +from the desolation of my heart. Why had I not tasted the poison, there in the +hut of Chaka, and before the eyes of Chaka? Why did I not taste it now and make +an end? Nay, I had endured the agony; I would not give him this last triumph +over me. Now, having passed the fire, once more I should be great in the land, +and I would become great. Yes, I would bear my sorrows, and become great, that +in a day to be I might wreak vengeance on the king. Ah! my father, there, as I +rolled among the ashes, I prayed to the <i>Amatongo</i>, to the ghosts of my +ancestors. I prayed to my <i>Ehlosé</i>, to the spirit that watches +me—ay, and I even dared to pray to the Umkulunkulu, the great soul of the +world, who moves through the heavens and the earth unseen and unheard. And thus +I prayed, that I might yet live to kill Chaka as he had killed those who were +dear to me. And while I prayed I slept, or, if I did not sleep, the light of +thought went out of me, and I became as one dead. Then there came a vision to +me, a vision that was sent in answer to my prayer, or, perchance, it was a +madness born of my sorrows. For, my father, it seemed to me that I stood upon +the bank of a great and wide river. It was gloomy there, the light lay low upon +the face of the river, but far away on the farther side was a glow like the +glow of a stormy dawn, and in the glow I saw a mighty bed of reeds that swayed +about in the breath of dawn, and out of the reeds came men and women and +children, by hundreds and thousands, and plunged into the waters of the river +and were buffeted about by them. Now, my father, all the people that I saw in +the water were black people, and all those who were torn out of the reeds were +black—they were none of them white like your people, my father, for this +vision was a vision of the Zulu race, who alone are “torn out of the +reeds.” Now, I saw that of those who swam in the river some passed over +very quickly and some stood still, as it were, still in the water—as in +life, my father, some die soon and some live for many years. And I saw the +countless faces of those in the water, among them were many that I knew. There, +my father, I saw the face of Chaka, and near him was my own face; there, too, I +saw the face of Dingaan, the prince, his brother, and the face of the boy +Umslopogaas and the face of Nada, my daughter, and then for the first time I +knew that Umslopogaas was not dead, but only lost. +</p> + +<p> +Now I turned in my vision, and looked at that bank of the river on which I +stood. Then I saw that behind the bank was a cliff, mighty and black, and in +the cliff were doors of ivory, and through them came light and the sound of +laughter; there were other doors also, black as though fashioned of coal, and +through them came darkness and the sounds of groans. I saw also that in front +of the doors was set a seat, and on the seat was the figure of a glorious +woman. She was tall, and she alone was white, and clad in robes of white, and +her hair was like gold which is molten in the fire, and her face shone like the +midday sun. Then I saw that those who came up out of the river stood before the +woman, the water yet running from them, and cried aloud to her. +</p> + +<p> +“Hail, <i>Inkosazana-y-Zulu!</i> Hail, Queen of the Heavens!” +</p> + +<p> +Now the figure of the glorious woman held a rod in either hand, and the rod in +her right hand was white and of ivory, and the rod in her left hand was black +and of ebony. And as those who came up before her throne greeted her, so she +pointed now with the wand of ivory in her right hand, and now with the wand of +ebony in her left hand. And with the wand of ivory she pointed to the gates of +ivory, through which came light and laughter, and with the wand of ebony she +pointed to the gates of coal, through which came blackness and groans. And as +she pointed, so those who greeted her turned, and went, some through the gates +of light and some through the gates of blackness. +</p> + +<p> +Presently, as I stood, a handful of people came up from the bank of the river. +I looked on them and knew them. There was Unandi, the mother of Chaka, there +was Anadi, my wife, and Moosa, my son, and all my other wives and children, and +those who had perished with them. +</p> + +<p> +They stood before the figure of the woman, the Princess of the Heavens, to whom +the Umkulunkulu has given it to watch over the people of the Zulu, and cried +aloud, “Hail, <i>Inkosazana-y-Zulu!</i> Hail!” +</p> + +<p> +Then she, the Inkosazana, pointed with the rod of ivory to the gates of ivory; +but still they stood before her, not moving. Now the woman spoke for the first +time, in a low voice that was sad and awful to hear. +</p> + +<p> +“Pass in, children of my people, pass in to the judgment. Why tarry ye? +Pass in through the gates of light.” +</p> + +<p> +But still they tarried, and in my vision Unandi spoke: “We tarry, Queen +of the Heavens—we tarry to pray for justice on him who murdered us. I, +who on earth was named Mother of the Heavens, on behalf of all this company, +pray to thee, Queen of the Heavens, for justice on him who murdered us.” +</p> + +<p> +“How is he named?” asked the voice that was low and awful. +</p> + +<p> +“Chaka, king of the Zulus,” answered the voice of Unandi. +“Chaka, my son.” +</p> + +<p> +“Many have come to ask for vengeance on that head,” said the voice +of the Queen of the Heavens, “and many more shall come. Fear not, Unandi, +it shall fall. Fear not, Anadi and ye wives and children of Mopo, it shall +fall, I say. With the spear that pierced thy breast, Unandi, shall the breast +of Chaka be also pierced, and, ye wives and children of Mopo, the hand that +pierces shall be the hand of Mopo. As I guide him so shall he go. Ay, I will +teach him to wreak my vengeance on the earth! Pass in, children of my +people—pass in to the judgment, for the doom of Chaka is written.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus I dreamed, my father. Ay, this was the vision that was sent me as I lay in +pain and misery among the bones of my dead in the ashes of my kraal. Thus it +was given me to see the Inkosazana of the Heavens as she is in her own place. +Twice more I saw her, as you shall hear, but that was on the earth and with my +waking eyes. Yes, thrice has it been given to me in all to look upon that face +that I shall now see no more till I am dead, for no man may look four times on +the Inkosazana and live. Or am I mad, my father, and did I weave these visions +from the woof of my madness? I do not know, but it is true that I seemed to see +them. +</p> + +<p> +I woke when the sky was grey with the morning light; it was the pain of my +burnt hand that aroused me from my sleep or from my stupor. I rose shaking the +ashes from me, and went without the kraal to wash away their defilement. Then I +returned, and sat outside the gates of the <i>Emposeni</i>, waiting till the +king’s women, whom he named his sisters, should come to draw water +according to their custom. At last they came, and, sitting with my kaross +thrown over my face to hide it, looked for the passing of Baleka. Presently I +saw her; she was sad-faced, and walked slowly, her pitcher on her head. I +whispered her name, and she drew aside behind an aloe bush, and, making +pretence that her foot was pierced with a thorn, she lingered till the other +women had gone by. Then she came up to me, and we greeted one another, gazing +heavily into each other’s eyes. +</p> + +<p> +“In an ill day did I hearken to you, Baleka,” I said, “to you +and to the Mother of the Heavens, and save your child alive. See now what has +sprung from this seed! Dead are all my house, dead is the Mother of the +Heavens—all are dead—and I myself have been put to the torment by +fire,” and I held out my withered hand towards her. +</p> + +<p> +“Ay, Mopo, my brother,” she answered, “but flesh is nearest +to flesh, and I should think little of it were not my son Umslopogaas also +dead, as I have heard but now.” +</p> + +<p> +“You speak like a woman, Baleka. Is it, then, nothing to you that I, your +brother, have lost—all I love?” +</p> + +<p> +“Fresh seed can yet be raised up to you, my brother, but for me there is +no hope, for the king looks on me no more. I grieve for you, but I had this one +alone, and flesh is nearest to flesh. Think you that I shall escape? I tell you +nay. I am but spared for a little, then I go where the others have gone. Chaka +has marked me for the grave; for a little while I may be left, then I die: he +does but play with me as a leopard plays with a wounded buck. I care not, I am +weary, but I grieve for the boy; there was no such boy in the land. Would that +I might die swiftly and go to seek him.” +</p> + +<p> +“And if the boy is not dead, Baleka, what then?” +</p> + +<p> +“What is that you said?” she answered, turning on me with wild +eyes. “Oh, say it again—again, Mopo! I would gladly die a hundred +deaths to know that Umslopogaas still lives.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, Baleka, I know nothing. But last night I dreamed a dream,” +and I told her all my dream, and also of that which had gone before the dream. +</p> + +<p> +She listened as one listens to the words of a king when he passes judgement for +life or for death. +</p> + +<p> +“I think that there is wisdom in your dreams, Mopo,” she said at +length. “You were ever a strange man, to whom the gates of distance are +no bar. Now it is borne in upon my heart that Umslopogaas still lives, and now +I shall die happy. Yes, gainsay me not; I shall die, I know it. I read it in +the king’s eyes. But what is it? It is nothing, if only the prince +Umslopogaas yet lives.” +</p> + +<p> +“Your love is great, woman,” I said; “and this love of yours +has brought many woes upon us, and it may well happen that in the end it shall +all be for nothing, for there is an evil fate upon us. Say now, what shall I +do? Shall I fly, or shall I abide here, taking the chance of things?” +</p> + +<p> +“You must stay here, Mopo. See, now! This is in the king’s mind. He +fears because of the death of his mother at his own hand—yes, even he; he +is afraid lest the people should turn upon him who killed his own mother. +Therefore he will give it out that he did not kill her, but that she perished +in the fire which was called down upon your kraals by witchcraft; and, though +all men know the lie, yet none shall dare to gainsay him. As he said to you, +there will be a smelling out, but a smelling out of a new sort, for he and you +shall be the witch-finders, and at that smelling out he will give to death all +those whom he fears, all those whom he knows hate him for his wickedness and +because with his own hand he slew his mother. For this cause, then, he will +save you alive, Mopo—yes, and make you great in the land, for if, indeed, +his mother Unandi died through witchcraft, as he shall say, are you not also +wronged by him, and did not your wives and children also perish by witchcraft? +Therefore, do not fly; abide here and become great—become great to the +great end of vengeance, Mopo, my brother. You have much wrong to wreak; soon +you will have more, for I, too, shall be gone, and my blood also shall cry for +vengeance to you. Hearken, Mopo. Are there not other princes in the land? What +of Dingaan, what of Umhlangana, what of Umpanda, brothers to the king? Do not +these also desire to be kings? Do they not day by day rise from sleep feeling +their limbs to know if they yet live, do they not night by night lie down to +sleep not knowing if it shall be their wives that they shall kiss ere dawn or +the red assegai of the king? Draw near to them, my brother; creep into their +hearts and learn their counsel or teach them yours; so in the end shall Chaka +be brought to that gate through which your wives have passed, and where I also +am about to tread.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus Baleka spoke and she was gone, leaving me pondering, for her words were +heavy with wisdom. I knew well that the brothers of the king went heavily and +in fear of death, for his shadow was on them. With Panda, indeed, little could +be done, for he lived softly, speaking always as one whose wits are few. But +Dingaan and Umhlangana were of another wood, and from them might be fashioned a +kerrie that should scatter the brains of Chaka to the birds. But the time to +speak was not now; not yet was the cup of Chaka full. +</p> + +<p> +Then, having finished my thought, I rose, and, going to the kraal of my friend, +I doctored my burnt hand, that pained me, and as I was doctoring it there came +a messenger to me summoning me before the king. +</p> + +<p> +I went in before the king, and prostrated myself, calling him by his royal +names; but he took me by the hand and raised me up, speaking softly. +</p> + +<p> +“Rise, Mopo, my servant!” he said. “Thou hast suffered much +woe because of the witchcraft of thine enemies. I, I have lost my mother, and +thou, thou hast lost thy wives and children. Weep, my councillors, weep, +because I have lost my mother, and Mopo, my servant, has lost his wives and +children, by the witchcraft of our foes!” +</p> + +<p> +Then all the councillors wept aloud, while Chaka glared at them. +</p> + +<p> +“Hearken, Mopo!” said the king, when the weeping was done. +“None can give me back my mother; but I can give thee more wives, and +thou shalt find children. Go in among the damsels who are reserved to the king, +and choose thee six; go in among the cattle of the king, and choose thee ten +times ten of the best; call upon the servants of the king that they build up +thy kraal greater and fairer than it was before! These things I give thee +freely; but thou shalt have more, Mopo—yes! thou shalt have vengeance! On +the first day of the new moon I summon a great meeting, a <i>bandhla</i> of all +the Zulu people: yes, thine own tribe, the Langeni, shall be there also. Then +we will mourn together over our woes; then, too, we will learn who brought +these woes upon us. Go now, Mopo, go! And go ye also, my councillors, leaving +me to weep alone because my mother is dead!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus, then, my father, did the words of Baleka come true, and thus, because of +the crafty policy of Chaka, I grew greater in the land than ever I had been +before. I chose the cattle, they were fat; I chose the wives, they were fair; +but I took no pleasure in them, nor were any more children born to me. For my +heart was like a withered stick; the sap and strength had gone from my +heart—it was drawn out in the fire of Chaka’s hut, and lost in my +sorrow for those whom I had loved. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap12"></a>CHAPTER XII.<br /> +THE TALE OF GALAZI THE WOLF</h2> + +<p> +Now, my father, I will go back a little, for my tale is long and winds in and +out like a river in a plain, and tell of the fate of Umslopogaas when the lion +had taken him, as he told it to me in the after years. +</p> + +<p> +The lioness bounded away, and in her mouth was Umslopogaas. Once he struggled, +but she bit him hard, so he lay quiet in her mouth, and looking back he saw the +face of Nada as she ran from the fence of thorns, crying “Save +him!” He saw her face, he heard her words, then he saw and heard little +more, for the world grew dark to him and he passed, as it were, into a deep +sleep. Presently Umslopogaas awoke again, feeling pain in his thigh, where the +lioness had bitten him, and heard a sound of shouting. He looked up; near to +him stood the lioness that had loosed him from her jaws. She was snorting with +rage, and in front of her was a lad long and strong, with a grim face, and a +wolf’s hide, black and grey, bound about his shoulders in such fashion +that the upper jaw and teeth of the wolf rested on his head. He stood before +the lioness, shouting, and in one hand he held a large war-shield, and in the +other he grasped a heavy club shod with iron. +</p> + +<p> +Now the lioness crouched herself to spring, growling terribly, but the lad with +the club did not wait for her onset. He ran in upon her and struck her on the +head with the club. He smote hard and well, but this did not kill her, for she +reared herself upon her hind legs and struck at him heavily. He caught the blow +upon his shield, but the shield was driven against his breast so strongly that +he fell backwards beneath it, and lay there howling like a wolf in pain. Then +the lioness sprang upon him and worried him. Still, because of the shield, as +yet she could not come at him to slay him; but Umslopogaas saw that this might +not endure, for presently the shield would be torn aside and the stranger must +be killed. Now in the breast of the lioness still stood the half of +Umslopogaas’s broken spear, and its blade was a span deep in her breast. +Then this thought came into the mind of Umslopogaas, that he would drive the +spear home or die. So he rose swiftly, for strength came back to him in his +need, and ran to where the lioness worried at him who lay beneath the shield. +She did not heed him, so he flung himself upon his knees before her, and, +seizing the haft of the broken spear, drove it deep into her and wrenched it +round. Now she saw Umslopogaas and turned roaring, and clawed at him, tearing +his breast and arms. Then, as he lay, he heard a mighty howling, and, behold! +grey wolves and black leaped upon the lioness and rent and worried her till she +fell and was torn to pieces by them. After this the senses of Umslopogaas left +him again, and the light went out of his eyes so that he was as one dead. +</p> + +<p> +At length his mind came back to him, and with it his memory, and he remembered +the lioness and looked up to find her. But he did not find her, and he saw that +he lay in a cave upon a bed of grass, while all about him were the skins of +beasts, and at his side was a pot filled with water. He put out his hand and, +taking the pot, drank of the water, and then he saw that his arm was wasted as +with sickness, and that his breast was thick with scars scarcely skinned over. +</p> + +<p> +Now while he lay and wondered, the mouth of the cave was darkened, and through +it entered that same lad who had done battle with the lioness and been +overthrown by her, bearing a dead buck upon his shoulders. He put down the buck +upon the ground, and, walking to where Umslopogaas lay, looked at him. +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Ou!</i>” he said, “your eyes are open—do you, then, +live, stranger?” +</p> + +<p> +“I live,” answered Umslopogaas, “and I am hungry.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is time,” said the other, “since with toil I bore you +here through the forest, for twelve days you have lain without sense, drinking +water only. So deeply had the lion clawed you that I thought of you as dead. +Twice I was near to killing you, that you might cease to suffer and I to be +troubled; but I held my hand, because of a word which came to me from one who +is dead. Now eat, that your strength may return to you. Afterwards, we will +talk.” +</p> + +<p> +So Umslopogaas ate, and little by little his health returned to him—every +day a little. And afterwards, as they sat at night by the fire in the cave they +spoke together. +</p> + +<p> +“How are you named?” asked Umslopogaas of the other. +</p> + +<p> +“I am named Galazi the Wolf,” he answered, “and I am of Zulu +blood—ay, of the blood of Chaka the king; for the father of Senzangacona, +the father of Chaka, was my great-grandfather.” +</p> + +<p> +“Whence came you, Galazi?” +</p> + +<p> +“I came from Swaziland—from the tribe of the Halakazi, which I +should rule. This is the story: Siguyana, my grandfather, was a younger brother +of Senzangacona, the father of Chaka. But he quarrelled with Senzangacona, and +became a wanderer. With certain of the people of the Umtetwa he wandered into +Swaziland, and sojourned with the Halakazi tribe in their great caves; and the +end of it was that he killed the chief of the tribe and took his place. After +he was dead, my father ruled in his place; but there was a great party in the +tribe that hated his rule because he was of the Zulu race, and it would have +set up a chief of the old Swazi blood in his place. Still, they could not do +this, for my father’s hand was heavy on the people. Now I was the only +son of my father by his head wife, and born to be chief after him, and +therefore those of the Swazi party, and they were many and great, hated me +also. So matters stood till last year in the winter, and then my father set his +heart on killing twenty of the headmen, with their wives and children, because +he knew that they plotted against him. But the headmen learned what was to +come, and they prevailed upon a wife of my father, a woman of their own blood, +to poison him. So she poisoned him in the night and in the morning it was told +me that my father lay sick and summoned me, and I went to him. In his hut I +found him, and he was writhing with pain. +</p> + +<p> +“‘What is it, my father?’ I said. ‘Who has done this +evil?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘It is this, my son,’ he gasped, ‘that I am poisoned, +and she stands yonder who has done the deed.’ And he pointed to the +woman, who stood at the side of the hut near the door, her chin upon her +breast, trembling as she looked upon the fruit of her wickedness. +</p> + +<p> +“Now the girl was young and fair, and we had been friends, yet I say that +I did not pause, for my heart was mad within me. I did not pause, but, seizing +my spear, I ran at her, and, though she cried for mercy, I killed her with the +spear. +</p> + +<p> +“‘That was well done, Galazi!’ said my father. ‘But +when I am gone, look to yourself, my son, for these Swazi dogs will drive you +out and rob you of your place! But if they drive you out and you still live, +swear this to me—that you will not rest till you have avenged me.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘I swear it, my father,’ I answered. ‘I swear that I +will stamp out the men of the tribe of Halakazi, every one of them, except +those of my own blood, and bring their women to slavery and their children to +bonds!’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Big words for a young mouth,’ said my father. ‘Yet +shall you live to bring these things about, Galazi. This I know of you now in +my hour of death: you shall be a wanderer for a few years of your life, child +of Siguyana, and wandering in another land you shall die a man’s death, +and not such a death as yonder witch has given to me.’ Then, having +spoken thus, he lifted up his head, looked at me, and with a great groan he +died. +</p> + +<p> +“Now I passed out of the hut dragging the body of the dead girl after me. +In front of the hut were gathered many headmen waiting for the end, and I saw +that their looks were sullen. +</p> + +<p> +“‘The chief, my father, is dead!’ I cried in a loud voice, +‘and I, Galazi, who am the chief, have slain her who murdered him!’ +And I rolled the body of the girl over on to her back so that they might look +upon her face. +</p> + +<p> +“Now the father of the girl was among those who stood before me, he who +had persuaded her to the deed, and he was maddened at the sight. +</p> + +<p> +“‘What, my brothers?’ he cried. ‘Shall we suffer that +this young Zulu dog, this murderer of a girl, be chief over us? Never! The old +lion is dead, now for the cub!’ And he ran at me with spear aloft. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Never!’ shouted the others, and they, too, ran towards me, +shaking their spears. +</p> + +<p> +“I waited, I did not hasten, for I knew well that I should not die then, +I knew it from my father’s last words. I waited till the man was near me; +he thrust, I sprang aside and drove my spear through him, and on the +daughter’s body the father fell dead. Then I shouted aloud and rushed +through them. None touched me; none could catch me; the man does not live who +can overtake me when my feet are on the ground and I am away.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yet I might try,” said Umslopogaas, smiling, for of all lads among +the Zulus he was the swiftest of foot. +</p> + +<p> +“First walk again, then run,” answered Galazi. +</p> + +<p> +“Take up the tale,” quoth Umslopogaas; “it is a merry +one.” +</p> + +<p> +“Something is left to tell, stranger. I fled from the country of the +Halakazi, nor did I linger at all in the land of the Swazis, but came on +swiftly into the Zulu. Now, it was in my mind to go to Chaka and tell him of my +wrongs, asking that he would send an impi to make an end of the Halakazi. But +while I journeyed, finding food and shelter as I might, I came one night to the +kraal of an old man who knew Chaka, and had known Siguyana, my grandfather, and +to him, when I had stayed there two days, I told my tale. But the old man +counselled me against my plan, saying that Chaka, the king, did not love to +welcome new shoots sprung from the royal stock, and would kill me; moreover, +the man offered me a place in his kraal. Now, I held that there was wisdom in +his words, and thought no more of standing before the king to cry for justice, +for he who cries to kings for justice sometimes finds death. Still, I would not +stay in the kraal of the old man, for he had sons to come after him who looked +on me with no liking; moreover, I wished to be a chief myself, even if I lived +alone. So I left the kraal by night and walked on, not knowing where I should +go. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, on the third night, I came to a little kraal that stands on the +farther side of the river at the foot of the mountain. In front of the kraal +sat a very old woman basking in the rays of the setting sun. She saw me, and +spoke to me, saying, ‘Young man, you are tall and strong and swift of +foot. Would you earn a famous weapon, a club, that destroys all who stand +before it?’ +</p> + +<p> +“I said that I wished to have such a club, and asked what I should do to +win it. +</p> + +<p> +“‘You shall do this,’ said the old woman: ‘to-morrow +morning, at the first light, you shall go up to yonder mountain,’ and she +pointed to the mountain where you are now, stranger, on which the stone Witch +sits forever waiting for the world to die. ‘Two-thirds of the way up the +mountain you will come to a path that is difficult to climb. You shall climb +the path and enter a gloomy forest. It is very dark in the forest, but you must +push through it till you come to an open place with a wall of rock behind it. +In the wall of rock is a cave, and in the cave you will find the bones of a +man. Bring down the bones in a bag, and I will give you the club!’ +</p> + +<p> +“While she spoke thus people came out of the kraal and listened. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Do not heed her, young man,’ they said, ‘unless you +are weary of life. Do not heed her: she is crazy. The mountain is haunted; it +is a place of ghosts. Look at the stone Witch who sits upon it! Evil spirits +live in that forest, and no man has walked there for many years. This +woman’s son was foolish: he went to wander in the forest, saying that he +cared nothing for ghosts, and the <i>Amatongo</i>, the ghost-folk, killed him. +That was many years ago, and none have dared to seek his bones. Ever she sits +here and asks of the passers by that they should bring him to her, offering the +great club for a reward; but they dare not!’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘They lie!’ said the old woman. ‘There are no ghosts +there. The ghosts live only in their cowardly hearts; there are but wolves. I +know that the bones of my son lie in the cave, for I have seen them in a dream; +but, alas! my old limbs are too weak to carry me up the mountain path, and all +these are cowards; there is no man among them since the Zulus killed my +husband, covering him with wounds!’ +</p> + +<p> +“Now, I listened, answering nothing; but when all had done, I asked to +see the club which should be given to him who dared to face the +<i>Amatongo</i>, the spirits who lived in the forest upon the Ghost Mountain. +Then the old woman rose, and creeping on her hands went into the hut. Presently +she returned again, dragging the great club after her. +</p> + +<p> +“Look at it, stranger! look at it! Was there ever such a club?” And +Galazi held it up before the eyes of Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +In truth, my father, that was a club, for I, Mopo, saw it in after days. It was +great and knotty, black as iron that had been smoked in the fire, and shod with +metal that was worn smooth with smiting. +</p> + +<p> +“I looked at it,” went on Galazi, “and I tell you, stranger, +a great desire came into my heart to possess it. +</p> + +<p> +“‘How is this club named?’ I asked of the old woman. +</p> + +<p> +“‘It is named Watcher of the Fords,’ she answered, ‘and +it has not watched in vain. Five men have held that club in war and a +hundred-and-seventy-three have given up their lives beneath its strokes. He who +held it last slew twenty before he was slain himself, for this fortune goes +with the club—that he who owns it shall die holding it, but in a noble +fashion. There is but one other weapon to match with it in Zululand, and that +is the great axe of Jikiza, the chief of the People of the Axe, who dwells in +the kraal yonder; the ancient horn-hafted <i>Imbubuzi</i>, the Groan-Maker, +that brings victory. Were axe, Groan-Maker, and club, Watcher of the Fords, +side by side, there are no thirty men in Zululand who could stand before them. +I have said. Choose!’ And the aged woman watched me cunningly through her +horny eyes. +</p> + +<p> +“‘She speaks truly now,’ said one of those who stood near. +‘Let the club be, young man: he who owns it smites great blows indeed, +but in the end he dies by the assegai. None dare own the Watcher of the +Fords.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘A good death and a swift!’ I answered. And pondered a time, +while still the old woman watched me through her horny eyes. At length she +rose, ‘La!, la!’ she said, ‘the Watcher is not for this one. +This is but a child, I must seek me a man, I must seek me a man!’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Not so fast, old wife,’ I said. ‘Will you lend me +this club to hold in my hand while I go to find the bones of your son and to +snatch them from the people of the ghosts?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Lend you the Watcher, boy? Nay, nay! I should see little of you +again or of the good club either.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘I am no thief,’ I answered. ‘If the ghosts kill me, +you will see me no more, or the club either; but if I live I will bring you +back the bones, or, if I do not find them, I will render the Watcher into your +hands again. At the least I say that if you will not lend me the club, then I +will not go into the haunted place.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Boy, your eyes are honest,’ she said, still peering at me. +‘Take the Watcher, go seek the bones. If you die, let the club be lost +with you; if you fail, bring it back to me; but if you win the bones, then it +is yours, and it shall bring you glory and you shall die a man’s death at +last holding him aloft among the dead.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So on the morrow at dawn I took the club Watcher in my hand and a little +dancing shield, and made ready to start. The old woman blessed me and bade me +farewell, but the other people of the kraal mocked, saying: ‘A little man +for so big a club! Beware, little man, lest the ghosts use the club on +you!’ So they spoke, but one girl in the kraal—she is a +granddaughter of the old woman—led me aside, praying me not to go, for +the forest on the Ghost Mountain had an evil name: none dared walk there, since +it was certainly full of spirits, who howled like wolves. I thanked the girl, +but to the others I said nothing, only I asked of the path to the Ghost +Mountain. +</p> + +<p> +“Now stranger, if you have strength, come to the mouth of the cave and +look out, for the moon is bright.” +</p> + +<p> +So Umslopogaas rose and crept through the narrow mouth of the cave. There, +above him, a great grey peak towered high into the air, shaped like a seated +woman, her chin resting upon her breast, the place where the cave was being, as +it were, on the lap of the woman. Below this place the rock sloped sharply, and +was clothed with little bushes. Lower down yet was a forest, great and dense, +that stretched to the top of a cliff, and at the foot of the cliff, beyond the +waters of the river, lay the wide plains of Zululand. +</p> + +<p> +“Yonder, stranger,” said Galazi, pointing with the club Watcher of +the Fords far away to the plain beneath; “yonder is the kraal where the +aged woman dwelt. There is a cliff rising from the plain, up which I must +climb; there is the forest where dwell the <i>Amatongo</i>, the people of the +ghosts; there, on the hither side of the forest, runs the path to the cave, and +here is the cave itself. See this stone lying at the mouth of the cave, it +turns thus, shutting up the entrance hole—it turns gently; though it is +so large, a child may move it, for it rests upon a sharp point of rock. Only +mark this, the stone must not be pushed too far; for, look! if it came to +here,” and he pointed to a mark in the mouth of the cave, “then +that man need be strong who can draw it back again, though I have done it +myself, who am not a man full grown. But if it pass beyond this mark, then, +see, it will roll down the neck of the cave like a pebble down the neck of a +gourd, and I think that two men, one striving from within and one dragging from +without, scarcely could avail to push it clear. Look now, I close the stone, as +is my custom of a night, so,”—and he grasped the rock and swung it +round upon its pivot, on which it turned as a door turns. “Thus I leave +it, and though, except those to whom the secret is known, none would guess that +a cave was here, yet it can be rolled back again with a push of the hand. But +enough of the stone. Enter again, wanderer, and I will go forward with my tale, +for it is long and strange. +</p> + +<p> +“I started from the kraal of the old woman, and the people of the kraal +followed me to the brink of the river. It was in flood, and few had dared to +cross it. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Ha! ha!’ they cried, ‘now your journey is done, +little man; watch by the ford you who would win the Watcher of the Ford! Beat +the water with the club, perhaps so it shall grow gentle that your feet may +pass it!’ +</p> + +<p> +“I answered nothing to their mocking, only I bound the shield upon my +shoulders with a string, and the bag that I had brought I made fast about my +middle, and I held the great club in my teeth by the thong. Then I plunged into +the river and swam. Twice, stranger, the current bore me under, and those on +the bank shouted that I was lost; but I rose again, and in the end I won the +farther shore. +</p> + +<p> +“Now those on the bank mocked no more; they stood still wondering, and I +walked on till I came to the foot of the cliff. That cliff is hard to climb, +stranger; when you are strong upon your feet, I will show you the path. Yet I +found a way up it, and by midday I came to the forest. Here, on the edge of the +forest, I rested awhile, and ate a little food that I had brought with me in +the bag, for now I must gather up my strength to meet the ghosts, if ghosts +there were. Then I rose and plunged into the forest. The trees were great that +grow there, stranger, and their leaves are so thick that in certain places the +light is as that of night when the moon is young. Still, I wended on, often +losing my path. But from time to time between the tops of the trees I saw the +figure of the grey stone woman who sits on the top of Ghost Mountain, and +shaped my course towards her knees. My heart beat as I travelled through the +forest in dark and loneliness like that of the night, and ever I looked round +searching for the eyes of the <i>Amatongo</i>. But I saw no spirits, though at +times great spotted snakes crept from before my feet, and perhaps these were +the <i>Amatongo</i>. At times, also, I caught glimpses of some grey wolf as he +slunk from tree to tree watching me, and always high above my head the wind +sighed in the great boughs with a sound like the sighing of women. +</p> + +<p> +“Still, I went on, singing to myself as I went, that my heart might not +be faint with fear, and at length, towards the end of the second hour, the +trees grew fewer, the ground sloped upwards, and the light poured down from the +heavens again. But, stranger, you are weary, and the night wears on; sleep now, +and to-morrow I will end the tale. Say, first, how are you named?” +</p> + +<p> +“I am named Umslopogaas, son of Mopo,” he answered, “and my +tale shall be told when yours is done; let us sleep!” +</p> + +<p> +Now when Galazi heard this name he started and was troubled, but said nothing. +So they laid them down to sleep, and Galazi wrapped Umslopogaas with the skins +of bucks. +</p> + +<p> +But Galazi the Wolf was so hardy that he lay on the bare ground and had no +covering. So they slept, and without the door of the cave the wolves howled, +scenting the blood of men. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap13"></a>CHAPTER XIII.<br /> +GALAZI BECOMES KING OF THE WOLVES</h2> + +<p> +On the morrow Umslopogaas awoke, and knew that strength was growing on him +fast. Still, all that day he rested in the cave, while Galazi went out to hunt. +In the evening he returned, bearing a buck upon his shoulders, and they skinned +the buck and ate of it as they sat by the fire. And when the sun was down +Galazi took up his tale. +</p> + +<p> +“Now Umslopogaas, son of Mopo, hear! I had passed the forest, and had +come, as it were, to the legs of the old stone Witch who sits up aloft there +forever waiting for the world to die. Here the sun shone merrily, here lizards +ran and birds flew to and fro, and though it grew towards the evening—for +I had wandered long in the forest—I was afraid no more. So I climbed up +the steep rock, where little bushes grow like hair on the arms of a man, till +at last I came to the knees of the stone Witch, which are the space before the +cave. I lifted my head over the brink of the rock and looked, and I tell you, +Umslopogaas, my blood ran cold and my heart turned to water, for there, before +the cave, rolled wolves, many and great. Some slept and growled in their sleep, +some gnawed at the skulls of dead game, some sat up like dogs and their tongues +hung from their grinning jaws. I looked, I saw, and beyond I discovered the +mouth of the cave, where the bones of the boy should be. But I had no wish to +come there, being afraid of the wolves, for now I knew that these were the +ghosts who live upon the mountain. So I bethought me that I would fly, and +turned to go. And, Umslopogaas, even as I turned, the great club Watcher of the +Fords swung round and smote me on the back with such a blow as a man smites +upon a coward. Now whether this was by chance or whether the Watcher would +shame him who bore it, say you, for I do not know. At the least, shame entered +into me. Should I go back to be mocked by the people of the kraal and by the +old woman? And if I wished to go, should I not be killed by the ghosts at night +in the forest? Nay, it was better to die in the jaws of the wolves, and at +once. +</p> + +<p> +“Thus I thought in my heart; then, tarrying not, lest fear should come +upon me again, I swung up the Watcher, and crying aloud the war-cry of the +Halakazi, I sprang over the brink of the rock and rushed upon the wolves. They, +too, sprang up and stood howling, with bristling hides and fiery eyes, and the +smell of them came into my nostrils. Yet when they saw it was a man that rushed +upon them, they were seized with sudden fear and fled this way and that, +leaping by great bounds from the place of rock, which is the knees of the stone +Witch, so that presently I stood alone in front of the cave. Now, having +conquered the wolf ghosts and no blow struck, my heart swelled within me, and I +walked to the mouth of the cave proudly, as a cock walks upon a roof, and +looked in through the opening. As it chanced, the sinking sun shone at this +hour full into the cave, so that all its darkness was made red with light. +Then, once more, Umslopogaas, I grew afraid indeed, for I could see the end of +the cave. +</p> + +<p> +“Look now! There is a hole in the wall of the cave, where the firelight +falls below the shadow of the roof, twice the height of a man from the floor. +It is a narrow hole and a high, is it not?—as though one had cut it with +iron, and a man might sit in it, his legs hanging towards the floor of the +cave. Ay, Umslopogaas, a man might sit in it, might he not? And there a man +sat, or that which had been a man. There sat the bones of a man, and the black +skin had withered on his bones, holding them together, and making him awful to +see. His hands were open beside him, he leaned upon them, and in the right hand +was a piece of hide from his moocha. It was half eaten, Umslopogaas; he had +eaten it before he died. His eyes also were bound round with a band of leather, +as though to hide something from their gaze, one foot was gone, one hung over +the edge of the niche towards the floor, and beneath it on the floor, red with +rust, lay the blade of a broken spear. +</p> + +<p> +“Now come hither, Umslopogaas, place your hand upon the wall of the cave, +just here; it is smooth, is it not?—smooth as the stones on which women +grind their corn. ‘What made it so smooth?’ you ask. I will tell +you. +</p> + +<p> +“When I peered through the door of the cave I saw this: on the floor of +the cave lay a she-wolf panting, as though she had galloped many a mile; she +was great and fierce. Near to her was another wolf—he was a dog—old +and black, bigger than any I have seen, a very father of wolves, and all his +head and flanks were streaked with grey. But this wolf was on his feet. As I +watched he drew back nearly to the mouth of the cave, then of a sudden he ran +forward and bounded high into the air towards the withered foot of that which +hung from the cleft of the rock. His pads struck upon the rock here where it is +smooth, and there for a second he seemed to cling, while his great jaws closed +with a clash but a spear’s breadth beneath the dead man’s foot. +Then he fell back with a howl of rage, and drew slowly down the cave. Again he +ran and leaped, again the great jaws closed, again he fell down howling. Then +the she-wolf rose, and they sprang together, striving to pull down him who sat +above. But it was all in vain; they could never come nearer than within a +spear’s breadth of the dead man’s foot. And now, Umslopogaas, you +know why the rock is smooth and shines. From month to month and year to year +the wolves had ravened there, seeking to devour the bones of him who sat above. +Night upon night they had leaped thus against the wall of the cave, but never +might their clashing jaws close upon his foot. One foot they had, indeed, but +the other they could not come by. +</p> + +<p> +“Now as I watched, filled with fear and wonder, the she-wolf, her tongue +lolling from her jaws, made so mighty a bound that she almost reached the +hanging foot, and yet not quite. She fell back, and then I saw that the leap +was her last for that time, for she had oversprung herself, and lay there +howling, the black blood flowing from her mouth. The wolf saw also: he drew +near, sniffed at her, then, knowing that she was hurt, seized her by the throat +and worried her. Now all the place was filled with groans and choking howls, as +the wolves rolled over and over beneath him who sat above, and in the blood-red +light of the dying sun the sight and sounds were so horrid that I trembled like +a child. The she-wolf grew faint, for the fangs of her mate were buried in her +throat. Then I saw that now was the time to smite him, lest when he had killed +her he should kill me also. So I lifted the Watcher and sprang into the cave, +having it in my mind to slay the wolf before he lifted up his head. But he +heard my footsteps, or perhaps my shadow fell upon him. Loosing his grip, he +looked up, this father of wolves; then, making no sound, he sprang straight at +my throat. +</p> + +<p> +“I saw him, and whirling the Watcher aloft, I smote with all my strength. +The blow met him in mid-air; it fell full on his chest and struck him backwards +to the earth. But there he would not stay, for, rising before I could smite +again, once more he sprang at me. This time I leaped aside and struck +downwards, and the blow fell upon his right leg and broke it, so that he could +spring no more. Yet he ran at me on three feet, and, though the club fell on +his side, he seized me with his teeth, biting through that leather bag, which +was wound about my middle, into the flesh behind. Then I yelled with pain and +rage, and lifting the Watcher endways, drove it down with both hands, as a man +drives a stake into the earth, and that with so great a stroke that the skull +of the wolf was shattered like a pot, and he fell dead, dragging me with him. +Presently I sat up on the ground, and, placing the handle of the Watcher +between his jaws, I forced them open, freeing my flesh from the grip of his +teeth. Then I looked at my wounds; they were not deep, for the leather bag had +saved me, yet I feel them to this hour, for there is poison in the mouth of a +wolf. Presently I glanced up, and saw that the she-wolf had found her feet +again, and stood as though unhurt; for this is the nature of these ghosts, +Umslopogaas, that, though they fight continually, they cannot destroy each +other. They may be killed by man alone, and that hardly. There she stood, and +yet she did not look at me or on her dead mate, but at him who sat above. I +saw, and crept softly behind her, then, lifting the Watcher, I dashed him down +with all my strength. The blow fell on her neck and broke it, so that she +rolled over and at once was dead. +</p> + +<p> +“Now I rested awhile, then went to the mouth of the cave and looked out. +The sun was sinking: all the depth of the forest was black, but the light still +shone on the face of the stone woman who sits forever on the mountain. Here, +then, I must bide this night, for, though the moon shone white and full in the +sky, I dared not wend towards the plains alone with the wolves and the ghosts. +And if I dared not go alone, how much less should I dare to go bearing with me +him who sat in the cleft of the rock! Nay, here I must bide, so I went out of +the cave to the spring which flows from the rock on the right yonder and washed +my wounds and drank. Then I came back and sat in the mouth of the cave, and +watched the light die away from the face of the world. While it was dying there +was silence, but when it was dead the forest awoke. A wind sprang up and tossed +it till the green of its boughs waved like troubled water on which the moon +shines faintly. From the heart of it, too, came howlings of ghosts and wolves, +that were answered by howls from the rocks above—hearken, Umslopogaas, +such howlings as we hear to-night! +</p> + +<p> +“It was awful here in the mouth of the cave, for I had not yet learned +the secret of the stone, and if I had known it, should I have dared to close +it, leaving myself alone with the dead wolves and him whom the wolves had +struggled to tear down? I walked out yonder on to the platform and looked up. +The moon shone full upon the face of the stone Witch who sits aloft forever. +She seemed to grin at me, and, oh! I grew afraid, for now I knew that this was +a place of dead men, a place where spirits perch like vultures in a tree, as +they sweep round and round the world. I went back to the cave, and feeling that +I must do something lest I should go mad, I drew to me the carcase of the great +dog-wolf which I had killed, and, taking my knife of iron, I began to skin it +by the light of the moon. For an hour or more I skinned, singing to myself as I +worked, and striving to forget him who sat in the cleft above and the howlings +which ran about the mountains. But ever the moonlight shone more clearly into +the cave: now by it I could see his shape of bone and skin, ay, and even the +bandage about his eyes. Why had he tied it there? I wondered—perhaps to +hide the faces of the fierce wolves as they sprang upwards to grip him. And +always the howlings drew nearer; now I could see grey forms creeping to and fro +in the shadows of the rocky place before me. Ah! there before me glared two red +eyes: a sharp snout sniffed at the carcase which I skinned. With a yell, I +lifted the Watcher and smote. There came a scream of pain, and something +galloped away into the shadows. +</p> + +<p> +“Now the skin was off. I cast it behind me, and seizing the carcase +dragged it to the edge of the rock and left it. Presently the sound of howlings +drew near again, and I saw the grey shapes creep up one by one. Now they +gathered round the carcase, now they fell upon it and rent it, fighting +horribly till all was finished. Then, licking their red chops, they slunk back +to the forest. +</p> + +<p> +“Did I sleep or did I wake? Nay, I cannot tell. But I know this, that of +a sudden I seemed to look up and see. I saw a light—perchance, +Umslopogaas, it was the light of the moon, shining upon him that sat aloft at +the end of the cave. It was a red light, and he glowed in it as glows a thing +that is rotten. I looked, or seemed to look, and then I thought that the +hanging jaw moved, and from it came a voice that was harsh and hollow as of one +who speaks from an empty belly, through a withered throat. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Hail, Galazi, child of Siguyana!’ said the voice, +‘Galazi the Wolf! Say, what dost thou here in the Ghost Mountain, where +the stone Witch sits forever, waiting for the world to die?’ +</p> + +<p> +“Then, Umslopogaas, I answered, or seemed to answer, and my voice, too, +sounded strange and hollow:— +</p> + +<p> +“‘Hail, Dead One, who sittest like a vulture on a rock! I do this +on the Ghost Mountain. I come to seek thy bones and bear them to thy mother for +burial.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Many and many a year have I sat aloft, Galazi,’ answered +the voice, ‘watching the ghost-wolves leap and leap to drag me down, till +the rock grew smooth beneath the wearing of their feet. So I sat seven days and +nights, being yet alive, the hungry wolves below, and hunger gnawing at my +heart. So I have sat many and many a year, being dead in the heart of the old +stone Witch, watching the moon and the sun and the stars, hearkening to the +howls of the ghost-wolves as they ravened beneath me, and learning the wisdom +of the old witch who sits above in everlasting stone. Yet my mother was young +and fair when I trod the haunted forest and climbed the knees of stone. How +seems she now, Galazi?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘She is white and wrinkled and very aged,’ I answered. +‘They call her mad, yet at her bidding I came to seek thee, Dead One, +bearing the Watcher that was thy father’s and shall be mine.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘It shall be thine, Galazi,’ said the voice, ‘for thou +alone hast dared the ghosts to give me sleep and burial. Hearken, thine also +shall be the wisdom of the old witch who sits aloft forever, frozen into +everlasting stone—thine and one other’s. These are not wolves that +thou hast seen, that is no wolf which thou hast slain; nay, they are +ghosts—evil ghosts of men who lived in ages gone, and who must now live +till they be slain by men. And knowest thou how they lived, Galazi, and what +was the food they ate? When the light comes again, Galazi, climb to the breasts +of the stone Witch, and look in the cleft which is between her breasts. There +shalt thou see how these men lived. And now this doom is on them: they must +wander gaunt and hungry in the shape of wolves, haunting that Ghost Mountain +where they once fed, till they are led forth to die at the hands of men. +Because of their devouring hunger they have leapt from year to year, striving +to reach my bones; and he whom thou hast slain was the king of them, and she at +his side was their queen. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Now, Galazi the Wolf, this is the wisdom that I give thee: thou +shalt be king of the ghost-wolves, thou and another, whom a lion shall bring +thee. Gird the black skin upon thy shoulders, and the wolves shall follow thee; +all the three hundred and sixty and three of them that are left, and let him +who shall be brought to thee gird on the skin of grey. Where ye twain lead +them, there shall they raven, bringing you victory till all are dead. But know +this, that there only may they raven where in life they ravened, seeking for +their food. Yet, that was an ill gift thou tookest from my mother—the +gift of the Watcher, for though without the Watcher thou hadst never slain the +king of the ghost-wolves, yet, bearing the Watcher, thou shalt thyself be +slain. Now, on the morrow carry me back to my mother, so that I may sleep where +the ghost-wolves leap no more. I have spoken, Galazi.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Now the Dead One’s voice seemed to grow ever fainter and more +hollow as he spoke, till at the last I could scarcely hear his words, yet I +answered him, asking him this:— +</p> + +<p> +“‘Who is it, then, that the lion shall bring to me to rule with me +over the ghost-wolves, and how is he named?’ +</p> + +<p> +“Then the Dead One spoke once more very faintly, yet in the silence of +the place I heard his words:— +</p> + +<p> +“‘He is named Umslopogaas the Slaughterer, son of Chaka, Lion of +the Zulu.