You will remember, _Nkose_, how we of the Royal House of Dingiswayo, of
the tribe of Umtetwa, with the Amandebeli, went out from the land of
Zulu to found a new nation, and how we shut back the overwhelming number
of the spears of Tshaka in the gates of the great Kwahlamba mountains.
So, too, you will remember how, having hailed our leader Umzilikazi as
king we swept ever onward, to the west and to the north, stamping flat
the tribes within our path and laying waste the land, leaving behind us
a desert that the cubs of the Lion of Zulu would find difficult of
crossing. So, too, you will remember, how we built the great Kraal of
Ekupumuleni, and subdued all the tribes round about, and sat in our fair
resting-place, feared as a great and mighty people. For of the races
around, all came in to _konza_ to Umzilikazi, and to pay tribute, and
such as did not--well, it was not long before the trumpeting of the
Elephant sounded in their ears, dwelt they even two or three moons
distant. But there was one tribe or nation which refused thus to
_konza_, and of it I shall speak presently.
As time went by, our new nation grew in numbers and strength--though the
latter might be our weakness in the day of grave trial. For we had
incorporated into our army the youth of such tribes as we had conquered
and whom the king deemed capable of bearing arms. These Amaholi, or
slaves, were really our dogs, and even of this they might have been
proud, for in our veins ran the clear unmixed blood of the "People of
the Heavens;" [Such is the literal meaning of the word "Amazulu"] but
did the spears of Tshaka show upon the skyline there would not be one of
these miserable jackals within a day's march of them by the time they
drew near. Howbeit, although they were too cowardly to fight for us, we
did not fear lest they should turn and fight against us, for the spears
of Tshaka would devour them just as readily as they would ourselves;
nay, more readily, for we Amandebeli were as lions, and dealt back blow
for blow, were the enemy tenfold our own strength.
Time passed by, and as our _impis_ went farther and farther afield,
reports came in of a wonderful land to the north: of a land whose
streams were never dry, and where the grass was ever green, and rich,
and sweet. Now, around the King's kraal, Ekupumuleni, it was not always
so, and for many moons we had suffered greatly for want of rain; indeed,
the King had sent out expressly to take all the rain-makers of every
tribe and race and to bring them in. These tried their powers, each and
all, and failed, wherefore they were put to death, for Umzilikazi
declared that, as they were highly honoured and loaded with gifts when
they could perform their office, it was only fair that they should pay
forfeit when they could not; and this fate befell most of our own
rain-makers, who were tied with their heels round the backs of their
necks, and flung into a water-hole. Indeed, the only one who escaped
was Masuka, the old Mosutu, whom we took, and whose life I had saved at
the burning of certain Bapedi kraals, and who, while declaring himself
an _isanusi_ but no rain-maker, yet managed to bring rain, and thus not
only escaped death but was advanced to still further honour. He was now
of a great age, this old man, and was little else than a human skin
loosely covering a skeleton; yet his eyes were as bright and marvellous
as ever.
That Masuka stood so high in the king's favour and in such honour among
the people delighted me greatly, for I knew that as long as this was so
I was safe from any plots my enemies might lay against me. I was now
second fighting _induna_ of the whole army, and a _kehla_, or ringed
man. I had won a place of great power, young as I was, and those whose
bitter jealousy would have moved them to compass my downfall and death
were many. Moreover Umzilikazi had become suspicious of late, and was
inclined to suspect each and all of his principal captains of designs
upon his life and seat; and there were times when I fancied his
suspicions rested strongly on Kalipe, the chief _induna_ of the army,
and myself--but mostly upon myself.
Yet, _Nkose_, this idea, terrible as it was, did not fill me with
unmingled dismay. That I, but yesterday an _umfane_ and unringed,
should now be in a position to be suspected of usurping Umzilikazi's
seat, of aspiring to become King of the Aba-ka-zulu; _Hau_! This indeed
would cause my veins to flow and my nerves to thrill with a strange
proud tingling. Yet the other side of the picture was grim and dark,
for from it loomed the stake of impalement--the death of the hot stones;
or, at the mildest, the knob-sticks of the slayers. I remembered, too,
the words which, in times past, had been spoken by Nangeza, my chief
wife: "A man who is brave and cautious may climb to any height,"--and,
indeed, she suffered me not to forget them, for she was as proud and
ambitious as ever, and was continually inciting me to supplant Kalipe.
