Child of Storm.....................................................................................................................................................1

For twenty years, I believe I am right in saying, you, as Assistant Secretary for Native Affairs in Natal, and in

other offices, have been intimately acquainted with the Zulu people. Moreover, you are one of the few living

men who have made a deep and scientific study of their language, their customs and their history. So I

confess that I was the more pleased after you were so good as to read this talethe second book of the epic

of the vengeance of Zikali, "the Thingthatshouldneverhavebeenborn," and of the fall of the House of

I must admit that my acquaintance with this people dates from a period which closed almost before your day.

What I know of them I gathered at the time when Cetewayo, of whom my volume tells, was in his glory,

previous to the evil hour in which he found himself driven by the clamour of his regiments, cut off, as they

were, through the annexation of the Transvaal, from their hereditary trade of war, to match himself against

the British strength. I learned it all by personal observation in the 'seventies, or from the lips of the great

Shepstone, my chief and friend, and from my colleagues Osborn, Fynney, Clarke and others, every one of

Perhaps it may be as well that this is so, at any rate in the case of one who desires to write of the Zulus as a

reigning nation, which now they have ceased to be, and to try to show them as they were, in all their

Yet then they had virtues as well as vices. To serve their Country in arms, to die for it and for the King; such

was their primitive ideal. If they were fierce they were loyal, and feared neither wounds nor doom; if they

listened to the dark redes of the witchdoctor, the trumpetcall of duty sounded still louder in their ears; if,

chanting their terrible "Ingoma," at the King's bidding they went forth to slay unsparingly, at least they were

not mean or vulgar. From those who continually must face the last great issues of life or death meanness and

vulgarity are far removed. These qualities belong to the safe and crowded haunts of civilised men, not to the

kraals of Bantu savages, where, at any rate of old, they might be sought in vain.

Now everything is changed, or so I hear, and doubtless in the balance this is best. Still we may wonder what

are the thoughts that pass through the mind of some ancient warrior of Chaka's or Dingaan's time, as he suns

himself crouched on the ground, for example, where once stood the royal kraal, Duguza, and watches men

and women of the Zulu blood passing homeward from the cities or the mines, bemused, some of them, with

the white man's smuggled liquor, grotesque with the white man's castoff garments, hiding, perhaps, in their

blankets examples of the white man's doubtful photographsand then shuts his sunken eyes and remembers

the plumed and kilted regiments making that same ground shake as, with a thunder of salute, line upon line,

Well, because the latter does not attract me, it is of this former time that I have tried to writethe time of the

Impis and the witchfinders and the rival princes of the royal Houseas I am glad to learn from you, not

quite in vain. Therefore, since you, so great an expert, approve of my labours in the seldomtravelled field of

Zulu story, I ask you to allow me to set your name upon this page and subscribe myself,

Mr. Allan Quatermain's story of the wicked and fascinating Mameena, a kind of Zulu Helen, has, it should be

stated, a broad foundation in historical fact. Leaving Mameena and her wiles on one side, the tale of the

struggle between the Princes Cetewayo and Umbelazi for succession to the throne of Zululand is true.

When the differences between these sons of his became intolerable, because of the tumult which they were

causing in his country, King Panda, their father, the son of Senzangakona, and the brother of the great Chaka

and of Dingaan, who had ruled before him, did say that "when two young bulls quarrel they had better fight it

out." So, at least, I was told by the late Mr. F. B. Fynney, my colleague at the time of the annexation of the

Transvaal in 1877, who, as Zulu Border Agent, with the exceptions of the late Sir Theophilus Shepstone and

the late Sir Melmoth Osborn, perhaps knew more of that land and people than anyone else of his period.

As a result of this hint given by a maddened king, the great battle of the Tugela was fought at Endondakusuka

in December, 1856, between the Usutu party, commanded by Cetewayo, and the adherents of Umbelazi the

Handsome, his brother, who was known among the Zulus as "IndhlovueneSihlonti", or the "Elephant with

the tuft of hair," from a little lock of hair which grew low down upon his back.

My friend, Sir Melmoth Osborn, who died in or about the year 1897, was present at this battle, although not

as a combatant. Well do I remember his thrilling story, told to me over thirty years ago, of the events of that

Early in the morning, or during the previous night, I forget which, he swam his horse across the Tugela and

hid with it in a bushclad kopje, blindfolding the animal with his coat lest it should betray him. As it

chanced, the great fight of the day, that of the regiment of veterans, which Sir Melmoth informed me Panda

had sent down at the last moment to the assistance of Umbelazi, his favourite son, took place almost at the

foot of this kopje. Mr. Quatermain, in his narrative, calls this regiment the Amawombe, but my recollection is

Whatever their exact title may have been, however, they made a great stand. At least, he told me that when

Umbelazi's impi, or army, began to give before the Usutu onslaught, these "Greys" moved forward above

3,000 strong, drawn up in a triple line, and were charged by one of Cetewayo's regiments.

The opposing forces met, and the noise of their clashing shields, said Sir Melmoth, was like the roll of heavy

thunder. Then, while he watched, the veteran "Greys" passed over the opposing regiment "as a wave passes

over a rock"these were his exact wordsand, leaving about a third of their number dead or wounded

among the bodies of the annihilated foe, charged on to meet a second regiment sent against them by

Cetewayo. With these the struggle was repeated, but again the "Greys" conquered. Only now there were not

These survivors ran to a mound, round which they formed a ring, and here for a long while withstood the

attack of a third regiment, until at length they perished almost to a man, buried beneath heaps of their slain

As for the number who fell at this battle of Endondakusuka, Mr. Fynney, in a pamphlet which he wrote, says

that six of Umbelazi's brothers died, "whilst it is estimated that upwards of 100,000 of the peoplemen,

That curious personage named John Dunn, an Englishman who became a Zulu chief, and who actually fought

in this battle, as narrated by Mr. Quatermain, however, puts the number much lower. What the true total was

will never be known; but Sir Melmoth Osborn told me that when he swam his horse back across the Tugela

that night it was black with bodies; and Sir Theophilus Shepstone also told me that when he visited the scene

a day or two later the banks of the river were strewn with multitudes of them, male and female.

It was from Mr. Fynney that I heard the story of the execution by Cetewayo of the man who appeared before

him with the ornaments of Umbelazi, announcing that he had killed the prince with his own hand. Of course,

this tale, as Mr. Quatermain points out, bears a striking resemblance to that recorded in the Old Testament in

It by no means follows, however, that it is therefore apocryphal; indeed, Mr. Fynney assured me that it was

quite true, although, if he gave me his authorities, I cannot remember them after a lapse of more than thirty

The exact circumstances of Umbelazi's death are unknown, but the general report was that he died, not by the

assegais of the Usutu, but of a broken heart. Another story declares that he was drowned. His body was never

found, and it is therefore probable that it sank in the Tugela, as is suggested in the following pages.

I have only to add that it is quite in accordance with Zulu beliefs that a man should be haunted by the ghost of

one whom he has murdered or betrayed, or, to be more accurate, that the spirit ("umoya") should enter into

the slayer and drive him mad. Or, in such a case, that spirit might bring misfortune upon him, his family, or

We white people think that we know everything. For instance, we think that we understand human nature.

And so we do, as human nature appears to us, with all its trappings and accessories seen dimly through the

glass of our conventions, leaving out those aspects of it which we have forgotten or do not think it polite to

mention. But I, Allan Quatermain, reflecting upon these matters in my ignorant and uneducated fashion, have

always held that no one really understands human nature who has not studied it in the rough. Well, that is the

For most of the years of my life I have handled the raw material, the virgin ore, not the finished ornament that

is smelted out of itif, indeed, it is finished yet, which I greatly doubt. I dare say that a time may come when

the perfected generationsif Civilisation, as we understand it, really has a future and any such should be

allowed to enjoy their hour on the Worldwill look back to us as crude, halfdeveloped creatures whose

Maybe, maybe, for everything goes by comparison; and at one end of the ladder is the apeman, and at the

other, as we hope, the angel. No, not the angel; he belongs to a different sphere, but that last expression of

humanity upon which I will not speculate. While man is manthat is, before he suffers the magical

deathchange into spirit, if such should be his destinywell, he will remain man. I mean that the same

passions will sway him; he will aim at the same ambitions; he will know the same joys and be oppressed by

the same fears, whether he lives in a Kafir hut or in a golden palace; whether he walks upon his two feet or,

as for aught I know he may do one day, flies through the air. This is certain: that in the flesh he can never

escape from our atmosphere, and while he breathes it, in the main with some variations prescribed by climate,

local law and religion, he will do much as his forefathers did for countless ages.

That is why I have always found the savage so interesting, for in him, nakedly and forcibly expressed, we see

To descend from these generalities, that is why also I, who hate writing, have thought it worth while, at the

cost of some labour to myself, to occupy my leisure in what to me is a strange landfor although I was born

in England, it is not my countryin setting down various experiences of my life that do, in my opinion,

interpret this our universal nature. I dare say that no one will ever read them; still, perhaps they are worthy of

record, and who knows? In days to come they may fall into the hands of others and prove of value. At any

rate, they are true stories of interesting peoples, who, if they should survive in the savage competition of the

nations, probably are doomed to undergo great changes. Therefore I tell of them before they began to change.

Now, although I take it out of its strict chronological order, the first of these histories that I wish to preserve

is in the main that of an extremely beautiful womanwith the exception of a certain Nada, called "the Lily,"

of whom I hope to speak some day, I think the most beautiful that ever lived among the Zulus. Also she was,

I think, the most able, the most wicked, and the most ambitious. Her attractive namefor it was very

attractive as the Zulus said it, especially those of them who were in love with herwas Mameena, daughter

of Umbezi. Her other name was Child of Storm (InganeyeSipepo, or, more freely and shortly,

OweZulu), but the word "Mameena" had its origin in the sound of the wind that wailed about the hut

[*The Zulu word "Meena"or more correctly "Mina"means "Come here," and would therefore be a

name not unsuitable to one of the heroine's proclivities; but Mr. Quatermain does not seem to accept this

Since I have been settled in England I have readof course in a translationthe story of Helen of Troy, as

told by the Greek poet, Homer. Well, Mameena reminds me very much of Helen, or, rather, Helen reminds

me of Mameena. At any rate, there was this in common between them, although one of them was black, or,

rather, coppercoloured, and the other whitethey both were lovely; moreover, they both were faithless, and

brought men by hundreds to their deaths. There, perhaps, the resemblance ends, since Mameena had much

more fire and grit than Helen could boast, who, unless Homer misrepresents her, must have been but a poor

thing after all. Beauty Itself, which those old rascals of Greek gods made use of to bait their snares set for the

lives and honour of men, such was Helen, no more; that is, as I understand her, who have not had the

advantage of a classical education. Now, Mameena, although she was superstitiousa common weakness of

great mindsacknowledging no gods in particular, as we understand them, set her own snares, with varying

success but a very definite object, namely, that of becoming the first woman in the world as she knew itthe

But the reader shall judge for himself, if ever such a person should chance to cast his eye upon this history.

It was in the year 1854 that I first met Mameena, and my acquaintance with her continued off and on until

1856, when it came to an end in a fashion that shall be told after the fearful battle of the Tugela in which

Umbelazi, Panda's son and Cetewayo's brotherwho, to his sorrow, had also met Mameenalost his life. I

was still a youngish man in those days, although I had already buried my second wife, as I have told

Leaving my boy in charge of some kind people in Durban, I started into "the Zulu"a land with which I had

already become well acquainted as a youth, there to carry on my wild life of trading and hunting.

For the trading I never cared much, as may be guessed from the little that ever I made out of it, the art of

traffic being in truth repugnant to me. But hunting was always the breath of my nostrilsnot that I am fond

of killing creatures, for any humane man soon wearies of slaughter. No, it is the excitement of sport, which,

before breechloaders came in, was acute enough, I can assure you; the lonely existence in wild places, often

with only the sun and the stars for companions; the continual adventures; the strange tribes with whom I

came in contact; in short, the change, the danger, the hope always of finding something great and new, that

attracted and still attracts me, even now when I have found the great and the new. There, I must not go on

writing like this, or I shall throw down my pen and book a passage for Africa, and incidentally to the next

It was, I think, in the month of May in the year 1854 that I went hunting in rough country between the White

and Black Umvolosi Rivers, by permission of Pandawhom the Boers had made king of Zululand after the

defeat and death of Dingaan his brother. The district was very feverish, and for this reason I had entered it in

the winter months. There was so much bush that, in the total absence of roads, I thought it wise not to attempt

to bring my wagons down, and as no horses would live in that veld I went on foot. My principal companions

were a Kafir of mixed origin, called Sikauli, commonly abbreviated into Scowl, the Zulu chief Saduko, and a

headman of the Undwandwe blood named Umbezi, at whose kraal on the high land about thirty miles away I

left my wagon and certain of my men in charge of the goods and some ivory that I had traded.

This Umbezi was a stout and genialmannered man of about sixty years of age, and, what is rare among these

people, one who loved sport for its own sake. Being aware of his tastes, also that he knew the country and

was skilled in finding game, I had promised him a gun if he would accompany me and bring a few hunters. It

was a particularly bad gun that had seen much service, and one which had an unpleasing habit of going off at

halfcock; but even after he had seen it, and I in my honesty had explained its weaknesses, he jumped at the

"O Macumazana" (that is my native name, often abbreviated into Macumazahn, which means "One who

stands out," or as many interpret it, I don't know how, "WatcherbyNight")"a gun that goes off

sometimes when you do not expect it is much better than no gun at all, and you are a chief with a great heart

to promise it to me, for when I own the White Man's weapon I shall be looked up to and feared by everyone

Now, while he was speaking he handled the gun, that was loaded, observing which I moved behind him. Off

it went in due course, its recoil knocking him backwardsfor that gun was a devil to kickand its bullet

cutting the top off the ear of one of his wives. The lady fled screaming, leaving a little bit of her ear upon the

"What does it matter?" said Umbezi, as he picked himself up, rubbing his shoulder with a rueful look.

"Would that the evil spirit in the gun had cut off her tongue and not her ear! It is the WornoutOldCow's

own fault; she is always peeping into everything like a monkey. Now she will have something to chatter

about and leave my things alone for awhile. I thank my ancestral Spirit it was not Mameena, for then her

"No, no, Macumazahn; I wish she were, for then I should have the most beautiful wife in the land. She is my

daughter, though not that of the WornoutOldCow; her mother died when she was born, on the night of

the Great Storm. You should ask Saduko there who Mameena is," he added with a broad grin, lifting his head

from the gun, which he was examining gingerly, as though he thought it might go off again while unloaded,

I turned, and for the first time saw Saduko, whom I recognised at once as a person quite out of the ordinary

He was a tall and magnificently formed young man, who, although his breast was scarred with assegai

wounds, showing that he was a warrior, had not yet attained to the honour of the "ring" of polished wax laid

over strips of rush bound round with sinew and sewn to the hair, the "isicoco" which at a certain age or

dignity, determined by the king, Zulus are allowed to assume. But his face struck me more even than his

grace, strength and stature. Undoubtedly it was a very fine face, with little or nothing of the negroid type

about it; indeed, he might have been a rather darkcoloured Arab, to which stock he probably threw back.

The eyes, too, were large and rather melancholy, and in his reserved, dignified air there was something that

"Siyakubona" (that is, "we see you," anglice "good morrow") "Saduko," I said, eyeing him curiously. "Tell

"Inkoosi," he answered in his deep voice, lifting his delicately shaped hand in salutation, a courtesy that

pleased me who, after all, was nothing but a white hunter, "Inkoosi, has not her father said that she is his

"Aye," answered the jolly old Umbezi, "but what her father has not said is that Saduko is her lover, or, rather,

would like to be. Wow! Saduko," he went on, shaking his fat finger at him, "are you mad, man, that you think

a girl like that is for you? Give me a hundred cattle, not one less, and I will begin to think of it. Why, you

"She loves me, O Umbezi," answered Saduko, looking down, "and that is more than cattle."

"For you, perhaps, Saduko, but not for me who am poor and want cows. Also," he added, glancing at him

shrewdly, "are you so sure that Mameena loves you though you be such a fine man? Now, I should have

thought that whatever her eyes may say, her heart loves no one but herself, and that in the end she will follow

her heart and not her eyes. Mameena the beautiful does not seek to be a poor man's wife and do all the

hoeing. But bring me the hundred cattle and we will see, for, speaking truth from my heart, if you were a big

chief there is no one I should like better as a soninlaw, unless it were Macumazahn here," he said, digging

Now, at this speech Saduko shifted his feet uneasily; it seemed to me as though he felt there was truth in

"Or taken in war," corrected Saduko. "When I have a hundred head I will hold you to your word, O father of

"And then what would you live on, fool, if you gave all your beasts to me? There, there, cease talking wind.

Before you have a hundred head of cattle Mameena will have six children who will not call you father. Ah,

"Yes, I am going," he answered, with a flash of his quiet eyes; "only then let the man whom they do call

"Beware of how you talk, young man," said Umbezi in a grave voice. "Would you travel your father's road? I

"One of high blood," answered Umbezi shortly. "He might be a chief today had not his father been a plotter

and a wizard. Dingaan smelt him out"and he made a sideways motion with his hand that among the Zulus

means much. "Yes, they were killed, almost every one; the chief, his wives, his children and his

headmenevery one except Chosa his brother and his son Saduko, whom Zikali the dwarf, the

Smelleroutofevildoers, the Ancient, who was old before Senzangakona became a father of kings, hid

him. There, that is an evil tale to talk of," and he shivered. "Come, White Man, and doctor that old Cow of

So I went to see the WornoutOldCownot because I had any particular interest in her, for, to tell the

truth, she was a very disagreeable and antique person, the castoff wife of some chief whom at an unknown

date in the past the astute Umbezi had married from motives of policybut because I hoped to hear more of

Entering a large hut, I found the lady so impolitely named "the Old Cow" in a parlous state. There she lay

upon the floor, an unpleasant object because of the blood that had escaped from her wound, surrounded by a

crowd of other women and of children. At regular intervals she announced that she was dying, and emitted a

fearful yell, whereupon all the audience yelled also; in short, the place was a perfect pandemonium.

Telling Umbezi to get the hut cleared, I said that I would go to fetch my medicines. Meanwhile I ordered my

servant, Scowl, a humorouslooking fellow, light yellow in hue, for he had a strong dash of Hottentot in his

composition, to cleanse the wound. When I returned from the wagon ten minutes later the screams were more

terrible than before, although the chorus now stood without the hut. Nor was this altogether wonderful, for on

entering the place I found Scowl trimming up "the Old Cow's" ear with a pair of blunt nailscissors.

"O Macumazana," said Umbezi in a hoarse whisper, "might it not perhaps be as well to leave her alone? If

"Are you a man or a hyena?" I answered sternly, and set about the job, Scowl holding the poor woman's head

It was over at length; a simple operation in which I exhibitedI believe that is the medical terma strong

"There, Mother," I said, for now we were alone in the hut, whence Scowl had fled, badly bitten in the calf,

"It will be greater than ever," I answered; "no one else will have an ear with such a curve in it. But, talking of

"I don't know where she is," she replied with fury, "but I very well know where she would be if I had my

way. That peeled willowwand of a girl"here she added certain descriptive epithets I will not repeat"has

brought this misfortune upon me. We had a slight quarrel yesterday, White Man, and, being a witch as she is,

she prophesied evil. Yes, when by accident I scratched her ear, she said that before long mine should burn,

and surely burn it does." (This, no doubt, was true, for the caustic had begun to bite.)

"O devil of a White Man," she went on, "you have bewitched me; you have filled my head with fire."

Then she seized an earthenware pot and hurled it at me, saying, "Take that for your doctorfee. Go, crawl

By this time I was half through the beehole of the hut, my movements being hastened by a vessel of hot

"Nothing at all, friend," I answered with a sweet smile, "except that your wife wants to see you at once. She is

After a moment's pause he went inthat is, half of him went in. Then came a fearful crash, and he emerged

again with the rim of a pot about his neck and his countenance veiled in a coating of what I took to be honey.

"Where I wish I was," he answered in a thick voice; "at a kraal five hours' journey away."

That night as I sat smoking my pipe under the flap leanto attached to the wagon, laughing to myself over the

adventure of "the Old Cow," falsely described as "worn out," and wondering whether Umbezi had got the

honey out of his hair, the canvas was lifted, and a Kafir wrapped in a kaross crept in and squatted before me.

"You are welcome," I answered, handing him a little gourd of snuff in token of hospitality. Then I waited

while he poured some of the snuff into the palm of his hand and took it in the usual fashion.

"Inkoosi," he said, when he had scraped away the tears produced by the snuff, "I have come to ask you a

favour. You heard Umbezi say today that he will not give me his daughter, Mameena, unless I give him a

hundred head of cows. Now, I have not got the cattle, and I cannot earn them by work in many years.

Therefore I must take them from a certain tribe I know which is at war with the Zulus. But this I cannot do

unless I have a gun. If I had a good gun, Inkoosione that only goes off when it is asked, and not of its own

fancy, I who have some name could persuade a number of men whom I know, who once were servants of my

"Do I understand that you wish me to give you one of my good guns with two mouths to it (i.e.

doublebarrelled), a gun worth at least twelve oxen, for nothing, O Saduko?" I asked in a cold and

"Not so, O WatcherbyNight," he answered; "not so, O Hewhosleepswithoneeyeopen" (another

free and difficult rendering of my native name, Macumazahn, or more correctly, Macumazana)"I should

never dream of offering such an insult to your highborn intelligence." He paused and took another pinch of

snuff, then went on in a meditative voice: "Where I propose to get those hundred cattle there are many more;

I am told not less than a thousand head in all. Now, Inkoosi," he added, looking at me sideways, "suppose

you gave me the gun I ask for, and suppose you accompanied me with your own gun and your armed hunters,

"That's cool," I said. "So, young man, you want to turn me into a cowthief and get my throat cut by Panda

"Neither, Macumazahn, for these are my own cattle. Listen, now, and I will tell you a story. You have heard

"Yes," I answered. "His tribe lived near the head of the Umzinyati, did they not? Then they were beaten by

the Boers or the English, and Matiwane came under the Zulus. But afterwards Dingaan wiped him out, with

"Yes, his people are killed and scattered, but his House still lives. Macumazahn, I am his House, I, the only

son of his chief wife, for Zikali the Wise Little One, the Ancient, who is of the Amangwane blood, and who

hated Chaka and Dingaanyes, and Senzangakona their father before them, but whom none of them could

kill because he is so great and has such mighty spirits for his servants, saved and sheltered me."

"If he is so great, why, then, did he not save your father also, Saduko?" I asked, as though I knew nothing of

"I cannot say, Macumazahn. Perhaps the spirits plant a tree for themselves, and to do so cut down many other

trees. At least, so it happened. It happened thus: Bangu, chief of the Amakoba, whispered into Dingaan's ear

that Matiwane, my father, was a wizard; also that he was very rich. Dingaan listened because he thought a

sickness that he had came from Matiwane's witchcraft. He said: 'Go, Bangu, and take a company with you

and pay Matiwane a visit of honour, and in the night, O in the night! Afterwards, Bangu, we will divide the

cattle, for Matiwane is strong and clever, and you shall not risk your life for nothing.'"

"Macumazahn, it was done," he said presently. "They ate my father's meat, they drank his beer; they gave

him a present from the king, they praised him with high names; yes, Bangu took snuff with him and called

"My father was in the hut with my mother, and I, so big only"and he held his hand at the height of a boy of

ten"was with them. The cry arose, the flames began to eat; my father looked out and saw. 'Break through

the fence and away, woman,' he said; 'away with Saduko, that he may live to avenge me. Begone while I hold

"Then he kissed me on the brow, saying but one word, 'Remember,' and thrust us from the hut.

"My mother broke a way through the fence; yes, she tore at it with her nails and teeth like a hyena. I looked

back out of the shadow of the hut and saw Matiwane my father fighting like a buffalo. Men went down before

him, one, two, three, although he had no shield: only his spear. Then Bangu crept behind him and stabbed

him in the back and he threw up his arms and fell. I saw no more, for by now we were through the fence. We

ran, but they perceived us. They hunted us as wild dogs hunt a buck. They killed my mother with a throwing

assegai; it entered at her back and came out at her heart. I went mad, I drew it from her body, I ran at them. I

dived beneath the shield of the first, a very tall man, and held the spear, so, in both my little hands. His

weight came upon its point and it went through him as though he were but a bowl of buttermilk. Yes, he

rolled over, quite dead, and the handle of the spear broke upon the ground. Now the others stopped

astonished, for never had they seen such a thing. That a child should kill a tall warrior, oh! that tale had not

been told. Some of them would have let me go, but just then Bangu came up and saw the dead man, who was

"'Wow!' he said when he knew how the man had died. 'This lion's cub is a wizard also, for how else could he

have killed a soldier who has known war? Hold out his arms that I may finish him slowly.'

Saduko ceased speaking, not that his tale was done, but because his voice choked in his throat. Indeed,

seldom have I seen a man so moved. He breathed in great gasps, the sweat poured from him, and his muscles

worked convulsively. I gave him a pannikin of water and he drank, then he went on:

"Already the spear had begun to pricklook, here is the mark of it"and opening his kaross he pointed to a

little white line just below the breastbone"when a strange shadow thrown by the fire of the burning huts

came between Bangu and me, a shadow as that of a toad standing on its hind legs. I looked round and saw

that it was the shadow of Zikali, whom I had seen once or twice. There he stood, though whence he came I

know not, wagging his great white head that sits on the top of his body like a pumpkin on an antheap,

"'A merry sight,' he cried in his deep voice that sounded like water in a hollow cave. 'A merry sight, O Bangu,

Chief of the Amakoba! Blood, blood, plenty of blood! Fire, fire, plenty of fire! Wizards dead here, there, and

everywhere! Oh, a merry sight! I have seen many such; one at the kraal of your grandmother, for

instanceyour grandmother the great Inkosikazi, when myself I escaped with my life because I was so old;

but never do I remember a merrier than that which this moon shines on,' and he pointed to the White Lady

who just then broke through the clouds. 'But, great Chief Bangu, lord loved by the son of Senzangakona,

brother of the Black One (Chaka) who has ridden hence on the assegai, what is the meaning of this play?' and

"'I see, I see,' laughed Zikali. 'A gallant deed! You have butchered the father and the mother, and now you

would butcher the child who has slain one of your grown warriors in fair fight. A very gallant deed, well

worthy of the chief of the Amakoba! Well, loose his spiritonly' He stopped and took a pinch of snuff

"'Only I wonder, Bangu, what you will think of the world in which you will find yourself before tomorrow's

moon arises. Come back thence and tell me, Bangu, for there are so many worlds beyond the sun, and I

would learn for certain which of them such a one as you inhabits: a man who for hatred and for gain murders

the father and the mother and then butchers the childthe child that could slay a warrior who has seen

"'Do you mean that I shall die if I kill this lad?' shouted Bangu in a great voice.

"'Good, good!' laughed the dwarf. 'Let us go together. Long have I wished to die, and what better companion

could I find than Bangu, Chief of the Amakoba, Slayer of Children, to guard me on a dark and terrible road.

"Now, Macumazahn, the people of Bangu fell back muttering, for they found this business horrible. Yes,

"Zikali stretched out his hand and touched the scratch that the assegai had made in me here. Then he held up

his finger red with my blood, and looked at it in the light of the moon; yes, and tasted it with his tongue.

"'I think this will happen to you, Bangu,' he said. 'If you spare this boy he will grow into a man who will kill

you and many others one day. But if you do not spare him I think that his spirit, working as spirits can do,

will kill you tomorrow. Therefore the question is, will you live a while or will you die at once, taking me

"Now Bangu turned and walked away, stepping over the body of my mother, and all his people walked away

"'What! have they gone?' said Zikali, lifting up his eyes from the ground. 'Then we had better be going also,

Son of Matiwane, lest he should change his mind and come back. Live on, Son of Matiwane, that you may

"Zikali took me away and nurtured me at his kraal in the Black Kloof, where he lived alone save for his

servants, for in that kraal he would suffer no woman to set foot, Macumazahn. He taught me much wisdom

and many secret things, and would have made a great doctor of me had I so willed. But I willed it not who

find spirits ill company, and there are many of them about the Black Kloof, Macumazahn. So in the end he

said: 'Go where your heart calls, and be a warrior, Saduko. But know this: You have opened a door that can

never be shut again, and across the threshold of that door spirits will pass in and out for all your life, whether

"'Mayhap,' said Zikali, laughing after his fashion, 'for I open when I must and shut when I must. Indeed, in

my youth, before the Zulus were a people, they named me Opener of Doors; and now, looking through one of

"'I see two roads, Saduko: the Road of Medicine, that is the spirit road, and the Road of Spears, that is the

blood road. I see you travelling on the Road of Medicine, that is my own road, Saduko, and growing wise and

great, till at last, far, far away, you vanish over the precipice to which it leads, full of years and honour and

wealth, feared yet beloved by all men, white and black. Only that road you must travel alone, since such

wisdom may have no friends, and, above all, no woman to share its secrets. Then I look at the Road of Spears

and see you, Saduko, travelling on that road, and your feet are red with blood, and women wind their arms

about your neck, and one by one your enemies go down before you. You love much, and sin much for the

sake of the love, and she for whom you sin comes and goes and comes again. And the road is short, Saduko,

and near the end of it are many spirits; and though you shut your eyes you see them, and though you fill your

ears with clay you hear them, for they are the ghosts of your slain. But the end of your journeying I see not.

Now choose which road you will, Son of Matiwane, and choose swiftly, for I speak no more of this matter.'

"Then, Macumazahn, I thought a while of the safe and lonely path of wisdom, also of the bloodred path of

spears where I should find love and war, and my youth rose up in me andI chose the path of spears and the

"A foolish choice, Saduko, supposing that there is any truth in this tale of roads, which there is not."

"Nay, a wise one, Macumazahn, for since then I have seen Mameena and know why I chose that path."

"Ah!" I said. "MameenaI forgot her. Well, after all, perhaps there is some truth in your tale of roads. When

"When you have seen Mameena, Macumazahn, you will say that the choice was very wise. Well, Zikali,

Opener of Doors, laughed loudly when he heard it. 'The ox seeks the fat pasture, but the young bull the rough

mountainside where the heifers graze,' he said; 'and after all, a bull is better than an ox. Now begin to travel

your own road, Son of Matiwane, and from time to time return to the Black Kloof and tell me how it fares

"Now, Macumazahn, I have told you things that hitherto have lived in my own heart only. And,

Macumazahn, Bangu is in ill favour with Panda, whom he defies in his mountain, and I have a

promisenever mind howthat he who kills him will be called to no account and may keep his cattle. Will

"Get thee behind me, Satan," I said in English, then added in Zulu: "I don't know. If your story is true I

should have no objection to helping to kill Bangu; but I must learn lots more about this business first.

Meanwhile I am going on a shooting trip tomorrow with Umbezi the Fat, and I like you, O Chooser of the

Road of Spears and Blood. Will you be my companion and earn the gun with two mouths in payment?"

"Inkoosi," he said, lifting his hand in salute with a flash of his dark eyes, "you are generous, you honour me.

What is there that I should love better? Yet," he added, and his face fell, "first I must ask Zikali the Little,

"Not so, Macumazahn; but I promised him not long ago that I would undertake no enterprise, save that you

"Good! Then I will put off the shooting for three days and come with you if you think that this wonderful old

"I believe that he will, Macumazahn, for this reasonhe told me that I should meet you and love you, and

"Then he poured moonshine into your gourd instead of beer," I answered. "Would you keep me here till

midnight listening to such foolishness when we must start at dawn? Begone now and let me sleep."

"I go," he answered with a little smile. "But if this is so, O Macumazana, why do you also wish to drink of

Yet I did not sleep very well that night, for Saduko and his strange and terrible story had taken a hold of my

imagination. Also, for reasons of my own, I greatly wished to see this Zikali, of whom I had heard a great

deal in past years. I wished further to find out if he was a common humbug, like so many witchdoctors, this

dwarf who announced that my fortunes were mixed up with those of his fosterson, and who at least could

tell me something true or false about the history and position of Bangu, a person for whom I had conceived a

strong dislike, possibly quite unjustified by the facts. But more than all did I wish to see Mameena, whose

beauty or talents produced so much impression upon the native mind. Perhaps if I went to see Zikali she

Thus it was then that fate wove me and my doings into the web of some very strange events; terrible, tragic

and complete indeed as those of a Greek play, as it has often done both before and since those days.

On the following morning I awoke, as a good hunter always should do, just at that time when, on looking out

of the wagon, nothing can be seen but a little grey glint of light which he knows is reflected from the horns of

the cattle tied to the trektow. Presently, however, I saw another glint of light which I guessed came from the

spear of Saduko, who was seated by the ashes of the cooking fire wrapped in his kaross of wildcatskins.

Slipping from the voorkisse, or drivingbox, I came behind him softly and touched him on the shoulder. He

leapt up with a start which revealed his nervous nature, then recognising me through the soft grey gloom,

"Of course," I answered; "am I not named WatcherbyNight? Now let us go to Umbezi and tell him that I

So we went, to find that Umbezi was in a hut with his last wife and asleep. Fortunately enough, however, as

under the circumstances I did not wish to disturb him, outside the hut we found the Old Cow, whose sore ear

had kept her very wide awake, who, for purposes of her own, although etiquette did not allow her to enter the

Having examined her wound and rubbed some ointment on it, with her I left my message. Next I woke up my

servant Scowl, and told him that I was going on a short journey, and that he must guard all things until my

return; and while I did so, took a nip of raw rum and made ready a bag of biltong, that is sundried flesh, and

Then, taking with me a singlebarrelled gun, that same little Purdey rifle with which I shot the vultures on

the Hill of Slaughter at Dingaan's Kraal,* we started on foot, for I would not risk my only horse on such a

[*For the story of this shooting of the vultures by Allan Quatermain, see the book called

A rough journey it proved to be indeed, over a series of bushclad hills that at their crests were covered with

rugged stones among which no horse could have travelled. Up and down these hills we went, and across the

valleys that divided them, following some path which I could not see, for all that livelong day. I have

always been held a good walker, being by nature very light and active; but I am bound to say that my

companion taxed my powers to the utmost, for on he marched for hour after hour, striding ahead of me at

such a rate that at times I was forced to break into a run to keep up with him. Although my pride would not

suffer me to complain, since as a matter of principle I would never admit to a Kafir that he was my master at

anything, glad enough was I when, towards evening, Saduko sat himself down on a stone at the top of a hill

"Behold the Black Kloof, Macumazahn," which were almost the first words he had uttered since we started.

Truly the spot was well named, for there, cut out by water from the heart of a mountain in some primeval age,

lay one of the most gloomy places that ever I had beheld. It was a vast cleft in which granite boulders were

piled up fantastically, perched one upon another in great columns, and upon its sides grew dark trees set

sparsely among the rocks. It faced towards the west, but the light of the sinking sun that flowed up it served

only to accentuate its vast loneliness, for it was a big cleft, the best part of a mile wide at its mouth.

Up this dreary gorge we marched, mocked at by chattering baboons and following a little path not a foot wide

that led us at length to a large hut and several smaller ones set within a reed fence and overhung by a gigantic

mass of rock that looked as though it might fall at any moment. At the gate of the fence two natives of I know

not what tribe, men of fierce and forbidding appearance, suddenly sprang out and thrust their spears towards

"What need to tell Zikali that which he knows already?" said the sentry. "Your food and that of your

companion is already cooked in yonder hut. Enter, Saduko, with him for whom you vouch."

So we went into the hut and ate, also I washed myself, for it was a beautifully clean hut, and the stools,

wooden bowls, etc., were finely carved out of red ivory wood, this work, Saduko informed me, being done by

Zikali's own hand. just as we were finishing our meal a messenger came to tell us that Zikali waited our

presence. We followed him across an open space to a kind of door in the tall reed fence, passing which I set

eyes for the first time upon the famous old witchdoctor of whom so many tales were told.

Certainly he was a curious sight in those strange surroundings, for they were very strange, and I think their

complete simplicity added to the effect. In front of us was a kind of courtyard with a black floor made of

polished antheap earth and cowdung, twothirds of which at least was practically roofed in by the huge

overhanging mass of rock whereof I have spoken, its arch bending above at a height of not less than sixty or

seventy feet from the ground. Into this great, precipicebacked cavity poured the fierce light of the setting

sun, turning it and all within it, even the large straw hut in the background, to the deep hue of blood. Seeing

the wonderful effect of the sunset in that dark and forbidding place, it occurred to me at once that the old

wizard must have chosen this moment to receive us because of its impressiveness.

Then I forgot these scenic accessories in the sight of the man himself. There he sat on a stool in front of his

hut, quite unattended, and wearing only a cloak of leopard skins open in front, for he was unadorned with the

usual hideous trappings of a witchdoctor, such as snakeskins, human bones, bladders full of unholy

What a man he was, if indeed he could be called quite human. His stature, though stout, was only that of a

child; his head was enormous, and from it plaited white hair fell down on to his shoulders. His eyes were

deep and sunken, his face was broad and very stern. Except for this snowwhite hair, however, he did not

look ancient, for his flesh was firm and plump, and the skin on his cheeks and neck unwrinkled, which

suggested to me that the story of his great antiquity was false. A man who was over a hundred years old, for

instance, surely could not boast such a beautiful set of teeth, for even at that distance I could see them

gleaming. On the other hand, evidently middle age was far behind him; indeed, from his appearance it was

quite impossible to guess even approximately the number of his years. There he sat, red in the red light,

perfectly still, and staring without a blink of his eyes at the furious ball of the setting sun, as an eagle is said

Saduko advanced, and I walked after him. My stature is not great, and I have never considered myself an

imposing person, but somehow I do not think that I ever felt more insignificant than on this occasion. The tall

and splendid native beside, or rather behind whom I walked, the gloomy magnificence of the place, the

bloodred light in which it was bathed, and the solemn, solitary, little figure with wisdom stamped upon its

face before me, all tended to induce humility in a man not naturally vain. I felt myself growing smaller and

smaller, both in a moral and a physical sense; I wished that my curiosity had not prompted me to seek an

Well, it was too late to retreat; indeed, Saduko was already standing before the dwarf and lifting his right arm

above his head as he gave him the salute of "Makosi!"* whereon, feeling that something was expected of me,

I took off my shabby cloth hat and bowed, then, remembering my white man's pride, replaced it on my head.

[*"Makosi", the plural of "Inkoosi", is the salute given to Zulu wizards, because they are not one but

many, since in them (as in the possessed demoniac in the Bible) dwell an unnumbered horde of

The wizard suddenly seemed to become aware of our presence, for, ceasing his contemplation of the sinking

sun, he scanned us both with his slow, thoughtful eyes, which somehow reminded me of those of a

"Greeting, son Saduko!" he said in a deep, rumbling voice. "Why are you back here so soon, and why do you

Now this was more than I could bear, so without waiting for my companion's answer I broke in:

"You give me a poor name, O Zikali. What would you think of me if I called you a beetle of a wizard?"

"I should think you clever," he answered after reflection, "for after all I must look something like a beetle

with a white head. But why should you mind being compared to a flea? A flea works by night and so do you,

Macumazahn; a flea is active and so are you; a flea is very hard to catch and kill and so are you; and lastly a

flea drinks its fill of that which it desires, the blood of man and beast, and so you have done, do, and will,

Macumazahn," and he broke into a great laugh that rolled and echoed about the rocky roof above.

Once, long years before, I had heard that laugh, when I was a prisoner in Dingaan's kraal, after the massacre

While I was searching for some answer in the same vein, and not finding it, though I thought of plenty

"Do not let us waste time in jests, for it is a precious thing, and there is but little of it left for any one of us.

"Baba!" (that is the Zulu for father), said Saduko, "this white Inkoosi, for, as you know well enough, he is a

chief by nature, a man of a great heart and doubtless of high blood [this, I believe, is true, for I have been told

that my ancestors were more or less distinguished, although, if this is so, their talents did not lie in the

direction of moneymaking], has offered to take me upon a shooting expedition and to give me a good gun

with two mouths in payment of my services. But I told him I could not engage in any fresh venture without

"Indeed," answered the dwarf, nodding his great head. "This clever white man has taken the trouble of a long

walk in the sun to come here to ask me whether he may be allowed the privilege of presenting you with a

weapon of great value in return for a service that any man of your years in Zululand would love to give for

"Son Saduko, because my eyeholes are hollow, do you think it your part to try to fill them up with dust?

Nay, the white man has come because he desires to see him who is named OpenerofRoads, of whom he

heard a great deal when he was but a lad, and to judge whether in truth he has wisdom, or is but a common

cheat. And you have come to learn whether or no your friendship with him will be fortunate; whether or no

"Well," went on the dwarf, "since I am in the mood I will try to answer both your questions, for I should be a

poor Nyanga" [that is doctor] "if I did not when you have travelled so far to ask them. Moreover, O

Macumazana, be happy, for I seek no fee who, having made such fortune as I need long ago, before your

father was born across the Black Water, Macumazahn, no longer work for a rewardunless it be from the

hand of one of the House of Senzangakonaand therefore, as you may guess, work but seldom."

Then he clapped his hands, and a servant appeared from somewhere behind the hut, one of those

fiercelooking men who had stopped us at the gate. He saluted the dwarf and stood before him in silence and

The man fetched wood, which he built into two little piles in front of Zikali. These piles he fired with a brand

"Withdraw," said Zikali, "and return no more till I summon you, for I am about to prophesy. If, however, I

should seem to die, bury me tomorrow in the place you know of and give this white man a safeconduct

When he had gone the dwarf drew from the bag a bundle of twisted roots, also some pebbles, from which he

"Into this stone," he said, holding up the white pebble so that the light from the fire shone on itsince, save

for the lingering red glow, it was now growing dark"into this stone I am about to draw your spirit, O

Macumazana; and into this one"and he held up the black pebble"yours, O Son of Matiwane. Why do

you look frightened, O brave White Man, who keep saying in your heart, 'He is nothing but an ugly old Kafir

cheat'? If I am a cheat, why do you look frightened? Is your spirit already in your throat, and does it choke

you, as this little stone might do if you tried to swallow it?" and he burst into one of his great, uncanny

I tried to protest that I was not in the least frightened, but failed, for, in fact, I suppose my nerves were acted

on by his suggestion, and I did feel exactly as though that stone were in my throat, only coming upwards, not

going downwards. "Hysteria," thought I to myself, "the result of being overtired," and as I could not speak,

"Now," went on the dwarf, "perhaps I shall seem to die; and if so do not touch me lest you should really die.

Wait till I wake up again and tell you what your spirits have told me. Or if I do not wake upfor a time must

come when I shall go on sleepingwellfor as long as I have livedafter the fires are quite out, not

before, lay your hands upon my breast; and if you find me turning cold, get you gone to some other Nyanga

as fast as the spirits of this place will let you, O ye who would peep into the future."

As he spoke he threw a big handful of the roots that I have mentioned on to each of the fires, whereon tall

flames leapt up from them, very unholylooking flames which were followed by columns of dense, white

smoke that emitted a most powerful and choking odour quite unlike anything that I had ever smelt before. It

seemed to penetrate all through me, and that accursed stone in my throat grew as large as an apple and felt as

Next he threw the white pebble into the righthand fire, that which was opposite to me, saying:

"Enter, Macumazahn, and look," and the black pebble he threw into the lefthand fire saying: "Enter, Son of

Matiwane, and look. Then come back both of you and make report to me, your master."

Now it is a fact that as he said these words I experienced a sensation as though a stone had come out of my

throat; so readily do our nerves deceive us that I even thought it grated against my teeth as I opened my

mouth to give it passage. At any rate the choking was gone, only now I felt as though I were quite empty and

floating on air, as though I were not I, in short, but a mere shell of a thing, all of which doubtless was caused

by the stench of those burning roots. Still I could look and take note, for I distinctly saw Zikali thrust his huge

head, first into the smoke of what I will call my fire, next into that of Saduko's fire, and then lean back,

blowing the stuff in clouds from his mouth and nostrils. Afterwards I saw him roll over on to his side and lie

quite still with his arms outstretched; indeed, I noticed that one of his fingers seemed to be in the lefthand

fire and reflected that it would be burnt off. In this, however, I must have been mistaken, since I observed

Thus Zikali lay for a long while till I began to wonder whether he were not really dead. Dead enough he

seemed to be, for no corpse could have stayed more stirless. But that night I could not keep my thoughts fixed

on Zikali or anything. I merely noted these circumstances in a mechanical way, as might one with whom they

had nothing whatsoever to do. They did not interest me at all, for there appeared to be nothing in me to be

interested, as I gathered according to Zikali, because I was not there, but in a warmer place than I hope ever

to occupy, namely, in the stone in that unpleasantlooking, little righthand fire.

So matters went as they might in a dream. The sun had sunk completely, not even an afterglow was left. The

only light remaining was that from the smouldering fires, which just sufficed to illumine the bulk of Zikali,

lying on his side, his squat shape looking like that of a dead hippopotamus calf. What was left of my

consciousness grew heartily sick of the whole affair; I was tired of being so empty.