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas started up from his place by the fire. +</p> + +<p> +“I am named Umslopogaas,” he said, “but the Slaughterer I am +not named, and I am the son of Mopo, and not the son of Chaka, Lion of the +Zulu; you have dreamed a dream, Galazi, or, if it was no dream, then the Dead +One lied to you.” +</p> + +<p> +“Perchance this was so, Umslopogaas,” answered Galazi the Wolf. +“Perhaps I dreamed, or perhaps the Dead One lied; nevertheless, if he +lied in this matter, in other matters he did not lie, as you shall hear. +</p> + +<p> +“After I had heard these words, or had dreamed that I heard them, I slept +indeed, and when I woke the forest beneath was like the clouds of mist, but the +grey light glinted upon the face of her who sits in stone above. Now I +remembered the dream that I had dreamed, and I would see if it were all a +dream. So I rose, and leaving the cave, found a place where I might climb up to +the breasts and head of the stone Witch. I climbed, and as I went the rays of +the sun lit upon her face, and I rejoiced to see them. But, when I drew near, +the likeness to the face of a woman faded away, and I saw nothing before me but +rugged heaps of piled-up rock. For this, Umslopogaas, is the way of witches, be +they of stone or flesh—when you draw near to them they change their +shape. +</p> + +<p> +“Now I was on the breast of the mountain, and wandered to and fro awhile +between the great heaps of stone. At length I found, as it were, a crack in the +stone thrice as wide as a man can jump, and in length half a spear’s +throw, and near this crack stood great stones blackened by fire, and beneath +them broken pots and a knife of flint. I looked down into the crack—it +was very deep, and green with moss, and tall ferns grew about in it, for the +damp gathered there. There was nothing else. I had dreamed a lying dream. I +turned to go, then found another mind, and climbed down into the cleft, pushing +aside the ferns. Beneath the ferns was moss; I scraped it away with the +Watcher. Presently the iron of the club struck on something that was yellow and +round like a stone, and from the yellow thing came a hollow sound. I lifted it, +Umslopogaas; it was the skull of a child. +</p> + +<p> +“I dug deeper and scraped away more moss, till presently I saw. Beneath +the moss was nothing but the bones of men—old bones that had lain there +many years; the little ones had rotted, the larger ones remained—some +were yellow, some black, and others still white. They were not broken, as are +those that hyenas and wolves have worried, yet on some of them I could see the +marks of teeth. Then, Umslopogaas, I went back to the cave, never looking +behind me. +</p> + +<p> +“Now when I was come to the cave I did this: I skinned the she-wolf also. +When I had finished the sun was up, and I knew that it was time to go. But I +could not go alone—he who sat aloft in the cleft of the cave must go with +me. I greatly feared to touch him—this Dead One, who had spoken to me in +a dream; yet I must do it. So I brought stones and piled them up till I could +reach him; then I lifted him down, for he was very light, being but skin and +bones. When he was down, I bound the hides of the wolves about me, then leaving +the leather bag, into which he could not enter, I took the Dead One and placed +him on my shoulders as a man might carry a child, for his legs were fixed +somewhat apart, and holding him by the foot which was left on him, I set out +for the kraal. Down the slope I went as swiftly as I could, for now I knew the +way, seeing and hearing nothing, except once, when there came a rush of wings, +and a great eagle swept down at that which sat upon my shoulders. I shouted, +and the eagle flew away, then I entered the dark of the forest. Here I must +walk softly, lest the head of him I carried should strike against the boughs +and be smitten from him. +</p> + +<p> +“For awhile I went on thus, till I drew near to the heart of the forest. +Then I heard a wolf howl on my right, and from the left came answering howls, +and these, again, were answered by others in front of and behind me. I walked +on boldly, for I dared not stay, guiding myself by the sun, which from time to +time shone down on me redly through the boughs of the great trees. Now I could +see forms grey and black slinking near my path, sniffing at the air as they +went, and now I came to a little open place, and, behold! all the wolves in the +world were gathered together there. My heart melted, my legs trembled beneath +me. On every side were the brutes, great and hungry. And I stood still, with +club aloft, and slowly they crept up, muttering and growling as they came, till +they formed a deep circle round me. Yet they did not spring on me, only drew +nearer and ever nearer. Presently one sprang, indeed, but not at me; he sprang +at that which sat upon my shoulders. I moved aside, and he missed his aim, and, +coming to the ground again, stood there growling and whining like a beast +afraid. Then I remembered the words of my dream, if dream it were, how that the +Dead One had given me wisdom that I should be king of the ghost-wolves—I +and another whom a lion should bear to me. Was it not so? If it was not so, how +came it that the wolves did not devour me? +</p> + +<p> +“For a moment I stood thinking, then I lifted up my voice and howled like +a wolf, and lo! Umslopogaas, all the wolves howled in answer with a mighty +howling. I stretched out my hand and called to them. They ran to me, gathering +round me as though to devour me. But they did not harm me; they licked my legs +with their red tongues, and fighting to come near me, pressed themselves +against me as does a cat. One, indeed, snatched at him who sat on my shoulder, +but I struck him with the Watcher and he slunk back like a whipped hound; +moreover, the others bit him so that he yelled. Now I knew that I had no more +to fear, for I was king of the ghost-wolves, so I walked on, and with me came +all the great pack of them. I walked on and on, and they trotted beside me +silently, and the fallen leaves crackled beneath their feet, and the dust rose +up about them, till at length I reached the edge of the forest. +</p> + +<p> +“Now I remembered that I must not be seen thus by men, lest they should +think me a wizard and kill me. Therefore, at the edge of the forest I halted +and made signs to the wolves to go back. At this they howled piteously, as +though in grief, but I called to them that I would come again and be their +king, and it seemed as though their brute hearts understood my words. Then they +all went, still howling, till presently I was alone. +</p> + +<p> +“And now, Umslopogaas, it is time to sleep; to-morrow night I will end my +tale.” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap14"></a>CHAPTER XIV.<br /> +THE WOLF-BRETHREN</h2> + +<p> +Now, my father, on the morrow night, once again Umslopogaas and Galazi the wolf +sat by the fire in the mouth of their cave, as we sit to-night, my father, and +Galazi took up his tale. +</p> + +<p> +“I passed on till I came to the river; it was still full, but the water +had run down a little, so that my feet found foothold. I waded into the river, +using the Watcher as a staff, and the stream reached to my elbows, but no +higher. Now one on the farther bank of the river saw that which sat upon my +shoulders, and saw also the wolf’s skin on my head, and ran to the kraal +crying, ‘Here comes one who walks the waters on the back of a +wolf.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So it came about that when I drew towards the kraal all the people of +the kraal were gathered together to meet me, except the old woman, who could +not walk so far. But when they saw me coming up the slope of the hill, and when +they knew what it was that sat upon my shoulders, they were smitten with fear. +Yet they did not run, because of their great wonder, only they walked backward +before me, clinging each to each and saying nothing. I too came on silently, +till at length I reached the kraal, and before its gates sat the old woman +basking in the sun of the afternoon. Presently she looked up and cried:— +</p> + +<p> +“‘What ails you, people of my house, that you walk backwards like +men bewitched, and who is that tall and deathly man who comes toward +you?’ +</p> + +<p> +“But still they drew on backward, saying no word, the little children +clinging to the women, the women clinging to the men, till they had passed the +old wife and ranged themselves behind her like a regiment of soldiers. Then +they halted against the fence of the kraal. But I came on to the old woman, and +lifted him who sat upon my shoulders, and placed him on the ground before her, +saying, ‘Woman, here is your son; I have snatched him with much toil from +the jaws of the ghosts—and they are many up yonder—all save one +foot, which I could not find. Take him now and bury him, for I weary of his +fellowship.’ +</p> + +<p> +“She looked upon that which sat before her. She put out her withered hand +and drew the bandage from his sunken eyes. Then she screamed aloud a shrill +scream, and, flinging her arms about the neck of the Dead One, she cried: +‘It is my son whom I bore—my very son, whom for twice ten years and +half a ten I have not looked upon. Greeting, my son, greeting! Now shalt thou +find burial, and I with thee—ay, I with thee!’ +</p> + +<p> +“And once more she cried aloud, standing upon her feet with arms +outstretched. Then of a sudden foam burst from her lips, and she fell forward +upon the body of her son, and was dead. +</p> + +<p> +“Now silence came upon the place again, for all were fearful. At last one +cried: ‘How is this man named who has won the body from the +ghosts?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘I am named Galazi,’ I answered. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Nay,’ said he. ‘The Wolf you are named. Look at the +wolf’s red hide upon his head!’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘I am named Galazi, and the Wolf you have named me,’ I said +again. ‘So be it: I am named Galazi the Wolf.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Methinks he is a wolf,’ said he. ‘Look, now, at his +teeth, how they grin! This is no man, my brothers, but a wolf.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘No wolf and no man,’ said another, ‘but a wizard. +None but a wizard could have passed the forest and won the lap of her who sits +in stone forever.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Yes, yes! he is a wolf—he is a wizard!’ they +screamed. ‘Kill him! Kill the wolf-wizard before he brings the ghosts +upon us!’ And they ran towards me with uplifted spears. +</p> + +<p> +“‘I am a wolf indeed,’ I cried, ‘and I am a wizard +indeed, and I will bring wolves and ghosts upon you ere all is done.’ And +I turned and fled so swiftly that soon they were left behind me. Now as I ran I +met a girl; a basket of mealies was on her head, and she bore a dead kid in her +hand. I rushed at her howling like a wolf, and I snatched the mealies from her +head and the kid from her hand. Then I fled on, and coming to the river, I +crossed it, and for that night I hid myself in the rocks beyond, eating the +mealies and the flesh of the kid. +</p> + +<p> +“On the morrow at dawn I rose and shook the dew from the wolf-hide. Then +I went on into the forest and howled like a wolf. They knew my voice, the +ghost-wolves, and howled in answer from far and near. Then I heard the +pattering of their feet, and they came round me by tens and by twenties, and +fawned upon me. I counted their number; they numbered three hundred and sixty +and three. +</p> + +<p> +“Afterwards, I went on to the cave, and I have lived there in the cave, +Umslopogaas, for nigh upon twelve moons, and I have become a wolf-man. For with +the wolves I hunt and raven, and they know me, and what I bid them that they +do. Stay, Umslopogaas, now you are strong again, and, if your courage does not +fail you, you shall see this very night. Come now, have you the heart, +Umslopogaas?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Umslopogaas rose and laughed aloud. “I am young in years,” he +cried, “and scarcely come to the full strength of men; yet hitherto I +have not turned my back on lion or witch, on wolf or man. Now let us see this +impi of yours—this impi black and grey, that runs on four legs with fangs +for spears!” +</p> + +<p> +“You must first bind on the she-wolf’s hide, Umslopogaas,” +quoth Galazi, “else, before a man could count his fingers twice there +would be little enough left of you. Bind it about the neck and beneath the +arms, and see that the fastenings do not burst, lest it be the worse for +you.” +</p> + +<p> +So Umslopogaas took the grey wolf’s hide and bound it on with thongs of +leather, and its teeth gleamed upon his head, and he took a spear in his hand. +Galazi also bound on the hide of the king of the wolves, and they went out on +to the space before the cave. Galazi stood there awhile, and the moonlight fell +upon him, and Umslopogaas saw that his face grew wild and beastlike, that his +eyes shone, and his teeth grinned beneath his curling lips. He lifted up his +head and howled out upon the night. Thrice Galazi lifted his head and thrice he +howled loudly, and yet more loud. But before ever the echoes had died in the +air, from the heights of the rocks above and the depths of the forest beneath, +there came howlings in answer. Nearer they grew and nearer; now there was a +sound of feet, and a wolf, great and grey, bounded towards them, and after him +many another. They came to Galazi, they sprang upon him, fawning round him, but +he beat them down with the Watcher. Then of a sudden they saw Umslopogaas, and +rushed at him open-mouthed. +</p> + +<p> +“Stand and do not move!” cried Galazi. “Be not afraid!” +</p> + +<p> +“I have always fondled dogs,” answered Umslopogaas, “shall I +learn to fear them now?” +</p> + +<p> +Yet though he spoke boldly, in his heart he was afraid, for this was the most +terrible of all sights. The wolves rushed on him open-mouthed, from before and +from behind, so that in a breath he was well-nigh hidden by their forms. Yet no +fang pierced him, for as they leapt they smelt the smell of the skin upon him. +Then Umslopogaas saw that the wolves leapt at him no more, but the she-wolves +gathered round him who wore the she-wolf’s skin. They were great and +gaunt and hungry, all were full-grown, there were no little ones, and their +number was so many that he could not count them in the moonlight. Umslopogaas, +looking into their red eyes, felt his heart become as the heart of a wolf, and +he, too, lifted up his head and howled, and the she-wolves howled in answer. +</p> + +<p> +“The pack is gathered; now for the hunt!” cried Galazi. “Make +your feet swift, my brother, for we shall journey far to-night. Ho, Blackfang! +ho, Greysnout! Ho, my people black and grey, away! away!” +</p> + +<p> +He spoke and bounded forward, and with him went Umslopogaas, and after him +streamed the ghost-wolves. They fled down the mountain sides, leaping from +boulder to boulder like bucks. Presently they stood by a kloof that was thick +with trees. Galazi stopped, holding up the Watcher, and the wolves stopped with +him. +</p> + +<p> +“I smell a quarry,” he cried; “in, my people, in!” +</p> + +<p> +Then the wolves plunged silently into the great kloof, but Galazi and +Umslopogaas drew to the foot of it and waited. Presently there came a sound of +breaking boughs, and lo! before them stood a buffalo, a bull who lowed fiercely +and sniffed the air. +</p> + +<p> +“This one will give us a good chase, my brother; see, he is gaunt and +thin! Ah! that meat is tender which my people have hunted to the death!” +</p> + +<p> +As Galazi spoke, the first of the wolves drew from the covert and saw the +buffalo; then, giving tongue, they sprang towards it. The bull saw also, and +dashed down the hill, and after him came Galazi and Umslopogaas, and with them +all their company, and the rocks shook with the music of their hunting. They +rushed down the mountain side, and it came into the heart of Umslopogaas, that +he, too, was a wolf. They rushed madly, yet his feet were swift as the +swiftest; no wolf could outstrip him, and in him was but one desire—the +desire of prey. Now they neared the borders of the forest, and Galazi shouted. +He shouted to Greysnout and to Blackfang, to Blood and to Deathgrip, and these +four leaped forward from the pack, running so swiftly that their bellies seemed +to touch the ground. They passed about the bull, turning him from the forest +and setting his head up the slope of the mountain. Then the chase wheeled, the +bull leaped and bounded up the mountain side, and on one flank lay Greysnout +and Deathgrip and on the other lay Blood and Blackfang, while behind came the +Wolf-Brethren, and after them the wolves with lolling tongues. Up the hill they +sped, but the feet of Umslopogaas never wearied, his breath did not fail him. +Once more they drew near the lap of the Grey Witch where the cave was. On +rushed the bull, mad with fear. He ran so swiftly that the wolves were left +behind, since here for a space the ground was level to his feet. Galazi looked +on Umslopogaas at his side, and grinned. +</p> + +<p> +“You do not run so ill, my brother, who have been sick of late. See now +if you can outrun me! Who shall touch the quarry first?” +</p> + +<p> +Now the bull was ahead by two spear-throws. Umslopogaas looked and grinned back +at Galazi. “Good!” he cried, “away!” +</p> + +<p> +They sped forward with a bound, and for awhile it seemed to Umslopogaas as +though they stood side by side, only the bull grew nearer and nearer. Then he +put out his strength and the swiftness of his feet, and lo! when he looked +again he was alone, and the bull was very near. Never were feet so swift as +those of Umslopogaas. Now he reached the bull as he laboured on. Umslopogaas +placed his hands upon the back of the bull and leaped; he was on him, he sat +him as you white men sit a horse. Then he lifted the spear in his hand, and +drove it down between the shoulders to the spine, and of a sudden the great +buffalo staggered, stopped, and fell dead. +</p> + +<p> +Galazi came up. “Who now is the swiftest, Galazi?” cried +Umslopogaas, “I, or you, or your wolf host?” +</p> + +<p> +“You are the swiftest, Umslopogaas,” said Galazi, gasping for his +breath. “Never did a man run as you run, nor ever shall again.” +</p> + +<p> +Now the wolves streamed up, and would have torn the carcase, but Galazi beat +them back, and they rested awhile. Then Galazi said, “Let us cut meat +from the bull with a spear.” +</p> + +<p> +So they cut meat from the bull, and when they had finished Galazi motioned to +the wolves, and they fell upon the carcase, fighting furiously. In a little +while nothing was left except the larger bones, and yet each wolf had but a +little. +</p> + +<p> +Then they went back to the cave and slept. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Afterwards Umslopogaas told Galazi all his tale, and Galazi asked him if he +would abide with him and be his brother, and rule with him over the wolf-kind, +or seek his father Mopo at the kraal of Chaka. +</p> + +<p> +Umslopogaas said that it was rather in his mind to seek his sister Nada, for he +was weary of the kraal of Chaka, but he thought of Nada day and night. +</p> + +<p> +“Where, then, is Nada, your sister?” asked Galazi. +</p> + +<p> +“She sleeps in the caves of your people, Galazi; she tarries with the +Halakazi.” +</p> + +<p> +“Stay awhile, Umslopogaas,” cried Galazi; “stay till we are +men indeed. Then we will seek this sister of yours and snatch her from the +caves of the Halakazi.” +</p> + +<p> +Now the desire of this wolf-life had entered into the heart of Umslopogaas, and +he said that it should be so, and on the morrow they made them blood-brethren, +to be one till death, before all the company of ghost-wolves, and the wolves +howled when they smelt the blood of men. In all things thenceforth these two +were equal, and the ghost-wolves hearkened to the voice of both of them. And on +many a moonlight night they and the wolves hunted together, winning their food. +At times they crossed the river, hunting in the plains, for game was scarce on +the mountain, and the people of the kraal would come out, hearing the mighty +howling, and watch the pack sweep across the veldt, and with them a man or men. +Then they would say that the ghosts were abroad and creep into their huts +shivering with fear. But as yet the Wolf-Brethren and their pack killed no men, +but game only, or, at times, elephants and lions. +</p> + +<p> +Now when Umslopogaas had abode some moons in the Witch Mountain, on a night he +dreamed of Nada, and awakening soft at heart, bethought himself that he would +learn tidings concerning me, his father, Mopo, and what had befallen me and her +whom he deemed his mother, and Nada, his sister, and his other brethren. So he +clothed himself, hiding his nakedness, and, leaving Galazi, descended to that +kraal where the old woman had dwelt, and there gave it out that he was a young +man, a chief’s son from a far place, who sought a wife. The people of the +kraal listened to him, though they held that his look was fierce and wild, and +one asked if this were Galazi the Wolf, Galazi the Wizard. But another answered +that this was not Galazi, for their eyes had seen him. Umslopogaas said that he +knew nothing of Galazi, and little of wolves, and lo! while he spoke there came +an impi of fifty men and entered the kraal. Umslopogaas looked at the leaders +of the impi and knew them for captains of Chaka. At first he would have spoken +to them, but his <i>Ehlosé</i> bade him hold his peace. So he sat in a corner +of the big hut and listened. Presently the headman of the kraal, who trembled +with fear, for he believed that the impi had been sent to destroy him and all +that were his, asked the captain what was his will. +</p> + +<p> +“A little matter, and a vain,” said the captain. “We are sent +by the king to search for a certain youth, Umslopogaas, the son of Mopo, the +king’s doctor. Mopo gave it out that the youth was killed by a lion near +these mountains, and Chaka would learn if this is true.” +</p> + +<p> +“We know nothing of the youth,” said the headman. “But what +would ye with him?” +</p> + +<p> +“Only this,” answered the captain, “to kill him.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is yet to do,” thought Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +“Who is this Mopo?” asked the headman. +</p> + +<p> +“An evildoer, whose house the king has eaten up—man, woman, and +child,” answered the captain. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap15"></a>CHAPTER XV.<br /> +THE DEATH OF THE KING’S SLAYERS</h2> + +<p> +When Umslopogaas heard these words his heart was heavy, and a great anger +burned in his breast, for he thought that I, Mopo, was dead with the rest of +his house, and he loved me. But he said nothing; only, watching till none were +looking, he slipped past the backs of the captains and won the door of the hut. +Soon he was clear of the kraal, and, running swiftly, crossed the river and +came to the Ghost Mountain. Meanwhile, the captain asked the headman of the +kraal if he knew anything of such a youth as him for whom they sought. The +headman told the captain of Galazi the Wolf, but the captain said that this +could not be the lad, for Galazi had dwelt many moons upon the Ghost Mountain. +</p> + +<p> +“There is another youth,” said the headman; “a stranger, +fierce, strong and tall, with eyes that shine like spears. He is in the hut +now; he sits yonder in the shadow.” +</p> + +<p> +The captain rose and looked into the shadow, but Umslopogaas was gone. +</p> + +<p> +“Now this youth is fled,” said the headman, “and yet none saw +him fly! Perhaps he also is a wizard! Indeed, I have heard that now there are +two of them upon the Ghost Mountain, and that they hunt there at night with the +ghost-wolves, but I do not know if it is true.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now I am minded to kill you,” said the captain in wrath, +“because you have suffered this youth to escape me. Without doubt it is +Umslopogaas, son of Mopo.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is no fault of mine,” said the headman. “These young men +are wizards, who can pass hither and thither at will. But I say this to you, +captain of the king, if you will go on the Ghost Mountain, you must go there +alone with your soldiers, for none in these parts dare to tread upon that +mountain.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yet I shall dare to-morrow,” said the captain. “We grow +brave at the kraal of Chaka. There men do not fear spears or ghosts or wild +beasts or magic, but they fear the king’s word alone. The sun +sets—give us food. To-morrow we will search the mountain.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus, my father, did this captain speak in his folly,—he who should never +see another sun. +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas reached the mountain, and when he had passed the +forest—of which he had learned every secret way—the darkness +gathered, and the wolves awoke in the darkness and drew near howling. +Umslopogaas howled in answer, and presently that great wolf Deathgrip came to +him. Umslopogaas saw him and called him by his name; but, behold! the brute did +not know him, and flew at him, growling. Then Umslopogaas remembered that the +she-wolf’s skin was not bound about his shoulders, and therefore it was +that the wolf Deathgrip knew him not. For though in the daytime, when the +wolves slept, he might pass to and fro without the skin, at night it was not +so. He had not brought the skin, because he dared not wear it in the sight of +the men of the kraal, lest they should know him for one of the Wolf-Brethren, +and it had not been his plan to seek the mountain again that night, but rather +on the morrow. Now Umslopogaas knew that his danger was great indeed. He beat +back Deathgrip with his kerrie, but others were behind him, for the wolves +gathered fast. Then he bounded away towards the cave, for he was so swift of +foot that the wolves could not catch him, though they pressed him hard, and +once the teeth of one of them tore his moocha. Never before did he run so fast, +and in the end he reached the cave and rolled the rock to, and as he did so the +wolves dashed themselves against it. Then he clad himself in the hide of the +she-wolf, and, pushing aside the stone, came out. And, lo! the eyes of the +wolves were opened, and they knew him for one of the brethren who ruled over +them, and slunk away at his bidding. +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas sat himself down at the mouth of the cave waiting for Galazi, +and he thought. Presently Galazi came, and in few words Umslopogaas told him +all his tale. +</p> + +<p> +“You have run a great risk, my brother,” said Galazi. “What +now?” +</p> + +<p> +“This,” said Umslopogaas: “these people of ours are hungry +for the flesh of men; let us feed them full on the soldiers of Chaka, who sit +yonder at the kraal seeking my life. I would take vengeance for Mopo, my +father, and all my brethren who are dead, and for my mothers, the wives of +Mopo. What say you?” +</p> + +<p> +Galazi laughed aloud. “That will be merry, my brother,” he said. +“I weary of hunting beasts, let us hunt men to-night.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ay, to-night,” said Umslopogaas, nodding. “I long to look +upon that captain as a maid longs for her lover’s kiss. But first let us +rest and eat, for the night is young; then, Galazi, summon our impi.” +</p> + +<p> +So they rested and ate, and afterwards went out armed, and Galazi howled to the +wolves, and they came in tens and twenties till all were gathered together. +Galazi moved among them, shaking the Watcher, as they sat upon their haunches, +and followed him with their fiery eyes. +</p> + +<p> +“We do not hunt game to-night, little people,” he cried, “but +men, and you love the flesh of men.” +</p> + +<p> +Now all the wolves howled as though they understood. Then the pack divided +itself as was its custom, the she-wolves following Umslopogaas, the dog-wolves +following Galazi, and in silence they moved swiftly down towards the plain. +They came to the river and swam it, and there, eight spear throws away, on the +farther side of the river stood the kraal. Now the Wolf-Brethren took counsel +together, and Galazi, with the dog-wolves, went to the north gate, and +Umslopogaas with the she-wolves to the south gate. They reached them safely and +in silence, for at the bidding of the brethren the wolves ceased from their +howlings. The gates were stopped with thorns, but the brethren pulled out the +thorns and made a passage. As they did this it chanced that certain dogs in the +kraal heard the sound of the stirred boughs, and awakening, caught the smell of +the wolves that were with Umslopogaas, for the wind blew from that quarter. +These dogs ran out barking, and presently they came to the south gate of the +kraal, and flew at Umslopogaas, who pulled away the thorns. Now when the wolves +saw the dogs they could be restrained no longer, but sprang on them and tore +them to fragments, and the sound of their worrying came to the ears of the +soldiers of Chaka and of the dwellers in the kraal, so that they sprang from +sleep, snatching their arms. And as they came out of the huts they saw in the +moonlight a man wearing a wolf’s hide rushing across the empty cattle +kraal, for the grass was long and the cattle were out at graze, and with him +countless wolves, black and grey. Then they cried aloud in terror, saying that +the ghosts were on them, and turned to flee to the north gate of the kraal. +But, behold! here also they met a man clad in a wolf’s skin only, and +with him countless wolves, black and grey. +</p> + +<p> +Now, some flung themselves to earth screaming in their fear, and some strove to +run away, but the greater part of the soldiers, and with them many of the men +of the kraal, came together in knots, being minded to die like men at teeth of +the ghosts, and that though they shook with fear. Then Umslopogaas howled +aloud, and howled Galazi, and they flung themselves upon the soldiers and the +people of the kraal, and with them came the wolves. Then a crying and a baying +rose up to heaven as the grey wolves leaped and bit and tore. Little they +heeded the spears and kerries of the soldiers. Some were killed, but the rest +did not stay. Presently the knots of men broke up, and to each man wolves hung +by twos and threes, dragging him to earth. Some few fled, indeed, but the +wolves hunted them by gaze and scent, and pulled them down before they passed +the gates of the kraal. +</p> + +<p> +The Wolf-Brethren also ravened with the rest. Busy was the Watcher, and many +bowed beneath him, and often the spear of Umslopogaas flashed in the moonlight. +It was finished; none were left living in that kraal, and the wolves growled +sullenly as they took their fill, they who had been hungry for many days. Now +the brethren met, and laughed in their wolf joy, because they had slaughtered +those who were sent out to slaughter. They called to the wolves, bidding them +search the huts, and the wolves entered the huts as dogs enter a thicket, and +killed those who lurked there, or drove them forth to be slain without. +Presently a man, great and tall, sprang from the last of the huts, where he had +hidden himself, and the wolves outside rushed on him to drag him down. But +Umslopogaas beat them back, for he had seen the face of the man: it was that +captain whom Chaka had sent out to kill him. He beat them back, and stalked up +to the captain, saying: “Greeting to you, captain of the king! Now tell +us what is your errand here, beneath the shadow of her who sits in +stone?” And he pointed with his spear to the Grey Witch on the Ghost +Mountain, on which the moon shone bright. +</p> + +<p> +Now the captain had a great heart, though he had hidden from the wolves, and +answered boldly:— +</p> + +<p> +“What is that to you, wizard? Your ghost wolves had made an end of my +errand. Let them make an end of me also.” +</p> + +<p> +“Be not in haste, captain,” said Umslopogaas. “Say, did you +not seek a certain youth, the son of Mopo?” +</p> + +<p> +“That is so,” answered the captain. “I sought one youth, and +I have found many evil spirits.” And he looked at the wolves tearing +their prey, and shuddered. +</p> + +<p> +“Say, captain,” quoth Umslopogaas, drawing back his hood of +wolf’s hide so that the moonlight fell upon his face, “is this the +face of that youth whom you sought?” +</p> + +<p> +“It is the face,” answered the captain, astonished. +</p> + +<p> +“Ay,” laughed Umslopogaas, “it is the face. Fool! I knew your +errand and heard your words, and thus have I answered them.” And he +pointed to the dead. “Now choose, and swiftly. Will you run for your life +against my wolves? Will you do battle for your life against these four?” +And he pointed to Greysnout and to Blackfang, to Blood and to Deathgrip, who +watched him with slavering lips; “or will you stand face to face with me, +and if I am slain, with him who bears the club, and with whom I rule this +people black and grey?” +</p> + +<p> +“I fear ghosts, but of men I have no fear, though they be wizards,” +answered the captain. +</p> + +<p> +“Good!” cried Umslopogaas, shaking his spear. +</p> + +<p> +Then they rushed together, and that fray was fierce. For presently the spear of +Umslopogaas was broken in the shield of the captain and he was left weaponless. +Now Umslopogaas turned and fled swiftly, bounding over the dead and the wolves +who preyed upon them, and the captain followed with uplifted spear, and mocked +him as he came. Galazi also wondered that Umslopogaas should fly from a single +man. Hither and thither fled Umslopogaas, and always his eyes were on the +earth. Of a sudden, Galazi, who watched, saw him sweep forward like a bird and +stoop to the ground. Then he wheeled round, and lo! there was an axe in his +hand. The captain rushed at him, and Umslopogaas smote as he rushed, and the +blade of the great spear that was lifted to pierce him fell to the ground hewn +from its haft. Again Umslopogaas smote: the moon-shaped axe sank through the +stout shield deep into the breast beyond. Then the captain threw up his arms +and fell to the earth. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah!” cried Umslopogaas, “you sought a youth to slay him, and +have found an axe to be slain by it! Sleep softly, captain of Chaka.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Umslopogaas spoke to Galazi, saying: “My brother, I will fight no +more with the spear, but with the axe alone; it was to seek an axe that I ran +to and fro like a coward. But this is a poor thing! See, the haft is split +because of the greatness of my stroke! Now this is my desire—to win that +great axe of Jikiza, which is called Groan-Maker, of which we have heard tell, +so that axe and club may stand together in the fray.” +</p> + +<p> +“That must be for another night,” said Galazi. “We have not +done so ill for once. Now let us search for pots and corn, of which we stand in +need, and then to the mountain before dawn finds us.” +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Thus, then, did the Wolf-Brethren bring death on the impi of Chaka, and this +was but the first of many deaths that they wrought with the help of the wolves. +For ever they ravened through the land at night, and, falling on those they +hated, they ate them up, till their name and the name of the ghost-wolves +became terrible in the ears of men, and the land was swept clean. But they +found that the wolves would not go abroad to worry everywhere. Thus, on a +certain night, they set out to fall upon the kraals of the People of the Axe, +where dwelt the chief Jikiza, who was named the Unconquered, and owned the axe +Groan-Maker, but when they neared the kraal the wolves turned back and fled. +Then Galazi remembered the dream that he had dreamed, in which the Dead One in +the cave had seemed to speak, telling him that there only where the men-eaters +had hunted in the past might the wolves hunt to-day. So they returned home, but +Umslopogaas set himself to find a plan to win the axe. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap16"></a>CHAPTER XVI.<br /> +UMSLOPOGAAS VENTURES OUT TO WIN THE AXE</h2> + +<p> +Now many moons had gone by since Umslopogaas became a king of the wolves, and +he was a man full grown, a man fierce and tall and keen; a slayer of men, fleet +of foot and of valour unequalled, seeing by night as well as by day. But he was +not yet named the Slaughterer, and not yet did he hold that iron chieftainess, +the axe Groan-Maker. Still, the desire to win the axe was foremost in his mind, +for no woman had entered there, who when she enters drives out all other +desire—ay, my father, even that of good weapons. At times, indeed, +Umslopogaas would lurk in the reeds by the river looking at the kraal of Jikiza +the Unconquered, and would watch the gates of his kraal, and once as he lurked +he saw a man great, broad and hairy, who bore upon his shoulder a shining axe, +hafted with the horn of a rhinoceros. After that his greed for this axe entered +into Umslopogaas more and more, till at length he scarcely could sleep for +thinking of it, and to Galazi he spoke of little else, wearying him much with +his talk, for Galazi loved silence. But for all his longing he could find no +means to win it. +</p> + +<p> +Now it befell that as Umslopogaas hid one evening in the reeds, watching the +kraal of Jikiza, he saw a maiden straight and fair, whose skin shone like the +copper anklets on her limbs. She walked slowly towards the reeds where he lay +hidden. Nor did she stop at the brink of the reeds; she entered them and sat +herself down within a spear’s length of where Umslopogaas was seated, and +at once began to weep, speaking to herself as she wept. +</p> + +<p> +“Would that the ghost-wolves might fall on him and all that is +his,” she sobbed, “ay, and on Masilo also! I would hound them on, +even if I myself must next know their fangs. Better to die by the teeth of the +wolves than to be sold to this fat pig of a Masilo. Oh! if I must wed him, I +will give him a knife for the bride’s kiss. Oh! that I were a lady of the +ghost-wolves, there should be a picking of bones in the kraal of Jikiza before +the moon grows young again.” +</p> + +<p> +Umslopogaas heard, and of a sudden reared himself up before the maid, and he +was great and wild to look on, and the she-wolf’s fangs shone upon his +brow. +</p> + +<p> +“The ghost-wolves are at hand, damsel,” he said. “They are +ever at hand for those who need them.” +</p> + +<p> +Now the maid saw him and screamed faintly, then grew silent, wondering at the +greatness and the fierce eyes of the man who spoke to her. +</p> + +<p> +“Who are you?” she asked. “I fear you not, whoever you +are.” +</p> + +<p> +“There you are wrong, damsel, for all men fear me, and they have cause to +fear. I am one of the Wolf-Brethren, whose names have been told of; I am a +wizard of the Ghost Mountain. Take heed, now, lest I kill you. It will be of +little avail to call upon your people, for my feet are fleeter than +theirs.” +</p> + +<p> +“I have no wish to call upon my people, Wolf-Man,” she answered. +“And for the rest, I am too young to kill.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is so, maiden,” answered Umslopogaas, looking at her beauty. +“What were the words upon your lips as to Jikiza and a certain Masilo? +Were they not fierce words, such as my heart likes well?” +</p> + +<p> +“It seems that you heard them,” answered the girl. “What need +to waste breath in speaking them again?” +</p> + +<p> +“No need, maiden. Now tell me your story; perhaps I may find a way to +help you.” +</p> + +<p> +“There is little to tell,” she answered. “It is a small tale +and a common. My name is Zinita, and Jikiza the Unconquered is my step-father. +He married my mother, who is dead, but none of his blood is in me. Now he would +give me in marriage to a certain Masilo, a fat man and an old, whom I hate, +because Masilo offers many cattle for me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Is there, then, another whom you would wed, maiden?” asked +Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +“There is none,” answered Zinita, looking him in the eyes. +</p> + +<p> +“And is there no path by which you may escape from Masilo?” +</p> + +<p> +“There is only one path, Wolf-Man—by death. If I die, I shall +escape; if Masilo dies, I shall escape; but to little end, for I shall be given +to another; but if Jikiza dies, then it will be well. What of that wolf-people +of yours, are they not hungry, Wolf-Man?” +</p> + +<p> +“I cannot bring them here,” answered Umslopogaas. “Is there +no other way?” +</p> + +<p> +“There is another way,” said Zinita, “if one can be found to +try it.” And again she looked at him strangely, causing the blood to beat +within him. “Hearken! do you not know how our people are governed? They +are governed by him who holds the axe Groan-Maker. He that can win the axe in +war from the hand of him who holds it, shall be our chief. But if he who holds +the axe dies unconquered, then his son takes his place and with it the axe. It +has been thus, indeed, for four generations, since he who held Groan-Maker has +always been unconquerable. But I have heard that the great-grandfather of +Jikiza won the axe from him who held it in his day; he won it by fraud. For +when the axe had fallen on him but lightly, he fell over, feigning death. Then +the owner of the axe laughed, and turned to walk away. But the forefather of +Jikiza sprang up behind him and pierced him through with a spear, and thus he +became chief of the People of the Axe. Therefore, it is the custom of Jikiza to +hew off the heads of those whom he kills with the axe.” +</p> + +<p> +“Does he, then, slay many?” asked Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +“Of late years, few indeed,” she said, “for none dare stand +against him—no, not with all to win. For, holding the axe Groan-Maker, he +is unconquerable, and to fight with him is sure death. Fifty-and-one have tried +in all, and before the hut of Jikiza there are piled fifty-and-one white +skulls. And know this, the axe must be won in fight; if it is stolen or found, +it has no virtue—nay, it brings shame and death to him who holds +it.” +</p> + +<p> +“How, then, may a man give battle to Jikiza?” he asked again. +</p> + +<p> +“Thus: Once in every year, on the first day of the new moon of the summer +season, Jikiza holds a meeting of the headmen. Then he must rise and challenge +all or any to come forward and do battle with him to win the axe and become +chief in his place. Now if one comes forward, they go into the cattle kraal, +and there the matter is ended. Afterwards, when the head is hewn from his foe, +Jikiza goes back to the meeting of the headmen, and they talk as before. All +are free to come to the meeting, and Jikiza must fight with them if they wish +it, whoever they be.” +</p> + +<p> +“Perhaps I shall be there,” said Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +“After this meeting at the new moon, I am to be given in marriage to +Masilo,” said the maid. “But should one conquer Jikiza, then he +will be chief, and can give me in marriage to whom he will.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas understood her meaning, and knew that he had found favour in +her sight; and the thought moved him a little, for women were strange to him as +yet. +</p> + +<p> +“If perchance I should be there,” he said, “and if perchance +I should win the iron chieftainess, the axe Groan-Maker, and rule over the +People of the Axe, you should not live far from the shadow of the axe +thenceforward, maid Zinita.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is well, Wolf-Man, though some might not wish to dwell in that +shadow; but first you must win the axe. Many have tried, and all have +failed.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yet one must succeed at last,” he said, “and so, +farewell!” and he leaped into the torrent of the river, and swam it with +great strokes. +</p> + +<p> +Now the maid Zinita watched him till he was gone, and love of him entered into +her heart—a love that was fierce and jealous and strong. But as he wended +to the Ghost Mountain Umslopogaas thought rather of axe Groan-Maker than of +Maid Zinita; for ever, at the bottom, Umslopogaas loved war more than women, +though this has been his fate, that women have brought sorrow on his head. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Fifteen days must pass before the day of the new moon, and during this time +Umslopogaas thought much and said little. Still, he told Galazi something of +the tale, and that he was determined to do battle with Jikiza the Unconquered +for the axe Groan-Maker. Galazi said that he would do well to let it be, and +that it was better to stay with the wolves than to go out seeking strange +weapons. He said also that even if he won the axe, the matter might not stay +there, for he must take the girl also, and his heart boded no good of women. It +had been a girl who poisoned his father in the kraals of the Halakazi. To all +of which Umslopogaas answered nothing, for his heart was set both on the axe +and the girl, but more on the first than the last. +</p> + +<p> +So the time wore on, and at length came the day of the new moon. At the dawn of +that day Umslopogaas arose and clad himself in a moocha, binding the +she-wolf’s skin round his middle beneath the moocha. In his hand he took +a stout fighting-shield, which he had made of buffalo hide, and that same light +moon-shaped axe with which he had slain the captain of Chaka. +</p> + +<p> +“A poor weapon with which to kill Jikiza the Unconquerable,” said +Galazi, eyeing it askance. +</p> + +<p> +“It shall serve my turn,” answered Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas ate, and then they moved together slowly down the mountain and +crossed the river by a ford, for he wished to save his strength. On the farther +side of the river Galazi hid himself in the reeds, because his face was known, +and there Umslopogaas bade him farewell, not knowing if he should look upon him +again. Afterwards he walked up to the Great Place of Jikiza. Now when he +reached the gates of the kraal, he saw that many people were streaming through +them, and mingled with the people. Presently they came to the open space in +front of the huts of Jikiza, and there the headmen were gathered together. In +the centre of them, and before a heap of the skulls of men which were piled up +against his door-posts, sat Jikiza, a huge man, a hairy and a proud, who glared +about him rolling his eyes. Fastened to his arm by a thong of leather was the +great axe Groan-Maker, and each man as he came up saluted the axe, calling it +“<i>Inkosikaas</i>,” or chieftainess, but he did not salute Jikiza. +Umslopogaas sat down with the people in front of the councillors, and few took +any notice of him, except Zinita, who moved sullenly to and fro bearing gourds +of beer to the councillors. Near to Jikiza, on his right hand, sat a fat man +with small and twinkling eyes, who watched the maid Zinita greedily. +</p> + +<p> +“Yon man,” thought Umslopogaas, “is Masilo. The better for +blood-letting will you be, Masilo.” +</p> + +<p> +Presently Jikiza spoke, rolling his eyes: “This is the matter before you, +councillors. I have settled it in my mind to give my step-daughter Zinita in +marriage to Masilo, but the marriage gift is not yet agreed on. I demand a +hundred head of cattle from Masilo, for the maid is fair and straight, a proper +maid, and, moreover, my daughter, though not of my blood. But Masilo offers +fifty head only, therefore I ask you to settle it.” +</p> + +<p> +“We hear you, Lord of the Axe,” answered one of the councillors, +“but first, O Unconquered, you must on this day of the year, according to +ancient custom, give public challenge to any man to fight you for the +Groan-Maker and for your place as chief of the People of the Axe.” +</p> + +<p> +“This is a wearisome thing,” grumbled Jikiza. “Can I never +have done in it? Fifty-and-three have I slain in my youth without a wound, and +now for many years I have challenged, like a cock on a dunghill, and none crow +in answer.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ho, now! Is there any man who will come forward and do battle with me, +Jikiza, for the great axe Groan-Maker? To him who can win it, it shall be, and +with it the chieftainship of the People of the Axe.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spoke very fast, as a man gabbles a prayer to a spirit in whom he has +little faith, then turned once more to talk of the cattle of Masilo and of the +maid Zinita. But suddenly Umslopogaas stood up, looking at him over the top of +his war shield, and crying, “Here is one, O Jikiza, who will do battle +with you for the axe Groan-Maker and for the chieftainship that is to him who +holds the axe.” +</p> + +<p> +Now, all the people laughed, and Jikiza glared at him. +</p> + +<p> +“Come forth from behind that big shield of yours,” he said. +“Come out and tell me your name and lineage—you who would do battle +with the Unconquered for the ancient axe.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Umslopogaas came forward, and he looked so fierce, though he was but +young, that the people laughed no more. +</p> + +<p> +“What is my name and lineage to you, Jikiza?” he said. “Let +it be, and hasten to do me battle, as you must by the custom, for I am eager to +handle the Groan-Maker and to sit in your seat and settle this matter of the +cattle of Masilo the Pig. When I have killed you I will take a name who now +have none.” +</p> + +<p> +Now once more the people laughed, but Jikiza grew mad with wrath, and sprang up +gasping. +</p> + +<p> +“What!” he said, “you dare to speak thus to me, you babe +unweaned, to me the Unconquered, the holder of the axe! Never did I think to +live to hear such talk from a long-legged pup. On to the cattle kraal, to the +cattle kraal, People of the Axe, that I may hew this braggart’s head from +his shoulders. He would stand in my place, would he?—the place that I and +my fathers have held for four generations by virtue of the axe. I tell you all, +that presently I will stand upon his head, and then we will settle the matter +of Masilo.” +</p> + +<p> +“Babble not so fast, man,” quoth Umslopogaas, “or if you must +babble, speak those words which you would say ere you bid the sun +farewell.” +</p> + +<p> +Now, Jikiza choked with rage, and foam came from his lips so that he could not +speak, but the people found this sport—all except Masilo, who looked +askance at the stranger, tall and fierce, and Zinita, who looked at Masilo, and +with no love. So they moved down to the cattle kraal, and Galazi, seeing it +from afar, could keep away no longer, but drew near and mingled with the crowd. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap17"></a>CHAPTER XVII.<br /> +UMSLOPOGAAS BECOMES CHIEF OF THE PEOPLE OF THE AXE</h2> + +<p> +Now, when Umslopogaas and Jikiza the Unconquered had come to the cattle kraal, +they were set in its centre and there were ten paces between them. Umslopogaas +was armed with the great shield and the light moon-shaped axe, Jikiza carried +the Groan-Maker and a small dancing shield, and, looking at the weapons of the +two, people thought that the stranger would furnish no sport to the holder of +the axe. +</p> + +<p> +“He is ill-armed,” said an old man, “it should be +otherwise—large axe, small shield. Jikiza is unconquerable, and the big +shield will not help this long-legged stranger when Groan-Maker rattles on the +buffalo hide.” The old man spoke thus in the hearing of Galazi the Wolf, +and Galazi thought that he spoke wisely, and sorrowed for the fate of his +brother. +</p> + +<p> +Now, the word was given, and Jikiza rushed on Umslopogaas, roaring, for his +rage was great. But Umslopogaas did not stir till his foe was about to strike, +then suddenly he leaped aside, and as Jikiza passed he smote him hard upon the +back with the flat of his axe, making a great sound, for it was not his plan to +try and kill Jikiza with this axe. Now, a shout of laughter went up from the +hundreds of the people, and the heart of Jikiza nearly burst with rage because +of the shame of that blow. Round he came like a bull that is mad, and once more +rushed at Umslopogaas, who lifted his shield to meet him. Then, of a sudden, +just when the great axe leapt on high, Umslopogaas uttered a cry as of fear, +and, turning, fled before the face of Jikiza. Now once more the shout of +laughter went up, while Umslopogaas fled swiftly, and after him rushed Jikiza, +blind with fury. Round and about the kraal sped Umslopogaas, scarcely a +spear’s length ahead of Jikiza, and he ran keeping his back to the sun as +much as might be, that he might watch the shadow of Jikiza. A second time he +sped round, while the people cheered the chase as hunters cheer a dog which +pursues a buck. So cunningly did Umslopogaas run, that, though he seemed to +reel with weakness in such fashion that men thought his breath was gone, yet he +went ever faster and faster, drawing Jikiza after him. +</p> + +<p> +Now, when Umslopogaas knew by the breathing of his foe and by the staggering of +his shadow that his strength was spent, suddenly he made as though he were +about to fall himself, and stumbled out of the path far to the right, and as he +stumbled he let drop his great shield full in the way of Jikiza’s feet. +Then it came about that Jikiza, rushing on blindly, caught his feet in the +shield and fell headlong to earth. Umslopogaas saw, and swooped on him like an +eagle to a dove. Before men could so much as think, he had seized the axe +Groan-Maker, and with a blow of the steel he held had severed the thong of +leather which bound it to the wrist of Jikiza, and sprung back, holding the +great axe aloft, and casting down his own weapon upon the ground. Now, the +watchers saw all the cunning of his fight, and those of them who hated Jikiza +shouted aloud. But others were silent. +</p> + +<p> +Slowly Jikiza gathered himself from the ground, wondering if he were still +alive, and as he rose he grasped the little axe of Umslopogaas, and, looking at +it, he wept. But Umslopogaas held up the great Groan-Maker, the iron +chieftainess, and examined its curved points of blue steel, the gouge that +stands behind it, and the beauty of its haft, bound about with wire of brass, +and ending in a knob like the knob of a stick, as a lover looks upon the beauty +of his bride. Then before all men he kissed the broad blade and cried +aloud:— +</p> + +<p> +“Greeting to thee, my Chieftainess, greeting to thee, Wife of my youth, +whom I have won in war. Never shall we part, thou and I, and together will we +die, thou and I, for I am not minded that others should handle thee when I am +gone.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he cried in the hearing of men, then turned to Jikiza, who stood weeping, +because he had lost all. +</p> + +<p> +“Where now is your pride, O Unconquered?” laughed Umslopogaas. +“Fight on. You are as well armed as I was a while ago, when I did not +fear to stand before you.” +</p> + +<p> +Jikiza looked at him for a moment, then with a curse he hurled the little axe +at him, and, turning, fled swiftly towards the gates of the cattle kraal. +</p> + +<p> +Umslopogaas stooped, and the little axe sped over him. Then he stood for a +while watching, and the people thought that he meant to let Jikiza go. But that +was not his desire; he waited, indeed, until Jikiza had covered nearly half the +space between him and the gate, then with a roar he leaped forward, as light +leaps from a cloud, and so fast did his feet fly that the watchers could scarce +see them move. Jikiza fled fast also, yet he seemed but as one who stands +still. Now he reached the gate of the kraal, now there was rush, a light of +downward falling steel, and something swept past him. Then, behold! Jikiza fell +in the gateway of the cattle kraal, and all saw that he was dead, smitten to +death by that mighty axe Groan-Maker, which he and his fathers had held for +many years. +</p> + +<p> +A great shout went up from the crowd of watchers when they knew that Jikiza the +Unconquered was killed at last, and there were many who hailed Umslopogaas, +naming him Chief and Lord of the People of the Axe. But the sons of Jikiza to +the number of ten, great men and brave, rushed on Umslopogaas to kill him. +Umslopogaas ran backwards, lifting up the Groan-Maker, when certain councillors +of the people flung themselves in between them, crying, “Hold!” +</p> + +<p> +“Is not this your law, ye councillors,” said Umslopogaas, +“that, having conquered the chief of the People of the Axe, I myself am +chief?” +</p> + +<p> +“That is our law indeed, stranger,” answered an aged councillor, +“but this also is our law: that now you must do battle, one by one, with +all who come against you. So it was in my father’s time, when the +grandfather of him who now lies dead won the axe, and so it must be again +to-day.” +</p> + +<p> +“I have nothing to say against the rule,” said Umslopogaas. +“Now who is there who will come up against me to do battle for the axe +Groan-Maker and the chieftainship of the People of the Axe?” +</p> + +<p> +Then all the ten sons of Jikiza stepped forward as one man, for their hearts +were mad with wrath because of the death of their father and because the +chieftainship had gone from their race, so that in truth they cared little if +they lived or died. But there were none besides these, for all men feared to +stand before Umslopogaas and the Groan-Maker. +</p> + +<p> +Umslopogaas counted them. “There are ten, by the head of Chaka!” he +cried. “Now if I must fight all these one by one, no time will be left to +me this day to talk of the matter of Masilo and of the maid Zinita. Hearken! +What say you, sons of Jikiza the Conquered? If I find one other to stand beside +me in the fray, and all of you come on at once against us twain, ten against +two, to slay us or be slain, will that be to your minds?” +</p> + +<p> +The brethren consulted together, and held that so they should be in better case +than if they went up one by one. +</p> + +<p> +“So be it,” they said, and the councillors assented. +</p> + +<p> +Now, as he fled round and round, Umslopogaas had seen the face of Galazi, his +brother, in the throng, and knew that he hungered to share the fight. So he +called aloud that he whom he should choose, and who would stand back to back +with him in the fray, if victory were theirs, should be the first after him +among the People of the Axe, and as he called, he walked slowly down the line +scanning the faces of all, till he came to where Galazi stood leaning on the +Watcher. +</p> + +<p> +“Here is a great fellow who bears a great club,” said Umslopogaas. +“How are you named, fellow?” +</p> + +<p> +“I am named Wolf,” answered Galazi. +</p> + +<p> +“Say, now, Wolf, are you willing to stand back to back with me in this +fray of two against ten? If victory is ours, you shall be next to me amongst +this people.” +</p> + +<p> +“Better I love the wild woods and the mountain’s breast than the +kraals of men and the kiss of wives, Axebearer,” answered Galazi. +“Yet, because you have shown yourself a warrior of might, and to taste +again of the joy of battle, I will stand back to back with you, Axebearer, and +see this matter ended.” +</p> + +<p> +“A bargain, Wolf!” cried Umslopogaas. And they walked side by +side—a mighty pair!