Then once I held the army in the hollow of my hand, what easier than--
But at this point I would stop my ears and cry upon her to hold her
peace, lest she brought me--brought us all--to a far more fearful and
lingering death than that which I extended my breast to meet when I
claimed and won the King's assegai--as I have already told you, _Nkose_.
But Nangeza had a plotting brain and would ever be first--indeed, had
the King taken her to wife, she would never have rested until she had
made herself King over him or--until she had been led forth to the place
of slaughter. Moreover, I would do nothing against Kalipe, whose word
and ways were as straight as his path when the King's enemies lay before
him, and although he was much older than I he would never show any
jealousy because I had been promoted nearly to an equality with himself.
"It is the weakness of our nation, Untuswa," he would say, "that we rend
and devour each other like a pack of jackals; and every man plots, lest
another rise to be a little greater than himself. Now, the man I would
sooner see second to me, or even equal with me, is not the oldest, nor
yet the richest man, but the bravest; and that man is, I believe,
yourself, son of Ntelani, young in years as you are."
Thus spake Kalipe, and, indeed, he meant his words; and while this was
so, and I had old Masuka on my side, I feared the grudges and jealousy
of no man.
Now, it was in the mind of the King to abandon Ekupumuleni, and to move
farther northward, partly for the reasons I have given, partly that the
arm of Tshaka stretched far, and he was never quite certain that we were
beyond the reach of it. So he ordered me to take a force of warriors,
and make an expedition into the country with the ever-flowing streams,
and to verify such reports of it as had come in.
My command was but a small one, comprising perhaps sixty or seventy
men--the merest handful, remembering that those through whom our path
lay were in countless thousands, and that small cause indeed had they to
love us. Yet such was the terror inspired by the very name of the
Amandebeli--or Aba-ka-zulu, as these people termed us--that though they
were in swarming numbers, they fled from their kraals as our tiny _impi_
drew near, and took refuge among the hills. We laughed and shook our
spears at them in proud contempt, and taking whatever we wanted, passed
on our way, for we were only the eyes of the lion this time, not his
teeth and claws, wherefore we left them their lives and their cattle.
But this was not to last for ever. Day by day as we progressed the
country became fairer, swarming as it did with great herds of game--
elephant and buffalo and kudu--in the forest tracts, and vast quantities
of eland and spring-bok and other game upon the rolling treeless plains.
And the cattle which the people owned were round and fat; and the
people themselves, though not warriors, were rich and happy. We looked
at each other and laughed in our delight. Here was the country we would
occupy. Here was the fair land of plenty we had fled from Tshaka's
spears to gain. Here was the land wherein we would set up our new
nation, and these people already here should be our dogs--our slaves.
Thus we thought, thus we spake, although we were but a tiny handful
among tens of thousands. The cattle of these people covered the land--
fat and sleek. It was well. They should be ours. What a nation ours
should become!
So resolving, we continued our march, already the proud march of the
conqueror. It was evening, nigh to sundown. We had slaughtered oxen at
the last kraal we passed, and had seized women and boys to carry our
meat for us. We were ascending a long rise, intending to rest in the
valley beyond, where a river flowed, when, lo! the crest of the hill was
crowned with spears--bright spears--a forest of them moving and
extending in waves of light beneath the now sinking sun.
At the sight a deep gasp broke from every chest, and up went every man's
head with distended nostrils. We snuffed battle even as a hound snuffs
the warm scent of a buck. We gripped our shields and our weapons, and
we massed together, halting to see what the enemy would do next.
"_Haul_ They are surrounding us," muttered some of the warriors in their
deep voices--their eyes glaring like those of hyenas hungering for
blood. "Shall we fall upon them, _Induna_ of the King? Shall we fall
upon them?"