At length the dwarf stirred. He sat up, yawned, sneezed, shook himself, and began to rake among the burning

embers of my fire with his naked hand. Presently he found the white stone, which was now redhotat any

rate it glowed as though it wereand after examining it for a moment finally popped it into his mouth! Then

he hunted in the other fire for the black stone, which he treated in a similar fashion. The next thing I

remember was that the fires, which had died away almost to nothing, were burning very brightly again, I

"Come here, O Macumazana and O Son of Matiwane," he said, "and I will repeat to you what your spirits

We drew near into the light of the fires, which for some reason or other was extremely vivid. Then he spat the

white stone from his mouth into his big hand, and I saw that now it was covered with lines and patches like a

"You cannot read the signs?" he said, holding it towards me; and when I shook my head went on: "Well, I

can, as you white men read a book. All your history is written here, Macumazahn; but there is no need to tell

you that, since you know it, as I do well enough, having learned it in other days, the days of Dingaan,

Macumazahn. All your future, also, a very strange future," and he scanned the stone with interest. "Yes, yes;

a wonderful life, and a noble death far away. But of these matters you have not asked me, and therefore I may

not tell them even if I wished, nor would you believe if I did. It is of your hunting trip that you have asked

me, and my answer is that if you seek your own comfort you will do well not to go. A pool in a dry

riverbed; a buffalo bull with the tip of one horn shattered. Yourself and the bull in the pool. Saduko, yonder,

also in the pool, and a little halfbred man with a gun jumping about upon the bank. Then a litter made of

boughs and you in it, and the father of Mameena walking lamely at your side. Then a hut and you in it, and

"Macumazahn, your spirit has written on this stone that you should beware of Mameena, since she is more

dangerous than any buffalo. If you are wise you will not go out hunting with Umbezi, although it is true that

hunt will not cost you your life. There, away, Stone, and take your writings with you!" and as he spoke he

"Your expedition will be successful, Son of Matiwane," he said. "Together with Macumazahn you will win

many cattle at the cost of sundry lives. But for the restwell, you did not ask me of it, did you? Also, I have

told you something of that story before today. Away, Stone!" and the black pebble followed the white out

We sat quite still until the dwarf broke the deep silence with one of his great laughs.

"My witchcraft is done," he said. "A poor tale, was it not? Well, hunt for those stones tomorrow and read

the rest of it if you can. Why did you not ask me to tell you everything while I was about it, White Man? It

would have interested you more, but now it has all gone from me back into your spirit with the stones.

Saduko, get you to sleep. Macumazahn, you who are a WatcherbyNight, come and sit with me awhile in

my hut, and we will talk of other things. All this business of the stones is nothing more than a Kafir trick, is

it, Macumazahn? When you meet the buffalo with the split horn in the pool of a dried river, remember it is

but a cheating trick, and now come into my hut and drink a kamba [bowl] of beer and let us talk of other

So he took me into the hut, which was a fine one, very well lighted by a fire in its centre, and gave me Kafir

beer to drink, that I swallowed gratefully, for my throat was dry and still felt as though it had been scraped.

"Who are you, Father?" I asked pointblank when I had taken my seat upon a low stool, with my back resting

He lifted his big head from the pile of karosses on which he was lying and peered at me across the fire.

"My name is Zikali, which means 'Weapons,' White Man. You know as much as that, don't you?" he

answered. "My father 'went down' so long ago that his does not matter. I am a dwarf, very ugly, with some

learning, as we of the Black House understand it, and very old. Is there anything else you would like to

"There, there, Macumazahn, as you know, we poor Kafirs cannot count very well. How old? Well, when I

was young I came down towards the coast from the Great River, you call it the Zambesi, I think, with

Undwandwe, who lived in the north in those days. They have forgotten it now because it is some time ago,

and if I could write I would set down the history of that march, for we fought some great battles with the

people who used to live in this country. Afterwards I was the friend of the Father of the Zulus, he whom they

still call Inkoosi Umkuluthe mighty chiefyou may have heard tell of him. I carved that stool on which

"Do they, Macumazahn? If so, have I not told you that we black people cannot count as well as you do?

Really it was only the other day. Anyhow, after his death the Zulus began to maltreat us Undwandwe and the

Quabies and the Tetwas with usyou may remember that they called us the Amatefula, making a mock of

us. So I quarrelled with the Zulus and especially with Chaka, he whom they named 'Uhlanya' [the Mad One].

You see, Macumazahn, it pleased him to laugh at me because I am not as other men are. He gave me a name

which means 'Thethingwhichshouldneverhavebeenborn.' I will not speak that name, it is secret to

me, it may not pass my lips. Yet at times he sought my wisdom, and I paid him back for his names, for I gave

him very ill counsel, and he took it, and I brought him to his death, although none ever saw my finger in that

business. But when he was dead at the hands of his brothers Dingaan and Umhlangana and of Umbopa,

Umbopa who also had a score to settle with him, and his body was cast out of the kraal like that of an

evildoer, why I, who because I was a dwarf was not sent with the men against Sotshangana, went and sat on

it at night and laughed thus," and he broke into one of his hideous peals of merriment.

"I laughed thrice: once for my wives whom he had taken; once for my children whom he had slain; and once

for the mocking name that he had given me. Then I became the counsellor of Dingaan, whom I hated worse

than I had hated Chaka, for he was Chaka again without his greatness, and you know the end of Dingaan, for

you had a share in that war, and of Umhlangana, his brother and fellowmurderer, whom I counselled

Dingaan to slay. This I did through the lips of the old Princess Menkabayi, Jama's daughter, Senzangakona's

sister, the Oracle before whom all men bowed, causing her to say that 'This land of the Zulus cannot be ruled

by a crimson assegai.' For, Macumazahn, it was Umhlangana who first struck Chaka with the spear. Now

Panda reigns, the last of the sons of Senzangakona, my enemy, Panda the Fool, and I hold my hand from

Panda because he tried to save the life of a child of mine whom Chaka slew. But Panda has sons who are as

Chaka was, and against them I work as I worked against those who went before them."

"Why? Oh! if I were to tell you all my story you would understand why, Macumazahn. Well, perhaps I will

one day." (Here I may state that as a matter of fact he did, and a very wonderful tale it is, but as it has nothing

"I dare say," I answered. "Chaka and Dingaan and Umhlangana and the others were not nice people. But

another question. Why do you tell me all this, O Zikali, seeing that were I but to repeat it to a talkingbird

"Oh! I should be smelt out and killed before one moon dies, should I? Then I wonder that this has not

happened during all the moons that are gone. Well, I tell the story to you, Macumazahn, who have had so

much to do with the tale of the Zulus since the days of Dingaan, because I wish that someone should know it

and perhaps write it down when everything is finished. Because, too, I have just been reading your spirit and

see that it is still a white spirit, and that you will not whisper it to a 'talkingbird.'"

"What is the end at which you aim, O Zikali?" I asked. "You are not one who beats the air with a stick; on

"On whom?" he answered in a new voice, a low, hissing voice. "Why, on these proud Zulus, this little family

of men who call themselves the 'People of Heaven,' and swallow other tribes as the great treesnake

swallows kids and small bucks, and when it is fat with them cries to the world, 'See how big I am! Everything

is inside of me.' I am a Ndwande, one of those peoples whom it pleases the Zulus to call 'Amatefula'poor

hangerson who talk with an accent, nothing but bush swine. Therefore I would see the swine tusk the

hunter. Or, if that may not be, I would see the black hunter laid low by the rhinoceros, the white rhinoceros of

your race, Macumazahn, yes, even if it sets its foot upon the Ndwande boar as well. There, I have told you,

and this is the reason that I live so long, for I will not die until these things have come to pass, as come to

pass they will. What did Chaka, Senzangakona's son, say when the little red assegai, the assegai with which

he slew his mother, aye and others, some of whom were near to me, was in his liver? What did he say to

Mbopa and the princes? Did he not say that he heard the feet of a great white people running, of a people who

should stamp the Zulus flat? Well, I, 'Thethingwhoshouldnothavebeenborn,' live on until that day

comes, and when it comes I think that you and I, Macumazahn, shall not be far apart, and that is why I have

opened out my heart to you, I who have knowledge of the future. There, I speak no more of these things that

are to be, who perchance have already said too much of them. Yet do not forget my words. Or forget them if

you will, for I shall remind you of them, Macumazahn, when the feet of your people have avenged the

Now, this strange man, who had sat up in his excitement, shook his long white hair which, after the fashion of

wizards, be wore plaited into thin ropes, till it hung like a veil about him, hiding his broad face and deep eyes.

"You are wondering, Macumazahn, what Saduko has to do with all these great events that are to be. I answer

that he must play his part in them; not a very great part, but still a part, and it is for this purpose that I saved

him as a child from Bangu, Dingaan's man, and reared him up to be a warrior, although, since I cannot lie, I

warned him that he would do well to leave spears alone and follow after wisdom. Well, he will slay Bangu,

who now has quarrelled with Panda, and a woman will come into the story, one Mameena, and that woman

will bring about war between the sons of Panda, and from this war shall spring the ruin of the Zulus, for he

who wins will be an evil king to them and bring down on them the wrath of a mightier race. And so

'Thethingthatshouldnothavebeenborn' and the Ndwandes and the Quabies and Twetwas, whom it

has pleased the conquering Zulus to name 'Amatefula,' shall be avenged. Yes, yes, my Spirit tells me all these

"Saduko, your friend and my fosterling, will take his appointed road, Macumazahn, as I shall and you will.

What more could he desire, seeing it is that which he has chosen? He will take his road and he will play the

part which the GreatGreat has prepared for him. Seek not to know more. Why should you, since Time will

tell you the story? And now go to rest, Macumazahn, as I must who am old and feeble. And when it pleases

you to visit me again, we will talk further. Meanwhile, remember always that I am nothing but an old Kafir

cheat who pretends to a knowledge that belongs to no man. Remember it especially, Macumazahn, when you

meet a buffalo with a split horn in the pool of a driedup river, and afterwards, when a woman named

Mameena makes a certain offer to you, which you may be tempted to accept. Good night to you,

WatcherbyNight with the white heart and the strange destiny, good night to you, and try not to think too

hardly of the old Kafir cheat who just now is called 'OpenerofRoads.' My servant waits without to lead you

to your hut, and if you wish to be back at Umbezi's kraal by nightfall tomorrow, you will do well to start ere

sunrise, since, as you found in coming, Saduko, although he may be a fool, is a very good walker, and you do

So I rose to go, but as I went some impulse seemed to take him and he called me back and made me sit down

"Macumazahn," he said, "I would add a word. When you were quite a lad you came into this country with

"Yes," I answered slowly, for this matter of the massacre of Retief is one of which I have seldom cared to

speak, for sundry reasons, although I have made a record of it in writing.* Even my friends Sir Henry Curtis

and Captain Good have heard little of the part I played in that tragedy. "But what do you know of that

"All that there is to know, I think, Macumazahn, seeing that I was at the bottom of it, and that Dingaan killed

"Why do you throw evil names at me, Macumazahn, as I threw the stone of your fate at you just now? Why

am I a murderer because I brought about the death of some white men that chanced to be your friends, who

"Was it for this reason that you brought about their deaths, Zikali?" I asked, staring him in the face, for I felt

"Not altogether, Macumazahn," he answered, letting his eyes, those strange eyes that could look at the sun

without blinking, fall before my gaze. "Have I not told you that I hate the House of Senzangakona? And

when Retief and his companions were killed, did not the spilling of their blood mean war to the end between

the Zulus and the White Men? Did it not mean the death of Dingaan and of thousands of his people, which is

"At least you should not say so, Macumazahn," he replied in a new voice, one with the ring of truth in it.

"Because I saved your life on that day. You escaped alone of the White Men, did you not? And you never

"Well, I will tell you. Those spirits of yours wore my kaross," and he laughed. "I saw you with the Boers, and

saw, too, that you were of another peoplethe people of the English. You may have heard at the time that I

was doctoring at the Great Place, although I kept out of the way and we did not meet, or at least you never

knew that we met, for you wereasleep. Also I pitied your youth, for, although you do not believe it, I had a

little bit of heart left in those days. Also I knew that we should come together again in the after years, as you

see we have done today and shall often do until the end. So I told Dingaan that whoever died you must be

spared, or he would bring up the 'people of George' [i.e. the English] to avenge you, and your ghost would

enter into him and pour out a curse upon him. He believed me who did not understand that already so many

curses were gathered about his head that one more or less made no matter. So you see you were spared,

Macumazahn, and afterwards you helped to pour out a curse upon Dingaan without becoming a ghost, which

is the reason why Panda likes you so well today, Panda, the enemy of Dingaan, his brother. You remember

the woman who helped you? Well, I made her do so. How did it go with you afterwards, Macumazahn, with

you and the Boer maiden across the Buffalo River, to whom you were making love in those days?"

"Never mind how it went," I replied, springing up, for the old wizard's talk had stirred sad and bitter

"Is it, Macumazahn? Now, from the look upon your face I should have said that it was still very much alive,

as things that happened in our youth have a way of keeping alive. But doubtless I am mistaken, and it is all as

dead as Dingaan, and as Retief, and as the others, your companions. At least, although you do not believe it, I

saved your life on that red day, for my own purposes, of course, not because one white life was anything

among so many in my count. And now go to rest, Macumazahn, go to rest, for although your heart has been

awakened by memories this evening, I promise that you shall sleep well tonight," and throwing the long hair

back off his eyes he looked at me keenly, wagging his big head to and fro, and burst into another of his great

Anyone who knew all that story would understand why. But this is not the place to tell it, that tale of my first

love and of the terrible events which befell us in the time of Dingaan. Still, as I say, I have written it down,

I slept very well that night, I suppose because I was so dogtired I could not help it; but next day, on our long

Without doubt I had seen and heard very strange things, both of the past and the presentthings that I could

not in the least understand. Moreover, they were mixed up with all sorts of questions of high Zulu policy, and

Now, in the clear sunlight, was the time to analyse these things, and this I did in the most logical fashion I

could command, although without the slightest assistance from Saduko, who, when I asked him questions,

These questions, he said, did not interest him; I had wished to see the magic of Zikali, and Zikali had been

pleased to show me some very good magic, quite of his best indeed. Also he had conversed alone with me

afterwards, doubtless on high mattersso high that he, Saduko, was not admitted to share the

conversationwhich was an honour he accorded to very few. I could form my own conclusions in the light

I replied shortly that I could, for Saduko's tone irritated me. Of course, the truth was that he felt aggrieved at

being sent off to bed like a little boy while his fosterfather, the old dwarf, made confidences to me. One of

Saduko's faults was that he had always a very good opinion of himself. Also he was by nature terribly

jealous, even in little things, as the readers of his history, if any, will learn.

"Do you still mean to go on a shooting expedition with Umbezi, Inkoosi?" he asked, "or are you afraid?"

Now, I fear I used strong language about the buffalo with the split horn, a beast in which I declared I had no

belief whatsoever, either with or without its accessories of dried riverbeds and waterholes.

"If all this old woman's talk has made you afraid, however," I added, "you can stop at the kraal with

"Why should the talk make me afraid, Macumazahn? Zikali did not say that this evil spirit of a buffalo would

hurt me. If I fear, it is for you, seeing that if you are hurt you may not be able to go with me to look for

"Oh!" I replied sarcastically; "it seems that you are somewhat selfish, friend Saduko, since it is of your

"If I were as selfish as you seem to believe, Inkoosi, should I advise you to stop with your wagons, and

thereby lose the good gun with two mouths that you have promised me? Still, it is true that I should like well

Now, as there is nothing more uninteresting than to listen to other people's love affairs, and as I saw that with

the slightest encouragement Saduko was ready to tell me all the history of his courtship over again, I did not

continue the argument. So we finished our journey in silence, and arrived at Umbezi's kraal a little after

sundown, to find, to the disappointment of both of us, that Mameena was still away.

Upon the following morning we started on our shooting expedition, the party consisting of myself, my

servant Scowl, who, as I think I said, hailed from the Cape and was half a Hottentot; Saduko; the merry old

Zulu, Umbezi, and a number of his men to serve as bearers and beaters. It proved a very successful tripthat

is, until the end of itfor in those days the game in this part of the country was extremely plentiful. Before

the end of the second week I killed four elephants, two of them with large tusks, while Saduko, who soon

developed into a very fair shot, bagged another with the doublebarrelled gun that I had promised him. Also,

Umbezihow, I have never discovered, for the thing partook of the nature of a miraclemanaged to slay an

Never have I seen a man, black or white, so delighted as was that vainglorious Kafir. For whole hours he

danced and sang and took snuff and saluted with his hand, telling me the story of his deed over and over

again, no single version of which tale agreed with the other. He took a new title also, that meant

"EaterupofElephants"; he allowed one of his men to "bonga"that is, praisehim all through the night,

preventing us from getting a wink of sleep, until at last the poor fellow dropped in a kind of fit from

Besides the elephants we killed lots of other things, including two lions, which I got almost with a right and

left, and three white rhinoceroses, that now, alas! are nearly extinct. At last, towards the end of the third

week, we had as much as our men could carry in the shape of ivory, rhinoceros horns, skins and sundried

buckflesh, or biltong, and determined to start back for Umbezi's kraal next day. Indeed, this could not be long

delayed, as our powder and lead were running low; for in those days, it will be remembered, breechloaders

To tell the truth, I was very glad that our trip had come to such a satisfactory conclusion, for, although I

would not admit it even to myself, I could not get rid of a kind of sneaking dread lest after all there might be

something in the old dwarf's prophecy about a disagreeable adventure with a buffalo which was in store for

me. Well, as it chanced, we had not so much as seen a buffalo, and as the road which we were going to take

back to the kraal ran over high, bare country that these animals did not frequent, there was now little prospect

of our doing soall of which, of course, showed what I already knew, that only weakheaded superstitious

idiots would put the slightest faith in the drivelling nonsense of deceiving or selfdeceived Kafir

medicinemen. These things, indeed, I pointed out with much vigour to Saduko before we turned in on the

Saduko listened in silence and said nothing at all, except that he would not keep me up any longer, as I must

Now, whatever may be the reason for it, my experience in life is that it is never wise to brag about anything.

At any rate, on a hunting trip, to come to a particular instance, wait until you are safe at home till you begin

to do so. Of the truth of this ancient adage I was now destined to experience a particularly fine and concrete

The place where we had camped was in scattered bush overlooking a great extent of dry reeds, that in the wet

season was doubtless a swamp fed by a small river which ran into it on the side opposite to our camp. During

the night I woke up, thinking that I heard some big beasts moving in these reeds; but as no further sounds

Shortly after dawn I was awakened by a voice calling me, which in a hazy fashion I recognised as that of

"Macumazahn," said the voice in a hoarse whisper, "the reeds below us are full of buffalo. Get up. Get up at

"What for?" I answered. "If the buffalo came into the reeds they will go out of them. We do not want meat."

"No, Macumazahn; but I want their hides. Panda, the King, has demanded fifty shields of me, and without

killing oxen that I can ill spare I have not the skins whereof to make them. Now, these buffalo are in a trap.

This swamp is like a dish with one mouth. They cannot get out at the sides of the dish, and the mouth by

which they came in is very narrow. If we station ourselves at either side of it we can kill many of them."

By this time I was thoroughly awake and had arisen from my blankets. Throwing a kaross over my shoulders,

I left the hut, made of boughs, in which I was sleeping and walked a few paces to the crest of a rocky ridge,

whence I could see the dry vlei below. Here the mists of dawn still clung, but from it rose sounds of grunts,

bellows and tramplings which I, an old hunter, could not mistake. Evidently a herd of buffalo, one or two

Just then my bastard servant, Scowl, and Saduko joined us, both of them full of excitement.

It appeared that Scowl, who never seemed to sleep at any natural time, had seen the buffalo entering the

reeds, and estimated their number at two or three hundred. Saduko had examined the cleft through which they

passed, and reported it to be so narrow that we could kill any number of them as they rushed out to escape.

"Quite so. I understand," I said. "Well, my opinion is that we had better let them escape. Only four of us,

counting Umbezi, are armed with guns, and assegais are not of much use against buffalo. Let them go, I say."

Umbezi, thinking of a cheap raw material for the shields which had been requisitioned by the King, who

would surely be pleased if they were made of such a rare and tough hide as that of buffalo, protested

violently, and Saduko, either to please one whom he hoped might be his fatherinlaw or from sheer love of

sport, for which he always had a positive passion, backed him up. Only Scowlwhose dash of Hottentot

blood made him cunning and cautioustook my side, pointing out that we were very short of powder and

"The lord Macumazana is our captain; we must obey him, although it is a pity. But doubtless the prophesying

"Never mind what he has or has not to do with it," I broke in, for although I do not think that he meant them

as a taunt, but merely as a statement of fact, Saduko's words stung me to the quick, especially as my

"We will try to kill some of these buffalo," I went on, "although, unless the herd should get bogged, which is

not likely, as the swamp is very dry, I do not think that we can hope for more than eight or ten at the most,

which won't be of much use for shields. Come, let us make a plan. We have no time to lose, for I think they

Half an hour later the four of us who were armed with guns were posted behind rocks on either side of the

steep, natural roadway cut by water, which led down to the vlei, and with us some of Umbezi's men. That

chief himself was at my sidea post of honour which he had insisted upon taking. To tell the truth, I did not

dissuade him, for I thought that I should be safer so than if he were opposite to me, since, even if the old rifle

did not go off of its own accord, Umbezi, when excited, was a most uncertain shot. The herd of buffalo

appeared to have lain down in the reeds, so, being careful to post ourselves first, we sent three of the native

bearers to the farther side of the vlei, with instructions to rouse the beasts by shouting. The remainder of the

Zulusthere were ten or a dozen of them armed with stabbing spearswe kept with us.

But what did these scoundrels do? Instead of disturbing the herd by making a noise, as we told them, for

some reason best known to themselvesI expect it was because they were afraid to go into the vlei, where

they might meet the horn of a buffalo at any momentthey fired the dry reeds in three or four places at once,

and this, if you please, with a strong wind blowing from them to us. In a minute or two the farther side of the

swamp was a sheet of crackling flame that gave off clouds of dense white smoke. Then pandemonium began.

The sleeping buffalo leapt to their feet, and, after a few moments of indecision, crashed towards us, the whole

huge herd of them, snorting and bellowing like mad things. Seeing what was about to happen, I nipped

behind a big boulder, while Scowl shinned up a mimosa with the swiftness of a cat and, heedless of its thorns,

sat himself in an eagle's nest at the top. The Zulus with the spears bolted to take cover where they could.

What became of Saduko I did not see, but old Umbezi, bewildered with excitement, jumped into the exact

"They come! They come! Charge, buffalo folk, if you will. The EaterupofElephants awaits you!"

"You etceterad old fool!" I shouted, but got no farther, for just at this moment the first of the buffalo, which I

could see was an enormous bull, probably the leader of the herd, accepted Umbezi's invitation and came, with

its nose stuck straight out in front of it. Umbezi's gun went off, and next instant he went up. Through the

smoke I saw his black bulk in the air, and then heard it alight with a thud on the top of the rock behind which

"Exit Umbezi," I said to myself, and by way of a requiem let the bull which had hoisted him, as I thought to

heaven, have an ounce of lead in the ribs as it passed me. After that I did not fire any more, for it occurred to

In all my hunting experience I cannot remember ever seeing such a sight as that which followed. Out of the

vlei rushed the buffalo by dozens, every one of them making remarks in its own language as it came. They

jammed in the narrow roadway, they leapt on to each other's backs. They squealed, they kicked, they

bellowed. They charged my friendly rock till I felt it shake. They knocked over Scowl's mimosa thorn, and

would have shot him out of his eagle's nest had not its flat top fortunately caught in that of another and less

accessible tree. And with them came clouds of pungent smoke, mixed with bits of burning reed and puffs of

It was over at last. With the exception of some calves, which had been trampled to death in the rush, the herd

had gone. Now, like the Roman emperorI think he was an emperorI began to wonder what had become

"Umbezi," I shouted, or, rather, sneezed through the smoke, "are you dead, Umbezi? "

"Yes, yes, Macumazahn," replied a choking and melancholy voice from the top of the rock, "I am dead, quite

dead. That evil spirit of a silwana [i.e. wild beast] has killed me. Oh! why did I think I was a hunter; why did

"I am sure I don't know, you old lunatic," I answered, as I scrambled up the rock to bid him goodbye.

It was a rock with a razor top like the ridge of a house, and there, hanging across this ridge like a pair of

"Where did he get you, Umbezi?" I asked, for I could not see his wounds because of the smoke.

"Behind, Macumazahn, behind!" he groaned, "for I had turned to fly, but, alas! too late."

"On the contrary," I replied, "for one so heavy you flew very well; like a bird, Umbezi, like a bird."

"Look and see what the evil beast has done to me, Macumazahn. It will be easy, for my moocha has gone."

So I looked, examining Umbezi's ample proportions with care, but could discover nothing except a large

smudge of black mud, as though he had sat down in a halfdried puddle. Then I guessed the truth. The

buffalo's horns had missed him. He had been struck only with its muddy nose, which, being almost as broad

as that portion of Umbezi with which it came in contact, had inflicted nothing worse than a bruise. When I

was sure he had received no serious injury, my temper, already sorely tried, gave out, and I administered to

him the soundest smackinghis position being very convenientthat he had ever received since he was a

"Get up, you idiot!" I shouted, "and let us look for the others. This is the end of your folly in making me

"Do you mean to tell me that I have no mortal wound, Macumazahn?" he asked, with a return of

cheerfulness, accepting the castigation in good part, for he was not one who bore malice. "Oh, I am glad to

hear it, for now I shall live to make those cowards who fired the reeds sorry that they are not dead; also to

"I don't know whether you hit him; I know he hit you," I replied, as I shoved him off the rock and ran towards

Here I beheld another strange sight. Scowl was still seated in the eagle's nest that he shared with two nearly

fledged young birds, one of which, having been injured, was uttering piteous cries. Nor did it cry in vain, for

its parents, which were of that great variety of kite that the Boers call "lammefange", or lamblifters, had just

arrived to its assistance, and were giving their new nestling, Scowl, the best doing that man ever received at

the beak and claws of feathered kind. Seen through those rushing smoke wreaths, the combat looked perfectly

titanic; also it was one of the noisiest to which I ever listened, for I don't know which shrieked the more

Seeing how things stood, I burst into a roar of laughter, and just then Scowl grabbed the leg of the male bird,

that was planted in his breast while it removed tufts of his wool with its hooked beak, and leapt boldly from

the nest, which had become too hot to hold him. The eagle's outspread wings broke his fall, for they acted as

a parachute; and so did Umbezi, upon whom he chanced to land. Springing from the prostrate shape of the

chief, who now had a bruise in front to match that behind, Scowl, covered with pecks and scratches, ran like a

lamplighter, leaving me to collect my second gun, which he had dropped at the bottom of the tree, but

fortunately without injuring it. The Kafirs gave him another name after that encounter, which meant

Well, we escaped from the line of the smoke, a dishevelled trioindeed, Umbezi had nothing left on him

except his head ringand shouted for the others, if perchance they had not been trodden to death in the rush.

The first to arrive was Saduko, who looked quite calm and untroubled, but stared at us in astonishment, and

asked coolly what we had been doing to get in such a state. I replied in appropriate language, and asked in

He did not answer, but I believe the truth was that he had crept into a large antbear's holesmall blame to

him, to be frank. Then the remainder of our party turned up one by one, some of them looking very blown, as

though they had run a long way. None were missing, except those who had fired the reeds, and they thought it

well to keep clear for a good many hours. I believe that afterwards they regretted not having taken a longer

leave of absence; but when they finally did arrive I was in no condition to note what passed between them

Being collected, the question arose what we should do. Of course, I wished to return to camp and get out of

this illomened place as soon as possible. But I had reckoned without the vanity of Umbezi. Umbezi

stretched over the edge of a sharp rock, whither he had been hoisted by the nose of a buffalo, and imagining

himself to be mortally wounded, was one thing; but Umbezi in a borrowed moocha, although, because of his

bruises, he supported his person with one hand in front and with the other behind, knowing his injuries to be

"I am a hunter," he said; "I am named 'EaterupofElephants';" and he rolled his eyes, looking about for

someone to contradict him, which nobody did. Indeed, his "praiser," a thin, tiredlooking person, whose

"Yes, Black One, 'EaterupofElephants' is your name; 'LiftedupbyBuffalo' is your name."

"Be silent, idiot," roared Umbezi. "As I said, I am a hunter; I have wounded the wild beast that subsequently

dared to assault me. [As a matter of fact, it was I, Allan Quatermain, who had wounded it.] I would make it

"Yes, by all means let us follow it, 'EaterupofElephants.' Macumazahn, the clever white man, will show

Of course, after this there was nothing else to be done, so, having summoned the scratched Scowl, who

seemed to have no heart in the business, we started on the spoor of the herd, which was as easy to track as a

"I hope so," I answered; but, as it happened, luck was against me, for before we had covered half a mile some

I marched on that spoor for twenty minutes or so, till we came to a patch of bush that sloped downwards to a

riverbed. Right to this river I followed it, till I reached the edge of a big pool that was still full of water,

although the river itself had gone dry. Here I stood looking at the spoor and consulting with Saduko as to

whether the beast could have swum the pool, for the tracks that went to its very verge had become confused

and uncertain. Suddenly our doubts were ended, since out of a patch of dense bush which we had

passedfor it had played the common trick of doubling back on its own spoorappeared the buffalo, a

huge bull, that halted on three legs, my bullet having broken one of its thighs. As to its identity there was no

doubt, since on, or rather from, its right horn, which was cleft apart at the top, hung the remains of Umbezi's

"Oh, beware, Inkoosi," cried Saduko in a frightened voice. "It is the buffalo with the cleft horn!"

I heard him; I saw. All the scene in the hut of Zikali rose before methe old dwarf, his words, everything. I

lifted my rifle and fired at the charging beast, but knew that the bullet glanced from its skull. I threw down

Almost I did so, but that cleft horn, to which hung the remains of Umbezi's moocha, scooped me up and

hurled me off the river bank backwards and sideways into the deep pool below. As I departed thither I saw

Saduko spring forward and heard a shot fired that caused the bull to collapse for a moment. Then with a slow,

Now we were together, and there was no room for both, so after a certain amount of dodging I went under, as

the lighter dog always does in a fight. That buffalo seemed to do everything to me which a buffalo could do

under the circumstances. It tried to horn me, and partially succeeded, although I ducked at each swoop. Then

it struck me with its nose and drove me to the bottom of the pool, although I got hold of its lip and twisted it.

Then it calmly knelt on me and sank me deeper and deeper into the mud. I remember kicking it in the

stomach. After this I remember no more, except a kind of wild dream in which I rehearsed all the scene in the

dwarf's hut, and his request that when I met the buffalo with the cleft horn in the pool of a dried river, I

After this I saw my mother bending over a little child in my bed in the old house in Oxfordshire where I was

I came to myself again and saw, instead of my mother, the stately figure of Saduko bending over me upon

one side, and on the other that of Scowl, the halfbred Hottentot, who was weeping, for his hot tears fell upon

"He is gone," said poor Scowl; "that bewitched beast with the split horn has killed him. He is gone who was

the best white man in all South Africa, whom I loved better than my father and all my relatives."

"That you might easily do, Bastard," answered Saduko, "seeing that you do not know who they are. But he is

not gone, for the 'OpenerofRoads' said that he would live; also I got my spear into the heart of that buffalo

before he had kneaded the life out of him, as fortunately the mud was soft. Yet I fear that his ribs are broken";

"There!" said Saduko, "I have made him feel. Did I not tell you that he would live?"

After this I remember little more, except some confused dreams, till I found myself lying in a great hut,

which I discovered subsequently was Umbezi's own, the same, indeed, wherein I had doctored the ear of that

For a while I contemplated the roof and sides of the hut by the light which entered it through the smokevent

Then I tried to sit up, and instantly was seized with agony in the region of the ribs, which I found were bound

about with broad strips of soft tanned hide. Clearly they, or some of them, were broken.

What had broken them? I asked myself, and in a flash everything came back to me. So I had escaped with my

life, as the old dwarf, "OpenerofRoads," had told me that I should. Certainly he was an excellent prophet;

and if he spoke truth in this matter, why not in others? What was I to make of it all? How could a black

By induction from the past, I supposed; and yet what amount of induction would suffice to show him the

details of a forthcoming accident that was to happen to me through the agency of a wild beast with a

peculiarly shaped horn? I gave it up, as before and since that day I have found it necessary to do in the case of

many other events in life. Indeed, the question is one that I often have had cause to ask where Kafir

"witchdoctors" or prophets are concerned, notably in the instance of a certain Mavovo, of whom I hope to

Just then I heard the sound of someone creeping through the beehole of the hut, and halfclosed my eyes, as

I did not feel inclined for conversation. The person came and stood over me, and somehowby instinct, I

supposeI became aware that my visitor was a woman. Very slowly I lifted my eyelids, just enough to

There, standing in a beam of golden light that, passing through the smokehole, pierced the soft gloom of the

hut, stood the most beautiful creature that I had ever seenthat is, if it be admitted that a person who is

She was a little above the medium height, not more, with a figure that, so far as I am a judge of such matters,

was absolutely perfectthat of a Greek statue indeed. On this point I had an opportunity of forming an

opinion, since, except for her little bead apron and a single string of large blue beads about her throat, her

costume waswell, that of a Greek statue. Her features showed no trace of the negro type; on the contrary,

they were singularly well cut, the nose being straight and fine and the pouting mouth that just showed the

ivory teeth between, very small. Then the eyes, large, dark and liquid, like those of a buck, set beneath a

smooth, broad forehead on which the curling, but not woolly, hair grew low. This hair, by the way, was not

dressed up in any of the eccentric native fashions, but simply parted in the middle and tied in a big knot over

the nape of the neck, the little ears peeping out through its tresses. The hands, like the feet, were very small

and delicate, and the curves of the bust soft and full without being coarse, or even showing the promise of

A lovely woman, truly; and yet there was something not quite pleasing about that beautiful face; something,

notwithstanding its childlike outline, which reminded me of a flower breaking into bloom, that one does not

associate with youth and innocence. I tried to analyse what this might be, and came to the conclusion that

without being hard, it was too clever and, in a sense, too reflective. I felt even then that the brain within the

shapely head was keen and bright as polished steel; that this woman was one made to rule, not to be man's

She dropped her chin till it hid the little, dimplelike depression below her throat, which was one of her

charms, and began not to look at, but to study me, seeing which I shut my eyes tight and waited. Evidently

she thought that I was still in my swoon, for now she spoke to herself in a low voice that was soft and sweet

"A small man," she said; "Saduko would make two of him, and the other"who was he, I

wondered"three. His hair, too, is ugly; he cuts it short and it sticks up like that on a cat's back. Iya!" (i.e.

Piff!), and she moved her hand contemptuously, "a feather of a man. But whitewhite, one of those who

rule. Why, they all of them know that he is their master. They call him 'HewhoneverSleeps.' They say

that he has the courage of a lioness with younghe who got away when Dingaan killed Piti [Retief] and the

Boers; they say that he is quick and cunning as a snake, and that Panda and his great indunas think more of

him than of any white man they know. He is unmarried also, though they say, too, that twice he had a wife,

who died, and now he does not turn to look at women, which is strange in any man, and shows that he will

escape trouble and succeed. Still, it must be remembered that they are all ugly down here in Zululand, cows,

"Now, if he met a woman who is not merely a cow or a heifer, a woman cleverer than himself, even if she

At this point I thought it well to wake up. Turning my head I yawned, opened my eyes and looked at her

vaguely, seeing which her expression changed in a flash from that of brooding power to one of moved and

"Oh, yes, Inkoosi," she answered, "that is my poor name. But how did you hear it, and how do you know

"I heard it from one Saduko"here she frowned a little"and others, and I knew you because you are so

beautiful"an incautious speech at which she broke into a dazzling smile and tossed her deerlike head.

"Am I?" she asked. "I never knew it, who am only a common Zulu girl to whom it pleases the great white

chief to say kind things, for which I thank him"; and she made a graceful little reverence, just bending one

knee. "But," she went on quickly, "whatever else I be, I am of no knowledge, not fit to tend you who are hurt.

"Do you mean her whom your father calls the 'WornoutoldCow,' and whose ear he shot off?"

"Yes, it must be she from the description," she answered with a little shake of laughter, "though I never heard

"Or if you did, you have forgotten it," I said dryly. "Well, I think not, thank you. Why trouble her, when you

will do quite as well? If there is milk in that gourd, perhaps you will give me a drink of it."

She flew to the bowl like a swallow, and next moment was kneeling at my side and holding it to my lips with

"I am honoured," she said. "I only came to the hut the moment before you woke, and seeing you still lost in

swoon, I weptlook, my eyes are still wet [they were, though how she made them so I do not know]for I

"Quite so," I said; "it is very good of you. And now, since your fears are groundlessthanks be to the

She sat down, not, I noted, as a Kafir woman ordinarily does, in a kind of kneeling position, but on a stool.

"You were carried into the kraal, Inkoosi," she said, "on a litter of boughs. My heart stood still when I saw

that litter coming; it was no more heart; it was cold iron, because I thought the dead or injured man was"

"Happy! Inkoosi, when the guest of our house had been wounded, perhaps to deaththe guest of whom I

"Yes, Inkoosi; my own is dead, and I am not too well treated here. She called me a witch."

"Did she?" I answered. "Well, I do not altogether wonder at it; but please continue your story."

"There is none, Inkoosi. They brought you here, they told me how the evil brute of a buffalo had nearly killed

"Oh, it seems that your servant, Sikauli, the bastard, leapt into the water and engaged the attention of the

buffalo which was kneading you into the mud, while Saduko got on to its back and drove his assegai down

between its shoulders to the heart, so that it died. Then they pulled you out of the mud, crushed and almost

drowned with water, and brought you to life again. But afterwards you became senseless, and so lay

"Like others, neither more nor less," she replied with a shrug of her rounded shoulders. "Would you have had

him let you die? I think the brave man was he who got in front of the bull and twisted its nose, not he who sat

At this period in our conversation I became suddenly faint and lost count of things, even of the interesting

Mameena. When I awoke again she was gone, and in her place was old Umbezi, who, I noticed, took down a

mat from the side of the hut and folded it up to serve as a cushion before he sat himself upon the stool.

"Oh, bad, Macumazahn; even now I can scarcely sit down, for that bull had a very hard nose; also I am

swollen up in front where Sikauli struck me when he tumbled out of the tree. Also my heart is cut in two

"Wow! Macumazahn, the fire that those low fellows of mine lit got to our camp and burned up nearly

everythingthe meat, the skins, and even the ivory, which it cracked so that it is useless. That was an

unlucky hunt, for although it began so well, we have come out of it quite naked; yes, with nothing at all

except the head of the bull with the cleft horn, that I thought you might like to keep."

"Well, Umbezi, let us be thankful that we have come out with our livesthat is, if I am going to live," I

"Oh, Macumazahn, you will live without doubt, and be none the worse. Two of our doctorsvery clever

menhave looked at you and said so. One of them tied you up in all those skins, and I promised him a heifer

for the business, if he cured you, and gave him a goat on account. But you must lie here for a month or more,

so he says. Meanwhile Panda has sent for the hides which he demanded of me to be made into shields, and I

have been obliged to kill twentyfive of my beasts to provide themthat is, of my own and of those of my

"Then I wish you and your headmen had killed them before we met those buffalo, Umbezi," I groaned, for

my ribs were paining me very much. "Send Saduko and Sikauli here; I would thank them for saving my life."

"There, there, Baas," said Scowl, who was literally weeping tears of joy at my return from delirium and coma

to the light of life and reason; not tears of Mameena's sort, but real ones, for I saw them running down his

snub nose, that still bore marks of the eagle's claws. "There, there, say no more, I beseech you. If you were

going to die, I wished to die, too, who, if you had left it, should only have wandered through the world

When I heard this my own eyes grew moist. Oh, it is the fashion to abuse natives, but from whom do we meet

with more fidelity and love than from these poor wild Kafirs that so many of us talk of as black dirt which

"As for myself, Inkoosi," added Saduko, "I only did my duty. How could I have held up my head again if the

bull had killed you while I walked away alive? Why, the very girls would have mocked at me. But, oh, his

Observe the difference between these two men's characters. The one, although no hero in daily life, imperils

himself from sheer, doglike fidelity to a master who had given him many hard words and sometimes a

flogging in punishment for drunkenness, and the other to gratify his pride, also perhaps because my death

would have interfered with his plans and ambitions in which I had a part to play. No, that is a hard saying;

still, there is no doubt that Saduko always first took his own interests into consideration, and how what he did

would reflect upon his prospects and repute, or influence the attainment of his desires. I think this was so

even when Mameena was concernedat any rate, in the beginningalthough certainly he always loved her

Presently Scowl left the hut to prepare me some broth, whereon Saduko at once turned the talk to this subject

"Yes, very beautiful," I answered; "indeed, the most beautiful Zulu woman I have ever seen."

"Yes; very dangerous, and one who could turn like the wind and blow hot and blow cold."

"Ah!" he said, thought a while, then added: "Well, what do I care how she blows to others, so long as she

"Not altogether, Macumazahn." Another pause. "I think she blows rather like the wind before a great storm."

"That is a biting wind, Saduko, and when we feel it we know that the storm will follow."

"I dare say that the storm will follow, Inkoosi, for she was born in a storm and storm goes with her; but what

of that, if she and I stand it out together? I love her, and I had rather die with her than live with any other

"The question is, Saduko, whether she would rather die with you than live with any other man. Does she say

"Inkoosi, Mameena's thought works in the dark; it is like a white ant in its tunnel of mud. You see the tunnel

which shows that she is thinking, but you do not see the thought within. Still, sometimes, when she believes

that no one beholds or hears her"here I bethought me of the young lady's soliloquy over my apparently

senseless self"or when she is surprised, the true thought peeps out of its tunnel. It did so the other day,

when I pleaded with her after she had heard that I killed the buffalo with the cleft horn.

"'Do I love you?' she said. 'I know not for sure. How can I tell? It is not our custom that a maiden should love

before she is married, for is she did so most marriages would be things of the heart and not of cattle, and then

half the fathers of Zululand would grow poor and refuse to rear girlchildren who would bring them nothing.

You are brave, you are handsome, you are wellborn; I would sooner live with you than with any other man I

knowthat is, if you were rich and, better still, powerful. Become rich and powerful, Saduko, and I think

"'I will, Mameena,' I answered; 'but you must wait. The Zulu nation was not fashioned from nothing in a day.

"'Ah!' she said, and, my father, her eyes flashed. 'Ah! Chaka! There was a man! Be another Chaka, Saduko,

and I will love you moremore than you can dream ofthus and thus,' and she flung her arms about me

and kissed me as I was never kissed before, which, as you know, among us is a strange thing for a girl to do.

Then she thrust me from her with a laugh, and added: 'As for the waiting, you must ask my father of that. Am

I not his heifer, to be sold, and can I disobey my father?' And she was gone, leaving me empty, for it seemed

as though she took my vitals with her. Nor will she talk thus any more, the white ant who has gone back into

"Yes, I spoke to him, but in an evil moment, for he had but just killed the cattle to furnish Panda's shields. He

answered me very roughly. He said: 'You see these dead beasts which I and my people must slay for the king,

or fall under his displeasure? Well, bring me five times their number, and we will talk of your marriage with

"I answered that I understood and would try my best, whereon he became more gentle, for Umbezi has a

"'My son,' he said, 'I like you well, and since I saw you save Macumazahn, my friend, from that mad wild

beast of a buffalo I like you better than before. Yet you know my case. I have an old name and am called the

chief of a tribe, and many live on me. But I am poor, and this daughter of mine is worth much. Such a woman

few men have bred. Well, I must make the best of her. My soninlaw must be one who will prop up my old

age, one to whom, in my need or trouble, I could always go as to a dry log,* to break off some of its bark to

make a fire to comfort me, not one who treads me into the mire as the buffalo did to Macumazahn. Now I

have spoken, and I do not love such talk. Come back with the cattle, and I will listen to you, but meanwhile

understand that I am not bound to you or to anyone; I shall take what my spirit sends me, which, if I may

judge the future by the past, will not be much. One word more: Do not linger about this kraal too long, lest it

should be said that you are the accepted suitor of Mameena. Go hence and do a man's work, and return with a

[*In Zululand a soninlaw is known as "isigodo so mkwenyana", the "soninlaw log," for the reason

"Well, Saduko, that spear has an edge on it, has it not?" I answered. "And now, what is your plan?"

"My plan is, Macumazahn," he said, rising from his seat, "to go hence and gather those who are friendly to

me because I am my father's son and still the chief of the Amangwane, or those who are left of them,

although I have no kraal and no hoof of kine. Then, within a moon, I hope, I shall return here to find you

strong again and once more a man, and we will start out against Bangu, as I have whispered to you, with the

leave of a High One, who has said that, if I can take any cattle, I may keep them for my pains."

"I don't know about that, Saduko. I never promised you that I would make war upon Banguwith or without

"No, you never promised, but Zikali the Dwarf, the Wise Little One, said that you wouldand does Zikali

lie? Ask yourself, who will remember a certain saying of his about a buffalo with a cleft horn, a pool and a

dry riverbed. Farewell, O my father Macumazahn; I walk with the dawn, and I leave Mameena in your

"You mean that you leave me in Mameena's keeping," I began, but already he was crawling through the hole

Well, Mameena kept me very comfortably. She was always in evidence, yet not too much so.