—till they came to the centre of the cattle +kraal. All there looked on them wondering, and it came into the thoughts of +some of them that these were none other than the Wolf-Brethren who dwelt upon +the Ghost Mountain. +</p> + +<p> +“Now axe Groan-maker and club Watcher are come together, Galazi,” +said Umslopogaas as they walked, “and I think that few can stand before +them.” +</p> + +<p> +“Some shall find it so,” answered Galazi. “At the least, the +fray will be merry, and what matter how frays end?” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” said Umslopogaas, “victory is good, but death ends all +and is best of all.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they spoke of the fashion in which they would fight, and Umslopogaas +looked curiously at the axe he carried, and at the point on its hammer, +balancing it in his hand. When he had looked long, the pair took their stand +back to back in the centre of the kraal, and people saw that Umslopogaas held +the axe in a new fashion, its curved blade being inwards towards his breast, +and the hollow point turned towards the foe. The ten brethren gathered +themselves together, shaking their assegais; five of them stood before +Umslopogaas and five before Galazi the Wolf. They were all great men, made +fierce with rage and shame. +</p> + +<p> +“Now nothing except witchcraft can save these two,” said a +councillor to one who stood by him. +</p> + +<p> +“Yet there is virtue in the axe,” answered the other, “and +for the club, it seems that I know it: I think it is named Watcher of the +Fords, and woe to those who stand before the Watcher. I myself have seen him +aloft when I was young; moreover, these are no cravens who hold the axe and the +club. They are but lads, indeed, yet they have drunk wolf’s milk.” +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, an aged man drew near to speak the word of onset; it was that same +man who had set out the law to Umslopogaas. He must give the signal by throwing +up a spear, and when it struck the ground, then the fight would begin. The old +man took the spear and threw it, but his hand was weak, and he cast so clumsily +that it fell among the sons of Jikiza, who stood before Umslopogaas, causing +them to open up to let it pass between them, and drawing the eyes of all ten of +them to it, but Umslopogaas watched for the touching of the spear only, being +careless where it touched. As the point of it kissed the earth, he said a word, +and lo! Umslopogaas and Galazi, not waiting for the onslaught of the ten, as +men had thought they must, sprang forward, each at the line of foes who were +before him. While the ten still stood confused, for it had been their plan to +attack, the Wolf-Brethren were upon them. Groan-Maker was up, but as for no +great stroke. He did but peck, as a bird pecks with his bill, and yet a man +dropped dead. The Watcher also was up, but he fell like a falling tree, and was +the death of one. Through the lines of the ten passed the Wolf-Brethren in the +gaps that each had made. Then they turned swiftly and charged towards each +other again; again Groan-Maker pecked, again the Watcher thundered, and lo! +once more Umslopogaas and Galazi stood back to back unhurt, but before them lay +four men dead. +</p> + +<p> +The onslaught and the return were so swift, that men scarcely understood what +had been done; even those of the sons of Jikiza who were left stared at each +other wondering. Then they knew that they were but six, for four of them were +dead. With a shout of rage they rushed upon the pair from both sides, but in +either case one was the most eager, and outstepped the other two, and thus it +came about that time was given the Wolf-Brethren to strike at him alone, before +his fellows were at his side. He who came at Umslopogaas drove at him with his +spear, but he was not to be caught thus, for he bent his middle sideways, so +that the spear only cut his skin, and as he bent tapped with the point of the +axe at the head of the smiter, dealing death on him. +</p> + +<p> +“Yonder Woodpecker has a bill of steel, and he can use it well,” +said the councillor to him who stood by him. +</p> + +<p> +“This is a Slaughterer indeed,” the man answered, and the people +heard the names. Thenceforth they knew Umslopogaas as the Woodpecker, and as +<i>Bulalio</i>, or the Slaughterer, and by no other names. Now, he who came at +Galazi the Wolf rushed on wildly, holding his spear short. But Galazi was +cunning in war. He took one step forward to meet him, then, swinging the +Watcher backward, he let him fall at the full length of arms and club. The +child of Jikiza lifted his shield to catch the blow, but the shield was to the +Watcher what a leaf is to the wind. Full on its hide the huge club fell, making +a loud sound; the war-shield doubled up like a raw skin, and he who bore it +fell crushed to the earth. +</p> + +<p> +Now for a moment, the four who were left of the sons of Jikiza hovered round +the pair, feinting at them from afar, but never coming within reach of axe or +club. One threw a spear indeed, and though Umslopogaas leaped aside, and as it +sped towards him smote the haft in two with the blade of Groan-Maker, yet its +head flew on, wounding Galazi in the flank. Then he who had thrown the spear +turned to fly, for his hands were empty, and the others followed swiftly, for +the heart was out of them, and they dared to do battle with these two no more. +</p> + +<p> +Thus the fight was ended, and from its beginning till the finish was not longer +than the time in which men might count a hundred slowly. +</p> + +<p> +“It seems that none are left for us to kill, Galazi,” said +Umslopogaas, laughing aloud. “Ah, that was a cunning fight! Ho! you sons +of the Unconquered, who run so fast, stay your feet. I give you peace; you +shall live to sweep my huts and to plough my fields with the other women of my +kraal. Now, councillors, the fighting is done, so let us to the chief’s +hut, where Masilo waits us,” and he turned and went with Galazi, and +after him followed all the people, wondering and in silence. +</p> + +<p> +When he reached the hut Umslopogaas sat himself down in the place where Jikiza +had sat that morning, and the maid Zinita came to him with a wet cloth and +washed the wound that the spear had made. He thanked her; then she would have +washed Galazi’s wound also, and this was deeper, but Galazi bade her to +let him be roughly, as he would have no woman meddling with his wounds. For +neither then nor at any other time did Galazi turn to women, but he hated +Zinita most of them all. +</p> + +<p> +Then Umslopogaas spoke to Masilo the Pig, who sat before him with a frightened +face, saying, “It seems, O Masilo, that you have sought this maid Zinita +in marriage, and against her will, persecuting her. Now I had intended to kill +you as an offering to her anger, but there has been enough blood-letting +to-day. Yet you shall have a marriage gift to this girl, whom I myself will +take in marriage: you shall give a hundred head of cattle. Then get you gone +from among the People of the Axe, lest a worse thing befall you, Masilo the +Pig.” +</p> + +<p> +So Masilo rose up and went, and his face was green with fear, but he paid the +hundred head of cattle and fled towards the kraal of Chaka. Zinita watched him +go, and she was glad of it, and because the Slaughterer had named her for his +wife. +</p> + +<p> +“I am well rid of Masilo,” she said aloud, in the hearing of +Galazi, “but I had been better pleased to see him dead before me.” +</p> + +<p> +“This woman has a fierce heart,” thought Galazi, “and she +will bring no good to Umslopogaas, my brother.” +</p> + +<p> +Now the councillors and the captains of the People of the Axe <i>konzaed</i> to +him whom they named the Slaughterer, doing homage to him as chief and holder of +the axe, and also they did homage to the axe itself. So Umslopogaas became +chief over this people, and their number was many, and he grew great and fat in +cattle and wives, and none dared to gainsay him. From time to time, indeed, a +man ventured to stand up before him in fight, but none could conquer him, and +in a little while no one sought to face Groan-Maker when he lifted himself to +peck. +</p> + +<p> +Galazi also was great among the people, but dwelt with them little, for best he +loved the wild woods and the mountain’s breast, and often, as of old, he +swept at night across the forest and the plains, and the howling of the +ghost-wolves went with him. +</p> + +<p> +But henceforth Umslopogaas the Slaughterer hunted very rarely with the wolves +at night; he slept at the side of Zinita, and she loved him much and bore him +children. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap18"></a>CHAPTER XVIII.<br /> +THE CURSE OF BALEKA</h2> + +<p> +Now, my father, my story winds back again as the river bends towards its +source, and I tell of those events which happened at the king’s kraal of +Gibamaxegu, which you white people name Gibbeclack, the kraal that is called +“Pick-out-the-old-men,” for it was there that Chaka murdered all +the aged who were unfit for war. +</p> + +<p> +After I, Mopo, had stood before the king, and he had given me new wives and fat +cattle and a kraal to dwell in, the bones of Unandi, the Great Mother Elephant, +Mother of the Heavens, were gathered together from the ashes of my huts, and +because all could not be found, some of the bones of my wives were collected +also to make up the number. But Chaka never knew this. When all were brought +together, a great pit was dug and the bones were set out in order in the pit +and buried; but not alone, for round them were placed twelve maidens of the +servants of Unandi, and these maidens were covered over with the earth, and +left to die in the pit by the bones of Unandi, their mistress. Moreover, all +those who were present at the burial were made into a regiment and commanded +that they should dwell by the grave for the space of a year. They were many, my +father, but I was not one of them. Also Chaka gave orders that no crops should +be sown that year, that the milk of the cows should be spilled upon the ground, +and that no woman should give birth to a child for a full year, and that if any +should dare to bear children, then that they should be slain and their husbands +with them. And for a space of some months these things were done, my father, +and great sorrow came upon the land. +</p> + +<p> +Then for a little while there was quiet, and Chaka went about heavily, and he +wept often, and we who waited on him wept also as we walked, till at length it +came about by use that we could weep without ceasing for many hours. No angry +woman can weep as we wept in those days; it was an art, my father, for the +teaching of which I received many cattle, for woe to him who had no tears in +those days. Then it was also that Chaka sent out the captain and fifty soldiers +to search for Umslopogaas, for, though he said nothing more to me of this +matter, he did not believe all the tale that I had told him of the death of +Umslopogaas in the jaws of a lion and the tale of those who were with me. How +that company fared at the hands of Umslopogaas and of Galazi the Wolf, and at +the fangs of the people black and grey, I have told you, my father. None of +them ever came back again. In after days it was reported to the king that these +soldiers were missing, never having returned, but he only laughed, saying that +the lion which ate Umslopogaas, son of Mopo, was a fierce one, and had eaten +them also. +</p> + +<p> +At last came the night of the new moon, that dreadful night to be followed by a +more dreadful morrow. I sat in the kraal of Chaka, and he put his arm about my +neck and groaned and wept for his mother, whom he had murdered, and I groaned +also, but I did not weep, because it was dark, and on the morrow I must weep +much in the sight of king and men. Therefore, I spared my tears, lest they +should fail me in my need. +</p> + +<p> +All night long the people drew on from every side towards the kraal, and, as +they came in thousands and tens of thousands, they filled the night with their +cries, till it seemed as though the whole world were mourning, and loudly. None +might cease their crying, and none dared to drink so much as a cup of water. +The daylight came, and Chaka rose, saying, “Come, let us go forth, Mopo, +and look on those who mourn with us.” So we went out, and after us came +men armed with clubs to do the bidding of the king. +</p> + +<p> +Outside the kraal the people were gathered, and their number was countless as +the leaves upon the trees. On every side the land was black with them, as at +times the veldt is black with game. When they saw the king they ceased from +their howling and sang the war-song, then once again they howled, and Chaka +walked among them weeping. Now, my father, the sight became dreadful, for, as +the sun rose higher the day grew hot, and utter weariness came upon the people, +who were packed together like herds of cattle, and, though oxen slain in +sacrifice lay around, they might neither eat nor drink. Some fell to the +ground, and were trampled to death, others took too much snuff to make them +weep, others stained their eyes with saliva, others walked to and fro, their +tongues hanging from their jaws, while groans broke from their parched throats. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, Mopo, we shall learn who are the wizards that have brought these +ills upon us,” said the king, “and who are the true-hearted +men.” +</p> + +<p> +As we spoke we came upon a man, a chief of renown. He was named Zwaumbana, +chief of the Amabovus, and with him were his wives and followers. This man +could weep no more; he gasped with thirst and heat. The king looked at him. +</p> + +<p> +“See, Mopo,” he said, “see that brute who has no tears for my +mother who is dead! Oh, the monster without a heart! Shall such as he live to +look upon the sun, while I and thou must weep, Mopo? Never! never! Take him +away, and all those who are with him! Take them away, the people without +hearts, who do not weep because my mother is dead by witchcraft!” +</p> + +<p> +And Chaka walked on weeping, and I followed also weeping, but the chief +Zwaumbana and those with him were all slain by those who do the bidding of the +king, and the slayers also must weep as they slew. Presently we came upon +another man, who, seeing the king, took snuff secretly to bring tears to his +eyes. But the glance of Chaka was quick, and he noted it. +</p> + +<p> +“Look at him, Mopo,” he said, “look at the wizard who has no +tears, though my mother is dead by witchcraft. See, he takes snuff to bring +tears to his eyes that are dry with wickedness. Take him away, the heartless +brute! Oh, take him away!” +</p> + +<p> +So this one also was killed, and these were but the first of thousands, for +presently Chaka grew mad with wickedness, with fury, and with the lust of +blood. He walked to and fro, weeping, going now and again into his hut to drink +beer, and I with him, for he said that we who sorrowed must have food. And ever +as he walked he would wave his arm or his assegai, saying, “Take them +away, the heartless brutes, who do not weep because my mother is dead,” +and those who chanced to stand before his arm were killed, till at length the +slayers could slay no more, and themselves were slain, because their strength +had failed them, and they had no more tears. And I also, I must slay, lest if I +slew not I should myself be slain. +</p> + +<p> +And now, at length, the people also went mad with their thirst and the fury of +their fear. They fell upon each other, killing each other; every man who had a +foe sought him out and killed him. None were spared, the place was but a +shambles; there on that day died full seven thousand men, and still Chaka +walked weeping among them, saying, “Take them away, the heartless brutes, +take them away!” Yet, my father, there was cunning in his cruelty, for +though he destroyed many for sport alone, also he slew on this day all those +whom he hated or whom he feared. +</p> + +<p> +At length the night came down, the sun sank red that day, all the sky was like +blood, and blood was all the earth beneath. Then the killing ceased, because +none had now the strength to kill, and the people lay panting in heaps upon the +ground, the living and the dead together. I looked at them, and saw that if +they were not allowed to eat and drink, before day dawned again the most of +them would be dead, and I spoke to the king, for I cared little in that hour if +I lived or died; even my hope of vengeance was forgotten in the sickness of my +heart. +</p> + +<p> +“A mourning indeed, O King,” I said, “a merry mourning for +true-hearted men, but for wizards a mourning such as they do not love. I think +that thy sorrows are avenged, O King, thy sorrows and mine also.” +</p> + +<p> +“Not so, Mopo,” answered the king, “this is but the +beginning; our mourning was merry to-day, it shall be merrier to-morrow.” +</p> + +<p> +“To-morrow, O King, few will be left to mourn; for the land will be swept +of men.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why, Mopo, son of Makedama? But a few have perished of all the thousands +who are gathered together. Number the people and they will not be +missed.” +</p> + +<p> +“But a few have died beneath the assegai and the kerrie, O King. Yet +hunger and thirst shall finish the spear’s work. The people have neither +eaten nor drunk for a day and a night, and for a day and a night they have +wailed and moaned. Look without, Black One, there they lie in heaps with the +dead. By to-morrow’s light they also will be dead or dying.” +</p> + +<p> +Now, Chaka thought awhile, and he saw that the work would go too far, leaving +him but a small people over whom to rule. +</p> + +<p> +“It is hard, Mopo,” he said, “that thou and I must mourn +alone over our woes while these dogs feast and make merry. Yet, because of the +gentleness of my heart, I will deal gently with them. Go out, son of Makedama, +and bid my children eat and drink if they have the heart, for this mourning is +ended. Scarcely will Unandi, my mother, sleep well, seeing that so little blood +has been shed on her grave—surely her spirit will haunt my dreams. Yet, +because of the gentleness of my heart, I declare this mourning ended. Let my +children eat and drink, if, indeed, they have the heart.” +</p> + +<p> +“Happy are the people over whom such a king is set,” I said in +answer. Then I went out and told the words of Chaka to the chiefs and captains, +and those of them who had the voice left to them praised the goodness of the +king. But the most gave over sucking the dew from their sticks, and rushed to +the water like cattle that have wandered five days in the desert, and drank +their fill. Some of them were trampled to death in the water. +</p> + +<p> +Afterwards I slept as I might best; it was not well, my father, for I knew that +Chaka was not yet gutted with slaughter. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow many of the people went back to their homes, having sought leave +from the king, others drew away the dead to the place of bones, and yet others +were sent out in impis to kill such as had not come to the mourning of the +king. When midday was past, Chaka said that he would walk, and ordered me and +other of his indunas and servants to walk with him. We went on in silence, the +king leaning on my shoulder as on a stick. “What of thy people, +Mopo,” he said at length, “what of the Langeni tribe? Were they at +my mourning? I did not see them.” +</p> + +<p> +Then I answered that I did not know, they had been summoned, but the way was +long and the time short for so many to march so far. +</p> + +<p> +“Dogs should run swiftly when their master calls, Mopo, my +servant,” said Chaka, and the dreadful light came into his eyes that +never shone in the eyes of any other man. Then I grew sick at heart, my +father—ay, though I loved my people little, and they had driven me away, +I grew sick at heart. Now we had come to a spot where there is a great rift of +black rock, and the name of that rift is U’Donga-lu-ka-Tatiyana. On +either side of this donga the ground slopes steeply down towards its yawning +lips, and from its end a man may see the open country. Here Chaka sat down at +the end of the rift, pondering. Presently he looked up and saw a vast multitude +of men, women, and children, who wound like a snake across the plain beneath +towards the kraal Gibamaxegu. +</p> + +<p> +“I think, Mopo,” said the king, “that by the colour of their +shields, yonder should be the Langeni tribe—thine own people, +Mopo.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is my people, O King,” I answered. +</p> + +<p> +Then Chaka sent messengers, running swiftly, and bade them summon the Langeni +people to him where he sat. Other messengers he sent also to the kraal, +whispering in their ears, but what he said I did not know then. +</p> + +<p> +Now, for a while, Chaka watched the long black snake of men winding towards him +across the plain till the messengers met them and the snake began to climb the +slope of the hill. +</p> + +<p> +“How many are these people of thine, Mopo?” asked the king. +</p> + +<p> +“I know not, O Elephant,” I answered, “who have not seen them +for many years. Perhaps they number three full regiments.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, more,” said the king; “what thinkest thou, Mopo, would +this people of thine fill the rift behind us?” and he nodded at the gulf +of stone. +</p> + +<p> +Now, my father, I trembled in all my flesh, seeing the purpose of Chaka; but I +could find no words to say, for my tongue clave to the roof of my mouth. +</p> + +<p> +“The people are many,” said Chaka, “yet, Mopo, I bet thee +fifty head of cattle that they will not fill the donga.” +</p> + +<p> +“The king is pleased to jest,” I said. +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, Mopo, I jest; yet as a jest take thou the bet.” +</p> + +<p> +“As the king wills,” I murmured—who could not refuse. Now the +people of my tribe drew near: at their head was an old man, with white hair and +beard, and, looking at him, I knew him for my father, Makedama. When he came +within earshot of the king, he gave him the royal salute of <i>Bayéte</i>, and +fell upon his hands and knees, crawling towards him, and <i>konzaed</i> to the +king, praising him as he came. All the thousands of the people also fell on +their hands and knees, and praised the king aloud, and the sound of their +praising was like the sound of a great thunder. +</p> + +<p> +At length Makedama, my father, writhing on his breast like a snake, lay before +the majesty of the king. Chaka bade him rise, and greeted him kindly; but all +the thousands of the people yet lay upon their breasts beating the dust with +their heads. +</p> + +<p> +“Rise, Makedama, my child, father of the people of the Langeni,” +said Chaka, “and tell me why art thou late in coming to my +mourning?” +</p> + +<p> +“The way was far, O King,” answered Makedama, my father, who did +not know me. “The way was far and the time short. Moreover, the women and +the children grew weary and footsore, and they are weary in this hour.” +</p> + +<p> +“Speak not of it, Makedama, my child,” said the king. “Surely +thy heart mourned and that of thy people, and soon they shall rest from their +weariness. Say, are they here every one?” +</p> + +<p> +“Every one, O Elephant!—none are wanting. My kraals are desolate, +the cattle wander untended on the hills, birds pick at the unguarded +crops.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is well, Makedama, thou faithful servant! Yet thou wouldst mourn with +me an hour—is it not so? Now, hearken! Bid thy people pass to the right +and to the left of me, and stand in all their numbers upon the slopes of the +grass that run down to the lips of the rift.” +</p> + +<p> +So Makedama, my father, bade the people do the bidding of the king, for neither +he nor the indunas saw his purpose, but I, who knew his wicked heart, I saw it. +Then the people filed past to the right and to the left by hundreds and by +thousands, and presently the grass of the slopes could be seen no more, because +of their number. When all had passed, Chaka spoke again to Makedama, my father, +bidding him climb down to the bottom of the donga, and thence lift up his voice +in mourning. The old man obeyed the king. Slowly, and with much pain, he +clambered to the bottom of the rift and stood there. It was so deep and narrow +that the light scarcely seemed to reach to where he stood, for I could only see +the white of his hair gleaming far down in the shadows. +</p> + +<p> +Then, standing far beneath, he lifted up his voice, and it reached the +thousands of those who clustered upon the slopes. It seemed still and small, +yet it came to them faintly like the voice of one speaking from a mountain-top +in a time of snow:— +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Mourn, children of Makedama!</i>” +</p> + +<p> +And all the thousands of the people—men, women, and children—echoed +his words in a thunder of sound, crying:— +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Mourn, children of Makedama!</i>” +</p> + +<p> +Again he cried:— +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Mourn, people of the Langeni, mourn with the whole world!</i>” +</p> + +<p> +And the thousands answered:— +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Mourn, people of the Langeni, mourn with the whole world!</i>” +</p> + +<p> +A third time came his voice:— +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Mourn, children of Makedama, mourn, people of the Langeni, mourn with +the whole world!</i> +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Howl, ye warriors; weep, ye women; beat your breasts, ye maidens; +sob, ye little children!</i> +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Drink of the water of tears, cover yourselves with the dust of +affliction.</i> +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Mourn, O tribe of the Langeni, because the Mother of the Heavens is +no more.</i> +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Mourn, children of Makedama, because the Spirit of Fruitfulness is no +more.</i> +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Mourn, O ye people, because the Lion of the Zulu is left so +desolate.</i> +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Let your tears fall as the rain falls, let your cries be as the cries +of women who bring forth.</i> +</p> + +<p> +“<i>For sorrow is fallen like the rain, the world has conceived and +brought forth death.</i> +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Great darkness is upon us, darkness and the shadow of death.</i> +</p> + +<p> +“<i>The Lion of the Zulu wanders and wanders in desolation, because the +Mother of the Heavens is no more.</i> +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Who shall bring him comfort? There is comfort in the crying of his +children.</i> +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Mourn, people of the Langeni; let the voice of your mourning beat +against the skies and rend them.</i> +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Ou-ai! Ou-ai! Ou-ai!</i>” +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Thus sang the old man, my father Makedama, far down in the deeps of the cleft. +He sang it in a still, small voice, but, line after line, his song was caught +up by the thousands who stood on the slopes above, and thundered to the heavens +till the mountains shook with its sound. Moreover, the noise of their crying +opened the bosom of a heavy rain-cloud that had gathered as they mourned, and +the rain fell in great slow drops, as though the sky also wept, and with the +rain came lightning and the roll of thunder. +</p> + +<p> +Chaka listened, and large tears coursed down his cheeks, whose heart was easily +stirred by the sound of song. Now the rain hissed fiercely, making as it were a +curtain about the thousands of the people; but still their cry went up through +the rain, and the roll of the thunder was lost in it. Presently there came a +hush, and I looked to the right. There, above the heads of the people, coming +over the brow of the hill, were the plumes of warriors, and in their hands +gleamed a hedge of spears. I looked to the left; there also I saw the plumes of +warriors dimly through the falling rain, and in their hands a hedge of spears. +I looked before me, towards the end of the cleft; there also loomed the plumes +of warriors, and in their hands was a hedge of spears. +</p> + +<p> +Then, from all the people there arose another cry, a cry of terror and of +agony. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah! now they mourn indeed, Mopo,” said Chaka in my ear; “now +thy people mourn from the heart and not with the lips alone.” +</p> + +<p> +As he spoke the multitude of the people on either side of the rift surged +forward like a wave, surged back again, once more surged forward, then, with a +dreadful crying, driven on by the merciless spears of the soldiers, they began +to fall in a torrent of men, women, and children, far into the black depths +below. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p> +My father, forgive me the tears that fall from these blind eyes of mine; I am +very aged, I am but as a little child, and as a little child I weep. I cannot +tell it. At last it was done, and all grew still. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p> +Thus was Makedama buried beneath the bodies of his people; thus was ended the +tribe of the Langeni; as my mother had dreamed, so it came about; and thus did +Chaka take vengeance for that cup of milk which was refused to him many a year +before. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou hast not won thy bet, Mopo,” said the king presently. +“See there is a little space where one more may find room to sleep. Full +to the brim is this corn-chamber with the ears of death, in which no living +grain is left. Yet there is one little space, and is there not one to fill it? +Are all the tribe of the Langeni dead indeed?” +</p> + +<p> +“There is one, O King!” I answered. “I am of the tribe of the +Langeni, let my carcase fill the place.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, Mopo, nay! Who then should take the bet? Moreover, I slay thee not, +for it is against my oath. Also, do we not mourn together, thou and I?” +</p> + +<p> +“There is no other left living of the tribe of the Langeni, O King! The +bet is lost; it shall be paid.” +</p> + +<p> +“I think that there is another,” said Chaka. “There is a +sister to thee and me, Mopo. Ah, see, she comes!” +</p> + +<p> +I looked up, my father, and I saw this: I saw Baleka, my sister, walking +towards us, and on her shoulders was a kaross of wild-cat skins, and behind her +were two soldiers. She walked proudly, holding her head high, and her step was +like the step of a queen. Now she saw the sight of death, for the dead lay +before her like black water in a sunless pool. A moment she stood shivering, +having guessed all, then walked on and stood before Chaka. +</p> + +<p> +“What is thy will with me, O King?” she said. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou art come in a good hour, sister,” said Chaka, turning his +eyes from hers. “It is thus: Mopo, my servant and thy brother, made a bet +with me, a bet of cattle. It was a little matter that we wagered on—as to +whether the people of the Langeni tribe—thine own tribe, Baleka, my +sister—would fill yonder place, U’Donga-lu-ka-Tatiyana. When they +heard of the bet, my sister, the people of the Langeni hurled themselves into +the rift by thousands, being eager to put the matter to the proof. And now it +seems that thy brother has lost the bet, for there is yet place for one yonder +ere the donga is full. Then, my sister, thy brother Mopo brought it to my mind +that there was still one of the Langeni tribe left upon the earth, who, should +she sleep in that place, would turn the bet in his favour, and prayed me to +send for her. So, my sister, as I would not take that which I have not won, I +have done so, and now do thou go apart and talk with Mopo, thy brother, alone +upon this matter, <i>as once before thou didst talk when a child was born to +thee, my sister!</i>” +</p> + +<p> +Now Baleka took no heed of the words of Chaka which he spoke of me, for she +knew his meaning well. Only she looked him in the eyes and said:— +</p> + +<p> +“Ill shalt thou sleep from this night forth, Chaka, till thou comest to a +land where no sleep is. I have spoken.” +</p> + +<p> +Chaka saw and heard, and of a sudden he quailed, growing afraid in his heart, +and turned his head away. +</p> + +<p> +“Mopo, my brother,” said Baleka, “let us speak together for +the last time; it is the king’s word.” +</p> + +<p> +So I drew apart with Baleka, my sister, and a spear was in my hand. We stood +together alone by the people of the dead and Baleka threw the corner of the +kaross about her brows and spoke to me swiftly from beneath its shadow. +</p> + +<p> +“What did I say to you a while ago, Mopo? It has come to pass. Swear to +me that you will live on and that this same hand of yours shall take vengeance +for me.” +</p> + +<p> +“I swear it, my sister.” +</p> + +<p> +“Swear to me that when the vengeance is done you will seek out my son +Umslopogaas if he still lives, and bless him in my name.” +</p> + +<p> +“I swear it, my sister.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fare you well, Mopo! We have always loved each other much, and now all +fades, and it seems to me that once more we are little children playing about +the kraals of the Langeni. So may we play again in another land! Now, +Mopo”—and she looked at me steadily, and with great +eyes—“I am weary. I would join the spirits of my people. I hear +them calling in my ears. It is finished.” +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p> +For the rest, I will not tell it to you, my father. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap19"></a>CHAPTER XIX.<br /> +MASILO COMES TO THE KRAAL DUGUZA</h2> + +<p> +That night the curse of Baleka fell upon Chaka, and he slept ill. So ill did he +sleep that he summoned me to him, bidding me walk abroad with him. I went, and +we walked alone and in silence, Chaka leading the way and I following after +him. Now I saw that his feet led him towards the U’Donga-lu-ka-Tatiyana, +that place where all my people lay dead, and with them Baleka, my sister. We +climbed the slope of the hill slowly, and came to the mouth of the cleft, to +that same spot where Chaka had stood when the people fell over the lips of the +rock like water. Then there had been noise and crying, now there was silence, +for the night was very still. The moon was full also, and lighted up the dead +who lay near to us, so that I could see them all; yes, I could see even the +face of Baleka, my sister—they had thrown her into the midst of the dead. +Never had it looked so beautiful as in this hour, and yet as I gazed I grew +afraid. Only the far end of the donga was hid in shadow. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou wouldst not have won thy bet now, Mopo, my servant,” said +Chaka. “See, they have sunk together! The donga is not full by the length +of a stabbing-spear.” +</p> + +<p> +I did not answer, but at the sound of the king’s voice jackals stirred +and slunk away. +</p> + +<p> +Presently he spoke again, laughing loudly as he spoke: “Thou shouldst +sleep well this night, my mother, for I have sent many to hush thee to rest. +Ah, people of the Langeni tribe, you forgot, but I remembered! You forgot how a +woman and a boy came to you seeking food and shelter, and you would give them +none—no, not a gourd of milk. What did I promise you on that day, people +of the Langeni tribe? Did I not promise you that for every drop the gourd I +craved would hold I would take the life of a man? And have I not kept my +promise? Do not men lie here more in number than the drops of water in a gourd, +and with them women and children countless as the leaves? O people of the +Langeni tribe, who refused me milk when I was little, having grown great, I am +avenged upon you! Having grown great! Ah! who is there so great as I? The earth +shakes beneath my feet; when I speak the people tremble, when I frown they +die—they die in thousands. I have grown great, and great I shall remain! +The land is mine, far as the feet of man can travel the land is mine, and mine +are those who dwell in it. And I shall grow greater yet—greater, ever +greater. Is it thy face, Baleka, that stares upon me from among the faces of +the thousands whom I have slain? Thou didst promise me that I should sleep ill +henceforth. Baleka, I fear thee not—at the least, thou sleepest sound. +Tell me, Baleka—rise from thy sleep and tell me whom there is that I +should fear!”—and suddenly he ceased the ravings of his pride. +</p> + +<p> +Now, my father, while Chaka the king spoke thus, it came into my mind to make +an end of things and kill him, for my heart was mad with rage and the thirst of +vengeance. Already I stood behind him, already the stick in my hand was lifted +to strike out his brains, when I stopped also, for I saw something. There, in +the midst of the dead, I saw an arm stir. It stirred, it lifted itself, it +beckoned towards the shadow which hid the head of the cleft and the piled-up +corpses that lay there, and it seemed to me that the arm was the arm of Baleka. +Perchance it was not her arm, perchance it was but the arm of one who yet lived +among the thousands of the dead, say you, my father! At the least, the arm rose +at her side, and was ringed with such bracelets as Baleka wore, and it beckoned +from her side, though her cold face changed not at all. Thrice the arm rose, +thrice it stood awhile in air, thrice it beckoned with crooked finger, as +though it summoned something from the depths of the shadow, and from the +multitudes of the dead. Then it fell down, and in the utter silence I heard its +fall and a clank of brazen bracelets. And as it fell there rose from the shadow +a sound of singing, of singing wild and sweet, such as I had never heard. The +words of that song came to me then, my father; but afterwards they passed from +me, and I remember them no more. Only I know this, that the song was of the +making of Things, and of the beginning and the end of Peoples. It told of how +the black folk grew, and of how the white folk should eat them up, and +wherefore they were and wherefore they should cease to be. It told of Evil and +of Good, of Woman and of Man, and of how these war against each other, and why +it is that they war, and what are the ends of the struggle. It told also of the +people of the Zulu, and it spoke of a place of a Little Hand where they should +conquer, and of a place where a White Hand should prevail against them, and how +they shall melt away beneath the shadow of the White Hand and be forgotten, +passing to a land where things do not die, but live on forever, the Good with +the Good, the Evil with the Evil. It told of Life and of Death, of Joy and of +Sorrow, of Time and of that sea in which Time is but a floating leaf, and of +why all these things are. Many names also came into the song, and I knew but a +few of them, yet my own was there, and the name of Baleka and the name of +Umslopogaas, and the name of Chaka the Lion. But a little while did the voice +sing, yet all this was in the song—ay, and much more; but the meaning of +the song is gone from me, though I knew it once, and shall know it again when +all is done. The voice in the shadow sang on till the whole place was full of +the sound of its singing, and even the dead seemed to listen. Chaka heard it +and shook with fear, but his ears were deaf to its burden, though mine were +open. +</p> + +<p> +The voice came nearer, and now in the shadow there was a faint glow of light, +like the glow that gathers on the six-days’ dead. Slowly it drew nearer, +through the shadow, and as it came I saw that the shape of the light was the +shape of a woman. Now I could see it well, and I knew the face of glory. My +father, it was the face of the Inkosazana-y-Zulu, the Queen of Heaven! She came +towards us very slowly, gliding down the gulf that was full of dead, and the +path she trod was paved with the dead; and as she came it seemed to me that +shadows rose from the dead, following her, the Queen of the +Dead—thousands upon thousands of them. And, ah! her glory, my +father—the glory of her hair of molten gold—of her eyes, that were +as the noonday sky—the flash of her arms and breast, that were like the +driven snow, when it glows in the sunset. Her beauty was awful to look on, but +I am glad to have lived to see it as it shone and changed in the shifting robe +of light which was her garment. +</p> + +<p> +Now she drew near to us, and Chaka sank upon the earth, huddled up in fear, +hiding his face in his hands; but I was not afraid, my father—only the +wicked need fear to look on the Queen of Heaven. Nay, I was not afraid: I stood +upright and gazed upon her glory face to face. In her hand she held a little +spear hafted with the royal wood: it was the shadow of the spear that Chaka +held in his hand, the same with which he had slain his mother and wherewith he +should himself be slain. Now she ceased her singing, and stood before the +crouching king and before me, who was behind the king, so that the light of her +glory shone upon us. She lifted the little spear, and with it touched Chaka, +son of Senzangacona, on the brow, giving him to doom. Then she spoke; but, +though Chaka felt the touch, he did not hear the words, that were for my ears +alone. +</p> + +<p> +“Mopo, son of Makedama,” said the low voice, “stay thy hand, +the cup of Chaka is not full. When, for the third time, thou seest me riding +down the storm, then <i>smite</i>, Mopo, my child.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spoke, and a cloud swept over the face of the moon. When it passed she +was gone, and once more I was alone with Chaka, with the night and the dead. +</p> + +<p> +Chaka looked up, and his face was grey with the sweat of fear. +</p> + +<p> +“Who was this, Mopo?” he said in a hollow voice. +</p> + +<p> +“This was the Inkosazana of the Heavens, she who watches ever over the +people of our race, O King, and who from time to time is seen of men ere great +things shall befall.” +</p> + +<p> +“I have heard speak of this queen,” said Chaka. “Wherefore +came she now, what was the song she sang, and why did she touch me with a +spear?” +</p> + +<p> +“She came, O King, because the dead hand of Baleka summoned her, as thou +sawest. The song she sang was of things too high for me; and why she touched +thee on the forehead with the spear I do not know, O King! Perchance it was to +crown thee chief of a yet greater realm.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, perchance to crown me chief of a realm of death.” +</p> + +<p> +“That thou art already, Black One,” I answered, glancing at the +silent multitude before us and the cold shape of Baleka. +</p> + +<p> +Again Chaka shuddered. “Come, let us be going, Mopo,” he said; +“now I have learnt what it is to be afraid.” +</p> + +<p> +“Early or late, Fear is a guest that all must feast, even kings, O +Earth-Shaker!” I answered; and we turned and went homewards in silence. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Now after this night Chaka gave it out that the kraal of Gibamaxegu was +bewitched, and bewitched was the land of the Zulus, because he might sleep no +more in peace, but woke ever crying out with fear, and muttering the name of +Baleka. Therefore, in the end he moved his kraal far away, and built the great +town of Duguza here in Natal. +</p> + +<p> +Look now, my father! There on the plain far away is a place of the white +men—it is called Stanger. There, where is the white man’s town, +stood the great kraal Duguza. I cannot see, for my eyes are dark; but you can +see. Where the gate of the kraal was built there is a house; it is the place +where the white man gives out justice; that is the place of the gate of the +kraal, through which Justice never walked. Behind is another house, where the +white men who have sinned against Him pray to the King of Heaven for +forgiveness; there on that spot have I seen many a one who had done no wrong +pray to a king of men for mercy, but I have never seen but one who found it. +<i>Ou!</i> the words of Chaka have come true: I will tell them to you +presently, my father. The white man holds the land, he goes to and fro about +his business of peace where impis ran forth to kill; his children laugh and +gather flowers where men died in blood by hundreds; they bathe in the waters of +the Imbozamo, where once the crocodiles were fed daily with human flesh; his +young men woo the maidens where other maids have kissed the assegai. It is +changed, nothing is the same, and of Chaka are left only a grave yonder and a +name of fear. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Now, after Chaka had come to the Duguza kraal, for a while he sat quiet, then +the old thirst of blood came on him, and he sent his impis against the people +of the Pondos, and they destroyed that people, and brought back their cattle. +But the warriors might not rest; again they were doctored for war, and sent out +by tens of thousands to conquer Sotyangana, chief of the people who live north +of the Limpopo. They went singing, after the king had looked upon them and +bidden them return victorious or not at all. Their number was so great that +from the hour of dawn till the sun was high in the heavens they passed the +gates of the kraal like countless herds of cattle—they the unconquered. +Little did they know that victory smiled on them no more; that they must die by +thousands of hunger and fever in the marshes of the Limpopo, and that those of +them who returned should come with their shields in their bellies, having +devoured their shields because of their ravenous hunger! But what of them? They +were nothing. <i>Dust</i> was the name of one of the great regiments that went +out against Sotyangana, and dust they were—dust to be driven to death by +the breath of Chaka, Lion of the Zulu. +</p> + +<p> +Now few men remained in the kraal Duguza, for nearly all had gone with the +impi, and only women and aged people were left. Dingaan and Umhlangana, +brothers of the king, were there, for Chaka would not suffer them to depart, +fearing lest they should plot against him, and he looked on them always with an +angry eye, so that they trembled for their lives, though they dared not show +their fear lest fate should follow fear. But I guessed it, and like a snake I +wound myself into their secrets, and we talked together darkly and in hints. +But of that presently, my father, for I must tell of the coming of Masilo, he +who would have wed Zinita, and whom Umslopogaas the Slaughterer had driven out +from the kraals of the People of the Axe. +</p> + +<p> +It was on the day after the impi had left that Masilo came to the kraal Duguza, +craving leave to speak with the king. Chaka sat before his hut, and with him +were Dingaan and Umhlangana, his royal brothers. I was there also, and certain +of the indunas, councillors of the king. Chaka was weary that morning, for he +had slept badly, as now he always did. Therefore, when one told him that a +certain wanderer named Masilo would speak with him, he did not command that the +man should be killed, but bade them bring him before him. Presently there was a +sound of praising, and I saw a fat man, much worn with travel, who crawled +through the dust towards us giving the <i>sibonga</i>, that is, naming the king +by his royal names. Chaka bade him cease from praising and tell his business. +Then the man sat up and told all that tale which you have heard, my father, of +how a young man, great and strong, came to the place of the People of the Axe +and conquered Jikiza, the holder of the axe, and became chief of that people, +and of how he had taken the cattle of Masilo and driven him away. Now Chaka +knew nothing of this People of the Axe, for the land was great in those days, +my father, and there were many little tribes in it, living far away, of whom +the king had not even heard; so he questioned Masilo about them, and of the +number of their fighting-men, of their wealth in cattle, of the name of the +young man who ruled them, and especially as to the tribute which they paid to +the king. +</p> + +<p> +Masilo answered, saying that the number of their fighting-men was perhaps the +half of a full regiment, that their cattle were many, for they were rich, that +they paid no tribute, and that the name of the young man was Bulalio the +Slaughterer—at the least, he was known by that name, and he had heard no +other. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king grew wroth. “Arise, Masilo,” he said, “and run +to this people, and speak in the ear of the people, and of him who is named the +Slaughterer, saying: ‘There is another Slaughterer, who sits in a kraal +that is named Duguza, and this is his word to you, O People of the Axe, and to +thee, thou who holdest the axe. Rise up with all the people, and with all the +cattle of your people, and come before him who sits in the kraal Duguza, and +lay in his hands the great axe Groan-Maker. Rise up swiftly and do this +bidding, lest ye sit down shortly and for the last time of all.’”<a +href="#fn-19.1" name="fnref-19.1" id="fnref-19.1"><sup>[1]</sup></a> +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-19.1" id="fn-19.1"></a> <a href="#fnref-19.1">[1]</a> The Zulu are +buried sitting.—E<small>D</small>. +</p> + +<p> +Masilo heard, and said that it should be so, though the way was far, and he +feared greatly to appear before him who was called the Slaughterer, and who sat +twenty days’ journey to the north, beneath the shadow of the Witch +Mountain. +</p> + +<p> +“Begone,” said the king, “and stand before me on the +thirtieth day from now with the answer of this boy with an axe! If thou +standest not before me, then some shall come to seek thee and the boy with an +axe also.” +</p> + +<p> +So Masilo turned and fled swiftly to do the bidding of the king, and Chaka +spoke no more of that matter. But I wondered in my heart who this young man +with an axe might be; for I thought that he had dealt with Jikiza and with the +sons of Jikiza as Umslopogaas would have dealt with them had he come to the +years of his manhood. But I also said nothing of the matter. +</p> + +<p> +Now on this day also there came to me news that my wife Macropha and my +daughter Nada were dead among their people in Swaziland. It was said that the +men of the chief of the Halakazi tribe had fallen on their kraal and put all in +it to the assegai, and among them Macropha and Nada. I heard the news, but I +wept no tear, for, my father, I was so lost in sorrows that nothing could move +me any more. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap20"></a>CHAPTER XX.<br /> +MOPO BARGAINS WITH THE PRINCES</h2> + +<p> +Eight-and-twenty days went by, my father, and on the nine-and-twentieth it +befell that Chaka, having dreamed a dream in his troubled sleep, summoned +before him certain women of the kraal, to the number of a hundred or more. Some +of these were his women, whom he named his “sisters,” and some were +maidens not yet given in marriage; but all were young and fair. Now what this +dream of Chaka may have been I do not know, or have forgotten, for in those +days he dreamed many dreams, and all his dreams led to one end, the death of +men. He sat in front of his hut scowling, and I was with him. To the left of +him were gathered the girls and women, and their knees were weak with fear. One +by one they were led before him, and stood before him with bowed heads. Then he +would bid them be of good cheer, and speak softly to them, and in the end would +ask them this question: “Hast thou, my sister, a cat in thy hut?” +</p> + +<p> +Now, some would say that they had a cat, and some would say that they had none, +and some would stand still and make no answer, being dumb with fear. But, +whatever they said, the end was the same, for the king would sigh gently and +say: “Fare thee well, my sister; it is unfortunate for thee that there is +a cat in thy hut,” or “that there is no cat in thy hut,” or +“that thou canst not tell me whether there be a cat in thy hut or +no.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the woman would be taken by the slayers, dragged without the kraal, and +their end was swift. So it went on for the most part of that day, till +sixty-and-two women and girls had been slaughtered. But at last a maiden was +brought before the king, and to this one her snake had given a ready wit; for +when Chaka asked her whether or no there was a cat in her hut, she answered, +saying that she did not know, “but that there was a half a cat upon +her,” and she pointed to a cat’s-skin which was bound about her +loins. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king laughed, and clapped his hands, saying that at length his dream +was answered; and he killed no more that day nor ever again—save once +only. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +That evening my heart was heavy within me, and I cried in my heart, “How +long?”—nor might I rest. So I wandered out from the kraal that was +named Duguza to the great cleft in the mountains yonder, and sat down upon a +rock high up in the cleft, so that I could see the wide lands rolling to the +north and the south, to my right and to my left. Now, the day was drawing +towards the night, and the air was very still, for the heat was great and a +tempest was gathering, as I, who am a Heaven-Herd, knew well. The sun sank +redly, flooding the land with blood; it was as though all the blood that Chaka +had shed flowed about the land which Chaka ruled. Then from the womb of the +night great shapes of cloud rose up and stood before the sun, and he crowned +them with his glory, and in their hearts the lightning quivered like a blood of +fire. The shadow of their wings fell upon the mountain and the plains, and +beneath their wings was silence. Slowly the sun sank, and the shapes of cloud +gathered together like a host at the word of its captain, and the flicker of +the lightning was as the flash of the spears of a host. I looked, and my heart +grew afraid. The lightning died away, the silence deepened and deepened till I +could hear it, no leaf moved, no bird called, the world seemed dead—I +alone lived in the dead world. +</p> + +<p> +Now, of a sudden, my father, a bright star fell from the height of heaven and +lit upon the crest of the storm, and as it lit the storm burst. The grey air +shivered, a moan ran about the rocks and died away, then an icy breath burst +from the lips of the tempest and rushed across the earth. It caught the falling +star and drove it on towards me, a rushing globe of fire, and as it came the +star grew and took shape, and the shape it took was the shape of a woman. I +knew her now, my father; while she was yet far off I knew her—the +Inkosazana who came as she had promised, riding down the storm. On she swept, +borne forward by the blast, and oh! she was terrible to see, for her garment +was the lightning, lightnings shone from her wide eyes and lightnings were in +her streaming hair, while in her hand was a spear of fire, and she shook it as +she came. Now she was at the mouth of the pass; before her was stillness, +behind her beat the wings of the storm, the thunder roared, the rain hissed +like snakes; she rushed on past me, and as she passed she turned her awful eyes +upon me, withering me. She was there! she was gone! but she spoke no word, only +shook her flaming spear. Yet it seemed to me that the storm spoke, that the +rocks cried aloud, that the rain hissed out a word in my ear, and the word +was:— +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Smite, Mopo!