"Not so," I answered, leaning on my shield and calmly taking snuff,
though the wild expectation of battle and its delights caused my heart
to beat and my pulses to thrill, for I was young yet, although so high
up in a position of trust. "Not so. Let us see first if they are
coming in to _konza_ to the messengers of the Great Great One; but if
they mean war, my children, by the head ring of Senzangakona, they shall
have as much of it as they can stomach. Let no blow be struck until I
give the word, but raise the song of the Great Great One, and advance in
battle order. When I give the word we will walk through and through
their ranks, leaving a broad path every way."
So each warrior, striking his shield with his knobstick, raised the war
song of Umzilikazi--
"_Yaingahlabi
Leyo 'nkunzi!
Yai ukufa_!"
["That bull did not (merely) gore.
It was death."]
And thus we paced up the slope slowly, and roaring the terrible
battle-song, which had told the tidings of blood and fire and widespread
death along our nation's track, and as the excitement spread over us we
began to "see red," and the aspect of each warrior was so grim and
ferocious, that those in front, hundreds though they were, hesitated
before our unswerving advance, then halted and called for an _indaba_.
As we still advanced, singing loudly, we began to observe more closely
those who opposed us, and all but hemmed us in. They were armed with
spears, which seemed well made, with axes, and hard square shields. In
aspect they were akin to the Bapedi and the people of old Masuka, but
their faces were softer, as those of women, or of men who were not fond
of war; their ranks, too, were loose and open, and in no order: indeed,
I had little doubt but that, in the event of hostilities, we could carry
out our original plan, and hew lanes through and through them. But now
a voice called out to us--
"Who are ye, stranger people, who enter the land of the Bakoni? Who are
ye? so few, yet singing songs of war?"
Our warriors shook their heads and growled like dogs. They understood
not this language, but I understood it moderately well, having been at
pains to learn from old Masuka both the tongues and customs of the
people around, with all of which he was well-acquainted; and, indeed, it
was because of my knowledge of these tongues that the King had sent me
in command of such a small _impi_, which might easily have been led by a
chief of far inferior rank.
"Of the Bakoni? Who is your chief, and where is he?" I cried in
return.
"Ascend hither, strangers, then you may see and speak with him," came
the reply.
Not a shade of hesitation did our warriors show as I made known this
request. They advanced up the hill, marching in rank and singing, as
proudly disdainful of the vastly overwhelming numbers in front as though
safe at Ekupumuleni. Even the women and boys, staggering under their
loads of meat, dared not leave us, although their own people were around
them in force and we were but few.
We soon gained the brow of the rise, and spreading out on either hand in
two long lines, their spears glittering in the sinking sun, we beheld
the battle rank of the Bakoni warriors. But we beheld something more.
Beyond the rise whereon we stood, beyond the small river which flowed at
its base on the further side, was a wide rolling plain covered with
cattle, and beyond the cattle lay the countless huts of an immense town.
Our eyes opened wide, and a deep-throated gasp escaped us. What a place
to burn! What countless herds to sweep away! was the thought in each
man's mind.
Behind this town rose a great hill, steep-sided, flat-topped, and belted
by lines of cliffs. There were further hills beyond it, but this one
stood out from all, seeming to stand by itself upon the plain. We
almost forgot the near presence of a great number of enemies. These,
however, now closed in around us.
"Draw near, strangers," said the man who had first hailed us, and who
seemed to be a leader of some kind--"the Chief of the People of the Blue
Cattle sits before you."
I beheld, seated upon a leopard skin, a man just past middle age. He
was a well-built man, tall and sinewy, and more martial-looking than any
of his people. He was seated alone, a few councillors attending him
several paces in the background, and save for a battle-axe, no arms were
near him. He wore ornaments of gold, as we noticed did quite a number
of the people, and the axe itself was profusely inlaid with gold.
"This people," I thought, "if not warlike, is skilful in making weapons.
Good. It shall make weapons for its masters, the conquerors of the
world."
