"Is the Black Bull of the North growing old and weak that he sends to
_konza_ to the Elephant who trumpets at Nkunkundhlovu?"
"No older and no weaker than the day his horns gored back the Elephant,
yonder at Inkume," I answered, betrayed for the moment into speaking up
for my nation. "And I think on that day thou, too, didst feel the
goring of those horns, Mfulwana," I added with a half-laugh as I glanced
meaningly at the scar upon his shoulder.
"_Whau_! That was a great fight, induna of the Black Bull," he
answered; and then, we being somewhat apart from the rest, we fought the
battle of the Three Rifts over again--in words this time--I and this
warrior, whom I had wounded there, and I found that my name and deeds at
that place were well known in Zulu-land. Yes, and even how I had met
and striven with Mhlangana the brother of Dingane, shield to shield and
face to face; but I already knew how that Great One had travelled into
the Dark Unknown, for two bulls cannot rule in one kraal.
In due time we came to the White Umfolosi, which was but a short march
from Nkunkundhlovu, and were met on the river-bank by many who had come
to gaze on the returning _impi_, and to amuse themselves watching the
cattle and the women captives as they crossed the stream. Much
whispering, too, did I perceive as regarded myself, for I was the only
one of that _impi_ not in war-gear, and the plainness of my attire and
my head-ring unadorned with plumes drew every eye to me, all at first
deeming me a captive, until they saw that I carried arms, and then they
knew not what to make of it.
And now, _Nkose_, as we came in sight of Nkunkundhlovu, I gazed upon
this great place with more than curious eyes. I had seen, when a boy,
Tshaka's great kraal, Dukuza, but this one was even more magnificent.
As we looked upon it from the opposite heights, I noticed that the
_isigodhlo_ alone occupied fully a quarter of the space within the ring
fences, and before this was the King's cattle kraal. Then the immense
number of huts, many rows deep, between the ring fences, _hau_! it
seemed to me that at least twenty thousand warriors might easily have
been housed there. And the great space in the centre, _hau_! so great
was it that I thought our own great kraal, Kwa'zingwenya, would find
room to stand within that huge circle alone, could it be placed there.
But one thing was curious, and that was a stockade of upright logs,
which encircled the outside fence, leaving a broad space between,
through which an _impi_ might march in columns.
We arrived at about mid-day, and as we filed in through the lower gate
our _impi_ began to sing a triumph-song in honour of the King:
"Ruler of the World, thy people turn to thee!
Father of nations, thy children creep beneath thy shadow!
Pursuer of the disobedient, thy scourges return to thee red;
Red with the blood of those who have fallen beneath thy glance.
Thy glance withers, O Stabber of the Sun; O Divider of the Stars.
Before it nations are consumed and creep away to die!"
Thus sang they in praise of Dingane, and two regiments within the centre
space, drawn up under arms, took up the song, strophe by strophe!
clashing together their war shields as they sang.
Now, as we entered, the King himself came forth from the _isigodhlo_,
preceded by the _izimbonga_, running and roaring, and trumpeting and
hissing, as they shouted aloud the royal titles--and so long, indeed,
were these, and so many, that I thought they would last until sundown.
But at length they desisted, and the thunder of the "_Bayete_!" went up
with a roar as from the voice of one, as every warrior tossed aloft his
unarmed right hand, hailing the King.
I had seen this all my life when Umzilikazi appeared in state; but,
somehow, here it seemed to impress me as it had never before done. The
vastness of this great place, Nkunkundhlovu, "The Rumble of the
Elephant," the perfect order and splendid array of the regiments under
arms, and, above all, the knowledge that here was the fountain-head of
the pure-blooded race of Zulu--the parent stock, the ruler and eater-up
of all nations, feared even by the white people, of whom just then we
were more than beginning to hear--all this told upon me, and great as
our new nation was, it was only great by reason of distance and strategy
when compared with this. And now, _Nkose_, you will understand with
what curiosity I gazed upon him to whom all nations did _konza_--the
mighty Dingane, slayer of Tshaka the Terrible, and who now sat in that
Great One's seat.
He was a very tall man, in the full strength of middle age, but that
largeness of limb which peculiarly distinguishes the House of
Senzangakona imparted to him a stoutness of aspect which made his height
appear less than it really was. And his look was right kingly.
Straight he walked, with his head thrown back--lord, indeed, of the
"People of the Heavens" [The literal meaning of "Amazulu."]--and his
eyes burned like stars, as, without bending his head, his glance swept
down over the array of warriors there assembled.
He took his seat upon a wooden chair covered with a leopard-skin robe,
which was set at the upper end of the great space, the chief indunas
squatting on the ground on either side. The shield-bearer stood behind
the royal chair, holding aloft the great white shield of state, an
office I had many a time fulfilled in times past for Umzilikazi. Then
he beckoned Nomapela and the other leaders of the returning _impi_, to
draw near and make their report. They crept up, uttering the phrases of
_sibonga_, and set forth what had been done. They had gone through that
section of the Swazi people who had defied the King and made raids upon
tribes who did _konza_ to the Great Great One, and had carried the torch
and the assegai upon their path. None had escaped, save, perhaps, a few
who had fled to the mountains, having got warning of the approach of the
slayers.
"That they should not have been allowed to do," said Dingane. "Yet in
pouring _tywala_ from one bowl to another, a few drops will now and then
perforce be spilled. And what spoil have ye brought?"
