We had halted some days at a convenient place to hunt. The King was in
high good humour, for the land with each day's progress fell off in no
wise from the report I had made upon it.
"In truth, Untuswa, thou art a wise man as well as a brave one, though
young in years," he said one day, as we sat beneath the shade of a great
tree, taking snuff; for Umzilikazi, with a number of his body-guard, and
three or four _izinceku_, had gone on in advance of the remainder of the
nation, intending to hunt before the game was scared out of our path.
But the game we sought was fierce and dangerous game--the lion, and the
elephant, and the buffalo--and in the slaying of such none was bolder or
more skilful than the King himself. I was the only _induna_ of the
party, and, indeed, it seemed to me that Umzilikazi liked to find some
reason for keeping me about him, even as when I was a boy and unringed.
"It seems to me," he went on, after I had uttered my thanks for his word
of approval, "it seems to me that we are drawing near to the country of
the Chief of the Blue Cattle, yet the choicest of those cattle have not
travelled our way, nor have their owners sent to beg to be allowed to
live. How do you explain this, Untuswa?"
"The Bakoni are a nation of fools, Great Great One. Their warriors are
numerous, but they do not look much of warriors. They, in their
ignorance, fear not the might of the all-devouring Amazula. Give but
the word, Father, and the day we sight their town, there shall not be a
man left."
"Thou art a lion-cub, indeed, Untuswa," said the King, with a laugh.
"No. I have another mind in this matter. I will not destroy these
people, for I think to make use of them--that is, I will give them one
more chance. I will send to their chief, that he delay not to come in
and place his neck beneath my foot. But who to send? None but these
slaves speak with the tongue of those people--and who can trust a
slave?--and Masuka is too old, and to me too valuable."
This last the King said rather to himself than to me, yet I understood
his meaning.
"Send me, Father," I said. "I am able to converse with these people,
and who better can explain the mind of the King in such a matter?"
"That is so, Untuswa. But it is like sending thee to thy death; for, if
these people are wallowing in their folly to the extent of refusing to
_konza_ to me, it is as likely as not they will slay my messenger. And
it is not a very great death for a fighting captain."
"When a man dies in the service of the King, any death is a great
death," I answered. "Send me, Black Elephant."
Umzilikazi took snuff a moment and pondered.
"I will send thee, son of Ntelani," he said. "Who now is there to bear
thee company, for thou must go alone, with one other, and four slaves to
carry thy game. I will not that an _induna_ of the King go before the
chief of a numerous nation unattended."
It was, as the King had said, a dangerous service. The Bakoni, I knew,
were relying on their numbers. It was extremely probable they would put
me to death in the first instance, and, at any rate, certain that they
would do so later, when they realised that our _impis_ were actually
drawing near to sweep them off the face of the earth. Yet I felt sure
that the Great Great One had some reason in sending me; and, even had I
not, never was I known to think twice when ordered to any post of
danger. I was the only _induna_ with the King there in our advanced
camp, but among the royal body-guard was that aforementioned younger
brother of mine, Mgwali, son of the same mother as Sekweni, who was put
to death for suffering himself to be overpowered at his post. Him now I
named to the King.
"It is well," said Umzilikazi. "Go now to this chief named Tauane,
which appears to mean in the tongue of his race, `A Young Lion,' and say
that not many days off draweth near an old lion, whose roar is louder--
that unless I behold the usual tribute, brought by himself in person,
before we are within a day's march of his town, he and his people are
already dead. Go!"
I stood before the King, cried aloud the _Bayete_, and strode off. I
armed myself with my great war-shield, several strong assegais, and a
heavy knobstick. Then I took in my hand the King's Assegai, and sent
for my brother Mgwali.
"Pick out four of the slaves, load them with such things as we need for
a long march, and follow me. It is the `word' of the King!"
I stepped forth from the camp with my face turned northward. Before I
had gone far I heard a sound of singing, and footsteps behind me, and
immediately I was overtaken by my brother, and behind him the four
Amaholi bearing loads.
"Whither are we bound, son of my father?" he asked, now that he had time
for speech. I told him.
"_Whau_! It is like the King sending two men to take a whole nation by
the beard!" he said, with a joyous laugh. "Yet, Untuswa, I am glad to
be one of those chosen, for know that I am tired of my own hair, and
would fain wear the ring instead of it. Moreover, thou sayest that
these Bakoni maidens are fair."
"Thou shalt soon see for thyself, Mgwali. Yet it may be that a grimmer
embrace awaits us both in their town. How likest thou that, son of my
father?"