</i>” +</p> + +<p> +I heard it in my heart, or with my ears, what does it matter? Then I turned to +look; through the rush of the tempest and the reek of the rain, still I could +see her sweeping forward high in air. Now the kraal Duguza was beneath her +feet, and the flaming spear fell from her hand upon the kraal and fire leaped +up in answer. +</p> + +<p> +Then she passed on over the edge of the world, seeking her own place. Thus, my +father, for the third and last time did my eyes see the Inkosazana-y-Zulu, or +mayhap my heart dreamed that I saw her. Soon I shall see her again, but it will +not be here. +</p> + +<p> +For a while I sat there in the cleft, then I rose and fought my way through the +fury of the storm back to the kraal Duguza. As I drew near the kraal I heard +cries of fear coming through the roaring of the wind and the hiss of the rain. +I entered and asked one of the matter, and it was told me that fire from above +had fallen on the hut of the king as he lay sleeping, and all the roof of the +hut was burned away, but that the rain had put out the fire. +</p> + +<p> +Then I went on till I came to the front of the great hut, and I saw by the +light of the moon, which now shone out in the heavens, that there before it +stood Chaka, shaking with fear, and the water of the rain was running down him, +while he stared at the great hut, of which all the thatch was burned. +</p> + +<p> +I saluted the king, asking him what evil thing had happened. Seeing me, he +seized me by the arm, and clung to me as, when the slayers are at hand, a child +clings to his father, drawing me after him into a small hut that was near. +</p> + +<p> +“What evil thing has befallen, O King?” I said again, when light +had been made. +</p> + +<p> +“Little have I known of fear, Mopo,” said Chaka, “yet I am +afraid now; ay, as much afraid as when once on a bygone night the dead hand of +Baleka summoned something that walked upon the faces of the dead.” +</p> + +<p> +“And what fearest thou, O King, who art the lord of all the earth?” +</p> + +<p> +Now Chaka leaned forward and whispered to me: “Hearken, Mopo, I have +dreamed a dream. When the judgment of those witches was done with, I went and +laid me down to sleep while it was yet light, for I can scarcely sleep at all +when darkness has swallowed up the world. My sleep has gone from me—that +sister of thine, Baleka, took my sleep with her to the place of death. I laid +me down and I slept, but a dream arose and sat by me with a hooded face, and +showed me a picture. It seemed to me that the wall of my hut fell down, and I +saw an open place, and in the centre of the place I lay dead, covered with many +wounds, while round my corpse my brothers Dingaan and Umhlangana stalked in +pride like lions. On the shoulders of Umhlangana was my royal kaross, and there +was blood on the kaross; and in the hand of Dingaan was my royal spear, and +there was blood upon the spear. Then, in the vision of my dream, Mopo, thou +didst draw near, and, lifting thy hand, didst give the royal salute of +<i>Bayéte</i> to these brothers of mine, and with thy foot didst spurn the +carcase of me, thy king. Then the hooded Dream pointed upwards and was gone, +and I awoke, and lo! fire burned in the roof of my hut. Thus I dreamed, Mopo, +and now, my servant, say thou, wherefore should I not slay thee, thou who +wouldst serve other kings than I, thou who wouldst give my royal salute to the +princes, my brothers?” and he glared upon me fiercely. +</p> + +<p> +“As thou wilt, O King!” I answered gently. “Doubtless thy +dream was evil, and yet more evil was the omen of the fire that fell upon thy +hut. And yet—” and I ceased. +</p> + +<p> +“And yet—Mopo, thou faithless servant?” +</p> + +<p> +“And yet, O King, it seems to me in my folly that it were well to strike +the head of the snake and not its tail, for without the tail the head may live, +but not the tail without the head.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou wouldst say, Mopo, that if these princes die never canst thou or +any other man give them the royal names. Do I hear aright, Mopo?” +</p> + +<p> +“Who am I that I should lift up my voice asking for the blood of +princes?” I answered. “Judge thou, O King!” +</p> + +<p> +Now, Chaka brooded awhile, then he spoke: “Say, Mopo, can it be done this +night?” +</p> + +<p> +“There are but few men in the kraal, O King. All are gone out to war; and +of those few many are the servants of the princes, and perhaps they might give +blow for blow.” +</p> + +<p> +“How then, Mopo?” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, I know not, O King; yet at the great kraal beyond the river sits +that regiment which is named the Slayers. By midday to-morrow they might be +here, and then—” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou speakest wisely, my child Mopo; it shall be for to-morrow. Go +summon the regiment of the Slayers, and, Mopo, see that thou fail me +not.” +</p> + +<p> +“If I fail thee, O King, then I fail myself, for it seems that my life +hangs on this matter.” +</p> + +<p> +“If all the words that ever passed thy lips are lies, yet is that word +true, Mopo,” said Chaka: “moreover, know this, my servant: if aught +miscarries thou shalt die no common death. Begone!” +</p> + +<p> +“I hear the king,” I answered, and went out. +</p> + +<p> +Now, my father, I knew well that Chaka had doomed me to die, though first he +would use me to destroy the princes. But I feared nothing, for I knew this +also, that the hour of Chaka was come at last. +</p> + +<p> +For a while I sat in my hut pondering, then when all men slept I arose and +crept like a snake by many paths to the hut of Dingaan the prince, who awaited +me on that night. Following the shadow of the hut, I came to the door and +scratched upon it after a certain fashion. Presently it was opened, and I +crawled in, and the door was shut again. Now there was a little light in the +hut, and by its flame I saw the two princes sitting side by side, wrapped about +with blankets which hung before their brows. +</p> + +<p> +“Who is this that comes?” said the Prince Dingaan. +</p> + +<p> +Then I lifted the blanket from my head so that they might see my face, and they +also drew the blankets from their brows. I spoke, saying: “Hail to you, +Princes, who to-morrow shall be dust! Hail to you, sons of Senzangacona, who +to-morrow shall be spirits!” and I pointed towards them with my withered +hand. +</p> + +<p> +Now the princes were troubled, and shook with fear. +</p> + +<p> +“What meanest thou, thou dog, that thou dost speak to us words of such +ill-omen?” said the Prince Dingaan in a low voice. +</p> + +<p> +“Where dost thou point at us with that white and withered hand of thine, +Wizard?” hissed the Prince Umhlangana. +</p> + +<p> +“Have I not told you, O ye Princes!” I whispered, “that ye +must strike or die, and has not your heart failed you? Now hearken! Chaka has +dreamed another dream; now it is Chaka who strikes, and ye are already dead, ye +children of Senzangacona.” +</p> + +<p> +“If the slayers of the king be without the gates, at least thou shalt die +first, thou who hast betrayed us!” quoth the Prince Dingaan, and drew an +assegai from under his kaross. +</p> + +<p> +“First hear the king’s dream, O Prince,” I said; “then, +if thou wilt, kill me, and die. Chaka the king slept and dreamed that he lay +dead, and that one of you, the princes, wore his royal kaross.” +</p> + +<p> +“Who wore the royal kaross?” asked Dingaan, eagerly; and both +looked up, waiting on my words. +</p> + +<p> +“The Prince Umhlangana wore it—in the dream of Chaka—O +Dingaan, shoot of a royal stock!” I answered slowly, taking snuff as I +spoke, and watching the two of them over the edge of my snuff-spoon. +</p> + +<p> +Now Dingaan scowled heavily at Umhlangana; but the face of Umhlangana was as +the morning sky. +</p> + +<p> +“Chaka dreamed this also,” I went on: “that one of you, the +princes, held his royal spear.” +</p> + +<p> +“Who held the royal spear?” asked Umhlangana. +</p> + +<p> +“The Prince Dingaan held it—in the dream of Chaka—O +Umhlangana, sprung from the root of kings!—and it dripped blood.” +</p> + +<p> +Now the face of Umhlangana grew dark as night, but that of Dingaan brightened +like the dawn. +</p> + +<p> +“Chaka dreamed this also: that I, Mopo, your dog, who am not worthy to be +mentioned with such names, came up and gave the royal salute, even the +<i>Bayéte</i>.” +</p> + +<p> +“To whom didst thou give the <i>Bayéte</i>, O Mopo, son of +Makedama?” asked both of the princes as with one breath, waiting on my +words. +</p> + +<p> +“I gave it to both of you, O twin stars of the morning, princes of the +Zulu—in the dream of Chaka I gave it to both of you.” +</p> + +<p> +Now the princes looked this way and that, and were silent, not knowing what to +say, for these princes hated each other, though adversity and fear had brought +them to one bed. +</p> + +<p> +“But what avails it to talk thus, ye lords of the land,” I went on, +“seeing that, both of you, ye are already as dead men, and that vultures +which are hungry to-night to-morrow shall be filled with meat of the best? +Chaka the king is now a Doctor of Dreams, and to clear away such a dream as +this he has a purging medicine.” +</p> + +<p> +Now the brows of these brothers grew black indeed, for they saw that their fate +was on them. +</p> + +<p> +“These are the words of Chaka the king, O ye bulls who lead the herd! All +are doomed, ye twain and I, and many another man who loves us. In the great +kraal beyond the river there sits a regiment: it is summoned—and +then—good-night! Have ye any words to say to those yet left upon the +earth? Perhaps it will be given to me to live a little while after ye are gone, +and I may bring them to their ears.” +</p> + +<p> +“Can we not rise up now and fall upon Chaka?” asked Dingaan. +</p> + +<p> +“It is not possible,” I said; “the king is guarded.” +</p> + +<p> +“Hast thou no plan, Mopo?” groaned Umhlangana. “Methinks thou +hast a plan to save us.” +</p> + +<p> +“And if I have a plan, ye Princes, what shall be my reward? It must be +great, for I am weary of life, and I will not use my wisdom for a little +thing.” +</p> + +<p> +Now both the princes offered me good things, each of them promising more than +the other, as two young men who are rivals promise to the father of a girl whom +both would wed. I listened, saying always that it was not enough, till in the +end both of them swore by their heads, and by the bones of Senzangacona, their +father, and by many other things, that I should be the first man in the land, +after them, its kings, and should command the impis of the land, if I would but +show them a way to kill Chaka and become kings. Then, when they had done +swearing, I spoke, weighing my words:— +</p> + +<p> +“In the great kraal beyond the river, O ye Princes, there sit, not one +regiment but two. One is named the Slayers and loves Chaka the king, who has +done well by them, giving them cattle and wives. The other is named the Bees, +and that regiment is hungry and longs for cattle and girls; moreover, of that +regiment the Prince Umhlangana is the general, and it loves him. Now this is my +plan—to summon the Bees in the name of Umhlangana, not the Slayers in the +name of Chaka. Bend forward, O Princes, that I may whisper in your ears.” +</p> + +<p> +So they bent forward, and I whispered awhile of the death of a king, and the +sons of Senzangacona nodded their heads as one man in answer. Then I rose up, +and crept from the hut as I had entered it, and rousing certain trusty +messengers, I dispatched them, running swiftly through the night. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap21"></a>CHAPTER XXI.<br /> +THE DEATH OF CHAKA</h2> + +<p> +Now, on the morrow, two hours before midday, Chaka came from the hut where he +had sat through the night, and moved to a little kraal surrounded by a fence +that was some fifty paces distant from the hut. For it was my duty, day by day, +to choose that place where the king should sit to hear the counsel of his +indunas, and give judgment on those whom he would kill, and to-day I had chosen +this place. Chaka went alone from his hut to the kraal, and, for my own +reasons, I accompanied him, walking after him. As we went the king glanced back +at me over his shoulder, and said in a low voice:— +</p> + +<p> +“Is all prepared, Mopo?” +</p> + +<p> +“All is prepared, Black One,” I answered. “The regiment of +the Slayers will be here by noon.” +</p> + +<p> +“Where are the princes, Mopo?” asked the king again. +</p> + +<p> +“The princes sit with their wives in the houses of their women, O +King,” I answered; “they drink beer and sleep in the laps of their +wives.” +</p> + +<p> +Chaka smiled grimly, “For the last time, Mopo!” +</p> + +<p> +“For the last time, O King.” +</p> + +<p> +We came to the kraal, and Chaka sat down in the shade of the reed fence, upon +an ox-hide that was brayed soft. Near to him stood a girl holding a gourd of +beer; there were also present the old chief Inguazonca, brother of Unandi, +Mother of the Heavens, and the chief Umxamama, whom Chaka loved. When we had +sat a little while in the kraal, certain men came in bearing cranes’ +feathers, which the king had sent them to gather a month’s journey from +the kraal Duguza, and they were admitted before the king. These men had been +away long upon their errand, and Chaka was angry with them. Now the leader of +the men was an old captain of Chaka’s, who had fought under him in many +battles, but whose service was done, because his right hand had been shorn away +by the blow of an axe. He was a great man and very brave. +</p> + +<p> +Chaka asked the man why he had been so long in finding the feathers, and he +answered that the birds had flown from that part of the country whither he was +sent, and he must wait there till they returned, that he might snare them. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou shouldst have followed the cranes, yes, if they flew through the +sunset, thou disobedient dog!” said the king. “Let him be taken +away, and all those who were with him.” +</p> + +<p> +Now some of the men prayed a little for mercy, but the captain did but salute +the king, calling him “Father,” and craving a boon before he died. +</p> + +<p> +“What wouldst thou?” asked Chaka. +</p> + +<p> +“My father,” said the man, “I would ask thee two things. I +have fought many times at thy side in battle while we both were young; nor did +I ever turn my back upon the foe. The blow that shore the hand from off this +arm was aimed at thy head, O King; I stayed it with my naked arm. It is +nothing; at thy will I live, and at thy will I die. Who am I that I should +question the word of the king? Yet I would ask this, that thou wilt withdraw +the kaross from about thee, O King, that for the last time my eyes may feast +themselves upon the body of him whom, above all men, I love.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou art long-winded,” said the king, “what more?” +</p> + +<p> +“This, my father, that I may bid farewell to my son; he is a little +child, so high, O King,” and he held his hand above his knee. +</p> + +<p> +“Thy first boon is granted,” said the king, slipping the kaross +from his shoulders and showing the great breast beneath. “For the second +it shall be granted also, for I will not willingly divide the father and the +son. Bring the boy here; thou shalt bid him farewell, then thou shalt slay him +with thine own hand ere thou thyself art slain; it will be good sport to +see.” +</p> + +<p> +Now the man turned grey beneath the blackness of his skin, and trembled a +little as he murmured, “The king’s will is the will of his servant; +let the child be brought.” +</p> + +<p> +But I looked at Chaka and saw that the tears were running down his face, and +that he only spoke thus to try the captain who loved him to the last. +</p> + +<p> +“Let the man go,” said the king, “him and those with +him.” +</p> + +<p> +So they went glad at heart, and praising the king. +</p> + +<p> +I have told you this, my father, though it has not to do with my story, because +then, and then only, did I ever see Chaka show mercy to one whom he had doomed +to die. +</p> + +<p> +As the captain and his people left the gate of the kraal, it was spoken in the +ear of the king that a man sought audience with him. He was admitted crawling +on his knees. I looked and saw that this was that Masilo whom Chaka had charged +with a message to him who was named Bulalio, or the Slaughterer, and who ruled +over the People of the Axe. It was Masilo indeed, but he was no longer fat, for +much travel had made him thin; moreover, on his back were the marks of rods, as +yet scarcely healed over. +</p> + +<p> +“Who art thou?” said Chaka. +</p> + +<p> +“I am Masilo, of the People of the Axe, to whom command was given to run +with a message to Bulalio the Slaughterer, their chief, and to return on the +thirtieth day. Behold, O King, I have returned, though in a sorry +plight!” +</p> + +<p> +“It seems so!” said the king, laughing aloud. “I remember +now: speak on, Masilo the Thin, who wast Masilo the Fat; what of this +Slaughterer? Does he come with his people to lay the axe Groan-Maker in my +hands?” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, O King, he comes not. He met me with scorn, and with scorn he drove +me from his kraal. Moreover, as I went I was seized by the servants of Zinita, +she whom I wooed, but who is now the wife of the Slaughterer, and laid on my +face upon the ground and beaten cruelly while Zinita numbered the +strokes.” +</p> + +<p> +“Hah!” said the king. “And what were the words of this +puppy?” +</p> + +<p> +“These were his words, O King: ‘Bulalio the Slaughterer, who sits +beneath the shadow of the Witch Mountain, to Bulalio the Slaughterer who sits +in the kraal Duguza—To thee I pay no tribute; if thou wouldst have the +axe Groan-Maker, come to the Ghost Mountain and take it. This I promise thee: +thou shalt look on a face thou knowest, for there is one there who would be +avenged for the blood of a certain Mopo.’” +</p> + +<p> +Now, while Masilo told this tale I had seen two things—first, that a +little piece of stick was thrust through the straw of the fence, and, secondly, +that the regiment of the Bees was swarming on the slope opposite to the kraal +in obedience to the summons I had sent them in the name of Umhlangana. The +stick told me that the princes were hidden behind the fence waiting the signal, +and the coming of the regiment that it was time to do the deed. +</p> + +<p> +When Masilo had spoken Chaka sprang up in fury. His eyes rolled, his face +worked, foam flew from his lips, for such words as these had never offended his +ears since he was king, and Masilo knew him little, else he had not dared to +utter them. +</p> + +<p> +For a while he gasped, shaking his small spear, for at first he could not +speak. At length he found words:— +</p> + +<p> +“The dog,” he hissed, “the dog who dares thus to spit in my +face! Hearken all! As with my last breath I command that this Slaughterer be +torn limb from limb, he and all his tribe! And thou, thou darest to bring me +this talk from a skunk of the mountains. And thou, too, Mopo, thy name is named +in it. Well, of thee presently. Ho! Umxamama, my servant, slay me this slave of +a messenger, beat out his brains with thy stick. Swift! swift!” +</p> + +<p> +Now, the old chief Umxamama sprang up to do the king’s bidding, but he +was feeble with age, and the end of it was that Masilo, being mad with fear, +killed Umxamama, not Umxamama Masilo. Then Inguazonca, brother of Unandi, +Mother of the Heavens, fell upon Masilo and ended him, but was hurt himself in +so doing. Now I looked at Chaka, who stood shaking the little red spear, and +thought swiftly, for the hour had come. +</p> + +<p> +“Help!” I cried, “one is slaying the King!” +</p> + +<p> +As I spoke the reed fence burst asunder, and through it plunged the princes +Umhlangana and Dingaan, as bulls plunge through a brake. +</p> + +<p> +Then I pointed to Chaka with my withered hand, saying, “Behold your +king!” +</p> + +<p> +Now, from beneath the shelter of his kaross, each Prince drew out a short +stabbing spear, and plunged it into the body of Chaka the king. Umhlangana +smote him on the left shoulder, Dingaan struck him in the right side. Chaka +dropped the little spear handled with the red wood and looked round, and so +royally that the princes, his brothers, grew afraid and shrank away from him. +</p> + +<p> +Twice he looked on each; then he spoke, saying: “What! do you slay me, my +brothers—dogs of mine own house, whom I have fed? Do you slay me, +thinking to possess the land and to rule it? I tell you it shall not be for +long. I hear a sound of running feet—the feet of a great white people. +They shall stamp you flat, children of my father! They shall rule the land that +I have won, and you and your people shall be their slaves!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus Chaka spoke while the blood ran down him to the ground, and again he +looked on them royally, like a buck at gaze. +</p> + +<p> +“Make an end, O ye who would be kings!” I cried; but their hearts +had turned to water and they could not. Then I, Mopo, sprang forward and picked +from the ground that little assegai handled with the royal wood—the same +assegai with which Chaka had murdered Unandi, his mother, and Moosa, my son, +and lifted it on high, and while I lifted it, my father, once more, as when I +was young, a red veil seemed to wave before my eyes. +</p> + +<p> +“Wherefore wouldst thou kill me, Mopo?” said the king. +</p> + +<p> +“For the sake of Baleka, my sister, to whom I swore the deed, and of all +my kin,” I cried, and plunged the spear through him. He sank down upon +the tanned ox-hide, and lay there dying. Once more he spoke, and once only, +saying: “Would now that I had hearkened to the voice of Nobela, who +warned me against thee, thou dog!” +</p> + +<p> +Then he was silent for ever. But I knelt over him and called in his ear the +names of all those of my blood who had died at his hands—the names of +Makedama, my father, of my mother, of Anadi my wife, of Moosa my son, and all +my other wives and children, and of Baleka my sister. His eyes and ears were +open, and I think, my father, that he saw and understood; I think also that the +hate upon my face as I shook my withered hand before him was more fearful to +him than the pain of death. At the least, he turned his head aside, shut his +eyes, and groaned. Presently they opened again, and he was dead. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Thus then, my father, did Chaka the King, the greatest man who has ever lived +in Zululand, and the most evil, pass by my hand to those kraals of the +Inkosazana where no sleep is. In blood he died as he had lived in blood, for +the climber at last falls with the tree, and in the end the swimmer is borne +away by the stream. Now he trod that path which had been beaten flat for him by +the feet of people whom he had slaughtered, many as the blades of grass upon a +mountain-side; but it is a lie to say, as some do, that he died a coward, +praying for mercy. Chaka died, as he had lived, a brave man. <i>Ou!</i> my +father, I know it, for these eyes saw it and this hand let out his life. +</p> + +<p> +Now he was dead and the regiment of the Bees drew near, nor could I know how +they would take this matter, for, though the Prince Umhlangana was their +general, yet all the soldiers loved the king, because he had no equal in +battle, and when he gave he gave with an open hand. I looked round; the princes +stood like men amazed; the girl had fled; the chief Umxamama was dead at the +hands of dead Masilo; and the old chief Inguazonca, who had killed Masilo, +stood by, hurt and wondering; there were no others in the kraal. +</p> + +<p> +“Awake, ye kings,” I cried to the brothers, “the impi is at +the gates! Swift, now stab that man!”—and I pointed to the old +chief—“and leave the matter to my wit.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Dingaan roused himself, and springing upon Inguazonca, the brother of +Unandi, smote him a great blow with his spear, so that he sank down dead +without a word. Then again the princes stood silent and amazed. +</p> + +<p> +“This one will tell no tales,” I cried, pointing at the fallen +chief. +</p> + +<p> +Now a rumour of the slaying had got abroad among the women, who had heard cries +and seen the flashing of spears above the fence, and from the women it had come +to the regiment of the Bees, who advanced to the gates of the kraal singing. +Then of a sudden they ceased their singing and rushed towards the hut in front +of which we stood. +</p> + +<p> +Then I ran to meet them, uttering cries of woe, holding in my hand the little +assegai of the king red with the king’s blood, and spoke with the +captains in the gate, saying:— +</p> + +<p> +“Lament, ye captains and ye soldiers, weep and lament, for your father is +no more! He who nursed you is no more! The king is dead! now earth and heaven +will come together, for the king is dead!” +</p> + +<p> +“How so, Mopo?” cried the leader of the Bees. “How is our +father dead?” +</p> + +<p> +“He is dead by the hand of a wicked wanderer named Masilo, who, when he +was doomed to die by the king, snatched this assegai from the king’s hand +and stabbed him; and afterwards, before he could be cut down himself by us +three, the princes and myself, he killed the chiefs Inguazonca and Umxamama +also. Draw near and look on him who was the king; it is the command of Dingaan +and Umhlangana, the kings, that you draw near and look on him who was the king, +that his death at the hand of Masilo may be told through all the land.” +</p> + +<p> +“You are better at making of kings, Mopo, than at the saving of one who +was your king from the stroke of a wanderer,” said the leader of the +Bees, looking at me doubtfully. +</p> + +<p> +But his words passed unheeded, for some of the captains went forward to look on +the Great One who was dead, and some, together with most of the soldiers, ran +this way and that, crying in their fear that now the heaven and earth would +come together, and the race of man would cease to be, because Chaka, the king, +was dead. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Now, my father, how shall I, whose days are few, tell you of all the matters +that happened after the death of Chaka? Were I to speak of them all they would +fill many books of the white men, and, perhaps, some of them are written down +there. For this reason it is, that I may be brief, I have only spoken of a few +of those events which befell in the reign of Chaka; for my tale is not of the +reign of Chaka, but of the lives of a handful of people who lived in those +days, and of whom I and Umslopogaas alone are left alive—if, indeed, +Umslopogaas, the son of Chaka, is still living on the earth. Therefore, in a +few words I will pass over all that came about after the fall of Chaka and till +I was sent down by Dingaan, the king, to summon him to surrender to the king +who was called the Slaughterer and who ruled the People of the Axe. Ah! would +that I had known for certain that this was none other than Umslopogaas, for +then had Dingaan gone the way that Chaka went and which Umhlangana followed, +and Umslopogaas ruled the people of the Zulus as their king. But, alas! my +wisdom failed me. I paid no heed to the voice of my heart which told me that +this was Umslopogaas who sent the message to Chaka threatening vengeance for +one Mopo, and I knew nothing till too late; surely, I thought, the man spoke of +some other Mopo. For thus, my father, does destiny make fools of us men. We +think that we can shape our fate, but it is fate that shapes us, and nothing +befalls except fate will it. All things are a great pattern, my father, drawn +by the hand of the Umkulunkulu upon the cup whence he drinks the water of his +wisdom; and our lives, and what we do, and what we do not do, are but a little +bit of the pattern, which is so big that only the eyes of Him who is above, the +Umkulunkulu, can see it all. Even Chaka, the slayer of men, and all those he +slew, are but as a tiny grain of dust in the greatness of that pattern. How, +then, can we be wise, my father, who are but the tools of wisdom? how can we +build who are but pebbles in a wall? how can we give life who are babes in the +womb of fate? or how can we slay who are but spears in the hands of the slayer? +</p> + +<p> +This came about, my father. Matters were made straight in the land after the +death of Chaka. At first people said that Masilo, the stranger, had stabbed the +king; then it was known that Mopo, the wise man, the doctor and the +body-servant of the king, had slain the king, and that the two great bulls, his +brothers Umhlangana and Dingaan, children of Senzangacona, had also lifted +spears against him. But he was dead, and earth and heaven had not come +together, so what did it matter? Moreover, the two new kings promised to deal +gently with the people, and to lighten the heavy yoke of Chaka, and men in a +bad case are always ready to hope for a better. So it came about that the only +enemies the princes found were each other and Engwade, the son of Unandi, +Chaka’s half-brother. But I, Mopo, who was now the first man in the land +after the kings, ceasing to be a doctor and becoming a general, went up against +Engwade with the regiment of the Bees and the regiment of the Slayers and smote +him in his kraals. It was a hard fight, but in the end I destroyed him and all +his people: Engwade killed eight men with his own hand before I slew him. Then +I came back to the kraal with the few that were left alive of the two +regiments. +</p> + +<p> +After that the two kings quarrelled more and more, and I weighed them both in +my balance, for I would know which was the most favourable to me. In the end I +found that both feared me, but that Umhlangana would certainly put me to death +if he gained the upper hand, whereas this was not yet in the mind of Dingaan. +So I pressed down the balance of Umhlangana and raised that of Dingaan, sending +the fears of Umhlangana to sleep till I could cause his hut to be surrounded. +Then Umhlangana followed upon the road of Chaka his brother, the road of the +assegai; and Dingaan ruled alone for awhile. Such are the things that befall +princes of this earth, my father. See, I am but a little man, and my lot is +humble at the last, yet I have brought about the death of three of them, and of +these two died by my hand. +</p> + +<p> +It was fourteen days after the passing away of the Prince Umhlangana that the +great army came back in a sorry plight from the marshes of the Limpopo, for +half of them were left dead of fever and the might of the foe, and the rest +were starving. It was well for them who yet lived that Chaka was no more, else +they had joined their brethren who were dead on the way; since never before for +many years had a Zulu impi returned unvictorious and without a single head of +cattle. Thus it came about that they were glad enough to welcome a king who +spared their lives, and thenceforth, till his fate found him, Dingaan reigned +unquestioned. +</p> + +<p> +Now, Dingaan was a prince of the blood of Chaka indeed; for, like Chaka, he was +great in presence and cruel at heart, but he had not the might and the mind of +Chaka. Moreover, he was treacherous and a liar, and these Chaka was not. Also, +he loved women much, and spent with them the time that he should have given to +matters of the State. Yet he reigned awhile in the land. I must tell this also; +that Dingaan would have killed Panda, his half-brother, so that the house of +Senzangacona, his father, might be swept out clean. Now Panda was a man of +gentle heart, who did not love war, and therefore it was thought that he was +half-witted; and, because I loved Panda, when the question of his slaying came +on, I and the chief Mapita spoke against it, and pleaded for him, saying that +there was nothing to be feared at his hands who was a fool. So in the end +Dingaan gave way, saying, “Well, you ask me to spare this dog, and I will +spare him, but one day he will bite me.” +</p> + +<p> +So Panda was made governor of the king’s cattle. Yet in the end the words +of Dingaan came true, for it was the grip of Panda’s teeth that pulled +him from the throne; only, if Panda was the dog that bit, I, Mopo, was the man +who set him on the hunt. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap22"></a>CHAPTER XXII.<br /> +MOPO GOES TO SEEK THE SLAUGHTERER</h2> + +<p> +Now Dingaan, deserting the kraal Duguza, moved back to Zululand, and built a +great kraal by the Mahlabatine, which he named +“Umgugundhlovu”—that is, “the rumbling of the +elephant.” Also, he caused all the fairest girls in the land to be sought +out as his wives, and though many were found yet he craved for more. And at +this time a rumour came to the ears of the King Dingaan that there lived in +Swaziland among the Halakazi tribe a girl of the most wonderful beauty, who was +named the Lily, and whose skin was whiter than are the skins of our people, and +he desired greatly to have this girl to wife. So Dingaan sent an embassy to the +chief of the Halakazi, demanding that the girl should be given to him. At the +end of a month the embassy returned again, and told the king that they had +found nothing but hard words at the kraal of the Halakazi, and had been driven +thence with scorn and blows. +</p> + +<p> +This was the message of the chief of the Halakazi to Dingaan, king of the +Zulus: That the maid who was named the Lily, was, indeed, the wonder of the +earth, and as yet unwed; for she had found no man upon whom she looked with +favour, and she was held in such love by this people that it was not their wish +to force any husband on her. Moreover, the chief said that he and his people +defied Dingaan and the Zulus, as their fathers had defied Chaka before him, and +spat upon his name, and that no maid of theirs should go to be the wife of a +Zulu dog. +</p> + +<p> +Then the chief of the Halakazi caused the maid who was named the Lily to be led +before the messengers of Dingaan, and they found her wonderfully fair, for so +they said: she was tall as a reed, and her grace was the grace of a reed that +is shaken in the wind. Moreover, her hair curled, and hung upon her shoulders, +her eyes were large and brown, and soft as a buck’s, her colour was the +colour of rich cream, her smile was like a ripple on the waters, and when she +spoke her voice was low and sweeter than the sound of an instrument of music. +They said also that the girl wished to speak with them, but the chief forbade +it, and caused her to be led thence with all honour. +</p> + +<p> +Now, when Dingaan heard this message he grew mad as a lion in a net, for he +desired this maid above everything, and yet he who had all things could not win +the maid. This was his command, that a great impi should be gathered and sent +to Swaziland against the Halakazi tribe, to destroy them and seize the maid. +But when the matter came on to be discussed with the indunas in the presence of +the king, at the <i>Amapakati</i> or council, I, as chief of the indunas, spoke +against it, saying that the tribe of the Halakazi were great and strong, and +that war with them would mean war with the Swazis also; moreover, they had +their dwelling in caves which were hard to win. Also, I said, that this was no +time to send impis to seek a single girl, for few years had gone by since the +Black One fell; and foes were many, and the soldiers of the land had waxed few +with slaughter, half of them having perished in the marshes of the Limpopo. +Now, time must be given them to grow up again, for to-day they were as a little +child, or like a man wasted with hunger. Maids were many, let the king take +them and satisfy his heart, but let him make no war for this one. +</p> + +<p> +Thus I spoke boldly in the face of the king, as none had dared to speak before +Chaka; and courage passed from me to the hearts of the other indunas and +generals, and they echoed my words, for they knew that, of all follies, to +begin a new war with the Swazi people would be the greatest. +</p> + +<p> +Dingaan listened, and his brow grew dark, yet he was not so firmly seated on +the throne that he dared put away our words, for still there were many in the +land who loved the memory of Chaka, and remembered that Dingaan had murdered +him and Umhlangana also. For now that Chaka was dead, people forgot how evilly +he had dealt with them, and remembered only that he was a great man, who had +made the Zulu people out of nothing, as a smith fashions a bright spear from a +lump of iron. Also, though they had changed masters, yet their burden was not +lessened, for, as Chaka slew, so Dingaan slew also, and as Chaka oppressed, so +did Dingaan oppress. Therefore Dingaan yielded to the voice of his indunas and +no impi was sent against the Halakazi to seek the maid that was named the Lily. +But still he hankered for her in his heart, and from that hour he hated me +because I had crossed his will and robbed him of his desire. +</p> + +<p> +Now, my father, there is this to be told: though I did not know it then, the +maid who was named the Lily was no other than my daughter Nada. The thought, +indeed, came into my mind, that none but Nada could be so fair. Yet I knew for +certain that Nada and her mother Macropha were dead, for he who brought me the +news of their death had seen their bodies locked in each other’s arms, +killed, as it were, by the same spear. Yet, as it chanced, he was wrong; for +though Macropha indeed was killed, it was another maid who lay in blood beside +her; for the people whither I had sent Macropha and Nada were tributary to the +Halakazi tribe, and that chief of the Halakazi who sat in the place of Galazi +the Wolf had quarrelled with them, and fallen on them by night and eaten them +up. +</p> + +<p> +As I learned afterwards, the cause of their destruction, as in later days it +was the cause of the slaying of the Halakazi, was the beauty of Nada and +nothing else, for the fame of her loveliness had gone about the land, and the +old chief of the Halakazi had commanded that the girl should be sent to his +kraal to live there, that her beauty might shine upon his place like the sun, +and that, if so she willed, she should choose a husband from the great men of +the Halakazi. But the headmen of the kraal refused, for none who had looked on +her would suffer their eyes to lose sight of Nada the Lily, though there was +this fate about the maid that none strove to wed her against her will. Many, +indeed, asked her in marriage, both there and among the Halakazi people, but +ever she shook her head and said, “Nay, I would wed no man,” and it +was enough. +</p> + +<p> +For it was the saying among men, that it was better that she should remain +unmarried, and all should look on her, than that she should pass from their +sight into the house of a husband; since they held that her beauty was given to +be a joy to all, like the beauty of the dawn and of the evening. Yet this +beauty of Nada’s was a dreadful thing, and the mother of much death, as +shall be told; and because of her beauty and the great love she bore, she, the +Lily herself, must wither, and the cup of my sorrows must be filled to +overflowing, and the heart of Umslopogaas the Slaughterer, son of Chaka the +king, must become desolate as the black plain when fire has swept it. So it was +ordained, my father, and so it befell, seeing that thus all men, white and +black, seek that which is beautiful, and when at last they find it, then it +passes swiftly away, or, perchance, it is their death. For great joy and great +beauty are winged, nor will they sojourn long upon the earth. They come down +like eagles out of the sky, and into the sky they return again swiftly. +</p> + +<p> +Thus then it came about, my father, that I, Mopo, believing my daughter Nada to +be dead, little guessed that it was she who was named the Lily in the kraals of +the Halakazi, and whom Dingaan the king desired for a wife. +</p> + +<p> +Now after I had thwarted him in this matter of the sending of an impi to pluck +the Lily from the gardens of the Halakazi, Dingaan learned to hate me. Also I +was in his secrets, and with me he had killed his brother Chaka and his brother +Umhlangana, and it was I who held him back from the slaying of his brother +Panda also; and, therefore, he hated me, as is the fashion of small-hearted men +with those who have lifted them up. Yet he did not dare to do away with me, for +my voice was loud in the land, and when I spoke the people listened. Therefore, +in the end, he cast about for some way to be rid of me for a while, till he +should grow strong enough to kill me. +</p> + +<p> +“Mopo,” said the king to me one day as I sat before him in council +with others of the indunas and generals, “mindest thou of the last words +of the Great Elephant, who is dead?” This he said meaning Chaka his +brother, only he did not name him, for now the name of Chaka was <i>hlonipa</i> +in the land, as is the custom with the names of dead kings—that is, my +father, it was not lawful that it should pass the lips. +</p> + +<p> +“I remember the words, O King,” I answered. “They were +ominous words, for this was their burden: that you and your house should not +sit long in the throne of kings, but that the white men should take away your +royalty and divide your territories. Such was the prophecy of the Lion of the +Zulu, why speak of it? Once before I heard him prophesy, and his words were +fulfilled. May the omen be an egg without meat; may it never become fledged; +may that bird never perch upon your roof, O King!” +</p> + +<p> +Now Dingaan trembled with fear, for the words of Chaka were in his mind by +night and by day; then he grew angry and bit his lip, saying:— +</p> + +<p> +“Thou fool, Mopo! canst thou not hear a raven croak at the gates of a +kraal but thou must needs go tell those who dwell within that he waits to pick +their eyes? Such criers of ill to come may well find ill at hand, Mopo.” +He ceased, looked on me threateningly awhile, and went on: “I did not +speak of those words rolling by chance from a tongue half loosed by death, but +of others that told of a certain Bulalio, of a Slaughterer who rules the People +of the Axe and dwells beneath the shadow of the Ghost Mountain far away to the +north yonder. Surely I heard them all as I sat beneath the shade of the +reed-fence before ever I came to save him who was my brother from the spear of +Masilo, the murderer, whose spear stole away the life of a king?” +</p> + +<p> +“I remember those words also, O King!” I said. “Is it the +will of the king that an impi should be gathered to eat up this upstart? Such +was the command of the one who is gone, given, as it were, with his last +breath.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, Mopo, that is not my will. If no impi can be found by thee to wipe +away the Halakazi and bring one whom I desire to delight my eyes, then surely +none can be found to eat up this Slaughterer and his people. Moreover, Bulalio, +chief of the People of the Axe, has not offended against me, but against an +elephant whose trumpetings are done. Now this is my will, Mopo, my servant: +that thou shouldst take with thee a few men only and go gently to this Bulalio, +and say to him: ‘A greater Elephant stalks through the land than he who +has gone to sleep, and it has come to his ears—that thou, Chief of the +People of the Axe, dost pay no tribute, and hast said that, because of the +death of a certain Mopo, thou wilt have nothing to do with him whose shadow +lies upon the land. Now one Mopo is sent to thee, Slaughterer, to know if this +tale is true, for, if it be true, then shalt thou learn the weight of the hoof +of that Elephant who trumpets in the kraal of Umgugundhlovu. Think, then, and +weigh thy words before thou dost answer, Slaughterer.’” +</p> + +<p> +Now I, Mopo, heard the commands of the king and pondered them in my mind, for I +knew well that it was the design of Dingaan to be rid of me for a space that he +might find time to plot my overthrow, and that he cared little for this matter +of a petty chief, who, living far away, had dared to defy Chaka. Yet I wished +to go, for there had arisen in me a great desire to see this Bulalio, who spoke +of vengeance to be taken for one Mopo, and whose deeds were such as the deeds +of Umslopogaas would have been, had Umslopogaas lived to look upon the light. +Therefore I answered:— +</p> + +<p> +“I hear the king. The king’s word shall be done, though, O King, +thou sendest a big man upon a little errand.” +</p> + +<p> +“Not so, Mopo,” answered Dingaan. “My heart tells me that +this chicken of a Slaughterer will grow to a great cock if his comb is not cut +presently; and thou, Mopo, art versed in cutting combs, even of the +tallest.” +</p> + +<p> +“I hear the king,” I answered again. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +So, my father, it came about that on the morrow, taking with me but ten chosen +men, I, Mopo, started on my journey towards the Ghost Mountain, and as I +journeyed I thought much of how I had trod that path in bygone days. Then, +Macropha, my wife, and Nada, my daughter, and Umslopogaas, the son of Chaka, +who was thought to be my son, walked at my side. Now, as I imagined, all were +dead and I walked alone; doubtless I also should soon be dead. Well, people +lived few days and evil in those times, and what did it matter? At the least I +had wreaked vengeance on Chaka and satisfied my heart. +</p> + +<p> +At length I came one night to that lonely spot where we had camped in the evil +hour when Umslopogaas was borne away by the lioness, and once more I looked +upon the cave whence he had dragged the cub, and upon the awful face of the +stone Witch who sits aloft upon the Ghost Mountain forever and forever. I could +sleep little that night, because of the sorrow at my heart, but sat awake +looking, in the brightness of the moon, upon the grey face of the stone Witch, +and on the depths of the forest that grew about her knees, wondering the while +if the bones of Umslopogaas lay broken in that forest. Now as I journeyed, many +tales had been told to me of this Ghost Mountain, which all swore was haunted, +so said some, by men in the shape of wolves; and so said some, by the +<i>Esemkofu</i>—that is, by men who have died and who have been brought +back again by magic. They have no tongues, the <i>Esemkofu</i>, for had they +tongues they would cry aloud to mortals the awful secrets of the dead, +therefore, they can but utter a wailing like that of a babe. Surely one may +hear them in the forests at night as they wail “<i>Ai!—ah! +Ai—ah!</i>” among the silent trees! +</p> + +<p> +You laugh, my father, but I did not laugh as I thought of these tales; for, if +men have spirits, where do the spirits go when the body is dead? They must go +somewhere, and would it be strange that they should return to look upon the +lands where they were born? Yet I never thought much of such matters, though I +am a doctor, and know something of the ways of the <i>Amatongo</i>, the people +of the ghosts. To speak truth, my father, I have had so much to do with the +loosing of the spirits of men that I never troubled myself overmuch with them +after they were loosed; there will be time to do this when I myself am of their +number. +</p> + +<p> +So I sat and gazed on the mountain and the forest that grew over it like hair +on the head of a woman, and as I gazed I heard a sound that came from far away, +out of the heart of the forest as it seemed. At first it was faint and far off, +a distant thing like the cry of children in a kraal across a valley; then it +grew louder, but still I could not say what it might be; now it swelled and +swelled, and I knew it—it was the sound of wild beats at chase. Nearer +came the music, the rocks rang with it, and its voice set the blood beating but +to hearken to it. That pack was great which ran a-hunting through the silent +night; and now it was night, on the other side of the slope only, and the sound +swelled so loud that those who were with me awoke also and looked forth. Now of +a sudden a great koodoo bull appeared for an instant standing out against the +sky on the crest of the ridge, then vanished in the shadow. He was running +towards us; presently we saw him again speeding on his path with great bounds. +We saw this also—forms grey and gaunt and galloping, in number countless, +that leaped along his path, appearing on the crest of the rise, disappearing +into the shadow, seen again on the slope, lost in the valley; and with them two +other shapes, the shapes of men. +</p> + +<p> +Now the big buck bounded past us not half a spear’s throw away, and +behind him streamed the countless wolves, and from the throats of the wolves +went up that awful music. And who were these two that came with the wolves, +shapes of men great and strong? They ran silently and swift, wolves’ +teeth gleamed upon their heads, wolves’ hides hung about their shoulders. +In the hands of one was an axe—the moonlight shone upon it—in the +hand of the other a heavy club. Neck and neck they ran; never before had we +seen men travel so fast. See! they sped down the slope towards us; the wolves +were left behind, all except four of them; we heard the beating of their feet; +they came, they passed, they were gone, and with them their unnumbered company. +The music grew faint, it died, it was dead; the hunt was far away, and the +night was still again! +</p> + +<p> +“Now, my brethren,” I asked of those who were with me, “what +is this that we have seen?” +</p> + +<p> +Then one answered, “We have seen the Ghosts who live in the lap of the +old Witch, and those men are the Wolf-Brethren, the wizards who are kings of +the Ghosts.” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap23"></a>CHAPTER XXIII.<br /> +MOPO REVEALS HIMSELF TO THE SLAUGHTERER</h2> + +<p> +All that night we watched, but we neither saw nor heard any more of the wolves, +nor of the men who hunted with them. On the morrow, at dawn, I sent a runner to +Bulalio, chief of the People of the Axe, saying that a messenger came to him +from Dingaan, the king, who desired to speak with him in peace within the gates +of his kraal. I charged the messenger, however, that he should not tell my +name, but should say only that it was “Mouth of Dingaan.” Then I +and those with me followed slowly on the path of the man whom I sent forward, +for the way was still far, and I had bidden him return and meet me bearing the +words of the Slaughterer, Holder of the Axe. +</p> + +<p> +All that day till the sun grew low we walked round the base of the great Ghost +Mountain, following the line of the river. We met no one, but once we came to +the ruins of a kraal, and in it lay the broken bones of many men, and with the +bones rusty assegais and the remains of ox-hide shields, black and white in +colour. Now I examined the shields, and knew from their colour that they had +been carried in the hands of those soldiers who, years ago, were sent out by +Chaka to seek for Umslopogaas, but who had returned no more. +</p> + +<p> +“Now,” I said, “it has fared ill with those soldiers of the +Black One who is gone, for I think that these are the shields they bore, and +that their eyes once looked upon the world through the holes in yonder +skulls.” +</p> + +<p> +“These are the shields they bore, and those are the skulls they +wore,” answered one. “See, Mopo, son of Makedama, this is no +man’s work that has brought them to their death. Men do not break the +bones of their foes in pieces as these bones are broken. <i>Wow!</i> men do not +break them, but wolves do, and last night we saw wolves a-hunting; nor did they +hunt alone, Mopo. <i>Wow!</i> this is a haunted land!” +</p> + +<p> +Then we went on in silence, and all the way the stone face of the Witch who +sits aloft forever stared down on us from the mountain top. At length, an hour +before sundown, we came to the open lands, and there, on the crest of a rise +beyond the river, we saw the kraal of the People of the Axe. It was a great +kraal and well built, and their cattle were spread about the plains like to +herds of game for number. We went to the river and passed it by the ford, then +sat down and waited, till presently I saw the man whom I had sent forward +returning towards us. He came and saluted me, and I asked him for news. +</p> + +<p> +“This is my news, Mopo,” he said: “I have seen him who is +named Bulalio, and he is a great man—long and lean, with a fierce face, +and carrying a mighty axe, such an axe as he bore last night who hunted with +the wolves. When I had been led before the chief I saluted him and spoke to +him—the words you laid upon my tongue I told to him. He listened, then +laughed aloud, and said: ‘Tell him who sent you that the mouth of Dingaan +shall be welcome, and shall speak the words of Dingaan in peace; yet I would +that it were the head of Dingaan that came and not his mouth only, for then Axe +Groan-Maker would join in our talk—ay, because of one Mopo, whom his +brother Chaka murdered, it would also speak with Dingaan. Still, the mouth is +not the head, so the mouth may come in peace.’” +</p> + +<p> +Now I started when for the second time I heard talk of one Mopo, whose name had +been on the lips of Bulalio the Slaughterer. Who was there that would thus have +loved Mopo except one who was long dead? And yet, perhaps the chief spoke of +some other Mopo, for the name was not my own only—in truth, Chaka had +killed a chief of that name at the great mourning, because he said that two +Mopos in the land were one too many, and that though this Mopo wept sorely when +the tears of others were dry. So I said only that this Bulalio had a high +stomach, and we went on to the gates of the kraal. +</p> + +<p> +There were none to meet us at the gates, and none stood by the doors of the +huts within them, but beyond, from the cattle kraal that was in the centre of +the huts, rose a dust and a din as of men gathering for war. Now some of those +with me were afraid, and would have turned back, fearing treachery, and they +were yet more afraid when, on coming to the inner entrance of the cattle kraal, +we saw some five hundred soldiers being mustered there company by company, by +two great men, who ran up and down the ranks shouting. +</p> + +<p> +But I cried, “Nay! nay! Turn not back! Bold looks melt the hearts of +foes. Moreover, if this Bulalio would have murdered us, there was no need for +him to call up so many of his warriors. He is a proud chief, and would show his +might, not knowing that the king we serve can muster a company for every man he +has. Let us go on boldly.” +</p> + +<p> +So we walked forward towards the impi that was gathered on the further side of +the kraal. Now the two great men who were marshalling the soldiers saw us, and +came to meet us, one following the other. He who came first bore the axe upon +his shoulder, and he who followed swung a huge club. I looked upon the foremost +of them, and ah! my father, my heart grew faint with joy, for I knew him across +the years. It was Umslopogaas! my fosterling, Umslopogaas! and none other, now +grown into manhood—ay, into such a man as was not to be found beside him +in Zululand. He was great and fierce, somewhat spare in frame, but wide +shouldered and shallow flanked. His arms were long and not over big, but the +muscles stood out on them like knots in a rope; his legs were long also, and +very thick beneath the knee. His eye was like an eagle’s, his nose +somewhat hooked, and he held his head a little forward, as a man who searches +continually for a hidden foe. He seemed to walk slowly, and yet he came +swiftly, but with a gliding movement like that of a wolf or a lion, and always +his fingers played round the horn handle of the axe Groan-Maker. As for him who +followed, he was great also, shorter than Umslopogaas by the half of a head, +but of a sturdier build. His eyes were small, and twinkled unceasingly like +little stars, and his look was very wild, for now and again he grinned, showing +his white teeth. +</p> + +<p> +When I saw Umslopogaas, my father, my bowels melted within me, and I longed to +run to him and throw myself upon his neck. Yet I took council with myself and +did not—nay, I dropped the corner of the kaross I wore over my eyes, +hiding my face lest he should know me. Presently he stood before me, searching +me out with his keen eyes, for I drew forward to greet him. +</p> + +<p> +“Greeting, Mouth of Dingaan!” he said in a loud voice. “You +are a little man to be the mouth of so big a chief.” +</p> + +<p> +“The mouth is a little member, even of the body of a great king, O Chief +Bulalio, ruler of the People of the Axe, wizard of the wolves that are upon the +Ghost Mountain, who aforetime was named Umslopogaas, son of Mopo, son of +Makedama.” +</p> + +<p> +Now when Umslopogaas heard these words he started like a child at a rustling in +the dark and stared hard at me. +</p> + +<p> +“You are well instructed,” he said. +</p> + +<p> +“The ears of the king are large, if his mouth be small, O Chief +Bulalio,” I answered, “and I, who am but the mouth, speak what the +ears have heard.” +</p> + +<p> +“How know you that I have dwelt with the wolves upon the Ghost Mountain, +O Mouth?” he asked. +</p> + +<p> +“The eyes of the king see far, O Chief Bulalio. Thus last night they saw +a great chase and a merry. It seems that they saw a koodoo bull running at +speed, and after him countless wolves making their music, and with the wolves +two men clad in wolves’ skins, such men as you, Bulalio, and he with the +club who follows you.