"Much cattle and good, Ruler of the World," answered Nomapela. "Some we
left, for it looked weak and sickly, and we knew it was not the will of
the King that the remnant of that people should starve."
"Ye have done well on the whole, my children," said Dingane, who looked
pleased. "And how--what of the women? Were any good enough to bring
hither?"
"_Au_! Are _any_ good enough for the Father of Nations?" quickly
replied Nomapela. "Yet some we thought too well favoured to feed the
blade of the spear, and these we brought."
"Ha! I will see them, then," said Dingane, somewhat eagerly. "Bring
them hither. The cattle I will inspect some other time. But--hold.
Whom have ye there?" he broke off, as his glance now fell upon me, where
I sat among the warriors, conspicuous by the lack of plumes and war
adornments. "Is it the chief dog of this tribe of dogs ye have
exterminated? Yet no, for he is armed."
"He is a stranger, O Elephant, who seeks audience of the Ruler of the
World," answered Nomapela.
"He is from the North, Serpent of Wisdom. _Au_! and a great tale should
he have to tell," struck in Mfulwana.
"Ha! From the North? He has the look of one who could wield yon broad
spear he holds," said Dingane, with that piercing glance of his full
upon me. Then louder, "Come hither, stranger."
I understood the ways of kings, _Nkose_, none better; and so, disarming,
I crept forward, the words of _bonga_ rolling out thick and fast the
while. Arriving before the Great Great One, I prostrated myself, and
then, seating myself upon the ground, waited for him to speak. Still he
kept silence, and seemed to be looking me through and through; and,
_Nkose_, I, who knew little of fear, felt it was no light thing to be
there thus, awaiting the word of this mighty one, at whose frown tribes
and peoples fell dead.
"_Whau_! but I think thou dost understand somewhat of the ways of war?"
he said, at last.
"That do I, indeed, Father of the Nations," I answered.
"Who art thou, and what is thy name?"
"I am Untuswa, the son of Ntelani, of the tribe of Umtetwa, Black
Elephant," I answered.
As I said these words, a great exclamation volleyed forth from the
warriors; from all within hearing, that is, for the place was large, and
my words could not reach everybody. The _izinduna_ seated around the
King bent eagerly forward to look at me, and even Dingane himself could
not avoid something of a start. Nomapela too, and Mfulwana, started and
stared, for not even to the latter had I revealed my identity. He knew
that I was a war chief of high rank, and had wounded him in battle, but
even he had not guessed who I really was.
Now Dingane looked at me all the more eagerly, and I, who knew not what
was in his mind, thought that it was all even whether death now had
travelled my way at last, or not. For I had wounded Mhlangana in the
side at the battle of the Three Rifts. I myself had seen the blood
flow. I had shed the blood of the royal House of Senzangakona, and were
this known to Dingane, _au_! the place of slaughter would soon know
another victim.
"Well, Untuswa, son of Ntelani, thy name is not unknown here, it would
seem," said the King, with a wave of the hand which took in those
around. "And now, what is the message wherewith thou art charged?"
"With no message am I charged, Father of the World," I answered. "I
desire to _konza_ to the lion of Zulu. That is why I am come hither."
"Ah--ah, Untuswa," said the King softly, putting his head on one side.
"And what hast thou done, away in the North where a new lion roars
alone--that so mighty a warrior, so brave a leader of men, should seek
another king?"
"I have a reason, Serpent of Wisdom, but it is not for the ears of all,"
I said. "One thing, however. It is to the advantage of the House of
Senzangakona that I thus desire to _konza_ to the Elephant whose tread
shaketh the world."
"Thou art a brave man, Untuswa," said the King, "but I think thou
surpassest thyself in coming hither with that tale. However, I will
hear it, and that shortly. And now, Nomapela, bring hither thy
captives, for I would see them."
The women, to the number of a score and a half, were marched up before
the King, and lay prone on their faces in fear; howbeit some, who were
young and pretty, and well rounded, did not fear to look slily through
their fingers, calculating their chances of obtaining more or less
ascendency within the _isigodhlo_, for Dingane loved women much, though
he would never take onto himself wives, lest there should be strife as
to the succession.
"_Whau_! they are an ugly lot," I heard him mutter. "Nevertheless, she
will do--and she--and she--and she," pointing at four of them with his
short-handled assegai. "For the rest, I want them not. You, Nomapela
and Mfulwana, and all who have led the _impi_, can choose two or three
apiece, and if any remain let Untuswa here take them; for it is not meet
that a warrior of his standing should come among us and have no wives."
We all shouted aloud in praise of the King's generosity, and just then
two of the women whom Dingane had chosen faltered forth that they had
small children with them.
"Children, have ye?" said Dingane softly. "Then they and ye must part,
for my peace cannot be disturbed with screaming. Fear not, my sisters,
they shall be well cared for--ah, yes--well cared for." And the women
said no more, for although they knew what sort of "care" would be meted
out to their offspring, they themselves had no desire to travel into the
Dark Unknown--wherefore they uttered no further word.
Then the King retired, amid shouts of praise from all there, and
I--_Whau_! in but a short space I found myself occupying a fine hut
within the great kraal of Nkunkundhlovu, the owner of three captive
Swazi girls who had been given me as wives by Dingane, the Great King,
and this, at any rate, was better than the stake of impalement at
Kwa'zingwenya.