Heedless of her malice and abuse, she headed off the "WornoutoldCow," whom she knew I detested,

from my presence. She saw personally to my bandages, as well as to the cooking of my food, over which

matter she had several quarrels with the bastard, Scowl, who did not like her, for on him she never wasted

any of her sweet looks. Also, as I grew stronger, she sat with me a good deal, talking, since, by common

consent, Mameena the fair was exempted from all the field, and even the ordinary household labours that fall

to the lot of Kafir women. Her place was to be the ornament and, I may add, the advertisement of her father's

We discussed all sorts of things, from the Christian and other religions and European policy down, for her

thirst for knowledge seemed to be insatiable. But what really interested her was the state of affairs in

Zululand, with which she knew I was well acquainted, as a person who had played a part in its history and

who was received and trusted at the Great House, and as a white man who understood the designs and plans

Now, if the old king, Panda, should chance to die, she would ask me, which of his sons did I think would

succeed himUmbelazi or Cetewayo, or another? Or, if he did not chance to die, which of them would he

I replied that I was not a prophet, and that she had better ask Zikali the Wise.

"That is a very good idea," she said, "only I have no one to take me to him, since my father would not allow

me to go with Saduko, his ward." Then she clapped her hands and added: "Oh, Macumazahn, will you take

"Yes, I dare say," I answered; "but the question is, could I trust myself with you?"

"What do you mean?" she asked. "Oh, I understand. Then, after all, I am more to you than a black stone to

I think it was that unlucky joke of mine which first set Mameena thinking, "like a white ant in its tunnel," as

Saduko said. At least, after it her manner towards me changed; she became very deferential; she listened to

my words as though they were all wisdom; I caught her looking at me with her soft eyes as though I were

quite an admirable object. She began to talk to me of her difficulties, her troubles and her ambitions. She

asked me for my advice as to Saduko. On this point I replied to her that, if she loved him, and her father

"I like him well enough, Macumazahn, although he wearies me at times; but love Oh, tell me, what is

"Upon my word, young woman," I replied, "that is a matter upon which I should have thought you more

"Oh, Macumazahn," she said almost in a whisper, and letting her head droop like a fading lily, "you have

never given me the chance, have you?" And she laughed a little, looking extremely attractive.

"Good gracious!"or, rather, its Zulu equivalentI answered, for I began to feel nervous. "What do you

"I do not know what I mean, Macumazahn," she exclaimed wildly, "but I know well enough what you

meanthat you are white as snow and I am black as soot, and that snow and soot don't mix well together."

"No," I answered gravely, "snow is good to look at, and so is soot, but mingled they make an ugly colour. Not

that you are like soot," I added hastily, fearing to hurt her feelings. "That is your hue"and I touched a

copper bangle she was wearing"a very lovely hue, Mameena, like everything else about you."

"Lovely," she said, beginning to weep a little, which upset me very much, for if there is one thing I hate, it is

to see a woman cry. "How can a poor Zulu girl be lovely? Oh, Macumazahn, the spirits have dealt hardly

with me, who have given me the colour of my people and the heart of yours. If I were white, now, what you

are pleased to call this loveliness of mine would be of some use to me, for then then Oh, cannot you

I shook my head and said that I could not, and next moment was sorry, for she proceeded to explain.

Sinking to her kneesfor we were quite alone in the big hut and there was no one else about, all the other

women being engaged on rural or domestic tasks, for which Mameena declared she had no time, as her

business was to look after meshe rested her shapely head upon my knees and began to talk in a low, sweet

"Then I will tell youI will tell you; yes, even if you hate me afterwards. I could teach you what love is very

well, Macumazahn; you are quite rightbecause I love you." (Sob.) "No, you shall not stir till you have

heard me out." Here she flung her arms about my legs and held them tight, so that without using great

violence it was absolutely impossible for me to move. "When I saw you first, all shattered and senseless,

snow seemed to fall upon my heart, and it stopped for a little while and has never been the same since. I think

that something is growing in it, Macumazahn, that makes it big." (Sob.) "I used to like Saduko before that,

but afterwards I did not like him at allno, nor Masapo eitheryou know, he is the big chief who lives over

the mountain, a very rich and powerful man, who, I believe, would like to marry me. Well, as I went on

nursing you my heart grew bigger and bigger, and now you see it has burst." (Sob.) "Nay, stay still and do not

try to speak. You shall hear me out. It is the least you can do, seeing that you have caused me all this pain. If

you did not want me to love you, why did you not curse at me and strike me, as I am told white men do to

"Now, hearken. Although I am the colour of copper, I am comely. I am wellbred also; there is no higher

blood than ours in Zululand, both on my father's and my mother's side, and, Macumazahn, I have a fire in me

that shows me things. I can be great, and I long for greatness. Take me to wife, Macumazahn, and I swear to

you that in ten years I will make you king of the Zulus. Forget your pale white women and wed yourself to

that fire which burns in me, and it shall eat up all that stands between you and the Crown, as flame eats up

dry grass. More, I will make you happy. If you choose to take other wives, I will not be jealous, because I

know that I should hold your spirit, and that, compared to me, they would be nothing in your thought"

"Oh, yes, yes, you do, for every man wants power, and it is better to rule over a brave, black

peoplethousands and thousands of themthan to be no one among the whites. Think, think! There is

wealth in the land. By your skill and knowledge the amabuto [regiments] could be improved; with the wealth

you would arm them with gunsyes, and 'byandbyes' also with the throat of thunder" (that is, or was, the

Kafir name for cannon).* "They would be invincible. Chaka's kingdom would be nothing to ours, for a

hundred thousand warriors would sleep on their spears, waiting for your word. If you wished it even you

could sweep out Natal and make the whites there your subjects, too. Or perhaps it would be safer to let them

be, lest others should come across the green water to help them, and to strike northwards, where I am told

there are great lands as rich and fair, in which none would dispute our sovereignty"

[*Cannon were called "byandbyes" by the natives, because when fieldpieces first arrived in Natal

inquisitive Kafirs pestered the soldiers to show them how they were fired. The answer given was always

"But, Mameena," I gasped, for this girl's titanic ambition literally overwhelmed me, "surely you are mad!

"I am not mad," she answered; "I am only what is called great, and you know well enough that I can do them,

not by myself, who am but a woman and tied with the ropes that bind women, but with you to cut those ropes

and help me. I have a plan which will not fail. But, Macumazahn," she added in a changed voice, "until I

know that you will be my partner in it I will not tell it even to you, for perhaps you might talkin your sleep,

"No; for men like you do not tell tales of foolish girls who chance to love them. But if that plan began to

work, and you heard say that kings or princes died, it might be otherwise. You might say, 'I think I know

"Mameena," I said, "tell me no more. Setting your dreams on one side, can I be false to my friend, Saduko,

"And can I be false," I continued, seeing that Saduko was no good card to play, "to my friend, Umbezi, your

"My father! " she laughed. "Why, would it not please him to grow great in your shadow? Only yesterday he

told me to marry you, if I could, for then he would find a stick indeed to lean on, and be rid of Saduko's

"And can I help you, Mameena, to tread a road that at the best must be red with blood?"

"Why not," she asked, "since with or without you I am destined to tread that road, the only difference being

that with you it will lead to glory and without you perhaps to the jackals and the vultures? Blood! Piff! What

"Glory or no glory, I do not wish to share it, Mameena. I will not make war among a people who have

entertained me hospitably, or plot the downfall of their Great Ones. As you told me just now, I am

nobodyjust one grain of sand upon a white shorebut I had rather be that than a haunted rock which

draws the heavens' lightnings and is drenched with sacrifice. I seek no throne over white or black, Mameena,

who walk my own path to a quiet grave that shall perhaps not be without honour of its own, though other than

you seek. I will keep your counsel, Mameena, but, because you are so beautiful and so wise, and because you

say you are fond of mefor which I thank youI pray you put away these fearful dreams of yours that in

the end, whether they succeed or fail, will send you shivering from the world to give account of them to the

"Not so, O Macumazana," she said, with a proud little laugh. "When your Watcher sowed my seedif thus

he didhe sowed the dreams that are a part of me also, and I shall only bring him back his own, with the

flower and the fruit by way of interest. But that is finished. You refuse the greatness. Now, tell me, if I sink

those dreams in a great water, tying about them the stone of forgetfulness and saying: 'Sleep there, O dreams;

it is not your hour'if I do this, and stand before you just a woman who loves and who swears by the spirits

of her fathers never to think or do that which has not your blessingwill you love me a little,

Now I was silent, for she had driven me to the last ditch, and I knew not what to say. Moreover, I will confess

my weaknessI was strangely moved. This beautiful girl with the "fire in her heart," this woman who was

different from all other women that I had ever known, seemed to have twisted her slender fingers into my

heartstrings and to be drawing me towards her. It was a great temptation, and I bethought me of old Zikali's

She glided up to me, she threw her arms about me and kissed me on the lips, and I think I kissed her back, but

really I am not sure what I did or said, for my head swam. When it cleared again she was standing in front of

"Now, Macumazahn," she said, with a little smile that both mocked and dazzled, "the poor black girl has you,

the wise, experienced white man, in her net, and I will show you that she can be generous. Do you think that I

do not read your heart, that I do not know that you believe I am dragging you down to shame and ruin? Well,

I spare you, Macumazahn, since you have kissed me and spoken words which already you may have

forgotten, but which I do not forget. Go your road, Macumazahn, and I go mine, since the proud white man

shall not be stained with my black touch. Go your road; but one thing I forbid youto believe that you have

been listening to lies, and that I have merely played off a woman's arts upon you for my own ends. I love you,

Macumazahn, as you will never be loved till you die, and I shall never love any other man, however many I

may marry. Moreover, you shall promise me one thingthat once in my life, and once only, if I wish it, you

shall kiss me again before all men. And now, lest you should be moved to folly and forget your white man's

pride, I bid you farewell, O Macumazana. When we meet again it will be as friends only."

Then she went, leaving me feeling smaller than ever I felt in my life, before or sinceeven smaller than

when I walked into the presence of old Zikali the Wise. Why, I wondered, had she first made a fool of me,

and then thrown away the fruits of my folly? To this hour I cannot quite answer the question, though I believe

the explanation to be that she did really care for me, and was anxious not to involve me in trouble and her

plottings; also she may have been wise enough to see that our natures were as oil and water and would never

It may be thought that, as a sequel to this somewhat remarkable scene in which I was absolutely bowled

overperhaps bowled out would be a better termby a Kafir girl who, after bending me to her will, had the

genius to drop me before I repented, as she knew I would do so soon as her back was turned, thereby making

me look the worst of fools, that my relations with that young lady would have been strained. But not a bit of

it. When next we met, which was on the following morning, she was just her easy, natural self, attending to

my hurts, which by now were almost well, joking about this and that, inquiring as to the contents of certain

letters which I had received from Natal, and of some newspapers that came with themfor on all such

Impossible, the clever critic will sayimpossible that a savage could act with such finish. Well, friend critic,

that is just where you are wrong. When you come to add it up there's very little difference in all main and

To begin with, by what exact right do we call people like the Zulus savages? Setting aside the habit of

polygamy, which, after all, is common among very highly civilised peoples in the East, they have a social

system not unlike our own. They have, or had, their king, their nobles, and their commons. They have an

ancient and elaborate law, and a system of morality in some ways as high as our own, and certainly more

generally obeyed. They have their priests and their doctors; they are strictly upright, and observe the rites of

Where they differ from us mainly is that they do not get drunk until the white man teaches them so to do,

they wear less clothing, the climate being more genial, their towns at night are not disgraced by the sights that

distinguish ours, they cherish and are never cruel to their children, although they may occasionally put a

deformed infant or a twin out of the way, and when they go to war, which is often, they carry out the business

with a terrible thoroughness, almost as terrible as that which prevailed in every nation in Europe a few

Of course, there remain their witchcraft and the cruelties which result from their almost universal belief in the

power and efficiency of magic. Well, since I lived in England I have been reading up this subject, and I find

that quite recently similar cruelties were practised throughout Europethat is in a part of the world which

for over a thousand years has enjoyed the advantages of the knowledge and profession of the Christian faith.

Now, let him who is highly cultured take up a stone to throw at the poor, untaught Zulu, which I notice the

most dissolute and drunken wretch of a white man is often ready to do, generally because he covets his land,

But I wander from my point, which is that a clever man or woman among the people whom we call savages is

Here in England every child is educated at the expense of the Country, but I have not observed that the

system results in the production of more really able individuals. Ability is the gift of Nature, and that

universal mother sheds her favours impartially over all who breathe. No, not quite impartially, perhaps, for

the old Greeks and others were examples to the contrary. Still, the general rule obtains.

To return. Mameena was a very able person, as she chanced to be a very lovely one, a person who, had she

been favoured by opportunity, would doubtless have played the part of a Cleopatra with equal or greater

success, since she shared the beauty and the unscrupulousness of that famous lady and was, I believe, capable

I scarcely like to mention the matter since it affects myself, and the natural vanity of man makes him prone to

conclude that he is the particular object of sole and undying devotion. Could he know all the facts of the case,

or cases, probably he would be much undeceived, and feel about as small as I did when Mameena walked, or

rather crawled, out of the hut (she could even crawl gracefully). Still, to be honestand why should I not,

since all this business "went beyond" so long ago?I do believe that there was a certain amount of truth in

what she saidthat, for Heaven knows what reason, she did take a fancy to me, which fancy continued

during her short and stormy life. But the reader of her story may judge for himself.

Within a fortnight of the day of my discomfiture in the hut I was quite well and strong again, my ribs, or

whatever part of me it was that the buffalo had injured with his iron knees, having mended up. Also, I was

anxious to be going, having business to attend to in Natal, and, as no more had been seen or heard of Saduko,

I determined to trek homewards, leaving a message that he knew where to find me if he wanted me. The truth

is that I was by no means keen on being involved in his private war with Bangu. Indeed, I wished to wash my

So one morning, having already got up my oxen, I told Scowl to inspan theman order which he received

with joy, for he and the other boys wished to be off to civilisation and its delights. Just as the operation was

beginning, however, a message came to me from old Umbezi, who begged me to delay my departure till after

noon, as a friend of his, a big chief, had come to visit him who wished much to have the honour of making

my acquaintance. Now, I wished the big chief farther off, but, as it seemed rude to refuse the request of one

who had been so kind to me, I ordered the oxen to be unyoked but kept at hand, and in an irritable frame of

mind walked up to the kraal. This was about half a mile from my place of outspan, for as soon as I was

sufficiently recovered I had begun to sleep in my wagon, leaving the big hut to the "WornoutOldCow."

There was no particular reason why I should be irritated, since time in those days was of no great account in

Zululand, and it did not much matter to me whether I trekked in the morning or the afternoon. But the fact

was that I could not get over the prophecy of Zikali, "the Little and Wise," that I was destined to share

Saduko's expedition against Bangu, and, although he had been right about the buffalo and Mameena, I was

If I had left the country, obviously I could not go against Bangu, at any rate at present. But while I remained

in it Saduko might return at any moment, and then, doubtless, I should find it hard to escape from the kind of

Well, as soon as I reached the kraal I saw that some kind of festivity was in progress, for an ox had been

killed and was being cooked, some of it in pots and some by roasting; also there were several strange Zulus

present. Within the fence of the kraal, seated in its shadow, I found Umbezi and some of his headmen, and

with them a great, brawny "ringed" native, who wore a tigerskin moocha as a mark of rank, and some of his

headmen. Also Mameena was standing near the gate, dressed in her best beads and holding a gourd of Kafir

"Would you have run away without saying goodbye to me, Macumazahn?" she whispered to me as I came

abreast of her. "That is unkind of you, and I should have wept much. However, it was not so fated."

"I was going to ride up and bid farewell when the oxen were inspanned," I answered. "But who is that man?"

So I went on to the circle, and as I advanced Umbezi rose and, taking me by the hand, led me to the big man,

"This is Masapo, chief of the Amansomi, of the Quabe race, who desires to know you, Macumazahn."

"Very kind of him, I am sure," I replied coolly, as I threw my eye over Masapo. He was, as I have said, a big

man, and of about fifty years of age, for his hair was tinged with grey. To be frank, I took a great dislike to

him at once, for there was something in his strong, coarse face, and his air of insolent pride, which repelled

me. Then I was silent, since among the Zulus, when two strangers of more or less equal rank meet, he who

speaks first acknowledges inferiority to the other. Therefore I stood and contemplated this new suitor of

Masapo also contemplated me, then made some remark to one of his attendants, that I did not catch, which

"He has heard that you are an ipisi" (a great hunter), broke in Umbezi, who evidently felt that the situation

"Has he?" I answered. "Then he is more fortunate than I am, for I have never heard of him or what he is."

This, I am sorry to say, was a fib, for it will be remembered that Mameena had mentioned him in the hut as

one of her suitors, but among natives one must keep up one's dignity somehow. "Friend Umbezi," I went on,

At this juncture Masapo stretched out his great hand to me, but without rising, and said:

"Siyakubona, Black Man," I answered, just touching his fingers, while Mameena, who had come up again

"O Macumazana, before you leave us I wish to speak with you on a certain matter. Will it please you to sit

"Certainly, O Masapo." And I walked away a few yards out of hearing, whither he followed me.

"Macumazahn," he said (I give the gist of his remarks, for he did not come to the point at once), "I need guns,

"Yes, Masapo, I dare say that I can, at a price, though it is a risky business smuggling guns into Zululand. But

"Yes, to shoot elephants," he replied, rolling his big eyes round him. "Macumazahn, I am told that you are

discreet, that you do not shout from the top of a hut what you hear within it. Now, hearken to me. Our

country is disturbed; we do not all of us love the seed of Senzangakona, of whom the present king, Panda, is

one. For instance, you may know that we Quabiesfor my tribe, the Amansomi, are of that racesuffered

at the spear of Chaka. Well, we think that a time may come when we who live on shrubs like goats may again

browse on treetops like giraffes, for Panda is no strong king, and he has sons who hate each other, one of

"I understand that you want guns, O Masapo," I answered dryly. "Now, as to the price and place of delivery."

Then we bargained for a while, but the details of that business transaction of long ago will interest no one.

Indeed, I only mention the matter to show that Masapo was plotting to bring trouble on the ruling house,

When we had concluded our rather nefarious negotiations, which were to the effect that I was to receive so

many cattle in return for so many guns, if I could deliver them at a certain spot, namely, Umbezi's kraal, I

returned to the circle where Umbezi, his followers and guests were sitting, purposing to bid him farewell. By

now, however, meat had been served, and as I was hungry, having had little breakfast that morning, I stayed

to eat. When I had finished my meal, and washed it down with a draught of tshwala (that is, Kafir beer), I

rose to go, but just at that moment who should walk through the gate but Saduko?

"Piff!" said Mameena, who was standing near me, speaking in a voice that none but I could hear. "When two

"Sometimes they fight and sometimes one runs away. It depends very much on the doe," I answered in the

She shrugged her shoulders, folded her arms beneath her breast, nodded to Saduko as he passed, then leaned

"Greeting, Umbezi," said Saduko in his proud manner. "I see that you feast. Am I welcome here?"

"Of course you are always welcome, Saduko," replied Umbezi uneasily, "although, as it happens, I am

"I see," said Saduko, eyeing the strangers. "But which of these may be the great man? I ask that I may salute

"You know well enough, umfokazana" (that is, low fellow), exclaimed Masapo angrily.

"I know that if you were outside this fence, Masapo, I would cram that word down your throat at the point of

my assegai," replied Saduko in a fierce voice. "Oh, I can guess your business here, Masapo, and you can

guess mine," and he glanced towards Mameena. "Tell me, Umbezi, is this little chief of the Amansomi your

"Nay, nay, Saduko," said Umbezi; "no one is her accepted suitor. Will you not sit down and take food with

us? Tell us where you have been, and why you return here thus suddenly, anduninvited?"

"I return here, O Umbezi, to speak with the white chief, Macumazahn. As to where I have been, that is my

"Now, if I were chief of this kraal," said Masapo, "I would hunt out of it this hyena with a mangy coat and

without a hole who comes to devour your meat and, perhaps," he added with meaning, "to steal away your

"Did I not tell you, Macumazahn, that when two bucks met they would fight?" whispered Mameena suavely

"Yes, Mameena, you didor rather I told you. But you did not tell me what the doe would do."

"The doe, Macumazahn, will crouch in her form and see what happensas is the fashion of does," and again

"Why not do your own hunting, Masapo?" asked Saduko. "Come, now, I will promise you good sport.

Outside this kraal there are other hyenas waiting who call me chiefa hundred or two of themassembled

for a certain purpose by the royal leave of King Panda, whose House, as we all know, you hate. Come, leave

Now Masapo sat silent, for he saw that he who thought to snare a baboon had caught a tiger.

"You do not speak, O Chief of the little Amansomi," went on Saduko, who was beside himself with rage and

jealousy. "You will not leave your beef and beer to hunt the hyenas who are captained by an umfokazana!

Well, then, the umfokazana will speak," and, stepping up to Masapo, with the spear he carried poised in his

"Listen, Chief," he said. "You and I are enemies. You seek the woman I seek, and, mayhap, being rich, you

will buy her. But if so, I tell you that I will kill you and all your House, you sneaking, halfbred dog!"

With these fierce words he spat in his face and tumbled him backwards. Then, before anyone could stop him,

for Umbezi, and even Masapo's headmen, seemed paralysed with surprise, he stalked through the kraal gate,

"You shall pay for this," roared Umbezi after him, turning almost green with rage, for Masapo still lay upon

"Somebody must pay," cried back Saduko from the gate, "but who it is only the unborn moons will see."

"Mameena," I said as I followed him, "you have set fire to the grass, and men will be burned in it."

"I meant to, Macumazahn," she answered calmly. "Did I not tell you that there was a flame in me, and it will

break out sometimes? But, Macumazahn, it is you who have set fire to the grass, not I. Remember that when

half Zululand is in ashes. Farewell, O Macumazana, till we meet again, and," she added softly, "whoever else

At the gate, remembering my manners, I turned to bid that company a polite farewell. By now Masapo had

"Kill him! Kill the hyena! Umbezi, will you sit still and see me, your guestme, Masapostruck and

"Why not kill him yourself, Masapo," asked the agitated Umbezi, "or bid your headmen kill him? Who am I

that I should take precedence of so great a chief in a matter of the spear?" Then he turned towards me, saying:

"Oh, Macumazahn the crafty, if I have dealt well by you, come here and give me your counsel."

"What shall I dowhat shall I do?" went on Umbezi, brushing the perspiration off his brow with one hand,

while he wrung the other in his agitation. "There stands a friend of mine"he pointed to the infuriated

Masapo"who wishes me to kill another friend of mine," and he jerked his thumb towards the kraal gate. "If

I refuse I offend one friend, and if I consent I bring blood upon my hands which will call for blood, since,

"Yes," I answered, "and perhaps you will bring blood upon other parts of yourself besides your hands, since

Saduko is not one to sit still like a sheep while his throat is cut. Also did he not say that he is not quite alone?

Umbezi, if you will take my advice, you will leave Masapo to do his own killing."

"It is good; it is wise!" exclaimed Umbezi. "Masapo," he called to that warrior, "if you wish to fight, pray do

not think of me. I see nothing, I hear nothing, and I promise proper burial to any who fall. Only you had best

be swift, for Saduko is walking away all this time. Come, you and your people have spears, and the gate

"Am I to go without my meat in order to knock that hyena on the head?" asked Masapo in a brave voice. "No,

he can wait my leisure. Sit still, my people. I tell you, sit still. Tell him, you Macumazahn, that I am coming

for him presently, and be warned to keep yourself away from him, lest you should tumble into his hole."

"I will tell him," I answered, "though I know not who made me your messenger. But listen to me, you

Speaker of big words and Doer of small deeds, if you dare to lift a finger against me I will teach you

something about holes, for there shall be one or more through that great carcass of yours."

Then, walking up to him, I looked him in the face, and at the same time tapped the handle of the big

"Oh, don't apologise," I said, "only be more careful in future. And now I wish you a good dinner, Chief

After this speech I marched off, followed by the clamour of Masapo's furious attendants and the sound of

"I wonder which of them she will marry?" I thought to myself, as I set out for the wagons.

As I approached my camp I saw that the oxen were being inspanned, as I supposed by the order of Scowl,

who must have heard that there was a row up at the kraal, and thought it well to be ready to bolt. In this I was

mistaken, however, for just then Saduko strolled out of a patch of bush and said:

"Oh, I had almost forgotten about Bangu," I said, with a rather feeble attempt at evasion.

"Is it so?" he answered in his haughty voice. "I never knew before that Macumazahn was a man who broke a

"Is it needful?" he answered, shrugging his shoulders. "Unless my ears played me tricks, you agreed to go up

with me against Bangu. Well, I have gathered the necessary menwith the king's leavethey await us

yonder," and he pointed with his spear towards a dense patch of bush that lay some miles beneath us. "But,"

he added, "if you desire to change your mind I will go alone. Only then, I think, we had better bid each other

goodbye, since I love not friends who change their minds when the assegais begin to shake."

Now, whether Saduko spoke thus by design I do not know. Certainly, however, he could have found no better

way to ensure my companionship for what it was worth, since, although I had made no actual promise in this

"I will go with you," I said quietly, "and I hope that, when it comes to the pinch, your spear will be as sharp

as your tongue, Saduko. Only do not speak to me again like that, lest we should quarrel."

"I pray your pardon, my lord Macumazahn," he said, seizing my hand, "but, oh! there is a hole in my heart. I

think that Mameena means to play me false, and now that has happened with yonder dog, Masapo, which will

"If you will take my advice, Saduko," I replied earnestly, "you will let this Mameena fall out of the hole in

your heart; you will forget her name; you will have done with her. Ask me not why."

"Perhaps there is no need, O Macumazana. Perhaps she has been making love to you, and you have turned

her away, as, being what you are, and my friend, of course you would do." (It is rather inconvenient to be set

upon such a pedestal at times, but I did not attempt to assent or to deny anything, much less to enter into

"Perhaps all this has happened," he continued, "or perhaps it is she who has sent for Masapo the Hog. I do not

ask, because if you know you will not tell me. Moreover, it matters nothing. While I have a heart, Mameena

will never drop out of it; while I can remember names, hers will never be forgotten by me. Moreover, I mean

that she shall be my wife. Now, I am minded to take a few men and spear this hog, Masapo, before we go up

"If you do anything of the sort, Saduko, you will go up against Bangu alone, for I trek east at once, who will

"Then let it be, Inkoosi; unless he attacks me, as my Snake send that he may, the Hog can wait. After all, he

will only be growing a little fatter. Now, if it pleases you order the wagons to trek. I will show the road, for

we must camp in that bush tonight where my people wait me, and there I will tell you my plans; also you

We had reached the bush after six hours' downhill trek over a pretty bad track made by cattleof course,

there were no roads in Zululand at this date. I remember the place well. It was a kind of spreading woodland

on a flat bottom, where trees of no great size grew sparsely. Some were mimosa thorns, others had deep green

leaves and bore a kind of plum with an acid taste and a huge stone, and others silvercoloured leaves in their

season. A river, too, low at this time of the year, wound through it, and in the scrub upon its banks were many

guineafowl and other birds. It was a pleasing, lonely place, with lots of game in it, that came here in the

winter to eat the grass, which was lacking on the higher veld. Also it gave the idea of vastness, since

Well, we outspanned by the river, of which I forget the name, at a spot that Saduko showed us, and set to

work to cook our food, that consisted of venison from a blue wildebeest, one of a herd of these wildlooking

animals which I had been fortunate enough to shoot as they whisked past us, gambolling in and out between

While we were eating I observed that armed Zulus arrived continually in parties of from six to a score of

men, and as they arrived lifted their spears, though whether in salutation to Saduko or to myself I did not

know, and sat themselves down on an open space between us and the riverbank. Although it was difficult to

say whence they came, for they appeared like ghosts out of the bush, I thought it well to take no notice of

"Saduko's wild men," he answered in the same low voice, "outlaws of his tribe who live among the rocks."

Now I scanned them sideways, while pretending to light my pipe and so forth, and certainly they seemed a

remarkably savage set of people. Great, gaunt fellows with tangled hair, who wore tattered skins upon their

shoulders and seemed to have no possessions save some snuff, a few sleepingmats, and an ample supply of

large fighting shields, hardwood kerries or knobsticks, and broad ixwas, or stabbing assegais. Such was the

look of them as they sat round us in silent semicircles, like aasvogelsas the Dutch call vulturessit

At length, as I expected, Saduko grew weary of my silence and spoke. "These are men of the Amangwane

tribe, Macumazahn; three hundred of them, all that Bangu left alive, for when their fathers were killed, the

women escaped with some of the children, especially those of the outlying kraals. I have gathered them to be

"Quite so," I answered. "I see that you have gathered them; but do they wish to be revenged on Bangu at the

"We do," again came the answer. Then a spokesman stepped forward, one of the few greyhaired men among

"O WatcherbyNight," he said, "I am Tshoza, the brother of Matiwane, Saduko's father, the only one of his

brothers that escaped the slaughter on the night of the Great Killing. Is it not so?"

"Since Matiwane died we have lived as we could, O Macumazana; like baboons among the rocks, without

cattle, often without a hut to shelter us; here one, there one. Still, we have lived, awaiting the hour of

vengeance upon Bangu, that hour which Zikali the Wise, who is of our blood, has promised to us. Now we

believe that it has come, and one and all, from here, from there, from everywhere, we have gathered at the

summons of Saduko to be led against Bangu and to conquer him or to die. Is it not so, Amangwane?"

"It is, it is so!" came the deep, unanimous answer, that caused the stirless leaves to shake in the still air.

"I understand, O Tshoza, brother of Matiwane and uncle of Saduko the chief," I replied. "But Bangu is a

strong man, living, I am told, in a strong place. Still, let that go; for have you not said that you come out to

conquer or to die, you who have nothing to lose; and if you conquer, you conquer; and if you die, you die and

the tale is told. But supposing that you conquer. What will Panda, King of the Zulus, say to you, and to me

Before his words had ceased to echo I saw a little, withered man threading his way between the tall, gaunt

"Quite so, Macumazahn; I am Maputa, one of his indunas, a member of his Council, a captain of his impis

[that is, armies], as I was to his brothers who are gone, whose names it is not lawful that I should name. Well,

Panda the King has sent me to you, at the request of Saduko there, with a message."

"How do I know that you are a true messenger?" I asked. "Have you brought me any token?"

"Aye," he answered, and, fumbling under his cloak, he produced something wrapped in dried leaves, which

"This is the token that Panda sends to you, Macumazahn, bidding me to tell you that you will certainly know

it again; also that you are welcome to it, since the two little bullets which he swallowed as you directed made

It was a cardboard box of strong calomel pills, on the top of which was written: "Allan Quatermain, Esq.:

One only to be taken as directed." Without entering into explanations, I may state that I had taken "one as

directed," and subsequently presented the rest of the box to King Panda, who was very anxious to "taste the

"Yes," I replied gravely; "and let the King return thanks to the spirits of his ancestors that he did not swallow

three of the balls, for if he had done so, by now there would have been another Head in Zululand. Well, speak

But to myself I reflected, not for the first time, how strangely these natives could mix up the sublime with the

ridiculous. Here was a matter that must involve the death of many men, and the token sent to me by the

autocrat who stood at the back of it all, to prove the good faith of his messenger, was a box of calomel pills!

"O Macumazana," he said, when we were out of hearing of the others, "these are the words of Panda to you: 'I

understand that you, Macumazahn, have promised to accompany Saduko, son of Matiwane, on an expedition

of his against Bangu, chief of the Amakoba. Now, were anyone else concerned, I should forbid this

expedition, and especially should I forbid you, a white man in my country, to share therein. But this dog of a

Bangu is an evildoer. Many years ago he worked on the Black One who went before me to send him to

destroy Matiwane, my friend, filling the Black One's ears with false accusations; and thereafter he did

treacherously destroy him and all his tribe save Saduko, his son, and some of the people and children who

escaped. Moreover, of late he has been working against me, the King, striving to stir up rebellion against me,

because he knows that I hate him for his crimes. Now I, Panda, unlike those who went before me, am a man

of peace who do not wish to light the fire of civil war in the land, for who knows where such fires will stop,

or whose kraals they will consume? Yet I do wish to see Bangu punished for his wickedness, and his pride

abated. Therefore I give Saduko leave, and those people of the Amangwane who remain to him, to avenge

their private wrongs upon Bangu if they can; and I give you leave, Macumazahn, to be of his party.

Moreover, if any cattle are taken, I shall ask no account of them; you and Saduko may divide them as you

wish. But understand, O Macumazana, that if you or your people are killed or wounded, or robbed of your

goods, I know nothing of the matter, and am not responsible to you or to the white House of Natal; it is your

"I see," I answered. "I am to pull Panda's hot iron out of the fire and to extinguish the fire. If I succeed I may

keep a piece of the iron when it gets cool, and if I burn my fingers it is my own fault, and I or my House must

"O WatcherbyNight, you have speared the bull in the heart," replied Maputa, the messenger, nodding his

"Say to the King, O Messenger, that I will go up with Saduko because I promised him that I would, being

moved by the tale of his wrongs, and not for the sake of the cattle, although it is true that if I hear any of them

lowing in my camp I may keep them. Say to Panda also that if aught of ill befalls me he shall hear nothing of

it, nor will I bring his high name into this business; but that he, on his part, must not blame me for anything

"I have it word for word; and may your Spirit be with you, Macumazahn, when you attack the strong

mountain of Bangu, which, were I you," Maputa added reflectively, "I think I should do just at the dawn,

Then we took a pinch of snuff together, and he departed at once for Nodwengu, Panda's Great Place.

Fourteen days had gone by, and Saduko and I, with our ragged band of Amangwane, sat one morning, after a

long night march, in the hilly country looking across a broad vale, which was sprinkled with trees like an

English park, at that mountain on the side of which Bangu, chief of the Amakoba, had his kraal.

It was a very formidable mountain, and, as we had already observed, the paths leading up to the kraal were

amply protected with stone walls in which the openings were quite narrow, only just big enough to allow one

ox to pass through them at a time. Moreover, all these walls had been strengthened recently, perhaps because

Bangu was aware that Panda looked upon him, a northern chief dwelling on the confines of his dominions,

with suspicion and even active enmity, as he was also no doubt aware Panda had good cause to do.

Here in a dense patch of bush that grew in a kloof of the hills we held a council of war.

So far as we knew our advance had been unobserved, for I had left my wagons in the low veld thirty miles

away, giving it out among the local natives that I was hunting game there, and bringing on with me only

Scowl and four of my best hunters, all wellarmed natives who could shoot. The three hundred Amangwane

also had advanced in small parties, separated from each other, pretending to be Kafirs marching towards

Delagoa Bay. Now, however, we had all met in this bush. Among our number were three Amangwane who,

on the slaughter of their tribe, had fled with their mothers to this district and been brought up among the

people of Bangu, but who at his summons had come back to Saduko. It was on these men that we relied at

this juncture, for they alone knew the country. Long and anxiously did we consult with them. First they

explained, and, so far as the moonlight would allow, for as yet the dawn had not broken, pointed out to us the

"About seven hundred who carry spears," they answered, "together with others in outlying kraals. Moreover,

"Here, in the valley beneath, Macumazahn," answered the spokesman. "If you listen you will hear them

lowing. Fifty men, not less, watch them at nighttwo thousand head of them, or more."

"Then it would not be difficult to get round these cattle and drive them off, leaving Bangu to breed up a new

"It might not be difficult," interrupted Saduko, "but I came here to kill Bangu, as well as to seize his cattle,

"Very good," I answered; "but that mountain cannot be stormed with three hundred men, fortified as it is with

walls and schanzes. Our band would be destroyed before ever we came to the kraal, since, owing to the

sentries who are set everywhere, it would be impossible to surprise the place. Also you have forgotten the

dogs, Saduko. Moreover, even if it were possible, I will have nothing to do with the massacre of women and

children, which must happen in an assault. Now, listen to me, O Saduko. I say let us leave the kraal of Bangu

alone, and this coming night send fifty of our men, under the leadership of the guides, down to yonder bush,

where they will lie hid. Then, after moonrise, when all are asleep, these fifty must rush the cattle kraal, killing

any who may oppose them, should they be seen, and driving the herd out through yonder great pass by which

we have entered the land. Bangu and his people, thinking that those who have taken the cattle are but

common thieves of some wild tribe, will gather and follow the beasts to recapture them. But we, with the rest

of the Amangwane, can set an ambush in the narrowest part of the pass among the rocks, where the grass is

high and the euphorbia trees grow thick, and there, when they have passed the Nek, which I and my hunters

Now, Saduko answered that he would rather attack the kraal, which he wished to burn. But the old

"No, Macumazahn, WatcherbyNight, is wise. Why should we waste our strength on stone walls, of which

none know the number or can find the gates in the darkness, and thereby leave our skulls to be set up as

ornaments on the fences of the accursed Amakoba? Let us draw the Amakoba out into the pass of the

mountains, where they have no walls to protect them, and there fall on them when they are bewildered and

settle the matter with them man to man. As for the women and children, with Macumazahn I say let them go;

"Aye," answered the Amangwane, "the plan of the white Inkoosi is good; he is clever as a weasel; we will

All that day we rested, lighting no fires and remaining still as the dead in the dense bush. It was a very

anxious day, for although the place was so wild and lonely, there was always the fear lest we should be

discovered. It was true that we had travelled mostly by night in small parties, to avoid leaving a spoor, and

avoided all kraals; still, some rumour of our approach might have reached the Amakoba, or a party of hunters

Indeed, something of this sort did happen, for about midday we heard a footfall, and perceived the figure of a

man, whom by his headdress we knew for an Amakoba, threading his way through the bush. Before he saw

us he was in our midst. For a moment he hesitated ere he turned to fly, and that moment was his last, for three

of the Amangwane leapt on him silently as leopards leap upon a buck, and where he stood there he died. Poor

fellow! Evidently he had been on a visit to some witchdoctor, for in his blanket we found medicine and love

charms. This doctor cannot have been one of the stamp of Zikali the Dwarf, I thought to myself; at least, he

had not warned him that he would never live to dose his beloved with that foolish medicine.

Meanwhile a few of us who had the quickest eyes climbed trees, and thence watched the town of Bangu and

the valley that lay between us and it. Soon we saw that so far, at any rate, Fortune was playing into our hands,

since herd after herd of kine were driven into the valley during the afternoon and enclosed in the

stockkraals. Doubtless Bangu intended on the morrow to make his halfyearly inspection of all the cattle of

At length the long day drew to its close and the shadows of the evening thickened. Then we made ready for

our dreadful game, of which the stake was the lives of all of us, since, should we fail, we could expect no

mercy. The fifty picked men were gathered and ate food in silence. These men were placed under the

command of Tshoza, for he was the most experienced of the Amangwane, and led by the three guides who

had dwelt among the Amakoba, and who "knew every antheap in the land," or so they swore. Their duty, it

will be remembered, was to cross the valley, separate themselves into small parties, unbar the various cattle

kraals, kill or hunt off the herdsmen, and drive the beasts back across the valley into the pass. A second fifty

men, under the command of Saduko, were to be left just at the end of this pass where it opened out into the

valley, in order to help and reinforce the cattlelifters, or, if need be, to check the following Amakoba while

the great herds of beasts were got away, and then fall back on the rest of us in our ambush nearly two miles

Now, the moon would not be up till midnight. But two hours before that time we began our moves, since the

cattle must be driven out of the kraals as soon as she appeared and gave the needful light. Otherwise the fight

in the pass would in all probability be delayed till after sunrise, when the Amakoba would see how small was

the number of their foes. Terror, doubt, darknessthese must be our allies if our desperate venture was to

All was arranged at last and the time had come. We, the three captains of our divided force, bade each other

farewell, and passed the word down the ranks that, should we be separated by the accidents of war, my

Tshoza and his fifty glided away into the shadow silently as ghosts and were gone. Presently the fiercefaced

Saduko departed also with his fifty. He carried the doublebarrelled gun I had given him, and was

accompanied by one of my best hunters, a Natal native, who was also armed with a heavy smoothbore

loaded with slugs. Our hope was that the sound of these guns might terrify the foe, should there be occasion

to use them before our forces joined up again, and make them think they had to do with a body of raiding

Dutch white men, of whose roersas the heavy elephant guns of that day were calledall natives were

So Saduko went with his fifty, leaving me wondering whether I should ever see his face again. Then I, my

bearer Scowl, the two remaining hunters, and the ten score Amangwane who were left turned and soon were

following the road by which we had come down the rugged pass. I call it a road, but, in fact, it was nothing

but a waterwashed gully strewn with boulders, through which we must pick our way as best we could in the

darkness, having first removed the percussion cap from the nipple of every gun, for fear lest the accidental

discharge of one of them should warn the Amakoba, confuse our other parties, and bring all our deeplaid

Well, we accomplished that march somehow, walking in three long lines, so that each man might keep touch

with him in front, and just as the moon began to rise reached the spot that I had chosen for the ambush.

Certainly it was well suited to that purpose. Here the track or gully bed narrowed to a width of not more than

a hundred feet, while the steep slopes of the kloof on either side were clothed with scattered bushes and

fingerlike euphorbias which grew among stones. Behind these stones and bushes we hid ourselves, a

hundred men on one side and a hundred on the other, whilst I and my three hunters, who were armed with

guns, took up a position under shelter of a great boulder nearly five feet thick that lay but a little to the right

of the gully itself, up which we expected the cattle would come. This place I chose for two reasons: first, that

I might keep touch with both wings of my force, and, secondly, that we might be able to fire straight down

These were the orders that I gave to the Amangwane, warning them that he who disobeyed would be

punished with death. They were not to stir until I, or, if I should be killed, one of my hunters, fired a shot; for

my fear was lest, growing excited, they might leap out before the time and kill some of our own people, who

very likely would be mixed up with the first of the pursuing Amakoba. Secondly, when the cattle had passed

and the signal had been given, they were to rush on the Amakoba, throwing themselves across the gully, so

That was all I told them, since it is not wise to confuse natives by giving too many orders. One thing I added,

howeverthat they must conquer or they must die. There was no mercy for them; it was a case of death or

victory. Their spokesmanfor these people always find a spokesmananswered that they thanked me for

my advice; that they understood, and that they would do their best. Then they lifted their spears to me in

salute. A wild lot of men they looked in the moonlight as they departed to take shelter behind the rocks and

That waiting was long, and I confess that before the end it got upon my nerves. I began to think of all sorts of

things, such as whether I should live to see the sun rise again; also I reflected upon the legitimacy of this

remarkable enterprise. What right had I to involve myself in a quarrel between these savages?

Why had I come here? To gain cattle as a trader? No, for I was not at all sure that I would take them if

gained. Because Saduko had twitted me with faithlessness to my words? Yes, to a certain extent; but that was

by no means the whole reason. I had been moved by the recital of the cruel wrongs inflicted upon Saduko and

his tribe by this Bangu, and therefore had not been loath to associate myself with his attempted vengeance

upon a wicked murderer. Well, that was sound enough so far as it went; but now a new consideration

suggested itself to me. Those wrongs had been worked many years ago; probably most of the men who had

aided and abetted them by now were dead or very aged, and it was their sons upon whom the vengeance

What right had I to assist in visiting the sins of the fathers upon the sons? Frankly I could not say. The thing

seemed to me to be a part of the problem of life, neither less nor more. So I shrugged my shoulders sadly and

consoled myself by reflecting that very likely the issue would go against me, and that my own existence

would pay the price of the venture and expound its moral. This consideration soothed my conscience

somewhat, for when a man backs his actions with the risk of his life, right or wrong, at any rate he plays no

The time went by very slowly and nothing happened. The waning moon shone brightly in a clear sky, and as

there was no wind the silence seemed peculiarly intense. Save for the laugh of an occasional hyena and now

and again for a sound which I took for the coughing of a distant lion, there was no stir between sleeping earth

At length I thought that I heard a noise, a kind of murmur far away. It grew, it developed.

It sounded like a thousand sticks tapping upon something hard, very faintly. It continued to grow, and I knew

the sound for that of the beating hoofs of animals galloping. Then there were isolated noises, very faint and

thin; they might be shouts; then something that I could not mistakeshots fired at a distance. So the business

was afoot; the cattle were moving, Saduko and my hunter were firing. There was nothing for it but to wait.

The excitement was very fierce; it seemed to consume me, to eat into my brain. The sound of the tapping

upon the rocks grew louder until it merged into a kind of rumble, mixed with an echo as of that of very

distant thunder, which presently I knew to be not thunder, but the bellowing of a thousand frightened beasts.

Nearer and nearer came the galloping hoofs and the rumble of bellowings; nearer and nearer the shouts of

men, affronting the stillness of the solemn night. At length a single animal appeared, a koodoo buck that

somehow had got mixed up with the cattle. It went past us like a flash, and was followed a minute or so later

by a bull that, being young and light, had outrun its companions. That, too, went by, foam on its lips and its

Then the herd appeareda countless herd it seemed to meplunging up the inclinecows, heifers, calves,

bulls, and oxen, all mixed together in one inextricable mass, and every one of them snorting, bellowing, or

making some other kind of sound. The din was fearful, the sight bewildering, for the beasts were of all

colours, and their long horns flashed like ivory in the moonlight. Indeed, the only thing in the least like it

which I have ever seen was the rush of the buffaloes from the reed camp on that day when I got my injury.