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas lifted the axe Groan-Maker as though he would cut me down, then +let it fall again, while Galazi the Wolf glared at me with wide-opened eyes. +</p> + +<p> +“How know you that once I was named Umslopogaas, who have lost that name +these many days? Speak, O Mouth, lest I kill you.” +</p> + +<p> +“Slay if you will, Umslopogaas,” I answered, “but know that +when the brains are scattered the mouth is dumb. He who scatters brains loses +wisdom.” +</p> + +<p> +“Answer!” he said. +</p> + +<p> +“I answer not. Who are you that I should answer you? I know; it is +enough. To my business.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas ground his teeth in anger. “I am not wont to be thwarted +here in my own kraal,” he said; “but do your business. Speak it, +little Mouth.” +</p> + +<p> +“This is my business, little Chief. When the Black One who is gone yet +lived, you sent him a message by one Masilo—such a message as his ears +had never heard, and that had been your death, O fool puffed up with pride, but +death came first upon the Black One, and his hand was stayed. Now Dingaan, +whose shadow lies upon the land, the king whom I serve, and who sits in the +place of the Black One who is gone, speaks to you by me, his mouth. He would +know this: if it is true that you refuse to own his sovereignty, to pay tribute +to him in men and maids and cattle, and to serve him in his wars? Answer, you +little headman!—answer in few words and short!” +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas gasped for breath in his rage, and again he fingered the great +axe. “It is well for you, O Mouth,” he said, “that I swore +safe conduct to you, else you had not gone hence—else you had been served +as I served certain soldiers who in bygone years were sent to search out one +Umslopogaas. Yet I answer you in few words and short. Look on those +spears—they are but a fourth part of the number I can muster: that is my +answer. Look now on yonder mountain, the mountain of ghosts and +wolves—unknown, impassable, save to me and one other: that is my answer. +Spears and mountains shall come together—the mountain shall be alive with +spears and with the fangs of beasts. Let Dingaan seek his tribute there! I have +spoken!” +</p> + +<p> +Now I laughed shrilly, desiring to try the heart of Umslopogaas, my fosterling, +yet further. +</p> + +<p> +“Fool!” I said. “Boy with the brain of a monkey, for every +spear you have Dingaan, whom I serve, can send a hundred, and your mountain +shall be stamped flat; and for your ghosts and wolves, see, with the mouth of +Dingaan I spit upon them!” and I spat upon the ground. +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas shook in his rage, and the great axe glimmered as he shook. He +turned to the captain who was behind him, and said: “Say, Galazi the +Wolf, shall we kill this man and those with him?” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” answered the Wolf, grinning, “do not kill them; you +have given them safe conduct. Moreover, let them go back to their dog of a +king, that he may send out his puppies to do battle with our wolves. It will be +a pretty fight.” +</p> + +<p> +“Get you gone, O Mouth,” said Umslopogaas; “get you gone +swiftly, lest mischief befall you! Without my gates you shall find food to +satisfy your hunger. Eat of it and begone, for if to-morrow at the noon you are +found within a spear’s throw of this kraal, you and those with you shall +bide there forever, O Mouth of Dingaan the king!” +</p> + +<p> +Now I made as though I would depart, then, turning suddenly, I spoke once more, +saying:— +</p> + +<p> +“There were words in your message to the Black One who is dead of a +certain man—nay, how was he named?—of a certain Mopo.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas started as one starts who is wounded by a spear, and stared at +me. +</p> + +<p> +“Mopo! What of Mopo, O Mouth, whose eyes are veiled? Mopo is dead, whose +son I was!” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah!” I said, “yes, Mopo is dead—that is, the Black One +who is gone killed a certain Mopo. How came it, O Bulalio, that you were his +son?” +</p> + +<p> +“Mopo is dead,” quoth Umslopogaas again; “he is dead with all +his house, his kraal is stamped flat, and that is why I hated the Black One, +and therefore I hate Dingaan, his brother, and will be as are Mopo and the +house of Mopo before I pay him tribute of a single ox.” +</p> + +<p> +All this while I had spoken to Umslopogaas in a feigned voice, my father, but +now I spoke again and in my own voice, saying:— +</p> + +<p> +“So! Now you speak from your heart, young man, and by digging I have +reached the root of the matter. It is because of this dead dog of a Mopo that +you defy the king.” +</p> + +<p> +Umslopogaas heard the voice, and trembled no more with anger, but rather with +fear and wonder. He looked at me hard, answering nothing. +</p> + +<p> +“Have you a hut near by, O Chief Bulalio, foe of Dingaan the king, where +I, the mouth of the king, may speak with you a while apart, for I would learn +your message word by word that I may deliver it without fault. Fear not, +Slaughterer, to sit alone with me in an empty hut! I am unarmed and old, and +there is that in your hand which I should fear,” and I pointed to the +axe. +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas, still shaking in his limbs, answered “Follow me, O +Mouth, and you, Galazi, stay with these men.” +</p> + +<p> +So I followed Umslopogaas, and presently we came to a large hut. He pointed to +the doorway, and I crept through it and he followed after me. Now for a while +it seemed dark in the hut, for the sun was sinking without and the place was +full of shadow; so I waited while a man might count fifty, till our eyes could +search the darkness. Then of a sudden I threw the blanket from my face and +looked into the eyes of Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +“Look on me now, O Chief Bulalio, O Slaughterer, who once was named +Umslopogaas—look on me and say who am I?” Then he looked at me and +his jaw fell. +</p> + +<p> +“Either you are Mopo my father grown old—Mopo, who is dead, or the +Ghost of Mopo,” he answered in a low voice. +</p> + +<p> +“I am Mopo, your father, Umslopogaas,” I said. “You have been +long in knowing me, who knew you from the first.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Umslopogaas cried aloud, but yet softly, and letting fall the axe +Groan-Maker, he flung himself upon my breast and wept there. And I wept also. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh! my father,” he said, “I thought that you were dead with +the others, and now you have come back to me, and I, I would have lifted the +axe against you in my folly. Oh, it is well that I have lived, and not died, +since once more I look upon your face—the face that I thought dead, but +which yet lives, though it be sorely changed, as though by grief and +years.” +</p> + +<p> +“Peace, Umslopogaas, my son,” I said. “I also deemed you dead +in the lion’s mouth, though in truth it seemed strange to me that any +other man than Umslopogaas could have wrought the deeds which I have heard of +as done by Bulalio, Chief of the People of the Axe—ay, and thrown +defiance in the teeth of Chaka. But you are not dead, and I, I am not dead. It +was another Mopo whom Chaka killed; I slew Chaka, Chaka did not slay me.” +</p> + +<p> +“And of Nada, what of Nada, my sister?” he said. +</p> + +<p> +“Macropha, your mother, and Nada, your sister, are dead, Umslopogaas. +They are dead at the hands of the people of the Halakazi, who dwell in +Swaziland.” +</p> + +<p> +“I have heard of that people,” he answered presently, “and so +has Galazi the Wolf, yonder. He has a hate to satisfy against them—they +murdered his father; now I have two, for they have murdered my mother and my +sister. Ah, Nada, my sister! Nada, my sister!” and the great man covered +his face with his hands, and rocked himself to and fro in his grief. +</p> + +<p> +Now, my father, it came into my thoughts to make the truth plain to +Umslopogaas, and tell him that Nada was no sister of his, and that he was no +son of mine, but rather of that Chaka whom my hand had finished. And yet I did +not, though now I would that I had done so. For I saw well how great was the +pride and how high was the heart of Umslopogaas, and I saw also that if once he +should learn that the throne of Zululand was his by right, nothing could hold +him back, for he would swiftly break into open rebellion against Dingaan the +king, and in my judgment the time was not ripe for that. Had I known, indeed, +but one short year before that Umslopogaas still lived, he had sat where +Dingaan sat this day; but I did not know it, and the chance had gone by for a +while. Now Dingaan was king and mustered many regiments about him, for I had +held him back from war, as in the case of the raid that he wished to make upon +the Swazis. The chance had gone by, but it would come again, and till it came I +must say nothing. I would do this rather, I would bring Dingaan and Umslopogaas +together, that Umslopogaas might become known in the land as a great chief and +the first of warriors. Then I would cause him to be advanced to be an induna, +and a general ready to lead the impis of the king, for he who leads the impis +is already half a king. +</p> + +<p> +So I held my peace upon this matter, but till the dawn was grey Umslopogaas and +I sat together and talked, each telling the tale of those years that had gone +since he was borne from me in the lion’s mouth. I told him how all my +wives and children had been killed, how I had been put to the torment, and +showed him my white and withered hand. I told him also of the death of Baleka, +my sister, and of all my people of the Langeni, and of how I had revenged my +wrongs upon Chaka, and made Dingaan to be king in his place, and was now the +first man in the land under the king, though the king feared me much and loved +me little. But I did not tell him that Baleka, my sister, was his own mother. +</p> + +<p> +When I had done my tale, Umslopogaas told me his: how Galazi had rescued him +from the lioness; how he became one of the Wolf-Brethren; how he had conquered +Jikiza and the sons of Jikiza, and become chief of the People of the Axe, and +taken Zinita to wife, and grown great in the land. +</p> + +<p> +I asked him how it came about that he still hunted with the wolves as he had +done last night. He answered that now he was great and there was nothing more +to win, and at times a weariness of life came upon him, and then he must up, +and together with Galazi hunt and harry with the wolves, for thus only could he +find rest. +</p> + +<p> +I said that I would show him better game to hunt before all was done, and asked +him further if he loved his wife, Zinita. Umslopogaas answered that he would +love her better if she loved him not so much, for she was jealous and quick to +anger, and that was a sorrow to him. Then, when he had slept awhile, he led me +from the hut, and I and my people were feasted with the best, and I spoke with +Zinita and with Galazi the Wolf. For the last, I liked him well. This was a +good man to have at one’s back in battle; but my heart spoke to me +against Zinita. She was handsome and tall, but with fierce eyes which always +watched Umslopogaas, my fosterling; and I noted that he who was fearless of all +other things yet seemed to fear Zinita. Neither did she love me, for when she +saw how the Slaughterer clung to me, as it were, instantly she grew +jealous—as already she was jealous of Galazi—and would have been +rid of me if she might. Thus it came about that my heart spoke against Zinita; +nor did it tell me worse things of her than those which she was to do. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap24"></a>CHAPTER XXIV.<br /> +THE SLAYING OF THE BOERS</h2> + +<p> +On the morrow I led Umslopogaas apart, and spoke to him thus:— “My +son, yesterday, when you did not know me except as the Mouth of Dingaan, you +charged me with a certain message for Dingaan the king, that, had it been +delivered into the ears of the king, had surely brought death upon you and all +your people. The tree that stands by itself on a plain, Umslopogaas, thinks +itself tall and that there is no shade to equal its shade. Yet are there other +and bigger trees. You are such a solitary tree, Umslopogaas, but the topmost +branches of him whom I serve are thicker than your trunk, and beneath his +shadow live many woodcutters, who go out to lop those that would grow too high. +You are no match for Dingaan, though, dwelling here alone in an empty land, you +have grown great in your own eyes and in the eyes of those about you. Moreover, +Umslopogaas, know this: Dingaan already hates you because of the words which in +bygone years you sent by Masilo the fool to the Black One who is dead, for he +heard those words, and it is his will to eat you up. He has sent me hither for +one reason only, to be rid of me awhile, and, whatever the words I bring back +to him, the end will be the same—that night shall come when you will find +an impi at your gates.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then what need to talk more of the matter, my father?” asked +Umslopogaas. “That will come which must come. Let me wait here for the +impi of Dingaan, and fight till I die.” +</p> + +<p> +“Not so, Umslopogaas, my son; there are more ways of killing a man than +by the assegai, and a crooked stick can still be bent straight in the stream. +It is my desire, Umslopogaas, that instead of hate Dingaan should give you +love; instead of death, advancement; and that you shall grow great in his +shadow. Listen! Dingaan is not what Chaka was, though, like Chaka, he is cruel. +This Dingaan is a fool, and it may well come about that a man can be found who, +growing up in his shadow, in the end shall overshadow him. I might do +it—I myself; but I am old, and, being worn with sorrow, have no longing +to rule. But you are young, Umslopogaas, and there is no man like you in the +land. Moreover, there are other matters of which it is not well to speak, that +shall serve you as a raft whereon to swim to power.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas glanced up sharply, for in those days he was ambitious, and +desired to be first among the people. Indeed, having the blood of Chaka in his +veins, how could it be otherwise? +</p> + +<p> +“What is your plan, my father?” he asked. “Say how can this +be brought about?” +</p> + +<p> +“This and thus, Umslopogaas. Among the tribe of the Halakazi in Swaziland +there dwells a maid who is named the Lily. She is a girl of the most wonderful +beauty, and Dingaan is afire with longing to have her to wife. Now, awhile +since Dingaan dispatched an embassy to the chief of the Halakazi asking the +Lily in marriage, and the chief of the Halakazi sent back insolent words, +saying that the Beauty of the Earth should be given to no Zulu dog as a wife. +Then Dingaan was angry, and he would have gathered his impis and sent them +against the Halakazi to destroy them, and bring him the maid, but I held him +back from it, saying that now was no time to begin a new war; and it is for +this cause that Dingaan hates me, he is so set upon the plucking of the Swazi +Lily. Do you understand now, Umslopogaas?” +</p> + +<p> +“Something,” he answered. “But speak clearly.” +</p> + +<p> +“Wow, Umslopogaas! Half words are better than whole ones in this land of +ours. Listen, then! This is my plan: that you should fall upon the Halakazi +tribe, destroy it, and bring back the maid as a peace-offering to +Dingaan.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is a good plan, my father,” he answered. “At the least, +maid or no maid, there will be fighting in it, and cattle to divide when the +fighting is done.” +</p> + +<p> +“First conquer, then reckon up the spoils, Umslopogaas.” +</p> + +<p> +Now he thought awhile, then said, “Suffer that I summon Galazi the Wolf, +my captain. Do not fear, he is trusty and a man of few words.” +</p> + +<p> +Presently Galazi came and sat down before us. Then I put the matter to him +thus: that Umslopogaas would fall upon the Halakazi and bring to Dingaan the +maid he longed for as a peace-offering, but that I wished to hold him back from +the venture because the Halakazi people were great and strong. I spoke in this +sense so that I might have a door to creep out should Galazi betray the plot; +and Umslopogaas read my purpose, though my craft was needless, for Galazi was a +true man. +</p> + +<p> +Galazi the Wolf listened in silence till I had finished, then he answered +quietly, but it seemed to me that a fire shone in his eyes as he spoke:— +</p> + +<p> +“I am chief by right of the Halakazi, O Mouth of Dingaan, and know them +well. They are a strong people, and can put two full regiments under arms, +whereas Bulalio here can muster but one regiment, and that a small one. +Moreover, they have watchmen out by night and day, and spies scattered through +the land, so that it will be hard to take them unawares; also their stronghold +is a vast cave open to the sky in the middle, and none have won that stronghold +yet, nor could it be found except by those who know its secret. They are few, +yet I am one of them, for my father showed it to me when I was a lad. +Therefore, Mouth of Dingaan, you will know that this is no easy task which +Bulalio would set himself and us—to conquer the Halakazi. That is the +face of the matter so far as it concerns Bulalio, but for me, O Mouth, it has +another face. Know that, long years ago, I swore to my father as he lay dying +by the poison of a witch of this people that I would not rest till I had +avenged him—ay, till I had stamped out the Halakazi, and slain their men, +and brought their women to the houses of strangers, and their children to +bonds! Year by year and month by month, and night by night, as I have lain +alone upon the Ghost Mountain yonder, I have wondered how I might bring my oath +to pass, and found no way. Now it seems that there is a way, and I am glad. Yet +this is a great adventure, and perhaps before it is done with the People of the +Axe will be no more.” And he ceased and took snuff, watching our faces +over the spoon. +</p> + +<p> +“Galazi the Wolf,” said Umslopogaas, “for me also the matter +has another face. You have lost your father at the hands of these Halakazi +dogs, and, though till last night I did not know it, I have lost my mother by +their spears, and with her one whom I loved above all in the world, my sister +Nada, who loved me also. Both are dead and the Halakazi have killed them. This +man, the mouth of Dingaan,” and he pointed to me, Mopo, “this man +says that if I can stamp out the Halakazi and make captive of the Lily maid, I +shall win the heart of Dingaan. Little do I care for Dingaan, I who would go my +way alone, and live while I may live, and die when I must, by the hands of +Dingaan as by those of another—what does it matter? Yet, for this reason, +because of the death of Macropha, my mother, and Nada, the sister who was dear +to me, I will make war upon these Halakazi and conquer them, or be conquered by +them. Perhaps, O Mouth of Dingaan, you will see me soon at the king’s +kraal on the Mahlabatine, and with me the Lily maid and the cattle of the +Halakazi; or perhaps you shall not see me, and then you will know that I am +dead, and the Warriors of the Axe are no more.” +</p> + +<p> +So Umslopogaas spoke to me before Galazi the Wolf, but afterwards he embraced +me and bade me farewell, for he had no great hope that we should meet again. +And I also doubted it; for, as Galazi said, the adventure was great; yet, as I +had seen many times, it is the bold thrower who oftenest wins. So we +parted—I to return to Dingaan and tell him that Bulalio, Chief of the +People of the Axe, had gone up against the Halakazi to win the Lily maid and +bring her to him in atonement; while Umslopogaas remained to make ready his +impi for war. +</p> + +<p> +I went swiftly from the Ghost Mountain back to the kraal Umgugundhlovu, and +presented myself before Dingaan, who at first looked on me coldly. But when I +told him my message, and how that the Chief Bulalio the Slaughterer had taken +the war-path to win him the Lily, his manner changed. He took me by the hand +and said that I had done well, and he had been foolish to doubt me when I +lifted up my voice to persuade him from sending an impi against the Halakazi. +Now he saw that it was my purpose to rake this Halakazi fire with another hand +than his, and to save his hand from the burning, and he thanked me. +</p> + +<p> +Moreover, he said, that if this Chief of the People of the Axe brought him the +maid his heart desired, not only would he forgive him the words he had spoken +by the mouth of Masilo to the Black One who was dead, but also all the cattle +of the Halakazi should be his, and he would make him great in the land. I +answered that all this was as the king willed. I had but done my duty by the +king and worked so that, whatever befell, a proud chief should be weakened and +a foe should be attacked at no cost to the king, in such fashion also that +perhaps it might come about that the king would shortly have the Lily at his +side. +</p> + +<p> +Then I sat down to wait what might befall. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Now it is, my father, that the white men come into my story, whom we named the +Amaboona, but you call the Boers. <i>Ou!</i> I think ill of those Amaboona, +though it was I who gave them the victory over Dingaan—I and Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +Before this time, indeed, a few white men had come to and fro to the kraals of +Chaka and Dingaan, but these came to pray and not to fight. Now the Boers both +fight and pray, also they steal, or used to steal, which I do not understand, +for the prayers of you white men say that these things should not be done. +</p> + +<p> +Well, when I had been back from the Ghost Mountain something less than a moon, +the Boers came, sixty of them commanded by a captain named Retief, a big man, +and armed with <i>roers</i>—the long guns they had in those +days—or, perhaps they numbered a hundred in all, counting their servants +and after-riders. This was their purpose: to get a grant of the land in Natal +that lies between the Tugela and the Umzimoubu rivers. But, by my counsel and +that of other indunas, Dingaan bargained with the Boers that first they should +attack a certain chief named Sigomyela, who had stolen some of the king’s +cattle, and who lived near the Quathlamba Mountains, and bring back those +cattle. This the Boers agreed to, and went to attack the chief, and in a little +while they came back again, having destroyed the people of Sigomyela, and +driving his cattle before them as well as those which had been stolen from the +king. +</p> + +<p> +The face of Dingaan shone when he saw the cattle, and that night he called us, +the council of the <i>Amapakati</i>, together, and asked us as to the granting +of the country. I spoke the first, and said that it mattered little if he +granted it, seeing that the Black One who was dead had already given it to the +English, the People of George, and the end of the matter would be that the +Amaboona and the People of George would fight for the land. Yet the words of +the Black One were coming to pass, for already it seemed we could hear the +sound of the running of a white folk who should eat up the kingdom. +</p> + +<p> +Now when I had spoken thus the heart of Dingaan grew heavy and his face dark, +for my words stuck in his breast like a barbed spear. Still, he made no answer, +but dismissed the council. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow the king promised to sign the paper giving the lands they asked +for to the Boers, and all was smooth as water when there is no wind. Before the +paper was signed the king gave a great dance, for there were many regiments +gathered at the kraal, and for three days this dance went on, but on the third +day he dismissed the regiments, all except one, an impi of lads, who were +commanded to stay. Now all this while I wondered what was in the mind of +Dingaan and was afraid for the Amaboona. But he was secret, and told nothing +except to the captains of the regiment alone—no, not even to one of his +council. Yet I knew that he planned evil, and was half inclined to warn the +Captain Retief, but did not, fearing to make myself foolish. Ah! my father, if +I had spoken, how many would have lived who were soon dead! But what does it +matter? In any case most of them would have been dead by now. +</p> + +<p> +On the fourth morning, early, Dingaan sent a messenger to the Boers, bidding +them meet him in the cattle kraal, for there he would mark the paper. So they +came, stacking their guns at the gate of the kraal, for it was death for any +man, white or black, to come armed before the presence of the king. Now, my +father, the kraal Umgugundhlovu was built in a great circle, after the fashion +of royal kraals. First came the high outer fence, then the thousands of huts +that ran three parts round between the great fence and the inner one. Within +this inner fence was the large open space, big enough to hold five regiments, +and at the top of it—opposite the entrance—stood the cattle kraal +itself, that cut off a piece of the open space by another fence bent like a +bow. Behind this again were the <i>Emposeni</i>, the place of the king’s +women, the guard-house, the labyrinth, and the <i>Intunkulu</i>, the house of +the king. Dingaan came out on that day and sat on a stool in front of the +cattle kraal, and by him stood a man holding a shield over his head to keep the +sun from him. Also we of the <i>Amapakati</i>, the council, were there, and +ranged round the fence of the space, armed with short sticks only—not +with kerries, my father—was that regiment of young men which Dingaan had +not sent away, the captain of the regiment being stationed near to the king, on +the right. +</p> + +<p> +Presently the Boers came in on foot and walked up to the king in a body, and +Dingaan greeted them kindly and shook hands with Retief, their captain. Then +Retief drew the paper from a leather pouch, which set out the boundaries of the +grant of land, and it was translated to the king by an interpreter. Dingaan +said that it was good, and put his mark upon it, and Retief and all the Boers +were pleased, and smiled across their faces. Now they would have said farewell, +but Dingaan forbade them, saying that they must not go yet: first they must eat +and see the soldiers dance a little, and he commanded dishes of boiled flesh +which had been made ready and bowls of milk to be brought to them. The Boers +said that they had already eaten; still, they drank the milk, passing the bowls +from hand to hand. +</p> + +<p> +Now the regiment began to dance, singing the <i>Ingomo</i>, that is the war +chant of us Zulus, my father, and the Boers drew back towards the centre of the +space to give the soldiers room to dance in. It was at this moment that I heard +Dingaan give an order to a messenger to run swiftly to the white Doctor of +Prayers, who was staying without the kraal, telling him not to be afraid, and I +wondered what this might mean; for why should the Prayer Doctor fear a dance +such as he had often seen before? Presently Dingaan rose, and, followed by all, +walked through the press to where the Captain Retief stood, and bade him +good-bye, shaking him by the hand and bidding him <i>hambla gachle</i>, to go +in peace. Then he turned and walked back again towards the gateway which led to +his royal house, and I saw that near this entrance stood the captain of the +regiments, as one stands by who waits for orders. +</p> + +<p> +Now, of a sudden, my father, Dingaan stopped and cried with a loud voice, +“<i>Bulalani Abatakati!</i>” (slay the wizards), and having cried +it, he covered his face with the corner of his blanket, and passed behind the +fence. +</p> + +<p> +We, the councillors, stood astounded, like men who had become stone; but before +we could speak or act the captain of the regiment had also cried aloud, +“<i>Bulalani Abatakati!</i>” and the signal was caught up from +every side. Then, my father, came a yell and a rush of thousands of feet, and +through the clouds of dust we saw the soldiers hurl themselves upon the +Amaboona, and above the shouting we heard the sound of falling sticks. The +Amaboona drew their knives and fought bravely, but before a man could count a +hundred twice it was done, and they were being dragged, some few dead, but the +most yet living, towards the gates of the kraal and out on to the Hill of +Slaughter, and there, on the Hill of Slaughter, they were massacred, every one +of them. How? Ah! I will not tell you—they were massacred and piled in a +heap, and that was the end of their story, my father. +</p> + +<p> +Now I and the other councillors turned away and walked silently towards the +house of the king. We found him standing before his great hut, and, lifting our +hands, we saluted him silently, saying no word. It was Dingaan who spoke, +laughing a little as he spoke, like a man who is uneasy in his mind. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, my captains,” he said, “when the vultures plumed +themselves this morning, and shrieked to the sky for blood, they did not look +for such a feast as I have given them. And you, my captains, you little guessed +how great a king the Heavens have set to rule over you, nor how deep is the +mind of the king that watches ever over his people’s welfare. Now the +land is free from the White Wizards of whose footsteps the Black One croaked as +he gave up his life, or soon shall be, for this is but a beginning. Ho! +Messengers!” and he turned to some men who stood behind him, “away +swiftly to the regiments that are gathered behind the mountains, away to them, +bearing the king’s words to the captains. This is the king’s word: +that the impi shall run to the land of Natal and slay the Boers there, wiping +them out, man, woman, and child. Away!” +</p> + +<p> +Now the messengers cried out the royal salute of <i>Bayéte</i>, and, leaping +forward like spears from the hand of the thrower, were gone at once. But we, +the councillors, the members of the <i>Amapakati</i>, still stood silent. +</p> + +<p> +Then Dingaan spoke again, addressing me:— +</p> + +<p> +“Is thy heart at rest now, Mopo, son of Makedama? Ever hast thou bleated +in my ear of this white people and of the deeds that they shall do, and lo! I +have blown upon them with my breath and they are gone. Say, Mopo, are the +Amaboona wizards yonder all dead? If any be left alive, I desire to speak with +one of them.” +</p> + +<p> +Then I looked Dingaan in the face and spoke. +</p> + +<p> +“They are all dead, and thou, O King, thou also art dead.” +</p> + +<p> +“It were well for thee, thou dog,” said Dingaan, “that thou +shouldst make thy meaning plain.” +</p> + +<p> +“Let the king pardon me,” I answered; “this is my meaning. +Thou canst not kill this white men, for they are not of one race, but of many +races, and the sea is their home; they rise out of the black water. Destroy +those that are here, and others shall come to avenge them, more and more and +more! Now thou hast smitten in thy hour; in theirs they shall smite in turn. +Now <i>they</i> lie low in blood at thy hand; in a day to come, O King, +<i>thou</i> shalt lie low in blood at theirs. Madness has taken hold of thee, O +King, that thou hast done this thing, and the fruit of thy madness shall be thy +death. I have spoken, I, who am the king’s servant. Let the will of the +king be done.” +</p> + +<p> +Then I stood still waiting to be killed, for, my father, in the fury of my +heart at the wickedness which had been worked I could not hold back my words. +Thrice Dingaan looked on me with a terrible face, and yet there was fear in his +face striving with its rage, and I waited calmly to see which would conquer, +the fear or the rage. When at last he spoke, it was one word, +“<i>Go!</i>” not three words, “<i>Take him away.</i>” +So I went yet living, and with me the councillors, leaving the king alone. +</p> + +<p> +I went with a heavy heart, my father, for of all the evil sights that I have +seen it seemed to me that this was the most evil—that the Amaboona should +be slaughtered thus treacherously, and that the impis should be sent out +treacherously to murder those who were left of them, together with their women +and children. Ay, and they slew—six hundred of them did they +slay—yonder in Weenen, the land of weeping. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Say, my father, why does the Umkulunkulu who sits in the Heavens above allow +such things to be done on the earth beneath? I have heard the preaching of the +white men, and they say that they know all about Him—that His names are +Power and Mercy and Love. Why, then, does He suffer these things to be +done—why does He suffer such men as Chaka and Dingaan to torment the +people of the earth, and in the end pay them but one death for all the +thousands that they have given to others? Because of the wickedness of the +peoples, you say; but no, no, that cannot be, for do not the guiltless go with +the guilty—ay, do not the innocent children perish by the hundred? +Perchance there is another answer, though who am I, my father, that I, in my +folly, should strive to search out the way of the Unsearchable? Perchance it is +but a part of the great plan, a little piece of that pattern of which I +spoke—the pattern on the cup that holds the waters of His wisdom. +<i>Wow!</i> I do not understand, who am but a wild man, nor have I found more +knowledge in the hearts of you tamed white people. You know many things, but of +these you do not know: you cannot tell us what we were an hour before birth, +nor what we shall be an hour after death, nor why we were born, nor why we die. +You can only hope and believe—that is all, and perhaps, my father, before +many days are sped I shall be wiser than all of you. For I am very aged, the +fire of my life sinks low—it burns in my brain alone; there it is still +bright, but soon that will go out also, and then perhaps I shall understand. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap25"></a>CHAPTER XXV.<br /> +THE WAR WITH THE HALAKAZI PEOPLE</h2> + +<p> +Now, my father, I must tell of how Umslopogaas the Slaughterer and Galazi the +Wolf fared in their war against the People of the Halakazi. When I had gone +from the shadow of the Ghost Mountain, Umslopogaas summoned a gathering of all +his headmen, and told them it was his desire that the People of the Axe should +no longer be a little people; that they should grow great and number their +cattle by tens of thousands. +</p> + +<p> +The headmen asked how this might be brought about—would he then make war +on Dingaan the King? Umslopogaas answered no, he would win the favour of the +king thus: and he told them of the Lily maid and of the Halakazi tribe in +Swaziland, and of how he would go up against that tribe. Now some of the +headmen said yea to this and some said nay, and the talk ran high and lasted +till the evening. But when the evening was come Umslopogaas rose and said that +he was chief under the Axe, and none other, and it was his will that they +should go up against the Halakazi. If there was any man there who would gainsay +his will, let him stand forward and do battle with him, and he who conquered +should order all things. To this there was no answer, for there were few who +cared to face the beak of Groan-Maker, and so it came about that it was agreed +that the People of the Axe should make war upon the Halakazi, and Umslopogaas +sent out messengers to summon every fighting-man to his side. +</p> + +<p> +But when Zinita, his head wife, came to hear of the matter she was angry, and +upbraided Umslopogaas, and heaped curses on me, Mopo, whom she knew only as the +mouth of Dingaan, because, as she said truly, I had put this scheme into the +mind of the Slaughterer. “What!” she went on, “do you not +live here in peace and plenty, and must you go to make war on those who have +not harmed you; there, perhaps, to perish or to come to other ill? You say you +do this to win a girl for Dingaan and to find favour in his sight. Has not +Dingaan girls more than he can count? It is more likely that, wearying of us, +your wives, you go to get girls for yourself, Bulalio; and as for finding +favour, rest quiet, so shall you find most favour. If the king sends his impis +against you, then it will be time to fight, O fool with little wit!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus Zinita spoke to him, very roughly—for she always blurted out what +was in her mind, and Umslopogaas could not challenge her to battle. So he must +bear her talk as best he might, for it is often thus, my father, that the +greatest of men grow small enough in their own huts. Moreover, he knew that it +was because Zinita loved him that she spoke so bitterly. +</p> + +<p> +Now on the third day all the fighting-men were gathered, and there might have +been two thousand of them, good men and brave. Then Umslopogaas went out and +spoke to them, telling them of this adventure, and Galazi the Wolf was with +him. They listened silently, and it was plain to see that, as in the case of +the headmen, some of them thought one thing and some another. Then Galazi spoke +to them briefly, telling them that he knew the roads and the caves and the +number of the Halakazi cattle; but still they doubted. Thereon Umslopogaas +added these words:— +</p> + +<p> +“To-morrow, at the dawn, I, Bulalio, Holder of the Axe, Chief of the +People of the Axe, go up against the Halakazi, with Galazi the Wolf, my +brother. If but ten men follow us, yet we will go. Now, choose, you soldiers! +Let those come who will, and let those who will stop at home with the women and +the little children.” +</p> + +<p> +Now a great shout rose from every throat. +</p> + +<p> +“We will go with you, Bulalio, to victory or death!” +</p> + +<p> +So on the morrow they marched, and there was wailing among the women of the +People of the Axe. Only Zinita did not wail, but stood by in wrath, foreboding +evil; nor would she bid her lord farewell, yet when he was gone she wept also. +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas and his impi travelled fast and far, hungering and thirsting, +till at length they came to the land of the Umswazi, and after a while entered +the territory of the Halakazi by a high and narrow pass. The fear of Galazi the +Wolf was that they should find this pass held, for though they had harmed none +in the kraals as they went, and taken only enough cattle to feed themselves, +yet he knew well that messengers had sped by day and night to warn the people +of the Halakazi. But they found no man in the pass, and on the other side of it +they rested, for the night was far spent. At dawn Umslopogaas looked out over +the wide plains beyond, and Galazi showed him a long low hill, two hours’ +march away. +</p> + +<p> +“There, my brother,” he said, “lies the head kraal of the +Halakazi, where I was born, and in that hill is the great cave.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they went on, and before the sun was high they came to the crest of a +rise, and heard the sound of horns on its farther side. They stood upon the +rise, and looked, and lo! yet far off, but running towards them, was the whole +impi of the Halakazi, and it was a great impi. +</p> + +<p> +“They have gathered their strength indeed,” said Galazi. “For +every man of ours there are three of these Swazis!” +</p> + +<p> +The soldiers saw also, and the courage of some of them sank low. Then +Umslopogaas spoke to them:— +</p> + +<p> +“Yonder are the Swazi dogs, my children; they are many and we are few. +Yet, shall it be told at home that we, men of the Zulu blood, were hunted by a +pack of Swazi dogs? Shall our women and children sing <i>that</i> song in our +ears, O Soldiers of the Axe?” +</p> + +<p> +Now some cried “Never!” but some were silent; so Umslopogaas spoke +again:— +</p> + +<p> +“Turn back all who will: there is yet time. Turn back all who will, but +ye who are men come forward with me. Or if ye will, go back all of you, and +leave Axe Groan-Maker and Club Watcher to see this matter out alone.” +</p> + +<p> +Now there arose a mighty shout of “We will die together who have lived +together!” +</p> + +<p> +“Do you swear it?” cried Umslopogaas, holding Groan-Maker on high. +</p> + +<p> +“We swear it by the Axe,” they answered. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Then Umslopogaas and Galazi made ready for the battle. They posted all the +young men in the broken ground above the bottom of the slope, for these could +best be spared to the spear, and Galazi the Wolf took command of them; but the +veterans stayed upon the hillside, and with them Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +Now the Halakazi came on, and there were four full regiments of them. The plain +was black with them, the air was rent with their shoutings, and their spears +flashed like lightnings. On the farther side of the slope they halted and sent +a herald forward to demand what the People of the Axe would have from them. The +Slaughterer answered that they would have three things: First, the head of +their chief, whose place Galazi should fill henceforth; secondly, that fair +maid whom men named the Lily; thirdly, a thousand head of cattle. If these +demands were granted, then he would spare them, the Halakazi; if not, he would +stamp them out and take all. +</p> + +<p> +So the herald returned, and when he reached the ranks of the Halakazi he called +aloud his answer. Then a great roar of laughter went up from the Halakazi +regiments, a roar that shook the earth. The brow of Umslopogaas the Slaughterer +burned red beneath the black when he heard it, and he shook Groan-Maker towards +their host. +</p> + +<p> +“Ye shall sing another song before this sun is set,” he cried, and +strode along the ranks speaking to this man and that by name, and lifting up +their hearts with great words. +</p> + +<p> +Now the Halakazi raised a shout, and charged to come at the young men led by +Galazi the Wolf; but beyond the foot of the slope was peaty ground, and they +came through it heavily, and as they came Galazi and the young men fell upon +them and slew them; still, they could not hold them back for long, because of +their great numbers, and presently the battle ranged all along the slope. But +so well did Galazi handle the young men, and so fiercely did they fight beneath +his eye, that before they could be killed or driven back all the force of the +Halakazi was doing battle with them. Ay, and twice Galazi charged with such as +he could gather, and twice he checked the Halakazi rush, throwing them into +confusion, till at length company was mixed with company and regiment with +regiment. But it might not endure, for now more than half the young men were +down, and the rest were being pushed back up the hill, fighting madly. +</p> + +<p> +But all this while Umslopogaas and the veterans sat in their ranks upon the +brow of the slope and watched. “Those Swazi dogs have a fool for their +general,” quoth Umslopogaas. “He has no men left to fall back on, +and Galazi has broken his array and mixed his regiments as milk and cream are +mixed in a bowl. They are no longer an impi, they are a mob.” +</p> + +<p> +Now the veterans moved restlessly on their haunches, pushing their legs out and +drawing them in again. They glanced at the fray, they looked into each +other’s eyes and spoke a word here, a word there, “Well smitten, +Galazi! <i>Wow!</i> that one is down! A brave lad! Ho! a good club is the +Watcher! The fight draws near, my brother!” And ever as they spoke their +faces grew fiercer and their fingers played with their spears. +</p> + +<p> +At length a captain called aloud to Umslopogaas:— +</p> + +<p> +“Say, Slaughterer, is it not time to be up and doing? The grass is wet to +sit on, and our limbs grow cramped.” +</p> + +<p> +“Wait awhile,” answered Umslopogaas. “Let them weary of their +play. Let them weary, I tell you.” +</p> + +<p> +As he spoke the Halakazi huddled themselves together, and with a rush drove +back Galazi and those who were left of the young men. Yes, at last they were +forced to flee, and after them came the Swazis, and in the forefront of the +pursuit was their chief, ringed round with a circle of his bravest. +</p> + +<p> +Umslopogaas saw it and bounded to his feet, roaring like a bull. “At them +now, wolves!” he shouted. +</p> + +<p> +Then the lines of warriors sprang up as a wave springs, and their crests were +like foam upon the wave. As a wave that swells to break they rose suddenly, +like a breaking wave they poured down the slope. In front of them was the +Slaughterer, holding Groan-Maker aloft, and oh! his feet were swift. So swift +were his feet that, strive as they would, he outran them by the quarter of a +spear’s throw. Galazi heard the thunder of their rush; he looked round, +and as he looked, lo! the Slaughterer swept past him, running like a buck. Then +Galazi, too, bounded forward, and the Wolf-Brethren sped down the hill, the +length of four spears between them. +</p> + +<p> +The Halakazi also saw and heard, and strove to gather themselves together to +meet the rush. In front of Umslopogaas was their chief, a tall man hedged about +with assegais. Straight at the shield-hedge drove Umslopogaas, and a score of +spears were lifted to greet him, a score of shields heaved into the +air—this was a fence that none might pass alive. Yet would the +Slaughterer pass it—not alone! See! he steadies his pace, he gathers +himself together, and now he leaps! High into the air he leaps; his feet knock +the heads of the warriors and rattle against the crowns of their shields. They +smite upwards with the spear, but he has swept over them like a swooping bird. +He has cleared them—he has lit—and now the shield-hedge guards two +chiefs. But not for long. <i>Ou!</i> Groan-Maker is aloft, he falls—and +neither shield nor axe may stay his stroke, both are cleft through, and the +Halakazi lack a leader. +</p> + +<p> +The shield-ring wheels in upon itself. Fools! Galazi is upon you! What was +that? Look, now! see how many bones are left unbroken in him whom the Watcher +falls on full! What!—another down! Close up, shield-men—close up! +<i>Ai!</i> are you fled? +</p> + +<p> +Ah! the wave has fallen on the beach. Listen to its roaring—listen to the +roaring of the shields! Stand, you men of the Halakazi—stand! Surely they +are but a few. So! it is done! By the head of Chaka! they break—they are +pushed back—now the wave of slaughter seethes along the sands—now +the foe is swept like floating weed, and from all the line there comes a +hissing like the hissing of thin waters. “<i>S’gee!</i>” says +the hiss. “<i>S’gee! S’gee!</i>” +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +There, my father, I am old. What have I to do with the battle any more, with +the battle and its joy? Yet it is better to die in such a fight as that than to +live any other way. I have seen such—I have seen many such. Oh! we could +fight when I was a man, my father, but none that I knew could ever fight like +Umslopogaas the Slaughterer, son of Chaka, and his blood-brother Galazi the +Wolf! So, so! they swept them away, those Halakazi; they swept them as a maid +sweeps the dust of a hut, as the wind sweeps the withered leaves. It was soon +done when once it was begun. Some were fled and some were dead, and this was +the end of that fight. No, no, not of all the war. The Halakazi were worsted in +the field, but many lived to win the great cave, and there the work must be +finished. Thither, then, went the Slaughterer presently, with such of his impi +as was left to him. Alas! many were killed; but how could they have died better +than in that fight? Also those who were left were as good as all, for now they +knew that they should not be overcome easily while Axe and Club still led the +way. +</p> + +<p> +Now they stood before a hill, measuring, perhaps, three thousand paces round +its base. It was of no great height, and yet unclimbable, for, after a man had +gone up a little way, the sides of it were sheer, offering no foothold except +to the rock-rabbits and the lizards. No one was to be seen without this hill, +nor in the great kraal of the Halakazi that lay to the east of it, and yet the +ground about was trampled with the hoofs of oxen and the feet of men, and from +within the mountain came a sound of lowing cattle. +</p> + +<p> +“Here is the nest of Halakazi,” quoth Galazi the Wolf. +</p> + +<p> +“Here is the nest indeed,” said Umslopogaas; “but how shall +we come at the eggs to suck them? There are no branches on this tree.” +</p> + +<p> +“But there is a hole in the trunk,” answered the Wolf. +</p> + +<p> +Now he led them a little way till they came to a place where the soil was +trampled as it is at the entrance to a cattle kraal, and they saw that there +was a low cave which led into the cliff, like an archway such as you white men +build. But this archway was filled up with great blocks of stone placed upon +each other in such a fashion that it could not be forced from without. After +the cattle were driven in it had been filled up. +</p> + +<p> +“We cannot enter here,” said Galazi. “Follow me.” +</p> + +<p> +So they followed him, and came to the north side of the mountain, and there, +two spear-casts away, a soldier was standing. But when he saw them he vanished +suddenly. +</p> + +<p> +“There is the place,” said Galazi, “and the fox has gone to +earth in it.” +</p> + +<p> +Now they ran to the spot and saw a little hole in the rock, scarcely bigger +than an ant-bear’s burrow, and through the hole came sounds and some +light. +</p> + +<p> +“Now where is the hyena who will try a new burrow?” cried +Umslopogaas. “A hundred head of cattle to the man who wins through and +clears the way!” +</p> + +<p> +Then two young men sprang forward who were flushed with victory and desired +nothing more than to make a great name and win cattle, crying:— +</p> + +<p> +“Here are hyenas, Bulalio.” +</p> + +<p> +“To earth, then!” said Umslopogaas, “and let him who wins +through hold the path awhile till others follow.” +</p> + +<p> +The two young men sprang at the hole, and he who reached it first went down +upon his hands and knees and crawled in, lying on his shield and holding his +spear before him. For a little while the light in the burrow vanished, and they +heard the sound of his crawling. Then came the noise of blows, and once more +light crept through the hole. The man was dead. +</p> + +<p> +“This one had a bad snake,” said the second soldier; “his +snake deserted him. Let me see if mine is better.” +</p> + +<p> +So down he went on his hands and knees, and crawled as the first had done, only +he put his shield over his head. For awhile they heard him crawling, then once +more came the sound of blows echoing on the ox-hide shield, and after the blows +groans. He was dead also, yet it seemed that they had left his body in the +hole, for now no light came through. This was the cause, my father: when they +struck the man he had wriggled back a little way and died there, and none had +entered from the farther side to drag him out. +</p> + +<p> +Now the soldiers stared at the mouth of the passage and none seemed to love the +look of it, for this was but a poor way to die. Umslopogaas and Galazi also +looked at it, thinking. +</p> + +<p> +“Now I am named Wolf,” said Galazi, “and a wolf should not +fear the dark; also, these are my people, and I must be the first to visit +them,” and he went down on his hands and knees without more ado. But +Umslopogaas, having peered once more down the burrow, said: “Hold, +Galazi; I will go first! I have a plan. Do you follow me. And you, my children, +shout loudly, so that none may hear us move; and, if we win through, follow +swiftly, for we cannot hold the mouth of that place for long. Hearken, also! +this is my counsel to you: if I fall choose another chief—Galazi the +Wolf, if he is still living.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, Slaughterer, do not name me,” said the Wolf, “for +together we live or die.” +</p> + +<p> +“So let it be, Galazi. Then choose you some other man and try this road +no more, for if we cannot pass it none can, but seek food and sit down here +till those jackals bolt; then be ready. Farewell, my children!” +</p> + +<p> +“Farewell, father,” they answered, “go warily, lest we be +left like cattle without a herdsman, wandering and desolate.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Umslopogaas crept into the hole, taking no shield, but holding Groan-Maker +before him, and at his heels crept Galazi. When he had covered the length of +six spears he stretched out his hand, and, as he trusted to do, he found the +feet of that man who had gone before and died in the place. Then Umslopogaas +the wary did this: he put his head beneath the dead man’s legs and thrust +himself onward till all the body was on his back, and there he held it with one +hand, gripping its two wrists in his hand. Then he crawled forward a little +space and saw that he was coming to the inner mouth of the burrow, but that the +shadow was deep there because of a great mass of rock which lay before the +burrow shutting out the light. “This is well for me,” thought +Umslopogaas, “for now they will not know the dead from the living. I may +yet look upon the sun again.” Now he heard the Halakazi soldiers talking +without. +</p> + +<p> +“The Zulu rats do not love this run,” said one, “they fear +the rat-catcher’s stick. This is good sport,” and a man laughed. +</p> + +<p> +Then Umslopogaas pushed himself forward as swiftly as he could, holding the +dead man on his back, and suddenly came out of the hole into the open place in +the dark shadow of the great rock. +</p> + +<p> +“By the Lily,” cried a soldier, “here’s a third! Take +this, Zulu rat!” And he struck the dead man heavily with a kerrie. +“And that!” cried another, driving his spear through him so that it +pricked Umslopogaas beneath. “And that! and this! and that!” said +others, as they smote and stabbed. +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas groaned heavily in the deep shadow and lay still. “No +need to waste more blows,” said the man who had struck first. “This +one will never go back to Zululand, and I think that few will care to follow +him. Let us make an end: run, some of you, and find stones to stop the burrow, +for now the sport is done.” +</p> + +<p> +He turned as he spoke and so did the others, and this was what the Slaughter +sought. With a swift movement, he freed himself from the dead man and sprang to +his feet. They heard the sound and turned again, but as they turned Groan-Maker +pecked softly, and that man who had sworn by the Lily was no more a man. Then +Umslopogaas leaped forwards, and, bounding on to the great rock, stood there +like a buck against the sky. +</p> + +<p> +“A Zulu rat is not so easily slain, O ye weasels!” he cried, as +they came at him from all sides at once with a roar. He smote to the right and +the left, and so swiftly that men could scarcely see the blows fall, for he +struck with Groan-Maker’s beak. But though men scarcely saw the blows, +yet, my father, men fell beneath them. Now foes were all around, leaping up at +the Slaughterer as rushing water leaps to hide a rock—everywhere shone +spears, thrusting at him from this side and from that. Those in front and to +the side Groan-Maker served to stay, but one wounded Umslopogaas in the neck, +and another was lifted to pierce his back when the strength of its holder was +bowed to the dust—to the dust, to become of the dust. +</p> + +<p> +For now the Wolf was through the hole also, and the Watcher grew very busy; he +was so busy that soon the back of the Slaughterer had nothing to fear—yet +those had much to fear who stood behind his back. The pair fought bravely, +making a great slaughter, and presently, one by one, plumed heads of the People +of the Axe showed through the burrow and strong arms mingled in the fray. +Swiftly they came, leaping into battle as otters leap to the water—now +there were ten of them, now there were twenty—and now the Halakazi broke +and fled, since they did not bargain for this. Then the rest of the Men of the +Axe came through in peace, and the evening grew towards the dark before all had +passed the hole. