"All talk, you ole black, all talk! You make groot show,--you berry
wise,--you want wagon sweep off,--you want drown da poor oxen,--you
pretend so deep. If tink so, go wade da drift,--go wade yourself! Ha!"
Swartboy thought by this challenge he had put the finisher on the
Kaffir. He believed that the latter would not dare to try the ford, in
spite of his assertion about its depth. But Swartboy was doomed to
disappointment and humiliation.
Scarcely had he uttered the sneering challenge when the Kaffir, having
bent a glance upon the rest, and seeing, that they regarded him with
looks of expectation, turned round and dashed down the bank to the edge
of the water.
All saw that he was bent upon crossing. Several of them uttered cries
of warning, and cautioned him to desist.
But the Zooloo spirit was roused, and the savage did not heed the
warning cries. He did not hurry madly into the current, however; but
set about the business with caution and design. They saw him stoop down
by the edge of the water, and the next moment rise erect again, holding
in his hands a large stone that could not have weighed much less than a
hundredweight. This, to the astonishment of all, he raised upon the
crown of his head, and, holding it in that position, marched boldly into
the water!
All saw the object of his carrying the stone,--which was, of course, to
enable him by its additional weight to stem the strong current! In this
he was quite successful, for although the water at certain places rose
quite to his waist, in less than five minutes he stood high and dry on
the opposite bank.
A cheer greeted him, in which all but Swartboy joined, and another
received him on his return; and then the oxen were inspanned, and the
horses saddled and mounted, and wagons, oxen, dogs, horses, and yagers,
all crossed safely over, and continued their route northward.