They were streaming past us now, a mighty and moving mass so closely packed that a man might have

walked upon their backs. In fact, some of the calves which had been thrust up by the pressure were being

carried along in this fashion. Glad was I that none of us were in their path, for their advance seemed

irresistible. No fence or wall could have saved us, and even stout trees that grew in the gully were snapped or

At length the long line began to thin, for now it was composed of stragglers and weak or injured beasts, of

which there were many. Other sounds, too, began to dominate the bellowings of the animals, those of the

excited cries of men. The first of our companions, the cattlelifters, appeared, weary and gasping, but waving

their spears in triumph. Among them was old Tshoza. I stepped upon my rock, calling to him by name. He

"We have got them all!" he gasped. "Not a hoof is left save those that are trodden down. Saduko is not far

behind with the rest of our brothers, except some that have been killed. All the Amakoba tribe are after us. He

"Well done!" I answered. "It is very good. Now make your men hide among the others that they may find

So he stopped them as they came. Scarcely had the last of them vanished into the bushes when the gathering

volume of shouts, amongst which I heard a gun go off, told us that Saduko and his band and the pursuing

Amakoba were not far away. Presently they, too, appearedthat is the handful of Amangwane didnot

fighting now, but running as hard as they could, for they knew they were approaching the ambush and wished

to pass it so as not to be mixed up with the Amakoba. We let them go through us. Among the last of them

came Saduko, who was wounded, for the blood ran down his side, supporting my hunter, who was also

"Saduko," I said, "halt at the crest of the path and rest there so that you may be able to help us presently."

He waved the gun in answer, for he was too breathless to speak, and went on with those who were left of his

followingperhaps thirty men in allin the track of the cattle. Before he was out of sight the Amakoba

arrived, a mob of five or six hundred men mixed up together and advancing without order or discipline, for

they seemed to have lost their heads as well as their cattle. Some of them had shields and some had none,

some broad and some throwing assegais, while many were quite naked, not having stayed to put on their

moochas and much less their war finery. Evidently they were mad with rage, for the sounds that issued from

The moment had come, though to tell the truth I heartily wished that it had not. I wasn't exactly afraid,

although I never set up for great courage, but I did not quite like the business. After all we were stealing these

people's cattle, and now were going to kill as many of them as we could. I had to recall Saduko's dreadful

story of the massacre of his tribe before I could make up my mind to give the signal. That hardened me, and

so did the reflection that after all they outnumbered us enormously and very likely would prove victors in the

end. Anyhow it was too late to repent. What a tricky and uncomfortable thing is conscience, that nearly

always begins to trouble us at the moment of, or after, the event, not before, when it might be of some use.

I raised myself upon the rock and fired both barrels of my gun into the advancing horde, though whether I

killed anyone or no I cannot say. I have always hoped that I did not; but as the mark was large and I am a fair

shot, I fear that is scarcely possible. Next moment, with a howl that sounded like that of wild beasts, from

either side of the gorge the fierce Amangwane freespearsfor that is what they wereleapt out of their

hidingplaces and hurled themselves upon their hereditary foes. They were fighting for more than cattle; they

were fighting for hate and for revenge since these Amakoba had slaughtered their fathers and their mothers,

their sisters and their brothers, and they alone remained to pay them back blood for blood.

Great heaven! how they did fight, more like devils than human beings. After that first howl which shaped

itself to the word "Saduko," they were silent as bulldogs. Though they were so few, at first their terrible rush

drove back the Amakoba. Then, as these recovered from their surprise, the weight of numbers began to tell,

for they, too, were brave men who did not give way to panic. Scores of them went down at once, but the

remainder pushed the Amangwane before them up the hill. I took little share in the fight, but was thrust

backward with the others, only firing when I was obliged to save my own life. Foot by foot we were pushed

Then, while the issue hung in the balance, there was another shout of "Saduko!" and that chief himself,

This charge decided the battle, for not knowing how many more were coming, those who were left of the

We mustered on the hilltop, not more than two hundred of us now, the rest were fallen or desperately

wounded, my poor hunter, whom I had lent to Saduko, being among the dead. Although wounded, he died

I was breathless and spent, but as in a dream I saw some Amangwane drag up a gaunt old savage, crying:

"Ah! Bangu," be said, "now say, why should I not kill you as you would have killed the little lad Saduko long

"Kill," said Bangu. "Your Spirit is stronger than mine. Did not Zikali foretell it? Kill, Saduko."

"Nay," answered Saduko. "If you are weary I am weary, too, and wounded as well. Take a spear, Bangu, and

So they fought there in the moonlight, man to man; fought fiercely while all watched, till presently I saw

Saduko was avenged. I have always been glad that he slew his enemy thus, and not as it might have been

We reached my wagons in the early morning of the following day, bringing with us the cattle and our

wounded. Thus encumbered it was a most toilsome march, and an anxious one also, for it was always

possible that the remnant of the Amakoba might attempt pursuit. This, however, they did not do, for very

many of them were dead or wounded, and those who remained had no heart left in them. They went back to

their mountain home and lived there in shame and wretchedness, for I do not believe there were fifty head of

cattle left among the tribe, and Kafirs without cattle are nothing. Still, they did not starve, since there were

plenty of women to work the fields, and we had not touched their corn. The end of them was that Panda gave

them to their conqueror, Saduko, and he incorporated them with the Amangwane. But that did not happen

When we had rested a while at the wagons the captured beasts were mustered, and on being counted were

found to number a little over twelve hundred head, not reckoning animals that had been badly hurt in the

flight, which we killed for beef. It was a noble prize, truly, and, notwithstanding the wound in his thigh,

which hurt him a good deal now that it had stiffened, Saduko stood up and surveyed them with glistening

eyes. No wonder, for he who had been so poor was now rich, and would remain so even after he had paid

over whatever number of cows Umbezi chose to demand as the price of Mameena's hand. Moreover, he was

sure, and I shared his confidence, that in these changed circumstances both that young woman and her father

would look upon his suit with very favourable eyes. He had, so to speak, succeeded to the title and the family

estates by means of a lawsuit brought in the "Court of the Assegai," and therefore there was hardly a father in

Zululand who would shut his kraal gate upon him. We forgot, both of us, the proverb that points out how

numerous are the slips between the cup and the lip, which, by the way, is one that has its Zulu equivalents.

One of them, if I remember right at the moment, is: "However loud the hen cackles, the housewife does not

As it chanced, although Saduko's hen was cackling very loudly just at this time, he was not destined to find

I, too, looked at those cattle, wondering whether Saduko would remember our bargain, under which some six

hundred head of them belonged to me. Six hundred head! Why, putting them at �5 apiece all roundand as

oxen were very scarce just at that time, they were worth quite as much, if not morethat meant �3,000, a

larger sum of money than I had ever owned at one time in all my life. Truly the paths of violence were

profitable! But would he remember? On the whole I thought probably not, since Kafirs are not fond of parting

Well, I did him an injustice, for presently he turned and said, with something of an effort:

"Macumazahn, half of all these belong to you, and truly you have earned them, for it was your cunning and

good counsel that gained us the victory. Now we will choose them beast by beast."

So I chose a fine ox, then Saduko chose one; and so it went on till I had eight of my number driven out. As

"There, that will do. These oxen I must have to replace those in my teams which died on the trek, but I want

"Wow!" said Saduko, and all those who stood with him, while one of them addedI think it was old Tshoza:

"No friends," I answered, "I am not mad, but neither am I bad. I accompanied Saduko on this raid because he

is dear to me and stood by me once in the hour of danger. But I do not love killing men with whom I have no

"Wow!" said old Tshoza again, for Saduko seemed too astonished to speak, "he is a spirit, not a man. He is

"Not a bit of it," I answered. "If you think that, ask Mameena"a dark saying which they did not understand.

"Now, listen. I will not take those cattle because I do not think as you Kafirs think. But as they are mine,

according to your law, I am going to dispose of them. I give ten head to each of my hunters, and fifteen head

to the relations of him who was killed. The rest I give to Tshoza and to the other men of the Amangwane who

fought with us, to be divided among them in such proportions as they may agree, I being the judge in the

Now these men raised a great cry of "Inkoosi!" and, running up, old Tshoza seized my hand and kissed it.

"Your heart is big," he cried; "you drop fatness! Although you are so small, the spirit of a king lives in you,

Thus he praised me, while all the others joined in, till the din was awful. Saduko thanked me also in his

magnificent manner. Yet I do not think that he was altogether pleased, although my great gift relieved him

from the necessity of sharing up the spoil with his companions. The truth was, or so I believe, that he

understood that henceforth the Amangwane would love me better than they loved him. This, indeed, proved

to be the case, for I am sure that there was no man among all those wild fellows who would not have served

me to the death, and to this day my name is a power among them and their descendants. Also it has grown

into something of a proverb among all those Kafirs who know the story. They talk of any great act of

liberality in an idiom as "a gift of Macumazana," and in the same way of one who makes any remarkable

renunciation, as "a wearer of Macumazana's blanket," or as "he who has stolen Macumazana's shadow."

Thus did I earn a great reputation very cheaply, for really I could not have taken those cattle; also I am sure

that had I done so they would have brought me bad luck. Indeed, one of the regrets of my life is that I had

Our journey back to Umbezi's kraalfor thither we were headingwas very slow, hampered as we were

with wounded and by a vast herd of cattle. Of the latter, indeed, we got rid after a while, for, except those

which I had given to my men, and a hundred or so of the best beasts that Saduko took with him for a certain

purpose, they were sent away to a place which he had chosen, in charge of about half of his people, under the

Over a month had gone by since the night of the ambush when at last we outspanned quite close to Umbezi's,

in that bush where first I had met the Amangwane freespears. A very different set of men they looked on

this triumphant day to those fierce fellows who had slipped out of the trees at the call of their chief. As we

went through the country Saduko had bought fine moochas and blankets for them; also headdresses had

been made with the long black feathers of the sakabuli finch, and shields and leglets of the hides and tails of

oxen. Moreover, having fed plentifully and travelled easily, they were fat and wellfavoured, as, given good

The plan of Saduko was to lie quiet in the bush that night, and on the following morning to advance in all his

grandeur, accompanied by his spears, present the hundred head of cattle that had been demanded, and

formally ask his daughter's hand from Umbezi. As the reader may have gathered already, there was a certain

histrionic vein in Saduko; also when he was in feather he liked to show off his plumage.

Well, this plan was carried out to the letter. On the following morning, after the sun was well up, Saduko, as a

great chief does, sent forward two bedizened heralds to announce his approach to Umbezi, after whom

followed two other men to sing his deeds and praises. (By the way, I observed that they had clearly been

instructed to avoid any mention of a person called Macumazahn.) Then we advanced in force. First went

Saduko, splendidly apparelled as a chief, carrying a small assegai and adorned with plumes, leglets and a

leopardskin kilt. He was attended by about half a dozen of the bestlooking of his followers, who posed as

"indunas" or councillors. Behind these I walked, a dusty, insignificant little fellow, attended by the ugly,

snubnosed Scowl in a very greasy pair of trousers, wornout European boots through which his toes peeped,

and nothing else, and by my three surviving hunters, whose appearance was even more disreputable. After us

marched about four score of the transformed Amangwane, and after them came the hundred picked cattle

In due course we arrived at the gate of the kraal, where we found the heralds and the praisers prancing and

"No," they answered; "he was asleep when we got here, but his people say that he is coming out presently."

"Then tell his people that he had better be quick about it, or I shall turn him out," replied the proud Saduko.

Just at this moment the kraal gate opened and through it appeared Umbezi, looking extremely fat and foolish;

"Who visits me here," he said, "with so muchumceremony?" and with the carved dancingstick he

carried he pointed doubtfully at the lines of armed men. "Oh, it is you, is it, Saduko?" and he looked him up

and down, adding: "How grand you are to be sure. Have you been robbing anybody? And you, too,

Macumazahn. Well, you do not look grand. You look like an old cow that has been suckling two calves on

the winter veld. But tell me, what are all these warriors for? I ask because I have not food for so many,

"Fear nothing, Umbezi," answered Saduko in his grandest manner. "I have brought food for my own men. As

for my business, it is simple. You asked a hundred head of cattle as the lobola [that is, the marriage gift] of

your daughter, Mameena. They are there. Go send your servants to the kraal and count them."

"Oh, with pleasure," Umbezi replied nervously, and he gave some orders to certain men behind him. "I am

glad to see that you have become rich in this sudden fashion, Saduko, though how you have done so I cannot

"Never mind how I have become rich," answered Saduko. "I am rich; that is enough for the present. Be

"Yes, yes, Saduko, I understand that you would talk with Mameena; but"and he looked round him

desperately"I fear that she is still asleep. As you know, Mameena was always a late riser, and, what is

more, she hates to be disturbed. Don't you think that you could come back, say, tomorrow morning? She

"In which hut is Mameena?" asked Saduko sternly, while I, smelling a rat, began to chuckle to myself.

"I really do not know, Saduko," replied Umbezi. "Sometimes she sleeps in one, sometimes in another, and

sometimes she goes several hours' journey away to her aunt's kraal for a change. I should not be in the least

Before Saduko could answer, a shrill, rasping voice broke upon our ears, which after some search I saw

proceeded from an ugly and ancient female seated in the shadow, in whom I recognised the lady who was

"He lies!" screeched the voice. "He lies. Thanks be to the spirit of my ancestors that wild cat Mameena has

left this kraal for good. She slept last night, not with her aunt, but with her husband, Masapo, to whom

Umbezi gave her in marriage two days ago, receiving in payment a hundred and twenty head of cattle, which

Now when Saduko heard these words I thought that he would really go mad with rage. He turned quite grey

under his dark skin and for a while trembled like a leaf, looking as though he were about to fall to the ground.

Then he leapt as a lion leaps, and seizing Umbezi by the throat, hurled him backwards, standing over him

"You dog!" he cried in a terrible voice. "Tell me the truth or I will rip you up. What have you done with

"Oh! Saduko," answered Umbezi in choking tones, "Mameena has chosen to get married. It was no fault of

He got no farther, and had I not intervened by throwing my arms about Saduko and dragging him back, that

moment would have been Umbezi's last, for Saduko was about to pin him to the earth with his spear. As it

proved, I was just in time, and Saduko, being weak with emotion, for I felt his heart going like a

At length he recovered himself a little and threw down his spear as though to put himself out of temptation.

"Have you more to say about this business, Umbezi? I would hear all before I answer you."

"Only this, Saduko," replied Umbezi, who had risen to his feet and was shaking like a reed. "I did no more

than any other father would have done. Masapo is a very powerful chief, one who will be a good stick for me

"He lies!" screeched the "Old Cow." "What Mameena said was that she had no will towards marriage with

any Zulu in the land, so I suppose she is looking after a white man," and she leered in my direction. "She

said, however, that if her father wished to marry her to Masapo, she must be a dutiful daughter and obey him,

but that if blood and trouble came of that marriage, let it be on his head and not on hers."

"Would you also stick your claws into me, cat?" shouted Umbezi, catching the old woman a savage cut

across the back with the light dancingstick which he still held in his hand, whereon she fled away

"Oh, Saduko," he went on, "let not your ears be poisoned by these falsehoods. Mameena never said anything

of the sort, or if she did it was not to me. Well, the moment that my daughter had consented to take Masapo

as her husband his people drove a hundred and twenty of the most beautiful cattle over the hill, and would

you have had me refuse them, Saduko? I am sure that when you have seen them you will say that I was quite

right to accept such a splendid lobola in return for one sharptongued girl. Remember, Saduko, that although

you had promised a hundred head, that is less by twenty, at the time you did not own one, and where you

were to get them from I could not guess. Moreover," he added with a last, desperate, imaginative effort, for I

think he saw that his arguments were making no impression, "some strangers who called here told me that

both you and Macumazahn had been killed by certain evildoers in the mountains. There, I have spoken, and,

Saduko, if you now have cattle, why, on my part, I have another daughter, not quite so goodlooking

perhaps, but a much better worker in the field. Come and drink a sup of beer, and I will send for her."

"Stop talking about your other daughter and your beer and listen to me," replied Saduko, looking at the

assegai which he had thrown to the ground so ominously that I set my foot on it. "I am now a greater chief

than the boar Masapo. Has Masapo such a bodyguard as these EatersupofEnemies?" and he jerked his

thumb backwards towards the serried lines of fiercefaced Amangwane who stood listening behind us. "Has

Masapo as many cattle as I have, whereof those which you see are but a tithe brought as a lobola gift to the

father of her who had been promised to me as wife? Is Masapo Panda's friend? I think that I have heard

otherwise. Has Masapo just conquered a countless tribe by his courage and his wit? Is Masapo young and of

"You do not answer, Umbezi, and perhaps you do well to be silent. Now listen again. Were it not for

Macumazahn here, whom I do not desire to mix up with my quarrels, I would bid my men take you and beat

you to death with the handles of their spears, and then go on and serve the Boar in the same fashion in his

mountain sty. As it is, these things must wait a little while, especially as I have other matters to attend to first.

Yet the day is not far off when I will attend to them also. Therefore my counsel to you, Cheat, is to make

haste to die or to find courage to fall upon a spear, unless you would learn how it feels to be brayed with

sticks like a green hide until none can know that you were once a man. Send now and tell my words to

Masapo the Boar. And to Mameena say that soon I will come to take her with spears and not with cattle. Do

you understand? Oh! I see that you do, since already you weep with fear like a woman. Then farewell to you

till that day when I return with the sticks, O Umbezi the cheat and the liar, Umbezi,

I was about to follow in a great hurry, having had enough of this very unpleasant scene, when poor old

"O Macumazana," he exclaimed, weeping in his terror, "O Macumazana, if ever I have been a friend to you,

help me out of this deep pit into which I have fallen through the tricks of that monkey of a daughter of mine,

who I think is a witch born to bring trouble upon men. Macumazahn, if she had been your daughter and a

powerful chief had appeared with a hundred and twenty head of such beautiful cattle, you would have given

her to him, would you not, although he is of mixed blood and not very young, especially as she did not mind

"I think not," I answered; "but then it is not our custom to sell women in that fashion."

"No, no, I forgot; in this as in other matters you white men are mad and, Macumazahn, to tell you the truth, I

believe it is you she really cares for; she said as much to me once or twice. Well, why did you not take her

away when I was not looking? We could have settled matters afterwards, and I should have been free of her

"No, no, I forgot. Oh! why can I not remember that you are quite mad and therefore that it must not be

expected of you to act as though you were sane. Well, at least you are that tiger Saduko's friend, which again

shows that you must be very mad, for most people would sooner try to milk a cow buffalo than walk hand in

hand with him. Don't you see, Macumazahn, that he means to kill me, Macumazahn, to bray me like a green

hide? Ugh! to beat me to death with sticks. Ugh! And what is more, that unless you prevent him, he will

"Yes, I see, Umbezi, and I think that he will do it. But what I do not see is how I am to prevent him.

Remember that you let Mameena grow into his heart and behaved badly to him, Umbezi."

"I never promised her to him, Macumazahn. I only said that if he brought a hundred cattle, then I might

"Well, he has wiped out the Amakoba, the enemies of his House, and there are the hundred cattle whereof he

has many more, and now it is too late for you to keep your share of the bargain. So I think you must make

yourself as comfortable as you can in the hole that your hands dug, Umbezi, which I would not share for all

"Truly you are not one from whom to seek comfort in the hour of distress," groaned poor Umbezi, then

added, brightening up: "But perhaps Panda will kill him because he has wiped out Bangu in a time of peace.

Oh Macumazahn, can you not persuade Panda to kill him? If so, I now have more cattle than I really want"

"Impossible," I answered. "Panda is his friend, and between ourselves I may tell you that he ate up the

Amakoba by his especial wish. When the King hears of it he will call to Saduko to sit in his shadow and

make him great, one of his councillors, probably with power of life and death over little people like you and

"Then it is finished," said Umbezi faintly, "and I will try to die like a man. But to be brayed like a hide! And

with thin sticks! Oh!" he added, grinding his teeth, "if only I can get hold of Mameena I will not leave much

of that pretty hair of hers upon her head. I will tie her hands and shut her up with the 'Old Cow,' who loves

her as a meercat loves a mouse. No; I will kill her. Theredo you hear, Macumazahn, unless you do

something to help me, I will kill Mameena, and you won't like that, for I am sure she is dear to you, although

"If you touch Mameena," I said, "be certain, my friend, that Saduko's sticks and your skin will not be far

apart, for I will report you to Panda myself as an unnatural evildoer. Now hearken to me, you old fool.

Saduko is so fond of your daughter, on this point being mad, as you say I am, that if only he could get her I

think he might overlook the fact of her having been married before. What you have to do is to try to buy her

back from Masapo. Mind you, I say buy her backnot get her by bloodshedwhich you might do by

persuading Masapo to put her away. Then, if he knew that you were trying to do this, I think that Saduko

"I will try. I will indeed, Macumazahn. I will try very hard. It is true Masapo is an obstinate pig; still, if he

knows that his own life is at stake, he might give way. Moreover, when she learns that Saduko has grown rich

and great, Mameena might help me. Oh, I thank you, Macumazahn; you are indeed the prop of my hut, and it

and all in it are yours. Farewell, farewell, Macumazahn, if you must go. But whywhy did you not run away

So I and that old humbug, Umbezi, "EaterupofElephants," parted for a while, and never did I know him

When I got back to my wagons after this semitragical interview with that bombastic and selfseeking old

windbag, Umbezi, it was to find that Saduko and his warriors had already marched for the King's kraal,

Nodwengu. A message awaited me, however, to the effect that it was hoped that I would follow, in order to

make report of the affair of the destruction of the Amakoba. This, after reflection, I determined to do, really, I

think, because of the intense human interest of the whole business. I wanted to see how it would work out.

Also, in a way, I read Saduko's mind and understood that at the moment he did not wish to discuss the matter

of his hideous disappointment. Whatever else may have been false in this man's nature, one thing rang true,

namely, his love or his infatuation for the girl Mameena. Throughout his life she was his guiding starabout

as evil a star as could have arisen upon any man's horizon; the fatal star that was to light him down to doom.

Let me thank Providence, as I do, that I was so fortunate as to escape its baneful influences, although I admit

So, seduced thither by my curiosity, which has so often led me into trouble, I trekked to Nodwengu, full of

many doubts not unmingled with amusement, for I could not rid my mind of recollections of the utter terror

of the "EaterupofElephants" when he was brought face to face with the dreadful and concentrated rage of

the robbed Saduko and the promise of his vengeance. Ultimately I arrived at the Great Place without

experiencing any adventure that is worthy of record, and camped in a spot that was appointed to me by some

induna whose name I forget, but who evidently knew of my approach, for I found him awaiting me at some

distance from the town. Here I sat for quite a long while, two or three days, if I remember right, amusing

myself with killing or missing turtledoves with a shotgun, and similar pastimes, until something should

In the end, just as I was about to trek seawards, an old friend, Maputa, turned up at my wagonsthat same

man who had brought me the message from Panda before we started to attack Bangu.

"Greeting, Macumazahn," he said. "What of the Amakoba? I see they did not kill you."

"No," I answered, handing him some snuff, "they did not quite kill me, for here I am. What is your pleasure

"O Macumazana, only that the King wishes to know whether you have any of those little balls left in the box

which I brought back to you, since, if so, he thinks he would like to swallow one of them in this hot weather."

I proffered him the whole box, but he would not take it, saying that the King would like me to give it to him

myself. Now I understood that this was a summons to an audience, and asked when it would please Panda to

Like all his family, the King was an enormous man, but, unlike Chaka and those of his brothers whom I had

known, one of a kindly countenance. I saluted him by lifting my cap, and took my place upon a wooden stool

that had been provided for me outside the great hut, in the shadow of which he sat within his isigohlo, or

"Greeting, O Macumazana," he said. "I am glad to see you safe and well, for I understand that you have been

"Yes, King," I answered; "but to which adventure do you referthat of the buffalo, when Saduko helped me,

So I told it to him, he and I being alone, for he commanded his councillors and servants to retire out of

"Wow!" he said, when I had finished, "you are clever as a baboon, Macumazahn. That was a fine trick to set a

trap for Bangu and his Amakoba dogs and bait it with his own cattle. But they tell me that you refused your

"Ah!" he exclaimed, when I had finished. "Every one seeks greatness in his own way, and perhaps yours is

better than ours. Well, the White man walks one roador some of them doand the Black man another.

They both end at the same place, and none will know which is the right road till the journey is done.

Meanwhile, what you lose Saduko and his people gain. He is a wise man, Saduko, who knows how to choose

his friends, and his wisdom has brought him victory and gifts. But to you, Macumazahn, it has brought

"Yes, yes, I understand," replied the King, who, in common with most natives, was quick enough to seize a

point, "and I, too, like people who keep thin on such food as yours, people, also, whose hands are always

clean. We Zulus trust you, Macumazahn, as we trust few white men, for we have known for years that your

lips say what your heart thinks, and that your heart always thinks the thing which is good. You may be named

Now, at these somewhat unusual compliments I bowed, and felt myself colouring a little as I did so, even

through my sunburn, but I made no answer to them, since to do so would have involved a discussion of the

past and its tragical events, into which I had no wish to enter. Panda, too, remained silent for a while. Then he

called to a messenger to summon the princes, Cetewayo and Umbelazi, and to bid Saduko, the son of

A few minutes later the two princes arrived. I watched their coming with interest, for they were the most

important men in Zululand, and already the nation debated fiercely which of them would succeed to the

They were both of much the same ageit is always difficult to arrive at a Zulu's exact yearsand both fine

young men. Cetewayo, however, had the stronger countenance. It was said that he resembled that fierce and

able monster, Chaka the Wild Beast, his uncle, and certainly I perceived in him a likeness to his other uncle,

Dingaan, Umpanda's predecessor, whom I had known but too well when I was a lad. He had the same surly

eyes and haughty bearing; also, when he was angry his mouth shut itself in the same iron fashion.

Of Umbelazi it is difficult for me to speak without enthusiasm. As Mameena was the most beautiful woman I

ever saw in Zululandalthough it is true that old wardog, Umslopogaas, a friend of mine who does not

come into this story, used to tell me that Nada the Lily, whom I have mentioned, was even lovelierso

Umbelazi was by far the most splendid man. Indeed, the Zulus named him "Umbelazi the Handsome," and no

wonder. To begin with, he stood at least three inches above the tallest of them; from a quarter of a mile away

I have recognised him by his great height, even through the dust of a desperate battle, and his breadth was

proportionate to his stature. Then he was perfectly made, his great, shapely limbs ending, like Saduko's, in

small hands and feet. His face, too, was wellcut and open, his colour lighter than Cetewayo's, and his eyes,

Even before they passed the small gate of the inner fence it was easy for me to see that this royal pair were

not upon the best of terms, for each of them tried to get through it first, to show his right of precedence. The

result was somewhat ludicrous, for they jammed in the gateway. Here, however, Umbelazi's greater weight

told, for, putting out his strength, he squeezed his brother into the reeds of the fence, and won through a foot

"You grow too fat, my brother," I heard Cetewayo say, and saw him scowl as he spoke. "If I had held an

"I know it, my brother," answered Umbelazi, with a goodhumoured laugh, "but I knew also that none may

appear before the King armed. Had it been otherwise, I would rather have followed after you."

Now, at this hint of Umbelazi's, that he would not trust his brother behind his back with a spear, although it

seemed to be conveyed in jest, I saw Panda shift uneasily on his seat, while Cetewayo scowled even more

ominously than before. However, no further words passed between them, and, walking up to the King side by

"Greeting, my children," said Panda, adding hastily, for he foresaw a quarrel as to which of them should take

the seat of honour on his right: "Sit there in front of me, both of you, and, Macumazahn, do you come hither,"

and he pointed to the coveted place. "I am a little deaf in my left ear this morning."

So these brothers sat themselves down in front of the King; nor were they, I think, grieved to find this way

out of their rivalry; but first they shook hands with me, for I knew them both, though not well, and even in

this small matter the old trouble arose, since there was some difficulty as to which of them should first offer

"My sons, I have sent for you to ask your counsel upon a certain matternot a large matter, but one that may

"Well, my sons, the matter is that of Saduko, the son of Matiwane, chief of the Amangwane, whom Bangu,

chief of the Amakoba, ate up years ago by leave of Him who went before me. Now, this Bangu, as you know,

has for some time been a thorn in my foota thorn that caused it to festerand yet I did not wish to make

war on him. So I spoke a word in the ear of Saduko, saying, 'He is yours, if you can kill him; and his cattle

are yours.' Well, Saduko is not dull. With the help of this white man, Macumazahn, our friend from of old, he

has killed Bangu and taken his cattle, and already my foot is beginning to heal."

"Yes," continued Panda, "I, too, think it was a great deed, seeing that Saduko had but a small regiment of

"Nay," interrupted Cetewayo, "it was not those eaters of rats who won him the day, it was the wisdom of this

"Macumazahn's wisdom would have been of little use without the courage of Saduko and his rats,"

commented Umbelazi, and from this moment I saw that the two brothers were taking sides for and against

Saduko, as they did upon every other matter, not because they cared for the right of whatever was in question,

"Quite so," went on the King; "I agree with both of you, my sons. But the point is this: I think Saduko a man

of promise, and one who should be advanced that he may learn to love us all, especially as his House has

suffered wrong from our House, since Hewhoisgone listened to the evil counsel of Bangu, and allowed

him to kill out Matiwane's tribe without just cause. Therefore, in order to wipe away this stain and bind

Saduko to us, I think it well to reestablish Saduko in the chieftainship of the Amangwane, with the lands

that his father held, and to give him also the chieftainship of the Amakoba, of whom it seems that the women

and children, with some of the men, remain, although he already holds their cattle which he has captured in

"As the King pleases," said Umbelazi, with a yawn, for he was growing weary of listening to the case of

"I think also," went on Panda in a rather uncertain voice, "in order to bind him so close that the bonds may

never be broken, it would be wise to give him a woman of our family in marriage."

"Why should this little Amangwane be allowed to marry into the royal House?" asked Cetewayo, looking up.

"For this reason, my son. There is trouble ahead in Zululand, and I do not wish to kill those who may help us

in that hour, nor do I wish them to become our enemies. I wish that they may be our friends; and therefore it

seems to me wise, when we find a seed of greatness, to water it, and not to dig it up or plant it in a

"Our father has spoken," said Umbelazi; "and I like Saduko, who is a man of mettle and good blood. Which

"She who is named after the mother of our race, O Umbelazi; she whom your own mother boreyour sister

"A great gift, O my Father, since Nandie is both fair and wise. Also, what does she think of this matter?"

"She thinks well of it, Umbelazi, for she has seen Saduko and taken a liking to him. She told me herself that

"Is it so?" replied Umbelazi indifferently. "Then if the King commands, and the King's daughter desires, what

"Much, I think," broke in Cetewayo. "I hold that it is out of place that this little man, who has but conquered a

little tribe by borrowing the wit of Macumazahn here, should be rewarded not only with a chieftainship, but

with the hand of the wisest and most beautiful of the King's daughters, even though Umbelazi," he added,

with a sneer, "should be willing to throw him his own sister like a bone to a passing dog."

"Who threw the bone, Cetewayo?" asked Umbelazi, awaking out of his indifference. "Was it the King, or was

it I, who never heard of the matter till this moment? And who are we that we should question the King's

"Has Saduko perchance made you a present of some of those cattle which he stole from the Amakoba,

Umbelazi?" asked Cetewayo. "As our father asks no lobola, perhaps you have taken the gift instead."

"The only gift that I have taken from Saduko," said Umbelazi, who, I could see, was hard pressed to keep his

temper, "is that of his service. He is my friend, which is why you hate him, as you hate all my friends."

"Must I then love every stray cur that licks your hand, Umbelazi? Oh, no need to tell me he is your friend, for

I know it was you who put it into our father's heart to allow him to kill Bangu and steal his cattle, which I

hold to be an ill deed, for now the Great House is thatched with his reeds and Bangu's blood is on its

doorposts. Moreover, he who wrought the wrong is to come and dwell therein, and for aught I know to be

called a prince, like you and me. Why should he not, since the Princess Nandie is to be given to him in

marriage? Certainly, Umbelazi, you would do well to take the cattle which this white trader has refused, for

Now Umbelazi sprang up, straightening himself to the full of his great height, and spoke in a voice that was

"I pray your leave to withdraw, O King," he said, "since if I stay here longer I shall grow sorry that I have no

spear in my hand. Yet before I go I will tell the truth. Cetewayo hates Saduko, because, knowing him to be a

chief of wit and courage, who will grow great, he sought him for his man, saying, 'Sit you in my shadow,'

after he had promised to sit in mine. Therefore it is that he heaps these taunts upon me. Let him deny it if he

"That I shall not trouble to do, Umbelazi," answered Cetewayo, with a scowl. "Who are you that spy upon my

doings, and with a mouth full of lies call me to account before the King? I will hear no more of it. Do you

bide here and pay Saduko his price with the person of our sister. For, as the King has promised her, his word

cannot be changed. Only let your dog know that I keep a stick for him, if he should snarl at me. Farewell, my

Father. I go upon a journey to my own lordship, the land of Gikazi, and there you will find me when you

want me, which I pray may not be till after this marriage is finished, for on that I will not trust my eyes to

My hand, however, he shook in farewell, for Cetewayo was always friendly to me, perhaps because he

thought I might be useful to him. Also, as I learned afterwards, he was very pleased with me for the reason

that I had refused my share of the Amakoba cattle, and that he knew I had no part in this proposed marriage

"My Father," said Umbelazi, when Cetewayo had gone, "is this to be borne? Am I to blame in the matter?

"No, you are not to blame this time, Umbelazi," replied the King, with a heavy sigh. "But oh! my sons, my

sons, where will your quarrelling end? I think that only a river of blood can quench so fierce a fire, and then

For a while he looked at Umbelazi, and I saw love and fear in his eye, for towards him Panda always had

"Cetewayo has behaved ill," he said at length; "and before a white man, who will report the matter, which

makes it worse. He has no right to dictate to me to whom I shall or shall not give my daughters in marriage.

Moreover, I have spoken; nor do I change my word because he threatens me. It is known throughout the land

that I never change my word; and the white men know it also, do they not, O Macumazana?"

I answered yes, they did. Also, this was true, for, like most weak men, Panda was very obstinate, and honest,

He waved his hand, to show that the subject was ended, then bade Umbelazi go to the gate and send a

Presently Saduko arrived, looking very stately and composed as he lifted his right hand and gave Panda the

Thereon, with the most perfect grace, without hurrying and without undue delay, Saduko crouched himself

down upon his knees, with one of his elbows resting on the ground, as only a native knows how to do without

"Son of Matiwane," said the King, "I have heard all the story of how, with a small company, you destroyed

"Your pardon, Black One," interrupted Saduko. "I am but a boy, I did nothing. It was Macumazahn,

WatcherbyNight, who sits yonder. His wisdom taught me how to snare the Amakoba, after they were

decoyed from their mountain, and it was Tshoza, my uncle, who loosed the cattle from the kraals. I say that I

did nothing, except to strike a blow or two with a spear when I must, just as a baboon throws stones at those

"I am glad to see that you are no boaster, Saduko," said Panda. "Would that more of the Zulus were like you

in that matter, for then I must not listen to so many loud songs about little things. At least, Bangu was killed

and his proud tribe humbled, and, for reasons of state, I am glad that this happened without my moving a

regiment or being mixed up with the business, for I tell you that there are some of my family who loved

Bangu. But II loved your father, Matiwane, whom Bangu butchered, for we were brought up together as

boysyes, and served together in the same regiment, the Amawombe, when the Wild One, my brother,

ruled" (he meant Chaka, for among the Zulus the names of dead kings are hlonipathat is, they must not be

spoken if it can be avoided). "Therefore," went on Panda, "for this reason, and for others, I am glad that

Bangu has been punished, and that, although vengeance has crawled after him like a footsore bull, at length

"Now, Saduko," went on Panda, "because you are your father's son, and because you have shown yourself a

man, although you are still little in the land, I am minded to advance you. Therefore I give to you the

chieftainship over those who remain of the Amakoba and over all of the Amangwane blood whom you can

"And I give you leave to become a kehlaa wearer of the headringalthough, as you have said, you are

"Bayete! As the King pleases," said Saduko, still apparently unmoved by the honours that were being heaped

Now, for the first time, Saduko's face changed. "Yes, Black One," he said hurriedly, "but"

"But," repeated Panda after him, "doubtless you would like to be? Well, it is natural in a young man who

"But," repeated Panda, "of course, you do not know where to find a wife between the time the hawk stoops

and the rat squeaks in its claws. How should you who have never thought of the matter? Also," he continued,

with a smile, "it is well that you have not thought of it, since she whom I shall give to you could not live in

the second hut in your kraal and call another "Inkosikazi" [that is, head lady or chieftainess]. Umbelazi, my

Now Umbelazi rose, and went with a broad smile upon his face, while Panda, somewhat fatigued with all his

speechmakingfor he was very fat and the day was very hotleaned his head back against the hut and

"O Black One! O thou who consumeth with rage! [Dhlangamandhla]" broke out Saduko, who, I could see,

"No doubt, no doubt," answered Panda drowsily, "but save up your thanks till you have seen, or you will

Now I, perceiving that Saduko was about to ruin himself, thought it well to interfere, though what business of

mine it was to do so I cannot say. At any rate, if only I had held my tongue at this moment, and allowed

Saduko to make a fool of himself, as he wished to dofor where Mameena was concerned he never could be

wiseI verily believe that all the history of Zululand would have run a different course, and that many

thousands of men, white and black, who are now dead would be alive today. But Fate ordered it otherwise.

Yes, it was not I who spoke, but Fate. The Angel of Doom used my throat as his trumpet.

"Are you mad?" I whispered into his ear. "Will you throw away your fortune, and your life also?"

"Fool! " I answered. "Mameena has betrayed and spat upon you. Take what the Heavens send you and give

"Macumazahn," he said in a hollow voice, "I will follow your head, and not my own heart. Yet you sow a

strange seed, Macumazahn, or so you may think when you see its fruit." And he gave me a wild looka look

There was something in this look which caused me to reflect that I might do well to go away and leave

Saduko, Mameena, Nandie, and the rest of them to "dree their weirds," as the Scotch say, for, after all, what

was my finger doing in that very hot stew? Getting burnt, I thought, and not collecting any stew.

Yet, looking back on these events, how could I foresee what would be the end of the madness of Saduko, of

the fearful machinations of Mameena, and of the weakness of Umbelazi when she snared him in the net of

her beauty, thus bringing about his ruin, through the hate of Saduko and the ambition of Cetewayo? How

could I know that, at the back of all these events, stood the old dwarf, Zikali the Wise, working night and day

to slake the enmity and fulfil the vengeance which long ago he had conceived and planned against the royal

Yes, he stood there like a man behind a great stone upon the brow of a mountain, slowly, remorselessly, with

infinite skill, labour, and patience, pushing that stone to the edge of the cliff, whence at length, in the

appointed hour, it would thunder down upon those who dwelt beneath, to leave them crushed and no more a

people. How could I guess that we, the actors in this play, were all the while helping him to push that stone,

and that he cared nothing how many of us were carried with it into the abyss, if only we brought about the

Now I see and understand all these things, as it is easy to do, but then I was blind; nor did the Voices reach

my dull ears to warn me, as, how or why I cannot tell, they did, I believe, reach those of Zikali.

Oh, what was the sum of it? Just this, I think, and nothing morethat, as Saduko and the others were

Mameena's tools, and as all of them and their passions were Zikali's tools, so he himself was the tool of some

unseen Power that used him and us to accomplish its design. Which, I suppose, is fatalism, or, in other words,

all these things happened because they must happen. A poor conclusion to reach after so much thought and

striving, and not complimentary to man and his boasted powers of free will; still, one to which many of us are

often driven, especially if we have lived among savages, where such dramas work themselves out openly and

swiftly, unhidden from our eyes by the veils and subterfuges of civilisation. At least, there is this comfort

about itthat, if we are but feathers blown by the wind, how can the individual feather be blamed because it

Well, let me return from these speculations to the history of the facts that caused them.

Just asa little too lateI had made up my mind that I would go after my own business, and leave Saduko

to manage his, through the fence gateway appeared the great, tall Umbelazi leading by the hand a woman. As

I saw in a moment, it did not need certain bangles of copper, ornaments of ivory and of very rare pink beads,

called infibinga, which only those of the royal House were permitted to wear, to proclaim her a person of

rank, for dignity and high blood were apparent in her face, her carriage, her gestures, and all that had to do

Nandie the Sweet was not a great beauty, as was Mameena, although her figure was fine, and her stature like

that of all the race of Senzangakonaconsiderably above the average. To begin with, she was darker in hue,

and her lips were rather thick, as was her nose; nor were her eyes large and liquid like those of an antelope.

Further, she lacked the informing mystery of Mameena's face, that at times was broken and ]it up by flashes

of alluring light and quick, sympathetic perception, as a heavy evening sky, that seems to join the dim earth

to the dimmer heavens, is illuminated by pulsings of fire, soft and manyhued, suggesting, but not revealing,

the strength and splendour that it veils. Nandie had none of these attractions, which, after all, anywhere upon

the earth belong only to a few women in each generation. She was a simple, honestnatured, kindly,

affectionate young woman of high birth, no more; that is, as these qualities are understood and expressed

Umbelazi led her forward into the presence of the King, to whom she bowed gracefully enough. Then, after

casting a swift, sidelong glance at Saduko, which I found it difficult to interpret, and another of inquiry at me,

she folded her hands upon her breast and stood silent, with bent head, waiting to be addressed.

"My daughter," he said, with a yawn, "there stands your husband," and he jerked his thumb towards Saduko.

"He is a young man and a brave, and unmarried; also one who should grow great in the shadow of our House,

especially as he is a friend of your brother, Umbelazi. I understand also that you have seen him and like him.

Unless you have anything to say against it, for as, not being a common father, the King receives no cattleat

least in this caseI am not prejudiced, but will listen to your words," and he chuckled in a drowsy fashion. "I

propose that the marriage should take place tomorrow. Now, my daughter, have you anything to say? For if

so, please say it at once, as I am tired. The eternal wranglings between your brethren, Cetewayo and

Now Nandie looked about her in her open, honest fashion, her gaze resting first on Saduko, then on

"My Father," she said at length, in her soft, steady voice, "tell me, I beseech you, who proposes this

marriage? Is it the Chief Saduko, is it the Prince Umbelazi, or is it the white lord whose true name I do not

"I can't remember which of them proposed it," yawned Panda. "Who can keep on talking about things from

night till morning? At any rate, I propose it, and I will make your husband a big man among our people. Have

"I have nothing to say, my Father. I have met Saduko, and like him wellfor the rest, you are the judge.

But," she added slowly, "does Saduko like me? When he speaks my name, does he feel it here?" and she

"I am sure I do not know what he feels in his throat," Panda replied testily, "but I feel that mine is dry. Well,

as no one says anything, the matter is settled. Tomorrow Saduko shall give the umqoliso [the Ox of the

Girl], that makes marriageif he has not got one here I will lend it to him, and you can take the new, big hut

that I have built in the outer kraal to dwell in for the present. There will be a dance, if you wish it; if not, I do

not care, for I have no wish for ceremony just now, who am too troubled with great matters. Now I am going

Then sinking from his stool on to his knees, Panda crawled through the doorway of his great hut, which was

Umbelazi and I departed also through the gateway of the fence, leaving Saduko and the Princess Nandie

alone together, for there were no attendants present. What happened between them I am sure I do not know,

but I gather that, in one way or another, Saduko made himself sufficiently agreeable to the princess to

persuade her to take him to husband. Perhaps, being already enamoured of him, she was not difficult to

persuade. At any rate, on the morrow, without any great feasting or fuss, except the customary dance, the

umqoliso, the "Ox of the Girl," was slaughtered, and Saduko became the husband of a royal maiden of the

Certainly, as I remember reflecting, it was a remarkable rise in life for one who, but a few months before, had

I may add that, after our brief talk in the King's kraal, while Panda was dozing, I had no further words with

Saduko on this matter of his marriage, for between its proposal and the event he avoided me, nor did I seek

him out. On the day of the marriage also, I trekked for Natal, and for a whole year heard no more of Saduko,

Nandie, and Mameena; although, to be frank, I must admit I thought of the last of these persons more often,

The truth is that Mameena was one of those women who sticks in a man's mind even more closely than a

A whole year had gone by, in which I did, or tried to do, various things that have no connection with this

story, when once more I found myself in Zululandat Umbezi's kraal indeed. Hither I had trekked in

fulfilment of a certain bargain, already alluded to, that was concerned with ivory and guns, which I had made

with the old fellow, or, rather, with Masapo, his soninlaw, whom he represented in this matter. Into the

exact circumstances of that bargain I do not enter, since at the moment I cannot recall whether I ever obtained

the necessary permit to import those guns into Zululand, although now that I am older I earnestly hope that I

did so, since it is wrong to sell weapons to natives that may be put to all sorts of unforeseen uses.

At any rate, there I was, sitting alone with the Headman in his hut discussing a dram of "squareface" that I

had given to him, for the "trade" was finished to our mutual satisfaction, and Scowl, my body servant, with

"Well, Umbezi," I said, "and how has it fared with you since we parted a year ago? Have you seen anything

"Thanks be to my Spirit, I have seen nothing of that wild man, Macumazahn," answered Umbezi, shaking his

fat old head in a fashion which showed great anxiety. "Yet I have heard of him, for he sent me a message the

"Did he mean the sticks with which he promised to bray you like a green hide?" I inquired innocently.

"I think so, MacumazahnI think so, for certainly he owes me nothing else. And the worst of it is that, there

"And therefore is now one who can pay any debt that he owes, Umbezi," I said, taking a pull at the

"Doubtless he can, Macumazahn, and, between you and me, that is the real reason why Ior rather

Masapowas so anxious to get those guns. They were not for hunting, as he told you by the messenger, or

for war, but to protect us against Saduko, in case he should attack. Well, now I hope we shall be able to hold

"You and Masapo must teach your people to use them first, Umbezi. But I expect Saduko has forgotten all

about both of you now that he is the husband of a princess of the royal blood. Tell me, how goes it with

"Oh, well, well, Macumazahn. For is she not the head lady of the Amasomi? There is nothing wrong with

hernothing at all, except that as yet she has no child; also that," and he paused.