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap26"></a>CHAPTER XXVI.<br /> +THE FINDING OF NADA</h2> + +<p> +Umslopogaas marshalled his companies. +</p> + +<p> +“There is little light left,” he said, “but it must serve us +to start these conies from their burrows. Come, my brother Galazi, you know +where the conies hide, take my place and lead us.” +</p> + +<p> +So Galazi led the impi. Turning a corner of the glen, he came with them to a +large open space that had a fountain in its midst, and this place was full of +thousands of cattle. Then he turned again to the left, and brought them to the +inner side of the mountain, where the cliff hung over, and here was the mouth +of a great cave. Now the cave was dark, but by its door was stacked a pile of +resinous wood to serve as torches. +</p> + +<p> +“Here is that which will give us light,” said Galazi, and one man +of every two took a torch and lit it at a fire that burned near the mouth of +the cave. Then they rushed in, waving the flaring torches and with assegais +aloft. Here for the last time the Halakazi stood against them, and the torches +floated up and down upon the wave of war. But they did not stand for very long, +for all the heart was out of them. <i>Wow!</i> yes, many were killed—I do +not know how many. I know this only, that the Halakazi are no more a tribe +since Umslopogaas, who is named Bulalio, stamped them with his feet—they +are nothing but a name now. The People of the Axe drove them out into the open +and finished the fight by starlight among the cattle. +</p> + +<p> +In one corner of the cave Umslopogaas saw a knot of men clustering round +something as though to guard it. He rushed at the men, and with him went Galazi +and others. But when Umslopogaas was through, by the light of his torch he +perceived a tall and slender man, who leaned against the wall of the cave and +held a shield before his face. +</p> + +<p> +“You are a coward!” he cried, and smote with Groan-Maker. The great +axe pierced the hide, but, missing the head behind, rang loudly against the +rock, and as it struck a sweet voice said:— +</p> + +<p> +“Ah! soldier, do not kill me! Why are you angry with me?” +</p> + +<p> +Now the shield had come away from its holder’s hands upon the blade of +the axe, and there was something in the notes of the voice that caused +Umslopogaas to smite no more: it was as though a memory of childhood had come +to him in a dream. His torch was burning low, but he thrust it forward to look +at him who crouched against the rock. The dress was the dress of a man, but +this was no man’s form—nay, rather that of a lovely woman, +well-nigh white in colour. She dropped her hands from before her face, and now +he could see her well. He saw eyes that shone like stars, hair that curled and +fell upon the shoulders, and such beauty as was not known among our people. And +as the voice had spoken to him of something that was lost, so did the eyes seem +to shine across the blackness of many years, and the beauty to bring back he +knew not what. +</p> + +<p> +He looked at the girl in all her loveliness, and she looked at him in his +fierceness and his might, red with war and wounds. They both looked long, while +the torchlight flared on them, on the walls of the cave, and the broad blade of +Groan-Maker, and from around rose the sounds of the fray. +</p> + +<p> +“How are you named, who are so fair to see?” he asked at length. +</p> + +<p> +“I am named the Lily now: once I had another name. Nada, daughter of +Mopo, I was once; but name and all else are dead, and I go to join them. Kill +me and make an end. I will shut my eyes, that I may not see the great axe +flash.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas gazed upon her again, and Groan-Maker fell from his hand. +</p> + +<p> +“Look on me, Nada, daughter of Mopo,” he said in a low voice; +“look at me and say who am I.” +</p> + +<p> +She looked once more and yet again. Now her face was thrust forward as one who +gazes over the edge of the world; it grew fixed and strange. “By my +heart,” she said, “by my heart, you are Umslopogaas, my brother who +is dead, and whom dead as living I have loved ever and alone.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the torch flared out, but Umslopogaas took hold of her in the darkness and +pressed her to him and kissed her, the sister whom he found after many years, +and she kissed him. +</p> + +<p> +“You kiss me now,” she said, “yet not long ago that great axe +shore my locks, missing me but by a finger’s-breadth—and still the +sound of fighting rings in my ears! Ah! a boon of you, my brother—a boon: +let there be no more death since we are met once more. The people of the +Halakazi are conquered, and it is their just doom, for thus, in this same way, +they killed those with whom I lived before. Yet they have treated me well, not +forcing me into wedlock, and protecting me from Dingaan; so spare them, my +brother, if you may.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Umslopogaas lifted up his voice, commanding that the killing should cease, +and sent messengers running swiftly with these words: “This is the +command of Bulalio: that he who lifts hand against one more of the people of +the Halakazi shall be killed himself”; and the soldiers obeyed him, +though the order came somewhat late, and no more of the Halakazi were brought +to doom. They were suffered to escape, except those of the women and children +who were kept to be led away as captives. And they ran far that night. Nor did +they come together again to be a people, for they feared Galazi the Wolf, who +would be chief over them, but they were scattered wide in the world, to sojourn +among strangers. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the soldiers had eaten abundantly of the store of the Halakazi, and +guards had been sent to ward the cattle and watch against surprise, Umslopogaas +spoke long with Nada the Lily, taking her apart, and he told her all his story. +She told him also the tale which you know, my father, of how she had lived with +the little people that were subject to the Halakazi, she and her mother +Macropha, and how the fame of her beauty had spread about the land. Then she +told him how the Halakazi had claimed her, and of how, in the end, they had +taken her by force of arms, killing the people of that kraal, and among them +her own mother. Thereafter, she had dwelt among the Halakazi, who named her +anew, calling her the Lily, and they had treated her kindly, giving her +reverence because of her sweetness and beauty, and not forcing her into +marriage. +</p> + +<p> +“And why would you not wed, Nada, my sister?” asked Umslopogaas, +“you who are far past the age of marriage?” +</p> + +<p> +“I cannot tell you,” she answered, hanging her head; “but I +have no heart that way. I only seek to be left alone.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas thought awhile and spoke. “Do you not know then, Nada, +why it is that I have made this war, and why the people of the Halakazi are +dead and scattered and their cattle the prize of my arm? I will tell you: I am +come here to win you, whom I knew only by report as the Lily maid, the fairest +of women, to be a wife to Dingaan. The reason that I began this war was to win +you and make my peace with Dingaan, and now I have carried it through to the +end.” +</p> + +<p> +Now when she heard these words, Nada the Lily trembled and wept, and, sinking +to the earth, she clasped the knees of Umslopogaas in supplication: “Oh, +do not this cruel thing by me, your sister,” she prayed; “take +rather that great axe and make an end of me, and of the beauty which has +wrought so much woe, and most of all to me who wear it! Would that I had not +moved my head behind the shield, but had suffered the axe to fall upon it. To +this end I was dressed as a man, that I might meet the fate of a man. Ah! a +curse be on my woman’s weakness that snatched me from death to give me up +to shame!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she prayed to Umslopogaas in her low sweet voice, and his heart was shaken +in him, though, indeed, he did not now purpose to give Nada to Dingaan, as +Baleka was given to Chaka, perhaps in the end to meet the fate of Baleka. +</p> + +<p> +“There are many, Nada,” he said, “who would think it no +misfortune that they should be given as a wife to the first of chiefs.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then I am not of their number,” she answered; “nay, I will +die first, by my own hand if need be.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas wondered how it came about that Nada looked upon marriage thus, +but he did not speak of the matter; he said only, “Tell me then, Nada, +how I can deliver myself of this charge. I must go to Dingaan as I promised our +father Mopo, and what shall I say to Dingaan when he asks for the Lily whom I +went out to pluck and whom his heart desires? What shall I say to save myself +alive from the wrath of Dingaan?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Nada thought and answered, “You shall say this, my brother. You +shall tell him that the Lily, being clothed in the war-dress of a warrior, fell +by chance in the fray. See, now, none of your people know that you have found +me; they are thinking of other things than maids in the hour of their victory. +This, then, is my plan: we will search now by the starlight till we find the +body of a fair maid, for, doubtless, some were killed by hazard in the fight, +and on her we will set a warrior’s dress, and lay by her the corpse of +one of your own men. To-morrow, at the light, you shall take the captains of +your soldiers and, having laid the body of the girl in the dark of the cave, +you shall show it to them hurriedly, and tell them that this was the Lily, +slain by one of your own people, whom in your wrath you slew also. They will +not look long on so common a sight, and if by hazard they see the maid, and +think her not so very fair, they will deem that it is death which has robbed +her of her comeliness. So the tale which you must tell to Dingaan shall be +built up firmly, and Dingaan shall believe it to be true.” +</p> + +<p> +“And how shall this be, Nada?” asked Umslopogaas. “How shall +this be when men see you among the captives and know you by your beauty? Are +there, then, two such Lilies in the land?” +</p> + +<p> +“I shall not be known, for I shall not be seen, Umslopogaas. You must set +me free to-night. I will wander hence disguised as a youth and covered with a +blanket, and if any meet me, who shall say that I am the Lily?” +</p> + +<p> +“And where will you wander, Nada? to your death? Must we, then, meet +after so many years to part again for ever?” +</p> + +<p> +“Where was it that you said you lived, my brother? Beneath the shade of a +Ghost Mountain, that men may know by a shape of stone which is fashioned like +an old woman frozen into stone, was it not? Tell me of the road thither.” +</p> + +<p> +So Umslopogaas told her the road, and she listened silently. +</p> + +<p> +“Good,” she said. “I am strong and my feet are swift; perhaps +they may serve to bring me so far, and perhaps, if I win the shadow of that +mountain, you will find me a hut to hide in, Umslopogaas, my brother.” +</p> + +<p> +“Surely it shall be so, my sister,” answered Umslopogaas, +“and yet the way is long and many dangers lie in the path of a maid +journeying alone, without food or shelter,” and as he spoke Umslopogaas +thought of Zinita his wife, for he guessed that she would not love Nada, +although she was only his sister. +</p> + +<p> +“Still, it must be travelled, and the dangers must be braved,” she +answered, smiling. “Alas! there is no other way.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Umslopogaas summoned Galazi the Wolf and told him all this story, for +Galazi was the only man whom he could trust. The Wolf listened in silence, +marvelling the while at the beauty of Nada, as the starlight showed it. When +everything was told, he said only that he no longer wondered that the people of +the Halakazi had defied Dingaan and brought death upon themselves for the sake +of this maid. Still, to be plain, his heart thought ill of the matter, for +death was not done with yet: there before them shone the Star of Death, and he +pointed to the Lily. +</p> + +<p> +Now Nada trembled at his words of evil omen, and the Slaughterer grew angry, +but Galazi would neither add to them nor take away from them. “I have +spoken that which my heart hears,” he answered. +</p> + +<p> +Then they rose and went to search among the dead for a girl who would suit +their purpose; soon they found one, a tall and fair maiden, and Galazi bore her +in his arms to the great cave. Here in the cave were none but the dead, and, +tossed hither and thither in their last sleep, they looked awful in the glare +of the torches. +</p> + +<p> +“They sleep sound,” said the Lily, gazing on them; “rest is +sweet.” +</p> + +<p> +“We shall soon win it, maiden,” answered Galazi, and again Nada +trembled. +</p> + +<p> +Then, having arrayed her in the dress of a warrior, and put a shield and spear +by her, they laid down the body of the girl in a dark place in the cave, and, +finding a dead warrior of the People of the Axe, placed him beside her. Now +they left the cave, and, pretending that they visited the sentries, Umslopogaas +and Galazi passed from spot to spot, while the Lily walked after them like a +guard, hiding her face with a shield, holding a spear in her hand, and having +with her a bag of corn and dried flesh. +</p> + +<p> +So they passed on, till at length they came to the entrance in the mountain +side. The stones that had blocked it were pulled down so as to allow those of +the Halakazi to fly who had been spared at the entreaty of Nada, but there were +guards by the entrance to watch that none came back. Umslopogaas challenged +them, and they saluted him, but he saw that they were worn out with battle and +journeying, and knew little of what they saw or said. Then he, Galazi, and Nada +passed through the opening on to the plain beyond. +</p> + +<p> +Here the Slaughterer and the Lily bade each other farewell, while Galazi +watched, and presently the Wolf saw Umslopogaas return as one who is heavy at +heart, and caught sight of the Lily skimming across the plain lightly like a +swallow. +</p> + +<p> +“I do not know when we two shall meet again,” said Umslopogaas so +soon as she had melted into the shadows of the night. +</p> + +<p> +“May you never meet,” answered Galazi, “for I am sure that if +you meet that sister of yours will bring death on many more than those who now +lie low because of her loveliness. She is a Star of Death, and when she sets +the sky shall be blood red.” +</p> + +<p> +Umslopogaas did not answer, but walked slowly through the archway in the +mountain side. +</p> + +<p> +“How is this, chief?” said he who was captain of the guard. +“Three went out, but only two return.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fool!” answered Umslopogaas. “Are you drunk with Halakazi +beer, or blind with sleep? Two went out, and two return. I sent him who was +with us back to the camp.” +</p> + +<p> +“So be it, father,” said the captain. “Two went out, and two +return. All is well!” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap27"></a>CHAPTER XXVII.<br /> +THE STAMPING OF THE FIRE</h2> + +<p> +On the morrow the impi awoke refreshed with sleep, and, after they had eaten, +Umslopogaas mustered them. Alas! nearly half of those who had seen the sun of +yesterday would wake no more forever. The Slaughterer mustered them and thanked +them for that which they had done, winning fame and cattle. They were merry, +recking little of those who were dead, and sang his praises and the praises of +Galazi in a loud song. When the song was ended Umslopogaas spoke to them again, +saying that the victory was great, and the cattle they had won were countless. +Yet something was lacking—she was lacking whom he came to seek to be a +gift to Dingaan the king, and for whose sake this war was made. Where now was +the Lily? Yesterday she had been here, clad in a moocha like a man and bearing +a shield; this he knew from the captives. Where, then, was she now? +</p> + +<p> +Then all the soldiers said that they had seen nothing of her. When they had +done, Galazi spoke a word, as was agreed between him and Umslopogaas. He said +that when they stormed the cave he had seen a man run at a warrior in the cave +to kill him. Then as he came, he who was about to be slain threw down the +shield and cried for mercy, and Galazi knew that this was no warrior of the +Halakazi, but a very beautiful girl. So he called to the man to let her alone +and not to touch her, for the order was that no women should be killed. But the +soldier, being mad with the lust of fight, shouted that maid or man she should +die, and slew her. Thereon, he—Galazi—in his wrath ran up and smote +the man with the Watcher and killed him also, and he prayed that he had done no +wrong. +</p> + +<p> +“You have done well, my brother,” said Umslopogaas. “Come +now, some of you, and let us look at this dead girl. Perhaps it is the Lily, +and if so that is unlucky for us, for I do not know what tale we shall tell to +Dingaan of the matter.” +</p> + +<p> +So the captains went with Umslopogaas and Galazi, and came to the spot where +the girl had been laid, and by her the man of the People of the Axe. +</p> + +<p> +“All is as the Wolf, my brother, has told,” said Umslopogaas, +waving the torch in his hand over the two who lay dead. “Here, without a +doubt, lies she who was named the Lily, whom we came to win, and by her that +fool who slew her, slain himself by the blow of the Watcher. An ill sight to +see, and an ill tale for me to tell at the kraal of Dingaan. Still, what is is, +and cannot be altered; and this maid who was the fairest of the fair is now +none too lovely to look on. Let us away!” And he turned swiftly, then +spoke again, saying:— +</p> + +<p> +“Bind up this dead girl in ox hides, cover her with salt, and let her be +brought with us.” And they did so. +</p> + +<p> +Then the captains said: “Surely it is so, my father; now it cannot be +altered, and Dingaan must miss his bride.” So said they all except that +man who had been captain of the guard when Umslopogaas and Galazi and another +passed through the archway. This man, indeed, said nothing, yet he was not +without his thoughts. For it seemed to him that he had seen three pass through +the archway, and not two. It seemed to him, moreover, that the kaross which the +third wore had slipped aside as she pressed past him, and that beneath it he +had seen the shape of a beautiful woman, and above it had caught the glint of a +woman’s eye—an eye full and dark, like a buck’s. +</p> + +<p> +Also, this captain noted that Bulalio called none of the captives to swear to +the body of the Lily maid, and that he shook the torch to and fro as he held it +over her—he whose hand was of the steadiest. All of this he kept in his +mind, forgetting nothing. +</p> + +<p> +Now it chanced afterwards, on the homeward march, my father, that Umslopogaas +had cause to speak angrily to this man, because he tried to rob another of his +share of the spoil of the Halakazi. He spoke sharply to him, degrading him from +his rank, and setting another over him. Also he took cattle from the man, and +gave them to him whom he would have robbed. +</p> + +<p> +And thereafter, though he was justly served, this man thought more and more of +the third who had passed through the arch of the cave and had not returned, and +who seemed to him to have a fair woman’s shape, and eyes which gleamed +like those of a woman. +</p> + +<p> +On that day, then, Umslopogaas began his march to the kraal Umgugundhlovu, +where Dingaan sat. But before he set his face homewards, in the presence of the +soldiers, he asked Galazi the Wolf if he would come back with him, or if he +desired to stay to be chief of the Halakazi, as he was by right of birth and +war. Then the Wolf laughed, and answered that he had come out to seek for +vengeance, and not for the place of a chief, also that there were few of the +Halakazi people left over whom he might rule if he wished. Moreover, he added +this: that, like twin trees, they two blood-brethren had grown up side by side +till their roots were matted together, and that, were one of them dug up and +planted in Swazi soil, he feared lest both should wither, or, at the least, +that he, Galazi, would wither, who loved but one man and certain wolves. +</p> + +<p> +So Umslopogaas said no more of the chieftainship, but began his journey. With +him he brought a great number of cattle, to be a gift for Dingaan, and a +multitude of captives, young women and children, for he would appease the heart +of Dingaan, because he did not bring her whom he sought—the Lily, flower +of flowers. Yet, because he was cautious and put little faith in the kindness +of kings, Umslopogaas, so soon as he reached the borders of Zululand, sent the +best of the cattle and the fairest of the maids and children on to the kraal of +the People of the Axe by the Ghost Mountain. And he who had been captain of the +guard but now was a common soldier noticed this also. +</p> + +<p> +Now it chanced that on a certain morning I, Mopo, sat in the kraal +Umgugundhlovu in attendance on Dingaan. For still I waited on the king, though +he had spoken no word to me, good or bad, since the yesterday, when I foretold +to him that in the blood of the white men whom he had betrayed grew the flower +of his own death. For, my father, it was on the morrow of the slaying of the +Amaboona that Umslopogaas came to the kraal Umgugundhlovu. +</p> + +<p> +Now the mind of Dingaan was heavy, and he sought something to lighten it. +Presently he bethought himself of the white praying man, who had come to the +kraal seeking to teach us people of the Zulu to worship other gods than the +assegai and the king. Now this was a good man, but no luck went with his +teaching, which was hard to understand; and, moreover, the indunas did not like +it, because it seemed to set a master over the master, and a king over the +king, and to preach of peace to those whose trade was war. Still, Dingaan sent +for the white man that he might dispute with him, for Dingaan thought that he +himself was the cleverest of all men. +</p> + +<p> +Now the white man came, but his face was pale, because of that which he had +seen befall the Boers, for he was gentle and hated such sights. The king bade +him be seated and spoke to him saying:— +</p> + +<p> +“The other day, O White Man, thou toldest me of a place of fire whither +those go after death who have done wickedly in life. Tell me now of thy wisdom, +do my fathers lie in that place?” +</p> + +<p> +“How can I know, King,” answered the prayer-doctor, “who may +not judge of the deeds of men? This I say only: that those who murder and rob +and oppress the innocent and bear false witness shall lie in that place of +fire.” +</p> + +<p> +“It seems that my fathers have done all these things, and if they are in +this place I would go there also, for I am minded to be with my fathers at the +last. Yet I think that I should find a way to escape if ever I came +there.” +</p> + +<p> +“How, King?” +</p> + +<p> +Now Dingaan had set this trap for the prayer-doctor. In the centre of that open +space where he had caused the Boers to be fallen upon he had built up a great +pyre of wood—brushwood beneath, and on top of the brushwood logs, and +even whole trees. Perhaps, my father, there were sixty full wagonloads of dry +wood piled together there in the centre of the place. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou shalt see with thine eyes, White Man,” he answered, and +bidding attendants set fire to the pile all round, he summoned that regiment of +young men which was left in the kraal. Maybe there were a thousand and half a +thousand of them—not more—the same that had slain the Boers. +</p> + +<p> +Now the fire began to burn fiercely, and the regiment filed in and took its +place in ranks. By the time that all had come, the pyre was everywhere a sheet +of raging flame, and, though we sat a hundred paces from it, its heat was great +when the wind turned our way. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, Doctor of Prayers, is thy hot place hotter than yonder fire?” +said the king. +</p> + +<p> +He answered that he did not know, but the fire was certainly hot. +</p> + +<p> +“Then I will show thee how I will come out of it if ever I go to lie in +such a fire—ay, though it be ten times as big and fierce. Ho! my +children!” he cried to the soldiers, and, springing up, “You see +yonder fire. Run swiftly and stamp it flat with your feet. Where there was fire +let there be blackness and ashes.” +</p> + +<p> +Now the White Man lifted his hands and prayed Dingaan not to do this thing that +should be the death of many, but the king bade him be silent. Then he turned +his eyes upward and prayed to his gods. For a moment also the soldiers looked +on each other in doubt, for the fire raged furiously, and spouts of flame shot +high toward the heaven, and above it and about it the hot air danced. But their +captain called to them loudly: “Great is the king! Hear the words of the +king, who honours you! Yesterday we ate up the Amaboona—it was nothing, +they were unarmed. There is a foe more worthy of our valour. Come, my children, +let us wash in the fire—we who are fiercer than the fire! Great is the +king who honours us!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spoke and ran forward, and, with a roar, after him sprang the soldiers, +rank by rank. They were brave men indeed; moreover, they knew that if death lay +before them death also awaited him who lagged behind, and it is far better to +die with honour than ashamed. On they went, as to the joy of battle, their +captain leading them, and as they went they sang the Ingomo, the war-chant of +the Zulu. Now the captain neared the raging fire; we saw him lift his shield to +keep off its heat. Then he was gone—he had sprung into the heart of the +furnace, and but little of him was ever found again. After him went the first +company. In they went, beating at the flames with their ox-hide shields, +stamping them out with their naked feet, tearing down the burning logs and +casting them aside. Not one man of that company lived, my father; they fell +down like moths which flutter through a candle, and where they fell they +perished. But after them came other companies, and it was well for those in +this fight who were last to grapple with the foe. Now a great smoke was mixed +with the flame, now the flame grew less and less, and the smoke more and more; +and now blackened men, hairless, naked, and blistered, white with the scorching +of the fire, staggered out on the farther side of the flames, falling to earth +here and there. After them came others; now there was no flame, only a great +smoke in which men moved dimly; and presently, my father, it was done: they had +conquered the fire, and that with but very little hurt to the last seven +companies, though every man had trodden it. How many perished?—nay, I +know not, they were never counted; but what between the dead and the injured +that regiment was at half strength till the king drafted more men into it. +</p> + +<p> +“See, Doctor of Prayers,” said Dingaan, with a laugh, “thus +shall I escape the fires of that land of which thou tellest, if such there be +indeed: I will bid my impis stamp them out.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the praying man went from the kraal saying that he would teach no more +among the Zulus, and afterwards he left the land. When he had gone the burnt +wood and the dead were cleared away, the injured were doctored or killed +according to their hurts, and those who had little harm came before the king +and praised him. +</p> + +<p> +“New shields and headdresses must be found for you, my children,” +said Dingaan, for the shields were black and shrivelled, and of heads of hair +and plumes there were but few left among that regiment. +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Wow!</i>” said Dingaan again, looking at the soldiers who still +lived: “shaving will be easy and cheap in that place of fire of which the +white man speaks.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he ordered beer to be brought to the men, for the heat had made them +thirsty. +</p> + +<p> +Now though you may not guess it, my father, I have told you this tale because +it has something to do with my story; for scarcely had the matter been ended +when messengers came, saying that Bulalio, chief of the People of the Axe, and +his impi were without, having returned with much spoil from the slaying of the +Halakazi in Swaziland. Now when I heard this my heart leapt for joy, seeing +that I had feared greatly for the fate of Umslopogaas, my fosterling. Dingaan +also was very glad, and, springing up, danced to and fro like a child. +</p> + +<p> +“Now at last we have good tidings,” he said, at once forgetting the +stamping of the fire, “and now shall my eyes behold that Lily whom my +hand has longed to pluck. Let Bulalio and his people enter swiftly.” +</p> + +<p> +For awhile there was silence; then from far away, without the high fence of the +great place, there came a sound of singing, and through the gates of the kraal +rushed two great men, wearing black plumes upon their heads, having black +shields in their left hands, and in their right, one an axe and one a club; +while about their shoulders were bound wolf-skins. They ran low, neck and neck, +with outstretched shields and heads held forward, as a buck runs when he is +hard pressed by dogs, and no such running had been seen in the kraal +Umgugundhlovu as the running of the Wolf-Brethren. Half across the space they +ran, and halted suddenly, and, as they halted, the dead ashes of the fire flew +up before their feet in a little cloud. +</p> + +<p> +“By my head! look, these come armed before me!” said Dingaan, +frowning, “and to do this is death. Now say who is that man, great and +fierce, who bears an axe aloft? Did I not know him dead I should say it was the +Black One, my brother, as he was in the days of the smiting of Zwide: so was +his head set on his shoulders and so he was wont to look round, like a +lion.” +</p> + +<p> +“I think that is Bulalio the Slaughterer, chief of the People of the Axe, +O King,” I answered. +</p> + +<p> +“And who is the other with him? He is a great man also. Never have I seen +such a pair!” +</p> + +<p> +“I think that is Galazi the Wolf, he who is blood-brother to the +Slaughterer, and his general,” I said again. +</p> + +<p> +Now after these two came the soldiers of the People of the Axe, armed with +short sticks alone. Four by four they came, all holding their heads low, and +with black shields outstretched, and formed themselves into companies behind +the Wolf-Brethren, till all were there. Then, after them, the crowd of the +Halakazi slaves were driven in,—women, boys, and maids, a great +number—and they stood behind the ranks huddled together like frightened +calves. +</p> + +<p> +“A gallant sight, truly!” said Dingaan, as he looked upon the +companies of black-plumed and shielded warriors. “I have no better +soldiers in my impis, and yet my eyes behold these for the first time,” +and again he frowned. +</p> + +<p> +Now suddenly Umslopogaas lifted his axe and started forward at full speed, and +after him thundered the companies. On they rushed, and their plumes lay back +upon the wind, till it seemed as though they must stamp us flat. But when he +was within ten paces of the king Umslopogaas lifted Groan-Maker again, and +Galazi held the Watcher on high, and every man halted where he was, while once +more the dust flew up in clouds. They halted in long, unbroken lines, with +outstretched shields and heads held low; no man’s head rose more than the +length of a dance kerrie from the earth. So they stood one minute, then, for +the third time, Umslopogaas lifted Groan-Maker, and in an instant every man +straightened himself, each shield was tossed on high, and from every throat was +roared the royal salute, “<i>Bayéte!</i>” +</p> + +<p> +“A pretty sight forsooth,” quoth Dingaan; “but these soldiers +are too well drilled who have never done me service nor the Black One who was +before me, and this Slaughterer is too good a captain, I say. Come hither, ye +twain!” he cried aloud. +</p> + +<p> +Then the Wolf-Brethren strode forward and stood before the king, and for awhile +they looked upon each other. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap28"></a>CHAPTER XXVIII.<br /> +THE LILY IS BROUGHT TO DINGAAN</h2> + +<p> +“How are you named?” said Dingaan. +</p> + +<p> +“We are named Bulalio the Slaughterer and Galazi the Wolf, O King,” +answered Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +“Was it thou who didst send a certain message to the Black One who is +dead, Bulalio?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, O King, I sent a message, but from all I have heard, Masilo, my +messenger, gave more than the message, for he stabbed the Black One. Masilo had +an evil heart.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Dingaan winced, for he knew well that he himself and one Mopo had stabbed +the Black One, but he thought that this outland chief had not heard the tale, +so he said no more of the message. +</p> + +<p> +“How is it that ye dare to come before me armed? Know ye not the rule +that he who appears armed before the king dies?” +</p> + +<p> +“We have not heard that law, O King,” said Umslopogaas. +“Moreover, there is this to be told: by virtue of the axe I bear I rule +alone. If I am seen without the axe, then any man may take my place who can, +for the axe is chieftainess of the People of the Axe, and he who holds it is +its servant.” +</p> + +<p> +“A strange custom,” said Dingaan, “but let it pass. And thou, +Wolf, what hast thou to say of that great club of thine?” +</p> + +<p> +“There is this to be told of the club, O King,” answered Galazi: +“by virtue of the club I guard my life. If I am seen without the club, +then may any man take my life who can, for the club is my Watcher, not I +Watcher of the club.” +</p> + +<p> +“Never wast thou nearer to the losing of both club and life,” said +Dingaan, angrily. +</p> + +<p> +“It may be so, O King,” answered the Wolf. “When the hour is, +then, without a doubt, the Watcher shall cease from his watching.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye are a strange pair,” quoth Dingaan. “Where have you been +now, and what is your business at the Place of the Elephant?” +</p> + +<p> +“We have been in a far country, O King!” answered Umslopogaas. +“We have wandered in a distant land to search for a Flower to be a gift +to a king, and in our searching we have trampled down a Swazi garden, and +yonder are some of those who tended it”—and he pointed to the +captives—“and without are the cattle that ploughed it.” +</p> + +<p> +“Good, Slaughterer! I see the gardeners, and I hear the lowing of the +cattle, but what of the Flower? Where is this Flower ye went so far to dig in +Swazi soil? Was it a Lily-bloom, perchance?” +</p> + +<p> +“It was a Lily-bloom, O King! and yet, alas! the Lily has withered. +Nothing is left but the stalk, white and withered as are the bones of +men.” +</p> + +<p> +“What meanest thou?” said Dingaan, starting to his feet. +</p> + +<p> +“That the king shall learn,” answered Umslopogaas; and, turning, he +spoke a word to the captains who were behind him. Presently the ranks opened +up, and four men ran forward from the rear of the companies. On their shoulders +they bore a stretcher, and upon the stretcher lay something wrapped about with +raw ox-hides, and bound round with rimpis. The men saluted, and laid their +burden down before the king. +</p> + +<p> +“Open!” said the Slaughterer; and they opened, and there within the +hides, packed in salt, lay the body of a girl who once was tall and fair. +</p> + +<p> +“Here lies the Lily’s stalk, O King!” said Umslopogaas, +pointing with the axe, “but if her flower blooms on any air, it is not +here.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Dingaan stared at the sight of death, and bitterness of heart took hold of +him, since he desired above all things to win the beauty of the Lily for +himself. +</p> + +<p> +“Bear away this carrion and cast it to the dogs!” he cried, for +thus he could speak of her whom he would have taken to wife, when once he +deemed her dead. “Take it away, and thou, Slaughterer, tell me how it +came about that the maid was slain. It will be well for thee if thou hast a +good answer, for know thy life hangs on the words.” +</p> + +<p> +So Umslopogaas told the king all that tale which had been made ready against +the wrath of Dingaan. And when he had finished Galazi told his story, of how he +had seen the soldier kill the maid, and in his wrath had killed the soldier. +Then certain of the captains who had seen the soldier and the maid lying in one +death came forward and spoke to it. +</p> + +<p> +Now Dingaan was very angry, and yet there was nothing to be done. The Lily was +dead, and by no fault of any except of one, who was also dead and beyond his +reach. +</p> + +<p> +“Get you hence, you and your people,” he said to the Wolf-Brethren. +“I take the cattle and the captives. Be thankful that I do not take all +your lives also—first, because ye have dared to make war without my word, +and secondly, because, having made war, ye have so brought it about that, +though ye bring me the body of her I sought, ye do not bring the life.” +</p> + +<p> +Now when the king spoke of taking the lives of all the People of the Axe, +Umslopogaas smiled grimly and glanced at his companies. Then saluting the king, +he turned to go. But as he turned a man sprang forwards from the ranks and +called to Dingaan, saying:— +</p> + +<p> +“Is it granted that I may speak truth before the king, and afterwards +sleep in the king’s shadow?” +</p> + +<p> +Now this was that man who had been captain of the guard on the night when three +passed out through the archway and two returned, that same man whom Umslopogaas +had degraded from his rank. +</p> + +<p> +“Speak on, thou art safe,” answered Dingaan. +</p> + +<p> +“O King, thy ears have been filled with lies,” said the soldier. +“Hearken, O King! I was captain of the guard of the gate on that night of +the slaying of the Halakazi. Three came to the gate of the mountain—they +were Bulalio, the Wolf Galazi, and another. That other was tall and slim, +bearing a shield high—so. As the third passed the gate, the kaross he +wore brushed against me and slipped aside. Beneath that kaross was no +man’s breast, O King, but the shape of a woman, almost white in colour, +and very fair. In drawing back the kaross this third one moved the shield. +Behind that shield was no man’s face, O King, but the face of a girl, +lovelier than the moon, and having eyes brighter than the stars. Three went out +at the mountain gate, O King, only two returned, and, peeping after them, it +seemed that I saw the third running swiftly across the plains, as a young maid +runs, O King. This also, Elephant, Bulalio yonder denied me when, as captain of +the guard, I asked for the third who had passed the gate, saying that only two +had passed. Further, none of the captives were called to swear to the body of +the maid, and now it is too late, and that man who lay beside her was not +killed by Galazi in the cave. He was killed outside the cave by a blow of a +Halakazi kerrie. I saw him fall with my own eyes, and slew the man who smote +him. One thing more, King of the World, the best of the captives and the cattle +are not here for a gift to thee—they are at the kraal of Bulalio, Chief +of the People of the Axe. I have spoken, O King, yes, because my heart loves +not lies. I have spoken the truth, and now do thou protect me from these +Wolf-Brethren, O King, for they are very fierce.” +</p> + +<p> +Now all this while that the traitor told his tale Umslopogaas, inch by inch, +was edging near to him and yet nearer, till at length he might have touched him +with an outstretched spear. None noted him except I, Mopo, alone, and perhaps +Galazi, for all were watching the face of Dingaan as men watch a storm that is +about to burst. +</p> + +<p> +“Fear thou not the Wolf-Brethren, soldier,” gasped Dingaan, rolling +his red eyes; “the paw of the Lion guards thee, my servant.” +</p> + +<p> +Ere the words had left the king’s lips the Slaughterer leapt. He leaped +full on to the traitor, speaking never a word, and oh! his eyes were awful. He +leaped upon him, he seized him with his hands, lifting no weapon, and in his +terrible might he broke him as a child breaks a stick—nay, I know not +how, it was too swift to see. He broke him, and, hurling him on high, cast him +dead at the feet of Dingaan, crying in a great voice:— +</p> + +<p> +“Take thy servant, King! Surely he ‘sleeps in thy +shadow’!” +</p> + +<p> +Then there was silence, only through the silence was heard a gasp of fear and +wonder, for no such deed as this had been wrought in the presence of the +king—no, not since the day of Senzangacona the Root. +</p> + +<p> +Now Dingaan spoke, and his voice came thick with rage, and his limbs trembled. +</p> + +<p> +“Slay him!” he hissed. “Slay the dog and all those with +him!” +</p> + +<p> +“Now we come to a game which I can play,” answered Umslopogaas. +“Ho, People of the Axe! Will you stand to be slaughtered by these singed +rats?” and he pointed with Groan-Maker at those warriors who had escaped +without hurt in the fire, but whose faces the fire had scorched. +</p> + +<p> +Then for answer a great shout went up, a shout and a roar of laughter. And this +was the shout:— +</p> + +<p> +“No, Slaughterer, not so are we minded!” and right and left they +faced to meet the foe, while from all along the companies came the crackling of +the shaken shields. +</p> + +<p> +Back sprang Umslopogaas to head his men; forward leaped the soldiers of the +king to work the king’s will, if so they might. And Galazi the Wolf also +sprang forward, towards Dingaan, and, as he sprang, swung up the Watcher, +crying in a great voice:— +</p> + +<p> +“Hold!” +</p> + +<p> +Again there was silence, for men saw that the shadow of the Watcher lay dark +upon the head of Dingaan. +</p> + +<p> +“It is a pity that many should die when one will suffice,” cried +the Wolf again. “Let a blow be struck, and where his shadow lies there +shall the Watcher be, and lo! the world will lack a king. A word, King!” +</p> + +<p> +Now Dingaan looked up at the great man who stood above him, and felt the shadow +of the shining club lie cold upon his brow, and again he shook—this time +it was with fear. +</p> + +<p> +“Begone in peace!” he said. +</p> + +<p> +“A good word for thee, King,” said the Wolf, grinning, and slowly +he drew himself backwards towards the companies, saying, “Praise the +king! The king bids his children go in peace.” +</p> + +<p> +But when Dingaan felt that his brow was no longer cold with the shadow of death +his rage came back to him, and he would have called to the soldiers to fall +upon the People of the Axe, only I stayed him, saying:— +</p> + +<p> +“Thy death is in it, O King; the Slaughterer will grind such men as thou +hast here beneath his feet, and then once more shall the Watcher look upon +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Dingaan saw that this was true, and gave no command, for he had only those +men with him whom the fire had left. All the rest were gone to slaughter the +Boers in Natal. Still, he must have blood, so he turned on me. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou art a traitor, Mopo, as I have known for long, and I will serve +thee as yonder dog served his faithless servant!” and he thrust at me +with the assegai in his hand. +</p> + +<p> +But I saw the stroke, and, springing high into the air, avoided it. Then I +turned and fled very swiftly, and after me came certain of the soldiers. The +way was not far to the last company of the People of the Axe; moreover, it saw +me coming, and, headed by Umslopogaas, who walked behind them all, ran to meet +me. Then the soldiers who followed to kill me hung back out of reach of the +axe. +</p> + +<p> +“Here with the king is no place for me any more, my son,” I said to +Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +“Fear not, my father, I will find you a place,” he answered. +</p> + +<p> +Then I called a message to the soldiers who followed me, saying:— +</p> + +<p> +“Tell this to the king: that he has done ill to drive me from him, for I, +Mopo, set him on the throne and I alone can hold him there. Tell him this also, +that he will do yet worse to seek me where I am, for that day when we are once +more face to face shall be his day of death. Thus speaks Mopo the +<i>inyanga</i>, Mopo the doctor, who never yet prophesied that which should not +be.” +</p> + +<p> +Then we marched from the kraal Umgugundhlovu, and when next I saw that kraal it +was to burn all of it which Dingaan had left unburnt, and when next I saw +Dingaan—ah! that is to be told of, my father. +</p> + +<p> +We marched from the kraal, none hindering us, for there were none to hinder, +and after we had gone a little way Umslopogaas halted and said:— +</p> + +<p> +“Now it is in my mind to return whence we came and slay this Dingaan, ere +he slay me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yet it is well to leave a frightened lion in his thicket, my son, for a +lion at bay is hard to handle. Doubt not that every man, young and old, in +Umgugundhlovu now stands armed about the gates, lest such a thought should take +you, my son; and though just now he was afraid, yet Dingaan will strike for his +life. When you might have killed you did not kill; now the hour has +gone.” +</p> + +<p> +“Wise words!” said Galazi. “I would that the Watcher had +fallen where his shadow fell.” +</p> + +<p> +“What is your counsel now, father?” asked Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +“This, then: that you two should abide no more beneath the shadow of the +Ghost Mountain, but should gather your people and your cattle, and pass to the +north on the track of Mosilikatze the Lion, who broke away from Chaka. There +you may rule apart or together, and never dream of Dingaan.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will not do that, father,” he answered. “I will dwell +beneath the shadow of the Ghost Mountain while I may.” +</p> + +<p> +“And so will I,” said Galazi, “or rather among its rocks. +What! shall my wolves lack a master when they would go a-hunting? Shall +Greysnout and Blackfang, Blood and Deathgrip, and their company black and grey, +howl for me in vain?” +</p> + +<p> +“So be it, children. Ye are young and will not listen to the counsel of +the old. Let it befall as it chances.” +</p> + +<p> +I spoke thus, for I did not know then why Umslopogaas would not leave his +kraals. It was for this reason: because he had bidden Nada to meet him there. +</p> + +<p> +Afterwards, when he found her he would have gone, but then the sky was clear, +the danger-clouds had melted for awhile. +</p> + +<p> +Oh! that Umslopogaas my fosterling had listened to me! Now he would have +reigned as a king, not wandered an outcast in strange lands I know not where; +and Nada should have lived, not died, nor would the People of the Axe have +ceased to be a people. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +This of Dingaan. When he heard my message he grew afraid once more, for he knew +me to be no liar. +</p> + +<p> +Therefore he held his hand for awhile, sending no impi to smite Umslopogaas, +lest it might come about that I should bring him his death as I had promised. +And before the fear had worn away, it happened that Dingaan’s hands were +full with the war against the Amaboona, because of his slaughter of the white +people, and he had no soldiers to spare with whom to wreak vengeance on a petty +chief living far away. +</p> + +<p> +Yet his rage was great because of what had chanced, and, after his custom, he +murdered many innocent people to satisfy it. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap29"></a>CHAPTER XXIX.<br /> +MOPO TELLS HIS TALE</h2> + +<p> +Now afterwards, as we went upon our road, Umslopogaas told me all there was to +tell of the slaying of the Halakazi and of the finding of Nada. +</p> + +<p> +When I heard that Nada, my daughter, still lived, I wept for joy, though like +Umslopogaas I was torn by doubt and fear, for it is far for an unaided maid to +travel from Swaziland to the Ghost Mountain. Yet all this while I said nothing +to Umslopogaas of the truth as to his birth, because on the journey there were +many around us, and the very trees have ears, and the same wind to which we +whispered might whisper to the king. Still I knew that the hour had come now +when I must speak, for it was in my mind to bring it about that Umslopogaas +should be proclaimed the son of Chaka, and be made king of the Zulus in the +place of Dingaan, his uncle. Yet all these things had gone cross for us, +because it was fated so, my father. Had I known that Umslopogaas still lived +when I slew Chaka, then I think that I could have brought it about that he +should be king. Or had things fallen out as I planned, and the Lily maid been +brought to Dingaan, and Umslopogaas grew great in his sight, then, perhaps, I +could have brought it about. But all things had gone wrong. The Lily was none +other than Nada; and how could Umslopogaas give Nada, whom he thought his +sister, and who was my daughter, to Dingaan against her will? Also, because of +Nada, Dingaan and Umslopogaas were now at bitter enmity, and for this same +cause I was disgraced and a fugitive, and my counsels would no longer be heard +in the ear of the king. +</p> + +<p> +So everything must be begun afresh: and as I walked with the impi towards the +Ghost Mountain, I thought much and often of the manner in which this might be +done. But as yet I said nothing. +</p> + +<p> +Now at last we were beneath the Ghost Mountain, and looked upon the face of the +old Witch who sits there aloft forever waiting for the world to die; and that +same night we came to the kraal of the People of the Axe, and entered it with a +great singing. But Galazi did not enter at that time; he was away to the +mountain to call his flock of wolves, and as we passed its foot we heard the +welcome that the wolves howled in greeting to him. +</p> + +<p> +Now as we drew near the kraal, all the women and children came out to meet us, +headed by Zinita, the head wife of Umslopogaas. They came joyfully, but when +they found how many were wanting who a moon before had gone thence to fight, +their joy was turned to mourning, and the voice of their weeping went up to +heaven. +</p> + +<p> +Umslopogaas greeted Zinita kindly; and yet I thought that there was something +lacking. At first she spoke to him softly, but when she learned all that had +come to pass, her words were not soft, for she reviled me and sang a loud song +at Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +“See now, Slaughterer,” she said, “see now what has come +about because you listened to this aged fool!”—that was I, my +father—“this fool who calls himself ‘Mouth’! Ay, a +mouth he is, a mouth out of which proceed folly and lies! What did he counsel +you to do?—to go up against these Halakazi and win a girl for Dingaan! +And what have you done?—you have fallen upon the Halakazi, and doubtless +have killed many innocent people with that great axe of yours, also you have +left nearly half of the soldiers of the Axe to whiten in the Swazi caves, and +in exchange have brought back certain cattle of a small breed, and girls and +children whom we must nourish! +</p> + +<p> +“Nor does the matter end here. You went, it seems, to win a girl whom +Dingaan desired, yet when you find that girl you let her go, because, indeed, +you say she was your sister and would not wed Dingaan. Forsooth, is not the +king good enough for this sister of yours? Now what is the end of the tale? You +try to play tricks on the king, because of your sister, and are found out. Then +you kill a man before Dingaan and escape, bringing this fool of an aged Mouth +with you, that he may teach you his own folly. So you have lost half of your +men, and you have gained the king for a foe who shall bring about the death of +all of us, and a fool for a councillor. <i>Wow!</i> Slaughterer, keep to your +trade and let others find you wit.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spoke without ceasing, and there was some truth in her words. Zinita +had a bitter tongue. I sat silent till she had finished, and Umslopogaas also +remained silent, though his anger was great, because there was no crack in her +talk through which a man might thrust a word. +</p> + +<p> +“Peace, woman!” I said at length, “do not speak ill of those +who are wise and who had seen much before you were born.” +</p> + +<p> +“Speak no ill of him who is my father,” growled Umslopogaas. +“Ay! though you do not know it, this Mouth whom you revile is Mopo, my +father.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then there is a man among the People of the Axe who has a fool for a +father. Of all tidings this is the worst.” +</p> + +<p> +“There is a man among the People of the Axe who has a jade and a scold +for a wife,” said Umslopogaas, springing up. “Begone, +Zinita!—and know this, that if I hear you snarl such words of him who is +my father, you shall go further than your own hut, for I will put you away and +drive you from my kraal. I have suffered you too long.” +</p> + +<p> +“I go,” said Zinita. “Oh! I am well served! I made you chief, +and now you threaten to put me away.” +</p> + +<p> +“My own hands made me chief,” said Umslopogaas, and, springing up, +he thrust her from the hut. +</p> + +<p> +“It is a poor thing to be wedded to such a woman, my father,” he +said presently. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, a poor thing, Umslopogaas, yet these are the burdens that men must +bear. Learn wisdom from it, Umslopogaas, and have as little to do with women as +may be; at the least, do not love them overmuch, so shall you find the more +peace.” Thus I spoke, smiling, and would that he had listened to my +counsel, for it is the love of women which has brought ruin on Umslopogaas! +</p> + +<p> +All this was many years ago, and but lately I have heard that Umslopogaas is +fled into the North, and become a wanderer to his death because of the matter +of a woman who had betrayed him, making it seem that he had murdered one +Loustra, who was his blood brother, just as Galazi had been. I do not know how +it came about, but he who was so fierce and strong had that weakness like his +uncle Dingaan, and it has destroyed him at the last, and for this cause I shall +behold him no more. +</p> + +<p> +Now, my father, for awhile we were silent and alone in the hut, and as we sat I +thought I heard a rat stir in the thatch. +</p> + +<p> +Then I spoke. “Umslopogaas, at length the hour has come that I should +whisper something into your ear, a word which I have held secret ever since you +were born.” +</p> + +<p> +“Speak on, my father,” he said, wondering. +</p> + +<p> +I crept to the door of the hut and looked out. The night was dark and I could +see none about, and could hear no one move, yet, being cautious, I walked round +the hut. Ah, my father, when you have a secret to tell, be not so easily +deceived. It is not enough to look forth and to peer round. Dig beneath the +floor, and search the roof also; then, having done all this, go elsewhere and +tell your tale. The woman was right: I was but a fool, for all my wisdom and my +white hairs. Had I not been a fool I would have smoked out that rat in the +thatch before ever I opened my lips. For the rat was Zinita, my +father—Zinita, who had climbed the hut, and now lay there in the dark, +her ear upon the smoke-hole, listening to every word that passed. It was a +wicked thing to do, and, moreover, the worst of omens, but there is little +honour among women when they learn that which others wish to hide away from +them, nor, indeed, do they then weight omens. +</p> + +<p> +So having searched and found nothing, I spoke to Umslopogaas, my fosterling, +not knowing that death in a woman’s shape lay on the hut above us. +“Hearken,” I said, “you are no son of mine, Umslopogaas, +though you have called me father from a babe. You spring from a loftier stock, +Slaughterer.