Notwithstanding that I, and I alone, had brought to him his bitterest
enemy to be dealt with, Sifadu's manner towards me became, as time went
on, more and more one of suspicion and distrust. He feared lest I
should desire the chieftainship of this refugee clan; for by this time I
was as completely one of themselves as he was, and he thought, perhaps
rightly, that a man who had once commanded the fighting force of a great
warrior nation was not likely to be content to remain for ever a mere
nobody.
But this attitude taken up by Sifadu compelled me to do the very thing
which he desired least, and that in self-defence. I laboured to create
a following, and before I had been many moons among them I had attached
fully half the outlaws to myself. Further, I knew that in the event of
a quarrel between us I could count upon even more, for Sifadu was but
indifferently liked. His bravery was beyond suspicion; indeed, it was
through fear of his prowess that none disputed his supremacy. But he
was of a quarrelsome disposition, fierce and terrible when roused, and
had a sullen and gloomy mind; whereas I, for my part, have ever got on
well among fighting-men, and as for gloomy thoughts, _whau_! they are
the worst kind of _muti_, worse than useless indeed. True, I who once
had been among the first of a great nation was now an outlaw and an
exile from two great nations; but men's fortunes change, and it might
well be that in the near future my serpent would remember me, and my
place be higher than ever--indeed I dared not think how high.
News at length reached us of another great battle. The Amabuna had
again advanced upon Nkunkundhlovu, but before they could reach it a
large _impi_ sent by Dingane had reached them. _Whau_! that was a
fight, said our informants. The Amabuna had drawn their waggons
together, as their manner is, and the Amazulu strove for half a day to
carry their camp with a rush. But it was of no use. The long guns shot
hard and quick, and when the _impi_ got almost within striking distance,
and would have swarmed over the waggons, the Amabuna loaded their guns
with several small bullets at a time, instead of only one, and our
warriors went down in heaps. They could not stand against it, and this
time a tale of defeat was brought back to the King.
Now the Amabuna, quick to take advantage of their success, pressed on
immediately. But Dingane this time did not wait for them. He was
warned that his brother, Mpande, was plotting against him, and he knew
better than to be caught between the Amabuna on one side and his own
rebellious people on the other. So he had decided to retire.
This was the news which reached us in our retreat, and whereas this
would be the tract of country for which the King would make, it would be
our retreat no longer. So we were forced to take a line.
Now, Sifadu's plan was to hand over the whole band of refugees to
Mpande, whose emissaries had been among us of late trying to win us over
to the side of that prince. But my mind on the matter was different. I
had no great opinion of Mpande, whereas Dingane was a real King--one to
whom it was good to _konza_. My flight had been due to the hostility
and intriguing of Tambusa, not to the displeasure of the King; and, now
that the Great Great One was sore pressed by his enemies, I desired to
wield a spear in defence of him. On this matter, too, Lalusini, whom I
saw from time to time, was of the same mind as myself, though at that
time she would not open her mind to me freely, bidding me, with a smile,
to be still and wait.
Soon Sifadu, having his plans ready, called a council of the Bapongqolo
to make known to the clan at large what he expected of it. The warriors
came, several hundreds of them, in full war adornments, and fully armed,
and Sifadu addressed them in a long speech. He recalled how it was that
they came to be there, living the life of exiles and outcasts. He
reminded them of their relatives slain, their houses stamped flat, their
cattle seized to swell the herds of Dingane. The miserable cheat, Tola,
whose bones lay broken and scattered around the nest of the black ants,
in which they had put him to a just death, was only the mouthpiece of
Dingane; the real oppressor was the King himself. Now, would they put
themselves beneath the foot of such a King as that when they might
obtain revenge for their wrongs, and at the same time lead a quiet life
by doing _konza_ to one who had promised them immunity and reward if
they aided him now? But they must do this quickly for their own sakes,
for their former oppressor with what remained of his army would be upon
them in their retreat immediately.
Thus spoke Sifadu, but his words, and the words of others who argued in
like manner, were not received as he intended. By more than half of
those assembled they were received in silence. The old instinct of
trained and disciplined warriors rendered these averse to turning
against the King, especially so great a king as Dingane. Besides, it
was by no means certain that even a combination of both forces against
him would be attended with success. Then, too, they could not bring
themselves to enter into alliance with the Amabuna.
Then I spoke. I pointed out that there were several hundreds of us--all
good fighting-men--that if we all went in to offer our spears to the
King, he, being pressed by enemies, would right gladly receive us. So
should we all regain our place in the nation, and be outlaws no longer.
As I went on, the murmurs of assent which greeted my words grew into
shouts. The people had long been tired of their runaway state, and here
was a chance to set themselves right. They were also not a little tired
of the rule of Sifadu.
This Sifadu saw, and leaping up, his countenance ablaze with fury, he
came at me, his great spear aloft. So quickly was it done that I had
barely time to throw up my shield. So powerful the blow that the blade
pierced the tough bull-hide and stuck fast. Then Sifadu, following up
his attack in swift fury, struck over my shield with his knob-stick. It
was a terrible blow, and partly reached me. I felt half stunned, but
infuriate with the pain. So, with a shout, I quit defence and went at
Sifadu with a will.
A frightful commotion now arose. The friends of Sifadu would have
rushed to his aid, but that they saw that those favourable to me were
more numerous. These sprung to meet them, and all being fully armed it
looked as though a bloody battle was about to be fought. But some cried
aloud against interference, saying that the two of as should strive for
the mastery, and to this counsel I added my voice. Sifadu, though, had
no voice save to growl and grind his teeth like a maddened beast.