"That she hates the very sight of her husband, Masapo, and says that she would rather be married to a

baboonyes, to a baboonthan to him, which gives him offence, after he has paid so many cattle for her.

But what of this, Macumazahn? There is always a grain missing upon the finest head of corn. Nothing is quite

perfect in the world, Macumazahn, and if Mameena does not chance to love her husband" and he shrugged

"Of course it does not matter in the least, Umbezi, except to Mameena and her husband, who no doubt will

settle down in time, now that Saduko is married to a princess of the Zulu House."

"I hope so, Macumazahn, but, to tell the truth, I wish you had brought more guns, for I live amongst a terrible

lot of people. Masapo, who is furious with Mameena because she will have none of him, and therefore with

me, as though I could control Mameena; Mameena, who is mad with Masapo, and therefore with me, because

I gave her in marriage to him; Saduko, who foams at the mouth at the name of Masapo, because he has

married Mameena, whom, it is said, he still loves, and therefore at me, because I am her father and did my

best to settle her in the world. Oh, give me some more of that firewater, Macumazahn, for it makes me

forget all these things, and especially that my guardian spirit made me the father of Mameena, with whom

you would not run away when you might have done so. Oh, Macumazahn, why did you not run away with

Mameena, and turn her into a quiet white woman who ties herself up in sacks, sings songs to the

'GreatGreat' in the sky[that is, hymns to the Power above us]and never thinks of any man who is not

"Because if I had done so, Umbezi, I should have ceased to be a quiet white man. Yes, yes, my friend, I

should have been in some such place as yours today, and that is the last thing that I wish. And now, Umbezi,

you have had quite enough 'squareface,' so I will take the bottle away with me. Goodnight."

On the following morning I trekked very early from Umbezi's kraalbefore he was up indeed, for the

"squareface" made him sleep sound. My destination was Nodwengu, Panda's Great Place, where I hoped to

do some trading, but, as I was in no particular hurry, my plan was to go round by Masapo's, and see for

myself how it fared between him and Mameena. Indeed, I reached the borders of the Amasomi territory,

whereof Masapo was chief, by evening, and camped there. But with the night came reflection, and reflection

told me that I should do well to keep clear of Mameena and her domestic complications, if she had any. So I

changed my mind, and next morning trekked on to Nodwengu by the only route that my guides reported to be

That day, owing to the roughness of the roadif road it could be calledand an accident to one of the

wagons, we only covered about fifteen miles, and as night fell were obliged to outspan at the first spot where

we could find water. When the oxen had been unyoked I looked about me, and saw that we were in a place

that, although I had approached it from a somewhat different direction, I recognised at once as the mouth of

the Black Kloof, in which, over a year before, I had interviewed Zikali the Little and Wise. There was no

mistaking the spot; that blasted valley, with the piledup columns of boulders and the overhanging cliff at the

I sat upon the box of the first wagon, eating my food, which consisted of some biltong and biscuit, for I had

not bothered to shoot any game that day, which was very hot, and wondering whether Zikali were still alive,

also whether I should take the trouble to walk up the kloof and find out. On the whole I thought that I would

not, as the place repelled me, and I did not particularly wish to hear any more of his prophecies and fierce,

illomened talk. So I just sat there studying the wonderful effect of the red evening light pouring up between

Presently I perceived, far away, a single human figurewhether it were man or woman I could not

tellwalking towards me along the path which ran at the bottom of the cleft. In those gigantic surroundings

it looked extraordinarily small and lonely, although perhaps because of the intense red light in which it was

bathed, or perhaps just because it was human, a living thing in the midst of all that still, inanimate grandeur, it

caught and focused my attention. I grew greatly interested in it; I wondered if it were that of man or woman,

The figure drew nearer, and now I saw it was slender and tall, like that of a lad or of a wellgrown woman,

but to which sex it belonged I could not see, because it was draped in a cloak of beautiful grey fur. Just then

Scowl came to the other side of the wagon to speak to me about something, which took off my attention for

the next two minutes. When I looked round again it was to see the figure standing within three yards of me,

"Who are you, and what is your business?" I asked, whereon a gentle voice answered:

"How can I know one who is tied up like a gourd in a mat? Yet is it notis it not"

"Yes, it is Mameena, and I am very pleased that you should remember my voice, Macumazahn, after we have

been separated for such a long, long time," and, with a sudden movement, she threw back the kaross, hood

"O Macumazana," she said, while I still held itor, to be accurate, while she still held mine"indeed my

heart is glad to see a friend again," and she looked at me with her appealing eyes, which, in the red light, I

"A friend, Mameena! " I exclaimed. "Why, now you are so rich, and the wife of a big chief, you must have

"Alas! Macumazahn, I am rich in nothing except trouble, for my husband saves, like the ants for winter.

Why, he even grudged me this poor kaross; and as for friends, he is so jealous that he will not allow me any."

"Oh, women! Piff! I do not care for women; they are very unkind to me, becausebecausewell, perhaps

you can guess why, Macumazahn," she answered, glancing at her own reflection in a little travelling

lookingglass that hung from the woodwork of the wagon, for I had been using it to brush my hair, and

"At least you have your husband, Mameena, and I thought that perhaps by this time"

"My husband! Oh, I would that I had him not, for I hate him, Macumazahn; and as for the restnever! The

truth is that I never cared for any man except one whose name you may chance to remember, Macumazahn."

"Tell me, Macumazahn," she inquired innocently, "are white people very stupid? I ask because you do not

"If you did not like your husband, Mameena, you should not have married him. You know you need not

"When one has only two thorn bushes to sit on, Macumazahn, one chooses that which seems to have the

fewest prickles, to discover sometimes that they are still there in hundreds, although one did not see them.

"Is that why you have taken to walking, Mameena? I mean, what are you doing here alone?"

"I? Oh, I heard that you were passing this way, and came to have a talk with you. No, from you I cannot hide

even the least bit of the truth. I came to talk with you, but also I came to see Zikali and ask him what a wife

"He answered that he thought she had better run away with another man, if there were one whom she did not

hateout of Zululand, of course," she replied, looking first at me and then at my wagon and the two horses

"No. Have I not told you that I cannot hide one grain of the truth from you? He added that the only other

thing to be done was to sit still and drink my sour milk, pretending that it is sweet, until my Spirit gives me a

new cow. He seemed to think that my Spirit would be bountiful in the matter of new cowsone day."

"One little thing. Have I not told you that you shall have allall the truth? Zikali seemed to think also that at

last every one of my herd of cows, old and new, would come to a bad end. He did not tell me to what end."

She turned her head aside, and when she looked up again I saw that she was weeping, really weeping this

"Of course they will come to a bad end, Macumazahn," she went on in a soft, thick voice, "for I and all with

whom I have to do were 'torn out of the reeds' [i.e. created] that way. And that's why I won't tempt you to run

away with me any more, as I meant to do when I saw you, because it is true, Macumazahn you are the only

man I ever liked or ever shall like; and you know I could make you run away with me if I chose, although I

am black and you are whiteoh, yes, before tomorrow morning. But I won't do it; for why should I catch

you in my unlucky web and bring you into all sorts of trouble among my people and your own? Go you your

road, Macumazahn, and I will go mine as the wind blows me. And now give me a cup of water and let me be

awaya cup of water, no more. Oh, do not be afraid for me, or melt too much, lest I should melt also. I have

an escort waiting over yonder hill. There, thank you for your water, Macumazahn, and good night. Doubtless

we shall meet again ere long, and I forgot; the Little Wise One said he would like to have a talk with you.

Good night, Macumazahn, good night. I trust that you did a profitable trade with Umbezi my father and

Masapo my husband. I wonder why such men as these should have been chosen to be my father and my

husband. Think it over, Macumazahn, and tell me when next we meet. Give me that pretty mirror,

Macumazahn; when I look in it I shall see you as well as myself, and that will please meyou don't know

In another minute I was watching her solitary little figure, now wrapped again in the hooded kaross, as it

vanished over the brow of the rise behind us, and really, as she went, I felt a lump rising in my throat.

Notwithstanding all her wickednessand I suppose she was wickedthere was something horribly

When she had gone, taking my only lookingglass with her, and the lump in my throat had gone also, I began

to wonder how much fact there was in her story. She had protested so earnestly that she told me all the truth

that I felt sure there must be something left behind. Also I remembered she had said Zikali wanted to see me.

Well, the end of it was I took a moonlight walk up that dreadful gorge, into which not even Scowl would

accompany me, because he declared that the place was well known to be haunted by imikovu, or spectres

It was a long and disagreeable walk, and somehow I felt very depressed and insignificant as I trudged on

between those gigantic cliffs, passing now through patches of bright moonlight and now through deep pools

of shadow, threading my way among clumps of bush or round the bases of tall pillars of piledup stones, till

at length I came to the overhanging cliffs at the end, which frowned down on me like the brows of some

Well, I got to the end at last, and at the gate of the kraal fence was met by one of those fierce and huge men

who served the dwarf as guards. Suddenly he emerged from behind a stone, and having scanned me for a

moment in silence, beckoned to me to follow him, as though I were expected. A minute later I found myself

face to face with Zikali, who was seated in the clear moonlight just outside the shadow of his hut, and

engaged, apparently, in his favourite occupation of carving wood with a rough native knife of curious shape.

For a while he took no notice of me; then suddenly looked up, shaking back his braided grey locks, and broke

"So it is you, Macumazahn," he said. "Well, I knew you were passing my way and that Mameena would send

you here. But why do you come to see the 'Thingthatshouldnothavebeenborn'? To tell me how you

"No, Zikali, for why should I tell you what you know already? Mameena said you wished to talk with me,

"Then Mameena lied," he answered, "as is her nature, in whose throat live four false words for every one of

truth. Still, sit down, Macumazahn. There is beer made ready for you by that stool; and give me the knife and

I produced these articles, though how be knew that I had them with me I cannot tell, nor did I think it worth

while to inquire. The snuff, I remember, pleased him very much, but of the knife he said that it was a pretty

"What was she doing at your wagons?" he asked. "Oh, do not stop to tell me; I know, I know. That is a very

good Snake of yours, Macumazahn, which always just lets you slip through her fingers, when, if she chose to

close her hand Well, well, I do not betray the secrets of my clients; but I say this to yougo on to the

kraal of the son of Senzangakona, and you will see things happen that will make you laugh, for Mameena will

be there, and the mongrel Masapo, her husband. Truly she hates him well, and, after all, I would rather be

loved than hated by Mameena, though both are dangerous. Poor Mongrel! Soon the jackals will be chewing

"Only because Mameena tells me that he is a great wizard, and the jackals eat many wizards in Zululand.

"You have been giving her some bad counsel, Zikali," I said, blurting out the thought in my mind.

"Perhaps, perhaps, Macumazahn; only I may call it good counsel. I have my own road to walk, and if I can

find some to clear away the thorns that would prick my feet, what of it? Also she will get her pay, who finds

life dull up there among the Amasomi, with one she hates for a hutfellow. Go you and watch, and

afterwards, when you have an hour to spare, come and tell me what happensthat is, if I do not chance to be

"Is Saduko well?" I asked to change the subject, for I did not wish to become privy to the plots that filled the

"I am told that his tree grows great, that it overshadows all the royal kraal. I think that Mameena wishes to

sleep in the shade of it. And now you are weary, and so am I. Go back to your wagons, Macumazahn, for I

have nothing more to say to you tonight. But be sure to return and tell me what chances at Panda's kraal. Or,

Now, it will be observed that there was nothing very remarkable in this conversation between Zikali and

myself. He did not tell me any deep secrets or make any great prophecy. It may be wondered, indeed, when

My answer is, because of the extraordinary impression that it produced upon me. Although so little was said,

I felt all the while that those few words were a veil hiding terrible events to be. I was sure that some dreadful

scheme had been hatched between the old dwarf and Mameena whereof the issue would soon become

apparent, and that he had sent me away in a hurry after he learned that she had told me nothing, because he

At any rate, as I walked back to my wagons by moonlight down that dreadful gorge, the hot, thick air seemed

to me to have a physical taste and smell of blood, and the dank foliage of the tropical trees that grew there,

when now and again a puff of wind stirred them, moaned like the fabled imikovu, or as men might do in their

last faint agony. The effect upon my nerves was quite strange, for when at last I reached my wagons I was

shaking like a reed, and a cold perspiration, unnatural enough upon that hot night, poured from my face and

Well, I took a couple of stiff tots of "squareface" to pull myself together, and at length went to sleep, to

awake before dawn with a headache. Looking out of the wagon, to my surprise I saw Scowl and the hunters,

who should have been snoring, standing in a group and talking to each other in frightened whispers. I called

"Nothing, Baas," he said with a shamefaced air; "only there are so many spooks about this place. They have

"Spooks, you idiot!" I answered. "Probably they were people going to visit the Nyanga, Zikali."

"Perhaps, Baas; only then we do not know why they should all look like dead peopleprinces, some of

"Pooh!" I replied. "Do you not know the difference between owls in the mist and dead kings? Make ready, for

"Certainly, Baas," he said, springing off to obey; and I do not think I ever remember two wagons being got

I merely mention this nonsense to show that the Black Kloof could affect other people's nerves as well as my

In due course I reached Nodwengu without accident, having sent forward one of my hunters to report my

approach to Panda. When my wagons arrived outside the Great Place they were met by none other than my

old friend, Maputa, he who had brought me back the pills before our attack upon Bangu.

"Greeting, Macumazahn," he said. "I am sent by the King to say that you are welcome and to point you out a

good place to outspan; also to give you permission to trade as much as you will in this town, since he knows

I returned my thanks in the usual fashion, adding that I had brought a little present for the King which I

would deliver when it pleased him to receive me. Then I invited Maputa, to whom I also offered some trifle

which delighted him very much, to ride with me on the wagonbox till we came to the selected outspan.

This, by the way, proved, to be a very good place indeed, a little valley full of grass for the cattlefor by the

King's order it had not been grazedwith a stream of beautiful water running down it. Moreover it

overlooked a great open space immediately in front of the main gate of the town, so that I could see

"You will be comfortable here, Macumazahn," said Maputa, "during your stay, which we hope will be long,

since, although there will soon be a mighty crowd at Nodwengu, the King has given orders that none except

"Oh!" he answered with a shrug of the shoulders, "because of a new thing. All the tribes of the Zulus are to

come up to be reviewed. Some say that Cetewayo has brought this about, and some say that it is Umbelazi.

But I am sure that it is the work of neither of these, but of Saduko, your old friend, though what his object is I

cannot tell you. I only trust," he added uneasily, "that it will not end in bloodshed between the Great

"Tall as a tree, Macumazahn. His whisper in the King's ear is louder than the shouts of others. Moreover, he

has become a 'selfeater' [that is a Zulu term which means one who is very haughty]. You will have to wait

He nodded his wise old head. "Yes, Macumazahn; I have seen plenty grow and fall in my time, for at last the

swimmer goes with the stream. Anyhow, you will be able to do a good trade among so many, and, whatever

happens, none will harm you whom all love. And now farewell; I bear your messages to the King, who sends

That same evening I saw Saduko and the others, as I shall tell. I had been up to visit the King and give him

my present, a case of English tableknives with bone handles, which pleased him greatly, although he did not

in the least know how to use them. Indeed, without their accompanying forks these are somewhat futile

articles. I found the old fellow very tired and anxious, but as he was surrounded by indunas, I had no private

talk with him. Seeing that he was busy, I took my leave as soon as I could, and when I walked away whom

I saw him while he was a good way off, advancing towards the inner gate with a train of attendants like a

royal personage, and knew very well that he saw me. Making up my mind what to do at once, I walked

straight on to him, forcing him to give me the path, which he did not wish to do before so many people, and

brushed past him as though he were a stranger. As I expected, this treatment had the desired effect, for after

"Who calls?" I asked. "Why, friend, your face is familiar to me. How are you named?"

"No, no, of course not," I answered. "I know you now, although you seem somewhat changed since we went

out hunting and fighting togetherI suppose because you are fatter. I trust that you are well, Saduko?

Goodbye. I must be going back to my wagons. If you wish to see me you will find me there."

These remarks, I may add, seemed to take Saduko very much aback. At any rate, he found no reply to them,

even when old Maputa, with whom I was walking, and some others sniggered aloud. There is nothing that

Zulus enjoy so much as seeing one whom they consider an upstart set in his place.

Well, a couple of hours afterwards, just as the sun was sinking, who should walk up to my wagons but

Saduko himself, accompanied by a woman whom I recognised at once as his wife, the Princess Nandie, who

carried a fine baby boy in her arms. Rising, I saluted Nandie and offered her my campstool, which she

looked at suspiciously and declined, preferring to seat herself on the ground after the native fashion. So I took

it back again, and after I had sat down on it, not before, stretched out my hand to Saduko, who by this time

Well, we talked away, and by degrees, without seeming too much interested in them, I was furnished with a

list of all the advancements which it had pleased Panda to heap upon Saduko during the past year. In their

way they were remarkable enough, for it was much as though some penniless country gentleman in England

had been promoted in that short space of time to be one of the premier peers of the kingdom and endowed

with great offices and estates. When he had finished the count of them he paused, evidently waiting for me to

"By the Heavens above I am sorry for you, Saduko! How many enemies you must have made! What a long

way there will be for you to fall one night!"a remark at which the quiet Nandie broke into a low laugh that

I think pleased her husband even less than my sarcasm. "Well," I went on, "I see that you have got a baby,

Of course she was delighted, and we proceeded to inspect the baby, which evidently she loved more than

anything on earth. Whilst we were examining the child and chatting about it, Saduko sitting by meanwhile in

the sulks, who on earth should appear but Mameena and her fat and sullenlooking husband, the chief

"Oh, Macumazahn," she said, appearing to notice no one else, "how pleased I am to see you after a whole

I stared at her and my jaw dropped. Then I recovered myself, thinking she must have made a mistake and

"Twelve moons," she went on, "and, Macumazahn, not one of them has gone by but I have thought of you

several times and wondered if we should ever meet again. Where have you been all this while?"

"In many places," I answered; "amongst others at the Black Kloof, where I called upon the dwarf, Zikali, and

"The Nyanga, Zikali! Oh, how often have I wished to see him. But, of course, I cannot, for I am told he will

"I don't know, I am sure," I replied, "but you might try; perhaps he would make an exception in your favour."

"I think I will, Macumazahn," she murmured, whereon I collapsed into silence, feeling that things were

When I recovered myself a little it was to hear Mameena greeting Saduko with much effusion, and

complimenting him on his rise in life, which she said she had always foreseen. This remark seemed to bowl

out Saduko also, for he made no answer to it, although I noticed that he could not take his eyes off

Mameena's beautiful face. Presently, however, he seemed to become aware of Masapo, and instantly his

whole demeanour changed, for it grew proud and even terrible. Masapo tendered him some greeting; whereon

"What, chief of the Amasomi, do you give the goodday to an umfokazana and a mangy hyena? Why do you

do this? Is it because the low umfokazana has become a noble and the mangy hyena has put on a tiger's

Masapo made no answer that I could catch. Muttering some inaudible words, he turned to depart, and in

doing soquite innocently, I thinkstruck Nandie, knocking her over on to her back and causing the child

to fall out of her arms in such fashion that its tender head struck against a pebble with sufficient force to

Saduko leapt at him, smiting him across the shoulders with the little stick that he carried. For a moment

Masapo paused, and I thought that he was going to show fight. If he had any such intention, however, he

changed his mind, for without a word, or showing any resentment at the insult which he had received, he

broke into a heavy run and vanished among the evening shadows. Mameena, who had observed all, broke

"Piff! My husband is big yet not brave," she said, "but I do not think he meant to hurt you, woman."

"Do you speak to me, wife of Masapo?" asked Nandie with gentle dignity, as she gained her feet and picked

up the stunned child. "If so, my name and titles are the Inkosazana Nandie, daughter of the Black One and

"Your pardon," replied Mameena humbly, for she was cowed at once. "I did not know who you were,

"It is granted, wife of Masapo. Macumazahn, give me water, I pray you, that I may bathe the head of my

The water was brought, and presently, when the little one seemed all right again, for it had only received a

scratch, Nandie thanked me and departed to her own huts, saying with a smile to her husband as she passed

that there was no need for him to accompany her, as she had servants waiting at the kraal gate. So Saduko

stayed behind, and Mameena stayed also. He talked with me for quite a long while, for he had much to tell

me, although all the time I felt that his heart was not in his talk. His heart was with Mameena, who sat there

and smiled continually in her mysterious way, only putting in a word now and again, as though to excuse her

At length she rose and said with a sigh that she must be going back to where the Amasomi were in camp, as

Masapo would need her to see to his food. By now it was quite dark, although I remember that from time to

time the sky was lit up by sheet lightning, for a storm was brewing. As I expected, Saduko rose also, saying

that he would see me on the morrow, and went away with Mameena, walking like one who dreams.

A few minutes later I had occasion to leave the wagons in order to inspect one of the oxen which was tied up

by itself at a distance, because it had shown signs of some sickness that might or might not be catching.

Moving quietly, as I always do from a hunter's habit, I walked alone to the place where the beast was tethered

behind some mimosa thorns. Just as I reached these thorns the broad lightning shone out vividly, and showed

me Saduko holding the unresisting shape of Mameena in his arms and kissing her passionately.

I should add that on the morrow I found out that, after all, there was nothing serious the matter with my ox.

After these events matters went on quietly for some time. I visited Saduko's hutsvery fine hutsabout the

doors of which sat quite a number of his tribesmen, who seemed glad to see me again. Here I learned from

the Lady Nandie that her babe, whom she loved dearly, was none the worse for its little accident. Also I

learned from Saduko himself, who came in before I left, attended like a prince by several notable men, that he

had made up his quarrel with Masapo, and, indeed, apologised to him, as he found that he had not really

meant to insult the princess, his wife, having only thrust her over by accident. Saduko added indeed that now

they were good friends, which was well for Masapo, a man whom the King had no cause to like. I said that I

was glad to hear it, and went on to call upon Masapo, who received me with enthusiasm, as also did

Here I noted with pleasure that this pair seemed to be on much better terms than I understood had been the

case in the past, for Mameena even addressed her husband on two separate occasions in very affectionate

language, and fetched something that he wanted without waiting to be asked. Masapo, too, was in excellent

spirits, because, as he told me, the old quarrel between him and Saduko was thoroughly made up, their

reconciliation having been sealed by an interchange of gifts. He added that he was very glad that this was the

case, since Saduko was now one of the most powerful men in the country, who could harm him much if he

chose, especially as some secret enemy had put it about of late that he, Masapo, was an enemy of the King's

House, and an evildoer who practised witchcraft. In proof of his new friendship, however, Saduko had

promised that these slanders should be looked into and their originator punished, if he or she could be found.

Well, I congratulated him and took my departure, "thinking furiously," as the Frenchman says. That there was

a tragedy pending I was sure; this weather was too calm to last; the water ran so still because it was preparing

Yet what could I do? Tell Masapo I had seen his wife being embraced by another man? Surely that was not

my business; it was Masapo's business to attend to her conduct. Also they would both deny it, and I had no

witness. Tell him that Saduko's reconciliation with him was not sincere, and that he had better look to

himself? How did I know it was not sincere? It might suit Saduko's book to make friends with Masapo, and if

I interfered I should only make enemies and be called a liar who was working for some secret end.

Go to Panda and confide my suspicions to him? He was far too anxious and busy about great matters to listen

to me, and if he did, would only laugh at this tale of a petty flirtation. No, there was nothing to be done

except sit still and wait. Very possibly I was mistaken, after all, and things would smooth themselves out, as

Meanwhile the "reviewing," or whatever it may have been, was in progress, and I was busy with my own

affairs, making hay while the sun shone. So great were the crowds of people who came up to Nodwengu that

in a week I had sold everything I had to sell in the two wagons, that were mostly laden with cloth, beads,

knives and so forth. Moreover, the prices I got were splendid, since the buyers bid against each other, and

before I was cleared out I had collected quite a herd of cattle, also a quantity of ivory. These I sent on to Natal

with one of the wagons, remaining behind myself with the other, partly because Panda asked me to do

sofor now and again he would seek my advice on sundry questionsand partly from curiosity.

There was plenty to be curious about up at Nodwengu just then, since no one was sure that civil war would

not break out between the princes Cetewayo and Umbelazi, whose factions were present in force.

It was averted for the time, however, by Umbelazi keeping away from the great gathering under pretext of

being sick, and leaving Saduko and some others to watch his interests. Also the rival regiments were not

allowed to approach the town at the same time. So that public cloud passed over, to the enormous relief of

everyone, especially of Panda the King. As to the private cloud whereof this history tells, it was otherwise.

As the tribes came up to the Great Place they were reviewed and sent away, since it was impossible to feed so

vast a multitude as would have collected had they all remained. Thus the Amasomi, a small people who were

amongst the first to arrive, soon left. Only, for some reason which I never quite understood, Masapo,

Mameena and a few of Masapo's children and headmen were detained there; though perhaps, if she had

Well, things began to happen. Sundry personages were taken ill, and some of them died suddenly; and soon it

was noted that all these people either lived near to where Masapo's family was lodged or had at some time or

other been on bad terms with him. Thus Saduko himself was taken ill, or said he was; at any rate, he vanished

from public gaze for three days, and reappeared looking very sorry for himself, though I could not observe

that he had lost strength or weight. These catastrophes I pass over, however, in order to come to the greatest

After recovering from his alleged sickness Saduko gave a kind of thanksgiving feast, at which several oxen

were killed. I was present at this feast, or rather at the last part of it, for I only put in what may be called a

complimentary appearance, having no taste for such native gorgings. As it drew near its close Saduko sent for

Nandie, who at first refused to come as there were no women presentI think because he wished to show his

friends that he had a princess of the royal blood for his wife, who had borne him a son that one day would be

great in the land. For Saduko, as I have said, had become a "selfeater," and this day his pride was inflamed

At length Nandie did come, carrying her babe, from which she never would be parted. In her dignified,

ladylike fashion (although it seems an odd term to apply to a savage, I know none that describes her better)

she greeted first me and then sundry of the other guests, saying a few words to each of them. At length she

came opposite to Masapo, who had dined not wisely but too well, and to him, out of her natural courtesy,

spoke rather longer than to the others, inquiring after his wife, Mameena, and others. At the moment it

occurred to me that she did this in order to assure him that she bore no malice because of the accident of a

Masapo, in a hazy way, tried to reciprocate these kind intentions. Rising to his feet, his fat, coarse body

swaying to and fro because of the beer that he had drunk, he expressed satisfaction at the feast that had been

prepared in her house. Then, his eyes falling on the child, he began to declaim about its size and beauty, until

he was stopped by the murmured protests of others, since among natives it is held to be not fortunate to praise

a young child. Indeed, the person who does so is apt to be called an "umtakati", or bewitcher, who will bring

evil upon its head, a word that I heard murmured by several near to me. Not satisfied with this serious breach

of etiquette, the intoxicated Masapo snatched the infant from its mother's arms under pretext of looking for

the hurt that had been caused to its brow when it fell to the ground at my camp, and finding none, proceeded

Then, turning, she walked away from the feasters, upon whom there fell a certain hush.

Fearing lest something unpleasant should ensue, for I saw Saduko biting his lips with rage not unmixed with

fear, and remembering Masapo's reputation as a wizard, I took advantage of this pause to bid a general good

What happened immediately after I left I do not know, but just before dawn on the following morning I was

awakened from sleep in my wagon by my servant Scowl, who said that a messenger had come from the huts

of Saduko, begging that I would proceed there at once and bring the white man's medicines, as his child was

very ill. Of course I got up and went, taking with me some ipecacuanha and a few other remedies that I

Outside the huts, which I reached just as the sun began to rise, I was met by Saduko himself, who was

"O Macumazana," he answered, "that dog Masapo has bewitched my boy, and unless you can save him he

"Nonsense," I said, "why do you utter wind? If the babe is sick, it is from some natural cause."

Well, I went into the big hut, and there found Nandie and some other women, also a native doctor or two.

Nandie was seated on the floor looking like a stone image of grief, for she made no sound, only pointed with

A single glance showed me that it was dying of some disease of which I had no knowledge, for its dusky little

body was covered with red blotches and its tiny face twisted all awry. I told the women to heat water,

thinking that possibly this might be a case of convulsions, which a hot bath would mitigate; but before it was

"The wizard has done his work well," she said, and flung herself face downwards on the floor of the hut.

"What has killed my son, Macumazahn?" he asked in a hollow voice, the tears running down his handsome

"I cannot tell," I replied; "but had he been older I should have thought he had eaten something poisonous,

"Yes, Macumazahn, and the poison that he has eaten came from the breath of a wizard whom you may

"Saduko," I exclaimed, "do not be unjust. There are many sicknesses that may have killed your son of which I

"I will not be unjust, Macumazahn. The babe has died by witchcraft, like others in this town of late, but the

evildoer may not be he whom I suspect. That is for the smellersout to decide," and without more words he

Next day Masapo was put upon his trial before a Court of Councillors, over which the King himself presided,

a very unusual thing for him to do, and one which showed the great interest he took in the case.

At this court I was summoned to give evidence, and, of course, confined myself to answering such questions

as were put to me. Practically these were but two. What had passed at my wagons when Masapo had knocked

over Nandie and her child, and Saduko had struck him, and what had I seen at Saduko's feast when Masapo

had kissed the infant? I told them in as few words as I could, and after some slight crossexamination by

Masapo, made with a view to prove that the upsetting of Nandie was an accident and that he was drunk at

Saduko's feast, to both of which suggestions I assented, I rose to go. Panda, however, stopped me and bade

I did so as accurately as possible, and could see that my account made a deep impression on the mind of the

court. Then Panda asked me if I had ever seen any similar case, to which I was obliged to reply:

After this the Councillors consulted privately, and when we were called back the King gave his judgment,

which was very brief. It was evident, he said, that there had been events which might have caused enmity to

arise in the mind of Masapo against Saduko, by whom Masapo had been struck with a stick. Therefore,

although a reconciliation had taken place, there seemed to be a possible motive for revenge. But if Masapo

killed the child, there was no evidence to show how he had done so. Moreover, that infant, his own grandson,

had not died of any known disease. He had, however, died of a similar disease to that which had carried off

certain others with whom Masapo had been mixed up, whereas more, including Saduko himself, had been

Still, he and his Councillors wished not to condemn without full proof. That being so, they had determined to

call in the services of some great witchdoctor, one who lived at a distance and knew nothing of the

circumstances. Who that doctor should be was not yet settled. When it was and he had arrived, the case

would be reopened, and meanwhile Masapo would be kept a close prisoner. Finally, he prayed that the

So Masapo was led off, looking very dejected, and, having saluted the King, we all went away.

I should add that, except for the remission of the case to the court of the witchdoctor, which, of course, was

an instance of pure Kafir superstition, this judgment of the King's seemed to me well reasoned and just, very

different indeed from what would have been given by Dingaan or Chaka, who were wont, on less evidence, to

make a clean sweep not only of the accused, but of all his family and dependents.

About eight days later, during which time I had heard nothing of the matter and seen no one connected with

it, for the whole thing seemed to have become Zilathat is, not to be talked aboutI received a summons to

attend the "smellingout," and went, wondering what witchdoctor had been chosen for that bloody and

barbarous ceremony. Indeed, I had not far to go, since the place selected for the occasion was outside the

fence of the town of Nodwengu, on that great open stretch of ground which lay at the mouth of the valley

where I was camped. Here, as I approached, I saw a vast multitude of people crowded together, fifty deep or

more, round a little oval space not much larger than the pit of a theatre. On the inmost edge of this ring were

seated many notable people, male and female, and as I was conducted to the side of it which was nearest to

the gate of the town, I observed among them Saduko, Masapo, Mameena and others, and mixed up with them

Scarcely had I seated myself on a campstool, carried by my servant Scowl, when through the gate of the

kraal issued Panda and certain of his Council, whose appearance the multitude greeted with the royal salute

of "Bayete", that came from them in a deep and simultaneous roar of sound. When its echoes died away, in

"Bring forth the Nyanga [doctor]. Let the umhlahlo [that is, the witchtrial] begin!"

There was a long pause, and then in the open gateway appeared a solitary figure that at first sight seemed to

be scarcely human, the figure of a dwarf with a gigantic head, from which hung long, white hair, plaited into

Quite unattended, and naked save for his moocha, for he had on him none of the ordinary paraphernalia of the

witchdoctor, he waddled forward with a curious toadlike gait till he had passed through the Councillors

and stood in the open space of the ring. Halting there, he looked about him slowly with his deepset eyes,

"What would you have of me, Son of Senzangakona?" he asked. "Many years have passed since last we met.

Why do you drag me from my hut, I who have visited the kraal of the King of the Zulus but twice since the

'Black One' [Chaka] sat upon the throneonce when the Boers were killed by him who went before you, and

once when I was brought forth to see all who were left of my race, shoots of the royal Dwandwe stock, slain

before my eyes. Do you bear me hither that I may follow them into the darkness, O Child of Senzangakona?

If so I am ready; only then I have words to say that it may not please you to hear."

His deep, rumbling voice echoed into silence, while the great audience waited for the King's answer. I could

see that they were all afraid of this man, yes, even Panda was afraid, for he shifted uneasily upon his stool. At

"Not so, O Zikali. Who would wish to do hurt to the wisest and most ancient man in all the land, to him who

touches the far past with one hand and the present with the other, to him who was old before our grandfathers

began to be? Nay, you are safe, you on whom not even the 'Black One' dared to lay a finger, although you

were his enemy and he hated you. As for the reason why you have been brought here, tell it to us, O Zikali.

"So at last the House of Senzangakona acknowledges that I have wisdom. Then before all is done they will

He laughed again in his illomened fashion and went on hurriedly, as though he feared that he should be

"Where is the fee? Where is the fee? Is the King so poor that he expects an old Dwandwe doctor to divine for

Panda made a motion with his hand, and ten fine heifers were driven into the circle from some place where

"Sorry beasts!" said Zikali contemptuously, "compared to those we used to breed before the time of

Senzangakona"a remark which caused a loud "Wow!" of astonishment to be uttered by the multitude that

heard it. "Still, such as they are, let them be taken to my kraal, with a bull, for I have none."

The cattle were driven away, and the ancient dwarf squatted himself down and stared at the ground, looking

like a great black toad. For a long whilequite ten minutes, I should thinkhe stared thus, till I, for one,

"I see many things in the dust. Oh, yes, it is alive, it is alive, and tells me many things. Show that you are

As he spoke, throwing his hands upwards, there arose at his very feet one of those tiny and incomprehensible

whirlwinds with which all who know South Africa will be familiar. It drove the dust together; it lifted it in a

tall, spiral column that rose and rose to a height of fifty feet or more. Then it died away as suddenly as it had

come, so that the dust fell down again over Zikali, over the King, and over three of his sons who sat behind

him. Those three sons, I remember, were named Tshonkweni, Dabulesinye, and Mantantashiya. As it

chanced, by a strange coincidence all of these were killed at the great battle of the Tugela of which I have to

Now again an exclamation of fear and wonder rose from the audience, who set down this lifting of the dust at

Zikali's very feet not to natural causes, but to the power of his magic. Moreover, those on whom it had fallen,

including the King, rose hurriedly and shook and brushed it from their persons with a zeal that was not, I

think, inspired by a mere desire for cleanliness. But Zikali only laughed again in his terrible fashion and let it

lie on his freshoiled body, which it turned to the dull, dead hue of a grey adder.

He rose and, stepping here and there, examined the newfallen dust. Then he put his hand into a pouch he

wore and produced from it a dried human finger, whereof the nail was so pink that I think it must have been

"Be clever," he said, "O Finger of her I loved best; be clever and write in the dust as yonder Macumazana can

write, and as some of the Dwandwe used to write before we became slaves and bowed ourselves down before

the Great Heavens." (By this he meant the Zulus, whose name means the Heavens.) "Be clever, dear Finger

which caressed me once, me, the 'Thingthatshouldnothavebeenborn,' as more will think before I die,

and write those matters that it pleases the House of Senzangakona to know this day."

Then he bent down, and with the dead finger at three separate spots made certain markings in the fallen dust,

which to me seemed to consist of circles and dots; and a strange and horrid sight it was to see him do it.

"I thank you, dear Finger. Now sleep, sleep, your work is done," and slowly he wrapped the relic up in some

Then he studied the first of the markings and asked: "What am I here for? What am I here for? Does he who

Now, those of the inner circle of the spectators, who at these "smellingsout" act as a kind of chorus, looked

at the King, and, seeing that he shook his head vigorously, stretched out their right hands, holding the thumb

"It is well," he said. "He who sits upon the Throne does not desire to know how long he has to reign, and

"Does the Child of Senzangakona desire to know which of his sons shall live and which shall die; aye, and

Now a great roar of "Izwa!" accompanied by the clapping of hands, rose from all the outer multitude who

heard, for there was no information that the Zulu people desired so earnestly as this at the time of which I

But again Panda, who, I saw, was thoroughly alarmed at the turn things were taking, shook his head

vigorously, whereon the obedient chorus negatived the question in the same fashion as before.

"The people desire to know, but the Great Ones are afraid to learn, and therefore the dust has forgotten who

in the days to come shall sleep in the hut of the King and who shall sleep in the bellies of the jackals and the

Now, at this awful speech (which, both because of all that it implied of bloodshed and civil war and of the

wild, wailing voice in which it was spoken, that seemed quite different from Zikali's, caused everyone who

heard it, including myself, I am afraid, to gasp and shiver) the King sprang from his stool as though to put a

stop to such doctoring. Then, after his fashion, he changed his mind and sat down again. But Zikali, taking no

"It would seem," he said, "that I am awakened from sleep in my Black House yonder to tell of a very little

matter, that might well have been dealt with by any common Nyanga born but yesterday. Well, I have taken

my fee, and I will earn it, although I thought that I was brought here to speak of great matters, such as the

death of princes and the fortunes of peoples. Is it desired that my Spirit should speak of wizardries in this

Zikali nodded his great head and seemed to talk with the dust, waiting now and again for an answer.

"Good," he said; "they are many, and the dust has told them all to me. Oh, they are very many"and he

glared around him"so many that if I spoke them all the hyenas of the hills would be full tonight"

"But," looking down at the dust and turning his head sideways, "what do you say, what do you say? Speak

more plainly, Little Voices, for you know I grow deaf. Oh! now I understand. The matter is even smaller than

"Then a child? It must be a child, unless indeed it is the death of a spirit. But what do you people know of

spirits? A child! A child! Ah! you hear mea child. A male child, I think. Do you not say so, O Dust?"

"A wellborn child? One who would have been great? O Dust, I hear, I hear; a royal child, a child in whom

ran the blood of the Father of the Zulus, he who was my friend? The blood of Senzangakona, the blood of the

He stopped, while both from the chorus and from the thousands of the circle gathered around went up one

roar of "Izwa!" emphasised by a mighty movement of outstretched arms and downpointing thumbs.

Then silence, during which Zikali stamped upon all the remaining markings, saying:

"I thank you, O Dust, though I am sorry to have troubled you for so small a matter. So, so," he went on

presently, "a royal boychild is dead, and you think by witchcraft. Let us find out if he died by witchcraft or

as others die, by command of the Heavens that need them. What! Here is one mark which I have left. Look! It

"This death was not natural. Now, was it witchcraft or was it poison? Both, I think, both. And whose was the

child? Not that of a son of the King, I think. Oh, yes, you hear me, People, you hear me; but be silent; I do

not need your help. No, not of a son; of a daughter, then." He turned and, looked about him till his eye fell

upon a group of women, amongst whom sat Nandie, dressed like a common person." Of a daughter, a

daughter" He walked to the group of women. "Why, none of these are royal; they are the children of low

He sniffed at the air as a dog does, and as he sniffed drew ever nearer to Nandie, till at last he laughed and

"Your child, Princess, whose name I do not know. Your firstborn child, whom you loved more than your own

"Yes, yes, Nyanga," she cried. "I am the Princess Nandie, and he was my child, whom I loved more than my

"Haha!" said Zikali. "Dust, you did not lie to me. My Spirit, you did not lie to me. But now, tell me,

He began to waddle round the circle, an extraordinary sight, covered as he was with grey grime, varied with

Presently he came opposite to me, and, to my dismay, paused, sniffing at me as he had at Nandie.

"Ah! ah! O Macumazana," he said, "you have something to do with this matter," a saying at which all that

"Wizard, or Smellerout of Wizards, whichever you name yourself," I called in a loud voice, "if you mean

"No, no, Macumazahn," he answered, "but you tried to save it, and therefore you had something to do with

the matter, had you not? Moreover, I think that you, who are wise like me, know who did kill it. Won't you

tell me, Macumazahn? No? Then I must find out for myself. Be at peace. Does not all the land know that

Then, to my great relief, he passed on, amidst a murmur of approbation, for, as I have said, the Zulus liked

me. Round and round he wandered, to my surprise passing both Mameena and Masapo without taking any

particular note of them, although he scanned them both, and I thought that I saw a swift glance of recognition

pass between him and Mameena. It was curious to watch his progress, for as he went those in front of him

swayed in their terror like corn before a puff of wind, and when he had passed they straightened themselves

At length he had finished his journey and returned to his startingpoint, to all appearance completely puzzled.

"You keep so many wizards at your kraal, King," he said, addressing Panda, "that it is hard to say which of

them wrought this deed. It would have been easier to tell you of greater matters. Yet I have taken your fee,

and I must earn itI must earn it. Dust, you are dumb. Now, my Idhlozi, my Spirit, do you speak?" and,

holding his head sideways, he turned his left ear up towards the sky, then said presently, in a curious,

"Ah! I thank you, Spirit. Well, King, your grandchild was killed by the House of Masapo, your enemy, chief

Now a roar of approbation went up from the audience, among whom Masapo's guilt was a foregone

"The House of Masapo is a large house; I believe that he has several wives and many children. It is not

enough to smell out the House, since I am not as those who went before me were, nor will I slay the innocent

with the guilty. Tell us, O OpenerofRoads, who among the House of Masapo has wrought this deed?"

"That's just the question," grumbled Zikali in a deep voice. "All that I know is that it was done by poisoning,

"Friends," she said, with a little laugh, "there is no need to touch me," and, rising, she stepped forward to the

centre of the ring. Here, with a few swift motions of her hands, she flung off first the cloak she wore, then the

moocha about her middle, and lastly the fillet that bound her long hair, and stood before that audience in all

"Now," she said, "let women come and search me and my garments, and see if there is any poison hid there."

Two old crones stepped forwardthough I do not know who sent themand carried out a very thorough

examination, finally reporting that they had found nothing. Thereon Mameena, with a shrug of her shoulders,

Zikali appeared to grow angry. He stamped upon the ground with his big feet; he shook his braided grey

"Is my wisdom to be defeated in such a little matter? One of you tie a bandage over my eyes."

Now a manit was Maputa, the messengercame out and did so, and I noted that he tied it well and tight.

Zikali whirled round upon his heels, first one way and then another, and, crying aloud: "Guide me, my

Spirit!" marched forward in a zigzag fashion, as a blindfolded man does, with his arms stretched out in front

of him. First he went to the right, then to the left, and then straight forward, till at length, to my astonishment,

he came exactly opposite the spot where Masapo sat and, stretching out his great, groping hands, seized the

Presently she uttered an exclamation, and from among the fur of one of the tails of the kaross produced a tiny

bag that appeared to be made out of the bladder of a fish. This she handed to Zikali, whose eyes had now

"There is the poisonthere is the poison, but who gave it I do not say. I am weary. Let me go."

Masapo sprang up, and, running to where the King sat, flung himself upon his knees, protesting his innocence

and praying for mercy. I also, who had doubts as to all this business, ventured to rise and speak.

"O King," I said, "as one who has known this man in the past, I plead with you. How that powder came into

"Yes, it is but wood dust which I use for the cleaning of my nails," cried Masapo, for he was so terrified I

"So you own to knowledge of the medicine?" exclaimed Panda. "Therefore none hid it in your kaross through

Masapo began to explain, but what he said was lost in a mighty roar of "Kill the wizard!"

"Bring milk in a dish," commanded the King, and it, was brought, and, at a further word from him, dusted

"Now, O Macumazana," said Panda to me, "if you still think that yonder man is innocent, will you drink this

"I do not like milk, O King," I answered, shaking my head, whereon all who heard me laughed.

Just then a lean, white dog, one of those homeless, mangy beasts that stray about kraals and live upon carrion,

wandered into the ring. Panda made a sign, and a servant, going to where the poor beast stood staring about it

hungrily, set down the wooden dish of milk in front of it. Instantly the dog lapped it up, for it was starving,

and as it finished the last drop the man slipped a leathern thong about its neck and held it fast.

Now all eyes were fixed upon the dog, mine among them. Presently the beast uttered a long and melancholy

howl which thrilled me through, for I knew it to be Masapo's death warrant, then began to scratch the ground

and foam at the mouth. Guessing what would follow, I rose, bowed to the King, and walked away to my

camp, which, it will be remembered, was set up in a little kloof commanding this place, at a distance only of a

few hundred yards. So intent was all the multitude upon watching the dog that I doubt whether anyone saw

me go. As for that poor beast, Scowl, who stayed behind, told me that it did not die for about ten minutes,

since before its end a red rash appeared upon it similar to that which I had seen upon Saduko's child, and it

Well, I reached my tent unmolested, and, having lit my pipe, engaged myself in making business entries in

my notebook, in order to divert my mind as much as I could, when suddenly I heard a most devilish

clamour. Looking up, I saw Masapo running towards me with a speed that I should have thought impossible

in so fat a man, while after him raced the fiercefaced executioners, and behind came the mob.