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yet I was well pleased with my fathering, old man,” said +Umslopogaas. “The breed is good enough for me. Say, then, whose son am +I?” +</p> + +<p> +Now I bent forward and whispered to him, yet, alas! not low enough. “You +are the son of the Black One who is dead, yea, sprung from the blood of Chaka +and of Baleka, my sister.” +</p> + +<p> +“I still have some kinship with you then, Mopo, and that I am glad of. +<i>Wow!</i> who would have guessed that I was the son of the <i>Silwana</i>, of +that hyena man? Perhaps it is for this reason that, like Galazi, I love the +company of the wolves, though no love grows in my heart for my father or any of +his house.” +</p> + +<p> +“You have little cause to love him, Umslopogaas, for he murdered your +mother, Baleka, and would have slain you also. But you are the son of Chaka and +of no other man.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well, his eyes must be keen indeed, my uncle, who can pick his own +father out of a crowd. And yet I once heard this tale before, though I had long +forgotten it.” +</p> + +<p> +“From whom did you hear it, Umslopogaas? An hour since, it was known to +one alone, the others are dead who knew it. Now it is known to +two”—ah! my father, I did not guess of the third;—“from +whom, then, did you hear it?” +</p> + +<p> +“It was from the dead; at least, Galazi the Wolf heard it from the dead +One who sat in the cave on Ghost Mountain, for the dead One told him that a man +would come to be his brother who should be named Umslopogaas Bulalio, son of +Chaka, and Galazi repeated it to me, but I had long forgotten it.” +</p> + +<p> +“It seems that there is wisdom among the dead,” I answered, +“for lo! to-day you are named Umslopogaas Bulalio, and to-day I declare +you the son of Chaka. But listen to my tale.” +</p> + +<p> +Then I told him all the story from the hour of his birth onwards, and when I +spoke of the words of his mother, Baleka, after I had told my dream to her, and +of the manner of her death by the command of Chaka, and of the great fashion in +which she had died, then, I say, Umslopogaas wept, who, I think, seldom wept +before or after. But as my tale drew it its end I saw that he listened ill, as +a man listens who has a weightier matter pressing on his heart, and before it +was well done he broke in:— +</p> + +<p> +“So, Mopo, my uncle, if I am the son of Chaka and Baleka, Nada the Lily +is no sister to me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, Umslopogaas, she is only your cousin.” +</p> + +<p> +“Over near of blood,” he said; “yet that shall not stand +between us,” and his face grew glad. +</p> + +<p> +I looked at him in question. +</p> + +<p> +“You grow dull, my uncle. This is my meaning: that I will marry Nada if +she still lives, for it comes upon me now that I have never loved any woman as +I love Nada the Lily,” and while he spoke, I heard the rat stir in the +thatch of the hut. +</p> + +<p> +“Wed her if you will, Umslopogaas,” I answered, “yet I think +that one Zinita, your <i>Inkosikasi</i>, will find words to say in the +matter.” +</p> + +<p> +“Zinita is my head wife indeed, but shall she hold me back from taking +other wives, after the lawful custom of our people?” he asked angrily, +and his anger showed that he feared the wrath of Zinita. +</p> + +<p> +“The custom is lawful and good,” I said, “but it has bred +trouble at times. Zinita can have little to say if she continues in her place +and you still love her as of old. But enough of her. Nada is not yet at your +gates, and perhaps she will never find them. See, Umslopogaas, it is my desire +that you should rule in Zululand by right of blood, and, though things point +otherwise, yet I think a way can be found to bring it about.” +</p> + +<p> +“How so?” he asked. +</p> + +<p> +“Thus: Many of the great chiefs who are friends to me hate Dingaan and +fear him, and did they know that a son of Chaka lived, and that son the +Slaughterer, he well might climb to the throne upon their shoulders. Also the +soldiers love the name of Chaka, though he dealt cruelly with them, because at +least he was brave and generous. But they do not love Dingaan, for his burdens +are the burdens of Chaka but his gifts are the gifts of Dingaan; therefore they +would welcome Chaka’s son if once they knew him for certain. But it is +here that the necklet chafes, for there is but my word to prove it. Yet I will +try.” +</p> + +<p> +“Perhaps it is worth trying and perhaps it is not, my uncle,” +answered Umslopogaas. “One thing I know: I had rather see Nada at my +gates to-night than hear all the chiefs in the land crying ‘Hail, O +King!’” +</p> + +<p> +“You will live to think otherwise, Umslopogaas; and now spies must be set +at the kraal Umgugundhlovu to give us warning of the mind of the king, lest he +should send an impi suddenly to eat you up. Perhaps his hands may be too full +for that ere long, for those white Amaboona will answer his assegais with +bullets. And one more word: let nothing be said of this matter of your birth, +least of all to Zinita your wife, or to any other woman.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fear not, uncle,” he answered; “I know how to be +silent.” +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Now after awhile Umslopogaas left me and went to the hut of Zinita, his +<i>Inkosikasi</i>, where she lay wrapped in her blankets, and, as it seemed, +asleep. +</p> + +<p> +“Greeting, my husband,” she said slowly, like one who wakens. +“I have dreamed a strange dream of you. I dreamed that you were called a +king, and that all the regiments of the Zulus filed past giving you the royal +salute, <i>Bayéte</i>.” +</p> + +<p> +Umslopogaas looked at her wondering, for he did not know if she had learned +something or if this was an omen. “Such dreams are dangerous,” he +said, “and he who dreams them does well to lock them fast till they be +forgotten.” +</p> + +<p> +“Or fulfilled,” said Zinita, and again Umslopogaas looked at her +wondering. +</p> + +<p> +Now after this night I began my work, for I established spies at the kraal of +Dingaan, and from them I learned all that passed with the king. +</p> + +<p> +At first he gave orders that an impi should be summoned to eat up the People of +the Axe, but afterwards came tidings that the Boers, to the number of five +hundred mounted men, were marching on the kraal Umgugundhlovu. So Dingaan had +no impi to spare to send to the Ghost Mountain, and we who were beneath its +shadow dwelt there in peace. +</p> + +<p> +This time the Boers were beaten, for Bogoza, the spy, led them into an ambush; +still few were killed, and they did but draw back that they might jump the +further, and Dingaan knew this. At this time also the English white men of +Natal, the people of George, who attacked Dingaan by the Lower Tugela, were +slain by our soldiers, and those with them. +</p> + +<p> +Also, by the help of certain witch-doctors, I filled the land with rumours, +prophecies, and dark sayings, and I worked cunningly on the minds of many +chiefs that were known to me, sending them messages hardly to be understood, +such as should prepare their thoughts for the coming of one who should be +declared to them. They listened, but the task was long, for the men dwelt far +apart, and some of them were away with the regiments. +</p> + +<p> +So the time went by, till many days had passed since we reached the Ghost +Mountain. Umslopogaas had no more words with Zinita, but she always watched +him, and he went heavily. For he awaited Nada, and Nada did not come. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +But at length Nada came. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap30"></a>CHAPTER XXX.<br /> +THE COMING OF NADA</h2> + +<p> +One night—it was a night of full moon—I sat alone with Umslopogaas +in my hut, and we spoke of the matter of our plots; then, when we had finished +that talk, we spoke of Nada the Lily. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas! my uncle,” said Umslopogaas sadly, “we shall never +look more on Nada; she is surely dead or in bonds, otherwise she had been here +long ago. I have sought far and wide, and can hear no tidings and find +nothing.” +</p> + +<p> +“All that is hidden is not lost,” I answered, yet I myself believed +that there was an end of Nada. +</p> + +<p> +Then we were silent awhile, and presently, in the silence, a dog barked. We +rose, and crept out of the hut to see what it might be that stirred, for the +night drew on, and it was needful to be wary, since a dog might bark at the +stirring of a leaf, or perhaps it might be the distant footfall of an impi that +it heard. +</p> + +<p> +We had not far to look, for standing gazing at the huts, like one who is afraid +to call, was a tall slim man, holding an assegai in one hand and a little +shield in the other. We could not see the face of the man, because the light +was behind him, and a ragged blanket hung about his shoulders. Also, he was +footsore, for he rested on one leg. Now we were peering round the hut, and its +shadow hid us, so that the man saw nothing. For awhile he stood still, then he +spoke to himself, and his voice was strangely soft. +</p> + +<p> +“Here are many huts,” said the voice, “now how may I know +which is the house of my brother? Perhaps if I call I shall bring soldiers to +me, and be forced to play the man before them, and I am weary of that. Well, I +will lie here under the fence till morning; it is a softer bed than some I have +found, and I am worn out with travel—sleep I must,” and the figure +sighed and turned so that the light of the moon fell full upon its face. +</p> + +<p> +My father, it was the face of Nada, my daughter, whom I had not seen for so +many years, yet across the years I knew it at once; yes, though the bud had +become a flower I knew it. The face was weary and worn, but ah! it was +beautiful, never before nor since have I seen such beauty, for there was this +about the loveliness of my daughter, the Lily: it seemed to flow from +within—yes, as light will flow through the thin rind of a gourd, and in +that she differed from the other women of our people, who, when they are fair +are fair with the flesh alone. +</p> + +<p> +Now my heart went out to Nada as she stood in the moonlight, one forsaken, not +having where to lay her head, Nada, who alone was left alive of all my +children. I motioned to Umslopogaas to hide himself in the shadow, and stepped +forward. +</p> + +<p> +“Ho!” I said roughly, “who are you, wanderer, and what do you +here?” +</p> + +<p> +Now Nada started like a frightened bird, but quickly gathered up her thoughts, +and turned upon me in a lordly way. +</p> + +<p> +“Who are you that ask me?” she said, feigning a man’s voice. +</p> + +<p> +“One who can use a stick upon thieves and night-prowlers, boy. Come, show +your business or be moving. You are not of this people; surely that moocha is +of a Swazi make, and here we do not love Swazis.” +</p> + +<p> +“Were you not old, I would beat you for your insolence,” said Nada, +striving to look brave and all the while searching a way to escape. +“Also, I have no stick, only a spear, and that is for warriors, not for +an old <i>umfagozan</i> like you.” Ay, my father, I lived to hear my +daughter name me an <i>umfagozan</i>—a low fellow! +</p> + +<p> +Now making pretence to be angry, I leaped at her with my kerrie up, and, +forgetting her courage, she dropped her spear, and uttered a little scream. But +she still held the shield before her face. I seized her by the arm, and struck +a blow upon the shield with my kerrie—it would scarcely have crushed a +fly, but this brave warrior trembled sorely. +</p> + +<p> +“Where now is your valour, you who name me <i>umfagozan?</i>” I +said: “you who cry like a maid and whose arm is soft as a +maid’s.” +</p> + +<p> +She made no answer, but hugged her tattered blanket round her, and shifting my +grip from her arm, I seized it and rent it, showing her breast and shoulder; +then I let her go, laughing, and said:— +</p> + +<p> +“Lo! here is the warrior that would beat an old <i>umfagozan</i> for his +insolence, a warrior well shaped for war! Now, my pretty maid who wander at +night in the garment of a man, what tale have you to tell? Swift with it, lest +I drag you to the chief as his prize! The old man seeks a new wife, they tell +me?” +</p> + +<p> +Now when Nada saw that I had discovered her she threw down the shield after the +spear, as a thing that was of no more use, and hung her head sullenly. But when +I spoke of dragging her to the chief then she flung herself upon the ground, +and clasped my knees, for since I called him old, she thought that this chief +could not be Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, my father,” said the Lily, “oh, my father, have pity on +me! Yes, yes! I am a girl, a maid—no wife—and you who are old, you, +perchance have daughters such as I, and in their name I ask for pity. My +father, I have journeyed far, I have endured many things, to find my way to a +kraal where my brother rules, and now it seems I have come to the wrong kraal. +Forgive me that I spoke to you so, my father; it was but a woman’s feint, +and I was hard pressed to hide my sex, for my father, you know it is ill to be +a lonely girl among strange men.” +</p> + +<p> +Now I said nothing in answer, for this reason only: that when I heard Nada call +me father, not knowing me, and saw her clasp my knees and pray to me in my +daughter’s name, I, who was childless save for her, went nigh to weeping. +But she thought that I did not answer her because I was angry, and about to +drag her to this unknown chief, and implored me the more even with tears. +</p> + +<p> +“My father,” she said, “do not this wicked thing by me. Let +me go and show me the path that I shall ask: you who are old, you know that I +am too fair to be dragged before this chief of yours. Hearken! All I knew are +dead, I am alone except for this brother I seek. Oh! if you betray me may such +a fate fall upon your own daughter also! May she also know the day of slavery, +and the love that she wills not!” and she ceased, sobbing. +</p> + +<p> +Now I turned my head and spoke towards the hut, “Chief,” I said, +“your <i>Ehlosé</i> is kind to you to-night, for he has given you a maid +fair as the Lily of the Halakazi”—here Nada glanced up wildly. +“Come, then, and take the girl.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Nada turned to snatch up the assegai from the ground, but whether to kill +me, or the chief she feared so much, or herself, I do not know, and as she +turned, in her woe she called upon the name of Umslopogaas. She found the +assegai, and straightened herself again. And lo! there before her stood a tall +chief leaning on an axe; but the old man who threatened her was gone—not +very far, in truth, but round the corner of the hut. +</p> + +<p> +Now Nada the Lily looked, then rubbed her eyes, and looked again. +</p> + +<p> +“Surely I dream?” she said at last. “But now I spoke to an +old man, and in his place there stands before me the shape of one whom I desire +to see.” +</p> + +<p> +“I thought, Maiden, that the voice of a certain Nada called upon one +Umslopogaas,” said he who leaned upon the axe. +</p> + +<p> +“Ay, I called: but where is the old man who treated me so scurvily? Nay, +what does it matter?—where he is, there let him stop. At least, you are +Umslopogaas, my brother, or should be by your greatness and the axe. To the man +I cannot altogether swear in this light; but to the axe I can swear, for once +it passed so very near my eyes.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spoke on, gaining time, and all the while she watched Umslopogaas till +she was sure that it was he and no other. Then she ceased talking, and, +flinging herself on him, she kissed him. +</p> + +<p> +“Now I trust that Zinita sleeps sound,” murmured Umslopogaas, for +suddenly he remembered that Nada was no sister of his, as she thought. +</p> + +<p> +Nevertheless, he took her by the hand and said, “Enter, sister. Of all +maidens in the world you are the most welcome here, for know I believed you +dead.” +</p> + +<p> +But I, Mopo, ran into the hut before her, and when she entered she found me +sitting by the fire. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, here, my brother,” said Nada, pointing at me with her finger, +“here is that old <i>umfagozan</i>, that low fellow, who, unless I dream, +but a very little while ago brought shame upon me—ay, my brother, he +struck me, a maid, with his kerrie, and that only because I said that I would +stab him for his insolence, and he did worse: he swore that he would drag me to +some old chief of his to be a gift to him, and this he was about to do, had you +not come. Will you suffer these things to go unpunished, my brother?” +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas smiled grimly, and I answered:— +</p> + +<p> +“What was it that you called me just now, Nada, when you prayed me to +protect you? Father, was it not?” and I turned my face towards the blaze +of the fire, so that the full light fell upon it. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, I called you father, old man. It is not strange, for a homeless +wanderer must find fathers where she can—and yet! no, it cannot +be—so changed—and that white hand? And yet, oh! who are you? Once +there was a man named Mopo, and he had a little daughter, and she was called +Nada—Oh! my father, my father, I know you now!” +</p> + +<p> +“Ay, Nada, and I knew you from the first; through all your man’s +wrappings I knew you after these many years.” +</p> + +<p> +So the Lily fell upon my neck and sobbed there, and I remember that I also +wept. +</p> + +<p> +Now when she had sobbed her fill of joy, Umslopogaas brought Nada the Lily +<i>maas</i> to eat and mealie porridge. She ate the curdled milk, but the +porridge she would not eat, saying that she was too weary. +</p> + +<p> +Then she told us all the tale of her wanderings since she had fled away from +the side of Umslopogaas at the stronghold of the Halakazi, and it was long, so +long that I will not repeat it, for it is a story by itself. This I will say +only: that Nada was captured by robbers, and for awhile passed herself off +among them as a youth. But, in the end, they found her out and would have given +her as a wife to their chief, only she persuaded them to kill the chief and +make her their ruler. They did this because of that medicine of the eyes which +Nada had only among women, for as she ruled the Halakazi so she ruled the +robbers. But, at the last, they all loved her, and she gave it out that she +would wed the strongest. Then some of them fell to fighting, and while they +killed each other—for it came about that Nada brought death upon the +robbers as on all others—she escaped, for she said that she did not wish +to look upon their struggle but would await the upshot in a place apart. +</p> + +<p> +After that she had many further adventures, but at length she met an old woman +who guided her on her way to the Ghost Mountain. And who this old woman was +none could discover, but Galazi swore afterwards that she was the Stone Witch +of the mountain, who put on the shape of an aged woman to guide Nada to +Umslopogaas, to be the sorrow and the joy of the People of the Axe. I do not +know, my father, yet it seems to me that the old witch would scarcely have put +off her stone for so small a matter. +</p> + +<p> +Now, when Nada had made an end of her tale, Umslopogaas told his, of how things +had gone with Dingaan. When he told her how he had given the body of the girl +to the king, saying that it was the Lily’s stalk, she said it had been +well done; and when he spoke of the slaying of the traitor she clapped her +hands, though Nada, whose heart was gentle, did not love to hear of deeds of +death. At last he finished, and she was somewhat sad, and said it seemed that +her fate followed her, and that now the People of the Axe were in danger at the +hands of Dingaan because of her. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah! my brother,” she cried, taking Umslopogaas by the hand, +“it were better I should die than that I should bring evil upon you +also.” +</p> + +<p> +“That would not mend matters, Nada,” he answered. “For +whether you be dead or alive, the hate of Dingaan is already earned. Also, +Nada, know this: <i>I am not your brother</i>.” +</p> + +<p> +When the Lily heard these words she uttered a little cry, and, letting fall the +hand of Umslopogaas, clasped mine, shrinking up against me. +</p> + +<p> +“What is this tale, father?” she asked. “He who was my twin, +he with whom I have been bred up, says that he has deceived me these many +years, that he is not my brother; who, then, is he, father?” +</p> + +<p> +“He is your cousin, Nada.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” she answered, “I am glad. It would have grieved me had +he whom I loved been shown to be but a stranger in whom I have no part,” +and she smiled a little in the eyes and at the corners of her mouth. “But +tell me this tale also.” +</p> + +<p> +So I told her the tale of the birth of Umslopogaas, for I trusted her. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” she said, when I had finished, “ah! you come of a bad +stock, Umslopogaas, though it is a kingly one. I shall love you little +henceforth, child of the hyena man.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then that is bad news,” said Umslopogaas, “for know, Nada, I +desire now that you should love me more than ever—that you should be my +wife and love me as your husband!” +</p> + +<p> +Now the Lily’s face grew sad and sweet, and all the hidden mockery went +out of her talk—for Nada loved to mock. +</p> + +<p> +“Did you not speak to me on that night in the Halakazi caves, +Umslopogaas, of one Zinita, who is your wife, and <i>Inkosikaas</i> of the +People of the Axe?” +</p> + +<p> +Then the brow of Umslopogaas darkened: “What of Zinita?” he said. +“It is true she is my chieftainess; is it not allowed a man to take more +than one wife?” +</p> + +<p> +“So I trust,” answered Nada, smiling, “else men would go +unwed for long, for few maids would marry them who then must labour alone all +their days. But, Umslopogaas, if there are twenty wives, yet one must be first. +Now this has come about hitherto: that wherever I have been it has been thrust +upon me to be first, and perhaps it might be thus once more—what then, +Umslopogaas?” +</p> + +<p> +“Let the fruit ripen before you pluck it, Nada,” he answered. +“If you love me and will wed me, it is enough.” +</p> + +<p> +“I pray that it may not be more than enough,” she said, stretching +out her hand to him. “Listen, Umslopogaas: ask my father here what were +the words I spoke to him many years ago, before I was a woman, when, with my +mother, Macropha, I left him to go among the Swazi people. It was after you had +been borne away by the lion, Umslopogaas, I told my father that I would marry +no man all my life, because I loved only you, who were dead. My father +reproached me, saying that I must not speak thus of my brother, but it was my +heart which spoke, and it spoke truly; for see, Umslopogaas, you are no brother +to me! I have kept that vow. How many men have sought me in wedlock since I +became a woman, Umslopogaas? I tell you that they are as the leaves upon a +tree. Yet I have given myself to none, and this has been my fortune: that none +have sought to constrain me to marriage. Now I have my reward, for he whom I +lost is found again, and to him alone I give my love. Yet, Umslopogaas, beware! +Little luck has come to those who have loved me in the past; no, not even to +those who have but sought to look on me.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will bear the risk, Nada,” the Slaughterer answered, and +gathering her to his great breast he kissed her. +</p> + +<p> +Presently she slipped from his arms and bade him begone, for she was weary and +would rest. +</p> + +<p> +So he went. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap31"></a>CHAPTER XXXI.<br /> +THE WAR OF THE WOMEN</h2> + +<p> +Now on the morrow at daybreak, leaving his wolves, Galazi came down from the +Ghost Mountain and passed through the gates of the kraal. +</p> + +<p> +In front of my hut he saw Nada the Lily and saluted her, for each remembered +the other. Then he walked on to the place of assembly and spoke to me. +</p> + +<p> +“So the Star of Death has risen on the People of the Axe, Mopo,” he +said. “Was it because of her coming that my grey people howled so +strangely last night? I cannot tell, but I know this, the Star shone first on +me this morning, and that is my doom. Well, she is fair enough to be the doom +of many, Mopo,” and he laughed and passed on, swinging the Watcher. But +his words troubled me, though they were foolish; for I could not but remember +that wherever the beauty of Nada had pleased the sight of men, there men had +been given to death. +</p> + +<p> +Then I went to lead Nada to the place of assembly and found her awaiting me. +She was dressed now in some woman’s garments that I had brought her; her +curling hair fell upon her shoulders; on her wrist and neck and knee were +bracelets of ivory, and in her hand she bore a lily bloom which she had +gathered as she went to bathe in the river. Perhaps she did this, my father, +because she wished here, as elsewhere, to be known as the Lily, and it is the +Zulu fashion to name people from some such trifle. But who can know a +woman’s reason, or whether a thing is by chance alone, my father? Also +she had begged me of a cape I had; it was cunningly made by Basutus, of the +whitest feathers of the ostrich; this she put about her shoulders, and it hung +down to her middle. It had been a custom with Nada from childhood not to go +about as do other girls, naked except for their girdles, for she would always +find some rag or skin to lie upon her breast. Perhaps it was because her skin +was fairer than that of other women, or perhaps because she knew that she who +hides her beauty often seems the loveliest, or because there was truth in the +tale of her white blood and the fashion came to her with the blood. I do not +know, my father; at the least she did so. +</p> + +<p> +Now I took Nada by the hand and led her through the morning air to the place of +assembly, and ah! she was sweeter than the air and fairer than the dawn. +</p> + +<p> +There were many people in the place of assembly, for it was the day of the +monthly meeting of the council of the headmen, and there also were all the +women of the kraal, and at their head stood Zinita. Now it had got about that +the girl whom the Slaughterer went to seek in the caves of the Halakazi had +come to the kraal of the People of the Axe, and all eyes watched for her. +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Wow!</i>” said the men as she passed smiling, looking neither +to the right nor to the left, yet seeing all—“<i>Wow!</i> but this +flower is fair! Little wonder that the Halakazi died for her!” +</p> + +<p> +The women looked also, but they said nothing of the beauty of Nada; they +scarcely seemed to see it. +</p> + +<p> +“That is she for whose sake so many of our people lie unburied,” +said one. +</p> + +<p> +“Where, then, does she find her fine clothes?” quoth another, +“she who came here last night a footsore wanderer?” +</p> + +<p> +“Feathers are not enough for her: look! she must bear flowers also. +Surely they are fitter to her hands than the handle of a hoe,” said a +third. +</p> + +<p> +“Now I think that the chief of the People of the Axe will find one to +worship above the axe, and that some will be left mourning,” put in a +fourth, glancing at Zinita and the other women of the household of the +Slaughterer. +</p> + +<p> +Thus they spoke, throwing words like assegais, and Nada heard them all, and +knew their meaning, but she never ceased from smiling. Only Zinita said +nothing, but stood looking at Nada from beneath her bent brows, while by one +hand she held the little daughter of Umslopogaas, her child, and with the other +played with the beads about her neck. Presently, we passed her, and Nada, +knowing well who this must be, turned her eyes full upon the angry eyes of +Zinita, and held them there awhile. Now what there was in the glance of Nada I +cannot say, but I know that Zinita, who was afraid of few things, found +something to fear in it. At the least, it was she who turned her head away, and +the Lily passed on smiling, and greeted Umslopogaas with a little nod. +</p> + +<p> +“Hail, Nada!” said the Slaughterer. Then he turned to his headmen +and spoke: “This is she whom we went to the caves of the Halakazi to seek +for Dingaan. <i>Ou!</i> the story is known now; one told it up at the kraal +Umgugundhlovu who shall tell it no more. She prayed me to save her from +Dingaan, and so I did, and all would have gone well had it not been for a +certain traitor who is done with, for I took another to Dingaan. Look on her +now, my friends, and say if I did not well to win her—the Lily flower, +such as there is no other in the world, to be the joy of the People of the Axe +and a wife to me.” +</p> + +<p> +With one accord the headmen answered: “Indeed you did well, +Slaughterer,” for the glamour of Nada was upon them and they would +cherish her as others had cherished her. Only Galazi the Wolf shook his head. +But he said nothing, for words do not avail against fate. Now as I found +afterwards, since Zinita, the head wife of Umslopogaas, had learned of what +stock he was, she had known that Nada was no sister to him. Yet when she heard +him declare that he was about to take the Lily to wife she turned upon him, +saying:— +</p> + +<p> +“How can this be, Lord?” +</p> + +<p> +“Why do you ask, Zinita?” he answered. “Is it not allowed to +a man to take another wife if he will?” +</p> + +<p> +“Surely, Lord,” she said; “but men do not wed their sisters, +and I have heard that it was because this Nada was your sister that you saved +her from Dingaan, and brought the wrath of Dingaan upon the People of the Axe, +the wrath that shall destroy them.” +</p> + +<p> +“So I thought then, Zinita,” he answered; “now I know +otherwise. Nada is daughter to Mopo yonder indeed, but he is no father to me, +though he has been named so, nor was the mother of Nada my mother. That is so, +Councillors.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Zinita looked at me and muttered, “O fool of a Mouth, not for +nothing did I fear evil at your hands.” +</p> + +<p> +I heard the words and took no note, and she spoke again to Umslopogaas, saying: +“Here is a mystery, O Lord Bulalio. Will it then please you to declare to +us who is your father?” +</p> + +<p> +“I have no father,” he answered, waxing wroth; “the heavens +above are my father. I am born of Blood and Fire, and she, the Lily, is born of +Beauty to be my mate. Now, woman, be silent.” He thought awhile, and +added, “Nay, if you will know, my father was Indabazimbi the +Witch-finder, the smeller-out of the king, the son of Arpi.” This +Umslopogaas said at a hazard, since, having denied me, he must declare a +father, and dared not name the Black One who was gone. But in after years the +saying was taken up in the land, and it was told that Umslopogaas was the son +of Indabazimbi the Witch-finder, who had long ago fled the land; nor did he +deny it. For when all this game had been played out he would not have it known +that he was the son of Chaka, he who no longer sought to be a king, lest he +should bring down the wrath of Panda upon him. +</p> + +<p> +When the people heard this they thought that Umslopogaas mocked Zinita, and yet +in his anger he spoke truth when he said first that he was born of the +“heavens above,” for so we Zulus name the king, and so the +witch-doctor Indabazimbi named Chaka on the day of the great smelling out. But +they did not take it in this sense. They held that he spoke truly when he gave +it out that he was born of Indabazimbi the Witch-doctor, who had fled the land, +whither I do not know. +</p> + +<p> +Then Nada turned to Zinita and spoke to her in a sweet and gentle voice: +“If I am not sister to Bulalio, yet I shall soon be sister to you who are +the Chief’s <i>Inkosikaas</i>, Zinita. Shall that not satisfy you, and +will you not greet me kindly and with a kiss of peace, who have come from far +to be your sister, Zinita?” and Nada held out her hands towards her, +though whether she did this from the heart or because she would put herself in +the right before the people I do not know. But Zinita scowled, and jerked at +her necklace of beads, breaking the string on which they were threaded, so that +the beads rolled upon the black earthen floor this way and that. +</p> + +<p> +“Keep your kisses for our lord, girl,” Zinita said roughly. +“As my beads are scattered so shall you scatter this People of the +Axe.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Nada turned away with a little sigh, and the people murmured, for they +thought that Zinita had treated her badly. Then she stretched out her hand +again, and gave the lily in it to Umslopogaas, saying:— +</p> + +<p> +“Here is a token of our betrothal, Lord, for never a head of cattle have +my father and I to send—we who are outcasts; and, indeed, the bridegroom +must pay the cattle. May I bring you peace and love, my Lord!” +</p> + +<p> +Umslopogaas took the flower, and looked somewhat foolish with it—he who +was wont to carry the axe, and not a flower; and so that talk was ended. +</p> + +<p> +Now as it chanced, this was that day of the year when, according to ancient +custom, the Holder of the Axe must challenge all and sundry to come up against +him to fight in single combat for Groan-Maker and the chieftainship of the +people. Therefore, when the talk was done, Umslopogaas rose and went through +the challenge, not thinking that any would answer him, since for some years +none had dared to stand before his might. Yet three men stepped forward, and of +these two were captains, and men whom the Slaughterer loved. With all the +people, he looked at them astonished. +</p> + +<p> +“How is this?” he said in a low voice to that captain who was +nearest and who would do battle with him. +</p> + +<p> +For answer the man pointed to the Lily, who stood by. Then Umslopogaas +understood that because of the medicine of Nada’s beauty all men desired +to win her, and, since he who could win the axe would take her also, he must +look to fight with many. Well, fight he must or be shamed. +</p> + +<p> +Of the fray there is little to tell. Umslopogaas killed first one man and then +the other, and swiftly, for, growing fearful, the third did not come up against +him. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah!” said Galazi, who watched, “what did I tell you, Mopo? +The curse begins to work. Death walks ever with that daughter of yours, old +man.” +</p> + +<p> +“I fear so,” I answered, “and yet the maiden is fair and good +and sweet.” +</p> + +<p> +“That will not mend matters,” said Galazi. +</p> + +<p> +Now on that day Umslopogaas took Nada the Lily to wife, and for awhile there +was peace and quiet. But this evil thing came upon Umslopogaas, that, from the +day when he wedded Nada, he hated even to look upon Zinita, and not at her +alone, but on all his other wives also. Galazi said it was because Nada had +bewitched him, but I know well that the only witcheries she used were the +medicine of her eyes, her beauty, and her love. Still, it came to pass that +henceforward, and until she had long been dead, the Slaughterer loved her, and +her alone, and that is a strange sickness to come upon a man. +</p> + +<p> +As may be guessed, my father, Zinita and the other women took this ill. They +waited awhile, indeed, thinking that it would wear away, then they began to +murmur, both to their husband and in the ears of other people, till at length +there were two parties in the town, the party of Zinita and the party of Nada. +</p> + +<p> +The party of Zinita was made up of women and of certain men who loved and +feared their wives, but that of Nada was the greatest, and it was all of men, +with Umslopogaas at the head of them, and from this division came much +bitterness abroad, and quarrelling in the huts. Yet neither the Lily nor +Umslopogaas heeded it greatly, nor indeed, anything, so lost and well content +were they in each other’s love. +</p> + +<p> +Now on a certain morning, after they had been married three full moons, Nada +came from her husband’s hut when the sun was already high, and went down +through the rock gully to the river to bathe. On the right of the path to the +river lay the mealie-fields of the chief, and in them laboured Zinita and the +other women of Umslopogaas, weeding the mealie-plants. They looked up and saw +Nada pass, then worked on sullenly. After awhile they saw her come again fresh +from the bath, very fair to see, and having flowers twined among her hair, and +as she walked she sang a song of love. Now Zinita cast down her hoe. +</p> + +<p> +“Is this to be borne, my sisters?” she said. +</p> + +<p> +“No,” answered another, “it is not to be borne. What shall we +do—shall we fall upon her and kill her now?” +</p> + +<p> +“It would be more just to kill Bulalio, our lord,” answered Zinita. +“Nada is but a woman, and, after the fashion of us women, takes all that +she can gather. But he is a man and a chief, and should know wisdom and +justice.” +</p> + +<p> +“She has bewitched him with her beauty. Let us kill her,” said the +other women. +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” answered Zinita, “I will speak with her,” and +she went and stood in the path along which the Lily walked singing, her arms +folded across her breast. +</p> + +<p> +Now Nada saw her and, ceasing her song, stretched out her hand to welcome her, +saying, “Greeting, sister.” But Zinita did not take it. “It +is not fitting, sister,” she said, “that my hand, stained with +toil, should defile yours, fresh with the scent of flowers. But I am charged +with a message, on my own behalf and the behalf of the other wives of our Lord +Bulalio; the weeds grow thick in yonder corn, and we women are few; now that +your love days are over, will not you come and help us? If you brought no hoe +from your Swazi home, surely we will buy you one.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Nada saw what was meant, and the blood poured to her head. Yet she answered +calmly:— +</p> + +<p> +“I would willingly do this, my sister, though I have never laboured in +the fields, for wherever I have dwelt the men have kept me back from all work, +save such as the weaving of flowers or the stringing of beads. But there is +this against it—Umslopogaas, my husband, charged me that I should not +toil with my hands, and I may not disobey my husband.” +</p> + +<p> +“Our husband charged you so, Nada? Nay, then it is strange. See, now, I +am his head wife, his <i>Inkosikaas</i>—it was I who taught him how to +win the axe. Yet he has laid no command on me that I should not labour in the +fields after the fashion of women, I who have borne him children; nor, indeed, +has he laid such a command upon any of our sisters, his other wives. Can it +then be that Bulalio loves you better than us, Nada?” +</p> + +<p> +Now the Lily was in a trap, and she knew it. So she grew bold. +</p> + +<p> +“One must be most loved, Zinita,” she said, “as one must be +most fair. You have had your hour, leave me mine; perhaps it will be short. +Moreover this: Umslopogaas and I loved each other much long years before you or +any of his wives saw him, and we love each other to the end. There is no more +to say.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, Nada, there is still something to say; there is this to say: Choose +one of two things. Go and leave us to be happy with our lord, or stay and bring +death on all.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Nada thought awhile, and answered: “Did I believe that my love would +bring death on him I love, it might well chance that I would go and leave him, +though to do so would be to die. But, Zinita, I do not believe it. Death +chiefly loves the weak, and if he falls it will be on the Flower, not on the +Slayer of Men,” and she slipped past Zinita and went on, singing no more. +</p> + +<p> +Zinita watched her till she was over the ridge, and her face grew evil as she +watched. Then she returned to the women. +</p> + +<p> +“The Lily flouts us all, my sisters,” she said. “Now listen: +my counsel is that we declare a feast of women to be held at the new moon in a +secret place far away. All the women and the children shall come to it except +Nada, who will not leave her lover, and if there be any man whom a woman loves, +perhaps, my sisters, that man would do well to go on a journey about the time +of the new moon, for evil things may happen at the town of the People of the +Axe while we are away celebrating our feast.” +</p> + +<p> +“What, then, shall befall, my sister?” asked one. +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, how can I tell?” she answered. “I only know that we are +minded to be rid of Nada, and thus to be avenged on a man who has scorned our +love—ay, and on those men who follow after the beauty of Nada. Is it not +so, my sisters?” +</p> + +<p> +“It is so,” they answered. +</p> + +<p> +“Then be silent on the matter, and let us give out our feast.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Nada told Umslopogaas of those words which she had bandied with Zinita, and +the Slaughterer was troubled. Yet, because of his foolishness and of the +medicine of Nada’s eyes, he would not turn from his way, and was ever at +her side, thinking of little else except of her. Thus, when Zinita came to him, +and asked leave to declare a feast of women that should be held far away, he +consented, and gladly, for, above all things, he desired to be free from Zinita +and her angry looks for awhile; nor did he suspect a plot. Only he told her +that Nada should not go to the feast; and in a breath both Zinita and Nada +answered that his word was their will, as indeed it was, in this matter. +</p> + +<p> +Now I, Mopo, saw the glamour that had fallen upon my fosterling, and spoke of +it with Galazi, saying that a means must be found to wake him. Then I took +Galazi fully into my mind, and told him all that he did not know of +Umslopogaas, and that was little. Also, I told him of my plans to bring the +Slaughterer to the throne, and of what I had done to that end, and of what I +proposed to do, and this was to go in person on a journey to certain of the +great chiefs and win them over. +</p> + +<p> +Galazi listened, and said that it was well or ill, as the chance might be. For +his part, he believed that the daughter would pull down faster than I, the +father, could build up, and he pointed to Nada, who walked past us, following +Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +Yet I determined to go, and that was on the day before Zinita won leave to +celebrate the feast of women. So I sought Umslopogaas and told him, and he +listened indifferently, for he would be going after Nada, and wearied of my +talk of policy. I bade him farewell and left him; to Nada also I bade farewell. +She kissed me, yet the name of her husband was mingled with her good-bye. +</p> + +<p> +“Now madness has come upon these two,” I said to myself. +“Well, it will wear off, they will be changed before I come again.” +</p> + +<p> +I guessed little, my father, how changed they would be. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap32"></a>CHAPTER XXXII.<br /> +ZINITA COMES TO THE KING</h2> + +<p> +Dingaan the king sat upon a day in the kraal Umgugundhlovu, waiting till his +impis should return from the Income that is now named the Blood River. He had +sent them thither to destroy the laager of the Boers, and thence, as he +thought, they would presently return with victory. Idly he sat in the kraal, +watching the vultures wheel above the Hill of Slaughter, and round him stood a +regiment. +</p> + +<p> +“My birds are hungry,” he said to a councillor. +</p> + +<p> +“Doubtless there shall soon be meat to feed them, O King!” the +councillor answered. +</p> + +<p> +As he spoke one came near, saying that a woman sought leave to speak to the +king upon some great matter. +</p> + +<p> +“Let her come,” he answered; “I am sick for tidings, perhaps +she can tell of the impi.” +</p> + +<p> +Presently the woman was led in. She was tall and fair, and she held two +children by the hand. +</p> + +<p> +“What is thine errand?” asked Dingaan. +</p> + +<p> +“Justice, O King,” she answered. +</p> + +<p> +“Ask for blood, it shall be easier to find.” +</p> + +<p> +“I ask blood, O King.” +</p> + +<p> +“The blood of whom?” +</p> + +<p> +“The blood of Bulalio the Slaughterer, Chief of the People of the Axe, +the blood of Nada the Lily, and of all those who cling to her.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Dingaan sprang up and swore an oath by the head of the Black One who was +gone. +</p> + +<p> +“What?” he cried, “does the Lily, then, live as the soldier +thought?” +</p> + +<p> +“She lives, O King. She is wife to the Slaughterer, and because of her +witchcraft he has put me, his first wife, away against all law and honour. +Therefore I ask vengeance on the witch and vengeance also on him who was my +husband.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou art a good wife,” said the king. “May my watching +spirit save me from such a one. Hearken! I would gladly grant thy desire, for +I, too, hate this Slaughterer, and I, too, would crush this Lily. Yet, woman, +thou comest in a bad hour. Here I have but one regiment, and I think that the +Slaughterer may take some killing. Wait till my impis return from wiping out +the white Amaboona, and it shall be as thou dost desire. Whose are those +children?” +</p> + +<p> +“They are my children and the children of Bulalio, who was my +husband.” +</p> + +<p> +“The children of him whom thou wouldst cause to be slain.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, King.” +</p> + +<p> +“Surely, woman, thou art as good a mother as wife!” said Dingaan. +“Now I have spoken—begone!” +</p> + +<p> +But the heart of Zinita was hungry for vengeance, vengeance swift and terrible, +on the Lily, who lay in her place, and on her husband, who had thrust her aside +for the Lily’s sake. She did not desire to wait—no, not even for an +hour. +</p> + +<p> +“Hearken, O King!” she cried, “the tale is not yet all told. +This man, Bulalio, plots against thy throne with Mopo, son of Makedama, who was +thy councillor.” +</p> + +<p> +“He plots against my throne, woman? The lizard plots against the cliff on +which it suns itself? Then let him plot; and as for Mopo, I will catch him +yet!” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, O King! but that is not all the tale. This man has another +name—he is named Umslopogaas, son of Mopo. But he is no son of Mopo: he +is son to the Black One who is dead, the mighty king who was thy brother, by +Baleka, sister to Mopo. Yes, I know it from the lips of Mopo. I know all the +tale. He is heir to thy throne by blood, O King, and thou sittest in his +place.” +</p> + +<p> +For a little while Dingaan sat astounded. Then he commanded Zinita to draw near +and tell him that tale. +</p> + +<p> +Now behind the stool on which he sat stood two councillors, nobles whom Dingaan +loved, and these alone had heard the last words of Zinita. He bade these nobles +stand in front of him, out of earshot and away from every other man. Then +Zinita drew near, and told Dingaan the tale of the birth of Umslopogaas and all +that followed, and, by many a token and many a deed of Chaka’s which he +remembered, Dingaan the king knew that it was a true story. +</p> + +<p> +When at length she had done, he summoned the captain of the regiment that stood +around: he was a great man named Faku, and he also summoned certain men who do +the king’s bidding. To the captain of the impi he spoke sharply, +saying:— +</p> + +<p> +“Take three companies and guides, and come by night to the town of the +People of the Axe, that is by Ghost Mountain, and burn it, and slay all the +wizards who sleep therein. Most of all, slay the Chief of the People, who is +named Bulalio the Slaughterer or Umslopogaas. Kill him by torture if you may, +but kill him and bring his head to me. Take that wife of his, who is known as +Nada the Lily, alive if ye can, and bring her to me, for I would cause her to +be slain here. Bring the cattle also. Now go, and go swiftly, this hour. If ye +return having failed in one jot of my command, ye die, every one of +you—ye die, and slowly. Begone!” +</p> + +<p> +The captain saluted, and, running to his regiment, issued a command. Three full +companies leapt forward at his word, and ran after him through the gates of the +kraal Umgugundhlovu, heading for the Ghost Mountain. +</p> + +<p> +Then Dingaan called to those who do the king’s bidding, and, pointing to +the two nobles, his councillors, who had heard the words of Zinita, commanded +that they should be killed. +</p> + +<p> +The nobles heard, and, having saluted the king, covered their faces, knowing +that they must die because they had learned too much. So they were killed. Now +it was one of these councillors who had said that doubtless meat would soon be +found to feed the king’s birds. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king commanded those who do his bidding that they should take the +children of Zinita and make away with them. +</p> + +<p> +But when Zinita heard this she cried aloud, for she loved her children. Then +Dingaan mocked her. +</p> + +<p> +“What?” he said, “art thou a fool as well as wicked? Thou +sayest that thy husband, whom thou hast given to death, is born of one who is +dead, and is heir to my throne. Thou sayest also that these children are born +of him; therefore, when he is dead, they will be heirs to my throne. Am I then +mad that I should suffer them to live? Woman, thou hast fallen into thine own +trap. Take them away!” +</p> + +<p> +Now Zinita tasted of the cup which she had brewed for other lips, and grew +distraught in her misery, and wrung her hands, crying that she repented her of +the evil and would warn Umslopogaas and the Lily of that which awaited them. +And she turned to run towards the gates. But the king laughed and nodded, and +they brought her back, and presently she was dead also. +</p> + +<p> +Thus, then, my father, prospered the wickedness of Zinita, the head wife of +Umslopogaas, my fosterling. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Now these were the last slayings that were wrought at the kraal Umgugundhlovu, +for just as Dingaan had made an end of them and once more grew weary, he lifted +his eyes and saw the hillsides black with men, who by their dress were of his +own impi—men whom he had sent out against the Boers. +</p> + +<p> +And yet where was the proud array, where the plumes and shields, where the song +of victory? Here, indeed, were soldiers, but they walked in groups like women +and hung their heads like chidden children. +</p> + +<p> +Then he learned the truth. The impi had been defeated by the banks of the +Income; thousands had perished at the laager, mowed down by the guns of the +Boers, thousands more had been drowned in the Income, till the waters were red +and the bodies of the slain pushed each other under, and those who still lived +walked upon them. +</p> + +<p> +Dingaan heard, and was seized with fear, for it was said that the Amaboona +followed fast on the track of the conquered. +</p> + +<p> +That day he fled to the bush on the Black Umfolozi river, and that night the +sky was crimson with the burning of the kraal Umgugundhlovu, where the Elephant +should trumpet no more, and the vultures were scared from the Hill of Slaughter +by the roaring of the flames. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p> +Galazi sat on the lap of the stone Witch, gazing towards the wide plains below, +that were yet white with the moon, though the night grew towards the morning. +Greysnout whined at his side, and Deathgrip thrust his muzzle into his hand; +but Galazi took no heed, for he was brooding on the fall of Umslopogaas from +the man that he had been to the level of a woman’s slave, and on the +breaking up of the People of the Axe, because of the coming of Nada. For all +the women and the children were gone to this Feast of Women, and would not +return for long, and it seemed to Galazi that many of the men had slipped away +also, as though they smelt some danger from afar. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, Deathgrip,” said Galazi aloud to the wild brute at his side, +“changed is the Wolf King my brother, all changed because of a +woman’s kiss. Now he hunts no more, no more shall Groan-Maker be aloft; +it is a woman’s kiss he craves, not the touch of your rough tongue, it is +a woman’s hand he holds, not the smooth haft of horn, he, who of all men, +was the fiercest and the first; for this last shame has overtaken him. Surely +Chaka was a great king though an evil, and he showed his greatness when he +forbade marriage to the warriors, marriage that makes the heart soft and turns +blood to water.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Galazi ceased, and gazed idly towards the kraal of the People of the Axe, +and as he looked his eyes caught a gleam of light that seemed to travel in and +out of the edge of the shadow of Ghost Mountain as a woman’s needle +travels through a skin, now seen and now lost in the skin. +</p> + +<p> +He started and watched. Ah! there the light came out from the shadow. Now, by +Chaka’s head, it was the light of spears! +</p> + +<p> +One moment more Galazi watched. It was a little impi, perhaps they numbered two +hundred men, running silently, but not to battle, for they wore no plumes. Yet +they went out to kill, for they ran in companies, and each man carried assegais +and a shield. +</p> + +<p> +Now Galazi had heard tell of such impis that hunt by night, and he knew well +that these were the king’s dogs, and their game was men, a big kraal of +sleeping men, otherwise there had been fewer dogs. Is a whole pack sent out to +catch an antelope on its form? Galazi wondered whom they sought. Ah! now they +turned to the ford, and he knew. It was his brother Umslopogaas and Nada the +Lily and the People of the Axe. These were the king’s dogs, and Zinita +had let them slip. For this reason she had called a feast of women, and taken +the children with her; for this reason so many had been summoned from the kraal +by one means or another: it was that they might escape the slaughter. +</p> + +<p> +Galazi bounded to his feet. For one moment he thought. Might not these hunters +be hunted? Could he not destroy them by the jaws of the wolves as once before +they had destroyed a certain impi of the king’s? Ay, if he had seen them +but one hour before, then scarcely a man of them should have lived to reach the +stream, for he would have waylaid them with his wolves. But now it might not +be; the soldiers neared the ford, and Galazi knew well that his grey people +would not hunt on the further plain, though for this he had heard one reason +only, that which was given him by the lips of the dead in a dream. +</p> + +<p> +What, then, might be done? One thing alone: warn Umslopogaas. Yet how? For him +who could swim a rushing river, there was, indeed, a swifter way to the place +of the People of the Axe—a way that was to the path of the impi as is the +bow-string to the strung bow. And yet they had travelled well-nigh half the +length of the bow. Still, he might do it, he whose feet were the swiftest in +the land, except those of Umslopogaas. At the least, he would try. Mayhap, the +impi would tarry to drink at the ford. +</p> + +<p> +So Galazi thought in his heart, and his thought was swift as the light. Then +with a bound he was away down the mountain side. From boulder to boulder he +leapt like a buck, he crashed through the brake like a bull, he skimmed the +level like a swallow. The mountain was travelled now; there in front of him lay +the yellow river foaming in its flood, so he had swum it before when he went to +see the dead. Ah! a good leap far out into the torrent; it was strong, but he +breasted it. He was through, he stood upon the bank shaking the water from him +like a dog, and now he was away up the narrow gorge of stones to the long +slope, running low as his wolves ran. +</p> + +<p> +Before him lay the town—one side shone silver with the sinking moon, one +was grey with the breaking dawn. Ah! they were there, he saw them moving +through the grass by the eastern gate; he saw the long lines of slayers creep +to the left and the right. +</p> + +<p> +How could he pass them before the circle of death was drawn? Six spear-throws +to run, and they had but such a little way! The mealie-plants were tall, and at +a spot they almost touched the fence. Up the path! Could Umslopogaas, his +brother, move more fast, he wondered, than the Wolf who sped to save him? He +was there, hidden by the mealie stalks, and there, along the fence to the right +and to the left, the slayers crept! +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +“<i>Wow!