So we fought, we two--none hindering. Our shields flapped together, and
for a moment we were immovable--pressing each other equally hard--each
striving to run in under the guard of the other. Then the
spear-blades--Sifadu having disentangled his--would flash and glance
like threads of fire as we leaped and feinted--yet neither of us able to
drive home either stroke or stab. A silence had fallen upon the
onlookers now, and every head was bent eagerly forward. All this I
could see, while never taking my gaze from my enemy.
At last my chance came. Pretending to stumble, I threw myself forward,
and with one swift sweep of my assegai I sheared through Sifadu's leg,
gashing the thigh to the bone. He sank to the earth uttering a terrible
howl. All the muscles were divided--from the principal blood-vessels
red jets were spurting. _Whau_! He was in a sea of it. But even then,
weakening each moment, he gathered strength to hurl his great knobstick
at my face. I was prepared for this, however, and caught it on my
shield; nor did I hurry to run in and finish him, knowing that while he
could move a finger he would still gather himself together for one last
desperate slash at me.
"_Hamba-gahle_, Sifadu," I said--not mocking him. "This quarrel was not
of my seeking, but the son of Ntelani never yet refused a fight."
He made no reply, glaring at me in hate until very soon he sank down
into unconsciousness and death. And all the warriors shouted in assent
of my words, save some few--near friends of Sifadu; but for them I cared
nothing. And presently some of the older among them came to me, and we
talked. We agreed to carry out my plan of returning to the nation, and
that at once.
"_Whau_, Untuswa! Thou hast commanded men from thy youth; it is fitting
that thou shouldst be our leader now," said one of them, after he had
talked. "Say I not well, brothers?" turning to the rest.
"_E-he! Siyavuma_!" ["We consent"] they cried as one man. Thus,
_Nkose_, I became chief of the Bapongqolo, the tribe of the Wanderers;
but, in truth, the honour might be brief, indeed, for it might please
the King to make a quick end both of chief and tribe.
Now that we had thus decided, we sent out men to find out how things
were going between Dingane and the enemy, and from their report we
judged that the time had arrived to come in and lie beneath the foot of
the Elephant. The Bapongqolo women were left in concealment in the
recesses of the Ngome forests, while we, to the number of several
hundreds, marched forth.
Before we crossed the White Umfolosi, I and other of the principal of
the refugees climbed to the heights overlooking the Mahlabatini plain.
It was somewhat early in the morning, but the brightness of the new day
was dimmed--dimmed by a great cloud. Far away to the southward it rose,
that cloud--thicker and thicker, higher and higher--a great dull pillar
of smoke. Nkunkundhlovu was in flames.
Through the thickness of the smoke-cloud we could see the red leap of
the fire. Then was amazement our master. Had the Amabuna gained a
victory--so great a victory that they had been able to penetrate to the
Great Place of the Elephant whose tread shaketh the world? _Whau_! it
could not be. The marvel was too great.
But as we looked, lo! over the rise which lay back from the river came
dense black masses--masses of men--of warriors--for in the morning
sunlight we could see the glint of their spears. They moved in regular
rank, marching in columns, in perfect order. In perfect order! There
lay the whole situation. This was no defeat. The Great Great One, for
reasons of his own, had fired Nkunkundhlovu before retreating.
Nearer they drew, those masses of warriors--on, on--rank upon rank of
them. We saw them enter the river and cross, and for long it seemed
that the flood of the river must be arrested in its run, so vast were
the numbers that blackened it as they crossed. Our blood burned within
us at the sight of this splendid array. We longed to be among them,
bearing our part as men. We had had more than enough of skulking like
hunted leopards.
"Ho, Siyonyoba!" I cried to the second leader of the refugees. "Form
up our spears in rank, that we go down now and throw in our lot with
these."
Right down we went. The black might of our retreating nation was
halting now, rolling up in waves; and there, on the very spot where we
were finally repulsed by you English in the battle of Nodwengu, _Nkose_,
when we thought to eat up your red square of soldiers, there did we
wanderers, whose lives were forfeit, bring our lives in our hands to lay
them at the feet of the King.
[The battle historically known to us as that of Ulundi is always termed
by the Zulus the battle of Nodwengu, because fought nearest to the kraal
of that name.]
I had sent on men in advance to announce our arrival, and now, as we
drew near, the army opened on either side of us so as to leave us a
broad road.
A dead silence lay upon the whole dense array. I gave one glance back
at those I led--led, it might be, to their death. Truly, a more
warrior-like band never desired to serve any King. Their fugitive life
had hardened the Bapongqolo. Even the picked regiments of Dingane's
army could not surpass them for hardihood and uprightness of bearing;
and though we were probably going to our death, my blood thrilled with
pride that I was the elected leader of so splendid a band.
I gave a signal, and striking their shields in measure as they marched,
the Bapongqolo raised a great song in praise of Dingane:
"There hovers aloft a bird,
An eagle of war,
In circles and swoop
It floats above the world.
The eye of that eagle
Would burn up the world.
But the world is allowed to live.
So clement, so merciful, is that eagle who restrains his wrath.
He retires but to swoop and strike again.
_Hau_! The enemies of that war-eagle
shall melt away like yonder smoke.
A vulture who devours the flesh of men;
So is that bird.
Yonder is flesh that he shall presently eat.
So great is he,
He retires but to swoop and strike again."
So our song thundered forth as we marched straight onward. I gave
another signal. Immediately every shield and weapon fell to the ground
with one crash, and advancing nearer weaponless, we bent low, a forest
of heads, and from every tongue in one roar there ascended the
"_Bayete_." For we were now in the presence of the King.
In stern silence Dingane sat gazing upon us. Then he, too, gave a
signal. Immediately an armed regiment moved across our rear. Between
us and the weapons we had thrown down stood a wall of armed men, and in
this I read our sentence of death. We had risked our chance and had
foiled. By my counsels, I had led these hundreds of brave men to their
doom.