"Greeting, Chief of the Blue Cattle," I said, taking up the title by
which he had been named; and, indeed, looking upon the countless herds
which were scattered over the plain, I noticed that the greater number
were of a bluish-white colour.
He frowned, thinking I accosted him with scant deference, which was
true, for we Amazulu, People of the Heavens, do not bend low before the
chiefs of such tribes as this.
"Why do you approach me with weapons in your hand, stranger? Is this a
custom among yourselves when approaching a chief?"
"Our weapons were placed in our hands by the Great Great One--the Black
Elephant, whose voice trumpets afar. Not until we return into his
presence again do we lay them down," I answered shortly.
All this while I was keenly watching the chief's face, and I read
therein a bragging nature, but a coward spirit underlying it. He, for
his part, was noting our large stature and fearless bearing, our great
shields and heavy-bladed spears, and I knew he was impressed thereby.
"What do you here, in my country, strangers?" he continued, frowning
still deeper. "You enter it armed and slaughter our cattle, and seize
upon our women and boys to act as your slaves," with a glance at the
group behind us who had thrown off their loads to rest. "This must be
explained."
"The explanation is short, O Chief of the Blue Cattle," I answered
haughtily, standing straight and with my head thrown back. "We entered
this, your country, as we would enter any country, at the bidding of the
Great Great One, who sits at Ekupumuleni, the Black Elephant, who is
King over the whole world and King over the Bakoni of course. This is
the explanation, O Chief of the Blue Cattle."
At these words an enraged murmur arose from those immediately before us,
and rolled along the ranks in a defiant shout. Still, with my head
thrown back, I only laughed slightly.
"That is my explanation; now hear my advice," I went on. "Send back
immediately your highest _indunas_ with a large present of girls and
cattle to the Great Great One who sits at Ekupumuleni. Then will he fix
the terms upon which he will suffer you and your people to live, O Chief
of the Blue Cattle."
To the first shout of rage now succeeded a deafening yell of
exasperation as the people caught the gist of these proud words. There
was a swift rush and the ranks tightened around us. Spears were shaken
towards us, and eyes glared with angry menace. But my little band made
scarcely a movement; a hand here and there would shift nearer to the
head of the deadly stabbing assegai, or a shield would quiver in sinewy
grip. That was all, yet upon every face there glowed the light of
battle. A moment and we should be hewing our way through those broad
ranks to the inspiration of our fiercely maddening war-cry.
But the chief's command availed to arrest the rush of his exasperated
fighting men, which was well for him; else had he fallen that moment--
for I had marked him as first victim, nor could he have escaped me.
"What is thy name, leader of this band of strangers?" he said.
"Untuswa, son of Ntelani, of the tribe of Umtetwa, of the nation of
Zulu, is my name. Ponder it well, O Chief of the Blue Cattle, for in
truth thou shalt hear it again."
Once more, a loud and angry shout arose from the warriors. Once more
the words of the chief stayed the tumult.
"Look around, Untuswa, son of Ntelani," he said, rising for the first
time. "Yonder is our town--one of many. Behind it rises a hill, which
is flat on the top, whereon grows abundant grass, and springs flow. It
could carry the cattle of a nation and the fighting men of a nation, and
the force who would climb it might just as well think to climb the
Heavens themselves, for it is fortified from base to summit. Behold
these," designating the armed warriors; "these are but a handful among
the fighting-men who obey my word. Yet I would quarrel with none,
wherefore I will not suffer that violence should overtake you--even
though you have offered insult to a mighty nation in the person of its
chief. Depart now, ye strangers, in peace, while ye may. Farewell!"
"How is it called, this great and mighty town, my father?" I said,
somewhat mockingly.
"It is called `The Queen of the World,'" he answered proudly.
"Ha! That is good," I replied. "When the tread of the Elephant--
Umzilikazi, the Great Great One, the Founder of Nations--shaketh yonder
town, then the King and the Queen of the World will be mated? Till
then, farewell, O Chief of the Blue Cattle!"
Then we departed even as we had come--slaves and all--no man hindering
us. Yes, the name of Zulu was mighty indeed in those days.