He got no farther, for the slayers had leapt on him like hounds upon a buck and dragged him from me.

Next morning I left Nodwengu without saying goodbye to anyone, for what had happened there made me

desire a change. My servant, Scowl, and one of my hunters remained, however, to collect some cattle that

A month or more later, when they joined me in Natal, bringing the cattle, they told me that Mameena, the

widow of Masapo, had entered the house of Saduko as his second wife. In answer to a question which I put to

them, they added that it was said that the Princess Nandie did not approve of this choice of Saduko, which

she thought would not be fortunate for him or bring him happiness. As her husband seemed to be much

enamoured of Mameena, however, she had waived her objections, and when Panda asked if she gave her

consent had told him that, although she would prefer that Saduko should choose some other woman who had

not been mixed up with the wizard who killed her child, she was prepared to take Mameena as her sister, and

About eighteen months had gone by, and once again, in the autumn of the year 1856, I found myself at old

Umbezi's kraal, where there seemed to be an extraordinary market for any kind of gaspipe that could be

called a gun. Well, as a trader who could not afford to neglect profitable markets, which are hard things to

Now, in eighteen months many things become a little obscured in one's memory, especially if they have to do

with savages, in whom, after all, one takes only a philosophical and a business interest. Therefore I may

perhaps be excused if I had more or less forgotten a good many of the details of what I may call the Mameena

affair. These, however, came back to me very vividly when the first person that I metat some distance

from the kraal, where I suppose she had been taking a country walkwas the beautiful Mameena herself.

There she was, looking quite unchanged and as lovely as ever, sitting under the shade of a wild figtree and

"Siyakubona [that is, good morrow], Macumazahn," she said. "My heart is glad to see you."

"Siyakubona, Mameena," I answered, leaving out all reference to my heart. Then I added, looking at her: "Is

"Yes, Macumazahn, an old lover of mine has become a new husband. You know whom I meanSaduko.

After the death of that evildoer, Masapo, he grew very urgent, and the King, also the Inkosazana Nandie,

pressed it on me, and so I yielded. Also, to be honest, Saduko was a good match, or seemed to be so."

By now we were walking side by side, for the train of wagons had gone ahead to the old outspan. So I

"'Seemed to be,'" I repeated. "What do you mean by 'seemed to be'? Are you not happy this time?"

"Not altogether, Macumazahn," she answered, with a shrug of her shoulders. "Saduko is very fond of

mefonder than I like indeed, since it causes him to neglect Nandie, who, by the way, has another son, and,

although she says little, that makes Nandie cross. In short," she added, with a burst of truth, "I am the

"Love," she said bitterly. "Piff! What is love? But I have asked you that question once before."

"Because Saduko is here, and, of course, Nandie, for she never leaves him, and he will not leave me; because

the Prince Umbelazi is coming; because there are plots afoot and the great war draws nearthat war in

"Aye, between Cetewayo and Umbelazi. Why do you suppose those wagons of yours are loaded with guns

for which so many cattle must be paid? Not to shoot game with, I think. Well, this little kraal of my father's is

just now the headquarters of the Umbelazi faction, the Isigqosa, as the princedom of Gikazi is that of

Cetewayo. My poor father!" she added, with her characteristic shrug, "he thinks himself very great today, as

he did after he had shot the elephantbefore I nursed you, Macumazahnbut often I wonder what will be

"That you will know when you have done with them, Macumazahn. But here is the kraal, and before we enter

it I wish to thank you for trying to protect that unlucky husband of mine, Masapo."

"I know, Macumazahn; and so did I, although, as I always told you, I hated him, the man with whom my

father forced me to marry. But I am afraid, from what I have learned since, that he was not altogether

innocent. You see, Saduko had struck him, which he could not forget. Also, he was jealous of Saduko, who

had been my suitor, and wished to injure him. But what I do not understand," she added, with a burst of

"Yes, Macumazahn; I had forgotten that. I suppose that he did try, and failed. Oh, now I see things with both

eyes. Look, yonder is my father. I will go away. But come and talk to me sometimes, Macumazahn, for

otherwise Nandie will be careful that I should hear nothingI who am the plaything, the beautiful woman of

So she departed, and I went on to meet old Umbezi, who came gambolling towards me like an obese goat,

reflecting that, whatever might be the truth or otherwise of her story, her advancement in the world did not

Umbezi, who greeted me warmly, was in high spirits and full of importance. He informed me that the

marriage of Mameena to Saduko, after the death of the wizard, her husband, whose tribe and cattle had been

given to Saduko in compensation for the loss of his son, was a most fortunate thing for him.

"Because as Saduko grows great so I, his fatherinlaw, grow great with him, Macumazahn, especially as he

has been liberal to me in the matter of cattle, passing on to me a share of the herds of Masapo, so that I, who

have been poor so long, am getting rich at last. Moreover, my kraal is to be honoured with a visit from

Umbelazi and some of his brothers tomorrow, and Saduko has promised to lift me up high when the Prince

"Umbelazi, Macumazahn. Who else? Umbelazi, who without doubt will conquer Cetewayo."

"Why without doubt, Umbezi? Cetewayo has a great following, and if he should conquer I think that you will

"O Macumazana," he said, "if I thought that, I would go over to Cetewayo, although Saduko is my

soninlaw. But it is not possible, since the King loves Umbelazi's mother most of all his wives, and, as I

chance to know, has sworn to her that he favours Umbelazi's cause, since he is the dearest to him of all his

sons, and will do everything that he can to help him, even to the sending of his own regiment to his

assistance, if there should be need. Also, it is said that Zikali, OpenerofRoads, who has all wisdom, has

"The King!" I said, "a straw blown hither and thither between two great winds, waiting to be wafted to rest by

that which is strongest! The prophecy of Zikali! It seems to me that it can be read two ways, if, indeed, he

ever made one. Well, Umbezi, I hope that you are right, for, although it is no affair of mine, who am but a

white trader in your country, I like Umbelazi better than Cetewayo, and think that he has a kinder heart. Also,

as you have chosen his side, I advise you to stick to it, since traitors to a cause seldom come to any good,

whether it wins or loses. And now, will you take count of the guns and powder which I have brought with

Ah! better would it have been for Umbezi if he had listened to my advice and remained faithful to the leader

he had chosen, for then, even if he had lost his life, at least he would have kept his good name. But of him

Next day I went to pay my respects to Nandie, whom I found engaged in nursing her new baby and as quiet

and stately in her demeanour as ever. Still, I think that she was very glad to see me, because I had tried to

save the life of her first child, whom she could not forget, if for no other reason. Whilst I was talking to her of

that sad matter, also of the political state of the country, as to which I think she wished to say something to

me, Mameena entered the hut, without waiting to be asked, and sat down, whereon Nandie became suddenly

This, however, did not trouble Mameena, who talked away about anything and everything, completely

ignoring the headwife. For a while Nandie bore it with patience, but at length she took advantage of a pause

"This is my hut, daughter of Umbezi, a thing which you remember well enough when it is a question whether

Saduko, our husband, shall visit you or me. Can you not remember it now when I would speak with the white

chief, WatcherbyNight, who has been so good as to take the trouble to come to see me?"

On hearing these words Mameena leapt up in a rage, and I must say I never saw her look more lovely.

"You insult me, daughter of Panda, as you always try to do, because you are jealous of me."

"Your pardon, sister," replied Nandie. "Why should I, who am Saduko's Inkosikazi, and, as you say, daughter

of Panda, the King, be jealous of the widow of the wizard, Masapo, and the daughter of the headman,

Umbezi, whom it has pleased our husband to take into his house to be the companion of his leisure?"

"Why? Because you know that Saduko loves my little finger more than he does your whole body, although

you are of the King's blood and have borne him brats," she answered, looking at the infant with no kindly

"It may be so, daughter of Umbezi, for men have their fancies, and without doubt you are fair. Yet I would

ask you one thingif Saduko loves you so much, how comes it he trusts you so little that you must learn any

"Because you teach him not to do so, O Nandie. Because you are ever telling him not to consult with me,

since she who has betrayed one husband may betray another. Because you make him believe my place is that

of his toy, not that of his companion, and this although I am cleverer than you and all your House tied into

"Yes," answered Nandie, quite undisturbed, "I do teach him these things, and I am glad that in this matter

Saduko has a thinking head and listens to me. Also I agree that it is likely I shall learn many more ill things

through and of you one day, daughter of Umbezi. And now, as it is not good that we should wrangle before

this white lord, again I say to you that this is my hut, in which I wish to speak alone with my guest."

Another instant and Mameena was gone, having shot out of the hut like a rabbit from its burrow.

"I ask your pardon, Macumazahn, for what has happened," said Nandie, "but it had become necessary that I

should teach my sister, Mameena, upon which stool she ought to sit. I do not trust her, Macumazahn. I think

that she knows more of the death of my child than she chooses to say, she who wished to be rid of Masapo

for a reason you can guess. I think also she will bring shame and trouble upon Saduko, whom she has

bewitched with her beauty, as she bewitches all menperhaps even yourself a little, Macumazahn. And now

To this proposition I agreed cordially, since, to tell the truth, if I could have managed to do so with any

decent grace, I should have been out of that hut long before Mameena. So we fell to conversing on the

condition of Zululand and the dangers that lay ahead for all who were connected with the royal Housea

state of affairs which troubled Nandie much, for she was a clearheaded woman, and one who feared the

"Ah! Macumazahn," she said to me as we parted, "I would that I were the wife of some man who did not

On the next day the Prince Umbelazi arrived, and with him Saduko and a few other notable men. They came

quite quietly and without any ostensible escort, although Scowl, my servant, told me he heard that the bush at

a little distance was swarming with soldiers of the Isigqosa party. If I remember rightly, the excuse for the

visit was that Umbezi had some of a certain rare breed of white cattle whereof the prince wished to secure

Once inside the kraal, however, Umbelazi, who was a very opennatured man, threw off all pretence, and,

after greeting me heartily enough, told me with plainness that he was there because this was a convenient spot

Almost every hour during the next two weeks messengersmany of whom were chiefs disguisedcame

and went. I should have liked to follow their examplethat is, so far as their departure was concernedfor I

felt that I was being drawn into a very dangerous vortex. But, as a matter of fact, I could not escape, since I

was obliged to wait to receive payment for my stuff, which, as usual, was made in cattle.

Umbelazi talked with me a good deal at that time, impressing upon me how friendly he was towards the

English white men of Natal, as distinguished from the Boers, and what good treatment he was prepared to

promise to them, should he ever attain to authority in Zululand. It was during one of the earliest of these

conversations, which, of course, I saw had an ultimate object, that he met Mameena, I think, for the first time.

We were walking together in a little natural glade of the bush that bordered one side of the kraal, when, at the

end of it, looking like some wood nymph of classic fable in the light of the setting sun, appeared the lovely

Mameena, clothed only in her girdle of fur, her necklace of blue beads and some copper ornaments, and

Umbelazi noted her at once, and, ceasing his political talk, of which he was obviously tired, asked me who

She is not an intombi, Prince," I answered. "She is a widow who is again a wife, the second wife of your

"Is it so, Macumazahn? Oh, then I have heard of her, though, as it chances, I have never met her before. No

By now we were drawing near to Mameena, and I greeted her, asking if she wanted anything.

"Nothing, Macumazahn," she answered in her delicate, modest way, for never did I know anyone who could

seem quite so modest as Mameena, and with a swift glance of her shy eyes at the tall and splendid Umbelazi,

"nothing. Only," she added, "I was passing with the milk of one of the few cows my father gave me, and saw

you, and I thought that perhaps, as the day has been so hot, you might like a drink of it."

I thanked her, drank somewho could do less?and returned it to her, whereon she made as though she

"May I not drink also, daughter of Umbezi?" asked Umbelazi, who could scarcely take his eyes off her.

"Certainly, sir, if you are a friend of Macumazahn," she replied, handing him the gourd.

"I am that, Lady, and more than that, since I am a friend of your husband, Saduko, also, as you will know

"I thought it must be so," she replied, "because of yourof your stature. Let the Prince accept the offering of

his servant, who one day hopes to be his subject," and, dropping upon her knee, she held out the gourd to

him. Over it I saw their eyes meet. He drank, and as he handed back the vessel she said:

"O Prince, may I be granted a word with you? I have that to tell which you would perhaps do well to hear,

since news sometimes reaches the ears of humble women that escapes those of the men, our masters."

He bowed his head in assent, whereon, taking a hint which Mameena gave me with her eyes, I muttered

something about business and made myself scarce. I may add that Mameena must have had a great deal to tell

Umbelazi. Fully an hour and a half had gone by before, by the light of the moon, from a point of vantage on

my wagonbox, whence, according to my custom, I was keeping a lookout on things in general, I saw her

slip back to the kraal silently as a snake, followed at a little distance by the towering form of Umbelazi.

Apparently Mameena continued to be the recipient of information which she found it necessary to

communicate in private to the prince. At any rate, on sundry subsequent evenings the dullness of my vigil on

the wagonbox was relieved by the sight of her graceful figure gliding home from the kloof that Umbelazi

seemed to find a very suitable spot for reflection after sunset. On one of the last of these occasions I

remember that Nandie chanced to be with me, having come to my wagon for some medicine for her baby.

"What does it mean, Macumazahn?" she asked, when the pair had gone by, as they thought unobserved, since

"Neither do I, Macumazahn; but without doubt we shall learn in time. If the crocodile is patient and silent the

On the day after Nandie made this wise remark Saduko started on a mission, as I understood, to win over

several doubtful chiefs to the cause of Indhlovuenesihlonti (the Elephantwiththetuftofhair), as the

Prince Umbelazi was called among the Zulus, though not to his face. This mission lasted ten days, and before

One evening Mameena came to me in a great rage, and said that she could bear her present life no longer.

Presuming on her rank and position as headwife, Nandie treated her like a servantnay, like a little dog, to

"It will be very unlucky for you if she does," I answered, "for then, perhaps, Zikali will be summoned to look

"Eat the porridge that you have made in your own pot, or break the pot" (i.e. go away), I suggested. "There

was no need for you to marry Saduko, any more than there was for you to marry Masapo."

"How can you talk to me like that, Macumazahn," she answered, stamping her foot, "when you know well it

is your fault if I married anyone? Piff! I hate them all, and, since my father would only beat me if I took my

troubles to him, I will run off, and live in the wilderness alone and become a witchdoctoress."

"I am afraid you will find it very dull, Mameena," I began in a bantering tone, for, to tell the truth, I did not

Mameena never waited for the end of the sentence, but, sobbing out that I was false and cruel, she turned and

Next morning I was awakened shortly after sunrise by Scowl, whom I had sent out with another man the

"Yes, Baas; but I did not waken you to tell you that. I have a message for you, Baas, from Mameena, wife of

These were the words of Mameena, Baas: 'Say to Macumazahn, your master, that Indhlovuenesihlonti,

taking pity on my wrongs and loving me with his heart, has offered to take me into his House and that I have

accepted his offer, since I think it better to become the Inkosazana of the Zulus, as I shall one day, than to

remain a servant in the house of Nandie. Say to Macumazahn that when Saduko returns he is to tell him that

this is all his fault, since if he had kept Nandie in her place I would have died rather than leave him. Let him

say to Saduko also that, although from henceforth we can be no more than friends, my heart is still tender

towards him, and that by day and by night I will strive to water his greatness, so that it may grow into a tree

that shall shade the land. Let Macumazahn bid him not to be angry with me, since what I do I do for his good,

as he would have found no happiness while Nandie and I dwelt in one house. Above all, also let him not be

angry with the Prince, who loves him more than any man, and does but travel whither the wind that I breathe

blows him. Bid Macumazahn think of me kindly, as I shall of him while my eyes are open.'"

"No, Baas; Umbelazi and some soldiers were with her, but they did not hear her words, for she stepped aside

to speak with me. Then she returned to them, and they walked away swiftly, and were swallowed up in the

I dressed and drank several cups of the coffee, all the while "thinking with my head," as the Zulus say. Then I

walked up to the kraal to see Umbezi, whom I found just coming out of his hut, yawning.

"Why do you look so black upon this beautiful morning, Macumazahn?" asked the genial old scamp. "Have

"No, my friend," I answered; "but you and another have lost your best cow." And word for word I repeated to

him Mameena's message. When I had finished really I thought that Umbezi was about to faint.

"Curses be on the head of this Mameena!" he exclaimed. "Surely some evil spirit must have been her father,

not I, and well was she called Child of Storm.* What shall I do now, Macumazahn? Thanks be to my Spirit,"

he added, with an air of relief, "she is too far gone for me to try to catch her; also, if I did, Umbelazi and his

[*That, if I have not said so already, was the meaning which the Zulus gave to the word "Mameena",

although as I know the language I cannot get any such interpretation out of the name, I believe that it was

given to her, however, because she was born just before a terrible tempest, when the wind wailing round the

"Oh, of course he will be angry, for no doubt he is fond of her. But, after all, I am used to that. You remember

how he went mad when she married Masapo. At least, he cannot say that I made her run away with Umbelazi.

"I think it may mean great trouble," I said, "at a time when trouble is not needed."

"Oh, why so, Macumazahn? My daughter did not get on with the Princess Nandiewe could all see

thatfor they would scarcely speak to each other. And if Saduko is fond of herwell, after all, there are

other beautiful women in Zululand. I know one or two of them myself whom I will mention to Sadukoor

rather to Nandie. Really, as things were, I am not sure but that he is well rid of her."

"But what do you think of the matter as her father?" I asked, for I wanted to see to what length his

"As her fatherwell, of course, Macumazahn, as her father I am sorry, because it will mean talk, will it not,

as the Masapo business did? Still, there is this to be said for Mameena," he added, with a brightening face,

"she always runs away up the tree, not down. When she got rid of MasapoI mean when Masapo was killed

for his witchcraftshe married Saduko, who was a bigger manSaduko, whom she would not marry when

Masapo was the bigger man. And now, when she has got rid of Saduko, she enters the hut of Umbelazi, who

will one day be King of the Zulus, the biggest man in all the world, which means that she will be the biggest

woman, for remember, Macumazahn, she will walk round and round that great Umbelazi till whatever way he

looks he will see her and no one else. Oh, she will grow great, and carry up her poor old father in the blanket

on her back. Oh, the sun still shines behind the cloud, Macumazahn, so let us make the best of the cloud,

"Yes, Umbezi; but other things besides the sun break out from clouds sometimeslightning, for instance;

"You speak illomened words, Macumazahn; words that take away my appetite, which is generally excellent

at this hour. Well, if Mameena is bad it is not my fault, for I brought her up to be good. After all," he added

with an outburst of petulance, "why do you scold me when it is your fault? If you had run away with the girl

"Perhaps not," I answered; "only then I am sure I should have been dead today, as I think that all who have

On the following morning, Saduko returned and was told the news by Nandie, whom I had carefully avoided.

On this occasion, however, I was forced to be present, as the person to whom the sinful Mameena had sent

her farewell message. It was a very painful experience, of which I do not remember all the details. For a

while after he learned the truth Saduko sat still as a stone, staring in front of him, with a face that seemed to

have become suddenly old. Then he turned upon Umbezi, and in a few terrible words accused him of having

arranged the matter in order to advance his own fortunes at the price of his daughter's dishonour. Next,

without listening to his exfatherinlaw's voluble explanations, he rose and said that he was going away to

kill Umbelazi, the evildoer who had robbed him of the wife he loved, with the connivance of all three of us,

This was more than I could stand, so I, too, rose and asked him what he meant, adding in the irritation of the

moment that if I had wished to rob him of his beautiful Mameena, I thought I could have done so long

"Saduko, my husband," she said, "I, a Princess of the Zulu House, married you who are not of royal blood

because I loved you, and although Panda the King and Umbelazi the Prince wished it, for no other reason

whatsoever. Well, I have been faithful to you through some trials, even when you set the widow of a

wizardif, indeed, as I have reason to suspect, she was not herself the wizardbefore me, and although that

wizard had killed our son, lived in her hut rather than in mine. Now this woman of whom you thought so

much has deserted you for your friend and my brother, the Prince UmbelaziUmbelazi who is called the

Handsome, and who, if the fortune of war goes with him, as it may or may not, will succeed to Panda, my

father. This she has done because she alleges that I, your Inkosikazi and the King's daughter, treated her as a

servant, which is a lie. I kept her in her place, no more, who, if she could have had her will, would have

ousted me from mine, perhaps by death, for the wives of wizards learn their arts. On this pretext she has left

you; but that is not her real reason. She has left you because the Prince, my brother, whom she has befooled

with her tricks and beauty, as she has befooled others, or tried to"and she glanced at me"is a bigger man

than you are. You, Saduko, may become great, as my heart prays that you will, but my brother may become a

king. She does not love him any more than she loved you, but she does love the place that may be his, and

therefore hersshe who would be the first doe of the herd. My husband, I think that you are well rid of

Mameena, for I think also that if she had stayed with us there would have been more deaths in our House;

perhaps mine, which would not matter, and perhaps yours, which would matter much. All this I say to you,

not from jealousy of one who is fairer than I, but because it is the truth. Therefore my counsel to you is to let

this business pass over and keep silent. Above all, seek not to avenge yourself upon Umbelazi, since I am

sure that he has taken vengeance to dwell with him in his own hut. I have spoken."

That this moderate and reasoned speech of Nandie's produced a great effect upon Saduko I could see, but at

"Let the name of Mameena be spoken no more within hearing of my ears. Mameena is dead."

So her name was heard no more in the Houses of Saduko and of Umbezi, and when it was necessary for any

reason to refer to her, she was given a new name, a composite Zulu word, "OweZulu", I think it was,

which is "Stormchild" shortly translated, for "Zulu" means a storm as well as the sky.

I do not think that Saduko spoke of her to me again until towards the climax of this history, and certainly I

did not mention her to him. But from that day forward I noted that he was a changed man. His pride and open

pleasure in his great success, which had caused the Zulus to name him the "Selfeater," were no longer

marked. He became cold and silent, like a man who is thinking deeply, but who shutters his thoughts lest

some should read them through the windows of his eyes. Moreover, he paid a visit to Zikali the Little and

Wise, as I found out by accident; but what advice that cunning old dwarf gave to him I did not find

The only other event which happened in connection with this elopement was that a message came from

Umbelazi to Saduko, brought by one of the princes, a brother of Umbelazi, who was of his party. As I know,

for I heard it delivered, it was a very humble message when the relative positions of the two men are

consideredthat of one who knew that he had done wrong, and, if not repentant, was heartily ashamed of

"Saduko," it said, "I have stolen a cow of yours, and I hope you will forgive me, since that cow did not love

the pasture in your kraal, but in mine she grows fat and is content. Moreover, in return I will give you many

other cows. Everything that I have to give, I will give to you who are my friend and trusted councillor. Send

me word, O Saduko, that this wall which I have built between us is broken down, since ere long you and I

"O Prince, you are troubled about a very little thing. That cow which you have taken was of no worth to me,

for who wishes to keep a beast that is ever tearing and lowing at the gates of the kraal, disturbing those who

would sleep inside with her noise? Had you asked her of me, I would have given her to you freely. I thank

you for your offer, but I need no more cows, especially if, like this one, they have no calves. As for a wall

between us, there is none, for how can two men who, if the battle is to be won, must stand shoulder to

shoulder, fight if divided by a wall? O Son of the King, I am dreaming by day and night of the battle and the

victory, and I have forgotten all about the barren cow that ran away after you, the great bull of the herd. Only

About six weeks later, in the month of November, 1856, I chanced to be at Nodwengu when the quarrel

between the princes came to a head. Although none of the regiments was actually allowed to enter the

townthat is, as a regimentthe place was full of people, all of them in a state of great excitement, who

came in during the daytime and went to sleep in the neighbouring military kraals at night. One evening, as

some of these soldiersabout a thousand of them, if I remember rightwere returning to the Ukubaza

As it happened, at that time there were two separate regiments stationed at this kraal. I think that they were

the Imkulutshana and the Hlaba, one of which favoured Cetewayo and the other Umbelazi. As certain

companies of each of these regiments marched along together in parallel lines, two of their captains got into

dispute on the eternal subject of the succession to the throne. From words they came to blows, and the end of

it was that he who favoured Umbelazi killed him who favoured Cetewayo with his kerry. Thereon the

comrades of the slain man, raising a shout of "Usutu," which became the warcry of Cetewayo's party, fell

upon the others, and a dreadful combat ensued. Fortunately the soldiers were only armed with sticks, or the

slaughter would have been very great; but as it was, after an indecisive engagement, about fifty men were

Now, with my usual bad luck, I, who had gone out to shoot a few birds for the potpauw, or bustard, I think

they werewas returning across this very plain to my old encampment in the kloof where Masapo had been

executed, and so ran into the fight just as it was beginning. I saw the captain killed and the subsequent

engagement. Indeed, as it happened, I did more. Not knowing where to go or what to do, for I was quite

alone, I pulled up my horse behind a tree and waited till I could escape the horrors about me; for I can assure

anyone who may ever read these words that it is a very horrible sight to see a thousand men engaged in fierce

and deadly combat. In truth, the fact that they had no spears, and could only batter each other to death with

their heavy kerries, made it worse, since the duels were more desperate and prolonged.

Everywhere men were rolling on the ground, hitting at each other's heads, until at last some blow went home

and one of them threw out his arms and lay still, either dead or senseless. Well, there I sat watching all this

shocking business from the saddle of my trained shooting pony, which stood like a stone, till presently I

became aware of two great fellows rushing at me with their eyes starting out of their heads and shouting as

Then, seeing that the matter was urgent and that it was a question of my life or theirs, I came into action.

In my hand I held a doublebarrelled shotgun loaded with what we used to call "loopers," or B.B. shot, of

which but a few went to each charge, for I had hoped to meet with a small buck on my way to camp. So, as

these soldiers came, I lifted the gun and fired, the right barrel at one of them and the left barrel at the other,

aiming in each case at the centre of the small dancing shields, which from force of habit they held stretched

out to protect their throats and breasts. At that distance, of course, the loopers sank through the soft hide of

the shields and deep into the bodies of those who carried them, so that both of them dropped dead, the

lefthand man being so close that he fell against my pony, his uplifted kerry striking me upon the thigh and

When I saw what I had done, and that my danger was over for the moment, without waiting to reload I dug

the spurs into my horse's sides and galloped off to Nodwengu, passing between the groups of struggling men.

On arriving unharmed at the town, I went instantly to the royal huts and demanded to see the King, who sent

word that I was to be admitted. On coming before him I told him exactly what had happenedthat I had

killed two of Cetewayo's men in order to save my own life, and on that account submitted myself to his

"O Macumazana," said Panda in great distress, "I know well that you are not to blame, and already I have

sent out a regiment to stop this fighting, with command that those who caused it should be brought before me

tomorrow for judgment. I am glad indeed, Macumazahn, that you have escaped without harm, but I must

tell you that I fear henceforth your life will be in danger, since all the Usutu party will hold it forfeit if they

can catch you. While you are in my town I can protect you, for I will set a strong guard about your camp; but

here you will have to stay until these troubles are done with, since if you leave you may be murdered on the

"I thank you for your kindness, King," I answered; "but all this is very awkward for me, who hoped to trek

"Well, there it is, Macumazahn, you will have to stay here unless you wish to be killed. He who walks into a

On the morrow I was summoned to the trial, half as a witness and half as one of the offenders. Going to the

head of the Nodwengu kraal, where Panda was sitting in state with his Council, I found the whole great space

in front of him crowded with a dense concourse of fiercefaced partisans, those who favoured

Cetewayothe Usutusitting on the right, and those who favoured Umbelazithe Isigqosasitting on the

left. At the head of the righthand section sat Cetewayo, his brethren and chief men. At the head of the

lefthand section sat Umbelazi, his brethren and his chief men, amongst whom I saw Saduko take a place

To myself and my little band of eight hunters, who by Panda's express permission, came armed with their

guns, as I did also, for I was determined that if the necessity arose we would sell our lives as dearly as we

could, was appointed a place almost in front of the King and between the two factions. When everyone was

seated the trial began, Panda demanding to know who had caused the tumult of the previous night.

I cannot set out what followed in all its details, for it would be too long; also I have forgotten many of them. I

remember, however, that Cetewayo's people said that Umbelazi's men were the aggressors, and that

Umbelazi's people said that Cetewayo's men were the aggressors, and that each of their parties backed up

"How am I to know the truth?" exclaimed Panda at last. "Macumazahn, you were there; step forward and tell

So I stood out and told the King what I had seen, namely that the captain who favoured Cetewayo had begun

the quarrel by striking the captain who favoured Umbelazi, but that in the end Umbelazi's man had killed

"Upon what grounds do you say so, my father? asked Cetewayo, springing up. "Upon the testimony of this

white man, who is well known to be the friend of Umbelazi and of his henchman Saduko, and who himself

"Yes, Cetewayo," I broke in, "because I thought it better that I should kill them than that they should kill me,

"At any rate, you killed them, little White Man," shouted Cetewayo, "for which cause your blood is forfeit.

Say, did Umbelazi give you leave to appear before the King accompanied by men armed with guns, when we

"Thank you, Prince," I said; "but if there is need I will protect myself as I did yesterday," and, cocking my

"When you leave here, then at least I will come even with you, Macumazahn!" threatened Cetewayo, spitting

For he was beside himself, and wished to vent his temper on someone, although in truth he and I were always

"If so I shall stop where I am," I answered coolly, "in the shadow of the King, your father. Moreover, are you

so lost in folly, Cetewayo, that you should wish to bring the English about your ears? Know that if I am killed

"Aye," interrupted Panda, "and know that if anyone lays a finger on Macumazana, who is my guest, he shall

die, whether he be a common man or a prince and my son. Also, Cetewayo, I fine you twenty head of cattle,

to be paid to Macumazana because of the unprovoked attack which your men made upon him when he rightly

"The fine shall be paid, my father," said Cetewayo more quietly, for he saw that in threatening me he had

Then, after some more talk, Panda gave judgment in the cause, which judgment really amounted to nothing.

As it was impossible to decide which party was most to blame, he fined both an equal number of cattle,

accompanying the fine with a lecture on their illbehaviour, which was listened to indifferently.

"My father," he said, "the land wanders and wanders in darkness, and you alone can give light for its feet. I

and my brother, Umbelazi, are at variance, and the quarrel is a great one, namely, as to which of us is to sit in

your place when you are 'gone down,' when we call and you do not answer. Some of the nation favour one of

us and some favour the other, but you, O King, and you alone, have the voice of judgment. Still, before you

speak, I and those who stand with me would bring this to your mind. My mother, Umqumbazi, is your

Inkosikazi, your headwife, and therefore, according to our law, I, her eldest son, should be your heir.

Moreover, when you fled to the Boers before the fall of him who sat in your place before you [Dingaan], did

not they, the white Amabunu, ask you which amongst your sons was your heir, and did you not point me out

to the white men? And thereon did not the Amabunu clothe me in a dress of honour because I was the King to

be? But now of late the mother of Umbelazi has been whispering in your ear, as have others"and he looked

at Saduko and some of Umbelazi's brethren"and your face has grown cold towards me, so cold that many

say that you will point out Umbelazi to be King after you and stamp on my name. If this is so, my father, tell

Having finished this speech, which certainly did not lack force and dignity, Cetewayo sat down again,

awaiting the answer in sullen silence. But, making none, Panda looked at Umbelazi, who, on rising, was

greeted with a great cheer, for although Cetewayo had the larger following in the land, especially among the

distant chiefs, the Zulus individually loved Umbelazi more, perhaps because of his stature, beauty and kindly

dispositionphysical and moral qualities that naturally appeal to a savage nation.

"My father," he said, "like my brother, Cetewayo, I await your word. Whatever you may have said to the

Amabunu in haste or fear, I do not admit that Cetewayo was ever proclaimed your heir in the hearing of the

Zulu people. I say that my right to the succession is as good as his, and that it lies with you, and you alone, to

declare which of us shall put on the royal kaross in days that my heart prays may be distant. Still, to save

bloodshed, I am willing to divide the land with Cetewayo" (here both Panda and Cetewayo shook their heads

and the audience roared "Nay"), "or, if that does not please him, I am willing to meet Cetewayo man to man

"A safe offer!" sneered Cetewayo, "for is not my brother named 'Elephant,' and the strongest warrior among

the Zulus? No, I will not set the fortunes of those who cling to me on the chance of a single stab, or on the

might of a man's muscles. Decide, O father; say which of the two of us is to sit at the head of your kraal after

Now, Panda looked much disturbed, as was not wonderful, since, rushing out from the fence behind which

they had been listening, Umqumbazi, Cetewayo's mother, whispered into one of his ears, while Umbelazi's

mother whispered into the other. What advice each of them gave I do not know, although obviously it was not

the same advice, since the poor man rolled his eyes first at one and then at the other, and finally put his hands

"Choose, choose, O King!" shouted the audience. "Who is to succeed you, Cetewayo or Umbelazi?"

Watching Panda, I saw that he fell into a kind of agony; his fat sides heaved, and, although the day was cold,

"What would the white men do in such a case?" he said to me in a hoarse, low voice, whereon I answered,

"I think, O King, that a white man would do nothing. He would say that others might settle the matter after he

Then followed a long pause, during which all were silent, for every man there felt that the hour was big with

doom. At length Panda rose with difficulty, because of his unwieldy weight, and uttered these fateful words,

that were none the less ominous because of the homely idiom in which they were couched:

Instantly in one tremendous roar volleyed forth the royal salute of "Bayete", a signal of the acceptance of the

Then Panda turned and, so feebly that I thought he would fall, walked through the gateway behind him,

followed by the rival queens. Each of these ladies struggled to be first after him in the gate, thinking that it

would be an omen of success for her son. Finally, however, to the disappointment of the multitude, they only

When they had gone the great audience began to break up, the men of each party marching away together as

though by common consent, without offering any insult or molestation to their adversaries. I think that this

peaceable attitude arose, however, from the knowledge that matters had now passed from the stage of private

quarrel into that of public war. It was felt that their dispute awaited decision, not with sticks outside the

Nodwengu kraal, but with spears upon some great battlefield, for which they went to prepare.

Within two days, except for those regiments which Panda kept to guard his person, scarcely a soldier was to

be seen in the neighbourhood of Nodwengu. The princes also departed to muster their adherents, Cetewayo

establishing himself among the Mandhlakazi that he commanded, and Umbelazi returning to the kraal of

Umbezi, which happened to stand almost in the centre of that part of the nation which adhered to him.

Whether he took Mameena with him there I am not certain. I believe, however, that, fearing lest her welcome

at her birthplace should be warmer than she wished, she settled herself at some retired and outlying kraal in

the neighbourhood, and there awaited the crisis of her fortune. At any rate, I saw nothing of her, for she was

With Umbelazi and Saduko, however, I did have an interview. Before they left Nodwengu they called on me

together, apparently on the best of terms, and said in effect that they hoped for my support in the coming war.

I answered that, however well I might like them personally, a Zulu civil war was no affair of mine, and that,

indeed, for every reason, including the supreme one of my own safety, I had better get out of the way at once.

They argued with me for a long while, making great offers and promises of reward, till at length, when he

"Come, Saduko, let us humble ourselves no more before this white man. After all, he is right; the business is

none of his, and why should we ask him to risk his life in our quarrel, knowing as we do that white men are

not like us; they think a great deal of their lives. Farewell, Macumazahn. If I conquer and grow great you will

always be welcome in Zululand, whereas if I fail perhaps you will be best over the Tugela river."

Now, I felt the hidden taunt in this speech very keenly. Still, being determined that for once I would be wise

and not allow my natural curiosity and love of adventure to drag me into more risks and trouble, I replied:

"The Prince says that I am not brave and love my life, and what he says is true. I fear fighting, who by nature

am a trader with the heart of a trader, not a warrior with the heart of a warrior, like the great

IndhlovueneSihlonti"words at which I saw the grave Saduko smile faintly. "So farewell to you, Prince,

Of course, to call the Prince to his face by this nickname, which referred to a defect in his person, was

something of an insult; but I had been insulted, and meant to give him "a Roland for his Oliver." However, he

"What is good fortune, Macumazahn?" Umbelazi replied as he grasped my hand. "Sometimes I think that to

live and prosper is good fortune, and sometimes I think that to die and sleep is good fortune, for in sleep there

is neither hunger nor thirst of body or of spirit. In sleep there come no cares; in sleep ambitions are at rest;

nor do those who look no more upon the sun smart beneath the treacheries of false women or false friends.

Should the battle turn against me, Macumazahn, at least that good fortune will be mine, for never will I live

Then he went. Saduko accompanied him for a little way, but, making some excuse to the Prince, came back

"Macumazahn, my friend, I dare say that we part for the last time, and therefore I make a request to you. It is

as to one who is dead to me. Macumazahn, I believe that Umbelazi the thief"these words broke from his

lips with a hiss"has given her many cattle and hidden her away either in the kloof of Zikali the Wise, or

near to it, under his care. Now, if the war should go against Umbelazi and I should be killed in it, I think evil

will fall upon that woman's head, I who have grown sure that it was she who was the wizard and not Masapo

the Boar. Also, as one connected with Umbelazi, who has helped him in his plots, she will be killed if she is

caught. Macumazahn, hearken to me. I will tell you the truth. My heart is still on fire for that woman. She has

bewitched me; her eyes haunt my sleep and I hear her voice in the wind. She is more to me than all the earth

and all the sky, and although she has wronged me I do not wish that harm should come to her. Macumazahn,

I pray you if I die, do your best to befriend her, even though it be only as a servant in your house, for I think

that she cares more for you than for anyone, who only ran away with him"and he pointed in the direction

that Umbelazi had taken"because he is a prince, who, in her folly, she believes will be a king. At least take

her to Natal, Macumazahn, where, if you wish to be free of her, she can marry whom she will and will live

safe until night comes. Panda loves you much, and, whoever conquers in the war, will give you her life if you

Then this strange man drew the back of his hand across his eyes, from which I saw the tears were running,

and, muttering, "If you would have good fortune remember my prayer," turned and left me before I could

As for me, I sat down upon an antheap and whistled a whole hymn tune that my mother had taught me

before I could think at all. To be left the guardian of Mameena! Talk of a "damnosa hereditas," a terrible and

mischievous inheritancewhy, this was the worst that ever I heard of. A servant in my house indeed,

knowing what I did about her! Why, I had sooner share the "good fortune" which Umbelazi anticipated

beneath the sod. However, that was not in the question, and without it the alternative of acting as her guardian

was bad enough, though I comforted myself with the reflection that the circumstances in which this would

become necessary might never arise. For, alas! I was sure that if they did arise I should have to live up to

them. True, I had made no promise to Saduko with my lips, but I felt, as I knew he felt, that this promise had

"That thief Umbelazi!" Strange words to be uttered by a great vassal of his lord, and both of them about to

enter upon a desperate enterprise. "A prince whom in her folly she believes will be a king." Stranger words

still. Then Saduko did not believe that he would be a king! And yet he was about to share the fortunes of his

fight for the throne, he who said that his heart was still on fire for the woman whom "Umbelazi the thief" had

stolen. Well, if I were Umbelazi, thought I to myself, I would rather that Saduko were not my chief councillor

and general. But, thank Heaven! I was not Umbelazi, or Saduko, or any of them! And, thank Heaven still

Man proposes but God disposes. I did not trek from Zululand for many a long day. When I got back to my

wagons it was to find that my oxen had mysteriously disappeared from the veld on which they were

accustomed to graze. They were lost; or perhaps they had felt the urgent need of trekking from Zululand back

to a more peaceful country. I sent all the hunters I had with me to look for them, only Scowl and I remaining

at the wagons, which in those disturbed times I did not like to leave unguarded.

Four days went by, a week went by, and no sign of either hunters or oxen. Then at last a message, which

reached me in some roundabout fashion, to the effect that the hunters had found the oxen a long way off, but

on trying to return to Nodwengu had been driven by some of the Usututhat is, by Cetewayo's

For once in my life I went into a rage and cursed that nondescript kind of messenger, sent by I know not

whom, in language that I think he will not forget. Then, realising the futility of swearing at a mere tool, I

went up to the Great House and demanded an audience with Panda himself. Presently the inceku, or

household servant, to whom I gave my message, returned, saying that I was to be admitted at once, and on

entering the enclosure I found the King sitting at the head of the kraal quite alone, except for a man who was

He greeted me warmly, and I told him my trouble about the oxen, whereon he sent away the shieldholder,

"WatcherbyNight," he said, "why do you blame me for these events, when you know that I am nobody in

my own House? I say that I am a dead man, whose sons fight for his inheritance. I cannot tell you for certain

who it was that drove away your oxen. Still, I am glad that they are gone, since I believe that if you had

attempted to trek to Natal just now you would have been killed on the road by the Usutu, who believe you to

"I understand, O King," I answered, "and I dare say that the accident of the loss of my oxen is fortunate for

me. But tell me now, what am I to do? I wish to follow the example of John Dunn [another white man in the

country who was much mixed up with Zulu politics] and leave the land. Will you give me more oxen to draw

"I have none that are broken in, Macumazahn, for, as you know, we Zulus possess few wagons; and if I had I

would not lend them to you, who do not desire that your blood should be upon my head."

"You are hiding something from me, O King," I said bluntly. "What is it that you want me to do? Stay here at

"No, Macumazahn. When the trouble begins I want you to go with a regiment of my own that I shall send to

the assistance of my son, Umbelazi, so that he may have the benefit of your wisdom. O Macumazana, I will

tell you the truth. My heart loves Umbelazi, and I fear me that he is overmatched by Cetewayo. If I could I

would save his life, but I know not how to do so, since I must not seem to take sides too openly. But I can

send down a regiment as your escort, if you choose to go to view the battle as my agent and make report to

"Why should I go?" I answered, "seeing that whoever wins I may be killed, and that if Cetewayo wins I shall

"Nay, Macumazahn; I will give orders that whoever conquers, the man that dares to lift a spear against you

shall die. In this matter, at least, I shall not be disobeyed. Oh! I pray you, do not desert me in my trouble. Go

down with the regiment that I shall send and breathe your wisdom into the ear of my son, Umbelazi. As for

your reward, I swear to you by the head of the Black One [Chaka] that it shall be great. I will see to it that

"O WatcherbyNight," exclaimed Panda, "you will not desert me, will you? I am afraid for the son of my

heart, Umbelazi, whom I love above all my children; I am much afraid for Umbelazi," and he burst into tears

It was foolish, no doubt, but the sight of the old King weeping for his bestbeloved child, whom he believed

"If you wish it, O Panda," I said, "I will go down to the battle with your regiment and stand there by the side

So I stayed on at Nodwengu, who, indeed, had no choice in the matter, and was very wretched and ill at ease.

The place was almost deserted, except for a couple of regiments which were quartered there, the Sangqu and

the Amawombe. This latter was the royal regiment, a kind of Household Guards, to which the Kings Chaka,

Dingaan and Panda all belonged in turn. Most of the headmen had taken one side or the other, and were away

raising forces to fight for Cetewayo or Umbelazi, and even the greater part of the women and children had

gone to hide themselves in the bush or among the mountains, since none knew what would happen, or if the

A few councillors, however, remained with Panda, among whom was old Maputa, the general, who had once

brought me the "message of the pills." Several times he visited me at night and told me the rumours that were

flying about. From these I gathered that some skirmishes had taken place and the battle could not be long

delayed; also that Umbelazi had chosen his fighting ground, a plain near the banks of the Tugela.

"Why has he done this," I asked, "seeing that then he will have a broad river behind him, and if he is defeated

"I know not for certain," answered Maputa; "but it is said because of a dream that Saduko, his general, has

dreamed thrice, which dream declares that there and there alone Umbelazi will find honour. At any rate, he

has chosen this place; and I am told that all the women and children of his army, by thousands, are hidden in

the bush along the banks of the river, so that they may fly into Natal if there is need."

"Have they wings," I asked, "wherewith to fly over the Tugela 'in wrath,' as it well may be after the rains?

"Aye, Macumazahn," he answered, "I, too, think that ufulatewe idhlozi [that is, his own Spirit] has turned its

back on him. Also I think that Saduko is no good councillor. Indeed, were I the prince," added the old fellow

shrewdly, "I would not keep him whose wife I had stolen as the whisperer in my ear."

Two days later, early in the morning, Maputa came to me again and said that Panda wished to see me. I went

to the head of the kraal, where I found the King seated and before him the captains of the royal Amawombe

"WatcherbyNight," he said, "I have news that the great battle between my sons will take place within a few

days. Therefore I am sending down this, my own royal regiment, under the command of Maputa the skilled in

war to spy out the battle, and I pray that you will go with it, that you may give to the General Maputa and to

the captains the help of your wisdom. Now these are my orders to you, Maputa, and to you, O captainsthat

you take no part in the fight unless you should see that the Elephant, my son Umbelazi, is fallen into a pit,

and that then you shall drag him out if you can and save him alive. Now repeat my words to me."

"O King, I have told you that I will gothough I do not like warand I will keep my promise," I replied.

"Then make ready, Macumazahn, and be back here within an hour, for the regiment marches ere noon."

So I went up to my wagons and handed them over to the care of some men whom Panda had sent to take

charge of them. Also Scowl and I saddled our horses, for this faithful fellow insisted upon accompanying me,

although I advised him to stay behind, and got out our rifles and as much ammunition as we could possibly

need, and with them a few other necessaries. These things done, we rode back to the gatheringplace, taking

farewell of the wagons with a sad heart, since I, for one, never expected to see them again.