"I care not. _Hau! Ibubese_!" he cried, hurling an assegai with the
quickness of lightning at a long, yellow gliding shape, which had darted
from a thicket in front of us. But the lion uttered a quick, frightened
yelp, and made off unhurt. The spear had fallen short.
"No more of that--no more of that!" I cried, in anger. "We are on the
King's service, boy. No time have we to stop and hunt. Our game lies
yonder, and it may be yet more dangerous than the slaying of lions."
Not many days had we to travel before we drew near the Great Place of
the Bakoni; and, from the commotion which our appearance excited among
the inhabitants of such outlying kraals as we passed, we felt pretty
sure that the news of our approach had already been conveyed to the
chief. And such, indeed, was the case; for on the last rise, which
should bring us within sight of the town, we were surrounded by two
large bands of armed warriors.
"Delay us not," I cried haughtily, with a wave of the hand, as these
made as though they would have drawn up across our path. "Delay us not.
We carry the `word' of the Black Elephant to the Chief of the Blue
Cattle."
We did not halt, we did not slacken our pace. We marched right into the
midst of that company of armed men as though none were there. They gave
way in silence, but formed up on either side of us in the manner of an
escort, and in this order we drew near to the town--not exchanging a
word, though we could hear the slaves behind, who bore our burdens,
whispering to each other excitedly. Thus we entered, and as we did so
the same thought was in both our minds. How, and in what manner should
we depart from it again?
The plain for some distance outside the town was dotted about with
people: women in groups, men with weapons in their hands, children
herding the sleek, blue-coloured cattle, but all gazing with unbounded
curiosity upon two men walking alone into their midst as though kings
over them, and such indeed we felt.
In those days, _Nkose_, I was at the very height of my strength and
manhood. Now I am old and wrinkled, but I am not short. Then I was of
a largeness of limb in proportion to my lofty stature. My body was a
framework of hard muscles, and indeed there was not a man in our nation
who could overcome me in strength or surpass me in agility, in which my
brother, Mgwali, was somewhat my inferior; yet even he was a giant in
comparison with the people among whom we now were, though in other
matters than strength and stature they seemed far from being a race of
fools. Indeed, I have thought since that the King may have had such a
contrast in his eye when he sent me to represent him among these people.
If this place had struck me as large before, it now seemed doubly so.
In among the huts, too, were strange circular stone walls, here and
there, looking like old and strong buildings, for their strength was
immense. The huts were without end; they were built of grass, rising to
a point, and were neat and clean. We were conducted to one, and bidden
to rest, for that the chief would confer with us on the morrow.
"That may not be," I said decidedly. "This night must the `word' of the
Great King be spoken. To-morrow may be too late for ye, O people of the
Blue Cattle."
"_E--he_!" assented my brother.
Our escort looked at one another, and their looks were blank. However,
they invited us to enter the hut, saying that food and drink should be
brought us, and that meanwhile my words should be carried to the ears of
Tauane.
We had finished the piece of beef which had been sent us, and had
drained the large bowl of _tywala_, when messengers arrived to announce
that the council of the nation would be convened at sundown, and that
the "word" to be returned to our King would then be made known to us.
At the appointed time we set forth, Mgwali and I, fully armed, and
bearing our shields. As we walked behind our guides, I noted the
intense curiosity which our appearance was inspiring, and laughed to
myself. For I heard the bystanders, especially the women, comparing our
stature and fierce aspect with that of their own people, and saying if
we were representatives of that horrible race--of which they had already
begun to hear--then, indeed, they were as good as dead. Moreover, while
not appearing to do so, I took note of the high fortified hill, which
lay a little way back from the town, and thought I could find a way up
it--wherein, however, I might have been wrong.
The men of the nation were gathered in an immense half-circle, like the
formation of one of our _impis_ when throwing out flanking "horns."
They sat at the upper end of a great open square, and in the bend of the
half-circle were grouped the principal councillors and chiefs, and, a
little in advance of the rest, clothed in the skin of a maned lion, and
wearing ornaments of gold, sat the chief, Tauane. Behind were several
huts of much larger size than any of the others.
Although those immediately in front of us were not armed, yet the ranks
on either side showed a perfect glitter of spears. The shields were
square, and not made of oxhide, like ours, but of wood. We knew at a
glance that, were our death intended, we should stand no chance
whatever. Two men, however brave, however well armed, would be nothing
among these.
"Greeting, Chief of the Blue Cattle!" I said, as we drew near.