</i> What was that?” said one soldier of the king to +another man as they joined their guard completing the death circle. +“<i>Wow!</i> something great and black crashed through the fence before +me.” +</p> + +<p> +“I heard it, brother,” answered the other man. “I heard it, +but I saw nothing. It must have been a dog: no man could leap so high.” +</p> + +<p> +“More like a wolf,” said the first; “at the least, let us +pray that it was not an <i>Esedowan</i><a href="#fn-32.1" name="fnref-32.1" id="fnref-32.1"><sup>[1]</sup></a> +who will put us into the hole in its back. Is your fire ready, brother? +<i>Wow!</i> these wizards shall wake warm; the signal should be soon.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-32.1" id="fn-32.1"></a> <a href="#fnref-32.1">[1]</a> A fabulous +animal, reported by the Zulus to carry off human beings in a hole in its back. +</p> + +<p> +Then arose the sound of a great voice crying, “Awake, ye sleepers, the +foe is at your gates!” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap33"></a>CHAPTER XXXIII.<br /> +THE END OF THE PEOPLE, BLACK AND GREY</h2> + +<p> +Galazi rushed through the town crying aloud, and behind him rose a stir of men. +All slept and no sentinels were set, for Umslopogaas was so lost in his love +for the Lily that he forgot his wisdom, and thought no more of war or death or +of the hate of Dingaan. Presently the Wolf came to the large new hut which +Umslopogaas had caused to be built for Nada the Lily, and entered it, for there +he knew that he should find his brother Bulalio. On the far side of the hut the +two lay sleeping, and the head of Umslopogaas rested on the Lily’s +breast, and by his side gleamed the great axe Groan-Maker. +</p> + +<p> +“Awake!” cried the Wolf. +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas sprang to his feet grasping at his axe, but Nada threw her arms +wide, murmuring; “Let me sleep on, sweet is sleep.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sound shall ye sleep, anon!” gasped Galazi. “Swift, brother, +bind on the wolf’s hide, take shield! Swift, I say—for the Slayers +of the king are at your gates!” +</p> + +<p> +Now Nada sprang up also, and they did his bidding like people in a dream; and, +while they found their garments and a shield, Galazi took beer and drank it, +and got his breath again. They stood without the hut. Now the heaven was grey, +and east and west and north and south tongues of flame shot up against the sky, +for the town had been fired by the Slayers. +</p> + +<p> +Umslopogaas looked and his sense came back to him: he understood. “Which +way, brother?” he said. +</p> + +<p> +“Through the fire and the impi to our Grey People on the mountain,” +said Galazi. “There, if we can win it, we shall find succour.” +</p> + +<p> +“What of my people in the kraal,” asked Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +“They are not many, brother; the women and the children are gone. I have +roused the men—most will escape. Hence, ere we burn!” +</p> + +<p> +Now they ran towards the fence, and as they went men joined them to the number +of ten, half awakened, fear-stricken, armed—some with spears, some with +clubs—and for the most part naked. They sped on together towards the +fence of the town that was now but a ring of fire, Umslopogaas and Galazi in +front, each holding the Lily by a hand. They neared the fence—from +without came the shouts of the Slayers—lo! it was afire. Nada shrank back +in fear, but Umslopogaas and Galazi dragged her on. They rushed at the blazing +fence, smiting with axe and club. It broke before them, they were through but +little harmed. Without were a knot of the Slayers, standing back a small space +because of the heat of the flames. The Slayers saw them, and crying, +“This is Bulalio, kill the wizard!” sprang towards them with +uplifted spears. Now the People of the Axe made a ring round Nada, and in the +front of it were Umslopogaas and Galazi. Then they rushed on and met those of +the Slayers who stood before them, and the men of Dingaan were swept away and +scattered by Groan-Maker and the Watcher, as dust is swept of a wind, as grass +is swept by a sickle. +</p> + +<p> +They were through with only one man slain, but the cry went up that the chief +of the wizards and the Lily, his wife, had fled. Then, as it was these whom he +was chiefly charged to kill, the captain called off the impi from watching for +the dwellers in the town, and started in pursuit of Umslopogaas. Now, at this +time nearly a hundred men of the People of the Axe had been killed and of the +Slayers some fifty men, for, having been awakened by the crying of Galazi, the +soldiers of the axe fought bravely, though none saw where his brother stood, +and none knew whither their chief had fled except those ten who went with the +brethren. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, the Wolf-Brethren and those with them were well away, and it had +been easy for them to escape, who were the swiftest-footed of any in the land. +But the pace of a regiment is the pace of its slowest-footed soldier, and Nada +could not run with the Wolf-Brethren. Yet they made good speed, and were +halfway down the gorge that led to the river before the companies of Dingaan +poured into it. Now they came to the end of it, and the foe was near—this +end of the gorge is narrow, my father, like the neck of a gourd—then +Galazi stopped and spoke:— +</p> + +<p> +“Halt! ye People of the Axe,” he said, “and let us talk +awhile with these who follow till we get our breath again. But you, my brother, +pass the river with the Lily in your hand. We will join you in the forest; but +if perchance we cannot find you, you know what must be done: set the Lily in +the cave, then return and call up the grey impi. Wow! my brother, I must find +you if I may, for if these men of Dingaan have a mind for sport there shall be +such a hunting on the Ghost Mountain as the old Witch has not seen. Go now, my +brother!” +</p> + +<p> +“It is not my way to turn and run while others stand and fight,” +growled Umslopogaas; “yet, because of Nada, it seems that I must.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh! heed me not, my love,” said Nada, “I have brought thee +sorrow—I am weary, let me die; kill me and save yourselves!” +</p> + +<p> +For answer, Umslopogaas took her by the hand and fled towards the river; but +before he reached it he heard the sounds of the fray, the war-cry of the +Slayers as they poured upon the People of the Axe, the howl of his brother, the +Wolf, when the battle joined—ay, and the crash of the Watcher as the blow +went home. +</p> + +<p> +“Well bitten, Wolf!” he said, stopping; “that one shall need +no more; oh! that I might”—but again he looked at Nada, and sped +on. +</p> + +<p> +Now they had leaped into the foaming river, and here it was well that the Lily +could swim, else both had been lost. But they won through and passed forward to +the mountain’s flank. Here they walked on among the trees till the forest +was almost passed, and at length Umslopogaas heard the howling of a wolf. +</p> + +<p> +Then he must set Nada on his shoulders and carry her as once Galazi had carried +another, for it was death for any except the Wolf-Brethren to walk on the Ghost +Mountain when the wolves were awake. +</p> + +<p> +Presently the wolves flocked around him, and leaped upon him in joy, glaring +with fierce eyes at her who sat upon his shoulders. Nada saw them, and almost +fell from her seat, fainting with fear, for they were many and dreadful, and +when they howled her blood turned to ice. +</p> + +<p> +But Umslopogaas cheered her, telling her that these were his dogs with whom he +went out hunting, and with whom he should hunt presently. At length they came +to the knees of the Old Witch and the entrance to the cave. It was empty except +for a wolf or two, for Galazi abode here seldom now; but when he was on the +mountain would sleep in the forest, which was nearer the kraal of his brother +the Slaughterer. +</p> + +<p> +“Here you must stay, sweet,” said Umslopogaas when he had driven +out the wolves. “Here you must rest till this little matter of the +Slayers is finished. Would that we had brought food, but we had little time to +seek it! See, now I will show you the secret of the stone; thus far I will push +it, no farther. Now a touch only is needed to send it over the socket and home; +but then they must be two strong men who can pull it back again. Therefore push +it no farther except in the utmost need, lest it remain where it fall, whether +you will it or not. Have no fear, you are safe here; none know of this place +except Galazi, myself and the wolves, and none shall find it. Now I must be +going to find Galazi, if he still lives; if not, to make what play I can +against the Slayers, alone with the wolves.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Nada wept, saying that she feared to be left, and that she should never see +him more, and her grief wrung his heart. Nevertheless, Umslopogaas kissed her +and went, closing the stone after him in that fashion of which he had spoken. +When the stone was shut the cave was almost dark, except for a ray of light +that entered by a hole little larger than a man’s hand, that, looked at +from within, was on the right of the stone. Nada sat herself so that this ray +struck full on her, for she loved light, and without it she would pine as +flowers do. There she sat and thought in the darksome cave, and was filled with +fear and sorrow. And while she brooded thus, suddenly the ray went out, and she +heard a noise as of some beast that smells at prey. She looked, and in the +gloom she saw the sharp nose and grinning fangs of a wolf that were thrust +towards her through the little hole. +</p> + +<p> +Nada cried aloud in fear, and the fangs were snatched back, but presently she +heard a scratching without the cave, and saw the stone shake. Then she thought +in her foolishness that the wolf knew how to open the stone, and that he would +do this, and devour her, for she had heard the tale that all these wolves were +the ghosts of evil men, having the understanding of men. So, in her fear and +folly, she seized the rock and dragged on it as Umslopogaas had shown her how +to do. It shook, it slipped over the socket ledge, and rolled home like a +pebble down the mouth of a gourd. +</p> + +<p> +“Now I am safe from the wolves,” said Nada. “See, I cannot so +much as stir the stone from within.” And she laughed a little, then +ceased from laughing and spoke again. “Yet it would be ill if Umslopogaas +came back no more to roll away that rock, for then I should be like one in a +grave—as one who is placed in a grave being yet strong and quick.” +She shuddered as she thought of it, but presently started up and set her ear to +the hole to listen, for from far down the mountain there rose a mighty howling +and a din of men. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +When Umslopogaas had shut the cave, he moved swiftly down the mountain, and +with him went certain of the wolves; not all, for he had not summoned them. His +heart was heavy, for he feared that Galazi was no more. Also he was mad with +rage, and plotted in himself to destroy the Slayers of the king, every man of +them; but first he must learn what they would do. Presently, as he wended, he +heard a long, low howl far away in the forest; then he rejoiced, for he knew +the call—it was the call of Galazi, who had escaped the spears of the +Slayers. +</p> + +<p> +Swiftly he ran, calling in answer. He won the place. There, seated on a stone, +resting himself, was Galazi, and round him surged the numbers of the Grey +People. Umslopogaas came to him and looked at him, for he seemed somewhat +weary. There were flesh wounds on his great breast and arms, the little shield +was well-nigh hewn to strips, and the Watcher showed signs of war. +</p> + +<p> +“How went it, brother?” asked Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +“Not so ill, but all those who stood with me in the way are dead, and +with them a few of the foe. I alone am fled like a coward. They came on us +thrice, but we held them back till the Lily was safe; then, all our men being +down, I ran, Umslopogaas, and swam the torrent, for I was minded to die here in +my own place.” +</p> + +<p> +Now, though he said little of it, I must tell you, my father, that Galazi had +made a great slaughter there in the neck of the donga. Afterwards I counted the +slain, and they were many; the nine men of the People of the Axe were hidden in +them. +</p> + +<p> +“Perhaps it shall be the Slayers who die, brother.” +</p> + +<p> +“Perhaps, at least, there shall be death for some. Still it is in my +mind, Slaughterer, that our brotherhood draws to an end, for the fate of him +who bears the Watcher, and which my father foretold, is upon me. If so, +farewell. While it lasted our friendship has been good, and its ending shall be +good. Moreover, it would have endured for many a year to come had you not +sought, Slaughterer, to make good better, and to complete our joy of fellowship +and war with the love of women. From that source flow these ills, as a river +from a spring; but so it was fated. If I fall in this fray may you yet live on +to fight in many another, and at the last to die gloriously with axe aloft; and +may you find a brisker man and a better Watcher to serve you in your need. +Should you fall and I live on, I promise this: I will avenge you to the last +and guard the Lily whom you love, offering her comfort, but no more. Now the +foe draws on, they have travelled round about by the ford, for they dared not +face the torrent, and they cried to me that they are sworn to slay us or be +slain, as Dingaan, the king, commanded. So the fighting will be of the best, +if, indeed, they do not run before the fangs of the Grey People. Now, Chief, +speak your word that I may obey it.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus Galazi spoke in the circle of the wolves, while Umslopogaas leaned upon +his Axe Groan-Maker, and listened to him, ay, and wept as he listened, for +after the Lily and me, Mopo, he loved Galazi most dearly of all who lived. Then +he answered:— +</p> + +<p> +“Were it not for one in the cave above, who is helpless and tender, I +would swear to you, Wolf, that if you fall, on your carcase I will die; and I +do swear that, should you fall, while I live Groan-Maker shall be busy from +year to year till every man of yonder impi is as you are. Perchance I did ill, +Galazi, when first I hearkened to the words of Zinita and suffered women to +come between us. May we one day find a land where there are no women, and war +only, for in that land we shall grow great. But now, at the least, we will make +a good end to this fellowship, and the Grey People shall fight their fill, and +the old Witch who sits aloft waiting for the world to die shall smile to see +that fight, if she never smiled before. This is my word: that we fall upon the +men of Dingaan twice, once in the glade of the forest whither they will come +presently, and, if we are beaten back, then we must stand for the last time on +the knees of the Witch in front of the cave where Nada is. Say, Wolf, will the +Grey Folk fight?” +</p> + +<p> +“To the last, brother, so long as one is left to lead them, after that I +do not know! Still they have only fangs to set against spears. Slaughterer, +your plan is good. Come, I am rested.” +</p> + +<p> +So they rose and numbered their flock, and all were there, though it was not as +it had been years ago when first the Wolf-Brethren hunted on Ghost Mountain; +for many of the wolves had died by men’s spears when they harried the +kraals of men, and no young were born to them. Then, as once before, the pack +was halved, and half, the she-wolves, went with Umslopogaas, and half, the +dog-wolves, went with Galazi. +</p> + +<p> +Now they passed down the forest paths and hid in the tangle of the thickets at +the head of the darksome glen, one on each side of the glen. Here they waited +till they heard the footfall of the impi of the king’s Slayers, as it +came slowly along seeking them. In front of the impi went two soldiers watching +for an ambush, and these two men were the same who had talked together that +dawn when Galazi sprang between them. Now also they spoke as they peered this +way and that; then, seeing nothing, stood awhile in the mouth of the glen +waiting the coming of their company; and their words came to the ears of +Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +“An awful place this, my brother,” said one. “A place full of +ghosts and strange sounds, of hands that seem to press us back, and whinings as +of invisible wolves. It is named Ghost Mountain, and well named. Would that the +king had found other business for us than the slaying of these +sorcerers—for they are sorcerers indeed, and this is the home of their +sorceries. Tell me, brother, what was that which leaped between us this morning +in the dark! I say it was a wizard. <i>Wow!</i> they are all wizards. Could any +who was but a man have done the deeds which he who is named the Wolf wrought +down by the river yonder, and then have escaped? Had the Axe but stayed with +the Club they would have eaten up our impi.” +</p> + +<p> +“The Axe had a woman to watch,” laughed the other. “Yes, it +is true this is a place of wizards and evil things. Methinks I see the red eyes +of the <i>Esedowana</i> glaring at us through the dark of the trees and smell +their smell. Yet these wizards must be caught, for know this, my brother: if we +return to Umgugundhlovu with the king’s command undone, then there are +stakes hardening in the fire of which we shall taste the point. If we are all +killed in the catching, and some, it seems, are missing already, yet they must +be caught. Say, my brother, shall we draw on? The impi is nigh. Would that +Faku, our captain yonder, might find two others to take our place, for in this +thicket I had rather run last than first. Well, here leads the spoor—a +wondrous mass of wolf-spoor mixed with the footprints of men; perhaps they are +sometimes the one and sometimes the other—who knows, my brother? It is a +land of ghosts and wizards. Let us on! Let us on!” +</p> + +<p> +Now all this while the Wolf-Brethren had much ado to keep their people quiet, +for their mouths watered and their eyes shone at the sight of the men, and at +length it could be done no more, for with a howl a single she-wolf rushed from +her lair and leapt at the throat of the man who spoke, nor did she miss her +grip. Down went wolf and man, rolling together on the ground, and there they +killed each other. +</p> + +<p> +“The <i>Esedowana!</i> the <i>Esedowana</i> are upon us!” cried the +other scout, and, turning, fled towards the impi. But he never reached it, for +with fearful howlings the ghost-wolves broke their cover and rushed on him from +the right and the left, and lo! there was nothing of him left except his spear +alone. +</p> + +<p> +Now a low cry of fear rose from the impi, and some turned to fly, but Faku, the +captain, a great and brave man, shouted to them, “Stand firm, children of +the king, stand firm, these are no <i>Esedowana</i>, these are but the +Wolf-Brethren and their pack. What! will ye run from dogs, ye who have laughed +at the spears of men? Ring round! Stand fast!” +</p> + +<p> +The soldiers heard the voice of their captain, and they obeyed his voice, +forming a double circle, a ring within a ring. They looked to the right, there, +Groan-Maker aloft, the wolf fangs on his brow, the worn wolf-hide streaming on +the wind, Bulalio rushed upon them like a storm, and with him came his red-eyed +company. They looked to the left—ah, well they know that mighty Watcher! +Have they not heard his strokes down by the river, and well they know the giant +who wields it like a wand, the Wolf King, with the strength of ten! <i>Wow!</i> +They are here! See the people black and grey, hear them howl their war-chant! +Look how they leap like water—leap in a foam of fangs against the hedge +of spears! The circle is broken; Groan-Maker has broken it! Ha! Galazi also is +through the double ring; now must men stand back to back or perish! +</p> + +<p> +How long did it last? Who can say? Time flies fast when blows fall thick. At +length the brethren are beaten back; they break out as they broke in, and are +gone, with such of their wolf-folk as were left alive. Yet that impi was +somewhat the worse, but one-third of those lived who looked on the sun without +the forest; the rest lay smitten, torn, mangled, dead, hidden under the heaps +of bodies of wild beasts. +</p> + +<p> +“Now this is a battle of evil spirits that live in the shapes of wolves, +and as for the Wolf-Brethren, they are sorcerers of the rarest,” said +Faku the captain, “and such sorcerers I love, for they fight furiously. +Yet I will slay them or be slain. At the least, if there be few of us left, the +most of the wolves are dead also, and the arms of the wizards grow +weary.” +</p> + +<p> +So he moved forward up the mountain with those of the soldiers who remained, +and all the way the wolves harried them, pulling down a man here and a man +there; but though they heard and saw them cheering on their pack the +Wolf-Brethren attacked them no more, for they saved their strength for the last +fight of all. +</p> + +<p> +The road was long up the mountain, and the soldiers knew little of the path, +and ever the ghost-wolves harried on their flanks. So it was evening before +they came to the feet of the stone Witch, and began to climb to the platform of +her knees. There, on her knees as it were, they saw the Wolf-Brethren standing +side by side, such a pair as were not elsewhere in the world, and they seemed +afire, for the sunset beat upon them, and the wolves crept round their feet, +red with blood and fire. +</p> + +<p> +“A glorious pair!” quoth great Faku; “would that I fought +with them rather than against them! Yet, they must die!” Then he began to +climb to the knees of the Witch. +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas glanced up at the stone face of her who sat aloft, and it was +alight with the sunset. +</p> + +<p> +“Said I not that the old Witch should smile at this fray?” he +cried. “Lo! she smiles! Up, Galazi, let us spend the remnant of our +people on the foe, and fight this fight out, man to man, with no beast to spoil +it! Ho! Blood and Greysnout! ho! Deathgrip! ho! wood-dwellers grey and black, +at them, my children!” +</p> + +<p> +The wolves heard; they were few and they were sorry to see, with weariness and +wounds, but still they were fierce. With a howl, for the last time they leaped +down upon the foe, tearing, harrying, and killing till they themselves were +dead by the spear, every one of them except Deathgrip, who crept back sorely +wounded to die with Galazi. +</p> + +<p> +“Now I am a chief without a people,” cried Galazi. “Well, it +has been my lot in life. So it was in the Halakazi kraals, so it is on Ghost +Mountain at the last, and so also shall it be even for the greatest kings when +they come to their ends, seeing that they, too, must die alone. Say, +Slaughterer, choose where you will stand, to the left or to the right.” +</p> + +<p> +Now, my father, the track below separated, because of a boulder, and there were +two little paths which led to the platform of the Witch’s knees with, +perhaps, ten paces between them. Umslopogaas guarded the left-hand path and +Galazi took the right. Then they waited, having spears in their hands. +Presently the soldiers came round the rock and rushed up against them, some on +one path and some on the other. +</p> + +<p> +Then the brethren hurled their spears at them and killed three men. Now the +assegais were done, and the foe was on them. Umslopogaas bends forward, his +long arm shoots out, the axe gleams, and a man who came on falls back. +</p> + +<p> +“One!” cries Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +“One, my brother!” answers Galazi, as he draws back the Watcher +from his blow. +</p> + +<p> +A soldier rushes forward, singing. To and fro he moves in front of Umslopogaas, +his spear poised to strike. Groan-Maker swoops down, but the man leaps back, +the blow misses, and the Slaughterer’s guard is down. +</p> + +<p> +“A poor stroke, Sorcerer!” cries the man as he rushes in to stab +him. Lo! the axe wheels in the air, it circles swiftly low down by the ground; +it smites upward. Before the spearsman can strike the horn of Groan-Maker has +sped from chin to brain. +</p> + +<p> +“But a good return, fool!” says Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +“Two!” cries Galazi, from the right. +</p> + +<p> +“Two! my brother,” answers Umslopogaas. +</p> + +<p> +Again two men come on, one against each, to find no better luck. The cry of +“<i>Three!</i>” passes from brother to brother, and after it rises +the cry of “<i>Four!</i>” +</p> + +<p> +Now Faku bids the men who are left to hold their shields together and push the +two from the mouths of the paths, and this they do, losing four more men at the +hands of the brethren before it is done. +</p> + +<p> +“Now we are on the open! Ring them round and down with them!” cries +Faku. +</p> + +<p> +But who shall ring round Groan-Maker that shines on all sides at once, +Groan-Maker who falls heavily no more, but pecks and pecks and pecks like a +wood-bird on a tree, and never pecks in vain? Who shall ring round those feet +swifter than the Sassaby of the plains? <i>Wow!</i> He is here! He is there! He +is a sorcerer! Death is in his hand, and death looks out of his eyes! +</p> + +<p> +Galazi lives yet, for still there comes the sound of the Watcher as it thunders +on the shields, and the Wolf’s hoarse cry of the number of the slain. He +has a score of wounds, yet he fights on! his leg is almost hewn from him with +an axe, yet he fights on! His back is pierced again and again, yet he fights +on! But two are left alive before him, one twists round and spears him from +behind. He heeds it not, but smites down the foe in front. Then he turns and, +whirling the Watcher on high, brings him down for the last time, and so +mightily that the man before him is crushed like an egg. +</p> + +<p> +Galazi brushes the blood from his eyes and glares round on the dead. +“<i>All!</i> Slaughterer,” he cries. +</p> + +<p> +“All save two, my brother,” comes the answer, sounding above the +clash of steel and the sound of smitten shields. +</p> + +<p> +Now the Wolf would come to him, but cannot, for his life ebbs. +</p> + +<p> +“Fare you well, my brother! Death is good! Thus, indeed, I would die, for +I have made me a mat of men to lie on,” he cried with a great voice. +</p> + +<p> +“Fare you well! Sleep softly, Wolf!” came the answer. “All +save one!” +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Now Galazi fell dying on the dead, but he was not altogether gone, for he still +spoke. “All save one! Ha! ha! ill for that one then when Groan-Maker yet +is up. It is well to have lived so to die. <i>Victory! Victory!</i>” +</p> + +<p> +And Galazi the Wolf struggled to his knees and for the last time shook the +Watcher about his head, then fell again and died. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Umslopogaas, the son of Chaka, and Faku, the captain of Dingaan, gazed on each +other. They alone were left standing upon the mountain, for the rest were all +down. Umslopogaas had many wounds. Faku was unhurt; he was a strong man, also +armed with an axe. +</p> + +<p> +Faku laughed aloud. “So it has come to this, Slaughterer,” he said, +“that you and I must settle whether the king’s word be done or no. +Well, I will say that however it should fall out, I count it a great fortune to +have seen this fight, and the highest of honours to have had to do with two +such warriors. Rest you a little, Slaughterer, before we close. That +wolf-brother of yours died well, and if it is given me to conquer in this bout, +I will tell the tale of his end from kraal to kraal throughout the land, and it +shall be a tale forever.” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap34"></a>CHAPTER XXXIV.<br /> +THE LILY’S FAREWELL</h2> + +<p> +Umslopogaas listened, but he made no answer to the words of Faku the captain, +though he liked them well, for he would not waste his breath in talking, and +the light grew low. +</p> + +<p> +“I am ready, Man of Dingaan,” he said, and lifted his axe. +</p> + +<p> +Now for awhile the two circled round and round, each waiting for a chance to +strike. Presently Faku smote at the head of Umslopogaas, but the Slaughterer +lifted Groan-Maker to ward the blow. Faku crooked his arm and let the axe curl +downwards, so that its keen edge smote Umslopogaas upon the head, severing his +man’s ring and the scalp beneath. +</p> + +<p> +Made mad with the pain, the Slaughterer awoke, as it were. He grasped +Groan-maker with both hands and struck thrice. The first blow hewed away the +plumes and shield of Faku, and drove him back a spear’s length, the +second missed its aim, the third and mightiest twisted in his wet hands, so +that the axe smote sideways. Nevertheless, it fell full on the breast of the +captain Faku, shattering his bones, and sweeping him from the ledge of rock on +to the slope beneath, where he lay still. +</p> + +<p> +“It is finished with the daylight,” said Umslopogaas, smiling +grimly. “Now, Dingaan, send more Slayers to seek your slain,” and +he turned to find Nada in the cave. +</p> + +<p> +But Faku the captain was not yet dead, though he was hurt to death. He sat up, +and with his last strength he hurled the axe in his hand at him whose might had +prevailed against him. The axe sped true, and Umslopogaas did not see it fly. +It sped true, and its point struck him on the left temple, driving in the bone +and making a great hole. Then Faku fell back dying, and Umslopogaas threw up +his arms and dropped like an ox drops beneath the blow of the butcher, and lay +as one dead, under the shadow of a stone. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +All day long Nada crouched in the cave listening to the sounds of war that +crept faintly up the mountain side; howling of wolves, shouting of men, and the +clamour of iron on iron. All day long she sat, and now evening came apace, and +the noise of battle drew near, swelled, and sank, and died away. She heard the +voices of the Wolf-Brethren as they called to each other like bucks, naming the +number of the slain. She heard Galazi’s cry of +“<i>Victory!</i>” and her heart leapt to it, though she knew that +there was death in the cry. Then for the last time she heard the faint ringing +of iron on iron, and the light went out and all grew still. +</p> + +<p> +All grew still as the night. There came no more shouting of men and no more +clash of arms, no howlings of wolves, no cries of pain or triumph—all was +quiet as death, for death had taken all. +</p> + +<p> +For awhile Nada the Lily sat in the dark of the cave, saying to herself, +“Presently he will come, my husband, he will surely come; the Slayers are +slain—he does not but tarry to bind his wounds; a scratch, perchance, +here and there. Yes, he will come, and it is well, for I am weary of my +loneliness, and this place is grim and evil.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spoke to herself in hope, but nothing came except the silence. Then +she spoke again, and her voice echoed in the hollow cave. “Now I will be +bold, I will fear nothing, I will push aside the stone and go out to find him. +I know well he does but linger to tend some who are wounded, perhaps Galazi. +Doubtless Galazi is wounded. I must go and nurse him, though he never loved me, +and I do not love him overmuch who would stand between me and my husband. This +wild wolf-man is a foe to women, and, most of all, a foe to me; yet I will be +kind to him. Come, I will go at once,” and she rose and pushed at the +rock. +</p> + +<p> +Why, what was this? It did not stir. Then she remembered that she had pulled it +beyond the socket because of her fear of the wolf, and that the rock had +slipped a little way down the neck of the cave. Umslopogaas had told her that +she must not do this, and she had forgotten his words in her foolishness. +Perhaps she could move the stone; no, not by the breadth of a grain of corn. +She was shut in, without food or water, and here she must bide till Umslopogaas +came. And if he did not come? Then she must surely die. +</p> + +<p> +Now she shrieked aloud in her fear, calling on the name of Umslopogaas. The +walls of the cave answered “<i>Umslopogaas! Umslopogaas!</i>” and +that was all. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Afterwards madness fell upon Nada, my daughter, and she lay in the cave for +days and nights, nor knew ever how long she lay. And with her madness came +visions, for she dreamed that the dead One whom Galazi had told her of sat once +more aloft in his niche at the end of the cave and spoke to her, saying:— +</p> + +<p> +“Galazi is dead! The fate of him who bears the Watcher has fallen on him. +Dead are the ghost-wolves; I also am dead of hunger in this cave, and as I died +so shall you die, Nada the Lily! Nada, Star of Death! because of whose beauty +and foolishness all this death has come about.” +</p> + +<p> +This is seemed to Nada, in her madness, that the shadow of him who had sat in +the niche spoke to her from hour to hour. +</p> + +<p> +It seemed to Nada, in her madness, that twice the light shone through the hole +by the rock, and that was day, and twice it went out, and that was night. A +third time the ray shone and died away, and lo! her madness left her, and she +awoke to know that she was dying, and that a voice she loved spoke without the +hole, saying in hollow accents:— +</p> + +<p> +“Nada? Do you still live, Nada?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” she answered hoarsely. “Water! give me water!” +</p> + +<p> +Next she heard a sound as of a great snake dragging itself along painfully. A +while passed, then a trembling hand thrust a little gourd of water through the +hole. She drank, and now she could speak, though the water seemed to flow +through her veins like fire. +</p> + +<p> +“Is it indeed you, Umslopogaas?” she said, “or are you dead, +and do I dream of you?” +</p> + +<p> +“It is I, Nada,” said the voice. “Hearken! have you drawn the +rock home?” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas! yes,” she answered. “Perhaps, if the two of us strive +at it, it will move.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ay, if our strength were what it was—but now! Still, let us +try.” +</p> + +<p> +So they strove with a rock, but the two of them together had not the strength +of a girl, and it would not stir. +</p> + +<p> +“Give over, Umslopogaas,” said Nada; “we do but waste the +time that is left to me. Let us talk!” +</p> + +<p> +For awhile there was no answer, for Umslopogaas had fainted, and Nada beat her +breast, thinking that he was dead. +</p> + +<p> +Presently he spoke, however, saying, “It may not be; we must perish here, +one on each side of the stone, not seeing the other’s face, for my might +is as water; nor can I stand upon my feet to go and seek for food.” +</p> + +<p> +“Are you wounded, Umslopogaas?” asked Nada. +</p> + +<p> +“Ay, Nada, I am pierced to the brain with the point of an axe; no fair +stroke, the captain of Dingaan hurled it at me when I thought him dead, and I +fell. I do not know how long I have lain yonder under the shadow of the rock, +but it must be long, for my limbs are wasted, and those who fell in the fray +are picked clean by the vultures, all except Galazi, for the old wolf Deathgrip +lies on his breast dying, but not dead, licking my brother’s wounds, and +scares the fowls away. It was the beak of a vulture, who had smelt me out at +last, that woke me from my sleep beneath the stone, Nada, and I crept hither. +Would that he had not awakened me, would that I had died as I lay, rather than +lived a little while till you perish thus, like a trapped fox, Nada, and +presently I follow you.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is hard to die so, Umslopogaas,” she answered, “I who am +yet young and fair, who love you, and hoped to give you children; but so it has +come about, and it may not be put away. I am well-nigh sped, husband; horror +and fear have conquered me, my strength fails, but I suffer little. Let us talk +no more of death, let us rather speak of our childhood, when we wandered hand +in hand; let us talk also of our love, and of the happy hours that we have +spent since your great axe rang upon the rock in the Halakazi caves, and my +fear told you the secret of my womanhood. See, I thrust my hand through the +hole; can you not kiss it, Umslopogaas?” +</p> + +<p> +Now Umslopogaas stooped his shattered head, and kissed the Lily’s little +hand, then he held it in his own, and so they sat till the end—he +without, resting his back against the rock, she within, lying on her side, her +arm stretched through the little hole. They spoke of their love, and tried to +forget their sorrow in it; he told her also of the fray which had been and how +it went. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah!” she said, “that was Zinita’s work, Zinita who +hated me, and justly. Doubtless she set Dingaan on this path.” +</p> + +<p> +“A little while gone,” quoth Umslopogaas; “and I hoped that +your last breath and mine might pass together, Nada, and that we might go +together to seek great Galazi, my brother, where he is. Now I hope that help +will find me, and that I may live a little while, because of a certain +vengeance which I would wreak.” +</p> + +<p> +“Speak not of vengeance, husband,” she answered, “I, too, am +near to that land where the Slayer and the Slain, the Shedder of Blood and the +Avenger of Blood are lost in the same darkness. I would die with love, and love +only, in my heart, and your name, and yours only, on my lips, so that if +anywhere we live again it shall be ready to spring forth to greet you. Yet, +husband, it is in my heart that you will not go with me, but that you shall +live on to die the greatest of deaths far away from here, and because of +another woman. It seems that, as I lay in the dark of this cave, I saw you, +Umslopogaas, a great man, gaunt and grey, stricken to the death, and the axe +Groan-maker wavering aloft, and many a man dead upon a white and shimmering +way, and about you the fair faces of white women; and you had a hole in your +forehead, husband, on the left side.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is like to be true, if I live,” he answered, “for the +bone of my temple is shattered.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Nada ceased speaking, and for a long while was silent; Umslopogaas was also +silent and torn with pain and sorrow because he must lose the Lily thus, and +she must die so wretchedly, for one reason only, that the cast of Faku had +robbed him of his strength. Alas! he who had done many deeds might not save her +now; he could scarcely hold himself upright against the rock. He thought of it, +and the tears flowed down his face and fell on to the hand of the Lily. She +felt them fall and spoke. +</p> + +<p> +“Weep not, my husband,” she said, “I have been all too ill a +wife to you. Do not mourn for me, yet remember that I loved you well.” +And again she was silent for a long space. +</p> + +<p> +Then she spoke and for the last time of all, and her voice came in a gasping +whisper through the hole in the rock:— +</p> + +<p> +“Farewell, Umslopogaas, my husband and my brother, I thank you for your +love, Umslopogaas. Ah! I die!” +</p> + +<p> +Umslopogaas could make no answer, only he watched the little hand he held. +Twice it opened, twice it closed upon his own, then it opened for the third +time, turned grey, quivered, and was still forever! +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Now it was at the hour of dawn that Nada died. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap35"></a>CHAPTER XXXV.<br /> +THE VENGEANCE OF MOPO AND HIS FOSTERLING</h2> + +<p> +It chanced that on this day of Nada’s death and at that same hour of dawn +I, Mopo, came from my mission back to the kraal of the People of the Axe, +having succeeded in my end, for that great chief whom I had gone out to visit +had hearkened to my words. As the light broke I reached the town, and lo! it +was a blackness and a desolation. +</p> + +<p> +“Here is the footmark of Dingaan,” I said to myself, and walked to +and fro, groaning heavily. Presently I found a knot of men who were of the +people that had escaped the slaughter, hiding in the mealie-fields lest the +Slayers should return, and from them I drew the story. I listened in silence, +for, my father, I was grown old in misfortune; then I asked where were the +Slayers of the king? They replied that they did not know; the soldiers had gone +up the Ghost Mountain after the Wolf-Brethren and Nada the Lily, and from the +forest had come a howling of beasts and sounds of war; then there was silence, +and none had been seen to return from the mountain, only all day long the +vultures hung over it. +</p> + +<p> +“Let us go up the mountain,” I said. +</p> + +<p> +At first they feared, because of the evil name of the place; but in the end +they came with me, and we followed on the path of the impi of the Slayers and +guessed all that had befallen it. At length we reached the knees of stone, and +saw the place of the great fight of the Wolf-Brethren. All those who had taken +part in that fight were now but bones, because the vultures had picked them +every one, except Galazi, for on the breast of Galazi lay the old wolf +Deathgrip, that was yet alive. I drew near the body, and the great wolf +struggled to his feet and ran at me with bristling hair and open jaws, from +which no sound came. Then, being spent, he rolled over dead. +</p> + +<p> +Now I looked round seeking the axe Groan-Maker among the bones of the slain, +and did not find it and the hope came into my heart that Umslopogaas had +escaped the slaughter. Then we went on in silence to where I knew the cave must +be, and there by its mouth lay the body of a man. I ran to it—it was +Umslopogaas, wasted with hunger, and in his temple was a great wound and on his +breast and limbs were many other wounds. Moreover, in his hand he held another +hand—a dead hand, that was thrust through a hole in the rock. I knew its +shape well—it was the little hand of my child, Nada the Lily. +</p> + +<p> +Now I understood, and, bending down, I felt the heart of Umslopogaas, and laid +the down of an eagle upon his lips. His heart still stirred and the down was +lifted gently. +</p> + +<p> +I bade those with me drag the stone, and they did so with toil. Now the light +flowed into the cave, and by it we saw the shape of Nada my daughter. She was +somewhat wasted, but still very beautiful in her death. I felt her heart also: +it was still, and her breast grew cold. +</p> + +<p> +Then I spoke: “The dead to the dead. Let us tend the living.” +</p> + +<p> +So we bore in Umslopogaas, and I caused broth to be made and poured it down his +throat; also I cleansed his great wound and bound healing herbs upon it, plying +all my skill. Well I knew the arts of healing, my father; I who was the first +of the <i>izinyanga</i> of medicine, and, had it not been for my craft, +Umslopogaas had never lived, for he was very near his end. Still, there where +he had once been nursed by Galazi the Wolf, I brought him back to life. It was +three days till he spoke, and, before his sense returned to him, I caused a +great hole to be dug in the floor of the cave. And there, in the hole, I buried +Nada my daughter, and we heaped lily blooms upon her to keep the earth from +her, and then closed in her grave, for I was not minded that Umslopogaas should +look upon her dead, lest he also should die from the sight, and because of his +desire to follow her. Also I buried Galazi the Wolf in the cave, and set the +Watcher in his hand, and there they both sleep who are friends at last, the +Lily and the Wolf together. Ah! when shall there be such another man and such +another maid? +</p> + +<p> +At length on the third day Umslopogaas spoke, asking for Nada. I pointed to the +earth, and he remembered and understood. Thereafter the strength of Umslopogaas +gathered on him slowly, and the hole in his skull skinned over. But now his +hair was grizzled, and he scarcely smiled again, but grew even more grim and +stern than he had been before. +</p> + +<p> +Soon we learned all the truth about Zinita, for the women and children came +back to the town of the People of the Axe, only Zinita and the children of +Umslopogaas did not come back. Also a spy reached me from the Mahlabatine and +told me of the end of Zinita and of the flight of Dingaan before the Boers. +</p> + +<p> +Now when Umslopogaas had recovered, I asked him what he would do, and whether +or not I should pursue my plots to make him king of the land. +</p> + +<p> +But Umslopogaas shook his head, saying that he had no heart that way. He would +destroy a king indeed, but now he no longer desired to be a king. He sought +revenge alone. I said that it was well, I also sought vengeance, and seeking +together we would find it. +</p> + +<p> +Now, my father, there is much more to tell, but shall I tell it? The snow has +melted, your cattle have been found where I told you they should be, and you +wish to be gone. And I also, I would be gone upon a longer journey. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Listen, my father, I will be short. This came into my mind: to play off Panda +against Dingaan; it was for such an hour of need that I had saved Panda alive. +After the battle of the Blood River, Dingaan summoned Panda to a hunt. Then it +was that I journeyed to the kraal of Panda on the Lower Tugela, and with me +Umslopogaas. I warned Panda that he should not go to this hunt, for he was the +game himself, but that he should rather fly into Natal with all his people. He +did so, and then I opened talk with the Boers, and more especially with that +Boer who was named Ungalunkulu, or Great Arm. I showed the Boer that Dingaan +was wicked and not to be believed, but Panda was faithful and good. The end of +it was that the Boers and Panda made war together on Dingaan. Yes, I made that +war that we might be revenged on Dingaan. Thus, my father, do little things +lead to great. +</p> + +<p> +Were we at the big fight, the battle of Magongo? Yes, my father; we were there. +When Dingaan’s people drove us back, and all seemed lost, it was I who +put into the mind of Nongalaza, the general, to pretend to direct the Boers +where to attack, for the Amaboona stood out of that fight, leaving it to us +black people. It was Umslopogaas who cut his way with Groan-Maker through a +wing of one of Dingaan’s regiments till he came to the Boer captain +Ungalunkulu, and shouted to him to turn the flank of Dingaan. That finished it, +my father, for they feared to stand against us both, the white and the black +together. They fled, and we followed and slew, and Dingaan ceased to be a king. +</p> + +<p> +He ceased to be a king, but he still lived, and while he lived our vengeance +was hungry. So we went to the Boer captain and to Panda, and spoke to them +nicely, saying, “We have served you well, we have fought for you, and so +ordered things that victory is yours. Now grant us this request, that we may +follow Dingaan, who has fled into hiding, and kill him wherever we find him, +for he has worked us wrong, and we would avenge it.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the white captain and Panda smiled and said, “Go children, and +prosper in your search. No one thing shall please us more than to know that +Dingaan is dead.” And they gave us men to go with us. +</p> + +<p> +Then we hunted that king week by week as men hunt a wounded buffalo. We hunted +him to the jungles of the Umfalozi and through them. But he fled ever, for he +knew that the avengers of blood were on his spoor. After that for awhile we +lost him. Then we heard that he had crossed the Pongolo with some of the people +who still clung to him. We followed him to the place Kwa Myawo, and there we +lay hid in the bush watching. At last our chance came. Dingaan walked in the +bush and with him two men only. We stabbed the men and seized him. +</p> + +<p> +Dingaan looked at us and knew us, and his knees trembled with fear. Then I +spoke:— +</p> + +<p> +“What was that message which I sent thee, O Dingaan, who art no more a +king—that thou didst evil to drive me away, was it not? because I set +thee on thy throne and I alone could hold thee there?” +</p> + +<p> +He made no answer, and I went on:— +</p> + +<p> +“I, Mopo, son of Makedama, set thee on thy throne, O Dingaan, who wast a +king, and I, Mopo, have pulled thee down from thy throne. But my message did +not end there. It said that, ill as thou hadst done to drive me away, yet worse +shouldst thou do to look upon my face again, for that day should be thy day of +doom.” +</p> + +<p> +Still he made no answer. Then Umslopogaas spoke:— +</p> + +<p> +“I am that Slaughterer, O Dingaan, no more a king, whom thou didst send +Slayers many and fierce to eat up at the kraal of the People of the Axe. Where +are thy Slayers now, O Dingaan? Before all is done thou shalt look upon +them.” +</p> + +<p> +“Kill me and make an end; it is your hour,” said Dingaan. +</p> + +<p> +“Not yet awhile, O son of Senzangacona,” answered Umslopogaas, +“and not here. There lived a certain woman and she was named Nada the +Lily. I was her husband, O Dingaan, and Mopo here, he was her father. But, +alas! she died, and sadly—she lingered three days and nights before she +died. Thou shalt see the spot and hear the tale, O Dingaan. It will wring thy +heart, which was ever tender. There lived certain children, born of another +woman named Zinita, little children, sweet and loving. I was their father, O +Elephant in a pit, and one Dingaan slew them. Of them thou shalt hear also. Now +away, for the path is far!” +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Two days went by, my father, and Dingaan sat bound and alone in the cave on +Ghost Mountain. We had dragged him slowly up the mountain, for he was heavy as +an ox. Three men pushing at him and three others pulling on a cord about his +middle, we dragged him up, staying now and again to show him the bones of those +whom he had sent out to kill us, and telling him the tale of that fight. +</p> + +<p> +Now at length we were in the cave, and I sent away those who were with us, for +we wished to be alone with Dingaan at the last. He sat down on the floor of the +cave, and I told him that beneath the earth on which he sat lay the bones of +that Nada whom he had murdered and the bones of Galazi the Wolf. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +On the third day before the dawn we came again and looked upon him. +</p> + +<p> +“Slay me,” he said, “for the Ghosts torment me!” +</p> + +<p> +“No longer art thou great, O shadow of a king,” I said, “who +now dost tremble before two Ghosts out of all the thousands that thou hast +made. Say, then, how shall it fare with thee presently when thou art of their +number?” +</p> + +<p> +Now Dingaan prayed for mercy. +</p> + +<p> +“Mercy, thou hyena!” I answered, “thou prayest for mercy who +showed none to any! Give me back my daughter. Give this man back his wife and +children; then we will talk of mercy. Come forth, coward, and die the death of +cowards.” +</p> + +<p> +So, my father, we dragged him out, groaning, to the cleft that is above in the +breast of the old Stone Witch, that same cleft where Galazi had found the +bones. There we stood, waiting for the moment of the dawn, that hour when Nada +had died. Then we cried her name into his ears and the names of the children of +Umslopogaas, and cast him into the cleft. +</p> + +<p> +This was the end of Dingaan, my father—Dingaan, who had the fierce heart +of Chaka without its greatness. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap36"></a>CHAPTER XXXVI.<br /> +MOPO ENDS HIS TALE</h2> + +<p> +That is the tale of Nada the Lily, my father, and of how we avenged her. A sad +tale—yes, a sad tale; but all was sad in those days. It was otherwise +afterwards, when Panda reigned, for Panda was a man of peace. +</p> + +<p> +There is little more to tell. I left the land where I could stay no longer who +had brought about the deaths of two kings, and came here to Natal to live near +where the kraal Duguza once had stood. +</p> + +<p> +The bones of Dingaan as they lay in the cleft were the last things my eyes +beheld, for after that I became blind, and saw the sun no more, nor any +light—why I do not know, perhaps from too much weeping, my father. So I +changed my name, lest a spear might reach the heart that had planned the death +of two kings and a prince—Chaka, Dingaan, and Umhlangana of the blood +royal. Silently and by night Umslopogaas, my fosterling, led me across the +border, and brought me here to Stanger; and here as an old witch-doctor I have +lived for many, many years. I am rich. Umslopogaas craved back from Panda the +cattle of which Dingaan had robbed me, and drove them hither. But none were +here who had lived in the kraal Duguza, none knew, in Zweete the blind old +witch-doctor, that Mopo who stabbed Chaka, the Lion of the Zulu. None know it +now. You have heard the tale, and you alone, my father. Do not tell it again +till I am dead. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Umslopogaas? Yes, he went back to the People of the Axe and ruled them, but +they were never so strong again as they had been before they smote the Halakazi +in their caves, and Dingaan ate them up. Panda let him be and liked him well, +for Panda did not know that the Slaughterer was son to Chaka his brother, and +Umslopogaas let that dog lie, for when Nada died he lost his desire to be +great. Yet he became captain of the Nkomabakosi regiment, and fought in many +battles, doing mighty deeds, and stood by Umbulazi, son of Panda, in the great +fray on the Tugela, when Cetywayo slew his brother Umbulazi. +</p> + +<p> +After that also he plotted against Cetywayo, whom he hated, and had it not been +for a certain white man, a hunter named Macumazahn, Umslopogaas would have been +killed. But the white man saved him by his wit. Yes, and at times he came to +visit me, for he still loved me as of old; but now he has fled north, and I +shall hear his voice no more. Nay, I do not know all the tale; there was a +woman in it. Women were ever the bane of Umslopogaas, my fostering. I forget +the story of that woman, for I remember only these things that happened long +ago, before I grew very old. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Look on this right hand of mine, my father! I cannot see it now; and yet I, +Mopo, son of Makedama, seem to see it as once I saw, red with the blood of two +kings. Look on— +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +Suddenly the old man ceased, his head fell forward upon his withered breast. +When the White Man to whom he told this story lifted it and looked at him, he +was dead! +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1207 ***</div> +</body> + +</html> + |