As we went I saw that the regiment of the Amawombe, picked men every one of them, all fifty years of age

or over, nearly four thousand strong, was marshalled on the dancingground, where they stood company by

company. A magnificent sight they were, with their white fightingshields, their gleaming spears, their

otterskin caps, their kilts and armlets of white bulls' tails, and the snowy egret plumes which they wore upon

their brows. We rode to the head of them, where I saw Maputa, and as I came they greeted me with a cheer of

welcome, for in those days a white man was a power in the land. Moreover, as I have said, the Zulus knew

and liked me well. Also the fact that I was to watch, or perchance to fight with them, put a good heart into the

There we stood until the lads, several hundreds of them, who bore the mats and cooking vessels and drove the

cattle that were to be our commissariat, had wended away in a long line. Then suddenly Panda appeared out

of his hut, accompanied by a few servants, and seemed to utter some kind of prayer, as he did so throwing

dust or powdered medicine towards us, though what this ceremony meant I did not understand.

When he had finished Maputa raised a spear, whereon the whole regiment, in perfect time, shouted out the

royal salute, "Bayete", with a sound like that of thunder. Thrice they repeated this tremendous and impressive

salute, and then were silent. Again Maputa raised his spear, and all the four thousand voices broke out into

the Ingoma, or national chant, to which deep, aweinspiring music we began our march. As I do not think it

[*Literally translated, this famous chant, now, I think, published for the first time, which, I suppose, will

"They [i.e. the enemy] bear him [i.e. the King) hatred, They call down curses on his head, All of them

The Ingoma when sung by twenty or thirty thousand men rushing down to battle must, indeed, have been a

The spirit of this fierce Ingoma, conveyed by sound, gesture and inflection of voice, not the exact words,

remember, which are very rude and simple, leaving much to the imagination, may perhaps be rendered

somewhat as follows. An exact translation into English verse is almost impossibleat any rate, to me:

"Loud on their lips is lying, Red are their eyes with hate; Rebels their King defying. Lo! where our impis wait

It was early on the morning of the 2nd of December, a cold, miserable morning that came with wind and

driving mist, that I found myself with the Amawombe at the place known as Endondakusuka, a plain with

some kopjes in it that lies within six miles of the Natal border, from which it is separated by the Tugela river.

As the orders of the Amawombe were to keep out of the fray if that were possible, we had taken up a position

about a mile to the right of what proved to be the actual battlefield, choosing as our camping ground a rising

knoll that looked like a huge tumulus, and was fronted at a distance of about five hundred yards by another

smaller knoll. Behind us stretched bushland, or rather broken land, where mimosa thorns grew in scattered

Shortly after dawn I was roused from the place where I slept, wrapped up in some blankets, under a mimosa

treefor, of course, we had no tentsby a messenger, who said that the Prince Umbelazi and the white

man, John Dunn, wished to see me. I rose and tidied myself as best I could, since, if I can avoid it, I never

like to appear before natives in a dishevelled condition. I remember that I had just finished brushing my hair

I can see him now, looking a veritable giant in that morning mist. Indeed, there was something quite

unearthly about his appearance as he arose out of those rolling vapours, such light as there was being

concentrated upon the blade of his big spear, which was well known as the broadest carried by any warrior in

There he stood, rolling his eyes and hugging his kaross around him because of the cold, and something in his

anxious, indeterminate expression told me at once that he knew himself to be a man in terrible danger. Just

behind him, dark and brooding, his arms folded on his breast, his eyes fixed upon the ground, looking, to my

moved imagination, like an evil genius, stood the stately and graceful Saduko. On his left was a young and

sturdy white man carrying a rifle and smoking a pipe, whom I guessed to be John Dunn, a gentleman whom,

as it chanced, I had never met, while behind were a force of Natal Government Zulus, clad in some kind of

uniform and armed with guns, and with them a number of natives, also from Natal"kraal Kafirs," who

Of those Government men there may have been thirty or forty, and of the "kraal Kafirs" anything between

"That is an ill day upon which no sun shines, O Macumazana," he answeredwords that struck me as

ominous. Then he introduced me to John Dunn, who seemed glad to meet another white man. Next, not

knowing what to say, I asked the exact object of their visit, whereon Dunn began to talk. He said that he had

been sent over on the previous afternoon by Captain Walmsley, who was an officer of the Natal Government

stationed across the border, to try to make peace between the Zulu factions, but that when he spoke of peace

one of Umbelazi's brothersI think it was Mantantashiyahad mocked at him, saying that they were quite

strong enough to cope with the Usututhat was Cetewayo's party. Also, he added, that when he suggested

that the thousands of women and children and the cattle should be got across the Tugela drift during the

previous night into safety in Natal, Mantantashiya would not listen, and Umbelazi being absent, seeking the

"Quem Deus vult perdere prius dementat" [whom God wishes to destroy, He first makes mad], quoted I to

myself beneath my breath. This was one of the Latin tags that my old father, who was a scholar, had taught

me, and at that moment it came back to my mind. But as I suspected that John Dunn knew no Latin, I only

"What an infernal fool!" (We were talking in English.) "Can't you get Umbelazi to do it now?" (I meant, to

"I fear it is too late, Mr. Quatermain," he answered. "The Usutu are in sight. Look for yourself." And he

I climbed on to some rocks and scanned the plain in front of us, from which just then a puff of wind rolled

away the mist. It was black with advancing men! As yet they were a considerable distance awayquite two

miles, I should thinkand coming on very slowly in a great halfmoon with thin horns and a deep breast;

but a ray from the sun glittered upon their countless spears. It seemed to me that there must be quite twenty or

thirty thousand of them in this breast, which was in three divisions, commanded, as I learned afterwards, by

"There they are, right enough," I said, climbing down from my rocks. "What are you going to do, Mr. Dunn?"

"Obey orders and try to make peace, if I can find anyone to make peace with; and if I can'twell, fight, I

"Oh, obey orders and stop here, I suppose. Unless," I added doubtfully, "these Amawombe take the bit

"They'll do that before nightfall, Mr. Quatermain, if I know anything of the Zulus. Look here, why don't you

"Because I promised not to," I answered with a groan, for really, as I looked at those savages round me, who

were already fingering their spears in a disagreeable fashion, and those other thousands of savages advancing

"Very well, Mr. Quatermain, you know your own business best; but I hope you will come out of it safely, that

Then John Dunn turned, and in my hearing asked Umbelazi what he knew of the movements of the Usutu and

"Nothing at present, Son of Mr. Dunn, but doubtless before the sun is high I shall know much."

As he spoke a sudden gust of wind struck us, and tore the nodding ostrich plume from its fastening on

Umbelazi's headring. Whilst a murmur of dismay rose from all who saw what they considered this very

illomened accident, away it floated into the air, to fall gently to the ground at the feet of Saduko. He

stooped, picked it up, and reset it in its place, saying as he did so, with that ready wit for which some Kafirs

"So may I live, O Prince, to set the crown upon the head of Panda's favoured son!"

This apt speech served to dispel the general gloom caused by the incident, for those who heard it cheered,

while Umbelazi thanked his captain with a nod and a smile. Only I noted that Saduko did not mention the

name of "Panda's favoured son" upon whose head he hoped to live to set the crown. Now, Panda had many

A minute or two later John Dunn and his following departed, as he said, to try to make peace with the

advancing Usutu. Umbelazi, Saduko and their escort departed also towards the main body of the host of the

Isigqosa, which was massed to our left, "sitting on their spears," as the natives say, and awaiting the attack.

As for me, I remained alone with the Amawombe, drinking some coffee that Scowl had brewed for me, and

I can say honestly that I do not ever remember partaking of a more unhappy meal. Not only did I believe that

I was looking on the last sun I should ever seethough by the way, there was uncommonly little of that orb

visiblebut what made the matter worse was that, if so, I should be called upon to die alone among savages,

with not a single white face near to comfort me. Oh, how I wished I had never allowed myself to be dragged

into this dreadful business. Yes, and I was even mean enough to wish that I had broken my word to Panda

and gone off with John Dunn when he invited me, although now I thank goodness that I did not yield to that

Soon, however, things grew so exciting that I forgot these and other melancholy reflections in watching the

development of events from the summit of our tumuluslike knoll, whence I had a magnificent view of the

whole battle. Here, after seeing that his regiment made a full meal, as a good general should, old Maputa

joined me, whom I asked whether he thought there would be any fighting for him that day.

"I think so, I think so," he answered cheerfully. "It seems to me that the Usutu greatly outnumber Umbelazi

and the Isigqosa, and, of course, as you know, Panda's orders are that if he is in danger we must help him. Oh,

keep a good heart, Macumazahn, for I believe I can promise you that you will see our spears grow red

today. You will not go hungry from this battle to tell the white people that the Amawombe are cowards

whom you could not flog into the fight. No, no, Macumazahn, my Spirit looks towards me this morning, and

I who am old and who thought that I should die at length like a cow, shall see one more great fightmy

twentieth, Macumazahn; for I fought with this same Amawombe in all the Black One's big battles, and for

"I dare say, Macumazahn; but what does that matter if only I and the royal regiment can make an end that

shall be spoken of? Oh, cheer up, cheer up, Macumazahn; your Spirit, too, looks towards you, as I promise

that we all will do when the shields meet; for know, Macumazahn, that we poor black soldiers expect that you

will show us how to fight this day, and, if need be, how to fall hidden in a heap of the foe."

"Oh!" I replied, "so this is what you Zulus mean by the 'giving of counsel,' is it?you infernal, bloodthirsty

But I think Maputa never heard me. At any rate, he only seized my arm and pointed in front, a little to the

left, where the horn of the great Usutu army was coming up fast, a long, thin line alive with twinkling spears;

their moving arms and legs causing them to look like spiders, of which the bodies were formed by the great

"See their plan?" he said. "They would close on Umbelazi and gore him with their horns and then charge with

their head. The horn will pass between us and the right flank of the Isigqosa. Oh! awake, awake, Elephant!

Are you asleep with Mameena in a hut? Unloose your spears, Child of the King, and at them as they mount

the slope. Behold!" he went on, "it is the Son of Dunn that begins the battle! Did I not tell you that we must

look to the white men to show us the way? Peep through your tube, Macumazahn, and tell me what passes."

So I "peeped," and, the telescope which John Dunn had kindly left with me being good though small, saw

everything clearly enough. He rode up almost to the point of the left horn of the Usutu, waving a white

handkerchief and followed by his small force of police and Natal Kafirs. Then from somewhere among the

He dropped the handkerchief and leapt to the ground. Now he and his police were firing rapidly in reply, and

men fell fast among the Usutu. They raised their war shout and came on, though slowly, for they feared the

bullets. Step by step John Dunn and his people were thrust back, fighting gallantly against overwhelming

odds. They were level with us, not a quarter of a mile to our left. They were pushed past us. They vanished

among the bush behind us, and a long while passed before ever I heard what became of them, for we met no

Now, the horns having done their work and wrapped themselves round Umbelazi's army as the nippers of a

wasp close about a fly (why did not Umbelazi cut off those horns, I wondered), the Usutu bull began his

charge. Twenty or thirty thousand strong, regiment after regiment, Cetewayo's men rushed up the slope, and

there, near the crest of it, were met by Umbelazi's regiments springing forward to repel the onslaught and

The noise of their meeting shields came to our ears like that of the roll of thunder, and the sheen of their

stabbingspears shone as shines the broad summer lightning. They hung and wavered on the slope; then from

Watching intently, we saw the Usutu giving back. Down the slope they went, leaving the ground in front of

"Why does not the Elephant charge home?" said Maputa in a perplexed voice. "The Usutu bull is on his back!

There was plenty to see, as it happened. Finding that they were not pursued, Cetewayo's impi reformed

swiftly at the bottom of the slope, in preparation for another charge. Among that of Umbelazi, above them,

rapid movements took place of which I could not guess the meaning, which movements were accompanied

by much noise of angry shouting. Then suddenly, from the midst of the Isigqosa army, emerged a great body

of men, thousands strong, which ran swiftly, but in open order, down the slope towards the Usutu, holding

their spears reversed. At first I thought that they were charging independently, till I saw the Usutu ranks open

"Saduko, with the Amakoba and Amangwane soldiers and others. I know them by their headdresses,"

"Do you mean that Saduko has gone over to Cetewayo with all his following?" I asked excitedly.

"What else, Macumazahn? Saduko is a traitor: Umbelazi is finished," and he passed his hand swiftly across

As for me, I sat down upon a stone and groaned, for now I understood everything.

Presently the Usutu raised fierce, triumphant shouts, and once again their impi, swelled with Saduko's power,

began to advance up the slope. Umbelazi, and those of the Isigqosa party who clung to himnow, I should

judge, not more than eight thousand mennever stayed to wait the onslaught. They broke! They fled in a

hideous rout, crashing through the thin, left horn of the Usutu by mere weight of numbers, and passing

behind us obliquely on their road to the banks of the Tugela. A messenger rushed up to us, panting.

"These are the words of Umbelazi," he gasped. "O WatcherbyNight and O Maputa, Indhlovuenesihlonti

prays that you will hold back the Usutu, as the King bade you do in case of need, and so give to him and

those who cling to him time to escape with the women and children into Natal. His general, Saduko, has

betrayed him, and gone over with three regiments to Cetewayo, and therefore we can no longer stand against

"Go tell the prince that Macumazahn, Maputa, and the Amawombe regiment will do their best," answered

Maputa calmly. "Still, this is our advice to him, that he should cross the Tugela swiftly with the women and

The messenger leapt away, but, as I heard afterwards, he never found Umbelazi, since the poor man was

Then Maputa gave an order, and the Amawombe formed themselves into a triple line, thirteen hundred men

in the first line, thirteen hundred men in the second line, and about a thousand in the third, behind whom were

the carrier boys, three or four hundred of them. The place assigned to me was in the exact centre of the

second line, where, being mounted on a horse, it was thought, as I gathered, that I should serve as a

In this formation we advanced a few hundred yards to our left, evidently with the object of interposing

ourselves between the routed impi and the pursuing Usutu, or, if the latter should elect to go round us, with

that of threatening their flank. Cetewayo's generals did not leave us long in doubt as to what they would do.

The main body of their army bore away to the right in pursuit of the flying foe, but three regiments, each of

about two thousand five hundred spears, halted. Five minutes passed perhaps while they marshalled, with a

distance of some six hundred yards between them. Each regiment was in a triple line like our own.

To me that seemed a very long five minutes, but, reflecting that it was probably my last on earth, I tried to

make the best of it in a fashion that can be guessed. Strange to say, however, I found it impossible to keep my

mind fixed upon those matters with which it ought to have been filled. My eyes and thoughts would roam. I

looked at the ranks of the veteran Amawombe, and noted that they were still and solemn as men about to die

should be, although they showed no sign of fear. Indeed, I saw some of those near me passing their

snuffboxes to each other. Two greyhaired men also, who evidently were old friends, shook hands as people

do who are parting before a journey, while two others discussed in a low voice the possibility of our wiping

"It depends," said one of them, "whether they attack us regiment by regiment or all together, as they will do if

Then an officer bade them be silent, and conversation ceased. Maputa passed through the ranks giving orders

to the captains. From a distance his withered old body, with a fighting shield held in front of it, looked like

that of a huge black ant carrying something in its mouth. He came to where Scowl and I sat upon our horses.

"Ah! I see that you are ready, Macumazahn," he said in a cheerful voice. "I told you that you should not go

"Maputa," I said in remonstrance, "what is the use of this? Umbelazi is defeated, you are not of his impi, why

send all these"and I waved my hand"down into the darkness? Why not go to the river and try to save the

"Because we shall take many of those down into the darkness with us, Macumazahn," and he pointed to the

dense masses of the Usutu. "Yet," he added, with a touch of compunction, "this is not your quarrel. You and

your servant have horses. Slip out, if you will, and gallop hard to the lower drift. You may get away with

"I never thought you would, Macumazahn, who, I am sure, do not wish to earn a new and ugly name. Well,

neither will the Amawombe run to become a mock among their people. The King's orders were that we

should try to help Umbelazi, if the battle went against him. We obey the King's orders by dying where we

stand. Macumazahn, do you think that you could hit that big fellow who is shouting insults at us there? If so,

I should be obliged to you, as I dislike him very much," and he showed me a captain who was swaggering

about in front of the lines of the first of the Usutu regiments, about six hundred yards away.

"I will try," I answered, "but it's a long shot." Dismounting, I climbed a pile of stones and, resting my rifle on

the topmost of them, took a very full sight, aimed, held my breath, and pressed the trigger. A second

afterwards the shouter of insults threw his arms wide, letting fall his spear, and pitched forward on to his face.

A roar of delight rose from the watching Amawombe, while old Maputa clapped his thin brown hands and

"Thank you, Macumazahn. A very good omen! Now I am sure that, whatever those Isigqosa dogs of

Umbelazi's may do, we King's men shall make an excellent end, which is all that we can hope. Oh, what a

beautiful shot! It will be something to think of when I am an idhlozi, a spiritsnake, crawling about my own

kraal. Farewell, Macumazahn," and he took my hand and pressed it. "The time has come. I go to lead the

charge. The Amawombe have orders to defend you to the last, for I wish you to see the finish of this fight.

I never saw him again alive, though I think that once in after years I did meet his idhlozi in his kraal under

As for me, having reloaded, I mounted my horse again, being afraid lest, if I went on shooting, I should miss

and spoil my reputation. Besides, what was the use of killing more men unless I was obliged? There were

Another minute, and the regiment in front of us began to move, while the other two behind it ostentatiously

sat themselves down in their ranks, to show that they did not mean to spoil sport. The fight was to begin with

"Aye," answered another, "those little boys" (used as a term of contempt) "are going to learn their last

For a few seconds there was silence, while the long ranks leant forward between the hedges of lean and cruel

spears. A whisper went down the line; it sounded like the noise of wind among trees, and was the signal to

prepare. Next a faroff voice shouted some word, which was repeated again and again by other voices before

and behind me. I became aware that we were moving, quite slowly at first, then more quickly. Being lifted

above the ranks upon my horse I could see the whole advance, and the general aspect of it was that of a triple

black wave, each wave crowned with foamthe white plumes and shields of the Amawombe were the

We were charging nowand oh! the awful and glorious excitement of that charge! Oh, the rush of the

bending plumes and the dull thudding of eight thousand feet! The Usutu came up the slope to meet us. In

silence we went, and in silence they came. We drew near to each other. Now we could see their faces peering

over the tops of their mottled shields, and now we could see their fierce and rolling eyes.

Then a roara rolling roar such as at that time I had never heard: the thunder of the roar of the meeting

shieldsand a flasha swift, simultaneous flash, the flash of the lightning of the stabbing spears. Up went

After that, what happened? Heaven knows aloneor at least I do not. But in later years Mr. Osborn,

afterwards the resident magistrate at Newcastle, in Natal, who, being young and foolish in those days, had

swum his horse over the Tugela and hidden in a little kopje quite near to us in order to see the battle, told me

that it looked as though some huge breakerthat breaker being the splendid Amawomberolling in

towards the shore with the weight of the ocean behind it, had suddenly struck a ridge of rock and, rearing

At least, within three minutes that Usutu regiment was no more. We had killed them every one, and from all

along our lines rose a fierce hissing sound of "S'gee, S'gee" ("Zhi" in the Zulu) uttered as the spears went

That regiment had gone, taking nearly a third of our number with it, for in such a battle as this the wounded

were as good as dead. Practically our first line had vanished in a fray that did not last more than a few

minutes. Before it was well over the second Usutu regiment sprang up and charged. With a yell of victory we

rushed down the slope towards them. Again there was the roar of the meeting shields, but this time the fight

was more prolonged, and, being in the front rank now, I had my share of it. I remember shooting two Usutu

who stabbed at me, after which my gun was wrenched from my hand. I remember the melee swinging

backwards and forwards, the groans of the wounded, the shouts of victory and despair, and then Scowl's

The third regiment was on our shattered lines. We closed up, we fought like devils, even the bearer boys

rushed into the fray. From all sides they poured down upon us, for we had made a ring; every minute men

died by hundreds, and, though their numbers grew few, not one of the Amawombe yielded. I was fighting

with a spear now, though how it came into my hand I cannot remember for certain. I think, however, I

wrenched it from a man who rushed at me and was stabbed before he could strike. I killed a captain with this

spear, for as he fell I recognised his face. It was that of one of Cetewayo's companions to whom I had sold

some cloth at Nodwengu. The fallen were piled up quite thick around mewe were using them as a

breastwork, friend and foe together. I saw Scowl's horse rear into the air and fall. He slipped over its tail, and

next instant was fighting at my side, also with a spear, muttering Dutch and English oaths as he struck.

"Beetje varm! [a little hot] Beetje varm, Baas!" I heard him say. Then my horse screamed aloud and

something hit me hard upon the headI suppose it was a thrown kerryafter which I remember nothing for

I came to myself again, and found that I was still on the horse, which was ambling forward across the veld at

a rate of about eight miles an hour, and that Scowl was clinging to my stirrup leather and running at my side.

He was covered with blood, so was the horse, and so was I. It may have been our own blood, for all three

were more or less wounded, or it may have been that of others; I am sure I do not know, but we were a

terrible sight. I pulled upon the reins, and the horse stopped among some thorns. Scowl felt in the saddlebags

and found a large flask of Hollands gin and waterhalf gin and half waterwhich he had placed there

before the battle. He uncorked and gave it to me. I took a long pull at the stuff, that tasted like veritable

nectar, then handed it to him, who did likewise. New life seemed to flow into my veins. Whatever teetotallers

"All dead by now, I think, Baas, as we should be had not your horse bolted. Wow! but they made a great

fightone that will be told of! They have carried those three regiments away upon their spears."

"To Natal, I hope, Baas. I have had enough of the Zulus for the present. The Tugela is not far away, and we

So we went on, till presently we reached the crest of a rise of ground overlooking the river, and there saw and

heard dreadful things, for beneath us those devilish Usutu were massacring the fugitives and the

campfollowers. These were being driven by the hundred to the edge of the water, there to perish on the

"Keep up stream," I said shortly, and we struggled across a kind of donga, where only a few wounded men

were hidden, into a somewhat denser patch of bush that had scarcely been entered by the flying Isigqosa,

perhaps because here the banks of the river were very steep and difficult; also, between them its waters ran

For a while we went on in safety, then suddenly I heard a noise. A great man plunged past me, breaking

through the bush like a buffalo, and came to a halt upon a rock which overhung the Tugela, for the floods had

"Umbelazi!" said Scowl, and as he spoke we saw another man following as a wild dog follows a buck.

I rode on. I could not help riding on, although I knew it would be safer to keep away. I reached the edge of

In ordinary circumstances, strong and active as he was, Saduko would have had no chance against the most

powerful Zulu living. But the prince was utterly exhausted; his sides were going like a blacksmith's bellows,

or those of a fat eland bull that has been galloped to a standstill. Moreover, he seemed to me to be distraught

A stab from Saduko's spear, which he partially parried, wounded him slightly on the head, and cut loose the

fillet of his ostrich plume, that same plume which I had seen blown off in the morning, so that it fell to the

ground. Another stab pierced his right arm, making it helpless. He snatched the assegai with his left hand,

"Aye, Macumazahn," he answered in an icy voice, "sometimes when it is starving and that fullfed master

has snatched away its bone. Nay, stand aside, Macumazahn" (for, although I was quite unarmed, I had

"I thank you, White Man, yet do as this snake bids youthis snake that has lived in my kraal and fed out of

my cup. Let him have his fill of vengeance because of the woman who bewitched meyes, because of the

sorceress who has brought me and thousands to the dust. Have you heard, Macumazahn, of the great deed of

this son of Matiwane? Have you heard that all the while he was a traitor in the pay of Cetewayo, and that he

went over, with the regiments of his command, to the Usutu just when the battle hung upon the turn? Come,

Traitor, here is my heartthe heart that loved and trusted you. Strikestrike hard!"

He sprang at me, and, though I put up the best fight that I could in my injured state, got his hands about my

throat and began to choke me. Scowl ran to help me, but his woundfor he was hurtor his utter

exhaustion took effect on him. Or perhaps it was excitement. At any rate, he fell down in a fit. I thought that

all was over, when again I heard Umbelazi's voice, and felt Saduko's grip loosen at my throat, and sat up.

"Dog," said the Prince, "where is your assegai? And as he spoke he threw it from him into the river beneath,

for he had picked it up while we struggled, but, as I noted, retained his own. "Now, dog, why do I not kill

you, as would have been easy but now? I will tell you. Because I will not mix the blood of a traitor with my

own. See!" He set the haft of his broad spear upon the rock and bent forward over the blade. "You and your

witchwife have brought me to nothing, O Saduko. My blood, and the blood of all who clung to me, is on

your head. Your name shall stink for ever in the nostrils of all true men, and I whom you have betrayedI,

the Prince Umbelaziwill haunt you while you live; yes, my spirit shall enter into you, and when you

dieah! then we'll meet again. Tell this tale to the white men, Macumazahn, my friend, on whom be honour

He paused, and I saw the tears gush from his eyestears mingled with blood from the wound in his head.

Then suddenly he uttered the battlecry of "Laba! Laba!" and let his weight fall upon the point of the spear.

It pierced him through and through. He fell on to his hands and knees. He looked up at usoh, the

A heavy splash, and that was the end of Umbelazi the FallenUmbelazi, about whom Mameena had cast her

A sad story in truth. Although it happened so many years ago I weep as I write itI weep as Umbelazi wept.

After this I think that some of the Usutu came up, for it seemed to me that I heard Saduko say:

"Touch not Macumazahn or his servant. They are my prisoners. He who harms them dies, with all his

So they put me, fainting, on my horse, and Scowl they carried away upon a shield.

When I came to I found myself in a little cave, or rather beneath some overhanging rocks, at the side of a

kopje, and with me Scowl, who had recovered from his fit, but seemed in a very bewildered condition.

Indeed, neither then nor afterwards did he remember anything of the death of Umbelazi, nor did I ever tell

him that tale. Like many others, he thought that the Prince had been drowned in trying to swim the Tugela.

"Are they going to kill us?" I asked of him, since, from the triumphant shouting without, I knew that we must

"I don't know, Baas," he answered. "I hope not; after we have gone through so much it would be a pity. Better

I nodded my head in assent, and just at that moment a Zulu, who had very evidently been fighting, entered the

"Cetewayo sends you these, Macumazahn," he said, "and is sorry that there is no milk or beer. When you

"Well," I said to Scowl, "if they were going to kill us, they would scarcely take the trouble to feed us first. So

"Who knows?" answered poor Scowl, as he crammed a lump of beef into his big mouth. "Still, it is better to

So we ate and drank, and, as we were suffering more from exhaustion than from our hurts, which were not

really serious, our strength came back to us. As we finished the last lump of meat, which, although it had

been only half cooked upon the point of an assegai, tasted very good, the Zulu put his head into the mouth of

the shelter and asked if we were ready. I nodded, and, supporting each other, Scowl and I limped from the

place. Outside were about fifty soldiers, who greeted us with a shout that, although it was mixed with

laughter at our pitiable appearance, struck me as not altogether unfriendly. Amongst these men was my horse,

which stood with its head hanging down, looking very depressed. I was helped on to its back, and, Scowl

clinging to the stirrup leather, we were led a distance of about a quarter of a mile to Cetewayo.

We found him seated, in the full blaze of the evening sun, on the eastern slope of one of the landwaves of

the veld, with the open plain in front of him. It was a strange and savage scene. There sat the victorious

prince, surrounded by his captains and indunas, while before him rushed the triumphant regiments, shouting

his titles in the most extravagant language. Izimbongi alsothat is, professional praiserswere running up

and down before him dressed in all sorts of finery, telling his deeds, calling him "EaterupoftheEarth,"

and yelling out the names of those great ones who had been killed in the battle.

Meanwhile parties of bearers were coming up continually, carrying dead men of distinction upon shields and

laying them out in rows, as game is laid out at the end of a day's shooting in England. It seems that Cetewayo

had taken a fancy to see them, and, being too tired to walk over the field of battle, ordered that this should be

done. Among these, by the way, I saw the body of my old friend, Maputa, the general of the Amawombe, and

noted that it was literally riddled with spear thrusts, every one of them in front; also that his quaint face still

At the head of these lines of corpses were laid six dead, all men of large size, in whom I recognised the

brothers of Umbelazi, who had fought on his side, and the halfbrothers of Cetewayo. Among them were

those three princes upon whom the dust had fallen when Zikali, the prophet, smelt out Masapo, the husband

Dismounting from my horse, with the help of Scowl, I limped through and over the corpses of these fallen

royalties, cut in the Zulu fashion to free their spirits, which otherwise, as they believed, would haunt the

"Siyakubona, Macumazahn," he said, stretching out his hand to me, which I took, though I could not find it in

"I hear that you were leading the Amawombe, whom my father, the King, sent down to help Umbelazi, and I

am very glad that you have escaped alive. Also my heart is proud of the fight that they made, for you know,

Macumazahn, once, next to the King, I was general of that regiment, though afterwards we quarrelled. Still, I

am pleased that they did so well, and I have given orders that every one of them who remains alive is to be

spared, that they may be officers of a new Amawombe which I shall raise. Do you know, Macumazahn, that

you have nearly wiped out three whole regiments of the Usutu, killing many more people than did all my

brother's army, the Isigqosa? Oh, you are a great man. Had it not been for the loyalty"this word was

spoken with just a tinge of sarcasm"of Saduko yonder, you would have won the day for Umbelazi. Well,

now that this quarrel is finished, if you will stay with me I will make you general of a whole division of the

"You are mistaken, O Son of Panda," I answered; "the splendour of the Amawombe's great stand against a

multitude is on the name of Maputa, the King's councillor and the induna of the Black One [Chaka], who is

gone. He lies yonder in his glory," and I pointed to Maputa's pierced body. "I did but fight as a soldier in his

"Oh, yes, we know that, we know all that, Macumazahn; and Maputa was a clever monkey in his way, but we

know also that you taught him how to jump. Well, he is dead, and nearly all the Amawombe are dead, and of

my three regiments but a handful is left; the vultures have the rest of them. That is all finished and forgotten,

Macumazahn, though by good fortune the spears went wide of you, who doubtless are a magician, since

otherwise you and your servant and your horse would not have escaped with a few scratches when everyone

else was killed. But you did escape, as you have done before in Zululand; and now you see here lie certain

men who were born of my father. Yet one is missinghe against whom I fought, aye, and he whom,

although we fought, I loved the best of all of them. Now, it has been whispered in my ear that you alone

know what became of him, and, Macumazahn, I would learn whether he lives or is dead; also, if he is dead,

Now, I looked round me, wondering whether I should tell the truth or hold my tongue, and as I looked my

eyes met those of Saduko, who, cold and unconcerned, was seated among the captains, but at a little distance

from any of thema man apart; and I remembered that he and I alone knew the truth of the end of Umbelazi.

Why, I do not know, but it came into my mind that I would keep the secret. Why should I tell the triumphant

Cetewayo that Umbelazi had been driven to die by his own hand; why should I lay bare Saduko's victory and

shame? All these matters had passed into the court of a different tribunal. Who was I that I should reveal

"O Cetewayo," I said, "as it chanced I saw the end of Umbelazi. No enemy killed him. He died of a broken

heart upon a rock above the river; and for the rest of the story go ask the Tugela into which he fell."

"Is it so?" he said presently. "Wow! I say again that had it not been for Saduko, the son of Matiwane, yonder,

who had some quarrel with IndhlovueneSihlonti about a woman and took his chance of vengeance, it

might have been I who died of a broken heart upon a rock above the river. Oh, Saduko, I owe you a great

debt and will pay you well; but you shall be no friend of mine, lest we also should chance to quarrel about a

woman, and I should find myself dying of a broken heart on a rock above a river. O my brother Umbelazi, I

mourn for you, my brother, for, after all, we played together when we were little and loved each other once,

who in the end fought for a toy that is called a throne, since, as our father said, two bulls cannot live in the

same yard, my brother. Well, you are gone and I remain, yet who knows but that at the last your lot may be

happier than mine. You died of a broken heart, Umbelazi, but of what shall I die, I wonder?"*

[*That history of Cetewayo's fall and tragic death and of Zikali's vengeance I hope to write one day, for in

I have given this interview in detail, since it was because of it that the saying went abroad that Umbelazi died

Now, seeing that Cetewayo was in one of his soft moods, and that he seemed to look upon me kindly, though

I had fought against him, I reflected that this would be a good opportunity to ask his leave to depart. To tell

the truth, my nerves were quite shattered with all I had gone through, and I longed to be away from the sights

and sounds of that terrible battlefield, on and about which so many thousand people had perished this fateful

day, as I had seldom longed for anything before. But while I was making up my mind as to the best way to

Hearing a noise behind me, I looked round, to see a stout man arrayed in a very fine war dress, and waving in

one hand a gory spear and in the other a headplume of ostrich feathers, who was shouting out:

"Give me audience of the son of the King! I have a song to sing to the Prince. I have a tale to tell to the

I stared. I rubbed my eyes. It could not beyes, it wasUmbezi, "EaterupofElephants," the father of

Mameena. In a few seconds, without waiting for leave to approach, he had bounded through the line of dead

princes, stopping to kick one of them on the head and address his poor clay in some words of shameful insult,

"Who is this umfokazana?" [that is, low fellow] growled the Prince. "Bid him cease his noise and speak, lest

"O Calf of the Black Cow, I am Umbezi, 'EaterupofElephants,' chief captain of Saduko the Cunning, he

who won you the battle, father of Mameena the Beautiful, whom Saduko wed and whom the dead dog,

"Ah!" said Cetewayo, screwing up his eyes in a fashion he had when he meant mischief, which among the

Zulus caused him to be named the "Bullwhoshutshiseyestotoss, "and what have you to tell me,

'EaterupofElephants' and father of Mameena, whom the dead dog, Umbelazi, took away from your

"This, O Mighty One; this, O Shaker of the Earth, that well am I named 'EaterupofElephants,' who have

Now Saduko seemed to awake from his brooding and started from his place; but Cetewayo sharply bade him

"O Prince, I met Umbelazi in the battle, and when he saw me he fled from me; yes, his heart grew soft as

water at the sight of me, the warrior whom he had wronged, whose daughter he had stolen."

"I hear you," said Cetewayo. "Umbelazi's heart turned to water at the sight of you because he had wronged

youyou who until this morning, when you deserted him with Saduko, were one of his jackals. Well, and

"He fled, O Lion with the Black Mane; he fled like the wind, and I, I flew after him likea stronger wind.

Far into the bush he fled, till at length he came to a rock above the river and was obliged to stand. Then there

we fought. He thrust at me, but I leapt over his spear thus," and he gambolled into the air. "He thrust at me

again, but I bent myself thus," and he ducked his great head. "Then he grew tired and my time came. He

turned and ran round the rock, and I, I ran after him, stabbing him through the back, thus, and thus, and thus,

till he fell, crying for mercy, and rolled off the rock into the river; and as he rolled I snatched away his plume.

Cetewayo took the ornament and examined it, showing it to one or two of the captains near him, who nodded

"Yes," he said, "this is the war plume of Umbelazi, beloved of the King, strong and shining pillar of the Great

House; we know it well, that war plume at the sight of which many a knee has loosened. And so you killed

him, 'EaterupofElephants,' father of Mameena, you who this morning were one of the meanest of his

"A great reward, O Terrible One," began Umbezi, but in an awful voice Cetewayo bade him be silent.

"Yes," he said, "a great reward. Hearken, Jackal and Traitor. Your own words bear witness against you. You,

you have dared to lift your hand against the bloodroyal, and with your foul tongue to heap lies and insults

Now, understanding at last, Umbezi began to babble excuses, yes, and to declare that all his tale was false.

But Cetewayo only spat towards the man, after his fashion when enraged, and looked round him till his eye

"Saduko," he said, "take away this slayer of the Prince, who boasts that he is red with my own blood, and

when he is dead cast him into the river from that rock on which he says he stabbed Panda's son."

"Take him away," thundered Cetewayo, "and return ere dark to make report to me."

Then, at a sign from the Prince, soldiers flung themselves upon the miserable Umbezi and dragged him

thence, Saduko going with them; nor was the poor liar ever seen again. As he passed by me he called to me,

for Mameena's sake, to save him; but I could only shake my head and bethink me of the warning I had once

It may be said that this story comes straight from the history of Saul and David, but I can only answer that it

happened. Circumstances that were not unlike ended in a similar tragedy, that is all. What David's exact

motives were, naturally I cannot tell; but it is easy to guess those of Cetewayo, who, although he could make

war upon his brother to secure the throne, did not think it wise to let it go abroad that the royal blood might

be lightly spilt. Also, knowing that I was a witness of the Prince's death, he was well aware that Umbezi was

but a boastful liar who hoped thus to ingratiate himself with an allpowerful conqueror.

Well, this tragic incident had its sequel. It seemsto his honour, be it saidthat Saduko refused to be the

executioner of his fatherinlaw, Umbezi; so those with him performed this office and brought him back a

When the Prince learned that his direct order, spoken in the accustomed and fearful formula of "Take him

away," had been disobeyed, his rage was, or seemed to be, great. My own conviction is that he was only

seeking a cause of quarrel against Saduko, who, he thought, was a very powerful man, who would probably

treat him, should opportunity arise, as he had treated Umbelazi, and perhaps now that the most of Panda's

sons were dead, except himself and the lads M'tonga, Sikota and M'kungo, who had fled into Natal, might

even in future days aspire to the throne as the husband of the King's daughter. Still, he was afraid or did not

think it politic at once to put out of his path this master of many legions, who had played so important a part

in the battle. Therefore he ordered him to be kept under guard and taken back to Nodwengu, that the whole

matter might be investigated by Panda the King, who still ruled the land, though henceforth only in name.

Also he refused to allow me to depart into Natal, saying that I, too, must come to Nodwengu, as there my

So, having no choice, I went, it being fated that I should see the end of the drama.

When I reached Nodwengu I was taken ill and laid up in my wagon for about a fortnight. What my exact

sickness was I do not know, for I had no doctor at hand to tell me, as even the missionaries had fled the

country. Fever resulting from fatigue, exposure and excitement, and complicated with fearful

headachecaused, I presume, by the blow which I received in the battlewere its principal symptoms.

When I began to get better, Scowl and some Zulu friends who came to see me informed me that the whole

land was in a fearful state of disorder, and that Umbelazi's adherents, the Isigqosa, were still being hunted out

and killed. It seems that it was even suggested by some of the Usutu that I should share their fate, but on this

point Panda was firm. Indeed, he appears to have said publicly that whoever lifted a spear against me, his

friend and guest, lifted it against him, and would be the cause of a new war. So the Usutu left me alone,

perhaps because they were satisfied with fighting for a while, and thought it wisest to be content with what

Indeed, they had won everything, for Cetewayo was now supremeby right of the assegaiand his father

but a cipher. Although he remained the "Head" of the nation, Cetewayo was publicly declared to be its

"Feet," and strength was in these active "Feet," not in the bowed and sleeping "Head." In fact, so little power

was left to Panda that he could not protect his own household. Thus one day I heard a great tumult and

shouting proceeding apparently from the Isigodhlo, or royal enclosure, and on inquiring what it was

afterwards, was told that Cetewayo had come from the Amangwe kraal and denounced Nomantshali, the

King's wife, as "umtakati", or a witch. More, in spite of his father's prayers and tears, he had caused her to be

put to death before his eyesa dreadful and a savage deed. At this distance of time I cannot remember

whether Nomantshali was the mother of Umbelazi or of one of the other fallen princes.*

[*On rereading this history it comes back to me that she was the mother of M'tonga, who was much

A few days later, when I was up and about again, although I had not ventured into the kraal, Panda sent a

messenger to me with a present of an ox. On his behalf this man congratulated me on my recovery, and told

me that, whatever might have happened to others, I was to have no fear for my own safety. He added that

Cetewayo had sworn to the King that not a hair of my head should be harmed, in these words:

"Had I wished to kill WatcherbyNight because he fought against me, I could have done so down at

Endondakusuka; but then I ought to kill you also, my father, since you sent him thither against his will with

your own regiment. But I like him well, who is brave and who brought me good tidings that the Prince, my

enemy, was dead of a broken heart. Moreover, I wish to have no quarrel with the White House [the English]

The messenger said further that Saduko, the husband of the King's daughter, Nandie, and Umbelazi's chief

induna, was to be put upon his trial on the morrow before the King and his council, together with Mameena,

I asked what was the charge against them. He replied that, so far as Saduko was concerned, there were two:

first, that he had stirred up civil war in the land, and, secondly, that having pushed on Umbelazi into a fight in

which many thousands perished, he had played the traitor, deserting him in the midst of the battle, with all his

followinga very heinous offence in the eyes of Zulus, to whatever party they may belong.

Against Mameena there were three counts of indictment. First, that it was she who had poisoned Saduko's

child and others, not Masapo, her first husband, who had suffered for that crime. Secondly, that she had

deserted Saduko, her second husband, and gone to live with another man, namely, the late Prince Umbelazi.

Thirdly, that she was a witch, who had enmeshed Umbelazi in the web of her sorceries and thereby caused

him to aspire to the succession to the throne, to which he had no right, and made the isililo, or cry of

"With three such pitfalls in her narrow path, Mameena will have to walk carefully if she would escape them

"Yes, Inkoosi, especially as the pitfalls are dug from side to side of the path and have a pointed stake set at

the bottom of each of them. Oh, Mameena is already as good as dead, as she deserves to be, who without

I sighed, for somehow I was sorry for Mameena, though why she should escape when so many better people

"The Black One [that is, Panda] sent me to tell Saduko that he would be allowed to see you, Macumazahn,

before the trial, if he wished, for he knew that you had, been a friend of his, and thought that you might be

"He said that he thanked the King, but that it was not needful for him to talk with Macumazahn, whose heart

was white like his skin, and whose lips, if they spoke at all, would tell neither more nor less than the truth.

The Princess Nandie, who is with himfor she will not leave him in his trouble, as all others have doneon

hearing these words of Saduko's, said that they were true, and that for this reason, although you were her

Upon this intimation I made no comment, but "my head thought," as the natives say, that Saduko's real reason

for not wishing to see me was that he felt ashamed to do so, and Nandie's that she feared to learn more about

"With Mameena it is otherwise," went on the messenger, "for as soon as she was brought here with Zikali the

Little and Wise, with whom, it seems, she has been sheltering, and learned that you, Macumazahn, were at

"And is it granted?" I broke in hurriedly, for I did not at all wish for a private interview with Mameena.

"Nay, have no fear, Inkoosi," replied the messenger with a smile; "it is refused, because the King said that if

once she saw you she would bewitch you and bring trouble on you, as she does on all men. It is for this

reason that she is guarded by women only, no man being allowed to go near to her, for on women her

witcheries will not bite. Still, they say that she is merry, and laughs and sings a great deal, declaring that her

life has been dull up at old Zikali's, and that now she is going to a place as gay as the veld in spring, after the

first warm rain, where there will be plenty of men to quarrel for her and make her great and happy. That is

Then, as I made no remarks or suggestions, the messenger departed, saying that he would return on the

Next morning, after the cows had been milked and the cattle loosed from their kraals, he came accordingly,

with a guard of about thirty men, all of them soldiers who had survived the great fight of the Amawombe.

These warriors, some of whom had wounds that were scarcely healed, saluted me with loud cries of

"Inkoosi!" and "Baba" as I stepped out of the wagon, where I had spent a wretched night of unpleasant

anticipation, showing me that there were at least some Zulus with whom I remained popular. Indeed, their

delight at seeing me, whom they looked upon as a comrade and one of the few survivors of the great

adventure, was quite touching. As we went, which we did slowly, their captain told me of their fears that I

had been killed with the others, and how rejoiced they were when they learned that I was safe. He told me

also that, after the third regiment had attacked them and broken up their ring, a small body of them, from

eighty to a hundred only, managed to cut a way through and escape, running, not towards the Tugela, where

so many thousands had perished, but up to Nodwengu, where they reported themselves to Panda as the only

"Oh, yes," he answered. "You see, we were the King's men, not Umbelazi's, so Cetewayo bears us no grudge.

Indeed, he is obliged to us, because we gave the Usutu their stomachs full of good fighting, which is more

than did those cows of Umbelazi's. It is towards Saduko that he bears a grudge, for you know, my father, one

should never pull a drowning man out of the streamwhich is what Saduko did, for had it not been for his

treachery, Cetewayo would have sunk beneath the water of Deathespecially if it is only to spite a woman

who hates him. Still, perhaps Saduko will escape with his life, because he is Nandie's husband, and Cetewayo

fears Nandie, his sister, if he does not love her. But here we are, and those who have to watch the sky all day

will be able to tell of the evening weather" (in other words, those who live will learn).

As he spoke we passed into the private enclosure of the isigohlo, outside of which a great many people were

gathered, shouting, talking and quarrelling, for in those days all the usual discipline of the Great Place was

relaxed. Within the fence, however, that was strongly guarded on its exterior side, were only about a score of

councillors, the King, the Prince Cetewayo, who sat upon his right, the Princess Nandie, Saduko's wife, a few

attendants, two great, silent fellows armed with clubs, whom I guessed to be executioners, and, seated in the

shade in a corner, that ancient dwarf, Zikali, though how he came to be there I did not know.