"Remember you the name of Untuswa, son of Ntelani, and an _induna_ of
the Great King? It is a name I promised you should hear again."
Tauane frowned, and I could see his gaze rest meaningly on our weapons.
These we had gone so far as to hold in our left hands only, extending
the right, open and in greeting. Further, he expected we should have
bent down before him; but I, an _induna_ of the King, a Zulu of pure
blood, and coming of a kingly house, thought myself an immeasurably
greater man than even the head chief of such a large and wealthy tribe
as this.
"Is the nation gathered to hear my message, the `word' of the Great
Great One?" I asked, without further ceremony.
"Speak it, stranger," said the chief shortly.
"This it is, then, Chief of the Blue Cattle, and councillors and people
of the Bakoni. The `word' of Umzilikazi, the Great King--the Black
Elephant, whose tread shaketh the world--is short, even as the measure
he meteth out to they who think to defy him. This it is:--`Go, now, to
this chief, Tauane, the lion-cub, and say that not many days off there
draweth near an old lion, whose roar is louder than his own--that unless
I behold the usual tribute, brought by himself in person, before we are
within a day's march of his town, he and his people are already dead.'
Such was the word of the founder of nations, the eater-up of disobedient
peoples, O Tauane, and councillors of the Bakoni."
I was not sure, _Nkose_ that that moment was not my last. Such a chorus
of rage went up from the armed ranks as I delivered my message as might
have been heard a great way off.
"To death with him!" they roared. "To death with the man who wears the
black ring! Let him be burnt in the fire!"
But of all this I took no notice. I even gave a slight laugh, as I
stood, with my head thrown back, looking down upon Tauane.
"Such is the word of the Great Great One," I repeated, slowly.
"Have you ever done a bolder act, stranger?" said Tauane. "Hear you
these? They howl for the blood of him who has insulted their nation and
chief. Have you ever done a bolder act?"
"I have, indeed--an act which has won me the _isicoco_ I wear--also
this"--holding forth the King's Assegai. "If they howl now, what will
they do when the `word' of Umzilikazi, the mighty King, is not obeyed.
Never does he send forth his `word' twice. Now, when wilt thou _konza_
to the Elephant, O Tauane? The sooner the better!"
The howl that went up now was terrible to hear. The dense lines of
armed warriors sprang to their feet and hurled themselves upon us,
spears uplifted.
Mgwali and I stood back to back, covered by our shields. We would die
like Zulu warriors, but before we did so the King's Assegai should
cleave in twain the heart of the chief. This Tauane knew, and made
furious signs to his people to forbear. But they would not listen, and
it seemed that in a moment more we should fall beneath the weight of the
corpses of the Bakoni whom we would carry with us to the Dark Unknown,
when there arose a new and sudden tumult out beyond the lines of those
who would have slain us.
Up the open square men were running--fleeing as before some great and
unknown terror--calling out wildly and looking back as they ran. Every
hand was stayed, each uplifted weapon lowered. Away, over the plain,
dust-clouds were moving, and soon we could descry among them the
advancing horns of driven cattle. Our hearts leaped. Soon we expected
to behold the avenging spears of our nation. The King had repented him
of our errand of peace. Our army was even now hurrying to sweep this
rebellious people from the land.
"Arm yourselves, men of the Bakoni!" cried the fugitives. "Foes are at
our gate! Three days have we fled before them, such of us as are left
to flee, with what we could save of our cattle. Yonder they come! They
will soon be here!"
Now in the disturbance which followed, the Bakoni thought no more of
taking our lives. Wildly the fugitives urged that all should at once
take refuge in the hills, for that a strange and mighty race was
advancing like a devouring swarm of locusts, its warriors as countless
in number as the destroying insects themselves. They had received
warning in time and had fled; had received warning from the remnant of
those who had already been devoured. But those around us laughed. Look
at their strength; at their armed might! Whom did they fear? Had they
not behind them, too, an impregnable fortress?
The eyes of all were directed to the fleeing cattle. But as these drew
near, urged on by their drivers, no further dust-cloud beyond them
betokened the advance of a pursuing enemy. If there had been such, he
had prudently drawn off on finding himself too near their great town,
the Queen of the North, decided the chiefs and councillors of the
Bakoni. They little knew--ah, they little knew!
During this disturbance we two had quite recovered our proud and
disdainful calmness. We stood watching what went on as though in it we
had no lot or part. At last, when it had quieted down somewhat, Tauane
spoke:
"It will be well to retire to your house, ye two strangers. On the
morrow will be decided the answer that shall be sent to your King."