Obviously the trial was to be quite a private affair, which accounted for the unusual presence of the two

"slayers." Even my Amawombe guard was left outside the gate, although I was significantly informed that if I

chose to call upon them they would hear me, which was another way of saying that in such a small gathering

Walking forward boldly towards Panda, who, though he was as fat as ever, looked very worn and much older

than when I had last seen him, I made my bow, whereon he took my hand and asked after my health. Then I

shook Cetewayo's hand also, as I saw that it was stretched out to me. He seized the opportunity to remark that

he was told that I had suffered a knock on the head in some scrimmage down by the Tugela, and he hoped

that I felt no ill effects. I answered: No, though I feared that there were a few others who had not been so

fortunate, especially those who had stumbled against the Amawombe regiment, with whom I chanced to be

It was a bold speech to make, but I was determined to give him a quid pro quo, and, as a matter of fact, he

After this I saluted such of the councillors present as I knew, which was not many, for most of my old friends

were dead, and sat down upon the stool that was placed for me not very far from the dwarf Zikali, who stared

There followed a pause. Then, at some sign from Panda, a side gate in the fence was opened, and through it

appeared Saduko, who walked proudly to the space in front of the King, to whom he gave the salute of

"Bayete," and, at a sign, sat himself down upon the ground. Next, through the same gate, to which she was

conducted by some women, came Mameena, quite unchanged and, I think, more beautiful than she had ever

been. So lovely did she look, indeed, in her cloak of grey fur, her necklet of blue beads, and the gleaming

rings of copper which she wore upon her wrists and ankles, that every eye was fixed upon her as she glided

This done, she turned and saw Nandie, to whom she also bowed, as she did so inquiring after the health of her

child. Without waiting for an answer, which she knew would not be vouchsafed, she advanced to me and

grasped my hand, which she pressed warmly, saying how glad she was to see me safe after going through so

Only of Saduko, who was watching her with his intent and melancholy eyes, she took no heed whatsoever.

Indeed, for a while I thought that she could not have seen him. Nor did she appear to recognise Cetewayo,

although he stared at her hard enough. But, as her glance fell upon the two executioners, I thought I saw her

shudder like a shaken reed. Then she sat down in the place appointed to her, and the trial began.

The case of Saduko was taken first. An officer learned in Zulu lawwhich I can assure the reader is a very

intricate and wellestablished lawI suppose that he might be called a kind of attorneygeneral, rose and

stated the case against the prisoner. He told how Saduko, from a nobody, had been lifted to a great place by

the King and given his daughter, the Princess Nandie, in marriage. Then he alleged that, as would be proved

in evidence, the said Saduko had urged on Umbelazi the Prince, to whose party he had attached himself, to

make war upon Cetewayo. This war having begun, at the great battle of Endondakusuka, he had treacherously

deserted Umbelazi, together with three regiments under his command, and gone over to Cetewayo, thereby

This brief statement of the case for the prosecution being finished, Panda asked Saduko whether he pleaded

"Nothing, O King, except that I was Umbelazi's man, and when you, O King, had given the word that he and

the Prince yonder might fight, I, like many others, some of whom are dead and some alive, worked for him

"Because I saw that the Prince Cetewayo was the stronger bull and wished to be on the winning side, as all

Now, everyone present stared, not excepting Cetewayo. Panda, who, like the rest of us, had heard a very

different tale, looked extremely puzzled, while Zikali, in his corner, set up one of his great laughs.

After a long pause, at length the King, as supreme judge, began to pass sentence. At least, I suppose that was

"My Father, ere you speak that which cannot be unspoken, hear me. It is well known that Saduko, my

husband, was my brother Umbelazi's general and councillor, and if he is to be killed for clinging to the

Prince, then I should be killed also, and countless others in Zululand who still remain alive because they were

not in or escaped the battle. It is well known also, my Father, that during that battle Saduko went over to my

brother Cetewayo, though whether this brought about the defeat of Umbelazi I cannot say. Why did he go

over? He tells you because he wished to be on the winning side. It is not true. He went over in order to be

revenged upon Umbelazi, who had taken from him yonder witch"and she pointed with her finger at

Mameena"yonder witch, whom he loved and still loves, and whom even now he would shield, even though

to do so he must make his own name shameful. Saduko sinned; I do not deny it, my Father, but there sits the

real traitress, red with the blood of Umbelazi and with that of thousands of others who have 'tshonile'd' [gone

down to keep him company among the ghosts]. Therefore, O King, I beseech you, spare the life of Saduko,

my husband, or, if he must die, learn that I, your daughter, will die with him. I have spoken, O King."

And very proudly and quietly she sat herself down again, waiting for the fateful words.

But those words were not spoken, since Panda only said: "Let us try the case of this woman, Mameena."

Thereon the law officer rose again and set out the charges against Mameena, namely, that it was she who had

poisoned Saduko's child, and not Masapo; that, after marrying Saduko, she had deserted him and gone to live

with the Prince Umbelazi; and that finally she had bewitched the said Umbelazi and caused him to make civil

"The second charge, if proved, namely, that this woman deserted her husband for another man, is a crime of

death," broke in Panda abruptly as the officer finished speaking; "therefore, what need is there to hear the

first and the third until that is examined. What do you plead to that charge, woman?"

Now, understanding that the King did not wish to stir up these other matters of murder and witchcraft for

"O King," she said in her low, silvery voice, "I cannot deny that I left Saduko for Umbelazi the Handsome,

any more than Saduko can deny that he left Umbelazi the beaten for Cetewayo the conqueror."

"O King, perhaps because I loved Umbelazi; for was he not called the Handsome? Also you know that the

Prince, your son, was one to be loved." Here she paused, looking at poor Panda, who winced. "Or, perhaps,

because I wished to be great; for was he not of the Blood Royal, and, had it not been for Saduko, would he

not one day have been a king? Or, perhaps, because I could no longer bear the treatment that the Princess

Nandie dealt out to me; she who was cruel to me and threatened to beat me, because Saduko loved my hut

better than her own. Ask Saduko; he knows more of these matters than I do," and she gazed at him steadily.

Then she went on: "How can a woman tell her reasons, O King, when she never knows them herself?"a

"Hear me, O King, and I will give the reason that Mameena hides. She left me for Umbelazi because I bade

her to do so, for I knew that Umbelazi desired her, and I wished to tie the cord tighter which bound me to one

who at that time I thought would inherit the Throne. Also, I was weary of Mameena, who quarrelled night

"Yes, O King, those were the two real reasons that I had forgotten. I left Saduko because he bade me, as he

wished to make a present to the Prince. Also, he was tired of me; for many days at a time he would scarcely

speak to me, because, however kind she might be, I could not help quarrelling with the Princess Nandie.

Moreover, there was another reason which I have forgotten: I had no child, and not having any child I did not

think it mattered whether I went or stayed. If Saduko searches, he will remember that I told him so, and that

"Yes, yes, I told her so; I told her that I wished for no barren cows in my kraal."

"It seems," he said, "that my ears are being stuffed with lies, though which of these two tells them I cannot

say. Well, if the woman left the man by his own wish, and that his ends might be furthered, as he says, he had

put her away, and therefore the fault, if any, is his, not hers. So that charge is ended. Now, woman, what have

you to tell us of the witchcraft which it is said you practised upon the Prince who is gone, thereby causing

"Little that you would wish to hear, O King, or that it would be seemly for me to speak," she answered,

drooping her head modestly. "The only witchcraft that ever I practised upon Umbelazi lies here"and she

touched her beautiful eyes"and here"and she touched her curving lips"and in this poor shape of mine

which some have thought so fair. As for the war, what had I to do with war, who never spoke to Umbelazi,

who was so dear to me"and she looked up with tears running down her face"save of love? O King, is

there a man among you all who would fear the witcheries of such a one as I; and because the Heavens made

me beautiful with the beauty that men must follow, am I also to be killed as a sorceress?"

Now, to this argument neither Panda nor anyone else seemed to find an answer, especially as it was well

known that Umbelazi had cherished his ambition to the succession long before he met Mameena. So that

charge was dropped, and the first and greatest of the three proceeded with; namely, that it was she, Mameena,

When this accusation was made against her, for the first time I saw a little shade of trouble flit across

"Surely, O King," she said, "that matter was settled long ago, when the Ndwande, Zikali, the great Nyanga,

smelt out Masapo the wizard, he who was my husband, and brought him to his death for this crime. Must I

"Not so, woman," answered Panda. "All that Zikali smelt out was the poison that wrought the crime, and as

some of that poison was found upon Masapo, he was killed as a wizard. Yet it may be that it was not he who

"Then surely the King should have thought of that before he died," murmured Mameena. "But I forget: It is

To this remark Panda made no answer, perhaps because it was unanswerable, even in a land where it was

customary to kill the supposed wizard first and inquire as to his actual guilt afterwards, or not at all. Or

perhaps he thought it politic to ignore the suggestion that he had been inspired by personal enmity. Only, he

The man went, and presently returned with an elderly female who, it appeared, had been Nandie's nurse, and,

never having married, owing to some physical defect, had always remained in her service, a person well

"Nahana," said Nandie, "you are brought here that you may repeat to the King and his council a tale which

you told to me as to the coming of a certain woman into my hut before the death of my firstborn son, and

"Aye, Inkosazana," answered Nahana, "yonder she sits. Who could mistake her?" and she pointed to

Mameena, who was listening to every word intently, as a dog listens at the mouth of an antbear hole when

"Only this, O King. Two nights before the child that is dead was taken ill, I saw Mameena creep into the hut

of the lady Nandie, I who was asleep alone in a corner of the big hut out of reach of the light of the fire. At

the time the lady Nandie was away from the hut with her son. Knowing the woman for Mameena, the wife of

Masapo, who was on friendly terms with the Inkosazana, whom I supposed she had come to visit, I did not

declare myself; nor did I take any particular note when I saw her sprinkle a little mat upon which the babe,

Saduko's son, was wont to be laid, with some medicine, because I had heard her promise to the Inkosazana a

powder which she said would drive away insects. Only, when I saw her throw some of this powder into the

vessel of warm water that stood by the fire, to be used for the washing of the child, and place something,

muttering certain words that I could not catch, in the straw of the doorway, I thought it strange, and was about

to question her when she left the hut. As it happened, O King, but a little while afterwards, before one could

count ten tens indeed, a messenger came to the hut to tell me that my old mother lay dying at her kraal four

days' journey from Nodwengu, and prayed to see me before she died. Then I forgot all about Mameena and

the powder, and, running out to seek the Princess Nandie, I craved her leave to go with the messenger to my

mother's kraal, which she granted to me, saying that I need not return until my mother was buried.

"So I went. But, oh! my mother took long to die. Whole moons passed before I shut her eyes, and all this

while she would not let me go; nor, indeed, did I wish to leave her whom I loved. At length it was over, and

then came the days of mourning, and after those some more days of rest, and after them again the days of the

division of the cattle, so that in the end six moons or more had gone by before I returned to the service of the

Princess Nandie, and found that Mameena was now the second wife of the lord Saduko. Also I found that the

child of the lady Nandie was dead, and that Masapo, the first husband of Mameena, had been smelt out and

killed as the murderer of the child. But as all these things were over and done with, and as Mameena was very

kind to me, giving me gifts and sparing me tasks, and as I saw that Saduko my lord loved her much, it never

came into my head to say anything of the matter of the powder that I saw her sprinkle on the mat.

"After she had run away with the Prince who is dead, however, I did tell the lady Nandie. Moreover, the lady

Nandie, in my presence, searched in the straw of the doorway of the hut and found there, wrapped in soft

hide, certain medicines such as the Nyangas sell, wherewith those who consult them can bewitch their

enemies, or cause those whom they desire to love them or to hate their wives or husbands. That is all I know

"Do my ears hear a true tale, Nandie?" asked Panda. "Or is this woman a liar like others?"

"I think not, my Father; see, here is the muti [medicine] which Nahana and I found hid in the doorway of the

And she laid on the ground a little leather bag, very neatly sewn with sinews, and fastened round its neck

Panda directed one of the councillors to open the bag, which the man did unwillingly enough, since evidently

he feared its evil influence, pouring out its contents on to the back of a hide shield, which was then carried

round so that we might all look at them. These, so far as I could see, consisted of some withered roots, a

small piece of human thigh bone, such as might have come from the skeleton of an infant, that had a little

"Come hither, Zikali the Old, you who are skilled in magic, and tell us what is this medicine."

Then Zikali rose from the corner where he had been sitting so silently, and waddled heavily across the open

space to where the shield lay in front of the King. As he passed Mameena, she bent down over the dwarf and

began to whisper to him swiftly; but he placed his hands upon his big head, covering up his ears, as I

"Much, it seems, O OpenerofRoads," said Panda sternly, "seeing that you were the doctor who smelt out

Masapo, and that it was in your kraal that yonder woman hid herself while her lover, the Prince, my son, who

is dead, went down to the battle, and that she was brought thence with you. Tell us, now, the nature of this

muti, and, being wise, as you are, be careful to tell us truly, lest it should be said, O Zikali, that you are not a

Nyanga only, but an umtakati as well. For then," he added with meaning, and choosing his words carefully,

"perchance, O Zikali, I might be tempted to make trial of whether or no it is true that you cannot be killed like

other men, especially as I have heard of late that your heart is evil towards me and my House."

For a moment Zikali hesitatedI think to give his quick brain time to work, for he saw his great danger.

"Oho! the King thinks that the otter is in the trap," and he glanced at the fence of the isigohlo and at the

fierce executioners, who stood watching him sternly. "Well, many times before has this otter seemed to be in

a trap, yes, ere your father saw light, O Son of Senzangakona, and after it also. Yet here he stands living.

Make no trial, O King, of whether or no I be mortal, lest if Death should come to such a one as I, he should

take many others with him also. Have you not heard the saying that when the OpenerofRoads comes to the

end of his road there will be no more a King of the Zulus, as when he began his road there was no King of the

"Remember," he went on, "that the Black One who is 'gone down' long ago, the Wild Beast who fathered the

Zulu herd, threatened him whom he named the 'Thingthatshouldnothavebeenborn,' aye, and slew

those whom he loved, and afterwards was slain by others, who also are 'gone down,' and that you alone, O

Panda, did not threaten him, and that you alone, O Panda, have not been slain. Now, if you would make trial

of whether I die as other men die, bid your dogs fall on, for Zikali is ready," and he folded his arms and

Indeed, all of us waited breathlessly, for we understood that the terrible dwarf was matching himself against

Panda and Cetewayo and defying them both. Presently it became obvious that he had won the game, since

"Why should I slay one whom I have befriended in the past, and why do you speak such heavy words of

death in my ears, O, Zikali the Wise, which of late have heard so much of death?" He sighed, adding: "Be

pleased now, to tell us of this medicine, or, if you will not, go, and I will send for other Nyangas."

"Why should I not tell you, when you ask me softly and without threats, O King? See"and Zikali took up

some of the twisted roots"these are the roots of a certain poisonous herb that blooms at night on the tops of

mountains, and woe be to the ox that eats thereof. They have been boiled in gall and blood, and ill will befall

the hut in which they are hidden by one who can speak the words of power. This is the bone of a babe that

has never lived to cut its teethI think of a babe that was left to die alone in the bush because it was hated,

or because none would father it. Such a bone has strength to work ill against other babes; moreover, it is

filled with a charmed medicine. Look!" and, pulling out the plug of wood, he scattered some grey powder

from the bone, then stopped it up again. "This," he added, picking up the fang, "is the tooth of a deadly

serpent, that, after it has been doctored, is used by women to change the heart of a man from another to

"Stay!" said the King. "Who set these foul charms in the doorway of Saduko's hut?"

"How can I tell, O King, unless I make preparation and cast the bones and smell out the evildoer? You have

heard the story of the woman Nahana. Accept it or reject it as your heart tells you."

"If that story be true, O Zikali, how comes it that you yourself smelt out, not Mameena, the wife of Masapo,

but Masapo, her husband, himself, and caused him to be slain because of the poisoning of the child of

"You err, O King. I, Zikali, smelt out the House of Masapo. Then I smelt out the poison, searching for it first

in the hair of Mameena, and finding it in the kaross of Masapo. I never smelt out that it was Masapo who

gave the poison. That was the judgment of you and of your Council, O King. Nay, I knew well that there was

more in the matter, and had you paid me another fee and bade me to continue to use my wisdom, without

doubt I should have found this magic stuff hidden in the hut, and mayhap have learned the name of the hider.

But I was weary, who am very old; and what was it to me if you chose to kill Masapo or chose to let him go?

Masapo, who, being your secret enemy, was a man who deserved to dieif not for this matter, then for

Now, all this while I had been watching Mameena, who sat, in the Zulu fashion, listening to this deadly

evidence, a slight smile upon her face, and without attempting any interruption or comment. Only I saw that

while Zikali was examining the medicine, her eyes were seeking the eyes of Saduko, who remained in his

place, also silent, and, to all appearance, the least interested of anyone present. He tried to avoid her glance,

turning his head uneasily; but at length her eyes caught his and held them. Then his heart began to beat

quickly, his breast heaved, and on his face there grew a look of dreamy content, even of happiness. From that

moment forward, till the end of the scene, Saduko never took his eyes off this strange woman, though I think

that, with the exception of the dwarf, Zikali, who saw everything, and of myself, who am trained to

The King began to speak. "Mameena," he said, "you have heard. Have you aught to say? For if not it would

"Yea, a little word, O King," she answered quietly. "Nahana speaks truth. It is true that I entered the hut of

Nandie and set the medicine there. I say it because by nature I am not one who hides the truth or would

attempt to throw discredit even upon a humble servingwoman," and she glanced at Nahana.

"Not altogether, O King. I have said that I set the medicine in the hut. I have not said, and I will not say, how

and why I set it there. That tale I call upon Saduko yonder to tell to you, he who was my husband, that I left

for Umbelazi, and who, being a man, must therefore hate me. By the words he says I will abide. If he declares

that I am guilty, then I am guilty, and prepared to pay the price of guilt. But if he declares that I am innocent,

then, O King and O Prince Cetewayo, without fear I trust myself to your justness. Now speak, O Saduko;

"And mine also," added Cetewayo, who, I could see, like everyone else, was much interested in this matter.

Saduko rose to his feet, the same Saduko that I had always known, and yet so changed. All the life and fire

had gone from him; his pride in himself was no more; none could have known him for that ambitious,

confident man who, in his day of power, the Zulus named the "SelfEater." He was a mere mask of the old

Saduko, informed by some new, some alien, spirit. With dull, lacklustre eyes fixed always upon the lovely

"It is true, O Lion," he said, "that Mameena spread the poison upon my child's mat. It is true that she set the

deadly charms in the doorway of Nandie's hut. These things she did, not knowing what she did, and it was I

who instructed her to do them. This is the case. From the beginning I have always loved Mameena as I have

loved no other woman and as no other woman was ever loved. But while I was away with Macumazahn, who

sits yonder, to destroy Bangu, chief of the Amakoba, he who had killed my father, Umbezi, the father of

Mameena, he whom the Prince Cetewayo gave to the vultures the other day because he had lied as to the

death of Umbelazi, he, I say, forced Mameena, against her will, to marry Masapo the Boar, who afterwards

was executed for wizardry. Now, here at your feast, when you reviewed the people of the Zulus, O King,

after you had given me the lady Nandie as wife, Mameena and I met again and loved each other more than

we had ever done before. But, being an upright woman, Mameena thrust me away from her, saying:

"'I have a husband, who, if he is not dear to me, still is my husband, and while he lives to him I will be true.'

Then, O King, I took counsel with the evil in my heart, and made a plot in myself to be rid of the Boar,

Masapo, so that when he was dead I might marry Mameena. This was the plot that I madethat my son and

Princess Nandie's should be poisoned, and that Masapo should seem to poison him, so that he might be killed

Now, at this astounding statement, which was something beyond the experience of the most cunning and

cruel savage present there, a gasp of astonishment went up from the audience; even old Zikali lifted his head

and stared. Nandie, too, shaken out of her usual calm, rose as though to speak; then, looking first at Saduko

and next at Mameena, sat herself down again and waited. But Saduko went on again in the same cold,

"I gave Mameena a powder which I had bought for two heifers from a great doctor who lived beyond the

Tugela, but who is now dead, which powder I told her was desired by Nandie, my Inkosikazi, to destroy the

little beetles than ran about the hut, and directed her where she was to spread it. Also, I gave her the bag of

medicine, telling her to thrust it into the doorway of the hut, that it might bring a blessing upon my House.

These things she did ignorantly to please me, not knowing that the powder was poison, not knowing that the

medicine was bewitched. So my child died, as I wished it to die, and, indeed, I myself fell sick because by

"Afterwards Masapo was smelt out as a wizard by old Zikali, I having caused a bag of the poison to be sewn

in his kaross in order to deceive Zikali, and killed by your order, O King, and Mameena was given to me as a

wife, also by your order, O King, which was what I desired. Later on, as I have told you, I wearied of her, and

wishing to please the Prince who has wandered away, I commanded her to yield herself to him, which

Mameena did out of her love for me and to advance my fortunes, she who is blameless in all things."

Saduko finished speaking and sat down again, as an automaton might do when a wire is pulled, his

"You have heard, O King," said Mameena. "Now pass judgment, knowing that, if it be your will, I am ready

"Take him away!" he said, pointing to Saduko. "Take away that dog who is not fit to live, a dog who eats his

own child that thereby he may cause another to be slain unjustly and steal his wife."

The executioners leapt forward, and, having something to say, for I could bear this business no longer, I

"O King," he said, "it seems that you have killed one man unjustly on this matter, namely, Masapo. Would

"What do you mean?" asked Panda angrily. "Have you not heard this low fellow, whom I made great, giving

him the rule over tribes and my daughter in marriage, confess with his own lips that he murdered his child,

the child of my blood, in order that he might eat a fruit which grew by the roadside for all men to nibble at?"

"Aye, Child of Senzangakona," answered Zikali, "I heard Saduko say this with his own lips, but the voice that

spoke from the lips was not the voice of Saduko, as, were you a skilled Nyanga like me, you would have

known as well as I do, and as well as does the white man, WatcherbyNight, who is a reader of hearts.

"Hearken now, O King, and you great ones around the King, and I will tell you a story. Matiwane, the father

of Saduko, was my friend, as he was yours, O King, and when Bangu slew him and his people, by leave of

the Wild Beast [Chaka], I saved the child, his son, aye, and brought him up in my own House, having learned

to love him. Then, when he became a man, I, the OpenerofRoads, showed him two roads, down either of

which he might choose to walkthe Road of Wisdom and the Road of War and Women: the white road that

runs through peace to knowledge, and the red road that runs through blood to death.

"But already there stood one upon this red road who beckoned him, she who sits yonder, and he followed

after her, as I knew he would. From the beginning she was false to him, taking a richer man for her husband.

Then, when Saduko grew great, she grew sorry, and came to ask my counsel as to how she might be rid of

Masapo, whom she swore she hated. I told her that she could leave him for another man, or wait till her Spirit

moved him from her path; but I never put evil into her heart, seeing that it was there already.

"Then she and no other, having first made Saduko love her more than ever, murdered the child of Nandie, his

Inkosikazi; and so brought about the death of Masapo and crept into Saduko's arms. Here she slept a while,

till a new shadow fell upon her, that of the 'Elephantwiththetuftofhair,' who will walk the woods no

more. Him she beguiled that she might grow great the quicker, and left the house of Saduko, taking his heart

"Now, into Saduko's breast, where his heart had been, entered an evil spirit of jealousy and of revenge, and in

the battle of Endondakusuka that spirit rode him as a white man rides a horse. As he had arranged to do with

the Prince Cetewayo yondernay, deny it not, O Prince, for I know all; did you not make a bargain together,

on the third night before the battle, among the bushes, and start apart when the buck leapt out between you?"

(Here Cetewayo, who had been about to speak, threw the corner of his kaross over his face.) "As he had

arranged to do, I say, he went over with his regiments from the Isigqosa to the Usutu, and so brought about

the fall of Umbelazi and the death of many thousands. Yes, and this he did for one reason onlybecause

yonder woman had left him for the Prince, and he cared more for her than for all the world could give him,

for her who had filled him with madness as a bowl is filled with milk. And now, O King, you have heard this

man tell you a story, you have heard him shout out that he is viler than any man in all the land; that he

murdered his own child, the child he loved so well, to win this witch; that afterwards he gave her to his friend

and lord to buy more of his favour, and that lastly he deserted that lord because he thought that there was

"It is so," answered Panda, "and therefore must Saduko be thrown out to the jackals."

"Wait a while, O King. I say that Saduko has spoken not with his own voice, but with the voice of Mameena.

I say that she is the greatest witch in all the land, and that she has drugged him with the medicine of her eyes,

Now the dwarf went to Panda and whispered in his ear, whereon Panda whispered in turn into the ears of two

of his councillors. These men, who were unarmed, rose and made as though to leave the isigohlo. But as

they passed Mameena one of them suddenly threw his arms about her, pinioning her arms, the other tearing

off the kaross he worefor the weather was coldflung it over her head and knotted it behind her so that

she was hidden except for her ankles and feet. Then, although she did not move or struggle, they caught hold

Now Zikali hobbled to Saduko and bade him rise, which he did. Then he looked at him for a long while and

made certain movements with his hands before his face, after which Saduko uttered a great sigh and stared

"Saduko," said Zikali, "I pray you tell me, your fosterfather, whether it is true, as men say, that you sold

your wife, Mameena, to the Prince Umbelazi in order that his favour might fall on you like heavy rain?"

"Wow! Zikali," said Saduko, with a start of rage, "If were you as others are I would kill you, you toad, who

dare to spit slander on my name. She ran away with the Prince, having beguiled him with the magic of her

"Strike me not, Saduko," went on Zikali, "or at least wait to strike until you have answered one more

question. Is it true, as men say, that in the battle of Endondakusuka you went over to the Usutu with your

regiments because you thought that IndhlovueneSihlonti would be beaten, and wished to be on the side of

"What, Toad! More slander?" cried Saduko. "I went over for one reason onlyto be revenged upon the

Prince because he had taken from me her who was more to me than life or honour. Aye, and when I went

over Umbelazi was winning; it was because I went that he lost and died, as I meant that he should die, though

now," he added sadly, "I would that I had not brought him to ruin and the dust, who think that, like myself, he

"O King," he added, turning to Panda, "kill me, I pray you, who am not worthy to live, since to him whose

hand is red with the blood of his friend, death alone is left, who, while he breathes, must share his sleep with

"Nay, Father, listen not to him who is mad, and therefore holy.* What he has done, he has done, who, as he

has said, was but a tool in another's hand. As for our babe, I know well that he would have died sooner than

harm it, for he loved it much, and when it was taken away, for three whole days and nights he wept and

would touch no food. Give this poor man to me, my Fatherto me, his wife, who loves himand let us go

"Be silent, daughter," said the King; "and you, O Zikali, the Nyanga, be silent also."

They obeyed, and, after thinking awhile, Panda made a motion with his hand, whereon the two councillors

lifted the kaross from off Mameena, who looked about her calmly and asked if she were taking part in some

"Aye, woman," answered Panda, "you are taking part in a great game, but not, I think, such as is played by

childrena game of life and death. Now, have you heard the tale of Zikali the Little and Wise, and the words

"There is no need, O King; my ears are too quick to be muffled by a fur bag, and I would not waste your

"Not much," she answered with a shrug of her shoulders, "except that I have lost in this game. You will not

believe me, but if you had left me alone I should have told you so, who did not wish to see that poor fool,

Saduko, killed for deeds he had never done. Still, the tale he told you was not told because I had bewitched

him; it was told for love of me, whom he desired to save. It was Zikali yonder; Zikali, the enemy of your

House, who in the end will destroy your House, O Son of Senzangakona, that bewitched him, as he has

"Now, what more is there to say? Very little, as I think. I did the things that are laid to my charge, and worse

things which have not been stated. Oh, I played for great stakes, I, who meant to be the Inkosazana of the

Zulus, and, as it chances, by the weight of a hair I have lost. I thought that I had counted everything, but the

hair's weight which turned the balance against me was the mad jealousy of this fool, Saduko, upon which I

had not reckoned. I see now that when I left Saduko I should have left him dead. Thrice I had thought of it.

Once I mixed the poison in his drink, and then he came in, weary with his plottings, and kissed me ere he

drank; and my woman's heart grew soft and I overset the bowl that was at his lips. Do you not remember,

"So, so! For that folly alone I deserve to die, for she who would reign"and her beautiful eyes flashed

royally"must have a tiger's heart, not that of a woman. Well, because I was too kind I must die; and, after

all is said, it is well to die, who go hence awaited by thousands upon thousands that I have sent before me,

and who shall be greeted presently by your son, IndhlovueneSihlonti, and his warriors, greeted as the

"Now, I have spoken. Walk your little road, O King and Prince and Councillors, till you reach the gulf into

which I sink, that yawns for all of you. O King, when you meet me again at the bottom of that gulf, what a

tale you will have to tell me, you who are but the shadow of a king, you whose heart henceforth must be

eaten out by a worm that is called LoveoftheLost. O Prince and Conqueror Cetewayo, what a tale you

will have to tell me when I greet you at the bottom of that gulf, you who will bring your nation to a wreck

and at last die as I must dieonly the servant of others and by the will of others. Nay, ask me not how. Ask

old Zikali, my master, who saw the beginning of your House and will see its end. Oh, yes, as you say, I am a

witch, and I know, I know! Come, I am spent. You men weary me, as men have always done, being but fools

whom it is so easy to make drunk, and who when drunk are so unpleasing. Piff! I am tired of you sober and

cunning, and I am tired of you drunken and brutal, you who, after all, are but beasts of the field to whom

Mvelingangi, the Creator, has given heads which can think, but which always think wrong.

"Now, King, before you unchain your dogs upon me, I ask one moment. I said that I hated all men, yet, as

you know, no woman can tell the truthquite. There is a man whom I do not hate, whom I never hated,

whom I think I love because he would not love me. He sits there," and to my utter dismay, and the intense

"Well, once by my 'magic,' of which you have heard so much, I got the better of this man against his will and

judgment, and, because of that soft heart of mine, I let him go; yes, I let the rare fish go when he was on my

hook. It is well that I should have let him go, since, had I kept him, a fine story would have been spoiled and I

should have become nothing but a white hunter's servant, to be thrust away behind the door when the white

Inkosikazi came to eat his meatI, Mameena, who never loved to stand out of sight behind a door. Well,

when he was at my feet and I spared him, he made me a promise, a very small promise, which yet I think he

will keep now when we part for a little while. Macumazahn, did you not promise to kiss me once more upon

"I did," I answered in a hollow voice, for in truth her eyes held me as they had held Saduko.

"Then come now, Macumazahn, and give me that farewell kiss. The King will permit it, and since I have now

I rose. It seemed to me that I could not help myself. I went to her, this woman surrounded by implacable

enemies, this woman who had played for great stakes and lost them, and who knew so well how to lose. I

stood before her, ashamed and yet not ashamed, for something of her greatness, evil though it might be, drove

Slowly she lifted her languid arm and threw it about my neck; slowly she bent her red lips to mine and kissed

me, once upon the mouth and once upon the forehead. But between those two kisses she did a thing so swiftly

that my eyes could scarcely follow what she did. It seemed to me that she brushed her left hand across her

lips, and that I saw her throat rise as though she swallowed something. Then she thrust me from her, saying:

"Farewell, O Macumazana, you will never forget this kiss of mine; and when we meet again we shall have

much to talk of, for between now and then your story will be long. Farewell, Zikali. I pray that all your

plannings may succeed, since those you hate are those I hate, and I bear you no grudge because you told the

truth at last. Farewell, Prince Cetewayo. You will never be the man your brother would have been, and your

lot is very evil, you who are doomed to pull down a House built by One who was great. Farewell, Saduko the

fool, who threw away your fortune for a woman's eyes, as though the world were not full of women. Nandie

the Sweet and the Forgiving will nurse you well until your haunted end. Oh! why does Umbelazi lean over

your shoulder, Saduko, and look at me so strangely? Farewell, Panda the Shadow. Now let loose your slayers.

Panda lifted his hand and the executioners leapt forward, but ere ever they reached her, Mameena shivered,

threw wide her arms and fell backdead. The poisonous drug she had taken worked well and swiftly.

A deep silence followed, a silence of awe and wonderment, till suddenly it was broken by a sound of dreadful

That evening at sunset, just as I was about to trek, for the King had given me leave to go, and at that time my

greatest desire in life seemed to be to bid goodbye to Zululand and the ZulusI saw a strange, beetlelike

He passed me without a word, merely making a motion that I was to follow him, which I did out of curiosity,

I suppose, for Heaven knows I had seen enough of the old wizard to last me for a lifetime. He reached a flat

stone about a hundred yards above my camp, where there was no bush in which anyone could hide, and sat

himself down, pointing to another stone in front of him, on which I sat myself down. Then the two men

"Yes, I am," I answered with energy, "who, if I could have had my will, would have gone away long ago."

"Yes, yes, I know that; but it would have been a great pity, would it not? If you had gone, Macumazahn, you

would have missed seeing the end of a strange little story, and you, who love to study the hearts of men and

"No, nor as sad, Zikali. Oh! the death of that woman!" And I put my hand before my eyes.

"Ah! I understand, Macumazahn; you were always fond of her, were you not, although your white pride

would not suffer you to admit that black fingers were pulling at your heartstrings? She was a wonderful

witch, was Mameena; and there is this comfort for youthat she pulled at other heartstrings as well.

Masapo's, for instance; Saduko's, for instance; Umbelazi's, for instance, none of whom got any luck from her

Now, as I did not think it worth while to contradict his nonsense so far as I was concerned personally, I went

"If you show affection as you did towards Mameena today, Zikali, I pray my Spirit that you may cherish

"Did you never love a lamb and kill it afterwards when you were hungry, or when it grew into a ram and

butted you, or when it drove away your other sheep, so that they fell into the hands of thieves? Now, I am

very hungry for the fall of the House of Senzangakona, and the lamb, Mameena, having grown big, nearly

laid me on my back today within the reach of the slayer's spear. Also, she was hunting my sheep, Saduko,

into an evil net whence he could never have escaped. So, somewhat against my will, I was driven to tell the

"I daresay," I exclaimed; "but, at any rate, she is done with, so what is the use of talking about her?"

"Ah! Macumazahn, she is done with, or so you think, though that is a strange saying for a white man who

believes in much that we do not know; but at least her work remains, and it has been a great work. Consider

now. Umbelazi and most of the princes, and thousands upon thousands of the Zulus, whom I, the Dwande,

hate, dead, dead! Mameena's work, Macumazahn! Panda's hand grown strengthless with sorrow and his eyes

blind with tears. Mameena's work, Macumazahn! Cetewayo, king in all but name; Cetewayo, who shall bring

the House of Senzangakona to the dust. Mameena's work, Macumazahn! Oh! a mighty work. Surely she has

lived a great and worthy life, and she died a great and worthy death! And how well she did it! Had you eyes

to see her take the poison which I gave hera good poison, was it not?between her kisses, Macumazahn?"

"I believe it was your work, and not hers," I blurted out, ignoring his mocking questions. "You pulled the

strings; you were the wind that caused the grass to bend till the fire caught it and set the town in flamesthe

"How clever you are, Macumazahn! If your wits grow so sharp, one day they will cut your throat, as, indeed,

they have nearly done several times already. Yes, yes, I know how to pull strings till the trap falls, and to

blow grass until the flame catches it, and how to puff at that flame until it burns the House of Kings. And yet

this trap would have fallen without me, only then it might have snared other rats; and this grass would have

caught fire if I had not blown, only then it might have burnt another House. I did not make these forces,

Macumazahn; I did but guide them towards a great end, for which the White House [that is, the English]

should thank me one day." He brooded a while, then went on: "But what need is there to talk to you of these

matters, Macumazahn, seeing that in a time to come you will have your share in them and see them for

"I do not wish to talk of them," I answered. "I have said so already. But for what other purpose did you take

"Oh, to bid you farewell for a little while, Macumazahn. Also to tell you that Panda, or rather Cetewayo, for

now Panda is but his Voice, since the Head must go where the Feet carry it, has spared Saduko at the prayer

of Nandie and banished him from the land, giving him his cattle and any people who care to go with him to

wherever he may choose to live from henceforth. At least, Cetewayo says it was at Nandie's prayer, and at

mine and yours, but what he means is that, after all that has happened, he thought it wise that Saduko should

"No, no; I mean that his own idhlozi, his Spirit, should be left to kill him, which it will do in time. You see,

Macumazahn, Saduko is now living with a ghost, which he calls the ghost of Umbelazi, whom he betrayed."

"Oh, yes, he lives with a ghost, or the ghost lives in him, or he is madcall it which you will. The mad have

a way of living with ghosts, and ghosts have a way of sharing their food with the mad. Now you understand

"Oh! did I not say you were clever, Macumazahn, you who know where madness ends and ghosts begin, and

why they are just the same thing? Well, the sun is no longer plain. Look, it has sunk; and you would be on

your road who wish to be far from Nodwengu before morning. You will pass the plain of Endondakusuka,

will you not, and cross the Tugela by the drift? Have a look round, Macumazahn, and see if you can

recognise any old friends. Umbezi, the knave and traitor, for instance; or some of the princes. If so, I should

like to send them a message. What! You cannot wait? Well, then, here is a little present for you, some of my

own work. Open it when it is light again, Macumazahn; it may serve to remind you of the strange little tale of

Mameena with the Heart of Fire. I wonder where she is now? Sometimes, sometimes" And he rolled his

great eyes about him and sniffed at the air like a hound. "Farewell till we meet again. Farewell, Macumazahn.

Oh! if you had only run away with Mameena, how different things might have been today!"

I jumped up and fled from that terrible old dwarf, whom I verily believe No; where is the good of my

saying what I believe? I fled from him, leaving him seated on the stone in the shadows, and as I fled, out of

Next morning I opened the packet which he had given me, after wondering once or twice whether I should

not thrust it down an antbear hole as it was. But this, somehow, I could not find the heart to do, though now

I wish I had. Inside, cut from the black core of the umzimbiti wood, with just a little of the white sap left on it

to mark the eyes, teeth and nails, was a likeness of Mameena. Of course, it was rudely executed, but it

wasor rather is, for I have it stilla wonderfully good portrait of her, for whether Zikali was or was not a

wizard, he was certainly a good artist. There she stands, her body a little bent, her arms outstretched, her head

held forward with the lips parted, just as though she were about to embrace somebody, and in one of her

hands, cut also from the white sap of the umzimbiti, she grasps a human heartSaduko's, I presume, or

Nor was this all, for the figure was wrapped in a woman's hair, which I knew at once for that of Mameena,

this hair being held in place by the necklet of big blue beads she used to wear about her throat.

Some five years had gone by, during which many things had happened to me that need not be recorded here,

when one day I found myself in a rather remote part of the Umvoti district of Natal, some miles to the east of

a mountain called the Eland's Kopje, whither I had gone to carry out a big deal in mealies, over which, by the

way, I lost a good bit of money. That has always been my fate when I plunged into commercial ventures.

One night my wagons, which were overloaded with these confounded weevilly mealies, got stuck in the drift

of a small tributary of the Tugela that most inopportunely had come down in flood. Just as darkness fell I

managed to get them up the bank in the midst of a pelting rain that soaked me to the bone. There seemed to

be no prospect of lighting a fire or of obtaining any decent food, so I was about to go to bed supperless when

a flash of lightning showed me a large kraal situated upon a hillside about half a mile away, and an idea

"Who is the headman of that kraal?" I asked of one of the Kafirs who had collected round us in our trouble, as

"Ikona [I don't know], Inkoosi. He came from Zululand some years ago with Saduko the Mad."

Then, of course, I remembered at once, and my mind flew back to the night when old Tshoza, the brother of

Matiwane, Saduko's father, had cut out the cattle of the Bangu and we had fought the battle in the pass.

"Oh!" I said, "is it so? Then lead me to Tshoza, and I will give you a 'Scotchman.'" (That is, a twoshilling

piece, so called because some enterprising emigrant from Scotland passed off a vast number of them among

Tempted by this liberal offerand it was very liberal, because I was anxious to get to Tshoza's kraal before

its inhabitants went to bedthe meditative Kafir consented to guide me by a dark and devious path that ran

through bush and dripping fields of corn. At length we arrivedfor if the kraal was only half a mile away,

the path to it covered fully two milesand glad enough was I when we had waded the last stream and found

In response to the usual inquiries, conducted amid a chorus of yapping dogs, I was informed that Tshoza did

not live there, but somewhere else; that he was too old to see anyone; that he had gone to sleep and could not

"Look here, my friend," I said at last to the fellow who was telling me all these lies, "you go to Tshoza in his

grave and say to him that if he does not come out alive instantly, Macumazahn will deal with his cattle as

Impressed with the strangeness of this message, the man departed, and presently, in the dim light of the

rainwashed moon, I perceived a little old man running towards me; for Tshoza, who was pretty ancient at

the beginning of this history, had not been made younger by a severe wound at the battle of the Tugela and

"Macumazahn," he said, "is that really you? Why, I heard that you were dead long ago; yes, and sacrificed an

"Oh! it must be you," he went on, "who cannot be deceived, for it is true we ate that ox, combining the

sacrifice to your Spirit with a feast; for why should anything be wasted when one is poor? Yes, yes, it must be

you, for who else would come creeping about a man's kraal at night, except the WatcherbyNight? Enter,

"Saduko?" he answered, his face changing as he spoke. "Oh! of course he is here. You know I came away

with him from Zululand. Why? Well, to tell the truth, because after the part we had playedagainst my will,

Macumazahnat the battle of Endondakusuka, I thought it safer to be away from a country where those who

"I don't know," he answered mysteriously; "but I think he must be bewitched. For a long while, a year or

more, he has eaten little and cannot bear to be alone in the dark; indeed, ever since he left Zululand he has

Now I remembered what old Zikali had said to me years before to the effect that Saduko was living with a

"O Macumazana, he thinks of nothing else; the Spirit of Umbelazi is in him day and night."

"I don't know, Macumazahn. I will go and ask the lady Nandie at once, for, if you can, I believe there is no

Ten minutes later he returned with a woman, Nandie the Sweet herself, the same quiet, dignified Nandie

whom I used to know, only now somewhat worn with trouble and looking older than her years.

"Greeting, Macumazahn," she said. "I am pleased to see you, although it is strange, very strange, that you

should come here just at this time. Saduko is leaving uson a long journey, Macumazahn."

I answered that I had heard so with grief, and wondered whether he would like to see me.

"Yes, very much, Macumazahn; only be prepared to find him different from the Saduko whom you knew. Be

So we went out of Tshoza's hut, across a courtyard to another large hut, which we entered. It was lit with a

good lamp of European make; also a bright fire burned upon the hearth, so that the place was as light as day.

At the side of the hut a man lay upon some blankets, watched by a woman. His eyes were covered with his

"Would you drive away your old friend, Macumazahn, Saduko?" asked Nandie very gently, "Macumazahn,

He sat up, and, the blankets falling off him, showed me that he was nothing but a living skeleton. Oh! how

changed from that lithe and handsome chief whom I used to know. Moreover, his lips quivered and his eyes

"Is it really you, Macumazahn?" he said in a weak voice. "Come, then, and stand quite close to me, so that he

"Yes, yes, it is I, Saduko," I said in a cheerful voice; "and there is no man to get between us; only the lady

"Oh, no, Macumazahn, there is another in the hut whom you cannot see. There he stands," and he pointed

towards the hearth. "Look! The spear is through him and his plume lies on the ground!"

"Why do you talk wind, Saduko?" I asked. "Years ago I saw IndhlovueneSihlonti die."

"Die, Macumazahn! We do not die; it is only our flesh that dies. Yes, yes, I have learned that since we parted.

Do you not remember his last words: 'I will haunt you while you live, and when you cease to live, ah! then

we shall meet again'? Oh! from that hour to this he has haunted me, Macumazahnhe and the others; and

"Make 'thethingthatburns' brighter," he gasped, "for I do not perceive him so clearly when it is bright.

Oh! Macumazahn, he is looking at you and whispering. To whom is he whispering? I see! to Mameena, who

Now, I began to wish that I were out of that hut, for really a little of this uncanny business went a long way.

"Stay with me till the end," she muttered. So I had to stay, wondering what Saduko heard Umbelazi

"That was a clever pit you dug for Bangu, Macumazahn; but you would not take your share of the cattle, so

the blood of the Amakoba is not on your head. Ah! what a fight was that which the Amawombe made at

Endondakusuka. You were with them, you remember, Macumazahn; and why was I not at your side? Oh!

then we would have swept away the Usutu as the wind sweeps ashes. Why was I not at your side to share the

glory? I remember nowbecause of the Daughter of Storm. She betrayed me for Umbelazi, and I betrayed

Umbelazi for her; and now he haunts me, whose greatness I brought to the dust; and the Usutu wolf,

Cetewayo, curls himself up in his form and grows fat on his food. Andand, Macumazahn, it has all been

done in vain, for Mameena hates me. Yes, I can read it in her eyes. She mocks and hates me worse in death

than she did in life, and she says thatthat it was not all her faultbecause she lovesbecause she

A look of bewilderment came upon his facehis poor, tormented face; then suddenly Saduko threw his arms

"Saduko has gone away," said Nandie, as she drew a blanket over his face. "But I wonder," she added with a

little hysterical smile, "oh! how I wonder who it was the Spirit of Mameena told him that she

I made no answer, for at that moment I heard a very curious sound, which seemed to me to proceed from

somewhere above the hut. Of what did it remind me? Ah! I knew. It was like the sound of the dreadful

laughter of Zikali, OpenerofRoadsZikali, the "Thingthatshouldneverhavebeenborn."

Doubtless, however, it was only the cry of some stormdriven night bird. Or perhaps it was an hyena that